The Truth about Guns Part Two and Three

In the grand Tarantino tradition parts Two and Three are below for your reading pleasure.


A firearm, made of steel and or polymer is the second half of a gun. The bullets as discussed in earlier posts are created to wreak carnage, while the firearm is designed to bring order and discipline to the process. Is selecting a firearm please pay attention to the following:

1. The Barrel: The heavier the barrel the better. Barrel harmonics are moderated by the density of the barrel. The thinner the barrel the more vibrations caused by a round detonating in the chamber will affect your shot.

2. Barrel mounting point: If the barrel moves significantly during the firing sequence the more likely it will not fall back into its original position. If you can find a handgun with a fixed barrel you will be more than happy with accuracy. Even the low-rent variety with fixed barrels shoot fairly straight in comparison to an average 1911.

3. Trigger: This is the biggest trade you will make. In general terms the longer heaver the trigger pull the less likely it will go off with out the users consent. However, this also means you will have a tough time keeping it on target. 1911’s are ahead in this regard as they fire from a ‘cocked and locked’ position and have an incredibly short trigger pull. But be very careful. Other guns such as the Springfield XD have a pre cocked striker as discussed in previous posts and the only safety, the grip safety is removed as soon as you pick up the gun. Again, be careful. However, they have just released an XD with a manual thumb safety. Hmmmm. Someone is listening.

4. Rails: The longer the slide rails the better aligned the slide and frame will be during the firing sequence. This means greater accuracy. Sig Sauer, EAA, Tanfolgolio and CZ all have full length rails and are vary accurate. The shorter the rails the more workmanship that is required, which means a bigger hit to your pocketbook.

Part #3 in the process is you. No one bit of advice can alter personal preference. Just be aware of the technical details as outlined above and find one that you can live with and you will be a happy consumer. If the gun feels like it was made for your have and fulfills the tradeoffs to your satisfaction then you have found the perfect gun for you. Accuracy is mechanical. Shooting accurately is a blend of mechanics and you. Like I said, art and science.

So endeth the lesson.

Happy shooting, be safe, and have fun. You thoughts, as always, are much appreciated.

The Truth about Guns

Why do I like guns?

Because they blend both left and right side thinking into a real art form. Because pulling a trigger isn't about the boom, it's the science and craftsmanship that makes black circles evaporate into ragged holes.

Here is all you need to know about buying a gun. And it took me a lot longer than a year in Iraq to figure it out. You get it here for free - just the kinda guy that I am.

REMEMBER - consistency IS accuracy. This advice comes in three parts:

1. The Bullet

2. The Gun

3. The User

PART ONE: The Bullet

The bullet wants to kill you. The shooter, the target, everyone. Respect the bullet, many don't, and if you want to leave the range with the same amount of holes you walked in you will pay attention to the following:

1. The Bullet itself when inserted in the barrel 'bites' into the rifling of the barrel. The length of the bullet sticking out of the front of the casing will determine how much. Cheap ammo will vary in legnth and will not seat the consistently into the barrel.

2. The casing holds the bullet together, 9 out of 10 catastrophic failures are because of cases being blown out - explosively. Loose chambers, which add reliability also help the bullet in its desires to kill you. Remember to check the casings for obstructions and deformities which could hinder the casing form seating properly.

3. Powder, as with length of the bullet can effect consistency. The amount of powder and how evenly it burns define how consistently the bullet will fire.

If the bullet enters the chamber the same way and leaves the barrel at the same speed, it should consistently hit the same spot each time. But it takes three parts to make one ragged hole.

So, now you know. But before you go out and buy the most expensive ammo on the block go out and buy a micrometer first. Measure the bullet spacing, inspect the casing and buy form reliable sources.

Part Two and Three are on the way. Your thoughts, as always are much appreciated.

How is your Beretta M9 made?

From: www.americanmachinist.com/304/Issue/Article/False/12763/Issue

Beretta machines its own steel barrels, steel slides and aluminum frames from materials sourced in the United States through companies such as Kaiser Aluminum Corp. and Mueller Industries Inc., a supplier of copper and brass.

Beretta purchases forged carbon steel bar stock and saws it for barrel machining. The bar shape creates less waste than round steel rods. Machinists drill a blank then rifle it using the cut broach method on a Varinelli machine. For the frame, three pieces of rough forged steel are milled on both sides in a Mgerle creepfeed grinder in one minute, machined on three sides in the Mitsui Seiki machines and returned for cosmetic finish grinding. No stamped components or welds are required.

The pieces are sent to a marking area where Rofin laser-marking equipment and roll-marking machines create the logo, serial number and model number, and travel to the polishing department where sandpaper belts are used to make the outside diameter smooth. Ceramic media is used in deburring machines to remove burrs and round the corners. The metal parts are heat treated and finished. A clear or black anodized surface or chrome plating is given to aluminum, and black oxide ("bluing") of the steel barrel and small parts occurs.
Thomas L. Valorose, vice president of manufacturing, says, "Bluing is rust, it's controlled oxidation." The slide on largeframed pistols, such as the M9, is phosphated then painted because that finish lasts longer than bluing and is more rugged in a heavy-use, military environment.

An oven is used to bake the parts at 250 C for 40 minutes to harden the paint for durability and long life. Though not all firearms manufacturers do this, even parts provided by outside vendors are heat treated in a separate oven at different temperatures, depending on the heat required to change the chemical composition of the metal being treated since it is critical to the performance of the weapon.

The components are moved to assembly lines. Since M9 parts are interchangeable due to the tolerances required, no drilling, milling or fitting is necessary. After assembly, each weapon is put through a running machine, which dry fires the gun without ammunition for 300 cycles to break it in and to guarantee it works mechanically. The gun moves from the assembly department to the quality department that puts the weapon on a force gage to straight pull the trigger with minimum (light pull) and maximum (heavy pull) weight to make the gun shoot. The amount of force used differs for each model tested.

If the weapon passes, it moves to the production firing range where a high-pressure proof round, which provides 1.3 times the pressure of a standard round, is chambered and shot into a gun trap through a hole in the wall. The weapon is disassembled and given a magparticle inspection for cracks or flaws. If none are found, it is function tested in a black-box machine with a full round and given a mounted and scoped targeting and accuracy test with three-to five-shot groups. Valorose says, "You could test them to death but what good would that do? If you can't hit in three shots, you'll know in three shots."

Finally, the gun is packaged.

Kinda intense. Your thoughts, as always, are much appreciated.

The Locking Block

The Beretta handgun uses what can be described as a 'floating barrel. The barrel rests in rails in the frame and while most handguns use a tilt-lock, the Beretta barrel slides slightly back and forth. Making for a fast lock-up and a theoretical improvement in accuracy.

The locking block is the most controversial piece of the design and essentially keeps the slide from launching off of the front of the handgun. As you can see in the picture the breech face pushes on the barrel which in turn pushed the locking block up, its 'wings' locking into the forward portion of the slide. As the slide moves rearward the wings drop down into the frame to allow movement.
All in all not a bad system.

There is not a lot of vertical movement which should, in theory, reduce recoil. In the Beretta 90 TWO a recoil damper has been added which should reduce recoil even more.

You thoughts, as always, are much appreciated.

Going Over to the Dark Side

Dear Readers,

For those who have inquired the R and R was amazing. However, I did not have a chance to buy anything while on leave. My thoughts on returning were to spend maximum time with the wife. I am a gun nut, but I am not crazy. My advice to you if looking to spend quality time with the spouse is a nice cabin in the woods with a very large 'Do not Disturb' sign. It certainly worked for us.

But,

The quest for my future purchase continues.

After numerous posts denigrating the very sidearm I have been carrying for these many months my opinion is slowly changing. Maybe it's something in the water, or perhaps the heat. But the Beretta M9 has been a real performer. Those who carry in Iraq handle their arms a lot. Clearing procedures are conducted several times a day. You can hear the tell-tale CLACK as everyone drops the slide on an empty chamber once completed. I prefer to lower the slide slowly to preserve the breechface, but not everyone takes care of their gear as I do. But between heavy handling and carrying in the dusty environment of Baghdad the M9 has shown little wear. Much to my surprise.

So,

For the next few months until I return home for good I am going to give the Beretta M9 another day in court. Lets look at what I like in a firearm.

1. Easy to clean

2. The hammer is completely at rest with a round in the chamber

3. Accurate

4. Fits my hand

5. High capacity

6. Trigger disconnect

7. Aftermarket parts

8. Simple construction with few parts

So, lets take a second look at the most denigrated and celebrated handgun in recent history.

Your thoughts, as always, are much appreciated.

Last of the Line

Ladies and Gentlemen,

This is my 50th post and the last of the year.

What a year this has been.

Working in Iraq as a media analyst has been one of the more rewarding I have experienced. Long hours challenging duties, but critical to success. If we don't win here, trust me, it will get a lot worse. The good news is that we are doing well, but damn, it's a lot of work.

So with this heavy load under my belt and my R and R at hand what firearm shall it be?

We have discussed metallurgical as well as manufacturing. We have inquired the largest and the smallest builders. What have we learned?

First you get what you pay for. That only happens when you do your homework. You are the short pole in the tent. however, if I may offer a bit of wisdom I will say to treat guns like women. Respect them all. Each is unique, but when you find the right one, that also treats you right, stick with it. In the long run, if you treat her right it will stay with you a lifetime. But as with most relationships you have to work at it.

Money. As with women, just because you have money doesn't mean you get the prettiest or the best built. Put your time in, do your homework, and more importantly, take you time. How many folks have you know that want to drop 2K on the best built, only to find it didn't make them happy.

Which is really the point of this exercise. Will a shiny new firearm make me happy? Well, yea.

But I will be a lot happier when I get back to the range with my friends and shoot a few matches.
For me at the moment the Sig 226 is my favorite and frankly the winner as it fulfills all of the above. I have been incredibly lucky. I have a great family at home, and a Sig 226 in the gun case.

R and R is around the corner.

Specifications SIG 226
Caliber
9mm Luger
Operation
Semiautomatic, mechanically
locked, recoil operated
Trigger Double-action/single-action
or double-action only
Safety
Patented automatic firing-pin lock
Length 7.7"
Height 5.5"
Width 1.5"
Barrel length 4.4"
Weight 26.5 oz.
Trigger pull DA 12 lbs., SA 4.5 lbs.
Magazine capacity
15 rounds

I appreciate your thoughts on this subject. Let me know what firearm graces your bench and what makes lazy summer days a little more exciting.

The Granddaddy of them all

The Sig P210 is the Moby Dick of guns. It is not shrouded in mystery, but sightings are Very Rare. When you see the price tag, often in excess of $5,000, you might want to run and hide. As a freestanding human I probably won't see the difference between this pistol and one off a CnC machine. Except for the 'wow' factor that these pistols inherently have.

The slide rails are internal as you will commonly see on their modern firearms. This adds considerable to accuracy and smooth operation. A single stack 9mm magazine adds to feed reliability, though it is designed more for target shooting than close quarters combat.

The firearm is a single action with a manual safety on the left side.

Specifications
P210

Caliber:

9mm
Overall Length: 8.5"
Barrel Length: 4.7"
Weight: 1.98 lbs.
Firing System: Single Action
Magazine Capacity: 8 Rounds

Price:

$4,000 - $6,500

With the considerable rarity and high cost, this pistol wold probably only get fired a few times a year. This is definitely a collectors piece. Which we could convince them to make more. Your thoughts, as always, are much appreciated.

Ones that got away

I used to own one in 9mm. It was a great shooter, though for a college student in the pre-Internet global marketplace the magazines were near impossible to find. This was especially important as the two that came with the gun split i the first week of use. Apparently its a flaw with some, though not all magazines.

The interesting bit is the dissassembly. You can see a sliver clip at the rear near the hammer. These clips fold back and the firing pin block drops out the back. The the slide goes off the front. It has a stainless fixed barrel and it was accurate as I could shoot at the time. The grip angle is near perfect for me and the feel was amazing. This was as near to perfect as I could find in a pistol.

However some A--h**** broke into my apartment and stole it. Granted the mags were shot so good luck doing bad things, but still it was mine and some jerk stole it. I have since used safes and not just gun locks. Lesson learned.

This is one that got away that I wouldn't mind putting back in the collection. A nice, secured, collection.

Specifications

Benelli B-76
Caliber
9x19 Luger

Weight 2.13 lbs.
Length: 8"
Barrel length: 4"

Capacity
8 rounds

Price:

450.00 Est. Out of Production

So, is this the fish that got away, or can I find another and put it back into my collection. Your thoughts, as always, are much appreciated.