Hello folks, 12-Gauge Chimp back today with the first of many gun show reports (this one was earlier in the year, as that was the last time I went to a gun show.)
Awhile back, I had the oppurtunity to go to a local gun show, ok so the show was in Odessa Texas, but it's kind of local. Anyway, after I paid my way inside I was surprised at the lack of people, granted I went the last day of the show, but the gun panic was still in full swing, so the few folks there was kind of unusual. I wandered around for about two hours, looking in vain for a Romanian TTC Tokarev, but alas there was not a single one to be found.
Some of the highlights of the show, for me anyway, included two C96 Mauser pistols, one with the shoulder stock/holster combo, a SIG 556 pistol(which had just barely hit the market, by the way), some nice M1 Garand rifles and some assorted AK-47's and AR-15's, but nothing that really screamed" Buy me, you idiot!". So I ended my gun show experience by purchasing two boxes of 7.62x54R ammo for my M91/30. Don't you worry though, your old pal 12-Gauge Chimp will be going back to this gun show whenever he's got more time, money and whenever the show is back in town.
That's it for this edition of Adventures at the gun show. I'll eventually be bringing you more of these show reports, as I hope to hit as many gun shows as I can in the next few years.
As always, this is 12-Gauge Chimp signing off.
Tuesday, July 28, 2009
Saturday, July 25, 2009
Random Thoughts # 1: Ammo shortage, is it over yet ?
Recently, I was in my local big box superstore and I stumbled upon the sporting goods section. Not really needing anything from that particular area, I decided to have a look at the ammo selection. I was actually surprised to see ammo on the shelves. Nothing that I needed any of course, but it got me thinking, is the ammo shortage really over ?
One thing that pisses me off during this whole deal was the fact that some people were buying ammo for guns they didn't have and then selling it off on the internet for two and three times what they paid. I understand people have to make a buck, but when you buy all the ammo a store has just to go and sell it on the internet at a high mark up, that's not fair to the rest of us.
Prior to this whole stupid event one could, for example, purchase a thousand rounds of 7.62x39mm for under 150 bucks, but now a thousand rounds goes for $200 or more in some places, it's ridiculous really. I buy ammo for my guns, maybe once or twice a month, usually two boxes at a time, unless its for my 12 gauge and then I buy the 100 round cases. I don't buy more ammo than I need at the time and I definitely don't buy out the whole store just so I can sell it on the internet.
Some of the stores that I've been to have instituted a limit to the amount of ammo you can buy in one day, usually six boxes total, which to me is a good idea. It gives the rest of us a chance to get the ammo we need without having to pay some yahoos high prices, granted the prices at the stores aren't exactly the best, but we still buy the ammo any way.
Well I guess that's it for today, as always this is 12-Gauge Chimp signing off.
Have a nice day.
One thing that pisses me off during this whole deal was the fact that some people were buying ammo for guns they didn't have and then selling it off on the internet for two and three times what they paid. I understand people have to make a buck, but when you buy all the ammo a store has just to go and sell it on the internet at a high mark up, that's not fair to the rest of us.
Prior to this whole stupid event one could, for example, purchase a thousand rounds of 7.62x39mm for under 150 bucks, but now a thousand rounds goes for $200 or more in some places, it's ridiculous really. I buy ammo for my guns, maybe once or twice a month, usually two boxes at a time, unless its for my 12 gauge and then I buy the 100 round cases. I don't buy more ammo than I need at the time and I definitely don't buy out the whole store just so I can sell it on the internet.
Some of the stores that I've been to have instituted a limit to the amount of ammo you can buy in one day, usually six boxes total, which to me is a good idea. It gives the rest of us a chance to get the ammo we need without having to pay some yahoos high prices, granted the prices at the stores aren't exactly the best, but we still buy the ammo any way.
Well I guess that's it for today, as always this is 12-Gauge Chimp signing off.
Have a nice day.
Friday, July 24, 2009
Guns and Gear Review # 4: Mossberg 500 bullpup
Hello folks, 12-Gauge Chimp back again with the last gun review, for now anyways. Today I'll be reviewing the Mossberg 500 Bullpup shotgun.
Now usually I give a bit of history behind the gun, like the past three reviews I've done, but since I don't know the entire history behind this particular gun, I'll just skip all that and get to the review.
I purchased this shotgun at a local gun shop and being relatively new to the whole shotgun game, I had little experience with them. I had been told to buy an Remington 870 or Mossberg 500, so I knew what to look for, sort of. Lo and behold I walk into this gun shop and staring me in the face was my shotgun, a used Mossberg 500 bullpup. I paid the sum of $280 for it and after the required background check, it was mine. As an added bonus, the guy at the shop even threw in a box of shells at no charge. I thought that was pretty nice of him.
The basics of the Mossberg bullpup aren't that much different from the standard 500, just a few minor cosmetic tweaks. When this gun came from the factory, it had a vertical fore grip, but when I bought it, it was missing, and now I'm stuck looking for the factory grip (which is a pain in my neck, by the way) The heat shield works very well and after firing a few boxes of shells, it kept the barrel cool to the touch. The only thing I do not like about this shotgun, aside from the missing VFG, is the sight/carry handle. They do take some getting used to, but I have learned to aim a bit low and have successfully hit what I'm aiming at.
This is not a shotgun to hunt or shoot skeet with, but I'm ok with that besides it gives me an excuse to buy another shotgun for that purpose. If you ever come across a Mossberg 500 bullpup shotgun, buy it, because these guns are very rarely seen on the used market.
Well I hope you enjoyed my series of gun reviews, I promise there will be more, but for the time being this is it. As always this is 12-Gauge Chimp signing off.
Now usually I give a bit of history behind the gun, like the past three reviews I've done, but since I don't know the entire history behind this particular gun, I'll just skip all that and get to the review.
I purchased this shotgun at a local gun shop and being relatively new to the whole shotgun game, I had little experience with them. I had been told to buy an Remington 870 or Mossberg 500, so I knew what to look for, sort of. Lo and behold I walk into this gun shop and staring me in the face was my shotgun, a used Mossberg 500 bullpup. I paid the sum of $280 for it and after the required background check, it was mine. As an added bonus, the guy at the shop even threw in a box of shells at no charge. I thought that was pretty nice of him.
The basics of the Mossberg bullpup aren't that much different from the standard 500, just a few minor cosmetic tweaks. When this gun came from the factory, it had a vertical fore grip, but when I bought it, it was missing, and now I'm stuck looking for the factory grip (which is a pain in my neck, by the way) The heat shield works very well and after firing a few boxes of shells, it kept the barrel cool to the touch. The only thing I do not like about this shotgun, aside from the missing VFG, is the sight/carry handle. They do take some getting used to, but I have learned to aim a bit low and have successfully hit what I'm aiming at.
This is not a shotgun to hunt or shoot skeet with, but I'm ok with that besides it gives me an excuse to buy another shotgun for that purpose. If you ever come across a Mossberg 500 bullpup shotgun, buy it, because these guns are very rarely seen on the used market.
Well I hope you enjoyed my series of gun reviews, I promise there will be more, but for the time being this is it. As always this is 12-Gauge Chimp signing off.
Thursday, July 23, 2009
Guns and Gear Review # 3: SKS M59
Hello people, 12-Gauge Chimp bringing you the third gun review in the ongoing series. Today we'll be looking at the Yugoslavian Model 59 SKS.
The SKS is actually a Russian designed weapon, but built in various Soviet satellite countries, such as Yugoslavia (or whatever its called now), China, East Germany, and others. It fires the 7.62x39mm cartridge and has a ten round internal magazine, which if feed by either individual rounds or by stripper clips. It uses a gas piston system similar to that of the famous AK-47 rifle.
Certain models of the SKS were modified to accept AK-47 magazines and these are primarily Chinese made models of the SKS known as SKS-D or SKS-M rifles.
I purchased my SKS M-59 in 2006 and it was my first centerfire rifle (I had purchased a semi-auto .22 a month or so earlier), and at the time 7.62x39mm ammo was a bit hard to find due to the enormous popularity of the rifle. It's simple to use, basically idiot proof when it comes to field-stripping for cleaning and maintenance, and is relatively affordable.
I learned a few things from owning my SKS rifle, one of the most important being, wear ear protection whenever you shoot a centerfire rifle. You can get away with not using ear plugs when shooting a .22, but with something like the SKS, do not be an idiot, wear the ear plugs or ear muffs.
You can still find SKS rifles for relatively little money, though they are not as cheap as they once were, but they are still a good buy. Russian SKS rifles still show up from time to time, but the majority of SKS's out there are going to be either Yugoslavian made or Chinese. The rarest SKS rifles are Albanian and East German SKS rifles, if you ever find one, buy it right then and there, if you can of course.
Well that's it for now, tomorrow I'll be looking at a Mossberg Bullpup 12 Gauge shotgun.
As always this is 12-Gauge Chimp signing off.
The SKS is actually a Russian designed weapon, but built in various Soviet satellite countries, such as Yugoslavia (or whatever its called now), China, East Germany, and others. It fires the 7.62x39mm cartridge and has a ten round internal magazine, which if feed by either individual rounds or by stripper clips. It uses a gas piston system similar to that of the famous AK-47 rifle.
Certain models of the SKS were modified to accept AK-47 magazines and these are primarily Chinese made models of the SKS known as SKS-D or SKS-M rifles.
I purchased my SKS M-59 in 2006 and it was my first centerfire rifle (I had purchased a semi-auto .22 a month or so earlier), and at the time 7.62x39mm ammo was a bit hard to find due to the enormous popularity of the rifle. It's simple to use, basically idiot proof when it comes to field-stripping for cleaning and maintenance, and is relatively affordable.
I learned a few things from owning my SKS rifle, one of the most important being, wear ear protection whenever you shoot a centerfire rifle. You can get away with not using ear plugs when shooting a .22, but with something like the SKS, do not be an idiot, wear the ear plugs or ear muffs.
You can still find SKS rifles for relatively little money, though they are not as cheap as they once were, but they are still a good buy. Russian SKS rifles still show up from time to time, but the majority of SKS's out there are going to be either Yugoslavian made or Chinese. The rarest SKS rifles are Albanian and East German SKS rifles, if you ever find one, buy it right then and there, if you can of course.
Well that's it for now, tomorrow I'll be looking at a Mossberg Bullpup 12 Gauge shotgun.
As always this is 12-Gauge Chimp signing off.
Wednesday, July 22, 2009
Guns and Gear Review # 2: Russian M1895 Nagant Revolver
Hello folks, 12-Gauge Chimp back today with the second gun review of the series. Today I present to you the Russian M1895 Nagant revolver.
Designed way back in 1889, but produced in 1895( big surprise there, huh ?)by Leon Nagant (the same guy that helped design the Mosin Nagant rifle) and his brother Emile. Officially adopted by the Russian Army in 1895, the Nagant revolver was produced until 1950, but it is still being used by rural police and railway officers, that's pretty cool, don't you think ? Ok, I think that's enough history for now, on to the review.
I purchased my Nagant revolver after some debating on which gun I should purchase. I wanted a semi-auto pistol, but money-wise, I could only afford the Nagant. I ended up with a unique firearm and a piece of history. My Nagant is an officers model, which means it is double action/single action and is a bit rarer than the standard soldiers model. The Nagant revolver fires the 7.62x38R or 7.62 Nagant cartridge, which is a pain in the neck to find by the way. It uses a "gas seal"system, which means the cylinder moves forward when the gun is cocked, giving it a slight boost in velocity. It also can use a silencer to its full potential, making it one of the few pistols that can do that. Here's a couple things I found out after firing my revolver.
1. The trigger pull is long and heavy. Firing it in DA mode is possible, but the best way to fire the Nagant is in SA.
2. I found out that I cannot hit squat without aiming a bit low, as the Soviet sights absolutely suck, but then again these guns weren't made for target shooting.
3. The proper ammo is expensive and a little hard to find. As far as I know no company in the US domestically produces 7.62 Nagant, as all of the ammo currently available is all imported.
4. I want another Nagant revolver, they are just like the Mosin Nagant rifle, you can't own just one.
While some people may look down on these guns, they have to admit that the Nagant M1895 revolver is a unique firearm, a piece of firearms history and a relatively cheap addition to a Russian military weapons collection. That's it for my review of the M1895 Nagant, stay tuned for my next review when I take a look at the SKS, yet another Russian firearm.
As always, this is 12-Gauge Chimp signing off.
Designed way back in 1889, but produced in 1895( big surprise there, huh ?)by Leon Nagant (the same guy that helped design the Mosin Nagant rifle) and his brother Emile. Officially adopted by the Russian Army in 1895, the Nagant revolver was produced until 1950, but it is still being used by rural police and railway officers, that's pretty cool, don't you think ? Ok, I think that's enough history for now, on to the review.
I purchased my Nagant revolver after some debating on which gun I should purchase. I wanted a semi-auto pistol, but money-wise, I could only afford the Nagant. I ended up with a unique firearm and a piece of history. My Nagant is an officers model, which means it is double action/single action and is a bit rarer than the standard soldiers model. The Nagant revolver fires the 7.62x38R or 7.62 Nagant cartridge, which is a pain in the neck to find by the way. It uses a "gas seal"system, which means the cylinder moves forward when the gun is cocked, giving it a slight boost in velocity. It also can use a silencer to its full potential, making it one of the few pistols that can do that. Here's a couple things I found out after firing my revolver.
1. The trigger pull is long and heavy. Firing it in DA mode is possible, but the best way to fire the Nagant is in SA.
2. I found out that I cannot hit squat without aiming a bit low, as the Soviet sights absolutely suck, but then again these guns weren't made for target shooting.
3. The proper ammo is expensive and a little hard to find. As far as I know no company in the US domestically produces 7.62 Nagant, as all of the ammo currently available is all imported.
4. I want another Nagant revolver, they are just like the Mosin Nagant rifle, you can't own just one.
While some people may look down on these guns, they have to admit that the Nagant M1895 revolver is a unique firearm, a piece of firearms history and a relatively cheap addition to a Russian military weapons collection. That's it for my review of the M1895 Nagant, stay tuned for my next review when I take a look at the SKS, yet another Russian firearm.
As always, this is 12-Gauge Chimp signing off.
Tuesday, July 21, 2009
Guns and Gear Review # 1: Mosin Nagant M91/30
What's up people, 12-Gauge Chimp back again, bringing you a gun review, the first in an ongoing series. The first gun I'm going to review is the Russian Mosin Nagant M91/30 rifle.
I bought my Mosin Nagant M91/30 in 2008 for the sum of 100 bucks, a little on the expensive side, but then again I'm the same idiot who bought an SKS for $185 when they were going for less than 150. My gun was built in 1932, making it 77 years old and it is in amazingly good condition. I bought a box of 7.62x54R ammo and called a friend of mine to help me test it out. After shooting about 40 rounds through it, I found out three things.
1.My M91/30 hates lacquer-coated ammo.
2.I need to buy some stripper clips for the gun.
3.You can cut yourself on the cartridge interrupter in the magazine.
Also, the bolts on some Mosin-Nagant rifles are an absolute pain to open after firing. Make sure you have a rubber mallet to smack the bolt with, just as a precaution (not really required, just something to remember.)
Overall, I'm happy with my Mosin and I wouldn't trade it for anything (so don't bother asking). I do suggest that you buy any Mosin rifle, whether its the M38 carbine, the M91/30 or even the M44 carbine. They are just really fun guns to collect and shoot.
Well that's going to do it for this gun review, stay tuned for the next gun review coming soon.
This is 12-Gauge Chimp signing off.
I bought my Mosin Nagant M91/30 in 2008 for the sum of 100 bucks, a little on the expensive side, but then again I'm the same idiot who bought an SKS for $185 when they were going for less than 150. My gun was built in 1932, making it 77 years old and it is in amazingly good condition. I bought a box of 7.62x54R ammo and called a friend of mine to help me test it out. After shooting about 40 rounds through it, I found out three things.
1.My M91/30 hates lacquer-coated ammo.
2.I need to buy some stripper clips for the gun.
3.You can cut yourself on the cartridge interrupter in the magazine.
Also, the bolts on some Mosin-Nagant rifles are an absolute pain to open after firing. Make sure you have a rubber mallet to smack the bolt with, just as a precaution (not really required, just something to remember.)
Overall, I'm happy with my Mosin and I wouldn't trade it for anything (so don't bother asking). I do suggest that you buy any Mosin rifle, whether its the M38 carbine, the M91/30 or even the M44 carbine. They are just really fun guns to collect and shoot.
Well that's going to do it for this gun review, stay tuned for the next gun review coming soon.
This is 12-Gauge Chimp signing off.
Monday, July 20, 2009
12-Gauge Chimp is back(sort of)
Hello folks, I am the 12-Gauge Chimp, and welcome to my new blog. I hope you like it.
I say it's new because this is the second blog I've had, the first being with another site. That one was taken down by my request. The site host just wasn't user-friendly at all.
If you haven't guessed from my name, I am a firearms enthusiast, so most of the posts on this site will be firearms related, and the rest will just be random thoughts of mine. The random thoughts will probably be firearms related as well, but I can't promise anything at this point.
So anyway, welcome to my site and please feel free to comment if you like the site. I welcome all comments and ideas on how to improve my website.
Thanks for reading this and I hope you come back often.
This is 12-Gauge Chimp signing off.
I say it's new because this is the second blog I've had, the first being with another site. That one was taken down by my request. The site host just wasn't user-friendly at all.
If you haven't guessed from my name, I am a firearms enthusiast, so most of the posts on this site will be firearms related, and the rest will just be random thoughts of mine. The random thoughts will probably be firearms related as well, but I can't promise anything at this point.
So anyway, welcome to my site and please feel free to comment if you like the site. I welcome all comments and ideas on how to improve my website.
Thanks for reading this and I hope you come back often.
This is 12-Gauge Chimp signing off.
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