Doc's firearms thread

[Docwagon 856]

Why do you think you pull left with the Glock?

Standard reasons are too tight with the strong hand and too much trigger finger. Likely because the grip doesn't fit my hand as well as the other two do. Lots of people have the same issue.

[Docwagon 856]

Why do you think you pull left with the Glock?

Standard reasons are too tight with the strong hand and too much trigger finger. Likely because the grip doesn't fit my hand as well as the other two do. Lots of people have the same issue.

[Docwagon 856]

Ack.  I was posting from my phone earlier, hence the double tap.

 

Here's a helpful diagnostic target for right handed shooters (reverse for lefties):

 

 

Here's a less helpful diagnostic target for shooters of either handedness:

 

[Docwagon 856]

I got all my upper half of the PSA rifle today.  Still waiting on the lower.

 

[Docwagon 856]

Palmetto State Armory has free shipping this weekend, if anyone is considering doing a build.  They have a good sale on .223 ammo as well, but I wouldn't be surprised if they are sold out by now.

[Docwagon 856]

Fuck fuck fuckity-fuck.  I broke my reloading press so that it won't seat large pistol primers any longer.  Its over 10 years old, so I guess it had a good run, but the part I need is discontinued.  Its only a $7 part, but no one has them any more.

 

I'm going to reload a bunch of .38 and .357 in the mean time since I can still load small pistol primers, but I hope there's a new part that will work.  I e-mailed the company to see.  If not, I guess I'll be in the market for a reloading press soon.

[Docwagon 856]

1.38 remains my best time in either dry fire or live fire.  I've not been practicing everyday, though.  With work, my dad in the hospital, family time, and running, something's had to give a few days.

 

Hopefully I can keep at it, though.  I'd really like to get under a second, but am not sure if I'll be able to with a retention holster.  We'll see.

[JsinOwl 644]

Hope your dad's okay. D:

[Docwagon 856]

Hope your dad's okay. D:

 

He will be, or at least mostly.  That's for a different thread, though.

 

Back on topic:

 

The lower for my AR came in today.  The upper and lower snapped together great, real tight fit, and the trigger is good enough for my purposes.  I have an EoTech sight and a mounted light on the way, and other than a sling its good to go.  Hopefully I'll get some time to zero it soon.

[Docwagon 856]

Today's times:

 

1.24

1.32

1.30

1.35

1.34

 

From a non-retention holster IWB set up, I had a 1.18 draw time.

[McNasty 260]

Hey Doc.

 

Finally getting around to picking up my first gun.  Went to the range today and shot a few hundred rounds with different 9mms.  Glock 17, HK P30, Beretta PX4, and M&P 9.  They each have their advantages, it's not easy to make a choice.  I like the simplicity of the glock, ease of use, reliability etc but I can't shoot that thing well at all.  I pull left bigtime and the sights are bad.  The HK fit my hand like a glove and felt fantastic but the double action or whatever they call it just seems like added time/risk.  The Beretta was easily the most accurate but weighed a lot and was double action as well.  From 10 yards out I had a spread of around 3 inches with 10 shots with that guy dead center of the target.  Even the range guy was impressed.  Sort of funny as I didn't pretend to be some gun guru when I went in there.  I told him I was testing them out to buy my first, and asked him to walk me through all the guns before I started shooting as I've never shot anything besides glocks and rifles before.  I drew the target back and the guy walked up and said, damn you killed the shit out of that guy lol.  Decided the M&P is the way to go.  A lot like the glock but a much better ergonomics.  Felt fantastic and I was much more accurate with it.  They didn't have a sig or ruger so didn't get to try them out.  Anyhow that's my little story.  

 

Would you recommend buying one online or at the local shop?  I live in Georgia and there are stores everywhere, but as usual I imagine these things are cheaper online.  Any recommendations for cheap upgrades or add-ons? 

[Docwagon 856]

Just price shop.  If you can get a better deal online, go for it.  Just remember to include sales tax for local purchases and transfer fees for online purchases.  For new guns, I can usually do better online.  Not always, though, so do your homework.

 

The PX4 is a good gun.  Double Action has its advantages and disadvantages just like everything else, but being slower isn't one of them.  I prefer it.  The heavier and longer trigger means its safe with no external safety, you won't shoot yourself accidentally while reholstering (Glock leg), and under stress if you do a "security check" on the trigger you won't accidentally send a round down range.  For a bull's eye pistol, yeah, a light crisp trigger is the way to go.  For a combat pistol, too light is a problem.  Beretta also does a very good job of springing a gun to control recoil.  Berettas feel like a heavier gun when you shoot them.

 

M&P's biggest weakness, IMO, is the trigger.  I don't like the way the jointed trigger feels, nor do I care for the stock trigger pull.  The Apex kit cleans it up quite a bit, and with that and a polish you'll have a very smooth trigger pull.  If you decide you want after market sights, I'd highly recommend Trijicon HD's.  They are very tough, they are quick sights to acquire, and you don't give up much accuracy in return like the Big Dots force you to do.  I would stay away from stippling, spring kits other than the Apex or factory S&W parts, etc.

[Docwagon 856]

 

Complete except for a sling.  PSA (Blackhawk! furniture) lower, PSA upper with quad rail, Inforce light (WML- Haley Strategic version), Eotech EXPS-2 sight, Magpul angled foregrip.

[JsinOwl 644]

When's the test drive?

[Docwagon 856]

When's the test drive?

 

 

Not sure.  We don't have an open range day until late in August.  Usually we can shoot every Friday, but because we have some laterals (recruits who were already officers at another department) in training, the range schedule is tight and most of the open shoot days are cancelled for several months.

 

The indoor range I normally use isn't rated for rifles and isn't long enough to zero it in anyway.  My choices are either rent a lane at another range or wait until I drive down to my old property.

[Docwagon 856]

** I DID IT **

 

Under 1 second now, at least in dry fire.  So far that has translated well into live fire.

 

I bought a Blade Tech kydex holster today.  I started out at 1.23-1.28 cold.  I quickly realized I could go much faster with this holster than the leather holster without worrying about the thumb snap.  After about 15 minutes I was faster than my timer app would register, so I set it to "par time".  Par time is where it beeps randomly to start you and then beeps again at the expiration of the par time to let you know you're done.  I started at 1.1 and was easily beating that, went to 1.0 and was 5/5 beating that.  At 0.9 I'm right at the beep, so apparently my draw time is now between .90 and 1.00.

 

For funsies I went back to the leather and was able to beat the 1.0 second par time sometimes, but I was not nearly as consistent.  About 1/3 times I wasn't able to get the thumb snap undone, or bobbled the draw in some way, slowing me way down.  I was extremely consistent with the kydex holster.

[Docwagon 856]

I had my first under 1.0 second draw from concealment today.  .98 seconds with a suit jacket on.  I'm consistently beating a 1.10 second par timer with a suit jacket on, 1.20 second with a polo shirt concealing, and .90 for open carry.  I need to work on the polo shirt more.  I've been using my support hand to lift the hem, but have been intrigued by watching instructors online hook their thumb into the chest of the shirt and lifting from there.

[Docwagon 856]

I discovered the app I've been using doesn't do well with under 1 second times.  It can't process quickly enough to catch most of them.  I've also realized its adding about .20 seconds to many of my draws as it attempts to catch up.  Even using it in par time mode occasional results in a too quick beep, giving you less time than you should have.

 

I found this web site, and with the free version you can still get a lot of quality par time training in:

 

http://dryfirepractice.com/the-timer#

 

Par timing is where you set the time you want to try and beat.  The first beep randomly goes off to tell you to start, and you want to be done before the second beep sounds.  I'm currently going against a 0.9 second par time.

 

I'm going to buy a real shot timer at some point this year.  I'm considering the ShotMaxx.  http://www.doublealpha.biz/shotmaxx/shotmaxx-shot-timer

[Docwagon 856]

I had my 3rd range inservice for the year, and even though I was using the issued Glock for the majority of the shooting, I saw a marked improvement in my accuracy at 25 yards to 50 yards.  I was able to shoot more intuitively despite the different platform, so dry fire practice does have benefits beyond the particular weapon platform you are practicing with.  I still did not shoot as well as I do with my Sig, but that's a given for me at this point.  Today I tried to really concentrate on why, and I think a lot of it boils down to the pistol grip.  The fatty Glock grip just doesn't let me feel like I have a good purchase with my support hand, making me squeeze to hard with my strong hand, pushing rounds left.  When I combat that, I can bring them back center.  Sights are also a limiting factor, I really like having a different color up front as it allows both eyes open shooting to be easier and more accurate, as well as faster to acquire.

[crippled_viper 258]

I had my 3rd range inservice for the year, and even though I was using the issued Glock for the majority of the shooting, I saw a marked improvement in my accuracy at 25 yards to 50 yards.  I was able to shoot more intuitively despite the different platform, so dry fire practice does have benefits beyond the particular weapon platform you are practicing with.  I still did not shoot as well as I do with my Sig, but that's a given for me at this point.  Today I tried to really concentrate on why, and I think a lot of it boils down to the pistol grip.  The fatty Glock grip just doesn't let me feel like I have a good purchase with my support hand, making me squeeze to hard with my strong hand, pushing rounds left.  When I combat that, I can bring them back center.  Sights are also a limiting factor, I really like having a different color up front as it allows both eyes open shooting to be easier and more accurate, as well as faster to acquire.

Your strong hand being that you are a lefty and squeezing to hard makes the bullets go left. I'm a righty and I can understand bullets going to the right if my grip is too tight. I was just curious, and if you are a righty how would the bullets go to the left depending on grip?

[Drifter 851]

Hey Doc, Thought of you when I saw this. Not sure if you saw it or not but on the latest new episode of Stan Lee's superhumans the other day they had Jerry Miculek. He put six rounds into three targets (2 rounds per target) in .8 of a second from the holster draw. It was pretty incredible to see. 

[Docwagon 856]

Your strong hand being that you are a lefty and squeezing to hard makes the bullets go left. I'm a righty and I can understand bullets going to the right if my grip is too tight. I was just curious, and if you are a righty how would the bullets go to the left depending on grip?

 

No, I'm right handed.  Go to post #153 in this thread and look at the diagnostic target.  See where it says "tightening fingers" on the segment that's about 8 o'clock?  That's what I'm doing.  I'm not "milking" where you tighten all your fingers as you squeeze the trigger and then relax as you let off the trigger which would pull you to the 4 o' clock position, I'm simply too tight on my strong hand throughout the trigger pull.  Lefties would flip that target left to right.

 

 

Hey Doc, Thought of you when I saw this. Not sure if you saw it or not but on the latest new episode of Stan Lee's superhumans the other day they had Jerry Miculek. He put six rounds into three targets (2 rounds per target) in .8 of a second from the holster draw. It was pretty incredible to see. 

 

Yeah, JM is a machine.  That's what thousands of hours of dedicated practice can do for you, along with keen eyesight and a good grasp of geometry.

[Drifter 851]

 

Yeah, JM is a machine.  That's what thousands of hours of dedicated practice can do for you, along with keen eyesight and a good grasp of geometry.

 He is amazing man. I had never heard of hi before, but after seeing him the other day I looked him up and found numerous vids of him and what he can do. The guy is just flat out incredible. For those that have not seen him, whatch this one for example... And keep in mind, that is not an auto pistol, thats  a revolver..

 

[Drifter 851]

 

Complete except for a sling.  PSA (Blackhawk! furniture) lower, PSA upper with quad rail, Inforce light (WML- Haley Strategic version), Eotech EXPS-2 sight, Magpul angled foregrip.

 

 

BTW...yours?? if so...NICE beautiful weapon man.

[Docwagon 856]

BTW...yours?? if so...NICE beautiful weapon man.

Yup. Just finished it off today with a front side sling mount. Will put up pics later.

Look up Jerry's j-frame shot where he shoots a snub nose upside down and ridiculous distance.