Today I went to the shooting range - you should too!

[Ruteger]

Update! Took the useless CA HSC exam and scored 100%. 8 days from now I can pick-up my brand-new XD .40! Ordered a ton of stuff from Amazon - ear-muffs, lock-box, etc. I wrote Springfield and asked them about the difference. It is all in the magazine, when I escape CA, I just need to purchase a larger-capacity magazine and then I will have an XD-M.

Man, that totally sucks. Just to be clear, Springfield makes an XD series (older/less capacity) and the XD-M series. When I buy, I'm most likely also going to go the .40 S&W route - plently of stopping power and ammo is cheaper.

The .40 XD standard magazine holds 12+1, while the XD-M series is standard (staggered) with 16+1 for .40. I guess  for CA guns they put s shim in the bottom of the magaine to only hold 10? Don't know. Springfield make some very sweet pistols, and come with great cases a accessories free. Purchase now, and you'll get 3 magazines.

And for those other enthusiasts, I hope this doesn't turn into a PC/Mac - Springfield/Glock war. It's just personal preference and feel - My top three choices would be 1) Springfield XD-M 2) Smith & Wesson M&P (also sweet) 3) Glock

Though I must admit, since I'm "probably" not going to be protecting my food from mobs should Barry gets inserted elected as President again, the 9mm SA is tempting too at 19+1 rounds standard (plus ammo cheaper yet). Almost all standard issue U.S. military sidearms are 9mm (with exceptions for Special Forces and a new military contract for thousands more 1911-style .45 be purchased). The Marine Corps recently signed a $22.5 million contract with Colt for the 1911-.45s as the 9mm just does not have the stopping power of a .45.

</diatribe off>

On My Wish-list:

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[Ruteger]

SIGs are great. I was looking at them but didn't want to spend $1K for my first gun. My XD cost me $600 with state tax and all the other BS CA "fees." And, that was with a store-manager's discount...

You're right, many good weapons out there - I hereby retract my Glock nomination, and insert the  SIG Sauer P226/P228/P229 series - if they're good enough for Jack Bauer, they're good enough for me

P226 are also used by United States Navy SEALs.

[onan]

Springfield makes a great pistol. No need to hang your head with that piece.

[HAL 9000]

8 days from now I can pick-up my brand-new XD .40!...I wrote Springfield and asked them about the difference. It is all in the magazine, when I escape CA, I just need to purchase a larger-capacity magazine and then I will have an XD-M.

Looks like Christmas came early for one Coastgab member...



At least now you'll be ready for the above emoticon

[Unquenchable Angst]

My father and I used to collect guns .Had several Lugars standard and artillery model(18" barrel),Browning High Power,1911 colt, Had a couple of the lugars we would take to range,Had an erma lugar that was a .22. Had several SSA Colts ,a couple in .22 and .22Mag. the rest were mostly .45 LC and were fancy commemoratives. Had M1 Carbie,a couple winchester 94's ,Enfield jungle carbine,Ruger 10/22. several other guns.I only have a 20" Mossberg 500 now..I hope to purchase a slug barrel next week.I am thinking of getting a couple of 1911's build one up into a carbine with one of those Meci kits, and get the heavier springs and barrels for .460 Rowland ammo.They will still take .45 and 45+P ammo but also will take the .460 Row. for hog or bear stopper if I am out hiking .I have also been looking for either an Indian or Ausi built Enfield that was chambered for .308 instead of .303. Also looking for  a Gibbs rebuilt enfield that was chambered for .45-70 .
I have also been looking at some items from KelTec they have some sweet rifles in 5.56 that use AR mags that have a rather nice no AR look to them that sort of avoids the gugrabber nazi's  fear of assault weapon looking rifles ,They also have a .308 that is sort of the same  idea but uses  other common .308 mags.They has a nice auto pistol in .22 magnum that holds 30 rounds.. don't see many .22 Mag autoloader pistols and not may .22 mag pistols carry more than 6 rounds.
.45acp has 20,00psi,+P is around 24,000+ or - and .460 Row. is 40,000.Gives you .44 Mag power in a .45 ACP  legth cartridge. The case is longer,the bullets are set deeper in the case so overall legth is the same but the chamber of the two is cut to acommidate the case of the .460 so you can't kill your 1911 and your shooting hand in a 1911 that has not been modified with the barrel and sring kits and a compensator on the front of the muzzle. They also say one can modify any good revolverwith a little cutting/smithing on a cylinder but say you get an extra cylinder to be able to go bacp to the .45s .It is said not to do this with 1917 model Smiths but the other models and any modern revolver made for .45acp( and moonclips of course).
all around though you are hard pressed to find anything more versitile that a pump shotgun and add to versitility with a extra barrel or two.18"-20"  ad  a 20"-24" rifled barrel for slugs or sabots with the rifled barrel and sabots you have a nice 200 yard .50 caliber rifle.