Search Term Safari

It’s my turn now…at only 200 average hits per day, I don’t get too many exciting search terms, but here’s the best of the last few days.

can I build an HK 416

Nope. It’s currently a proprietary design like a Sig 556 or an LWRC M6, guns you also can’t build from scratch, and it’s not one of the fairly open design like an AR15 or an FAL. This is really not much more of a crime against God and Man than not being able to build your own Benz or iPod. Unless you can get all the parts one at a time, you’re out of luck.

However, you can buy an LWRC M6, a SIG 556, an iPod and a Mercedes tomorrow if you have the funds. Import restrictions, however, indicate that you won’t be able to buy an entire, receiver-and-all HK 416 until sometime in ‘09 or ‘10, when Wilcox, the new US manufacturing arm of HK (GmbH and USA) decides to start making them in a civilian configuration. If it’s any consolation, nearly all reports indicate that the lastest revision(yes, it got revised a bit, yes, it needed it in some circumstances) is absolutely kickass at doing what it does best. Also has a very high CDI factor. If you need a piston gun this year, I’d talk to LWRC, and never look back. I’m very happy with mine.

when will i get my seized guns back?

If my recent experiences are any indication, sometime between now and the heat death of the universe. Whenever the police feel like it, which may be never, or not until they are ordered by a judge to return them, is a more accurate response. I’m at 7 weeks and counting on mine. Yes, I’m in contact with NRA’s lawyers.

Stripping the finish on my 1911

Step 1 - Strip your 1911 down to it’s component parts - plunger tube, grip screw bushings, ejector, everything.

Step 2 - Get a blasting cabinet and some media, Aluminum Oxide or Glass Beads are fine.

Step 3 - Box your gun up carefully and ship it off to a gunsmith, so you don’t fuck up your gun.

Step 4 - Sell the blasting cabinet on Craigslist at a loss.

So easy, even I can do it. Or, if you insist, blast parts evenly, carefully, and don’t erase any serial numbers.

Invictus Surefire poster

Got one at SHOT Show 5 years ago, framed it, no, you can’t have it.

Colt LE1020

Nope, still not in production. Told’ja.

That’s all the Search Term Safari we have time for this week, folks! Check back next week for more exciting keywords and smarmy answers.

Holster Talk

I was leaving a comment on my For Sale thread in response to a question about why Alessi leather cost the big bucks, and realized, when I finished laying out the different reasons good gun leather is worth every penny, that I had damn near written an article. So that no one will miss it, here it is again, on the front page. Please, feel free to chime in with your own observations. Understand that I’m not advocating that every person with a handgun needs to plunk down $130+ to get a carrier for their Schutzenpistolen, people who don’t carry don’t need one, people who rarely carry probably won’t see the benefit, but for anyone who’s wondering why the big name makers command high prices and long waits, here are the reasons.

As someone who has bought, carried and discarded/sold/gave away in excess of $700 worth of leather over the past several years, I can say that if you carry daily, you will care about how good of a holster you have. If you’re an occasional range visitor or infrequent carrier, you’ll probably never feel the difference between a Galco and a Milt Sparks on your hip, and trying to talk you into anything else would probably be a waste of your money. But, if all day, every day carry is your goal, you probably already know that the good stuff is worth waiting and paying for. Many people don’t carry because their holster and belt flat-out suck. Wimpy, limp belts sag and drag your pants down down, bad holsters are too thick, heavy or visible, and hang off the belt like packs off the side of a mule. If you currently don’t carry daily because your gun rig sucks, get a new rig, and you’ll be amazed at how easy and comfortable it can be.

If you carry regularly, but have not yet carried in nice semi-custom or custom leather like Bromeland, Del Fatti, Milt Sparks, or Alessi, it will be well worth the time and money of any serious shooter to try it out. It will probably ruin you forever on less expensive production leather like Galco, Desantis, Bianchi, etc, and almost certainly on Uncle Mike’s Kydex or the $10 soft nylon Gun Show holster. I have sold hundred of Galco holsters, and just as many Kydex, and the market for them is much bigger than for the handful of custom makers who are at the top of the high-end leather game, and these lower-end holsters will continue to sell.

An IWB holster from Galco that will carry a pistol securely and comfortably inside the waistband, like the Summer Comfort, costs only $70, Kydex is $25, and the Gun Show Special is $10 - so what ARE you getting for the additional $50-100 and 2 year wait that people line up for with the big guys who do leather for a living?

The differences are much like the differences between a custom 1911, and a stock gun out of the box. The closeness of of fit between gun and holster, without simply being overly tight, is something that production line leather factories will never be able to get just right, without the one-at-a-time hand fitting that goes in the customs. They do this by ‘boning’ the leather, in essence, drying and shaping it around the contours of the gun, even down to slide stops, ejection ports and thumb safeties, which puts as much contact between the gun and the leather as possible. A correctly made semi-custom holster will be perfectly secure, able to retain the gun even if the holster is held upside down and given a shake, and yet is set up allow a nearly resistance-free drawstroke without jerking or yanking - usually by utilizing the stiffness of the leather to “lock” into the triggerguard. A production holster doesn’t have that level of detailed boning, and usually is not stiff enough to keep tension on the gun in only one place, and is usually simply tighter in some contact points to keep the gun in place. This usually prevents these holsters from being both as accessible and as secure as one that is fit in a more detailed fashion.

The quality of the leather is another matter - most production leather is fairly soft, and uneven in thickness, requiring the holster to be thicker than strictly necessary. Soft production grade leather can often be overstretched in the few areas in which it is tight to secure the gun, and once it is, nothing will help it after that. Higher end holsters are fit to the gun everywhere, and don’t have that issue. They are made of thinner and stiffer leather of a better grade than production, which can cut over 1/2″ off of the overall width of the carry gun, and makes them feel much more comfortable if carried inside the pants. This integral stiffness also permits easy one-handed reholstering, which many of the softer holsters accomplish by putting an additional “band” of stiffened leather at the mouth of the holster, adding even more width and bulk. Quality leather costs more, and sometimes takes months to get, but it permits those who use it to turn out a superior product.

Third, and this is nearly all sheer vanity, most all high-end leather leather looks, and feels better than production stuff. The stitching, the solid, sturdy feel and the detailed boning of the leather all add up to a very attractive holster. Custom leather makers also are more attentive to the desires of their customers, and are usually quite happy to make the front belt loop longer to accommodate body shape, or trim it in elephant hide, or detail the leather on the sweat-guard specifically for a Gunsite low-ride thumb safety. That’s why people wait 2 years or more for the holsters from these big name makers - the quality of the holster, backed up with the quality of the personal attention to the customer’s needs. A special request may take even longer, but unlike asking Galco to change their factory production line for you, at least you’ll eventually get what you want. Galco actually makes a blatant ripoff of the Alessi CQC/S, called the S.S.S. and it’s only $100, not the $129-$200 people often pay for the real deal. Having seen handled, and examined both, I would climb over a pile of free S.S.S. holsters to pay for the real deal. There’s no comparison in the workmanship between the original and the mass-produced copy.  If you get the chance to check them out side-by-side, you’ll see what I’m talking about.

Wait times? Alessi has a near 2-year wait, Mark Del Fatti is at 2 years, Sparks is about 9-12 months with 7 leathersmiths working, Brommeland is finishing up a 2 year backorder as well. The backorders are people who know this up front and are willing to wait to get the best. You can talk to Lightning Arms Sports, they place orders for good stuff, years ahead of time, so you don’t have to. I got three Milt Sparks holsters, and one Alessi from them, with no wait time, just by checking with them at the right time. If you don’t find it there, keep searching the gun forum sale boards, eBay, or Gunbroker.

I say again, those of you who are carrying a handgun regularly for self defense, and have not yet put your hands on some premium leather, do yourself and your hip a favor, and give it a look.

-ColtCCO

For Sale: Eagle TAC V1 MOLLE Vest, Alessi CQC/S for G19

I was not really planning on turning my blog into a yard sale, but it becomes clear to me that I need the money more than the vest at this point. I never got around to decking it out with the mag carriers, first-aid kit, and hydration device, so it’s still brand-spanking new, just as received from Eagle Industries.

Front:

Back:

It’s a size medium in Khaki, with tons of expansion in the torso - the time I tried it on, I had to cinch it nearly all the way in, so if you’re bigger than I, with a 42″ chest, you’ll still be ok. It’s exactly as described here on Eagle’s website, and it’s covered in extremely versitile MOLLE loops. It’s belt-ready, has expansion in the connectors in both the front and sides, and the breathable back pocket is hydration-device ready, either Camelbak or Hydrastorm.

Retail, which I paid to get it quickly, is $161, going internet vendor price seems to be about $149, I’ll take $120 +$8 shipping USPS Priority Mail anywhere in the lower 48. Paypal is +3.5%.

I also put my Alessi CQC/S for a Glock 19 on eBay - I bought it in speculation of picking up a replacement G19 to shoot cheap 9mm, since Alessi is on a near 2-year backorder, but since I never used it and don’t own the gun currently, on the auction block it goes! These tend to get pretty high on bids, so eBay makes sense for this. Anyone who wants a good high and tight OWB for their midsize Glock - feel free to bid like crazy.

Contact me with any questions via email - and thanks.

-ColtCCO

Gun Seizure Update

First things first - Thanks to Glenn Reynolds, local guy, for drawing some nationwide attention to the situation. It helped me last time, it might work this time too.

Second, a clarification regarding the “stolen gun check” that Gallatin PD is running. It’s not merely a NICS database check, but rather an ATF trace, which is handled in a much less rushed fashion through the ATF National Tracing Center. They start with the manufacturer, and work their way forward to the purchaser, be it distributor, gun store, or individual, and then contact THEM to determine the next link in the chain. It can days, weeks or months to follow a decade-old gun across a dozen or more transactions. This procedure it used with firearms that have been used in a crime, and determines if at any point the firearm was stolen but not reported, used in a crime, or in the wrong hands.

The problem with doing that this way is that I bought the Springfield Armory 1911 in question from a gun store, the one where I work, and passed both a criminal background check and a stolen gun check for it. It was used when I bought it, a somewhat older model, and could have changed hands a dozen times or only twice. I just don’t feel that because the Gallatin PD’s “policy” (their words, it’s not law) is to trace every gun, that I should have to sit on my hands while the trace is completed, as no crime was commited with the firearms, nor did I commit any crime. I offered to provide the evidence officer with a copy of the 4473 form I filled out to purchase the firearm a few years back. They didn’t go for it, so that’s why I’m still here.

Third, I have deep thanks to everyone, for the offers of financial assistance, as well as a ride to Gallatin. I’m not accepting donations unless every other resource has been tapped, but I know that gun owners look out for their own, and it warms my heart. Hopefully a decently welll-written letter from an attorney to G.P.D. will do the trick, if not, then we move forward.

Updates as they arrive…

UPDATE to the Update - The NRA is on the case, and I will be hearing back from them shortly. Thanks to SayUncle, for getting me to do the obvious thing - talk to the NRA’s Legislative Counsel.

-ColtCCO

Why you no blog, ColtCCO?

Why have I been so silent lately? It happens a lot, I get burned out on writing, run out of things to say, or just plain get too busy to write. This time, though, I was bitter, and for what I consider to be a good reason, that I was recently put right through the friggin’ wringer by the state’s bureaucratic system, for no good reason, and without a genuine apology.

I moved to NH about 2 years ago - I had too much stress at work, and some Dylan-balladworthy broken heart nonsense to escape, best handled by way of removing myself from Knoxville, and I sought the quiet small town of Claremont, because while it was boring as hell doing medical billing with a bunch of old ladies, it was a rest for my soul. When I returned 5 months later to K-town, I took a day off from work, and went to the DMV with my birth certificate and some utility bills, and explained to them that I was back in town, and needed to chance the address on my Driver License and my Handgun Carry Permit to my new one. They gave me my new license right then, and I had to wait for my updated carry permit in the mail. When it arrived, I proudly carried it in my wallet as before - it was still a good 2.5 years from expiring.

As my 3 long-time readers will recall, about a year ago, I got permit checked by a KPD officer who saw the butt of my gun on my belt - I was removing my leather jacket as I exited Wal-Mart in the summer heat, and should have waited another 5 seconds. Long story short, I stayed calm, got disarmed, got detained, got record-checked, got remonstrated, and got released. Then I got a bit angry, got an urge to write about it, got a report filed, got interviewed, got publicized, got apologized to, and got asked about it a whole lot.

Somewhere between then and the 3rd of July, someone fucked up real good. I know, because had my TN Handgun Carry Permit been cancelled back then on the 10th of June, I have no doubt I would have been hauled off to Le Knoxville Jail, and been made to sort it out later, after I made bail.

On the 3rd of July, The Lady and I were driving down to spend the weekend with my Family in Middle TN, and were pulled over by Officer Washburn for going 10 over the speed limit in Gallatin. I was speeding, no argument, and of course, pulled over. When the officer got my ID and vehicle registration, I gave him my permit and kept my hands on the wheel. He asked if I had any firearms in the car, I told him yes, the pistol on my hip. He asked me to keep it there, I willingly complied, and he went back to his cruiser to check up on me.

It took a long while for backup to arrive, apparently. When he returned, he had another officer keeping an eye on The Lady in the passenger seat, and informed me that the computer in his cruiser said my permit status was cancelled, and that I was going to get out of the car nice and slow. I did, about as nice and slow as anything I’ve ever done, and asked permission to reach down to unbuckle my seatbelt, while I was at it. I got to walk with my hands up to the back of the Jeepster, stand spread eagle, and got my Springfield Armory 1911, spare mag, pocketknife, Surefire light and keys removed from my immediate reach. It was just as much fun as last time, though this time, the officer was polite, and it was his backup officer who wanted to know what I needed a pocketknife AND a light AND a gun for - as she stood there wearing a pocketknife and a light and a gun. I decided not to answer that one, as I felt kind of certain that a smart aleck response was probably not going to help. I told Officer Washburn that I was sure my permit was still valid for at least another month, and he conditionally agreed, saying the it didn’t show expired, but “cancelled”. I got to sit in the back of the cruiser while the backup searched my vehicle, and The Lady had to undergo a weapons frisk as well.

Once she was permitted to go back and have a seat in the Jeepster while the backup officer quizzed her about me, Officer Washburn sat in the front of the cruiser, took down my personal details, and showed me, almost apologetically, that the computer showed no crimes in my background with the exception of a several years old parking ticket. He pulled up my information from the NICS database, and showed me the Handgun Carry Permit Line, and under status, the word “CANCELLED”. No reason, no explanation, just a single word. I told him truthfully that I had no idea, but I intended to find out as soon as possible - I was at this point absolutely wracking my brain trying to think what on earth I could have done to cause my Handgun Carry Permit to be cancelled. I was coming up with nothing, and the computer didn’t show a single crime on record - which was good, as the officer told me that anything on my record at that point other than a traffic cite, and this particular adventure would have ended in the Sumner County Jail.

As it was, Officer Washburn agreed that since the state’s own record system showed no reason for a revoked permit, neither crime nor conviction, that it probably was a mistake. He got on the radio, sought and received permission to release me as opposed to booking me in, cited me with the Misdemeanor Crime of Going Armed, gave me my traffic cite as well, kept my 1911, TN Handgun Carry Permit, and spare magazine, returned the light and pocketknife, and sent us on our way.

I will leave my reader to imagine how pleased I was to find myself 3 hours from home, suddenly disarmed and with a court date on August 6th, to prove that the carry permit I had been issued and carried in good faith since 2004, was worth the plastic it was printed on, so I could keep out of jail. The correct answer is: Not Very.

Even better, this was on a Thursday night, right before before the Glorious Fourth, so I had to wait until 9am the following Monday to get an answer from the TN Dept of Safety as to why, why, WHY exactly an Officer would tell me my Carry Permit was cancelled, and subsequently, take my stuff. Upon asking this of Jennifer at TN Dept of Safety in Nashville, I was told, to my surprise, that I was in New Hampshire, and subsequently, my permit had been cancelled without notice, sometime in the last year. I managed to keep my temper and informed her that I was not, in fact, in New Hampshire, had not been for almost 2 years, and had re-filed my chance of address upon re-arrival to TN, after which the very Department she worked for had reissued me a permit with that address on it.

“Oh” She said. “Oh, I see. Someone at DMV didn’t process your permit as a Returning Resident. Hmm…”

“Hmm, indeed.” I replied, “Say, do you think maybe you can fix that for me?”

“I can set your permit status back to active right here, yeah.” Click, click. “Ok, it’s valid again.”

“Do you think I can get a piece of paper that shows that my permit is valid? I have to show it to a judge so I don’t go to jail. It’s pretty important to me.”

Believe it or not, they actually have a set template letter for this - apparently, they do this a lot. It reads:

State of Tennessee
Department of Safety
1150 Foster Avenue
Nashville, Tennessee 37243

July 9, 2008

(Name)
(Address)

(Driver License Number)
(D.O.B.)

Dear (Name),

After a review of you record this letter is to inform you that your handgun carry permit was in a cancelled status in error. We apologize for any inconvenience caused by this matter. It is out understanding that your handgun carry permit was confiscated due to this departmental error, please present this correspondence to the court in order to have your handgun carry permit returned to you.

Your permit has been returned to a valid status and at this time, you may continue to lawfully carry your weapon once your permit has been returned to you, once again we apologize for this error, if you have any further questions, please feel free to call (615)251-5356.

Program Manager
Handgun Permit Unit

jb

To their credit, they sent me a replacement permit within a few days, so I could begin carrying one of my other pistols. I had to make three trips down - one to book myself into the Sumner County Correction System before my court date, mugshots, photos, and inevitable State, Federal and local background check - came back clean. I know, by now, I was kind of surprised by it, too. The second for my traffic ticket - Court costs, points on probabtion. The third was for my court date - only took about 3 hours of waiting in the courtroom, and about 3 minutes in front of the judge, who dismissed the case when he read the Dept of Safety’s letter. I don’t care how innocent of any wrongdoing you know for a fact you are, being told that your case is dismissed is a cool wash of relief. Officer Washburn, to his credit, saw me waiting in court, and took me out to the lobby to ask me if I’d gotten my permit straightened out. I showed him the letter, and he gave me directions to the Gallatin Police Dept. to retreive my firearm, spare mag, and $15 in 230Gr. Golden Saber ammo.

Except, of course, when I got there, the evidence officer told me they were running a stolen gun check on my own firearm, and it hadn’t come back yet. I informed him that after 3 straight weeks driving to Nashville and back on workdays, at $80 in gas a whack, I was rather hoping to get this cleared up now rather than later - I would put them in touch with the store I bought it from, even, because I work there. Didn’t help. So sorry. They might be able to ship it to me. Gotta wait for the background check.

That was last week, and considering I’ve left an unanswered message for him since then, and they still have a $1500 1911 that I’m rather fond of, I’m starting to think that by now, if ever there was a time that I was justified in being a bit annoyed with the faceless, useless, mindless bureaucracy, this is it.

Ask me to vote for the Status Quo, will you?

But hey, I’m sure if I spend my own money to sue them for it, then I’ll get it back, right? That’d be a lovely tribute to the effectiveness American Judicial system - after “defend yourself in court for carrying a firearm when you had a carry permit because we fucked up” I can look forward to, “bring a lawyer along, take us to court, and with any luck, after spending lots of time and money, things will be exactly as they were supposed to be in the first place, and you’ll get your property back, unless you lose the case.”

Sounds awesome.

-ColtCCO

Family Photos

What’s in this brightly bestickered box?

It appears to be a whole bunch of 1911 pistols!

Don’t they look happy together? They all have matching outfits and magazines - Brommeland Max-Con V holsters. The Govt. Model mags are CMC Powermags, with the IONBond Finish, the Officers are Metalforms with the same. All have Tripp Super 7 Springs and followers.

This is the newest addition to the family - a Coal Creek Armory 1911, Invictus Model. Built from the ground up from an oversized slide and frame, a tight but perfectly glass-smooth fit. The 90 degree ball end mill cut on the slide, as well as the EGW oversize bushing with flush recoil spring cap, make the look and profile unique. The CNC Machined Lightning Bolt Logo in the only making on the slide - clean and classy on both sides.

A combination of an expertly fit Kart barrel, and the Cylinder & Slide 4# Tactical II Lockwork ensure that it shoots 1.6″ at 25 yards with plain old Remington ball - we’re going to bench it with Match Grade next time. It’s also got Heinie “Straight 8″ Nightsights, Micarta Grips, a perfectly fitted beavertail with no gap or edge between the two parts, and an all-over rustproof, superhard Melonite finish, with our Treebark grip treatment on the frontstrap and the mainspring housing, for non-bitey grip. I’m in love. Out of four 1911s, including the Melonite Springfield rebuild not pictured here, this is the nicest one I’ve ever owned.

But wait, there’s more!

The Colt C.C.O., the namesake of this site, came back from IONBond with a slick, beautiful, black, 90 rockwell finish all over it. I had the gun stripped down, all steel parts Melonized, new chunky barrel bushing and cap, much like the Invictus, new EGW HD extractor, and then sent the whole thing off to Ryan for the Tungsten DLC Process. Even the 10-8 Flat trigger I had installed a few months back, came back night black, and unlike normal finishes on 1911 triggers, this one won’t scuff off on the frame after a few pulls and look worse than bare Aluminum.

Any smudgy bits are lube, not finish imperfections - I’ve been carrying it, and I wanted to take pictures of it in it’s natural habitat. It runs even slicker than before, the slide travel actually feels cleaner from front to back. Every good thing I had to say about my Springfield 1911 Lightweight Loaded’s finish, goes for the C.C.O. as well now. In my hardly humble opinion, this is about as good as the Colt Concealed Carry Officers model can be, without being something else completely, like say, a Government Model. It’s light, it’s compact, slim, and now it’s unscratchable too.

Now the next problem…the next project. I might take the Melonized Springer, and send it off for Cobalt plating - or maybe I’ll save that for my first Commander. There’s always something new to do….

-ColtCCO

Infuriating Logic

I’ve been very very busy. Also, something fairly aggravating has occurred, the details of which I’m going to keep to myself for now. Suffice to say that I am annoyed, and government employee incompetence is to blame. I’ll fill you in once it’s all been rectified, until then, there’s not much to blog about.

Next up, I have been arguing with a couple of co-workers who have determined that Obama, like every other Democratic candidate for President in the last couple decades, is a Godless Commie. Thus, this election, like every other Presidential election in the last couple decades, is a critical turning point, that they cannot throw away by voting their conscience. Rather, they must, MUST vote for John McCain, because if they don’t vote for a lizard, the wrong lizard might get elected. John McCain is a merely a big-government socialista, which clearly makes him much better than the Democrat from Godless-Commieville. He’s restricted free political speech, wants to close the “gun show” loophole, maybe almost defected to the Dems, and has written more legislation destructive to personal liberty than his opponent ever dreamed of, but if we don’t vote for him, we might get Obama. Gotta elect a Republican, no matter how Democrat he might be, right?

Me, I’m voting Libertarian Party - with a clean conscience. This drives some of my coworkers nuts, as they point out that my vote for Barr might as well be one for Obama. But honestly, I think a vote for a Libertarian Candidate is better than staying at home, or submitting a write-in ballot for Bob Heinlein, which were the next choices. I refuse to play the “elect our guy, no matter how bad” game. Let the Republicans lose big numbers, or even just-enough numbers to a more Liberty-oriented 3rd party, and I’ll bet we see them shift their tent just a bit closer to a freedom-centric ideal. Or, if they don’t, bigger numbers for the 3rd party next time, until they get the hint.

The only really new argument a co-worker had for me was “Barr supported the LAUTENBURG AMENDMENT and the war on drugs. He’s a republican, not a libertarian. He’s not your guy, he’s not subcribing to the non-aggression principle at all.” It took me a good few seconds to mull that over, and then I had it.

If you can cast a vote for a Quasi-Democrat for the Republican Candidate, just to make sure he wins, then surely it’d be ok for me to at least vote for a Quasi-Republican for the Libertarian Candidate, just to make my point.

Cue the upraised hands and the “There’s no talking to you.”

And yes, that’s why I don’t blog politics much, and when I talk about it, people usually dislike my small-l libertarian philosophy. My position’s unpopular, and I’m usually fairly unflinching on it. I present it with very little seasoning or garnish, it just is. Someday I’ll learn to dress up “TANSTAAFL” as pretty as some of the greats have done.

ColtCCO

The Mass Media Telephone Game.

I get a call today, and it’s Channel 6, doing a followup on a story in Chattanooga, that says handgun carry permits are on the rise. Ok, sure, I’ll talk to you about in on camera, why not. Free advertising, gets people informed, et cetera. So Channel 8 calls next, and shows up first, does the same interview, basically. Tell us about the process, why do you think the increase occured, who’s your demographic, and so on and then take pictures of the showcases and the range. I was hoping that it would segue into a DC v. Heller discussion, which would have been a much cooler interview, but no dice. That’s not news yet, apparently.

Then they get a call. Apparently whoever did the math on the numbers in Chattanooga at the Times Free Press got the figures wrong, and before the could correct it (and they still haven’t) the Associated Press picked it up for nationwide distribution. The key phrase that should have probably tipped off anyone in the know? “Applications for Tennessee carry permits statewide have skyrocketed over the last five years, increasing from 237 in 2003 to 195,251 in 2007. Applications more than tripled between 2006 and 2007, records show.” That’s right, a near thousandfold increase in applications. Hm. I doubt it. The Channel 8 guy did too, and didn’t run the story at all, in fear it might be wrong.

I clued Channel 6 onto this information, before they did the interview. Newschick didn’t particularly care, figured she’d still do the interview. Same questions, same deal. Only, when they got back to the studio, all of the “find out why carry permit holder numbers in Tennessee are SKYROCKETING!” audio they did was fairly useless, since the real numbers actually show a decrease in permit applications, regardless of whether or not we’re seeing an increase in them here in our store. Exactly the opposite of what they originally wanted to talk about. Suspect that trucated their useable video a bit, too.

Ah well, not like anyone watches Channel 6, anyway. Just goes to show that the talking heads are all copying each other’s notes, and if the cheat sheet is wrong, the whole class just copies and pastes accordingly. As always, do your own research.

-ColtCCO

Forget this Vista bullshit.

I won’t get into all of the why, but I’m finally completely disenchanted with this buggy crap, and running a fresh install of Microsoft Windows XP SP2, again. Comfortable, like a freshly washed pair of broken-in jeans. Vista is the Windows ME of this generation and that’s coming from a fairly staunch Microsoft fan/adherent, too. Call me when Windows 7 is stable.

Also, Firefox 3 is a huge pile of memory-leak, even without other people’s crappy extensions dragging it into the dirt. Still using Opera 9.5, still happy with it.

That is all.

In a World of Compromise…

Some Candies Don’t.

Ladies and Gentleman, I have now seen it all. These are the Heckler & Koch official, factory licensed gummi bears. They are not for civilian use. These contraband, gray-market candies belong to “conndcj” on the Lightfighter boards, and since you can’t see what going on over there unless you register and log in, I’ll save you the trouble, and bring the gummies directly to your screens here. And yes, they were probably designed by Larry Vickers, but then some German guy put them into the package backwards.

“conndcj” explains:

“But this is not just any gummi, this is HK gummi. Contained within this bag are about 12 pieces of little, red, “HK” gummis. I estimate these to be worth about $6500. Why so much? It’s all about the quality. Each 2 gram gummi is milled from a 4000 kilo block of gummi billet on a $7.5 million euro CNC machine made specifically for this purpose. Each is hand inspected, placed in its individual serving packet and stored in carbon fiber cases made for HK by the McLaren F1 team. A little known fact is that these packets were designed to fit in the buttstocks of HK416 and 417 rifles.

Right now, those screams you hear are coming from the members of HKPRO.com whose members are I bet already lining up for a group buy. Unfortunately for them, due to ATF import restrictions, only a few post-dealer samples were allowed in the US. Since these are not 922r compliant (you would have to have at least 6 pieces of American Jujyfruits mixed in and who wants to go through that expense), you will all have to wait and see if they will be made by Wilcox in HK’s U.S. factory. I bet they will not be the same.”

Pat Rogers brings along the funny with this excerpt,

“It will cost eleventy seven times more than the most expensive candy ever.

It will be more addictive than crack.

Once purchased, you will be ineligible to purchase it again. Ever.

A special run of empty packages will be placed on the market, sub rosa.

They will parcel these empty packages out at the cost of one lung (or male child) per package.
They will sell out within minutes.

When you call inquiring as to availability, they will be arrogant and humiliate you.

Spare gummies will be advertised. They will not be available.

Ever.”

Honestly, every other joke i was going to make, including borebrush’ comment that if they acted as MP5 buffers, they could get a lot of LE guns up and running again, has already been made, so I offer no further comment. Discuss amongst yourselves.

EDIT: Wait wait wait, got it. Like Larry said, “HK. Because you suck on candy. And we hate you”

-ColtCCO

HULK SMASH!

Hulk get new movie. Hulk hit bad things until bad things go away. Hulk is the strongest there is. Last movie, Hulk get all emo. This movie better - more smashing, better CGI. Hulk movie have clever callbacks to Hulk TV show. Puny Banner not bad in Hulk movie, either. Blonsky good in Hulk movie too, but Hulk smash bad Blonsky. Betty show up, look pretty. Hulk movie have cameo with Stark man in suit, foreshadowing of Avengers movie, Captain America movie. Hulk not know what that mean, Hulk just know it happen.

Hulk Movie almost as good as Iron Man movie. Hulk try smash box office.

Unofficial Knoxville Blog Meet: Gratis Action Movie Night, 6-18-08

I’ve got several two-person passes to go see an advanced screening of Wanted (download the red band trailer) Wednesday June 18. I gave away all I could to my fellow employees, and now I’m willing to take any of my fellow Knoxville bloggers to go see it with me. That’s right, in a pitiful effort to make you love me, I’m giving away free stuff. But, they’ll just go to waste if I don’t, and it’s a nifty opportunity to see this a movie almost 2 weeks early. Now yes, I know what they’re doing, they want us all to tell our circle of associates about it, and build up some advance buzz. For free tickets, I’ll take the risk that I might become a cog in their massive viral-marketing scheme.

Now, I have the graphic novel the movie’s based on, and considering that Mark Millar’s original vision included the violent-but-offscreen murder of Superman, I think that this movie’s probably gonna tone down the mass-murdering of superheroes plot, and keep the “world’s deadliest, best-dressed, physics-defying assassins” part. I’m willing to give the “with great power, comes the ability to kick great amounts of ass” take on the superpower theme a chance. There’s some really egregious, impossible bullet physics, some cheesy one-liners, and some really improbable-but-cool-looking car stunts. It might be surprisingly good, it might be laughably bad, it might simply be a huge waste of 2 hours, but regardless, I’m going. I liked James McAvoy in The Last King of Scotland, and Angelina Jolie can usually be depended upon to show up and look hot, so since the tickets are free, I invite you to email me a brief note with the word “Wanted” in the title, expressing your wish to attend, with guest. Include a link to your blog, so I know you’re actually a local blogger, and consider yourself invited. You do have to email to RSVP by the 15th, and it’s first come, first seated, so I’ll recommend getting there early, say around 6:45 PM. Anyone who wants to do some eats and drinks somewhere with us afterwards, is welcome to do so.

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Location is the Regal Cinemas Riviera Stadium 8, on Gay St. downtown. I’ll send the RSVP details in my response email.

-ColtCCO

I.C.E. Training Class w/ Rob Pincus, August 1-3

What follows is an unabashed attempt to get you to give my employer money to take a class with me, so if that offends you, please just skip on down the page to the guns. If not, then hear me out. Coal Creek Armory, my employer, is hosting a 3 day Combat Focus Shooting & Advanced Pistol Handling course. We’d been impressed by the first-hand reports of the quality of training provided by Rob Pincus, both when at Valhalla, back when they still accepted common folk, and also as the head of I.C.E. Training. So, we set it up for a time when then entire indoor pistol range can be dedicated to an 8-hour daily shooting schedule, for 3 full days. I’m excited about taking it, myself. It’s a high round count class, you’ll need 2000 rounds of ammo, and your game face. We’re doing a bulk ammo discount for those taking the course - 2000rd of 9mm forexample, is $400, if you hurry. If this interests you, get a hold of us at Coal Creek Armory to sign up, or send any questions directly to me. Particulars are as follows.

ICE TRAINING & Coal Creek Armory Present

3 Day Combat Focus Shooting & Advanced Pistol Handling Class

August 1-3, Friday – Sunday

* Course size is strictly limited to 12 to ensure maximum 1-on-1 time, and this course will fill up quickly. Ask a Coal Creek Armory associate for a course registration form.

* Cost is $600 + Tax per student for 3 days - 25% non-refundable deposit required to register. The entire pistol range will be dedicated for the course for the duration of the instruction time – Friday 8:30-5pm, Saturday-Sunday, 9-5:30.

* Course Requirements: *2000 rounds of centerfire pistol ammunition, secure holster & belt and at least 3 pistol magazines. Ask for special course pricing to ensure your ammunition is in stock, and on time!

About This Course

This 3 day program combines the curriculum of the Combat Focus Shooting Course with much of the Two Day Advanced Pistol Handling Program into one 2000 round course. In addition to exploring the principles and fundamentals of the Combat Focus Program and numerous drills to help students develop a better understanding of the Balance between Speed & Precision, this course will cover the techniques of:

* 360 degree presentation from the holster,

* one handed (strong & weak) weapons handling,

* unorthodox shooting positions and much more.

————

- This course is features a significant amount time discussing what happens during dynamic encounters and dissecting each shooters performance, and will focus on the student’s ability to use their pistol as efficiently and consistently as possible under realistic conditions.

- A variety of drills and scenarios will be used to force the student to confront problems that come from administrative weapons handling and to reinforce good habits. This course can be taught at any square range and will also expose students to making the most out of any range session to keep tactical pistol training in context!

————

For decades, combat shooters have known (and progressive trainers have acknowledged) that the human body and mind have predictable, instinctive responses to surprise and lethal threats. While the basics of weapons handling and marksmanship are important skills for all shooters, they are not the basis for success during most lethal encounters involving the defensive use of a handgun. You are much more likely to be caught off-guard by an aggressive attacker in close quarters and low-light than you are to be confronted by a truly lethal threat in broad daylight standing 30 yards away in front of a dirt berm.

Combat Focus is an intuitive shooting program that is based on the study of empirical evidence from real violent encounters and builds on the body’s natural reaction to an attack. At the ranges that gun fights typically occur, Combat Focus is the most effective way to engage your threat with a handgun. This three day course empowers students by encouraging them to embrace their bodies natural reaction to a lethal threat and work with it to neutralize that threat as efficiently and effectively as possible. The Combat Focus Technique is not hip-shooting, in fact, the only significant difference between using this technique and sighted fire is the focus of your attention at the moment the trigger breaks.

About I.C.E. Training

“I.C.E.” Stands for Integrity, Consistency and Efficiency, the hallmarks of the programs, courses and services provided by the company.

I.C.E. is owned and operated by Rob Pincus, developer of the Combat Focus™ Shooting Program and Director of The Valhalla Training Center from its formal inception in 2003 through December 2007. Rob and his staff instructors have provided training to military special operations personnel from the Army, Air Force and Navy, law enforcement and security officers and those interested in the defense of their families, their homes and themselves at venues around the United States and Europe including Valhalla in Montrose, Colorado. Pincus has written articles in a variety of magazines, appeared as a guest instructor on television programs and is the developer of the Personal Defense Video Series.

Rob Pincus - Owner, Lead Instructor

Formerly the Director of Operations at the World Renowned Valhalla Training Center, Rob has been a trainer and consultant in various combative fields for many years and is the developer of the Combat Focus Shooting Program. His background in the military, law enforcement, executive protection and recreational shooting gives him a broad experience base. Rob’s specialty is progressive reality based training and fitting the fundamentals into the context of his diverse students’ environments. At the end of 2007, when Valhalla’s ownership decided to make the venue more exclusive, Rob established I.C.E. Training Company.

His courses emphasize EFFICIENCY and what really works during critical incidents, not what looks good on the square range or sounds good in court or in a classroom. Rob’s ideas on training & tactics have been shared all around the world through his role as a writer and Training Consultant with S.W.A.T. Magazine as well as lectures and courses throughout the United States and Western Europe.

www.icetraining.us

www.coalcreekarmory.com

Absentee Landlord

I’m not managing to make regular post lately - we’re sloping into our less-busy season at work, which means hourly employees work less support, and salaried employees(me) work more. Add to that the fact that my wisdom tooth surgery is nigh, because it’s causing me some evenings and days on unexpected, sudden-onset jaw pain, and the fact that we’re doing range repairs after hours and on weekends, and you’ve got a great recipe for ColtCCO-No-Blog-Much-Emia.

Also, I got Ninja Gaiden II, which is the perfect way to be the King Badass of the World, 200 enemy ninja at a time.

However, I still have stuff to say, and will continue to put it here when I do. Just don’t expect the daily update, feel free to add me to your RSS feeds, etc.

Until next time,

-ColtCCO

If it’s not a Colt…

…then maybe the front sight will be installed correctly.

Brand new Colt Series 90 Defender.

Just to show that I’m by no means a rabid fanboy of the Colt brand - I like their guns, and their brand name recognition is huge, and still stand for something, if not what it used to. They still do plenty of things right, but it’s been a long time since John Browning touched anything coming off the assembly line in the People’s Republic of Connecticut. It could be worse though - could be a Series II Kimber, or a Para LDA. You can turn around a front sight, but you can’t fix MIM, or poor design either.

-ColtCCO

Scots and Sunburn

To celebrate my first two scheduled days off in a row in many months, I betook myself and fiancee to the Gatlinburg Scottish Festival & Games. I despise tourist traps like Gatlinburg or Pigeon Forge, which must be navigated to arrive there from here, but we safely managed to arrive, enjoy ourselves at the Highland Games, and return without any henna tattoos, deeply discounted leather jackets, maple fudge, Chinese fantasy swords or corncob pipes. Not once did we partake of anything that could be described by the words “Jamboree”, and overall, I think that can be counted as a solid win on our part.

I completely forgot my camera at the hotel room the first day, which was, of course, when everything was happening, the massed bands, most of the athletics, and the very respectable crowd that showed up Saturday. This means I didn’t manage to get pictures of any of these fine things, except in crappy Cell-Phone-O-Visions. I will simply state that it was all a lot of fun, and you’ll have to believe me without photographic evidence. We got sunburned all to hell, as we spent a couple hours with our pasty white, melanin-deficient selves exposed to midday sun, watching the border collie demonstration, then the bands, and said sunburn subdued us sufficiently to make us ditch our formal wear for Sunday. Not a bad choice, as Sunday was a bit of a ghost town by comparison, and we made it a fairly quick trip. When you see the pictures here, keep in mind that most of them are from Sunday, with the exception of a few crappy cell shots, and the place is pretty empty then.

This is Frank, who’d been demonstrating border collies for the last 27 years at the games - the dog, Shep pulled off some very well executed herding, bringing both sheep and ducks in from both sides and penning them.

Shep herding. Get it? GET IT? Ah, never mind.

Friend and Armory Patron, as well as rep for the Scottish American Society of Knoxville, Eddie B.

Sammy talking sweet to midget hippie cows, Peal and Opal.

From the first day, also conversant with Bolshevik cattle, dressed in traditional McKay family ancient pattern Tartan wool hostess skirt and rampant lion lace-up bodice. The bodice does, well, amazing things, but it also is a heck of an area to get sunburned. We were wise enough to apply SPF 60 lotion before venturing back out Sunday.

The Knoxville Pipes & Drums on Parade. They’re local, and at least a few are scheduled to play our wedding. “Anything but Amazing Grace”, we said.

Really large events field, athletics, bands, and clan tents and vendors bordering. Shown empty here…

and chock full of pipers and drummers here in crappy Nokia-A-Vision. I enjoyed the bands immensely - I’m a huge geek for bagpipes, and a really decent group of 60 pipers with accompanying drums is thoroughly grin-inspiring for me.

While resting on a wooden bench by some railroad timbers, I was sat upon by no less than 10 fairly docile carpenter bees at a time, creating a minor sensation by those around me who were completely unable to accept that a person could have a ton of bees land on them without freaking out. Even though the opportunity was perfect, I successfully overcame the temptation to jump up suddenly, screaming “OH GOD BEES”.

I’ll give the GSFG a solid recommendation, and while I admit I have little use for people who base their self-worth and entire personal identity on something they had nothing to do with, be it race or nationality, it’s fun to wear the kilt and play up the MacDuff name that goes back on my father’s side. The people are gracious, the vendors no more than usually overpriced, the food not at all bad, the music is everywhere, and I’m going back next year - with sunblock. From what I saw, a man who sent up a tent selling SPF 60 in little plaid bottles could make a mint at the next “paler-than-you” festival. Should you have a decent sized one in your area, I advise you to go. It’s not a bad consolation prize for not being able to attend the NRA convention, anyway.

ColtCCO

Uneven Quality Control

I re-read my review of Redbelt from last night, and upon re-reading, discovered that none of the tense exhilaration and breath-choking emotion that I felt last night ever came through in the written word of that review. It cover the major points I wanted to share without spoiling the movie, but it’s also kind of dry and technical, just laying out the facts and how I said I liked it, and letting you decide. Honestly, if reading it with no foreknowledge of the movie, I’m not at all sure that what I wrote would have convinced someone that I enjoyed it, let alone drove home in silence thinking “Wow…damn. Wow.” I think I would have decided that the person who wrote the review was simply either falsely forcing his excitement onto the page, or - and this is the clincher -maybe just not a very good writer. Or at least not good at writing certain types of things, like concise yet heartfelt movie reviews, at 3am.

When this page clicked over 100k hits yesterday, I spent some time going through the nearly 2 years of archives from ColtCCO.com, to do a “Best Of” post with links to my best articles here. The short version? My writing is all over the place. Some of my pieces flow from the keyboard to the screen quick and easy, they read factual, organized, and clear. Other items just make me want to delete them after the fact - sometimes no matter how often I edit, write, re-write, and even start over, I never manage to make a better piece of writing for it - They stay slow, dry, hard to read and boring to follow. This begs the question -if my quality output is so difficult to maintain, why bother?

I write because I need to. I want to, and I really feel the need to. Writing down what I want to share on a given day, and making sure that it’s ready for primetime, or at least as ready as even the worst of my writings ever get, is a cathartic, relaxing exercise for mind and body. When it’s about things I enjoy or like, it’s even more fun. Sometimes, though, it’s just not as easy to get good results. This isn’t a ploy for affirmation or false compliments, I know when it’s good, and I know when it’s bad. I’m going to work on it.

I just wanted it on the record that I didn’t think I was going to win the Pullet Surprise with anything you see written here. I blog for me to have something to write, which is incendental to you then having something to read here, and hopefully I can make your task of reading it easier and more entertaining if I step up the effort a bit.

Practice, practice, practice.

ColtCCO

Redbelt - Mamet’s American Samurai

I just returned from the 10:05 showing of Redbelt. It starts off in my good graces by being directed by David Mamet; both written and directed. It stars Chiwetel Ejiofor as Mike Terry, LA-based Brazilian Jujitsu instructor with an absolute conviction in doing things in an honorable fashion. I’m going to unreservedly say that it’s the best personal drama I’ve seen since …the last David Mamet movie I saw, Spartan, and then before that, Glengarry Glen Ross. What can I say, I like my dramas with excellent dialog.

Mamet puts us right beside Mike the entire movie, following him from principled action to principled action. He crosses into the path of those utterly without principles, and becomes too comfortable, until, inevitably, his insistance on his way of doing things cause him to slam against the reality that he must cross his convictions. Mike doesn’t teach people to compete or fight, he teaches them to prevail - and his strong belief that to compete, to place contest rules into his combat art, would degrade it. “There is always an escape” is not just a reminded in sparring, but the basis for Terry’s indomitable spirit. He refuses to back down or quit, because he knows the move, and there is always an escape.

Redbelt is really a character study of Mike Terry, and I found it to be very convincing. - not just for the superb acting by Ejiofor, but also because Mamet writes unparalleled dialog, it alternately crackles and insinuates. The acting by all cast is fine, entirely believable with Mamet’s words in their mouths, but they’re window dressing by comparison to the lead. The pacing is deliberate, contrasting the calm of the empty dojo with the buzz of the brightly lit ring. The entire movie is about the contrast of two different ways - The dojo is close, personal, all about the two fighters working to drop the other for good; the ring is huge, made-for-Cable, all about the flash and spectacle. Mike is principled, his showbiz rivals are not. Mike is told he is addicted to poverty, his antagonists care for nothing else - it’s just business. This contrast between the Way and the Easy Way, is at root, the theme of the movie. I don’t know the first thing about the MMA stars in this movie, and that didn’t stop me from enjoying it one iota. If the reason for going is to see a movie based around your favorite MMA fighter, this is the wrong movie - the glamor is not portrayed as positive. The reason to go see Redbelt is to see Ejiofor, (also excellent as the Operative in Serenity) act his ass off. He’s alternately gentle and lethal, commands respect and gives it, and is earnest enough not to see the net until it’s too late. If you don’t feel anything tug at your heart in the last 5 minutes of the movie, then you have no soul. I admit, I choked up a bit.

David Mamet was not wrong to refer to this film as “American Samurai”. If this movie has a flaw, it’s that it won’t pull in the summer blockbuster bucks - it’s an indie film, playing at the indie theatres. Samurai movies never did gross high like Bogart and Bacall, and little has changed since then. Regardless, I’m going to cast a very strong vote to tell you to just go see it. If you like Mamet’s drama, or martial arts movies, Redbelt should be at the top of your list.

ColtCCO

Google loves me again.

I’m back in the Google index, and now hit very high on the list for IONBond. Go figure.

Also, mowing a 4 foot tall, quarter acre “lawn” with a pushmower just plain sucks, and takes about 3 hours. For that reason, nothing else to say tonight. I might be asleep when we roll over to 100,000 hits. You come back later.

ColtCCO

Industrial Strength Light - Just Add Magic

There’s a really great article on CG Society about how ILM, Winston, Marvel and the actors worked together to create the extra-nifty visuals that went into Iron Man. Basically, they explain the mechanics behind not making it look like crap, even when your suit is taller than your actor, and you have to change torso shape, make realistic looking metal in CG, etc. Too many technical buzzwords for me, I appreciate the detailed visuals that accompany the article, and the work that went into them. Whatever all those big artist words mean that they said, they did it right - as I’ve mentioned before, Iron Man had the best CG in a comic book movie yet. This isn’t the first movie article there either - the articles they did for Pirates of the Carribean were similarly excellent.

Also, if you’re not reading CGTalk on a weekly or so basis, just to see what the people have been drawing, why they hell aren’t you? This one Swedish guy decided he’d just sit himself down at his PC and render The Hulk, for the hell of it.

You want to click on that picture so you can see what I mean.

Seriously, visit CGSociety.com once even if, like me, you’re just there for the pretty pictures. Some really great digital artwork there, and if there’s anything that’s outstanding, you’ll see it in either the 3D or 2D Forums weeks before it hits Digg or Reddit.

ColtCCO

Custom Springfield Lightweight 1911 - IONBond Edition

Guess what? I’m an 1911 guy. Check the blog name. That’s a kind of 1911.

On the other hand, I’m a Glock Armorer. I know that Glocks work great, and when I find myself in the sandbox(never, hopefully), I’ll probably carry a Glock 17/19, because 9mm ammo’s everywhere overseas, and the gun will probably run when covered and filled with talcum-power sand. Large amounts of sand all over and in your 1911 is one thing that can shut one down, even a GI-loose, well-lubed one -if you wedge enough sand between the hammer and the firing pin block, it might not touch off. So, I’d say that’s the area in which a Glock has the advantage over the 1911 - really crappy desert environs with large quantities of small-particle airborne sand.

Everywhere else, I’ll take my 1911. For carry everyday, I put on one of 3 different 1911 pistols. All are slim enough to conceal under my T-Shirt, fit my hand like a glove, have an ideal trigger, far better accuracy (2.5-3″ at 75′) than any defensive gun needs for close-range shooting, and they all launch 230 grain Gold Dot or Golden Saber with absolute dependability. I can say honestly that over the last 2000-2500 rounds with these 3 firearms, I’ve not had a single malfunction, using up to 12 different mags, and 3 types of factory ammunition, both target and carry ammunition. I’m fairly confident that any of them will fire the next several magazines without any issues, and if they need a new spring after 5000 rounds, I’m sure I can scare one up the same place I’m getting 5000 more rounds of .45ACP.

Why am I even discussing this? I’ve been called upon a few times this week to defend my choice of carry firearm, by a guy armed with many statistics about how durable Glocks were, and how my 1911 was an antiquated choice by comparison.

Click for Full size

I commissioned the rebuild of a steel frame Springfield Loaded about a year and a half ago, and it’s still my very favorite - the gun is rock reliable, and and shoots exactly where I shoot. The weight of the steel frame makes it my favorite one to shoot for any long period of time, but even though I’m dedicated to carrying all day, every day, I have felt the weight difference between the steel Loaded and my little lightweight C.C.O. Model. After a long day on my feet on concrete floors, an all-steel loaded 1911 can become a ‘presence’ on your hip - comforting, but noticeably heavy at the end of 12 hours. In short, my back may complain. I wanted a middle path: a fullsize 1911, with full frame and slide for the sighting, weight, and potential reliability advantage over the commander slide of the Colt CCO - I say potential, because the CCO hasn’t hiccuped yet- but with the weight advantage of the allow frame.

Shortly thereafter, a nice condition used Springfield Lightweight Loaded landed in our case - and miracle of miracles, it arrived when I had funds on hand. I asked our talented gunsmiths to give it the detailed inspection, and they pronounced it good to go. Once bought and paid for, I began the task of making it truly mine - customization to my tastes.

Brief tangent - this is often where I lose many of the hardcore Glock people. I get comments that I wasted my money, dropping hundreds on an antique gun to make it shoot, when their $500 Glock ran right out of the box with no modifications. What on earth could be wrong with me to spend that much money on a gun just to get it right?

First, Lone Wolf Distributors lists well over a thousand parts for people who choose to do to their perfect gun, what I did to mine - customize for shootability, comfort, trigger pull, and yes, even reliability. My 1911 ran out of the box, too - the rest is simply functionally useful upgrades, like a trigger job, and aesthetically pleasing upgrades like the finish and fitted beavertail.

Also, Glocks cost less initially, because they cost less to make. They were designed for modern manufacturing techniques, with minimal human tweaking to assemble and ship, from the CNC machine to the shipping crate. Your basic 1911, even an entry model, requires testing and qualified assembly to get a working gun. The gun was designed almost a hundred years ago to be built, not assembled, by halfway skilled labor, and even modern techniques of manufacturing don’t remove that human component from the build process. To get a basic 1911 to it’s highest level of “shootability” costs more money then to do so to a Glock - no argument. However, I find that the finished result is more pleasing to shoot, to carry, and if done by a skilled ’smith, is a work of art, not simply an assembly job. A full or semi-custom 1911 is the equivalent of making a better-than-new classic Mustang or Camaro, as opposed to assembling a 10-second Honda Civic from parts ordered from Street Performance. All the bolt-on turbos, spoilers and exhausts in the world will never inspire the pride of ownership that a well-built 1911 can. One is a classic work of art, the other is simply a very functional tool. I like and appreciate very functional tools, but I can and do carry a custom 1911, at no detriment to my shooting, and under 99% of all carry circumstances on this continent, be at no disadvantage to those carrying Glocks - even “trick” Glocks.

Moving on…

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This pistol got the works. I went with Ed Brown small parts, for the most part - single-sided thumb safety, slightly extended mag release, new checkered mainspring housing to replace the Springfield one with the lock in it. The GI ’stubby’ guide rod and cap went in as well - no use for a full-length guide rod in a carry gun. The gunsmiths refer to the FLGR as “The Jammer” and in many people’s production guns, they are. I prefer the GI simply for easy of disassembly and reassembly. The slide stop is a Wilson Combat, because the little shelf on the lever is easier to manipulate than the 45 degree angle on most others. I kept the stock barrel and bushing - they shot just fine, and I didn’t need or want a tight match bushing fit for a carry gun. The beavertail grip safety is a Wilson Combat as well - they tend to fit the Springfield frame a lot tighter, and as welding up the alloy of the frame for a close fit on another beavertail was not an option, the Wilson was my best bet.

I kept the stock Tritium front sight, and latched it up with the High 10-8 Performance rear sight - a U-notch in the rear makes this sighting setup feel very natural, a bit more so than dot-in-a-box, and a much less cluttered sight picture than 3-Dot sights. I tried out 10-8’s Flat trigger as well, and fell in love - I grip high on a 1911, and my trigger finger naturally falls at the top of the trigger. The flat trigger finally eliminated the feeling that my finger was trying to “roll” down to the center of the trigger when applying pressure. Of all the guns where a flat trigger makes sense, it’s the 1911- the trigger moves straight back, why not make the shape of the trigger facilitate that movement, regardless of where the trigger finger lands, top, bottom or middle? The 10-8 Trigger accomplishes this, at the low price of looking more than a bit odd. However, as it’s a functional upgrade, I intend to keep it. I went with a set of Micarta grips to match up with the black of the gun. Micarta is super tough, used for cockpit doors and bomb shelters, and it’s not going to chip or crack like nicer wood grips might - it also affords a very grippable surface without being sticky.

The fire control parts are Cylinder & Slide, and I’ve waxed poetic about them before. Suffice to say they are all EDM wire cut out of tool steel, Rockwell hardness tested at the factory, and provide the best safe 4# trigger pull available, without any of the risk associated with cutting through the surface hardness on other fire control parts.

For magazines, across the board, I’ve been using the Chip McCormick Power Mags, upgraded with the Tripp Research Inproved followers and springs. The followers have a long front and back skirt to prevent tilt, a dimple to prevent the last round from jumping forward under recoil, and a steel insert that contacts the slide stop, preventing the ‘hollowing out’ that can occur in plastic followers, which will inevitably prevent the slide from locking back. The springs are 14 coil, very strong, and while this combination makes the mag capacity seven rounds as opposed to eight, it’s a completely dependable seven rounds, just like JMB designed it.

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I wanted a very durable finish to protect what was likely to become a well-carried gun. Melonite would work fine on the steel parts, but the frame itself couldn’t be Melonized, and after I got done having a beavertail fitted, the bottom of the frame ground flush, and the slide fitted, the protective hard anodizing would be gone from the surface, exposing the aluminum underneath to increased wear and damage. I had been reading about IONBond, a company in SC specializing in super-hard, high-lubricity finishes that could be applied to both steel and alloys. At the time I started researching, the finish wasn’t in widespread use- Kahr was using it on some slides, but that was about it - FNHerstal picked it up later, as well as SIG Sauer and S&W for their new M&P revolver cylinders. Custom gunsmiths were all waiting for the other to make the first move, though initial reports were good about their Tungsten DLC finish for firearms.

They basically put all your parts in a vacuum chamber, heat to 400 degrees, pump in argon gas, and use an electric charge to ‘arc’ first hard chrome, and then tungsten carbine onto the metal surface. The result is Rockwell 70-90 hard, only 5 microns thick, and very slick. If it has a drawback, it’s rust prevention qualities are nearly not that of Melonite. So, I Melonized all the steel parts first, had the frame re-anodized, and then sent it to IONBond. I disassembled my magazines, and sent the mag bodies, about 15 of them, off to IONBond as well.

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All of this took a while, and then after about a million years, it came back. I bugged the gunsmiths until it was re-assembled, and then went and shot it, a lot - testing all my mags to make sure the Tungsten DLC had’nt been detrimental. I needen’t have worried - The gun felt smoother than before, both racking it manually, and in shooting. The finish is now also hilariously unscratchable - I tried dragging my Spyderco hard down one of the magazines to see if it would scratch, and it left a silver streak that wiped off- my knife came off on the magazine, finish untouched. Now when I want to impress people, I drag a screwdriver down the side of my slide, and then wipe the screwdriver off the finish.

I’m at just over 800 rounds later, and neither gun nor mags have failed me once. I tend to carry it more than the steel gun, and now the Colt CCO is headed out to NC for the same finish. We started offering the IONBond finish at work, because we’re just that impressed with it - in conjunction with the Melonite, it’s about bulletproof.

The Custom Lightweight Springfield is shown here with it’s Brommeland Max-Con V IWB holster, Brommeland single Mag Pouch, a bunch of shiny black unscratchable mags, and a Kim Breed Damascus fixed blade sheath knife. The finer things in life are worth the price tag.

ColtCCO

Google don’t love me no more.

Google dropped me from their search results, and has not yet seen fit to reintroduce me. I know they dropped me right after my site’s front end crashed, but now that I’m back up an running you’d think they’d want to get me back on the list, after a week. I used the “add my site plzkthx” button 2 days ago, and still, all the results for searching “Colt CCO” or even “ColtCCO.com” are for the old blogspot blog, none for the actual ColtCCO.com.

Yahoo and MSN got my back, but Google has decided I don’t exist, except when people reference the URL on their page. This also means that people who are looking for stuff I talk about, like AR15 rifles, Melonite 1911s, and so on, don’t ever find my site by searching for those terms, like they use to a mere short 10 days ago.

Any great ideas? Should I start freaking out or writing email to Google?

ColtCCO

Presidential Powers

I tend to link a lot, not SayUncle-a-lot, but when someone has something said so right that there’s no way to improve upon it, you just give them the link.

Lawdog details how the vast majority of people are not even considering the unconstitutionality of actions taken of behalf of the office of the presidency in the current age, but rather simply want their president to do those things for them, and the people they like - and yes, both parties candidates are guilty of promising to do things they have not been empowered by the Office to do.

But it’s ok, because if our guy wins, most of those meddlesome actions are the things WE want them to do - unless our guy loses, in which case, someone else will meddle in things we don’t want, and then we’ll scream bloody murder, because they’re not supposed to DO that.

The office of the Pesident of the United States of America is empowered to keep us safe from foreign attacks, treat with other nations, and damn little else. Now all we ask for in a presidential candidate is a nursemaid, who gives us some of the other kid’s cookies, and promises she won’t take too many of ours, as long as we don’t replace her.

And to think, people wonder how I can stand to throw my vote away by voting 3rd party.

ColtCCO

Sub-Prime mortgages: Enormous hilarity potential.

I watch the news, and absorb a decent amount of new feed through the digital IV here, and honestly, I’m disappointed. There’s no end of amatuer and experienced pundits shaking their heads solemnly in an I-could-have-told-you-that-was-stupid manner, no shortage of people to inform us that, yes, duh, buying things that you don’t have the money for is a bad idea, no matter how many slick people tell you that you deserve to be a homeowner. I’m referring, of course, to the Sub-Prime Mortgage Fiasco, hereafter referred to as the SPMF to save pixels. It’s for the environment.

But really, I think that, as an individual who’s not been stupid enough to buy an overpriced depreciating domicile with money I don’t have, in the hope that it will double in price, just because someone told me I should, I’m entitled to get some laughs in at the poor schmoes that willfully chose this potentially hazardous path and brought it upon themselves. It’s like making jokes about hurricane Katrina - at a certain point, it’s ok, and I damn sure what to get the jokes in before the Representatives try to bail everyone out for being stupid, and begin the cycle of reinforcing bad behavior anew.

I’m certain that the readership of my blog, being consistent of nothing but brilliant, perceptive, literate and charismatic individuals with perfect teeth and hair, will all already have a firm grasp on the intricacies of the SPMF, and in fact, could lecture on the subject, but just in case a Google search should attract anyone of less than crystal-clear certainty as to what the hell just happened to the housing market and why, I present the funniest explanations I could find. I’m not afraid to say, either, that the last vestiges of doubt as to what all might have gone wrong, were cleared from my mind, like so many ignorant cobwebs, ere I had finished absorbing these bits of wit.

The Subprime Primer is a flipbook with stick figures and bad language, The Long Johns is a very typical dry British finances show, with a less-than-typical need to mention that your stereotypical 100% mortgage purchaser may or may not be of color and unemployed, as opposed to just unemployed. Maybe it’s because they’re old, white and British. If you can disregard that, it’s put across in a very humorous fashion.

Share and Enjoy.

ColtCCO

Be jealous of my framed Micheal Whelan print.

This one’s for Tam’s enjoyment -

My sweetheart acquired my anniversary gift today - an 18″x24 print of Michael Whelan’s Cover Art for Robert Heinlein’s Friday. My late night, indoor photography does it no justice - it looks really good, like I always imagined it must when I’d get lost staring at the same image in the tiny area of the paperback book cover. Click to embiggen:

The whole thing is professionally framed, cleanly edged wood with non-reflective glass, by Defenderfers in Oak Ridge, who frames all of my stuff, no matter how silly it may be. I know I was the first, for example, to bring them a poster of The Breakfast Club and Jaws for framing under glass.

This print now has a place of honor in my office, right next to the oversize cover for Amazing Spiderman #300. Yes, geeky, I know. As of right now, though, it’s my new favorite piece of artwork in the domicile, and I include my Heat, Godfather and Star Wars posters in that reckoning.

What really burns me, of course, it they have the original artwork for The Cat Who Walks Through Walls for sale on the site, and I’ve emailed them twice to see how many gazillions of dollars they want for it, and they won’t email me back. Just as well, because I can’t afford to be deeply in debt just now…

ColtCCO

John Scalzi - Author of Note

Perhaps the subtle hints dropped all around this blog are not quite enough, so I’m just going to come out with a very overt recommendation for the John Scalzi’s Old Man’s War. I haven’t read and re-read a book this often since I discovered William Gibson’s Neuromancer. I am a re-reader of books I enjoy, but Old Man’s War is in my category of “read until the paperback is nearly destroyed, then buy the hardcover and keep reading.” Heinlein’s Stranger in a Strange Land, or say, Kipling’s Kim, and before that, The Lord of the Rings, are all on this beloved short list of “will re-read, anytime.”

What you’re seeing here is my idea of subtlety. One of the best reasons for reading Old Man’s War is that it’s like finding previously undiscovered, alternate-universe Heinlein from his best days, right around the time of Starship Troopers, or maybe a few books after - but it’s not fan fiction, not a slavish imitation. The books stands on their own, as a story, with distinct characters, likable or otherwise, anda better grade of aliens than RAH ever wrote. John Scalzi simply appeals to everything in you that is appealed to in reading a damn good yarn by RAH. I long for more books by the Old Master, enough that I find myself picking up extra used copies of Heinlein I own(all of them) to loan out or keep in the car, so any good book that puts me in that same comfortable mood of re-re-re-reading The Moon is a Harsh Mistress, or To Sail Beyond the Sunset, or even the Robinson/Heinlein hybrid Variable Star, is an extra-good book by default. This is one of those.

Does it have similarities to Starship Troopers? Absolutely - any book that send marines to space to fight bugs, kind of has to, by default. Is it it’s own book, with it’s own plot, characters, politics, twists, and variables? It is, and delightfully so. The sequel, The Ghost Brigades, takes us further down the path with some of those differences, specifically the nature of humanity once you start radically engineering it, and it’s good from first page to last. I’m still waiting on the next few books to arrive via Amazon, but these two have sparked a desire to find and read all that will last. If writing books that will appeal to people who loved Heinlein is pandering, than I want to be pandered for several more books.

If you enjoy good, smart Sci-Fi, that takes place in space, with soldiers, that also happen to be good solid storytelling, you will like John Scalzi’s books. If you don’t like that sort of thing, I don’t know what to do for you. In my inexpert opinion, his books are some of the best new stuff going right now.On a completely unrelated but amazing note, the man has been blogging for the last 10 years. Holy Crap. I keep reading his reviews of his colleague’s books on his blog, and getting great recommendations- I’m running out of reading time, and money to buy books.

ColtCCO

Bread & Circuses - the Unsustainable Welfare State.

In which: Marko asks if he’s wrong in thinking that the unlimited free-handouts for the inept, unskilled and unkempt will sink us once they outnumber the actual working class. No, you’re not at all wrong - you’re simply looking a situation that hasn’t collapsed us so far, because weR