Where to start?...I suppose with a pile of guns.
AR15, Glock 23 Gen4, another AR, Springfield XD9, FN FNX-9, Springfield 1911, Glock 23 Gen 3
My first AR (here on the right) was a DTI kit rifle that taught me everything I needed to know about ARs
My pride and joy, built 'er myself starting with a lower I bought on Nov 5, 2008. Getting these parts (especially the barrel
) was...challenging.
RRA Lower
Bill Springfield 4lb Single Stage FCG
Magpul CTR
Magpul MIAD
Magpul Enhanced Trigger Guard
BCM Upper
Daniel Defense Mid Length Barrel
Young Mfg Chrome M16 BCG
Larue Rail
Larue FUG
Surefure 6P in Larue Offset QD Mount
Troy BUIS
EOTech 512 in Larue QD Mount
The scope below is a Leupold Mark AR Mil-dot in a Larue SPR QD Mount. I'm putting together a home for it that will probably end up being on top of a Larue Stealth upper, but for now I've been known to swap it out for my EOTech on my middy. I shot it like that out to 312yds over Christmas. Have never had a chance to shoot that far before, but I didn't do too bad.
Since then I've moved and have been doing some work for a guy that runs a local gun store. In exchange for terrible pay I get great prices of all sorts of cool stuff.
The handguns, top to bottom, are my Springfield XD9 Tactical.
It was my first handgun and it's still my favorite. I've carried and shot USPSA matches with it. I've put I don't even know how many thousand rounds through it and it shoots orgasmically nice. I had never shot a centerfire handgun before getting it a couple months after I turned 21. About a month after that, I shot my carry permit qualification with it, which was very amusing to me. In the class prior to the shoot, our "knowledgeable" instructors reminded us several times that more than half of their students fail the shoot test (10 shots on IDPA target at 10 yds). I was by far the youngest and the (hopefully) least experienced shooter there. I was the only one in my group to pass the shooting test. I then carried that giant XD for more than a year. I, like the other Mike (Mr. Barton), highly recommend the Comp Tac Minotaur.
Then I got my Glock 23. I've always liked Glocks and honestly the reason I took the XD over a Glock for my first pistol was because I wanted a barrel length between the 17 and 34. I was finally able to get my hands on a Gen 4 23 with night sights to serve as my primary carry gun. My buddy carries a Gen 3 23 and honestly, I've got to say that I do strongly prefer the Gen 3 to the Gen 4. I love my Glock, but in hindsight, I wish it was Gen 3. I don't use the back straps, I don't need to flip the mag release, and the Gen 3 grip texture is much better for my very tight grip.
On the bottom is my FN FNP-9. My first DA/SA pistol and really nice to shoot. A distributor was closing out CA models that came with 3 10 rd mags with 2 16 rd mags thrown in for $350. Quite the deal. I got it early this year with the intention of shooting some USPSA matches with it. Sadly, I haven't had the time yet.
Speaking of USPSA, I have a nice video of a CoF in the second match I went to. That was about 2 months in my XD ownership. Not a good start, but not too bad of a finish.
[video=youtube;CtcAZY7J_D4]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CtcAZY7J_D4[/video]
I needed a third AR, but the only lower I could get locally was a Spike's Zombie lower. I wanted a M16 configuration, so a color-filled zombie lower didn't really fit that look. A little bit of lower swapping with my first AR and a Foilage Green Magpul Makeover, and I ended up with this.
Magpul ACS (my new favorite collapsible stock)
Magpul BAD Lever (a lot cooler than I thought it'd be)
Magpul MOE Grip
Magpul MOE Handguard
Magpul MS3
Magpul MSA
Magpul MVG
Magpul ASAP
Magpul Enhanced Trigger Guard
RRA Tactical Brake (in case I need to stab zombies...or deafen the people next to me)
For my third AR, about the only rifle-length upper I could order through my FFL (so I could put it on my tab there
) was RRA. I put in my order and settled in a for a four month wait. About a month later, I stopped by the store and saw it on the shelf, for sale. The owner had forgotten that he ordered it for me. He just assumed he had been drinking some night while doing his orders. Picked up a carry handle and my latest (and easiest to build) AR was done.
I do like carrying my Glock, but there are some times that I don't or can't carry the bulk of a full size gun. Bending over will print my gun a bit. I generally don't care if people notice because I'm not required by Iowa law to keep it concealed and most people won't recognize a gun print, but for times that I absolutely want to stay concealed and don't want anyone to know that I'm carrying, I picked up a little LCP-LM a couple weeks ago.
It is what it is. It's not a great shooting gun and it's awkward for my giant hands to reload, but it's better than nothing for the few instances that my Glock isn't practical. I got a chance to shoot it last weekend, and it definitely takes a lot more thinking to shoot. I shoot automatics with both thumbs pointing forward. Doing that on the LCP puts my left thumb almost even with the muzzle. Not good. Also, the ridiculously light weight makes the recoil worse. Combined with the relatively small distance that the slide moves, it's very easy to limp wrist it and have feed and ejection issues. Be conscious of your grip and this won't be a problem.
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Still love that girl!! Wish she knew it....
