Since I had to say goodbye.
And while it has been rough, it has been survivable.
I appreciate all the folks who took the time to write, call, email, text, comment etc., your words were a comfort to us.
But I swear, if one more person asks me “Are ya gonna get another dog???” I’m gonna hit him (or her) in the knees with a ball peen hammer. Twice.
I know they mean well, but really,……
So I finally make it to the range after 3 weeks. (life has been less than conducive to range time lately).
I arrive with the two Para 3″ pistols (one daily carry, and one being evaluated for daily carry) and 150+ reloads in .45 ACP. ( I had some ammo that was going stale and I needed to burn up my 6 month old carry ammo anyway)
I settle in at the bowling pin bench and load a few mags. Step up to the bench and begin.
I am killing pins fairly well, running 43 for 50. I then switch to some empty/failure drills, just to keep in practice. Randomly loading different numbers of cartridges in each mag, and with a few snap caps thrown in just for fun, just to keep my malf skills sharp too. My reloads are going well, and I am clearing the snap caps easily and quickly when the hammer drops on them. I’m running the mags clear in about 3 seconds.
I go 30 rounds (running 28 for 30, if I can brag a bit), and am regaining some speed with my drills, when I squeeze off a shot and the hammer drops. *Click*. Nothing else.
Nothing. No big deal. Practice is what I am here for. Must be a snap cap.
I run the slide and still, only the click of the hammer dropping.
Now I know that I didn’t put two snap caps in consecutively, therefore the mag must be dry, and assume that the slide didn’t lock back for some reason….., so I hit the mag release, grab a reload and put it in the magwell.
Except it wouldn’t go. I tried twice. The mag just wouldn’t enter the frame. WTF?
Color me confused.
I check that the weapon is clear, lock the slide back, and take a look. There appears to be a mag in the firearm, as I can see the top of it, but no follower, only air, and light showing through the mag body. Hmmm?
The baseplate for the mag (older welded factory Para 6 round) has left the mag, along with the spring and follower. Apparently, without the baseplate to hold things square, the mag is just distorted enough that it won’t drop free from the pistol.
I push the mag free from the top, and all is well.
Not sure what to do as a drill for that type of failure though.
I then went to the dueling tree for some hip shooting practice and went 38 for 50 there, but my composure was blown, my concentration wasn’t what it should be.
The new Para Carry ran flawlessly (for once). I think that after two trips to the factory for the extractor issue it is finally fixed….We shall see. More range time will tell.
Still not sure how to do a drill for this or how to deal with this sort of malf quickly.
It’s not one that I practice for, and to be honest, I didn’t recognize what was going on. How do you prepare for this sort of failure?
Other than new magazines (this was an older one, used only at the range) anyone got any suggestions?
And yes, I pounded the remains flat before disposing of it.
I actually said this to the guy going through my luggage at the TSA line in Phoenix a few months ago.
He didn’t see my point. He took my clippers anyway though.
Graphic stolen from HERE
But we sure as hell destroyed it.
Gonna happen to a lot of places, if BHO gets hisself re-elected.
Good thing I am not homicidal (and that the law makes it hard to mount twin 20mm cannon on my truck)….
There were an alarmingly large number of incompetent/uncaring/rude/asshole drivers on the roads this fine Saturday morning.
Enough that I chose to go home rather than grow more angry at the plethora of near misses and such that I encountered today.
I feel bad because I allowed the bad drivers to chase me off the roads.
I let them win…
Even if for only a little while.
The USS Constitution is SAILING under its own power, not just being pulled out for display.
I think it is cool that the oldest US warship (in fact, IIRC, the oldest warship ever) is still a workable sailing vessel.
But according to this, there is no increase in mass shootings, even when correlated to Something Must Be Done Gun Control regulation attempts.
Perhaps it is just the news coverage, but I think there is more to it than that.
I’m still not so sure that there aren’t people who would use the lives of others as a tool to influence legislation they think is required.
Eggs, omelettes, and all that.
His Mom passed.
Y’all go by and show him the same support you showed us, K?
Likely he needs it right now.
Thanks.