when_shtf

LOL, my 12 year old son just gave me the exact advice. I can't believe what they learn on Call of Duty. He's a better shot then me too.

Given how that visit could have gone, sounds like a good day at the range. It's always good to hear from law enforcement that you are handling your weapons well.

Six weeks. Man, I got screwed with :wild: I'll be going back to the NJSP barracks in a few weeks to drop off an STS-033 for an additional hand gun. Hopefully I get a "normal" turn around. Woodentow, the Ruger Mark III is a cool choice. Best of luck and enjoy.

Yep, makes 100% sense. I think I'm looking for a weapon that is dialed in for 200 yards. A scope that can be easily removed is on my list of options. Beyond that and a good 3-point harness it will be try and buy.

So I took the .357 out again today. Before I went out I brushed and cleaned the chambers. I loaded and fired the Federal American Eagles and when I went to expel the spent rounds I get this: As you can see, one round came out easily by itself, and the others came out about 3/16" before stopping. Now mind you, they were no where near as stuck as yesterday. With a few hard pushes on the ejector rood they all came out. I reloaded and fired again. This time all six moved back 3/16" and stopped. A few agressive pushes on the ejector and they were free. I then shot 25 rounds of Winchester .38 special. All simply fell out of the chamber when I moved the ejector. I'm going to pick up some WIN .357 next week. I'm quite sure I've never had this problem with those rounds.

I've watched this show and agree with others, they have found people in the lunatic fringe of the prepper community and have edited the program to make the subject families look like…well…lunatics. That is unfortunate. I tuned into this show in the hopes of learning something. I do believe that it is good to have food, water and necessities (medicine and personal care) in the event that the supply chain is disrupted for any reason. The quantity of the supplies on hand should be able to sustain your family for a reasonable period of time. For me, that is 6 to 10 weeks. I have a generator, extra propane and wood fireplace for cooking if needed (I’m also lucky to have a stream that is within a short walking distance). With that said, I also think it is unreasonable to try to prepare for every possible contingency. So I do not fit the same profile and purpose as those depicted on the television show. But I do believe I represent the vast majority of people that prep, without considering themselves “preppers”.

I don't know the answer. I usually bring one or the other out. Those times that I've shot both I must have shot the .357 rounds first. I'm going to go out and get some Winchester .357's and do further testing. I've got to tell you, the cartridges were REALLY stuck in the chambers. It took considerable force to remove them. I was thinking that the brass had over-expanded and never gave thought to residue in the chamber.

Woodentoe, You have a LOT of time to consider your purchase. When I applied for my permit in 2004 it took one year to receive the approval. I forgot that I had even applied for a permit and was startled when the state police called me. A .22 caliber rifle and handgun are good choices for first weapons. I’ve owned my H&R .22 since 1972, and I enjoy firing today as I did as a 10 year old. But only you can decide what feels best in your hands. Go check out some ranges that are close to you. Establishing a relationship at a range is a great first step. From there you can observe what others are shooting. You can also test fire weapons. Ultimately one will speak to you. If you’re lucky, many will. Enjoy the wait.

I have reason to travel down that way (my father lives in Cape May County) so I might stop in on my next trip south. Thanks for the welcome everyone. I am really injoying the forums. I hope to enjoy the community as well.

It’s as simple as a sequence issue? Well that’s good to know. Cleaning the weapon out in the field isn't terribly convenient, but David's suggestion is about as simple as it comes. Thanks for the info.

No, not at all. It all adds to everyones education. I asked for opinions and I got them.

Saiga Whore, I certainly appreciate your experience and advice. I’m not a hard-core weapon user. I fire for fun and enjoyment. If the time ever comes that I have to use a weapon in anger, it will be defensive and within a range 100 to 200 yards on my own property. All of my firearms get cleaned after each use. Crawling through mud just isn’t in my future. Even my hunting rifle (my .30-30) gets cleaned after a day of hunting, even if I didn’t fire it. It’s just how I operate and how my father taught me to respect firearms. Thanks for your perspective, it is valued.

I was out firing my .357M today. I was firing Winchester .38 Special Rounds and then switched to a new box of Federal American Eagle .357 (158g) ammo. After I fired I pulled ejector rod and tried to eject the expelled .357 cartridges from the cylinder. All six were completely stuck. I had to get a hammer and punch to extract the cartridges from the chambers. I fitted 6 new .357 and they went into and fell out of the chambers with ease. I reloaded with .38's again and fired. The cartridges ejected normally from the cylinder. So I reloaded the .357's again. After firing the cartridges were stuck again. I usually fire 125 grain Winchester .38 Specials in my .357. In the past when I have fired .357 rounds they too were Winchester rounds (which are 110 grain). Has anyone ever experienced this with Federal American Eagle .357 ammo? I would think that the weapon should handle ANY .357M round, whether 110 grain or 158 grain. Any thoughts?

Well, that's kind of my point; I don't know EXACTLY what I want. I just know that I want. After owning, shooting, cleaning and modifying a basic AR, I'll have a better idea of what I want and I can purchase a more expensive or capable weapon with extreme confidence. Right now, I just want to get in the game.

Yeah, I've decided that I'm going to get one of these. I simply don't see any downside. If down the road it no longer suits my needs I can either upgrade it or start again with a new platform.

I got 28. I got the following wrong: which President was born in TX and the amendment for establishing 18 years of age to vote.

As soon as I hit "Post" I'm heading out back with my boys to fire the .22, .357 & 20ga. Gonna make some noise (well the .22 wont but the others will make up for it).

Like everything else on an AR, the sights can be changed when I add optics. I believe the F type is the front site that works with optics. What are the other AR's that you are shopping?

I'm an experienced rifle/gun owner (bolt & lever action rifles, pump shotguns and a .357 revolver) but I've never owned a semi-automatic weapon. I'm looking for an entry-level AR15 and the Smith and Wesson M&P Sport has caught my eye. I've been doing some research and the features and options are just overwhelming. As much as I'd like to roll my own, I think I need to know and understand what a basic weapon is, if such an AR even exists. After I get a feel for the rife I can begin to form a list of likes and dislikes. From there I can decide to upgrade the M&P Sport or start from scratch. I'd like to hear opinions from anyone that owns or has significant time using this rifle. Thanks Gary

Greetings. I stumbled upon this forum while researching semi-automatic firearms in NJ. I've been a gun/rife owner since I got an H&K .22 on my 10th birthday (40 years ago). I still own that rife, along with other rifles and handguns that I've collected over the years. I'm interested in building/owning an AR15 - something you don't want to do in NJ without being very cognizant of the laws. I've been reading through the forum for the past few days and I think they are very helpful. Seemed like a good site to join...so here I am.