lunker

If you have an astigmatism (like me), the dot on the Aimpoint can seem a little strange, like seeing lights from behind a rainy windshield. But it works nonetheless. The effect is lessened by turning down the intensity. It is rock solid on its mount. I use a absolute cowitness and have my front sight post a little lower (i.e. I lollipop the target like on a target revolver). This allows for the dot not to be superimposed on the front sight post. I know some folks prefer the lower 1/3 cowitness so they don't have to sight the irons that way. Sorry I don't have any input on the magnification. I don't use one. From everything I have read (take that for what it's worth ), the magnifiers are great. I love that they can rock out of the way to get you back to 1X.

Again with the questions that require long answers. A pump is great for singles trap because you are only taking one shot. A pump is OK for doubles trap because the birds are coming at fixed angles, making it more easily repeatable. A pump is a disadvantage at skeet because there are often bang-bang type shots when shooting simultaneous pairs. These are hard enough with a pump or over/under. And a pump is a disadvantage in Sporting Clays, in my opinion, because of all the different clay presentations. Racking is distracting from getting onto the second bird that can be coming from a completely different direction than the first. As for what kind of shotgun to get, another bit of controversy. Trap guns are sort of specialty devices. They generally have high ribs and combs and shoot high. This means you can point the barrel at a target, while still seeing the target, and hit it. This is because (unless you wait way too long) targets are always rising in trap. So it makes sense to have a gun that will shoot higher than what you are pointing at. Field guns shoot to point of aim. You cover the target with the barrel, and shoot. Now skeet is a much different game. Shots are crossing left to right, and vice versa. They are not rising. Occasionally they are dropping if you take a real late shot. More often than not though, they are flat. So a flatter shooting gun is optimal. And Sporting Clays is all over the place. You can have rising and falling shots. They can be coming at you, going away from you, crossing, quartering towards or away from you. In an instance like this, a flatter shooting Sporting gun is also preferable. So here is the big question... Which should you get? I don't know. There are plenty of people who use trap guns for all disciplines, and adjust on dropping shots. I had a trap gun and decided to sell it (Shocking, yes? ). So I went the other way. I felt like I wanted a jack of all trades gun and got a sporting gun for all disciplines (Sporting Clays and 5 Stand being my favorite). Of course I was flubbing the easy straight risers today at Central Jersey Trap because my gun shoots straight and not high. I need to raise the comb just a bit. One last thing. I was talking with the gunsmith at the Beretta shop in NYC, and he was honest with me (i.e. giving up a thousand or more dollars on a potential sale). He told me that if my only goal was to break clays, then I should get the Beretta 390/400 AutoLoader. If I wanted something that was a point of pride/historical, etc then I could get a Beretta over/under. I appreciated his honesty and have come around to autoloaders for clay sports. One day I might own one.

Think about overpenetration. A 44mag will go through the bad guy, through the wall behind him, and search for the nearest baby stroller.

Shotguns are funny. There are folks with $300 Mossbergs that love their guns and think people with fancy over-unders are just snobs. There are the prestige shooters who (really are snobs) want a several thousand dollar gun and would never consider owning the Mossberg. I have seen plenty of times when the former outshoots the latter, and it is somewhat satisfying. But in the end it is all about the tool for the job. A quality over/under from Beretta or Browning, etc is meant to go tens of thousands of rounds before needing repair. Most (and I will catch grief for saying most) production shotgun will break down and need repairs before the good over/unders. They are not made to the same standard as the better guns. It's not a knock, it's just that you should be getting a much better gun when you spend a thousand or more dollars extra on it over another gun. I do like the fact that I can put grease on the hinge of my over/under once every several months and run a bore brush through the barrel once every three or four outings or so. That is the maintenance. So, if you are considering a quality over/under... I would suggest shooting what you have for now, and saving for a while and getting a gun you will never outgrow. The most bang for the buck in a "B" over-under is the Beretta 686 Silver Pigeon I. Joel Etchen guns has the sporting models for $1850 shipped. It has all the attributes of Beretta models that cost a thousand dollars more, just without the fancy engraving and fancy wood on the higher end 680 series guns (686, 687). And it is pretty darn close to the model that costs two thousand more (682 series minus palm swell, replaceable shoulders, and fancier barrels). And the Berettas and Brownings are the best at maintaining their resale value in case you fall out of love with the sport.

If you go over/under get quality. There are New Cz's, used SKB (russian), used Winchester, Berettas and Brownings out there you can get for around a grand. A Stoeger is a good gun for hunting, but it will not withstand the abuse of thousands of round like a quality gun. Google Stoeger Condor firing pin or go to Shotgunworld.com and read up from people who know. Also, I wouldn't discount autoloaders too quickly. Anthony Matarese won Sporting Clay championship with a Beretta 390.

The Certificate of Eligibility does not need to be sent anywhere. It is between you and your father. Guns, even handguns, directly willed to you (it must be explicit in the will) do not need to be transferred. They become yours.

thanks

I am not trying to start a shitstorm, because I have shot and like all three, and owned two, but... If you examine the Colt and BCM you see they are similar in that they have a very plain dull phosphate finish and that there is usually some play between the upper and lower. I have used Accuwedges in every Colt I owned. I have less experience with BCM, but they have the same feel to me. I would still take them over a Rock River Arms (whick is always tight) any day. The Daniel Defense has a shinier treatment that looks nicer than the Colt and BCM. We will see how it holds up though as I plan to shoot the hell out of it. If you want to see the nicest finish on an AR, check out anything from LaRue. They are works of art.

I used Boiled Linseed Oil (for those not in the Know) on my CMP Garand that had really drab wood (it was a new 308 Garand that didn't have surplus stocks on it). It livened it up a lot! Looks nice now. I almost wish I had the patience to put 20 more coats just to see how it comes out.

Great Adventure (Six Flags)?

Yes, although I have run into FFLs that try to tell me it's not legal. Find yourself an FFL who will accept from private parties.

Yup. I forgot about that. Tack on $84 tax + $15 NICS

Tack on $15 for NICS. No transfer on a rifle he has in stock.

BAR?

Mods, can you move this to the Hot Deals section?

I just got an email from FFL I use. He has a Jersey compliant new in box PTR 91 C for sale for 1200 dollars. That's a really good deal on a hard to find and awesome rifle. PM me for details.

Bring some more open chokes than you use for trap. A lot of the shots in Sporting clays are right in your face.

These are impossible to find. Ask me how I know.

Check the Daniel Defense M4 V3, regular or lw barrel. Simple and light.

If it matters to you, the BCM finish is more like a Colt. All business, a little rough looking. It often has more play between the upper and lower, also like the Colt. None of these things impair function though. The Daniel Defense is a lot nicer finish, and at least on mine, the upper/lower play is negligible.

Apparently NICS turnaround time is getting better too.

Short barrel revolvers, especially in the larger frames, go for big money. Search Gunbroker for short barrel (3" and under) Model 27-2. They are usually on the wrong side of $1000. A snubnose Model 27 would be cool as hell though.

I used to hike and bike the tow path in New Brunswick. Same one? Is the R in D&R for Raritan. I am not in good enough shape for the really challenging stuff. Working on it though.

I go up to Hartshorne Woods in Highlands several times a week to get me and my dog some exercise. Taking the main loop there is a good workout, and my dog is only normal/sane when tired. And there are great ocean and Sandy Hook/Sea bright views. Where do you go?

Very true. Especially in the smaller framed (J & K) guns