Stupid Guns You Want to Own- Panic Edition

[feudist]

They make open top factory conversion types. All the style points of a percussion conversion but with a good ejector rod and made for factory standard ammo in 38 spl, 44 spl and 45 Colt. The guys that have them seem impressed with the accuracy, many think they hsoot better than the SAA types they have.

https://www.cimarron-firearms.com/ri...in-barrel.html

The percussion idea sounds good on paper as far as ammo drought concerns go, however you still have to have percussion caps and powder, both of which arent as easily available or generally as cheap as smokeless and primers. I can cast bullets, but primers or caps, and powder are not simple to replace in either form. However, if one wants one simply because they like them, Im all for it.

Im guilty of carrying an 1860 around in the yard feeding the birds or changing hoses when watering. Someone had the gall to make fun of me with it belted on and in my long underwear and slippers.

[Trigger]

I ordered a Tikka T3x barrel from Preferred Barrel Blanks in 20 VarTarg. One of the smallest calibers around, I’m looking for something between 223 and 22LR. I already have a 17HMR, and that rifle is limited by the marginal accuracy of the factory loads. The barrel will screw onto a Tikka 223 action.

Since the 20 VarTarg is 3/4” shorter than 223, I’m expecting feeding issues out of the magazine. I do not want a single shot. So my plan is to use a CZ527 221 Fireball magazine (the parent case for 20 VT), and build a magazine block around it. The magazine block will clamp the CZ mag inside and forward, and allow the mag+block to lock into the CTR mag well that I’m using. I already checked the 223 Tikka bolt and action for function, extraction and ejection. The concept appears to work. The Sako extractor will pull the case properly from the chamber, and will not release the case until the case mouth clears the loading port on the action. The Remington 700 chambered in 221 Fireball had to relocate the extractor and ejector because the extractor was pulling the case into the locking lug groove, thereby spilling the spent case into the action, and jamming the ejection cycle. The Tikka does not appear to do this. But I will be sure when I have the 20 VT barrel installed, and can cycle the action.

Wish me luck. Follow up post in 2 months.

Follow-up on my 20 VarTarg Tikka. Barrel arrived from Preferred Barrel Blanks, and really looks nice! Great fit and finish, chambered for 20 VarTarg with a .235” neck, which the loaded rounds measure .232” before firing. Add this rifle to the list: I have now popped off 4 Tikka factory barrels and 2 Sako TRG barrels with a Brownells universal action wrench. Three whacks with a hammer and the wrench broke the action loose.

Fitted up the new barrel, torque to 100 ft/lbs with SAC action wrench. Trip to the range the next day. Turns out the 20VT barrel is pretty accurate. Detailed load development to follow. Best news is the 20VT feeds great out of the modified CZ527 magazines. If I run the bolt briskly, they feed and eject properly. If I run the bolt slowly, the cases nose dive out of the magazine, because the distance from the feed lips to the chamber is too far for the short VT cartridge.

I’m calling the 20 VarTarg experiment on the 223 Tikka a success!

[Bigghoss]

I kinda want a stainless mini-14 tactical and an A-TM stock for it. And a Semi-auto .308.

[TDA]

Absolutely, utterly impractical but... wantsies. Ammo shortage? Great time to switch to 475 Wildey Magnum, 45 Winchester Magnum, or 44 Auto Mag!

https://www.usafirearmscorp.com/

[peterb]

Today FedEx brought me a Umarex Glock 19 CO2 BB pistol.


https://www.umarexusa.com/glock-19-co2-airgun

Not blowback, fixed metal “slide”. Smoothbore, shoots steel BBs. 15-round magazines.
I was hoping it’d be a fun and possibly useful way to help deal with ammo prices. Just had time to put a few rounds through it. Thoughts so far:
Good: Looks and feels amazingly like my Gen4 G19. Grip size is similar to small blackstrap. Pivoting trigger safety is functional. Weight is realistic. Magazine release works.
Bad: Slide is slightly taller than G19, so it doesn’t fit into any of my molded holsters. Why would they do that? Might be able to grind down the bottom corners of the frame to make it fit.
Good: CO2 easy to insert, fold-out wrench in blackstrap. Magazines are metal and seem to work well.
Odd: There’s a tiny crossbolt safety in the trigger that blocks the trigger. Direction is reverse of a standard 870 — push the left side to fire. You can just leave it in the “fire” position.
Bad: Magazines are not full-sized.
Odd: There’s no good way to check the “chamber”. When you drop the magazine a loose round also drops out, which I’m guessing was the “chambered” round. Procedure to clear seems to be drop the magazine, whack the side, aim in safe direction and pull the trigger.
Good: Decent power, was penetrating 1/8” plywood at close range. Rated at 400 FPS. Don’t know yet how many good shots per CO2 cartridge, but supposedly much better than blowback guns.
Bad: Glock-replica sights are cast into the slide. Rear notch very narrow, no light around front(front is .165” wide). I opened up the rear with a small file, blacked out the rear, painted the front orange.
Good: Reasonably accurate, sights seem well regulated. First few groups after sight fix were 1 - 1.5” or so at 7 yards with occasional flyers.
Bad: Trigger is very long and mushy, doesn’t really build, just breaks at the end of the travel. Not like my Gen4.

Despite the “Bads” listed, I’m pleased. I think it’s going to be a lot of fun for $75. I didn’t expect a realistic trigger or rifled pellet-gun accuracy, and the sight fix is easy. A new shooter could have a fine time plinking cans with this thing.
The biggest annoyance is that they didn’t get the dimensions correct to fit G19 holsters. I thought it might be good for draw-and-first-shot, but I’ll have to modify the pistol to do that with the holsters I’ve got. It does fit in a cheap leather thumbreak that’s loose for the real G19, and would probably work in other holsters that aren’t tightly molded.

[rd62]

Today FedEx brought me a Umarex Glock 19 CO2 BB pistol.


https://www.umarexusa.com/glock-19-co2-airgun

Not blowback, fixed metal “slide”. Smoothbore, shoots steel BBs. 15-round magazines.
I was hoping it’d be a fun and possibly useful way to help deal with ammo prices. Just had time to put a few rounds through it. Thoughts so far:
Good: Looks and feels amazingly like my Gen4 G19. Grip size is similar to small blackstrap. Pivoting trigger safety is functional. Weight is realistic. Magazine release works.
Bad: Slide is slightly taller than G19, so it doesn’t fit into any of my molded holsters. Why would they do that? Might be able to grind down the bottom corners of the frame to make it fit.
Good: CO2 easy to insert, fold-out wrench in blackstrap. Magazines are metal and seem to work well.
Odd: There’s a tiny crossbolt safety in the trigger that blocks the trigger. Direction is reverse of a standard 870 — push the left side to fire. You can just leave it in the “fire” position.
Bad: Magazines are not full-sized.
Odd: There’s no good way to check the “chamber”. When you drop the magazine a loose round also drops out, which I’m guessing was the “chambered” round. Procedure to clear seems to be drop the magazine, whack the side, aim in safe direction and pull the trigger.
Good: Decent power, was penetrating 1/8” plywood at close range. Rated at 400 FPS. Don’t know yet how many good shots per CO2 cartridge, but supposedly much better than blowback guns.
Bad: Glock-replica sights are cast into the slide. Rear notch very narrow, no light around front(front is .165” wide). I opened up the rear with a small file, blacked out the rear, painted the front orange.
Good: Reasonably accurate, sights seem well regulated. First few groups after sight fix were 1 - 1.5” or so at 7 yards with occasional flyers.
Bad: Trigger is very long and mushy, doesn’t really build, just breaks at the end of the travel. Not like my Gen4.

Despite the “Bads” listed, I’m pleased. I think it’s going to be a lot of fun for $75. I didn’t expect a realistic trigger or rifled pellet-gun accuracy, and the sight fix is easy. A new shooter could have a fine time plinking cans with this thing.
The biggest annoyance is that they didn’t get the dimensions correct to fit G19 holsters. I thought it might be good for draw-and-first-shot, but I’ll have to modify the pistol to do that with the holsters I’ve got. It does fit in a cheap leather thumbreak that’s loose for the real G19, and would probably work in other holsters that aren’t tightly molded.

I have the same one purchased for the same reason. I also let my boys practice with it in the backyard. Its worked well but the trigger breaks drastically differently in my opinion. I still find it good for practice (drawing from concealment, shooting on the move, etc)

[TQP]

LGS posted up a CAI C-308 with wood furniture.

Kinda want.

[benEzra]

Now, with all the panicking and shortages, we have extra excuses to buy something, because you spotted a box of 7.62 French Long in the bargain bin.

I’ve always wanted a S&W 686 Competitor .357; might still get one someday.

[jtcarm]

I’d like a Kriss Vector, .45 ACP.

[Otaku.edc]

KAC SR15 chopped to 13.7