Gun Thread: First November Edition!

Howdy, Y'all! Welcome to the wondrously fabulous Gun Thread! As always, I want to thank all of our regulars for being here week in and week out, and also offer a bigly Gun Thread welcome to any newcomers who may be joining us tonight. Howdy and thank you for stopping by! I hope you find our wacky conversation on the subject of guns 'n shooting both enjoyable and informative. You are always welcome to lurk in the shadows of shame, but I'd like to invite you to jump into the conversation, say howdy, and tell us what kind of shooting you like to do!

Holy Shitballs! How in the ever-loving Hell did it get to be the First November Edition? I'm certain many of you were hoping for another October edition, but the Gun Thread always marches forward in the pursuit of excellence and to that end, we've now moved on to November.

I'll likely be in and out of the comments this evening, so please have a good time and try not to burn the place down. Thanks.

With that, step into the dojo and let's get to the gun stuff below, shall we?

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FUNdamentals

Fundamentals of aiming, that is.

Alternatively, we have no aiming.

So which is it, aiming or no aiming? A dichotomy, I say! A dichotomy!

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M14 v M1

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T20 - Grenades!

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Annie Oakley

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Rifle Boring Machines

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Uranus is Weird

Not mine. Yours.

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Our Pal The Forging Hammer

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Highway Patrol!

This week's episode: Careless Cop!

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The Phantom Planet

Uranus, perchance?

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Here are some different online cigar vendors. You will find they not only carry different brands and different lines from those brands, but also varying selections of vitolas (sizes/shapes) of given lines. It's good to have options, especially if you're looking for a specific cigar.

Cigarsinternational.com
Cigarpage.com
Famous-smoke.com
Cigarsdaily.com
Neptunecigar.com
Smallbatchcigar.com
Bobalu Cigar Company
Cigarbid.com
Nicks Cigar World New!

A note about sources. The brick & mortar/online divide exists with cigars, as with guns, and most consumer products, with respect to price. As with guns - since both are "persecuted industries", basically - I make a conscious effort to source at least some of my cigars from my local store(s). It's a small thing, but the brick & mortar segment for both guns and tobacco are precious, and worth supporting where you can. And if you're lucky enough to have a good cigar store/lounge available, they're often a good social event with many dangerous people of the sort who own scary gunz, or read smart military blogs like this one. -rhomboid

Anyone have others to include? Perhaps a small local roller who makes a cigar you like? Send me your recommendation and a link to the site!

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Ammo Link-O-Rama
I'm really very seriously not kidding around anymore. Buy Ammo
AmmoSeek - online ammo search tool
GunBot - online ammo search tool
SG Ammo
Palmetto State Armory
Georgia Arms
AmmoMan
Target Sports USA
Bud's Gun Shop
American Elite Ammo
Lucky Gunner Ammo NEW!

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Please note the new and improved protonmail account gunthread at protonmail dot com. An informal Gun Thread archive can be found HERE. Future expansion plans are in the works for the site Weasel Gun Thread. If you have a question you would like to ask Gun Thread Staff offline, just send us a note and we'll do our best to answer. If you care to share the story of your favorite firearm, send a picture with your nic and tell us what you sadly lost in the tragic canoe accident. If you would like to remain completely anonymous, just say so. Lurkers are always welcome!

That's it for this week - have you been to the range?

Posted by: Weasel at 07:00 PM

Comments

(Jump to bottom of comments)

1 st?

Posted by: Schnorflepuppy (OT but harmless) at November 01, 2026 07:00 PM (xVpNO)

2 Good evening everyone

Posted by: Skip at November 01, 2026 07:00 PM (Ia/+0)

3 Here.

Posted by: RI Red at November 01, 2026 07:01 PM (HdjQ+)

4 Just saw an article claiming that the CMP is going to start selling the M14's in January and they will have 100,000 to start.

Not sure if that is true but I think I am going to put my name in the hat for one.

Posted by: Mister Scott (Formerly GWS) at November 01, 2026 07:01 PM (I43vL)

5 Richard Kiel played the alien in "Phantom Planet."

Posted by: BeckoningChasm at November 01, 2026 07:03 PM (CHHv1)

6 Watched a you toob last night on the CMP m14 sale. Expect around $2K price.

Posted by: RI Red at November 01, 2026 07:04 PM (HdjQ+)

7 Yay! Good Sunday evening, gub 'ettes and 'rons, and thanks as always to our host Weasel (from whom I am expecting an audiologist's bill any day now) for the forum.

Posted by: Schnorflepuppy (OT but harmless) at November 01, 2026 07:04 PM (xVpNO)

8 Put a new pistol through its paces yesterday.

I love the idea of a tiny pistol, but this new one is just a bit bigger than my current summer carry, and shooting it is more fun and more accurate.

Posted by: CharlieBrown'sDildo at November 01, 2026 07:04 PM (k5CNB)

9 Hello, Weasel!

Posted by: Ed L at November 01, 2026 07:04 PM (CSpIj)

10 Good evening gubthreaders and all the ships at sea.

I want to reiterate that I called top bunk in the camps.

Back in 2012.

Posted by: blaster - Fortis Fortuna Adiuvat at November 01, 2026 07:05 PM (NlEaG)

11 My best hope at going to a indoor gun range is going to the job going tomorrow, but it can't be tomorrow. Keep hoping some day at this job I can

Posted by: Skip at November 01, 2026 07:06 PM (Ia/+0)

12 I love the idea of a tiny pistol, but this new one is just a bit bigger than my current summer carry, and shooting it is more fun and more accurate.
Posted by: CharlieBrown'sDildo at November 01, 2026 07:04 PM (k5CNB)

And just what brand would this Hunk of Kromium be, perchance?

Posted by: RI Red at November 01, 2026 07:07 PM (HdjQ+)

13 Forging hammer video is pretty cool.
Thanks Weasel.

Posted by: scampydog at November 01, 2026 07:07 PM (41CYW)

14 Good evening Horde and thank you Weasel.

The forging hammer is fearsome. Watch your fingers.

Posted by: TRex - bang bang dino at November 01, 2026 07:07 PM (XfIK1)

15 Howdy!

Posted by: Puddleglum, drive by bang pew psh psh at November 01, 2026 07:09 PM (sAmhv)

16

The 1935 movie of Annie Oakley wasn't a true story?

www.imdb.com/title/tt0026073

Posted by: Bertram Cabot, Jr. at November 01, 2026 07:09 PM (Cqx++)

17 Yay! Gubs!

Posted by: RedMindBlueState at November 01, 2026 07:09 PM (h+uWx)

18 I now have a travel EDC.

When I really dailied my P3265XL I just always picked it up. But now if I am going out of state I pick up my original EDC which is a Keltec PF9.

Anyone else have a travel piece?

Posted by: blaster - Fortis Fortuna Adiuvat at November 01, 2026 07:09 PM (NlEaG)

19 Dear No Wobbly Sh*t Forum,

Mr. Charles Brown Dildo, a noted AoSHQ Co-Blogger and friend of the Gun Thread, republished the recipe for WeaselBeanz in today's AoSHQ Sunday Food Thread, a recipe that orginated with Weasel-san, the very same Editor Emeritus of No Wobbly Sh*t Magazine, and the host of the AoSHQ weekly Gun Thread.

The first ingredient in that recipe is Canadian Bacon, cut into cubes of .308".

If it's Canadian, wouldn't cubes of .303" or possibly .355" be more culturally-appropriate?

If one wishes to Americanize the recipe, wouldn't Smithfield ham, cut into cubes of .451" be more appropriate, and more importantly, be more attractive to range babes of culinary discernment?

Asking for the readership.

Posted by: Duncanthrax at November 01, 2026 07:09 PM (0sNs1)

20 Um, don't follow the don't aim crowd. Point shooting is a last ditch attempt up close where you have to use gross indexing methods for firearm retention (that is bad breath distance).

That means you have already failed situational awareness, keeping distance from potential threats, and being selected by a predator as an easy mark, usually when someone is in Condition White aka oblivious to what is going on around them.

Leatham is an excellent competitive shooter and when you shoot tens of thousands of rounds with a particular weapon design, he is using something called a flash sight picture--the profile of the firearm itself gives gross aiming index.

And fwiw, focusing on the front sight and dry firing repeatedly means that you can readily see when you are moving via the trigger pull, the firearm offline, if you have a laser mounted when dry firing, even more so even without the fancy laser targets.

And what he is saying is grossly inappropriate for firing any long arm although he did not intend it as such.

Frankly my respect for him dropped a lot from that video.

Posted by: whig at November 01, 2026 07:10 PM (E4rtv)

21 I thought Smithfield was Chinese.

Posted by: Bertram Cabot, Jr. at November 01, 2026 07:11 PM (Cqx++)

22 Put a new pistol through its paces yesterday.

I love the idea of a tiny pistol, but this new one is just a bit bigger than my current summer carry, and shooting it is more fun and more accurate.
Posted by: CharlieBrown'sDildo at November 01, 2026 07:04 PM

In your beloved 9mm, correct?

Posted by: Duncanthrax at November 01, 2026 07:11 PM (0sNs1)

23 Horrible plane tragedy: A Learjet carrying nine people crashed in a residential area near Cresthaven, Florida on Sunday afternoon, according to the Federal Aviation Administration. Unbelievable video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ch6YZKDkqcU

Posted by: Just reporting at November 01, 2026 07:12 PM (b/mwL)

24 When I aim I shoot better than when I don't. At least when "better" is defined as hitting the thing you want to hit.

Posted by: blaster - Fortis Fortuna Adiuvat at November 01, 2026 07:12 PM (NlEaG)

25 12 I love the idea of a tiny pistol, but this new one is just a bit bigger than my current summer carry, and shooting it is more fun and more accurate.
Posted by: CharlieBrown'needs.
-------
I am always confused when I buy a new one and it is more accurate than the old steady. Confusion quickly turns into fun - as you mentioned. And scheming.

Posted by: scampydog at November 01, 2026 07:12 PM (41CYW)

26 Not sure if that is true but I think I am going to put my name in the hat for one.

Posted by: Mister Scott (Formerly GWS) at November 01, 2026 07:01 PM (I43vL)

I think I got a note from CMP about it!

It will be an M14 that has been made semi-auto only. Very cool!

Posted by: CharlieBrown'sDildo at November 01, 2026 07:13 PM (k5CNB)

27 can I post off-topic?

Posted by: weft cut-loop at November 01, 2026 07:14 PM (nEUC6)

28 And just what brand would this Hunk of Kromium be, perchance?

Posted by: RI Red at November 01, 2026 07:07 PM (HdjQ+)

H&K CC9, and I am agonizing that maybe I should have bought the Gen 2 S&W CSX E.

Posted by: CharlieBrown'sDildo at November 01, 2026 07:15 PM (k5CNB)

29 I love the idea of a tiny pistol, but this new one is just a bit bigger than my current summer carry, and shooting it is more fun and more accurate.
Posted by: CharlieBrown'sDildo at November 01, 2026 07:04 PM (k5CNB)

CBD, if you're willing to take a step down in hitting power, .32 ACP is quite controllable if your pistol is made of steel. My PPK, PPK/S, and Beretta Model 81 are all quite controllable with .32 ACP. Unfortunately, the two Walthers are now out of production, but Beretta has new "Cheetahs" (Model 81 for .32 ACP) coming out of the factory. The Model 81 has a 12+1 capacity of .32 ACP.

Posted by: Ed L at November 01, 2026 07:15 PM (CSpIj)

30 can I post off-topic?
Posted by: weft cut-loop at November 01, 2026 07:14 PM (nEUC6)
-------
I'd rather you stay close to the thread topics, but if you really feel it's important, go ahead. NO current events/politics.

Posted by: Weasel at November 01, 2026 07:16 PM (ei1sX)

31 6 Watched a you toob last night on the CMP m14 sale. Expect around $2K price.
Posted by: RI Red
-----
And you can get a Springfield Armory M1A for less than that in various configurations. If you can find a used one, much less.

The altered not quite M14s will go up in price unless Dems get in and then ban them as a collector's item. But that will take some time until stocks run out at CMP. So ask yourself are you planning on shooting it or keeping it up as a safe queen collectible.

I have some CMP firearms and I fired them rarely because they are worth a lot of money because the ones I have are fully reconditioned and pristine (inherited). Your money, your choice.

Posted by: whig at November 01, 2026 07:16 PM (E4rtv)

32 I thought Smithfield was Chinese.
Posted by: Bertram Cabot, Jr. at November 01, 2026 07:11 PM (Cqx++)

Chinese owned.

Posted by: Ed L at November 01, 2026 07:17 PM (CSpIj)

33 21 I thought Smithfield was Chinese.
Posted by: Bertram Cabot
-------
Yes it is. Trump needs to get around to fixing that. China does not allow US companies to behavior similarly in China.

Posted by: whig at November 01, 2026 07:17 PM (E4rtv)

34 H&K CC9, and I am agonizing that maybe I should have bought the Gen 2 S&W CSX E.
Posted by: CharlieBrown'sDildo at November 01, 2026 07:15 PM (k5CNB)

Come, now. This is AOS. Embrace the healing spirit of ‘and’.

Posted by: RI Red at November 01, 2026 07:18 PM (zYph5)

35 I wonder how different the war would have been if the M1941 Johnson Rifle was the battle rifle instead of the Garand.

Posted by: polynikes at November 01, 2026 07:20 PM (Ti9vn)

36 I wouldn't be comfortable carrying anything less powerful than .380ACP for self-defense against anything larger than a rattlesnake.

There are plenty of micro-9mm pistols out there that really obviates the need for smaller ammo, imho. My parents who are getting on in age and strength have a S&W Shield EZ in .380 that they love and practice with and it's better than a sharp stick, but I'll stick with 9mm or larger for now.

Posted by: ballistic at November 01, 2026 07:20 PM (oqH4h)

37 Test

Posted by: rhomboid at November 01, 2026 07:23 PM (U/Byj)

38 Sighted in and ready for the coming weekend in the woods. Both littles will be in camp this year - first time in 5 years. Should be fun.

Posted by: scampydog at November 01, 2026 07:26 PM (41CYW)

39 36 I wouldn't be comfortable carrying anything less powerful than .380ACP for self-defense against anything larger than a rattlesnake.

There are plenty of micro-9mm pistols out there that really obviates the need for smaller ammo, imho. My parents who are getting on in age and strength have a S&W Shield EZ in .380 that they love and practice with and it's better than a sharp stick, but I'll stick with 9mm or larger for now.
Posted by: ballistic

I was afraid I would be in your parent's boat from arthritis and surgeries until I made it to the range for the first time in three years after clearance from docs. Did fine with 9mm recoil and racking firearm, even clearance drills which had to repeat several times.

I just found that I have to use a heavier 9mm for recoil absorption is all (28 oz or higher). I can still rack the slide on my 9mms.

Have to return to the range this week to see if I can still shoot a 40 S&W or 45 ACP comfortably.

Posted by: whig at November 01, 2026 07:28 PM (E4rtv)

40 H&K CC9, and I am agonizing that maybe I should have bought the Gen 2 S&W CSX E.
Posted by: CharlieBrown'sDildo at November 01, 2026 07:15 PM (k5CNB)

I like my CC9. It's a decent shooter out to about 10 yards. 15 yards is a bit too far for me to get decent shots on a silhouette target. It's the same size as a PPK, but a little bit thicker. The two are about the same weight, but the PPK holds 7+1 rounds of .32 ACP while the CC9 holds 12 + 1 of 9mm. Downside of the CC9 is that it takes more strength to rack the slide compared to the PPK.

Also, have you shot your CC9 with some defense ammo (i.e. hollow points)? I think you should try some defense ammo out of your CC9 before making any final decisions.

Posted by: Ed L at November 01, 2026 07:28 PM (CSpIj)

41 So this happened yesterday:

"Hollywood movie director and producer Michael Mann has been rushed to hospital after accidentally shooting himself whilst at a gun range."

The name of the gun club?

"The Range".

Posted by: fd at November 01, 2026 07:28 PM (MWfyi)

42 38 Sighted in and ready for the coming weekend in the woods. Both littles will be in camp this year - first time in 5 years. Should be fun.
Posted by: scampydog
=======
Great. You will enjoy it and build memories for them. Watch out though if wild hogs are around.

Posted by: whig at November 01, 2026 07:28 PM (E4rtv)

43 If you carry '24/7' you definitely need a pocket pistol.

Posted by: polynikes at November 01, 2026 07:29 PM (Ti9vn)

44 Hollywood movie director and producer Michael Mann has been rushed to hospital after accidentally shooting himself whilst at a gun range."

The name of the gun club?

"The Range".
Posted by: fd
----
Was this in Austin??? If so, I've been and it is a nice range but they are a bit full of themselves.

Posted by: lin-duh at November 01, 2026 07:31 PM (VCgbV)

45 Great. You will enjoy it and build memories for them. Watch out though if wild hogs are around.
Posted by: whig
---------
Thanks whig. They're both excited to get back to it post college. No hogs around these parts.

Posted by: scampydog at November 01, 2026 07:32 PM (41CYW)

46 It was in LA I think.

Posted by: fd at November 01, 2026 07:32 PM (MWfyi)

47 Watching the honorary gun thread movie right now. Quigley Down Under.

Hollywood Weapons did a test of three of the shooting scenes and confirmed they could be done. It's where I learned SOF refer to a double hit with one shot a Quigley.

Posted by: polynikes at November 01, 2026 07:35 PM (Ti9vn)

48 35 I wonder how different the war would have been if the M1941 Johnson Rifle was the battle rifle instead of the Garand.
Posted by: polynikes

Wasn't going to happen. Logistics as Springfield Armory was already tooled up and running on Garands with a fairly lengthy trial period with several iterations of prototypes and field trials under its belt. The Johnson design came too late and was not obvious easier to mfg (thompson v. grease gun), nor superior than the Garand.

I can see why Ordnance didn't order full production as even an alternative because they really did not need two different main battle rifles and having bolt action Springfields and Garands already with the M1 Carbine was bad enough logistically. And the Marine use in combat with the Johnson did not show it superior than the Garand in battle anyway.

Posted by: whig at November 01, 2026 07:35 PM (E4rtv)

49 It was LA.

Posted by: lin-duh at November 01, 2026 07:35 PM (VCgbV)

50 Watched the aiming video. It seems the "hold" is a consequence of how the sights were zeroed, correct? Is there any rule of thumb to estimate whether a given pistol (including revolvers here) is set up for a center hold or a combat hold?

Posted by: Alberta Oil Peon at November 01, 2026 07:35 PM (0kX4S)

51 Watching 2011 videos I am amazed at the rates of fire these guys are putting down.

Posted by: blaster - Fortis Fortuna Adiuvat at November 01, 2026 07:36 PM (NlEaG)

52 Thanks whig. They're both excited to get back to it post college. No hogs around these parts.
Posted by: scampydog

Reason is at least in our part of the country, heavy acorn crop which should fatten deer as well as hogs. Hogs are becoming a serious nuisance in the Southeast now.

Posted by: whig at November 01, 2026 07:36 PM (E4rtv)

53 "Hollywood movie director and producer Michael Mann has been rushed to hospital after accidentally shooting himself whilst at a gun range."

Posted by: fd at November 01, 2026 07:28 PM (MWfyi)

A bit ironic because Michael Mann has been a stickler for accuracy in weapons handling and weapons safety on the sets of his films and productions ("Miami Vice," "Heat," "Thief," "Crime Story," etc.).

Posted by: Ed L at November 01, 2026 07:36 PM (CSpIj)

54 43 If you carry '24/7' you definitely need a pocket pistol.
Posted by: polynikes at November 01, 2026 07:29 PM

S&W Airweight .38 snub, almost fits in your watch pocket. If not carrying on waist something that 'speaks with more authority'.

Posted by: Eromero at November 01, 2026 07:37 PM (LHPAg)

55 I wonder how different the war would have been if the M1941 Johnson Rifle was the battle rifle instead of the Garand.
Posted by: polynikes at November 01, 2026 07:20 PM (Ti9vn)

Seriously? Not much, since machineguns and artillery decide battles. The American obsession with the "best" infantry rifle is commendable, but of little consequence in the big picture.

Posted by: Idaho Spudboy at November 01, 2026 07:38 PM (VYHjw)

56 Darn it, I am late!!!
Can I blame DST?

No range report from me. Got the Jeep home from Ohio yesterday.
Big thanks to Schnorflepuppy for all the assistance. Owe you big time.

I do have a question for those that attended the TXMOME, did anyone happen to find a wayward spotting scope. It appears that I misplaced one of the ones that brought down.

Thanks

Posted by: Scuba_Dude at November 01, 2026 07:39 PM (dZE4s)

57 50 Watched the aiming video. It seems the "hold" is a consequence of how the sights were zeroed, correct? Is there any rule of thumb to estimate whether a given pistol (including revolvers here) is set up for a center hold or a combat hold?
Posted by: Alberta Oil Peon
======
Depends on the ammo velocity and weight of bullet really as well as the design of the firearm.

Some handguns have adjustable rear sights for target shooting so you can zero your handgun for the ammo you are firing. Adjusts the rear sight up and down to accommodate different ammo parabolas caused by velocity and bullet weight.

Left right adjustments are by drifting the sights with a punch or sight pusher.

Posted by: whig at November 01, 2026 07:40 PM (E4rtv)

58 The much bigger "what if" was what if the US torpedoes had worked from December '41? ETO probably no change, but might have shortened/changed Pacific a bit. Our subs were aggressive and effective almost from the start (lots of turnover needed to remove peace-time skippers). But their weapons didn't work.

Posted by: rhomboid at November 01, 2026 07:40 PM (U/Byj)

59 Shot himself in the leg. An excellent reminder to concentrate, avoid distractions, and don't get careless.

Posted by: fd at November 01, 2026 07:40 PM (MWfyi)

60
Even better, the Chiefs and Mr. Swift lose a thriller to the Broncos, 28-24.

Posted by: Hadrian the Seventh at November 01, 2026 07:41 PM (eRlcH)

61 If the time and money WASTED on marketing had been spent on practice, teaching and ammo types deletes.

Posted by: Hokey Pokey at November 01, 2026 07:42 PM (+4nu0)

62 Some handguns have adjustable rear sights for target shooting so you can zero your handgun for the ammo you are firing. Adjusts the rear sight up and down to accommodate different ammo parabolas caused by velocity and bullet weight.

Left right adjustments are by drifting the sights with a punch or sight pusher.
Posted by: whig at November 01, 2026 07:40 PM (E4rtv)

Some of the pistols in the lake don't have adjustable sights, other than drifting the rear to and fro. I guess a laser boresight would at least allow me to determine what hold was designed into the relic.

Posted by: Alberta Oil Peon at November 01, 2026 07:44 PM (0kX4S)

63 Good evening to all the GunHorde and a bigly thank you to Weasel. Finishing touches on the farm for the general firearms season in two weeks… and that’s all for me.

Have a great week everyone

Posted by: Coelacanth at November 01, 2026 07:44 PM (+OnsA)

64 I have a nice bull barrel ohenrey
I would love an AR2 but 800 bucks
f that

Posted by: r hennigantx at November 01, 2026 07:44 PM (/+uur)

65 Aside from my weekly dose of skeet, my only shooting related activity was to order some .480 Ruger brass. The .480 Redhawk was one of the victims of The Great Discontinuance, so I figure it's best to lay in a stockpile while the brass is available.

Posted by: Idaho Spudboy at November 01, 2026 07:46 PM (VYHjw)

66 Posted by: whig at November 01, 2026 07:35 PM (E4rtv)

Thanks but I still wonder how different the war would have been if the M1941 Johnson Rifle was the battle rifle instead of the Garand.

Posted by: Idaho Spudboy at November 01, 2026 07:38 PM (VYHjw)

Yeah seriously exactly because of what you just posted. And difference wasn't referring to the ultimate outcome but getting to that outcome. You think the battle rifle didn't make a big difference.

Posted by: polynikes at November 01, 2026 07:47 PM (Ti9vn)

67 59 Shot himself in the leg. An excellent reminder to concentrate, avoid distractions, and don't get careless.
Posted by: fd
=====
Easy to do draw from holster and even more often, reholstering.

Reason why light triggers are not always a good idea and grip safeties, hammer fired handguns give a measure of safety on drawing and reholstering that modern striker fires don't. On those without safeties, including revolvers, putting your thumb on the back of the hammer when reholstering gives a) feedback if something is caught in the trigger guard and trying to cock the hammer, b) firm pressure on the hammer to prevent it going back means without cocking it, it cannot fire.

Nothing is for free and light trigger pull striker fires with no external safeties are fast to draw and fire but require absolute trigger discipline and extreme care when drawing and reholstering.

Posted by: whig at November 01, 2026 07:47 PM (E4rtv)

68 35 I wonder how different the war would have been if the M1941 Johnson Rifle was the battle rifle instead of the Garand.
Posted by: polynikes

Wasn't going to happen. Logistics as Springfield Armory was already tooled up and running on Garands with a fairly lengthy trial period with several iterations of prototypes and field trials under its belt. The Johnson design came too late and was not obvious easier to mfg (thompson v. grease gun), nor superior than the Garand.
Posted by: whig at November 01, 2026 07:35 PM (E4rtv)

This right here. The factory Johnson had (Providence, RI) just wasn't ready to supply the millions of rifles the US needed to arm itself. Johnson struggled to supply 20,000 rifles for the Dutch East Indies that were never delivered due to the speed of the Japanese advance in 1942. The USMC "moonlight requestioned" the Johnsons it used for the Para Marines from the Dutch East Indies order before the US government took over the rifles orphaned in the US.

Posted by: Ed L at November 01, 2026 07:48 PM (CSpIj)

69 Posted by: Scuba_Dude at November 01, 2026 07:39 PM (dZE4s)
----
It's at the ranch.

Posted by: Weasel at November 01, 2026 07:48 PM (ei1sX)

70 Ok, a bit of a range report, at least for those that have come up here to shoot (BTW, open invitation to aspiring long range shooters):
Every one of our approximately 60 long range targets has been equipped with a T-post protector. They’ve also been painted bright yellow.
Will help with target acquisition, but more important should give about 5 year life to every T-post.
The T-posts are the weak spot, especially with magnum calibers.

Posted by: RI Red at November 01, 2026 07:49 PM (HdjQ+)

71 I'm falling asleep and it's not even 7 yet! Sheesh 🙄

Posted by: lin-duh at November 01, 2026 07:50 PM (VCgbV)

72 Thanks but I still wonder how different the war would have been if the M1941 Johnson Rifle was the battle rifle instead of the Garand.

Posted by: Idaho Spudboy

Eh, knew a guy with a Johnson, looked flimsy to me frankly but I never shot it. Nothing markedly superior about it nor in the field trials that I read about. Caused a furor in Congress for awhile but nothing like the M-16 rollout debacle in Vietnam.

Posted by: whig at November 01, 2026 07:51 PM (E4rtv)

73 51 Watching 2011 videos I am amazed at the rates of fire these guys are putting down.
Posted by: blaster - Fortis Fortuna Adiuvat at November 01, 2026 07:36 PM (NlEaG)
------

I have a Staccato C2...it's not even one of the super-high-speed ones with a compensator and all that, and I can run it like a sewing machine. Heavy (comparatively), full-framed pistol shooting 9mm. Really easy to keep the sights on target and just hammer away.

Posted by: ballistic at November 01, 2026 07:51 PM (oqH4h)

74 69 It's at the ranch.
Posted by: Weasel at November 01, 2026 07:48 PM

Thanks!! Guess I will pick it up next year.

Posted by: Scuba_Dude at November 01, 2026 07:52 PM (dZE4s)

75 Eh, knew a guy with a Johnson, looked flimsy to me frankly
Posted by: whig at November 01, 2026 07:51 PM (E4rtv)

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Do we do "phrasing" in the gun thread? lol

Posted by: ballistic at November 01, 2026 07:53 PM (oqH4h)

76 Do we do "phrasing" in the gun thread? lol
Posted by: ballistic at November 01, 2026 07:53 PM (oqH4h)

Hah didn't occur to me until your post. lol.

Posted by: polynikes at November 01, 2026 07:54 PM (Ti9vn)

77 I got a chance to take my new S&W stealth hunter lever gun with its silencerco suppressor out to the range for a brief session. So much fun lol. .38spl out of a rifle with a can is almost but not quite James Bond quiet. Still very hearing safe without ear pro.

Posted by: ballistic at November 01, 2026 07:57 PM (oqH4h)

78 Some of the pistols in the lake don't have adjustable sights, other than drifting the rear to and fro. I guess a laser boresight would at least allow me to determine what hold was designed into the relic.
Posted by: Alberta Oil Peon

Dig around on forums for that particular pistol. A lot of old pocket pistols weren't accurate enough to actually sight in--horrible nubs for front sights, really low and small rear sights with a narrow skinny slot, really thin front revolver sights that were actually designed to be bend for l-r windage or filed down for zeroing. These were designed for personal defense at very close range when a hit in the gut could kill someone due to lack of antibiotics.

Some of those crappy sights lasted until the sixties.

Best way to determine it is to take whatever ammo you plan to feed it and go to the range with a sandbag rest as few can afford a Ransom Rest and the required model specific insert for remote firing.

That will tell you quickly what hold to use. Problem is that if you switch ammo velocity and/or bullet weight, you have to do it all over again. Just like rifles or shotguns (patterning for example)

Posted by: whig at November 01, 2026 07:58 PM (E4rtv)

79 I mean, if a BB gun pellet distracts an aggressor enough to get away, isn’t that adequate? How about pepper spray? Or a scalding hot cup of coffee?

So your best with what you can. That’s better than nothing. But DONT DO NOTHING. take reaponsibility for your own safety. No one is going to save you.

In your home, keep a freaking cannon by your bed and a shotgun at the front door. Fuck those guys.

Posted by: nurse ratched. at November 01, 2026 07:58 PM (yEz+x)

80 Do we do "phrasing" in the gun thread? lol
Posted by: ballistic
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I prefer mine robust and hardy.

Posted by: whig at November 01, 2026 07:59 PM (E4rtv)

81 77 I got a chance to take my new S&W stealth hunter lever gun with its silencerco suppressor out to the range for a brief session. So much fun lol. .38spl out of a rifle with a can is almost but not quite James Bond quiet. Still very hearing safe without ear pro.
Posted by: ballistic
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Way cool. Congrats on your purchase.

Posted by: whig at November 01, 2026 07:59 PM (E4rtv)

82 I got a chance to take my new S&W stealth hunter lever gun with its silencerco suppressor out to the range for a brief session. So much fun lol. .38spl out of a rifle with a can is almost but not quite James Bond quiet. Still very hearing safe without ear pro.

Posted by: ballistic at November 01, 2026 07:57 PM

I have had my S&W FPC 9mm out at the range with subsonic 147 grain ammo and my omega 9 suppressor. At 50 and 100 yards you can hear the plinks and ricochets of the bullets hitting the metal targets.

It's very quiet. I doubt that someone you were shooting at 100 yards would be able to hear the gun fire.

Posted by: Mister Scott (Formerly GWS) at November 01, 2026 08:01 PM (I43vL)

83 Eh, knew a guy with a Johnson, looked flimsy to me frankly but I never shot it. Nothing markedly superior about it nor in the field trials that I read about. Caused a furor in Congress for awhile but nothing like the M-16 rollout debacle in Vietnam.
Posted by: whig at November 01, 2026 07:51 PM (E4rtv)

Just acquired a M1941 Johnson for my collection (not easy!) to join my Garand, so I did a hands on comparison between the two. To me, the minuses for the Johnson are:
- Its tiny pinhole of a rear sight compared to the Garand. It seems to have been designed for the daylight range, not the up close and personal firefight at night.
- Although the barrel is easy to remove, removing the bolt for cleaning requires removing a tiny pin (just a bit bigger than the AR-15s firing pin retainer) that's really easy to lose. I didn't try it because I'm afraid of having spring out and losing it. Not something you'd want to attempt in the field if the light is poor.
- The bayonet is an afterthought and isn't of much use as a utility tool (like most bayonets are used for).

Posted by: Ed L at November 01, 2026 08:05 PM (CSpIj)

84 Friend in HS's dad had interesting guns in the 80s including a Johnson.

Once he was working on their house, needed to drill some holes in a 6x6 post. The Johnson did the trick tout suite.

Posted by: blaster - Fortis Fortuna Adiuvat at November 01, 2026 08:06 PM (NlEaG)

85 Speaking of double entendre,
Today's brief note is on bolt lapping. On any rifle (and really handguns too), locking engagement when firing has to be within specs or you can have an inaccurate or even unsafe firearm.

For a classic bolt action rifles, you have locking lugs on the bolt (Krag only has one and no, the bolt handle was never designed to be a locking lug but some altered it to be), these lugs fit into the receiver recesses to 'lock up' the bolt before firing. Then by operating the bolt handle, you unlock the action, remove the empty by extraction, and then ejecting it, and load another if you have a magazine and not a single shot.

If your bolt does not engage the locking recesses of the receiver enough, the bolt itself can torque upon firing reducing accuracy substantially. If you reduce the engagement enough so that one lug is bearing all the weight, you can shear one or worst case both bolt lugs (usually a kaboom event with bad ammo) ruining the bolt and perhaps your face, hands, or anything else in harms way.

Posted by: whig at November 01, 2026 08:07 PM (E4rtv)

86 So continued, to check engagement,
Clean and degrease teh bolt, use either marking fluid or a sharpie to color the portion of the bolt lug that engages the locking surface. Clean and degrease the bolt locking recesses in the receiver. Now, replace the bolt and work it several times (all due safety, no ammo, empty magazine, point in safe direction, etc.) Work the bolt back and forth about 4-5 times, then withdraw the bolt. Where it is still black is where the bolt is not engage the lugs substantially.

Don't continue if you see a lot of black where it should be rubbed off. But the next step is test fire and work the bolt using a normal load. A bit more black may be rubbed off indicating degree of contact. Both bolt lugs should indicate engagement, if they indicate one lug is more substantially more engaged than in the other, then the bolt lugs needs to be lapped until they bear evenly.

So, if the indicator test shows your bolt is not engaging the locking recesses enough after test firing, then have a gunsmith look at it. Lapping bolts is tedious work and requires a bit of expertise in fitting. Never put a bolt into a grinder and diy or use some sort of dremel either.

Posted by: whig at November 01, 2026 08:16 PM (E4rtv)

87 Caused a furor in Congress for awhile but nothing like the M-16 rollout debacle in Vietnam.
Posted by: whig at November 01, 2026 07:51 PM (E4rtv)

Note that the Johnson rifle was compared to the early "gas trap" Garands, which allowed carbon to build up and affect functioning of the gas piston, causing jams and other malfunctions in early rifles. By 1941, the "gas trap" was replaced with the "gas port" most M1s in existence have today. But production had not caught up with the changes in the design of the Garand at the time Melvin Johnson put forward his M1941 rifle.

Posted by: Ed L at November 01, 2026 08:18 PM (CSpIj)

88
I prefer mine robust and hardy.

You can't always get what you want.

Posted by: Bertram Cabot, Jr. at November 01, 2026 08:19 PM (Cqx++)

89 38 Sighted in and ready for the coming weekend in the woods. Both littles will be in camp this year - first time in 5 years. Should be fun.

Posted by: scampydog at November 01, 2026 07:26 PM

Awesome news on getting both, scampydog!

Have extra fun this year.

Posted by: Pillage Idiot at November 01, 2026 08:22 PM (HlyYF)

90 Will Texans vote for a talarico and a coming ban on our guns?

Posted by: AnnaS at November 01, 2026 08:22 PM (WdMlw)

91 It's very quiet. I doubt that someone you were shooting at 100 yards would be able to hear the gun fire.
Posted by: Mister Scott (Formerly GWS) at November 01, 2026 08:01 PM (I43vL)

At that distance, the impact of the shot on the target or the ground nearby would likely drown out the sound of the gunshot itself. Even the sound from a normal conversation would likely render the gunshot itself inaudible to the unassisted human ear.

Posted by: Ed L at November 01, 2026 08:22 PM (CSpIj)

92 Reason why I bring this up is old firearms often has mismatched bolts and before firing, a basic safety check is lug engagement.

Affects accuracy and if bad enough, can actually be dangerous to fire a bolt action that has little if any bolt engagement or uneven engagement where some bolt lugs but not others don't engage. Also is a factor in firearms case head separation by being out of headspace.

Sometimes, firing an overpressure round, poor heat treatment of the receiver originally, or simply wear and tear can actually make the bolt 'sticky' and hard to open upon firing.

Mausers in particular are susceptible to this but others are as well. If the receiver lug recess locking surfaces are deformed, you need a new receiver or make this rifle into a wall hanger as this cannot be fixed economically. Lug recess setback is when the bolt, through lack of engagement or by an overpressure cartridge, literally pushes material back of the receiver. Old Mausers and many other firearms were case hardened. That is a hard surface and a malleable center. Mauser did it as a final safety mechanism in an era of bad brass and bad ammo.

Posted by: whig at November 01, 2026 08:23 PM (E4rtv)

93 Have extra fun this year.
Posted by: Pillage Idiot
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Thank you. And same to you!

Posted by: scampydog at November 01, 2026 08:25 PM (41CYW)

94 Mauser figured that the receiver deformation and the clue from a bolt being hard to open or even just sticky would be enough to alert a trooper that something bad just happened. You can feel the deformation by touch or see it in a angled dental mirror with light enough.

If it is deformed, it cannot be fixed economically.

Now, if you get the same event in a firearm that has bad heat treatment where it is very hard but like glass (hard through and through), it will shatter in such an event. If you have a burnt steel problem in your heat treatment, you can possible see chunks of the improperly treated steel be flung aside.

Lack of bolt engagement of the lugs and recesses makes all of this worse--if the receiver is already deformed, a bolt literally is thwacking those recesses deforming it further every time it fires, if you have uneven lug engagement and burnt steel or glass hard through, then you get bad things happening and so on.

Modern alloys can deform too. Those made with nickel steel often behave more like case hardened Mausers, cast receivers can give nasty surprises depending on who did them, it is rare but not unheard of for new firearms to have this problem.

Posted by: whig at November 01, 2026 08:30 PM (E4rtv)

95 Ok, a bit of a range report, at least for those that have come up here to shoot (BTW, open invitation to aspiring long range shooters):
Every one of our approximately 60 long range targets has been equipped with a T-post protector. They’ve also been painted bright yellow.
Will help with target acquisition, but more important should give about 5 year life to every T-post.
The T-posts are the weak spot, especially with magnum calibers.
Posted by: RI Red at November 01, 2026 07:49 PM

Nice. Some of those little buggers can be hard to see at 1,100 yds.

Posted by: RedMindBlueState at November 01, 2026 08:33 PM (h+uWx)

96 AR bolts, btw, can also have this issue affecting accuracy if not safety as much. These bolts are better simply being replaced with a better brand if found lacking engagement with the locking surfaces but expect if a bolt breaks, the AR design creates a weakness around the extractor as the bolt head cuts through t\eeh bolt lugs at this point. When worn, the lugs next to the extractor are often the first to break from wear or defects.

AR Bolts that have broken lugs should always be discarded and cheap enough where it doesn't matter.

Posted by: whig at November 01, 2026 08:33 PM (E4rtv)

97 What reminded me of this is I am going to have to lap some bolt lugs probably on a Lee Enfield 410 Conversion. Receiver had no bolt in it.

Posted by: whig at November 01, 2026 08:34 PM (E4rtv)

98 I've got a .357 (Ruger SP-101) that has also been used to shoot a fair amount of .38 spl. I have scrubbed the cylinder to the point where it will accept .357 rounds, but the fired cases do hang up pretty tightly and are difficult to eject. Anybody got a sure-fire / preferred way to scrub out the last bit of that burnt gunk that doesn't involve industrial equipment?

Posted by: PabloD at November 01, 2026 08:40 PM (mXZsC)

99 Nice. Some of those little buggers can be hard to see at 1,100 yds.
Posted by: RedMindBlueState at November 01, 2026 08:33 PM (h+uWx)

I plan to get out this week and test it. May even take drone pix!

Posted by: RI Red at November 01, 2026 08:40 PM (HdjQ+)

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