Still on board but have been told I will be headed home at the end of the month regardless of if I have a relief or not (not too sure how they're going to work that). I spent some time over the last week or so skimming this thread from the beginning. Lots of folks who used to post here that have disappeared, activity has slowed way down in the past 4-5 years (wondering why that is), and it's funny how history has been repeating itself over the last ten years as regards proposed AWBs and the yo-yoing of prices. I know things are cyclical in nature but that seems like a very short cycle.

FINALLY made it home. My oldest brought my sight over, it's a thing of beauty. I installed the Monstrum lens covers I bought, I'll post a picture once I get it mounted.

I don't know if anyone else has noticed, but there have been several hundred viewings of this thread since my last post. Seems strange to me since no one has posted anything. Is it bots, or something more sinister...?

Welcome back from the suck!

I've been taking a serious break from all forms of social media. My neighborhood has a very helpful (I live on an island prone to flooding) Facebook page that I visit daily... other than that, trying to stay 99% away. I haven't intentionally visited a single news-related website in months, and have resisted the temptation to watch any "russian dash-cam videos" or "30 things you didn't know about Forrest Gump" clickbait fuckeries. Plus, fishing has been off the charts here in VA this summer, and I now coach volleyball for a local travel club. My real life is finally more interesting than "Where is the cast of BLAH BLAH BLAH now?" or "You won't believe what happened next OMG!" 'tardness.

In any case, hopefully another week or three for my TurboK. Also shot the shit out of my franken-M5 12.5" .308... does not like 150gr anything. Horn 150sst shot 5" groups and thats a no shitter. CoreLokt (still under $1/rd) was decent'ish at about 2.5" I'm buying a few boxes of 165'ish and 180gr stuff to try out... seeing if some slower velocities help out with the 1:10 twist. Anything under 2" and I'll call it good for a home-built mid-tier SBR running an 8" Form1 can.

-SAM

With the current state of the ATF and everything they're trying to ram through under the current administration, I've been very reluctant to post up in "open" forums as of late.

I hear you on the break. I'm mainly on sites in order to keep up with what's going on at home while I'm gone. Right now I'm destressing but soon I'll be hitting things hard here at home so won't be on as much.

I'm kind of leery about posting things myself for those very reasons. I keep an eye on hits on different threads I post in, and this one has increased significantly since my last post. While I don't have a high level of conspiracy theory it does make me wonder just who is scanning this particular thread to send those numbers up.

In other news I went shopping for a safe today. While at a local big box store I saw two of what I think were M1 carbines in the used section. I have wanted one of those since I was a kid (before I knew anything about them). Neither of the two gentlemen working the counter even spared a glance my way. I may go back later in the day to see if I get more notice.

https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...ac304385ec.jpg
https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...d6dc40a828.jpg

Do tell me what that cool imaging device is.

Looks like:

AGM Thermal Imaging Weapon sights

I burned up some money over the last couple of days. Bought a gun safe and a Leupold spotting scope. Figure I should look like I know what I'm doing when I go to the outdoor range. First I have to give my back a rest, I pulled the safe out of the back of the vehicle by myself and 363 pounds is no joke.

issa TS35-384

$2400 on Amazon for that thermal... I'm not quite there yet in my "need" to own such things. Probably due to budgetary constraints.

I did however just order a pair (yes, a pair) of PSA Daggers. I'll chalk it up to my ADD getting worse since I retired from the Navy... or maybe that I've always felt I didn't have enough (any) knockaround handguns. The prepper side of me always wanted a few more "issue'able" weapons in the inventory... guns that I could loan in an emergency if a neighbor really needed one or I needed somebody near me to have one. Like when Officer McClane hands "Bill Clay" his spare Beretta... yeah, like that. Anyways, they get mad reviews for being pretty simple Gen3 G19 clones.

I bought the lowers on combo sale with a pair of PA-15 lowers for $100... so the Dagger lowers are $50ea... and the past few days have been free shipping on guns. The sniper green slide was $159 (free shipping) and the FDE slide was $169 (free shipping). So total, I paid $420 shipped (plus like $30 tax) for a pair of highly rated, complete, G19 clones. Most of the YT reviews I read said that the S&W M&P style triggers were preferred, and that after a couple hundred rounds, they smooth out as well as any stock trigger has a right to. The dot sights are also much preferred over stock Glock. The slides should be here tomorrow and the receivers in a week. I have a bunch of G19 mags, but am gonna order some Amend2 and PMAG's to try out for the grinz.

And I add another couple stripped AR lowers the inventory.

I have my first 1911 on its way (RIA version) as soon as Bud's gets their thumb out and ships it. I've been wanting to get a 12 gauge shotgun but no one carries the Mossberg I want at a reasonable price, so I've shifted my focus to a Ruger Mark II. Had one years ago, only sold it because I was unemployed and needed some money. Right now I'm looking at an unfired Mark II and a lightly used Mark III. I should be making a decision tomorrow on that.

I only have a few complaints about the Dagger:

- I am not a fan of the hinged trigger and may swap in a P80 flat blade style.
- The Docter cut version came with blacked out suppressor height sights, and the POI is WAY low.
- I have always hated Glock mag releases, but the one on the Dagger is stiff as hell. It has lightened up SOME with use, but is still terrible with the PMAGs.
- The included PMAG is a POS. With a full mag, it swells enough that it does not drop freely from the mag well, and is not smooth to insert or remove. I also had one failure to fully go into battery with the provided PMAG. OEM Glock mags drop freely, drop earlier in the throw of the mag release button so it doesn't seem as stiff, and I've had zero malfunctions with the OEM mags.

That aside, I am truly baffled by how good of a pistol that thing is for just north of $300. Mine is now part of my carry rotation.

That's all good to know. Mine are both non-threaded regular sights... I guess the "base model" and at +/- $210ea... I don't know how you beat it. I'll have to put a couple mags through each of mine to see how they shake out. I've already got a half-dozen G19 mags... maybe another half dozen OEM is all I really need have "enough" at the range.

I would definitely recommend sticking with OEM Glock mags.

Mine was also as dry as Pelosi's snizz out of the box, so lubricate well before use. The slide is noisy as heck when racked with the flat spring/SS guide rod combo, but that's just the nature of the beast with that combination, and I still prefer it over a polymer rod. While I'm stuck with that awful Vortex Venom because of the Docter cut, at least the sights are just tall enough to cowitness and still hit center mass at reasonable distances. I shot the gun pretty poorly with those irons, but groups closed WAY up with a dot. I may actually shoot it better than I do my PDP due to the weight of it mitigating recoil.

Even the OEM coatings seems to be remarkably well done. I have a few hundred rounds through an FDE model, and even wear surfaces are unscathed thus far.

Although mine is threaded, I will probably swap barrels at some point. I don't plan on ever suppressing it, so its just an extra 1/2" of thigh/seat jabby goodness when I sit down.

Played with my spotting scope a little. It's fiddly getting it dialed in but once you have it set, it pulls in from a good distance. Took me a while to find where my lovely wife stuck my tripod, still haven't found the bag for it (I will never understand why women do what they sometimes do).

https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...79b72315f3.jpg

Today was a good day. I traveled a bit to look at what is a new, unfired Ruger Mark II like one I had a long time ago, and I ended up buying it. For some reason the 4473 approval was delayed, I had already headed home when I got a call and went back to pick it up. On my way home from there I got a call from the local FFL that my RIA 1911 had shown up. Went to pick it up later, again I had a delay but only for about 20 minutes. Now I have to clean all the shipping preservative off the 1911 (it's true what you have read, there is quite a bit just on the outside even before looking inside). Then hopefully later in the week I can get to the range.

My mark III is that one gun that comes every outing. It has some trigger work and has very little takeup and a quick reset. Have shot some steel comps with it. Boring accurate even with bulk ammo.

I've never been a big fan of the Ruger Marks, but a .22 of some sort is always in the range bag. For laugh out loud fun, get a suppressor for your .22. :party: