Dr Matt Lurse

Agree, but I still would.

I have a Glock 23 (so compact 40 S&W-- to save a google for that would need) generation 3 from 1998 or 1999, it's my most consistent carry pistol. I've mostly used the lever as a release, I have used over the top slingshot a bit. I can see the logic behind both techniques, though I don't really agree with the whole "loss of fine motor control" crowd. I have no idea how many rounds have gone through it, but I'd venture its a healthy 5 digits, though no way it's 100k. Mostly Winchester White Box 180grn FMJ through it (though the last few thousand have been reloads [I only started reloading a few years ago]). It's all still original parts actually, aside from an extended Vickers(I think) mag release that went in a few years ago. Pretty much flawless function, still locks back on last round no issues. 40 is supposed to be notorious for being hard on these frames, mines fine. Though just reading that makes me think I should think about springs.... So for a data point: 20 years of decent but not super use n=1 is still just fine. If it starts to go; it looks like glockstore has a replacement for 18 bucks, I'd count that as a win. My other stuff I don't think I've used consistent/long enough to be a talking point- but M&Ps, P320s, A Walther P99 gen 1 all are fine too. I'm still digesting what I think, but I think I'm falling into the thought that changing or dictating technique based upon long term wear is something I don't fully support. It's a bit like the advice some give of "don't use an expensive gun for carry as if you have to use it you'll lose it to evidence for years." Which in my line of thinking is somewhat insane, it's a tool not a talisman.

The load methods of the '97 for cowboy has always been a bit off putting for me. It would be like shutting off the gas system of an AR and using it as a weird bolt action. '97s are super cool though.

Silencers vs suppressors is BAD too.

But will you do that with 45 LC or 45 Colt? ;D

Gutted 550 cord looped from the bottom of the mag and secured by 100mph tape around the bottom. Also can be used as a pull tab to get mags out a carrier. When empty you just hook the 550 cord loop on a carabiner that is on your gear. I never thought it worked well, slow and they clang. As far as being a service dependent thing, in another response dunno of course but everyone I ever worked with always tried to retain gear. Again if you have to dump and leave em in a holy hell situation then so be it.

I came to cowboy from the tactical side, I still mess around with that too though. That side of the house is more toolish for me though, tons of people fetishize about black rifles and plastic pistols and usually have loud opinions-- so information you find will be full of chaff; just a heads up to not believe everything you read. Now as tools, I find them to be kind of boringly dependable and soulless. That's why I like the old stuff a bit, you interact with the machines more and they have character. You also slow down with the old stuff. For practical matters the modern stuff is the bees knees though. Now on ARs: Brands are variable (edit* and change quality for good and bad with time*), kind of like 1911's. For top end user use now of days, Daniels Defense, BCM, Midwest Industries, etc (there are a TON of good AR companies out there). S&W like someone mentioned seems to have a pretty good rep, Palmetto State as well-- very workmanlike but really probably can't be beat for price point. Most folks don't shoot hard enough, in MY OPINION, that a tippy top AR is needed. Same with people obsessing about 1/2MOA accuracy from the bench, it's not really realistic or needed unless you're at Camp Perry, and I don't think that's what you're in the market for. On price points: if you're used to cowboy gun standards, everything in the AR world will be pretty reasonable. The cost of a slicked up '73 will get you like a top end off the rack AR. On reliability: ARs kick butt in this department now of days. They really did get a bad rap from the early Vietnam days that just won't die. Same with Piston vs Direct impingement, the piston trend in the name of enhanced reliability has pretty much passed from my vantage point. Honestly even the "clean" part is a bit overplayed; the youtube channel "Military Arms Channel" has been doing a test of a BCM upper by shooting it without cleaning and has been malfunction free for thousands of rounds so far with no real signs of slowing down. If you dunk one in sand, yeah it'll mess em up-- but it will get anything. I've done AR platform rifles in every world environment and they are fine. Including sandy deserts, they run and I never really had to do more then a daily wipedown. On Ergos: Frankly I don't completely understand why people are saying they're bad, but I have an admitted training bias. The design is like 70 years old with minimal changes, means something is right. It's night and day differences, in my opinion, compared to the AK. I carried an AK on two way ranges a little bit and I do quite prefer the AR style. I think I can understand the AK ergos better if I was in the Tundra-- but I never had one there; and now of days I think a Tavor/X95 may even be better yet for that (big controls, able to operate in mittens, non-reciprocating charging handle, fairly sealed up, etc). On specifics: meh, just tool around and see what you like. I'd go with a mid length or rifle length gas system in something 16-18" BBL pre assembled personally. Shoot the snot out of it and see what you like and don't like. Put a Red Dot or LPVO (unless you get one with a carrying handle) and white light and repeat. I'm a minimalist on Rifles though, I had to walk too long and far with the damn things back in the day to Barbie/gucci them out too much. Remember it's a mid sized combat rifle; don't try to force it into something it's not supposed to be. Realize it's not a death ray. ARs are so common these days I think everyone should have some basic level of understanding with them, if nothing else how to fire and clear one. Don't overthink it, they are picked up and used effectively by child soldiers the world over-- they aren't some mystical point of knowledge. Youtube/internet has some good sources-- and some crap of course. Off the top of my head I think "Military Arms Channel" as mentioned does well, "Mrgunsandgear" on Youtube as well does good sane overviews of lots of different brands and such. "Paul Harrell" again on youtube has some great videos too on stuff like the round etc. I could go on for days; think this has been too much for one post already though

Cyrus nailed it. Now when using them on a two way range you try to have a dump pouch to put empty mags in, or I just stuck them behind my armour or down my tshirt neck. If push comes to shove you ground it and pick it up when you can. I suppose if it was super dire you could just leave 'em (I never had to) but it's always best policy to have good gear accountability.

And all combined it’s technically termed a “freedom pill”

Wowzers, cool to see this thread. I stopped casting a while back because how much of a PITA sizing was. May have to order up and dust off the molds and pot! At least for a few calibers

This is still good advice, but perhaps you're actually over thinking it a little bit. It's a bit like looking at the MSDS for peanut butter for example; safest thing ever on the MSDS- but for some folks it's a game changer: MSDS doesn't cover context nor could it. The Goex MSDS also just shows in that little line 8-18% charcoal and trace of graphite. This alone can present issues for certain lungs. The MSDS further does go on about inhalation risks-- but pretty sure they are talking about the actual product, not the products of combustion. But again, doesn't really matter and it's getting down in the weeds for no reason. For people with COPD or other interstitial lung disorders there will be issue with ANY product of combustion, or other fine particulate. So just because whiz-bang chemistry 1 says it's bad ju-ju and pop-snazzle chemistry 2 says its chemically safer can very well be meaningless. Facts, but not enough context or supporting facts to make any good conclusion. So to straight up appeal to the MSDS (twice) and call it a day perhaps might not be the best solution; but is still a good idea and advice. Again, as folks have said it all comes down to individual risk assessments. Smoke and dust is a risk. Lead is a risk. Machines/tools are a risk. etc. How all that and more gets added and stacked, then mitigated is on the pard.

Pretty much any particulate can be damaging to your lungs when inhaled, plain old dust and dirt wrecks many lungs- it’s your own bodies inflammatory response in many cases. Now risk assessment to the individual is an individual decision, I’d imagine pretty much everyone medical(there’s always that 1 outta 5 dentist that doesn’t recommend toothpaste though ;)) will advise to limit irritants to already damaged lungs, you just have to decide what that limiting looks like. For me, nice open air with a bit of a cross breeze doing some shooting which I love would probably be my personal choice. That said, don’t take medical advice from the internet or some rando like myself ;)

Too cool, thanks Doc!

This is interesting. Anyone have a link or the results? I didn’t see it in his book (though I just skimmed looking) and google-fu turned up short. thanks!

Online has some good stuff. A site called kitchen table gunsmith https://www.ktgunsmith.com/92slick.htm Has a nice checklist style sheet. The marauder rifle site http://marauder.homestead.com/files/Rossi_92_cartridge_guide.htm Has great instructions for cartridge guide shimming if you ever need to do that (jacking out live rounds with the fired cartridge when going fast— it fixed mine but the tolerances were wide). Good old fashioned YouTube has a number of good videos on just the general rifle, I think a few of them talk about “polish here” etc, but nothing super stellar as I recall. The DVD referenced in other posts I’ve heard good things about but no personal experience with. The biggest difference for my R92 (no clue on the Chiapas so take this with a grain of salt) was changing out the extractor spring. It totally feels like it’s grit or burrs on the locking lugs— but it isn’t; its the extractor spring- so short version is don’t wreck your rifle by removing material from those lugs. Couple of the cowboy smith sites have specialty springs for this for around 10 bucks I think, full disclosure I used like a 50 cent one I got off amazon— but don’t recall the spring number off the top of my head: though I think I’d like just a touch more “oomph” on the current spring as every now and then I’ll catch brass to the face (shout out to good shooting glasses!). Hammer spring and trigger spring I haven’t messed with yet but both look to be pretty straight forward, I probably will lighten the hammer just a touch I just hesitate because the ignition is currently so rock solid. The trigger on mine is fine so I don’t feel the need to mess with it more, but I don’t get too worked up about “suhweet triggers” (though a lot of that is just a bias I have as I’ve seen waaaay too many people who can’t shoot well try to blame it on triggers that weren’t national match grade 1911 level lol) hope some of this helps.