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I went to the Metcalf Field Sports Park today and brought along three guns.
My Arisaka T99 from 1942 which is in outstanding operating condition.
My Browning BL-22, for which I just replaced the firing pin.
My brand-new S&W 627PC 5", that I had picked up in the morning.
With the Arisaka, I was shooting my first-ever hand loads. I had brought 50 loads separated into 5 sub-batches of 10, each with a different powder charge, roughly spanning the greater mid-range of suggested loads from Accurate's website. None of them but one had an issue (dud primer), and I shot my best group ever at 50 yards with the hottest charge. Shooting your first hand loads was so satisfying!
Next, with the Browning, I had replaced the firing pin because I was getting lots of failures to fire. Replacing the firing pin on a Browning BL-22 is a pain, because putting that thing back together is a total PITA, and you need gunsmithing tools to remove and put back the pin. This was the first time I used gunsmithing tools, or worked on such a difficult gun. But I solved the problem and had NO failure to fire on two different .22 ammo types! Again, success!
Finally, I went and shot my brand-new 627PC 5". This isn't the first revolver I have shot, but it was the first revolver I have ever owned (I have 3 other semi-autos). I had a blast shooting 38spl and 357mag out of it, and one lady asked me "What is that gun?!?" I told her it was 357mag I was shooting, and she's like "So that's why it's so dang loud!!!" It took time to get used to the heft of it, but I like it! I was shooting very erratically at first, probably a mix of excitement and not being used to such a heavy gun, but eventually got rid of the flinches and got my groups down to around 3" at 25 yards. Gonna take a lot more practice with this gun but I can already tell it's going to make me a better shooter.
All in all, a successful day of "firsts!" First hand loads, first gunsmithing work and first revolver I've owned!
And it was a sunny day too
My Arisaka T99 from 1942 which is in outstanding operating condition.
My Browning BL-22, for which I just replaced the firing pin.
My brand-new S&W 627PC 5", that I had picked up in the morning.
With the Arisaka, I was shooting my first-ever hand loads. I had brought 50 loads separated into 5 sub-batches of 10, each with a different powder charge, roughly spanning the greater mid-range of suggested loads from Accurate's website. None of them but one had an issue (dud primer), and I shot my best group ever at 50 yards with the hottest charge. Shooting your first hand loads was so satisfying!
Next, with the Browning, I had replaced the firing pin because I was getting lots of failures to fire. Replacing the firing pin on a Browning BL-22 is a pain, because putting that thing back together is a total PITA, and you need gunsmithing tools to remove and put back the pin. This was the first time I used gunsmithing tools, or worked on such a difficult gun. But I solved the problem and had NO failure to fire on two different .22 ammo types! Again, success!
Finally, I went and shot my brand-new 627PC 5". This isn't the first revolver I have shot, but it was the first revolver I have ever owned (I have 3 other semi-autos). I had a blast shooting 38spl and 357mag out of it, and one lady asked me "What is that gun?!?" I told her it was 357mag I was shooting, and she's like "So that's why it's so dang loud!!!" It took time to get used to the heft of it, but I like it! I was shooting very erratically at first, probably a mix of excitement and not being used to such a heavy gun, but eventually got rid of the flinches and got my groups down to around 3" at 25 yards. Gonna take a lot more practice with this gun but I can already tell it's going to make me a better shooter.
All in all, a successful day of "firsts!" First hand loads, first gunsmithing work and first revolver I've owned!
And it was a sunny day too
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