Unlike many of you I didn’t grow up around guns during my youth. I shot several times up until my early teens, and owned a half way decent air rifle. Come Jr. High (20+ years ago) that was about the end of it until now.
I finally got my Mark III 22/45 Bull Barrel, and managed to find an indoor range about 30 minutes from me (farther than I want, but how can I wait it out for my next open weekend for my local range).
So from a TOTAL beginners view point I will give my range and product impressions.
Range Experience:
This was the first time I’ve ever been to a range by myself. I’ve had real positive experiences at my friend’s club, but this was a pubic indoor range at a gun shop. I’ve already come to the conclusion I should speed up my membership process at a local club.
1) As everyone here will know indoor ranges are much louder than outdoor ranges. I’ll need ear plugs in junction with head sets, or a much better head set.
2) This indoor range had an uneasy feeling about it. Lots of novices (I can’t complain about this, but I wasn’t surrounded by many people knowing what they were doing. I would have preferred to be in the minority with my skill set).
3) One guy was permitted (through special training) to exercise rapid fire. However, being there were too many novices quite a few others followed suit, and the Range marshal scolded a bunch of people.
4) I wanted to keep my targets for posterity, but with the front sight breaking loose every so often I couldn’t get in any sort of consistent shooting. So it was pointless (maybe next time).
5) I was shooting 50 ft slow fire targets from 50 ft away. I was scoring in the 40s to low 50s. I guess at best that would be Marksman 1st class (which is pretty low on the totem pole). Basically I can only hit a basketball from 50 feet away
6) I got though 470 rounds before it was closing time. I suspect I’ll go back this evening as well.
7) I’m likely going to get shooting gloves. If only for the fact I got A LOT of lead on my fingers loading and stuff.
8) I might have learned something at the range. Those shots I felt best about were those were I focused on the sights (put in at the target), then refocused at the target (holding the gun the best I could), and then ever so gracefully pull the trigger to where it just magically fired like the round was automatically discharging without my input. It’s like bowling. You know if it is good or not the moment the ball leaves you hand and before it hits the lane, and if it’s bad you know to not even bother watching it roll down to the pins.
Product:
1) I thought it was odd that the box the gun came in was not drilled out for a pad lock. While the space was there, and you could do it yourself easily, would it have been too much to ask that the box would have been drilled out for a pad lock?
2) While the gun did come with a pad lock (to use with the bolt retracted) the factory box would not accommodate holding the gun if it were safety locked with the bolt back. So if you want to store the gun locked you cannot use the factory box.
I know these items are silly observations, but I’m totally new to this I didn’t think that #1 and #2 would have been such a big deal if those two items were addressed in package development.
3) The front gun sight kept coming loose at the range. Yes, the factory installed red lock-tight, but that does no good when the screw and hole are all oiled up. Every time it broke loose it totally blew out my accuracy, and of course I could never zero it back in (I fixed this when I got home and tore it down for cleaning).
4) I bought the least expensive model that had adjustable sights. A by product of this is the entire lower portion is plastic. I’m not fond of this, but hey, I really can’t complain. I didn’t get a piece of art here. It is my FIRST pistol, and I’m not going to be wasting money on upgrades for this particular gun when I likely will be getting another one in several months after I gain some skill with this one.
5) This is a great beginner pistol. When I got home I field stripped it. I’m not one to be intimidated by mechanical things (since I race motorcycles and rebuild my own engines). I didn’t think it was that difficult, and I’ve NEVER disassembled any kind of gun EVER. I then cleaned it all up, put it back together and it all seems to work since when I pull the bolt back and then pull the trigger it goes “click”, and the safety and release levers all work. The most trouble I had was getting the main spring latch back in. I intuitively knew (from my engine building experience) when things go together correctly they don’t hang/bind up. So I kept at it and it eventually all just fell together without forcing anything (and like an engine certain parts have to be in certain positions before pieces will go together and function correctly).
I have to give this chat forum an amount of credit though in this aspect. I’ve read through a lot and found a field stripping link that was VERY HELP FULL (far more helpful than the factory instructions).
6) I don’t like the fact that have to install a magazine, cock it, remove the safeties and pull the trigger to field strip. I’m new to this so maybe that’s how all guns are.
7) I bought three additional magazines (they are factory mags, otherwise I wouldn’t bring this up). I prefer the mags that came with the gun. I think there is a slight difference in quality from the mags that it came with over the extra ones I bought. The spring grip is easier on the thumb, it slides down easier, and it has an access hole at the spring (I assume for oiling).
Overall I don’t think my observations and opinions are any reason why one shouldn’t get one of these less expensive Mark III’s (especially if you are a beginner).
I wanted the shape and feel of the 22/45 because I basically am interested in potentially getting a 1911 type pistol. But upon reflection I might have been a little happier with the regular Mark III version over the 22/45 (if only because of the plastic lower portion and I could have upgraded to wooden grips with a regular Mark III).
I have my eye on a Mark III Target model next. (MKIII678)
I finally got my Mark III 22/45 Bull Barrel, and managed to find an indoor range about 30 minutes from me (farther than I want, but how can I wait it out for my next open weekend for my local range).
So from a TOTAL beginners view point I will give my range and product impressions.
Range Experience:
This was the first time I’ve ever been to a range by myself. I’ve had real positive experiences at my friend’s club, but this was a pubic indoor range at a gun shop. I’ve already come to the conclusion I should speed up my membership process at a local club.
1) As everyone here will know indoor ranges are much louder than outdoor ranges. I’ll need ear plugs in junction with head sets, or a much better head set.
2) This indoor range had an uneasy feeling about it. Lots of novices (I can’t complain about this, but I wasn’t surrounded by many people knowing what they were doing. I would have preferred to be in the minority with my skill set).
3) One guy was permitted (through special training) to exercise rapid fire. However, being there were too many novices quite a few others followed suit, and the Range marshal scolded a bunch of people.
4) I wanted to keep my targets for posterity, but with the front sight breaking loose every so often I couldn’t get in any sort of consistent shooting. So it was pointless (maybe next time).
5) I was shooting 50 ft slow fire targets from 50 ft away. I was scoring in the 40s to low 50s. I guess at best that would be Marksman 1st class (which is pretty low on the totem pole). Basically I can only hit a basketball from 50 feet away
6) I got though 470 rounds before it was closing time. I suspect I’ll go back this evening as well.
7) I’m likely going to get shooting gloves. If only for the fact I got A LOT of lead on my fingers loading and stuff.
8) I might have learned something at the range. Those shots I felt best about were those were I focused on the sights (put in at the target), then refocused at the target (holding the gun the best I could), and then ever so gracefully pull the trigger to where it just magically fired like the round was automatically discharging without my input. It’s like bowling. You know if it is good or not the moment the ball leaves you hand and before it hits the lane, and if it’s bad you know to not even bother watching it roll down to the pins.
Product:
1) I thought it was odd that the box the gun came in was not drilled out for a pad lock. While the space was there, and you could do it yourself easily, would it have been too much to ask that the box would have been drilled out for a pad lock?
2) While the gun did come with a pad lock (to use with the bolt retracted) the factory box would not accommodate holding the gun if it were safety locked with the bolt back. So if you want to store the gun locked you cannot use the factory box.
I know these items are silly observations, but I’m totally new to this I didn’t think that #1 and #2 would have been such a big deal if those two items were addressed in package development.
3) The front gun sight kept coming loose at the range. Yes, the factory installed red lock-tight, but that does no good when the screw and hole are all oiled up. Every time it broke loose it totally blew out my accuracy, and of course I could never zero it back in (I fixed this when I got home and tore it down for cleaning).
4) I bought the least expensive model that had adjustable sights. A by product of this is the entire lower portion is plastic. I’m not fond of this, but hey, I really can’t complain. I didn’t get a piece of art here. It is my FIRST pistol, and I’m not going to be wasting money on upgrades for this particular gun when I likely will be getting another one in several months after I gain some skill with this one.
5) This is a great beginner pistol. When I got home I field stripped it. I’m not one to be intimidated by mechanical things (since I race motorcycles and rebuild my own engines). I didn’t think it was that difficult, and I’ve NEVER disassembled any kind of gun EVER. I then cleaned it all up, put it back together and it all seems to work since when I pull the bolt back and then pull the trigger it goes “click”, and the safety and release levers all work. The most trouble I had was getting the main spring latch back in. I intuitively knew (from my engine building experience) when things go together correctly they don’t hang/bind up. So I kept at it and it eventually all just fell together without forcing anything (and like an engine certain parts have to be in certain positions before pieces will go together and function correctly).
I have to give this chat forum an amount of credit though in this aspect. I’ve read through a lot and found a field stripping link that was VERY HELP FULL (far more helpful than the factory instructions).
6) I don’t like the fact that have to install a magazine, cock it, remove the safeties and pull the trigger to field strip. I’m new to this so maybe that’s how all guns are.
7) I bought three additional magazines (they are factory mags, otherwise I wouldn’t bring this up). I prefer the mags that came with the gun. I think there is a slight difference in quality from the mags that it came with over the extra ones I bought. The spring grip is easier on the thumb, it slides down easier, and it has an access hole at the spring (I assume for oiling).
Overall I don’t think my observations and opinions are any reason why one shouldn’t get one of these less expensive Mark III’s (especially if you are a beginner).
I wanted the shape and feel of the 22/45 because I basically am interested in potentially getting a 1911 type pistol. But upon reflection I might have been a little happier with the regular Mark III version over the 22/45 (if only because of the plastic lower portion and I could have upgraded to wooden grips with a regular Mark III).
I have my eye on a Mark III Target model next. (MKIII678)
