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2K views 19 replies 17 participants last post by  TnTut 
#1 ·
My name's Rick, I'm from the Jacksonville, FL area. I own several firearms but the Rugers are my favorite fun guns. I put more rounds through them than anything else and they just keep going. Through all of Rugers' changes both in their products and company I remain a loyal customer, and will probably add a P345DC to the collection in the near future.
 
#13 ·
Thanks all.

Jimbo, I just like having a little bit of everything; something for every occasion.


I collected most of my firearms while I was in the Marines, the rest were bought at home afterwards with money saved. I have a lot of work into most 'em. A few are those continual works in progress. I'm one of those hobby gunsmiths. I have enough skill to be able to do some simple hand fitting, but I'm too slow and don't have the equipment (or patience) to be able to make a living out of it.

Admittedly my single favorite is the Colt 1991A1. Granted, it took some fiddling to get it reliable, and more to make it accurate...more still to fix the trigger pull and get it to fit my hand...but it now fits like a glove, shoots extremely straight, and goes bang everytime. This one is my carry gun. This gun got me doing my own 'smithing after a friend at the local range showed me the local gunsmith's work on her gun. I was appalled and decided that there was nothing there I couldn't do better myself. It ended up both functional and pretty; pimped, but not to excess.

The AR-15 is the most accurate. A simple full float barrel tube made it sub-moa accurate. Even with military green tip it shoots dime sized groups at 100 yards. I got a good deal on a Tasco 30mm 8-40X scope (like a spotting scope minus the optical clarity at high magnification) and used a high-rise cheekpiece with a carry-handle QD mount. It has more bolt-on parts than I'd care to list, but the big parts are all factory. The Remington 700 should be most accurate but I'm still not used to a scope jumping towards my face from just 2" away. I flinch everytime! It's got 1" tube Redfield 5-25X, a Harris Bipod on a Choate Ultimate Sniper stock, Timney trigger, and a bolt-on muzzle brake. Eventually I'll have the bolt machined for a Saco-style extractor...and hopefully have the user adjusted for better accuracy.

The Remington 870 has a lot of goodies. It has a fairly rare 20" 12GA 2-3/4" cylinder-bore barrel with rifle sights, a Surefire forend, ATI folding stock (love the grip shape on it, much like a Thompson sub-gun) fitted with a rubber buttpad off a Choate Mini-14 pistol grip stock (perfect match, BTW), 7 round mag tube, side-shell carrier, and a steel heatshield (purchased after baking my hand once). The stock is a bit too narrow to be all day shootable with heavy loads, even with the rubber buttpad, but it is the main home defence gun. In the future I'd like to have the barrel Vang-Comped...but it's not exactly a priority.

The Secondary is the S&W 625. It's been converted to double action only and was ordered in the round-butt version. It has a Crimson Trace Lasergrip and needed little else. It's a damn accurate gun. One of my friends told me that I was the most accurate pistol shot he'd ever seen with that revolver. He's never seen me shoot the 629PP. The ported barrel on that thing makes it extremely loud, but it kicks no more than a .357. I have shot 25yard off-hand groups that've had all holes touching for 5 round groups. Of course, the best target I wanted to keep my buddies shot the crap out of.

The 10/22 was my first real rifle (it was all airguns before then) and has evolved over time. Even in stock form it would consistently out shoot my brother's heavy barreled Marlin bolt gun. It has always needed a ton of shims to sight in properly with a scope. I'm sure the factory could have given me a new gun, but I didn't want to give it up. Eventually I'll get around to putting a set of Pos-Align rings on 'er. Currently it sports a Volquartsen muzzle weighted barrel with stabilizer, Choate Dragunov-style stock, Leupold Vari-X scope, and a bunch of other stuff. It shoots great and has digested countless thousands of rounds without issue.

I purchased the P89DC and 22/45 along with the 1911 on my 21st birthday. I try not to let people buy me presents and treat myself (my tastes are too expensive!). The P89 is the only double action semi-auto that has fit my hand properly, and I also love its feel in recoil. There's something about the way a swinging link pistol moves that I prefer. It happens to also fit the issue UM82 holsters perfectly, with some room to spare. That spare room was later taken up by an EFK Fire Dragon ported barrel. It has the typical double action pull, but the single action is a smooth, clean 4lb break. It's mainly a play gun, and I take it to the field with my Mini-14 or AR carried on the hip. The 22/45 is the target pistol...informally, of course. It uses Broken Gun Ranch controls and takedown pin, Clarke Custom trigger parts, and a Volquartsen comp (it'd still fit the holster with it, so why not?). It's a ton if fun and recoils almost as softly as a spring-air pistol.

The Mini-14 is the ultimate plinker. I tried a Choate pistol grip stock but got bored of it. Later I tried a Muzzelite Bullpup stock and was somewhat impressed. I decided to cut the barrel down to 16" and add a flash hider to it. It turned out perfect as only the flash hider protrudes from the stock. It looks pretty meanacing. An extended mag release and topping it off with an Aimpoint Comp makes it one fun and nasty little rifle. My only gripe is the heavy, spongy trigger pull, and some modification is required on non-ranch rifles to get empties to consistently clear the stock. It's unique, draws a lot of attention, and is just so handy I believe I'll be leaving it as is. My .44 will may outshoot this rifle, but I've rapid-fired loads of ammo through it with out fazing it a bit. It's never been anything but utterly reliable.

The Mech-Tech is a fun/plinking rifle. I couldn't find a .45ACP carbine I liked so this fit the bill perfectly. I used a Trijicon Reflex sight and fitted a cheekpiece from the Choate sniper stocks. It really can't be beat for the price. I'm planning on shortening and Mag-Na-Porting the barrel in the future. The recoil is negligable but less is better still. It'd be nice to have a dedicated grip-frame for it and that'll come in time.

My Watson's Weapons .50BMG is a mixed bag. I love the .50BMG. There is nothing funner you can shoot. It is exceptionally accurate. It is a pain in the ass to load and breaks every scope you put on it. There is nothing I can do about the first issue, and the second will be addressed when I can afford one of them special $1000 scopes. In the future I may sell this one and purchase a bolt-action .50...I haven't decided yet...that or purchase a steel single-shot lower. On the plus side I ordered it with an A2-style upper so it fits my lower w/cheekpiece perfectly, and it keeps me from burning through all that expensive ammo so quickly!

My wife, Christa has a Browing Hi-Power MKIII in .40S&W. She had her heart set on a Springfield XD Subcompact in 9mm, but she eventually came to her senses and I bought her this beauty. It's had the mag safety removed, the mag "pusher" springs removed (otherwise the empty magazines launch across the room), an ambi mag release and a set of Spiegel Rosewood grips. She'd still like the XD and has an eye for the Walther P22 Target, but is happy to have the legendary Browning by her side.

She also really likes the P89. Her first time shooting a pistol she was bustin' stationary clays at 50 yards with it in no time, and I acted like it was no big deal as I struggled to do the same! I may give it to her and purchase a P345D. I do prefer a single stack...and really like the light rail. Thanks to this board the trigger safety issue which seems to be the achilles heel of the design (and which I dislike on any firearm) can be easily remedied. Giving away a gun is like letting a child go for adoption. I'll know it's mine and I can see it anytime I want, but it'll be in someone else's possession.


I married my beautiful wife 5 years ago, and I moved to Florida nearly six years ago to be with her. She has an 11 year old child named Danny who is a future gun nut (though I've had a hard time getting firearm safety rules to sink in), and we have a gorgeous 2 month old named Damien.
 
#14 ·
Welcome from NE Kansas! Sounds like you have quite an assortment. If your wife can hit clays at 50 yards with your 9mm, I will certainly call her ma'am if we ever meet! (Sounds like you should also) Good to have you here.
 
#15 ·
Thanks for the welcome. It must have been beginner's luck, or maybe a really good teacher, or possibly that sweet pistol. I explained to her how to use the sights and pull the trigger, and she did the rest. She totally blew me away. I've never seen anyone shoot that well the first time. I could hardly make them clays out! She does shoot better with lighter recoiling guns, though. I'm sure in time that'll change. She hates rifles, unfortunately. I'll work on that, too. About calling her ma'am...naw, I have more guns!
 
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