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This Week in Guns: March 19th, 2016


By Chris Covert
Rantburg.com

Housekeeping note: Quarterly ammunition price reports are next week.

I just finished helping an acquaintance assemble an AR-15 from a kit. The build went quickly and easily. I had been under the impression that it would be a good deal more complicated than it was.

While assembling the fire control group I noticed that it was functionally identical to the AK fire control group. I can see why someone would mistakenly say that the AR is a fine watch compared to the AK, given all the detents and springs in it, but that just makes the build complicated, not complex. The rifle is much easier to maintain than the AK, which really requires a gunsmith to change barrels, as an example.

You would need a gunsmith to change barrels in an AR given potential problems with headspacing, but it is much easier with an AR.

Months ago I found a link on the internet to an AR builder who built his lower from scratch without machining a full aluminum billet. He simply broke the drawing down into specific parts, and assembled them using button head cap screws.

He swears up and down the rifle is functional, and I believe him, but it looked terrible. He admitted problems exist with the build, namely with the takedown pins and the magazine catch, and the safety did not work properly due to the lack of any detent to control its location.

Looking over the drawings he provided, I realized that the lower parts kit for every AR fits every other AR, including the AR-10 rifle. The main difference between the two lowers is the length of the magazine well and the distance between the fire control groups and the forward pin holes.

To me, it was a pretty amazing piece of engineering to take and machine individual parts, then assemble them into an actual AR lower, and then build the rifle.

You can find a complete set of drawings here (PDF).
And don't worry. I maintain copies of this file in several computers.

In other news, eggheads at Harvard recently argued that white people should die. When the school got caught hosting such a debate, videos of the debate disappeared. Never happened.

Just weird. Whenever Russia holds one of its racial meets and invites white supremacists such as Jarad Taylor, you never hear about them arguing people of color should die.

You can view the video of Harvard's latest contribution to the coming civil war here.

Loads.

Rantburg's summary for arms and ammunition:

Prices for pistol ammunition were mostly unchanged, while prices for rifle ammunition were mixed.

Prices for used pistols and for used rifles were mixed.

New Lows:

None

Pistol Ammunition

.45 Caliber, 230 Grain, From Last Week: -.04 Each After Unchanged (2 Weeks)
Cheapest, 50 rounds: Ammo2U, CCI Lawman, TMJ, Brass Casing, .20 per round
Cheapest Bulk, 1,000 rounds: Today's Ammo, Tulammo, FMJ, Steel Cased, .24 per round (From Last week: -.01 Each After Unchanged (5 Weeks))

.40 Caliber Smith & Wesson, 180 Grain, From Last Week: Unchanged (3 Weeks)
Cheapest, 50 rounds: Goose Island Sales, Tulammo, FMJ, Steel Casing, .22 per round
Cheapest Bulk, 1,000 rounds: Freedom Ammunition, Mixed Bullets, Store brand, Brass, .22 per round (From Last Week: Unchanged (1Q, 2016))

9mm Parabellum, 115 Grain, From Last Week: Unchanged (2 Weeks)
Cheapest, 50 rounds: Goose Island Sales, Tulammo, FMJ, Steel Casing, .17 per round
Cheapest Bulk, 1,000 rounds: SG Ammo, Tulammo, FMJ, Steel Casing, .16 per round (From Last Week: Unchanged (2 Weeks))

.357 Magnum, 158 Grain, From Last Week: Unchanged (2 weeks)
Cheapest, 50 rounds: Goose Island Sales, Tulammo, FMJ, Steel Casing, .25 per round
Cheapest Bulk: 1,000 rounds: SG Ammo, Tulammo, FMJ, Steel cased, .25 per round (From Last Week: Unchanged (4Q, 2015))

Rifle Ammunition

.223 Caliber/5.56mm 55 Grain, From Last Week: Unchanged (3 Weeks)
Cheapest, 20 rounds: LAX ammunition, Tulammo, FMJ, Steel Casing, .22 per round
Cheapest Bulk, 1,000 rounds: Ammunition Supply Company, Tulammo, FMJ, steel casing, .22 per round (From Last Week: -.01 Each After Unchanged (2 Weeks))

.308 NATO 150 Grain, From Last Week: +.01 Each
Cheapest, 20 rounds: LAX Ammunition, Tulammo, FMJ, steel casing, .37 per round
Cheapest Bulk, 500 rounds: LAX Ammunition, Tulammo, steel casing, FMJ, .34 per round (From Last Week: -.02 Each)

7.62x39 AK 123 Grain, From Last Week: -.02 each After Unchanged (9 Weeks)
Cheapest, 20 rounds: Munire USA, Wolf Polyformance, steel case, FMJ, .23 per round
Cheapest Bulk, 1,000 rounds: SG Ammo, Wolf WPA, steel case, FMJ, .23 per round (From Last Week: Unchanged (4 weeks))

.22 LR 40 Grain, From Last Week: Unchanged (4 Weeks)
Cheapest, 50 rounds: Ammomen, Federal, RNL .07 per round
Cheapest Bulk, 325 rounds: Natchez Shooters Supply, Federal, RNL, .07 per round (From Last Week: Unchanged (4 Weeks))

Guns for Private Sale
Rifles

.223/5.56mm (AR Pattern Semiautomatic) Average Price: $500 Last Week Avg: $585 (-) ($616 (49 Weeks), $476 (25 Weeks))
California (186, 183): Smith & Wesson M&P Sport: $600 ($650 (1Q,2015), $400 (28 Weeks))
Texas (248, 237): Mixed Build: $500 ($700 (1Q, 2015), $350 (49 Weeks))
Pennsylvania (110, 109): Smith & Wesson M&P15 Sport II : $450 ($700 (48 Weeks), $300 (36 Weeks))
Virginia (138, 144): Smith & Wesson M&P Sport: $550 ($750 (1Q, 2015), $480 (14 Weeks))
Florida (299, 304): Colt AR-15: $400 ($650 (38 Weeks), $380 (50 Weeks))

.308 NATO (AR-10 Pattern Semiautomatic) Average Price: $936 Last Week Avg: $865 (+) ($1,359 (48 Weeks), $820 (24 Weeks))
California (45, 43): Palmetto State Armory: $950 ($1,700 (4Q, 2014), $850 (33 Weeks))
Texas (79, 79): DPMS Panther Oracle: $880 ($1,500 (4Q, 2014), $800 (32 Weeks))
Pennsylvania (23, 24): Armalite: $1,000 ($1,500 (1Q, 2015), $700 (25 Weeks))
Virginia (37, 35): DPMS: $850 ($2,750 (9 Weeks), $800 (20 Weeks))
Florida (53, 56): DPMS: $1,000 ($1,500 (4Q, 2014), $500 (24 Weeks))

7.62x39mm (AK Pattern Semiautomatic) Average Price: $550 Last Week Avg: $606 (-) ($626 (50 Weeks), $450 (35 Weeks))
California (53, 50): I.O: $500 ($700 (1Q, 2015), $320 (4Q, 2014))
Texas (58, 54): Unspecified Brand: $650 ($800 (10 Weeks), $350 (3Q, 2014))
Pennsylvania (39, 37): Zastava PAP: $500 ($750 (1Q, 2015), $375 (44 Weeks))
Virginia (48, 37): CAI VZ2008: $550 ($625 (1Q, 2015), $350 (1Q, 2015))
Florida (84, 84): WASR 10: $550 ($700 (3 Weeks), $300 (4Q, 2014))

30-30 Winchester Lever Action Average Price: $371 Last Week Avg: $371(=) ($489 (1Q, 2015), $296 (38 Weeks))
California (11, 9): Mossberg 464 SPX: $470 ($500 (33 Weeks), $180 (39 Weeks))
Texas (18, 18): Marlin 336: $350 ($550 (1Q, 2015), $300 (1Q, 2015))
Pennsylvania (19, 20): Winchester Model 94: $350 ($450 (1Q, 2015), $250 (4Q, 2014))
Virginia (10, 12): Winchester Model 94: $300 ($600 (5 Weeks)), $250 (16 Weeks))
Florida (25, 24): Mossberg 464: $385 ($500 (1Q, 2015), $250 (41 Weeks))

Pistols

.45 caliber ACP (M1911 Pattern Semiautomatic Pistol) Average Price: $441 Last Week Avg: $491 (-) ($500 (5 Weeks), $350 (23 Weeks))
California (156, 147): Rock Island Armory: $450 ($725 (2 Weeks), $300 (33 Weeks))
Texas (160, 172): American Tactical Imports: $380 ($600 (4Q, 2014), $325 (30 Weeks))
Pennsylvania (124, 124): Remington R1 1911: $500 ($550 (45 Weeks), $300 (40 Weeks))
Virginia (132, 140): American Tactical 1911: $500 ($575 (7 Weeks)), $250 (4Q, 2014))
Florida (258, 275): Llama: $375 ($500 (6 Weeks), $250 (1Q, 2015))

9mm (Beretta 92FS or other Semiautomatic) Average Price: $313 Last Week Avg: $320 (-) ($358 (3 Weeks), $268 (29 Weeks))
California (122, 117): Kahr CW9: $375 ($500 (3 Weeks), $200 (19 Weeks))
Texas (179, 171): Smith & Wesson SD9VE: $270 ($355 (1Q, 2015), $200 (28 Weeks))
Pennsylvania (160, 154): Heritage Arms Stealth C1000: $225 ($350 (4Q 2014), $200 (35 Weeks))
Virginia (149, 152): Ruger P95: $375 ($425 (12 Weeks)), $250 (35 Weeks))
Florida (263, 268): Beretta 92: $320 ($375 (4Q, 2014), $220 (27 Weeks))

.40 caliber S&W (Glock or other semiautomatic) Average Price: $348 Last Week Avg: $340$ (+) ($399 (10 Weeks), $293 (6 Weeks))
California (90, 80): Glock 22: $399 ($560 (10 Weeks)), $250 (4Q, 2014))
Texas (90, 84): Smith & Wesson SW40VE: $295 ($425 (4Q, 2014), $250 (14 Weeks))
Pennsylvania (63, 60): Smith & Wesson SD40VE: $335 ($350 (36 Weeks), $250 (1Q, 2015))
Virginia (57, 50): Ruger SR40C: $435 ($450 (44 Weeks), $275 (1Q,2015))
Florida (131, 132): Smith & Wesson SD40: $275 ($400 (1Q, 2015), $200 (28 Weeks))

Used Gun of the Week: (Ohio)
Harrington & Richardson 732 Chambered in .32 Smith & Wesson Long

Chris Covert writes for Rantburg.com. He can be reached at grurkka@gmail.com and on Twitter
Posted by: badanov 2016-03-19
http://www.rantburg.com/poparticle.php?ID=449413