Mail an article...

This Week in Guns, October 15th, 2016

By Chris Covert
Rantburg.com

I hadn't been to the gun range in Canton Lake in eight months when I went on Friday. I took a total of 360 rounds, with six, 30 round magazines.

These are the facts:

Rifle: Bulgarian 5.45x39mm AK-74, built from a kit

360 rounds, all fired.

5 stoppages: 1 "stovepipe" and four extractor failures.

The four extractor failures I attribute to ammunition problems. The rifle fires a round, but instead of the extractor grabbing the spent casing and ejecting it, it is left stuck in the chamber. The next round cycles in, but can't be chambered because of the stuck casing.

I am forced to remove the magazine, remove the extra cartridge, remove the muzzle brake, assemble the cleaning rod and tap the stuck cartridge out. This simple process is made difficult by a smoking hot barrel. The process takes about two minutes per stoppage.

I can't explain the stovepipe. This rifle had bolt over base problems until I fixed it by changing the angle of the magazine, and all through that process I went through about 400 rounds and never had a stovepipe.

I have been thinking about changing from the 60 grain cartridge to a 55 grain hollow point cartridge. The 60 grain bullet is ten percent heavier than the standard 53 grain 7N6 Russian issued round, and so the bullet drop at 200 yards is almost five inches instead of being around 2 inches. The last time I went to this range I had to adjust the sighting leaf to the 300 meter band and aim low.

What the standard 7N6 round is supposed to do is to allow the rifleman to fire on his target from zero to 400 meters, with the sighting leaf at 100 meters. The rifleman is supposed to aim for center mass, which is the groin area. The rifle is sighted to about 9 inches above that, so that the round will hit between the chest area at close range to the groin area at 400 meters.

With a bullet that is more than 10 percent heavier you obviously can't do that reliably, so adjustments have to be made to account for the differences.

My performance was much better this time around. At the rifle range, the state of Oklahoma made some real improvements in the target frames. Where before there were basically none, now there are steel frames with a .500 inch thick rubber mat, 4 by 2 feet. At 200 yards, it makes the target much easier to see. I hit the paper target (6x6 inches) about 10 percent of the time, whereas before I didn't hit the target (36x24 inches) at all.

The shooting conditions were near perfect: 51 F, overcast with a cool southern breeze. Another 20 degrees cooler would have been perfect.

The young woman who processed the rental car asked me, as a matter of conversation, what I was planning to do with the car. I told her I was going somewhere to help out a friend. It is a Zen thing: a peaceful, easy feeling that I doubt Gersh would understand.

Loads.

Rantburg's summary for arms and ammunition:

Prices for pistol ammunition were mixed. Prices for rifle ammunition were mostly lower.

Prices for used pistols were mostly higher. Prices for used rifles were mostly higher.

New Lows:

None.

Pistol Ammunition

.45 Caliber, 230 Grain, From Last Week: -.02 Each After Unchanged (2Q, 2016)
Cheapest, 50 rounds: South Georgia Outdoors, CCI Blazer, FMJ, Brass Casing, .22 per round
Cheapest Bulk, 500 rounds: Edmonson Sporting Goods, Own Brand, Brass Casing, Reloads, .25 per round (From Last week: +.02 Each After Unchanged (3 Weeks))

.40 Caliber Smith & Wesson, 180 Grain, From Last Week: Unchanged (2Q, 2016)
Cheapest, 50 rounds: Ammo Mart, Buffalo Cartridge, FSFP, Brass Casing, Reloads, .20 per round
Cheapest Bulk, 1,000 rounds: Ammo Mart, Own Brand, FSFP, Brass Casing, Reloads, .19 per round (From Last Week: (4 Weeks))

9mm Parabellum, 115 Grain, From Last Week: +.01 Each After Unchanged (2 Weeks)
Cheapest, 50 rounds: Cheaper Than Dirt!, Tulammo, FMJ, Steel Casing, .15 per round
Cheapest Bulk, 1,000 rounds: Cheaper Than Dirt!, Maxxtech, FMJ, Brass Casing, .15 per round (From Last Week: +.01 Each After Unchanged (2 Weeks))

.357 Magnum, 158 Grain, From Last Week: Unchanged (2Q, 2016)
Cheapest, 50 rounds: Cheaper Than Dirt!, Tulammo, FMJ, Steel Casing, .23 per round
Cheapest Bulk: 1,000 rounds: Wideners, Tulammo, FMJ, Steel cased, .23 per round (From Last Week: Unchanged (2Q, 2016))

Rifle Ammunition

.223 Caliber/5.56mm 55 Grain, From Last Week: -.02 Each After Unchanged (2 Weeks)
Cheapest, 20 rounds: LAX Ammunition, Hotshot, FMJ, Steel Casing, .23 per round
Cheapest Bulk, 1,000 rounds: Cheaper Than Dirt!, Brown Bear, FMJ, Steel Casing, .21 per round (From Last Week: Unchanged (6 Weeks))

.308 NATO 150 Grain, From Last Week: -.01 Each
Cheapest, 20 rounds: Outdoor Unlimited, Tulammo, FMJ, Steel Casing, .34 per round
Cheapest Bulk, 500 rounds: BulkAmmunition.net, Tulammo, Steel Casing, FMJ, .34 per round (From Last Week: Unchanged (8 Weeks))

7.62x39mm AK 123 Grain, From Last Week: -.02 Each After Unchanged (2Q, 2016)
Cheapest, 20 rounds: Munire USA, Wolf WPA, Steel Case, FMJ, .22 per round
Cheapest Bulk, 1,000 rounds: TrueCaliber.com, Wolf WPA, Steel Case, FMJ, .22 per round (From Last Week: Unchanged (2 Weeks))

.22 LR 40 Grain, From Last Week: Unchanged (5 Weeks)
Cheapest, 50 rounds (10 Box Limit): Ammoman, Federal, RNL, .06 per round
Cheapest Bulk, 500 rounds (2 Box Limit): Natchez Shooters Supplies, Federal, RNL, .06 per round (From Last Week: Unchanged (7 Weeks))

Guns for Private Sale
Rifles

.223/5.56mm (AR Pattern Semiautomatic) Average Price: %551 Last Week Avg: $517(+) ($616 (2Q, 2015), $476 (3Q, 2015))
California (263, 256): Mixed Build: $480 ($650 (1Q, 2015), $400 (2Q, 2016))
Texas (264, 266): Anderson AR15: $600 ($700 (1Q, 2015), $350 (2Q, 2015))
Pennsylvania (150, 152): Smith & Wesson Sport II: $600 ($700 (2Q, 2015), $300 (3Q, 2015))
Virginia (165, 172): Palmetto State Armory: $550 ($750 (1Q, 2015), $475 (23 Weeks))
Florida (384, 377): American Tactical Imports: $525 ($650 (2Q, 2015), $380 (1Q, 2015))

.308 NATO (AR-10 Pattern Semiautomatic) Average Price: $1,089 Last Week Avg: $1,060(+) ($1,359 (2Q, 2015), $820 (3Q, 2015))
California (72, 70): DPMS: $1,050 ($1,700 (4Q, 2014), $850 (3Q, 2015))
Texas (92, 97): DPMS: $900 ($1,500 (4Q, 2014), $700 (13 Weeks))
Pennsylvania (26, 31): Windham Weaponry: $1,000 ($1,500 (1Q, 2015), $700 (3Q, 2015))
Virginia (47, 52): DPMS: $1,500 ($2,750 (38 Weeks), $800 (49 Weeks))
Florida (81, 84): DPMS: $995 ($1,950 (24 Weeks), $500 (3Q, 2015))

7.62x39mm (AK Pattern Semiautomatic) Average Price: $612 Last Week Avg: $632 (-) ($668 (13 Weeks)), $450 (3Q, 2015))
California (52, 49): Century N-PAP: $699 ($800 (19 Weeks)), $320 (4Q, 2014))
Texas (80, 81): Zastava NPAP M92: $590 ($800 (39 Weeks), $350 (3Q, 2014))
Pennsylvania (56, 53): Romak: $600 ($750 (1Q, 2015), $375 (1Q, 2015))
Virginia (38, 35): American Tactical Imports: $675 ($700 (19 Weeks), $350 (1Q, 2015))
Florida (94, 106): Romak: $500 ($700 (32 Weeks), $300 (4Q, 2014))

30-30 Winchester Lever Action Average Price: $495 Last Week Avg: $329(+) ($495 (CA:$489 (1Q, 2015)), $296 (3Q, 2015))
California (5, 4): Winchester 94: $1,000 ($1,000 (CA:$600 (29 Weeks), $180 (2Q, 2015))
Texas (13, 15): Winchester Ranger: $430 ($550 (1Q, 2015), $300 (1Q, 2015))
Pennsylvania (13, 14): Marlin 336: $350 ($450 (1Q, 2015), $250 (4Q, 2014))
Virginia (6, 9): Winchester 94: $395 ($670 (23 Weeks)), $250 (45 Weeks))
Florida (21, 23): Winchester: $300 ($500 (1Q, 2015), $250 (2Q, 2015))

Pistols

.45 caliber ACP (M1911 Pattern Semiautomatic Pistol) Average Price: $490 Last Week Avg: $508(-) ($515 (10 Weeks)), $350 (50 Weeks))
California (200, 206): Rock Island Armory: $495 ($800 (10 Weeks), $300 (3Q, 2015))
Texas (242, 236): Taurus: $550 ($600 (4Q, 2014), $325 (3Q, 2015))
Pennsylvania (151, 152): Regent R200SS: $475 ($550 (2Q, 2015), $300 (2Q, 2015))
Virginia (161, 159): Taurus: $430 ($575 (37 Weeks)), $250 (4Q, 2014))
Florida (343, 334): Thompson: $500 ($500 (36 Weeks), $250 (1Q, 2015))

9mm (Beretta 92FS or other Semiautomatic) Average Price: $280 Last Week Avg: $251(+) ($358 (33 Weeks), $245 (25 Weeks))
California (273, 281): Smith & Wesson SD9VE: $375 ($500 (33 Weeks), $200 (49 Weeks))
Texas (328, 330): Taurus PT 111: $275 ($355 (1Q, 2015), $200 (3Q, 2015))
Pennsylvania (266, 259): Taurus PT111 G2: $210 ($350 (4Q 2014), $200 (3Q, 2015))
Virginia (234, 234): Smith & Wesson SD9VE: $300 ($425 (41 Weeks), $189 (28 Weeks))
Florida (568, 565): Taurus PT111: $240 ($400 (30 Weeks), $190 (10 Weeks))

.40 caliber S&W (Glock or other semiautomatic) Average Price: $331 Last Week Avg: $326(+) ($399 (38 Weeks), $262 (18 Weeks))
California (88, 99): Smith & Wesson SD40VE: $350 ($560 (40 Weeks)), $250 (4Q, 2014))
Texas (136, 132): Kahr CT40: $325 ($425 (4Q, 2014), ($210 (3 Weeks))
Pennsylvania (89, 90): Kahr P40: $315 ($450 (27 Weeks), $200 (7 Weeks))
Virginia (72, 68): Smith & Wesson SD40VE: $325 ($450 (2Q, 2015), $275 (1Q, 2015))
Florida (151, 155): Heckler & Koch P30: $340 ($400 (1Q, 2015), $199 (37 Weeks))

Used Gun of the Week: (Ohio)
1942 Colt Commando in .38 Special
Posted by: badanov 2016-10-15

http://www.rantburg.com/poparticle.php?ID=470279