By Chris Covert
Rantburg.com
Last Saturday, helping a friend get his new AR-15 rifle broken in, I went to the gun range to boresight the rifle using a reflex/laser sight combo sight. The last time I fired an AR was the M-16 way back in 1973 at basic training, a dim memory at best.
The rifle was as smooth as can be. Before, I didn't realize just how smooth the 5.56mm platform could be. As a personal matter facing a number of problems here locally in Oklahoma, the time at the gun range was time well spent as a counter.
The range report? 29 rounds fired, 0 rounds on target, and zero rounds on paper. I wound up having to acquire a laser bore sighting system, and I will be heading out to the range this weekend to finish boresighting the rifle.
I still love my AK, though. So do a few police departments here in the US.
Apparently, poachers love their AKs as well, albeit not as much as I would.
I don't swing by Weapons Man enough. This week a post appeared about two separate visits from two ATF agents in two parts of the country. You can read about two separate attitudes, but the takeaway is that the law enforcement elements who oversee commercial sellers of firearms are rather dim in the area they are supposed to oversee.
Some good news from Colorado is that the legislators are considering repealing the magazine ban. The law impelled Magpul to leave the state for freer environments.
From Western Rifle Shooters Association comes technical specifications for spoofing GPS software in cell phones. Not a lot, but enough to prevent a lock.
Loads.
Rantburg's summary for arms and ammunition:
Prices for pistol ammunition were mostly unchanged. Prices for rifle ammunition were unchanged.
Prices for used pistols were lower across the board while used rifles were mostly higher.
New Lows:
None
Pistol Ammunition
.45 Caliber, 230 Grain, From Last Week: Unchanged (4 Weeks)
Cheapest, 50 rounds: LAX Ammunition, Tulammo, FMJ, Steel Cased, .24 per round
Cheapest Bulk, 500 rounds: LAX Ammunition, Tulammo, FMJ, Reloads, .24 per round (From Last week: Unchanged)
.40 Caliber Smith & Wesson, 180 Grain, From Last Week: Unchanged (7 Weeks)
Cheapest, 50 rounds: Goose Island Sales, Tulammo, FMJ, Steel Casing, .22 per round
Cheapest Bulk, 1,000 rounds: Freedom Munitions, Tulammo, FMJ, Steel Casing, .22 per round (From Last Week: +.01)
9mm Parabellum, 115 Grain, From Last Week: +.01 Each
Cheapest, 50 rounds: Bud's Gun Shop, Tulammo, FMJ, Steel Casing, .17 per round
Cheapest Bulk, 1,000 rounds: J&G Sales, Tulammo, FMJ, Steel Casing, .16 per round (From Last Week: Unchanged (5 Weeks))
.357 Magnum, 158 Grain, From Last Week: Unchanged (6 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 (4 Weeks)
Cheapest, 20 rounds: Goose Island Sales, Tulammo, FMJ, Steel Casing, .21 per round
Cheapest Bulk, 1,000 rounds: LAX Ammunition, Tulammo, FMJ, steel casing, .22 per round (From Last Week: +.01 Each After Unchanged (4 Weeks))
.308 NATO 150 Grain, From Last Week: Unchanged (4 Weeks)
Cheapest, 20 rounds: Goose Island Sales, Tulammo, FMJ, Steel Casing, .34 per round
Cheapest Bulk, 500 rounds: J&G Sales, Tulammo, steel casing, FMJ, .34 per round (From Last Week: Unchanged (5 Weeks))
7.62x39 AK 123 Grain, From Last Week: Unchanged (2 Weeks)
Cheapest, 20 rounds: Top Gun Supply, Russian Military, steel case, FMJ, .25 per round
Cheapest Bulk, 1,000 rounds: Munire USA, Wolf WPA, steel case, FMJ, .23 per round (From Last Week: Unchanged (7 weeks))
.22 LR 40 Grain, From Last Week: Unchanged (4 Weeks)
Cheapest, 50 rounds: Ammomen, Aguila, RNL .08 per round
Cheapest Bulk, 500 rounds (2 Cases Max): Ammunition Supply Company, Remington Thunderbolt, RNL, .07 per round (From Last Week: Unchanged)
Guns for Private Sale
Rifles
.223/5.56mm (AR Pattern Semiautomatic) Average Price: $555 Last Week Avg: $540 (+) ($616 (2Q, 2015), $476 (28 Weeks))
California (207, 207): Mixed Build: $500 ($650 (1Q, 2015), $400 (32 Weeks))
Texas (273, 273): Ruger: $600 ($700 (1Q, 2015), $350 (2Q, 2015))
Pennsylvania (122, 117): Mixed Build: $625 ($700 (2Q, 2015), $300 (40 Weeks))
Virginia (149, 152): Armalite: $550 ($750 (1Q, 2015), $480 (18 Weeks))
Florida (310, 306): Mossberg AR15: $500 ($650 (42 Weeks), $380 (1Q, 2015))
.308 NATO (AR-10 Pattern Semiautomatic) Average Price: $985 Last Week Avg: $942 (+) ($1,359 (51 Weeks), $820 (27 Weeks))
California (49, 55): Palmetto State Armory: $950 ($1,700 (4Q, 2014), $850 (37 Weeks))
Texas (82, 77): DPMS Panther Oracle: $800 ($1,500 (4Q, 2014), $800 (36 Weeks))
Pennsylvania (34, 32): Armalite: $950 ($1,500 (1Q, 2015), $700 (29 Weeks))
Virginia (46, 49): CMMG: $950 ($2,750 (13 Weeks), $800 (24 Weeks))
Florida (49, 48): DPMS: 1,275 ($1,500 (4Q, 2014), $500 (28 Weeks))
7.62x39mm (AK Pattern Semiautomatic) Average Price: $552 Last Week Avg: $516 (+) ($626 (2Q, 2015), $450 (38 Weeks))
California (47, 49): Saiga: $600 ($725 (4 Weeks), $320 (4Q, 2014))
Texas (63, 62): CAI RAS-47: $630 ($800 (14 Weeks), $350 (3Q, 2014))
Pennsylvania (51, 50): Romak Draco: $379 ($750 (1Q, 2015), $375 (48 Weeks))
Virginia (34, 38): CAI RAS-47: $575 ($650 (4 Weeks), $350 (1Q, 2015))
Florida (88, 97): WASR 10: $580 ($700 (7 Weeks), $300 (4Q, 2014))
30-30 Winchester Lever Action Average Price: $376 Last Week Avg: $376 (=) ($489 (1Q, 2015), $296 (41 Weeks))
California (12, 10): Mossberg 464: $375 ($600 4 Weeks), $180 (43 Weeks))
Texas (15, 13): Marlin 336W: $350 ($550 (1Q, 2015), $300 (1Q, 2015))
Pennsylvania (24, 23): Winchester 94: $350 ($450 (1Q, 2015), $250 (4Q, 2014))
Virginia (6, 8): Winchester Model 94AE: $435 ($600 (9 Weeks)), $250 (20 Weeks))
Florida (19, 16): Mossberg 464: $370 ($500 (1Q, 2015), $250 (45 Weeks))
Pistols
.45 caliber ACP (M1911 Pattern Semiautomatic Pistol) Average Price: $510 Last Week Avg: $515 (-) ($510 (2 Weeks)), $350 (25 Weeks))
California (164, 158): Rock Island Armory: $650 ($725 (6 Weeks), $300 (37 Weeks))
Texas (170, 165): Tisas: $450 ($600 (4Q, 2014), $325 (34 Weeks))
Pennsylvania (120, 120): Rock Island Armory: $500 ($550 (49 Weeks), $300 (44 Weeks))
Virginia (143, 131): Mixed Build: $500 ($575 (11 Weeks)), $250 (4Q, 2014))
Florida (269, 262): Rock Island Armory: $450 ($500 (10 Weeks), $250 (1Q, 2015))
9mm (Beretta 92FS or other Semiautomatic) Average Price: $246 Last Week Avg: $257 (-) ($358 (6 Weeks), $246 (CA: $257 (1 Weeks)))
California (170, 163): Smith & Wesson SD9VE: $300 ($500 (7 Weeks), $200 (23 Weeks))
Texas (243, 226): Smith & Wesson SD9VE: $300 ($355 (1Q, 2015), $200 (32 Weeks))
Pennsylvania (211, 211): Kel-Tec P-11: $225 ($350 (4Q 2014), $200 (39 Weeks))
Virginia (171, 163): Helwan: $189 ($425 (15 Weeks), $189 (2 Weeks))
Florida (397, 371): Smith & Wesson SD9VE: $220 ($400 (5 Weeks), $220 (31 Weeks))
.40 caliber S&W (Glock or other semiautomatic) Average Price: $344 Last Week Avg: $374 (-) ($399 (13 Weeks), $293 (9 Weeks))
California (86, 87): Glock 22: $399 ($560 (14 Weeks)), $250 (4Q, 2014))
Texas (93, 86): Smith & Wesson SD40VE: $325 ($425 (4Q, 2014), $250 (18 Weeks))
Pennsylvania (75, 74): Beretta 9000S: $300 ($450 2 Weeks), $250 (1Q, 2015))
Virginia (49, 48): Sig Sauer SP2022: $450 ($450 (48 Weeks), $275 (1Q,2015))
Florida (143, 143): Smith & Wesson Sigma: $250 ($400 (1Q, 2015), $200 (32 Weeks))
Used Gun of the Week: (Michigan)
Bulgarian Makarov Chambered in 9mm Makarov
Chris Covert writes for Rantburg.com. He can be reached at grurkka@gmail.com and on Twitter.