"Catch-22"!

I'm a little different than most people...... I do things differently and my re-entry into the firearms world has followed that pattern.

Most people start out with something like this. A bolt action rifle/carbine chambered in the venerable .22 long rifle cartridge. They are accurate, slows the shooter down so they can master the fundamentals of shooting. However, I really started shooting by qualifying "small bore" while in ROTC at Texas A&M, so I really didn't need to go that route. 

So, the first thing I bought was a sell-defense/service weapon. Specifically the HK VP9 which got traded around till I got the Walther PPQ that I have now. So, the whole scenario progressed via the self/home-defense path going through, a 12ga pump shotgun, and the AR world until I finally got to where I am now...... which is just plain "fun-to-shoot", range/practice firearms.

So, I started with one of these, essentially a full-sized replica of my regular PPQ, except in .22LR vs. 9mm. This gives me the ability to spend a lot of trigger time at a few cents per round. Then came this.....

 

The Ruger 10//22 in Stainless Takedown version which I promptly put into a Magpul X22 "Backpacker" stock. It also got an inexpensive Bushnell TRS-25 reddot on the Magpul barrel mount. Let me just say, I'm HOOKED!

On Sunday afternoon, I spent an hour and a half at the range with 4 guns. My new to me, Magnum Research MR9 (long-slide version), and also new to me Just Right Carbine (Glock 9mm version), the Walther PPQ/22LR and Ruger 10/22 Takedown. I spent twice as much time shooting the 22s! There were some extenuating circumstances, but I was just having a ton of fun shooting those 22s! Most of that time, I spent with the 10/22. Both of these guns ate up both types of bulk ammo (Federal & Winchester) I used without issue. I'll leave you with this: I can completely see why people say that folks who buy one of them, end up with multiples.

My Favorite Pistol: Walther P99 and Evolution

Christmas came early! Let's just hope that I continue to practice good firearms safety and don't "shoot my eye out". In the last week, I've bought or arranged to buy 2 pistols. Neither really fit into a plan as such (maybe 1 of them...... a little bit). They're mostly because I like them, and they both have to do with my favorite gun: the Walther P99 and it's evolutionary progeny, the PPQ. 

So, I'll start here. This is the original (Gen1), Walther P99. Some may recognize it as the Pierce Brosnan Bond Walther, when they decided to move the Bond character to a more plausible primary weapon, vs the much loved, but rather illogical 7.65mm Walther PPK...... if you didn't already know, yes indeed, it was a .32acp version of that gun he supposedly carried. Might as well have been a .22LR! Anyway, that's not the reason I like that pistol anyway. Well..... look at it! More importantly, hold it. I know, it's a very personal thing, but that grip fits me like no other. In fact, I traded my HK VP9 for one of these a while back, but then I traded that for a PPQ.....

This is it. My favorite pistol! That which the P99 became after evolutionary improvements. I like it so much that, I'm about to have 3 versions of it. 

The Umarex (part of Walther Gmb), PPQ CO2 powered, .177 BB/Pellet gun.  

The Walther PPQ/22LR, which of course shoots a .22 long rifle. It's direct blowback, as you can see by the fixed barrel and the magazine. It's unfortunately, not paddle released, but hey..... I'm going to pick this one up next weekend and is part of my early Christmas, but is there more?

 

Is there more!?! Does Santa wear red? I came across this and bought it. It looks vaguely familiar doesn't it? What is it? Why, is a Magnum Research (of Desert Eagle fame), MR9, sometimes labeled the "Baby" Desert Eagle. OK, what is it really? It's a Walther P99, licensed to Magnum Research with a slightly altered frame made by Walther, upper parts made and assembled by MR in Pillager, MN (one of my favorite town names). 

Here's a little bit of history and commentary for you. Don't worry, I'll let you know which is history and which is my commentary. Back in the late 80's and into the 90's, Walther wasn't in as good of a business situation as it is now and needed some help selling in the large American market, so they hooked up with Smith and Wesson. At the time, Walther needed a company with a big footprint here in North America and Smith was trying to get involved in the polymer gun market, so it looked like a marriage made in gun heaven. So, Smith took over the importation and distribution of Walthers and as such, you see the P99s of that time with the S&W rollmarks. That part is the history. This next part is my commentary. Don't get me wrong; I don't like S&W as a company, but I respect their guns. This whole thing turned into a conflict of interest for them and Smith for their part pretty much ripped off Walther's technology which you see today in the Smith & Wesson M&P line lifted from the Walther P99 and the S&W Shield derived from the Walther PPS. In the meantime, Smith did a piss-poor job of marketing Walther's products, so much so that Walther ended up breaking away and forming their own distribution based in Ft. Smith, AR. All that is fine, because in the gun-world, everybody copies everybody else. In fact, Walther hired away one of Glock's top engineers when it started the P99 project to compete against the Glock 17. The part I take exception to? Look at that top image..... that's the S&W SW99. It's a Walther manufactured lower mated to a Smith upper. It's awkward, ugly and an affront to it's Germanic roots! Walther agree to some rather interesting partnerships to push more units at that time. The Magnum Research MR9 was a part of that, although, clearly a much more aesthetically pleasing one than the SW99! So yeah; I've gotten myself into the collecting and enthusiast aspects of gun ownership. 

That part of me would rather have had picked up the later 4.5" version of the MR9 with the Desert Eagle-esque slide than the 4", but I'll take it. Of course there are other members of this family tree that I'd like to get as well.

The next most likely would be this; the Q4 Tactical. It's unfortunate that it only comes in the M2 or "button release" version, but I'd really like to have the longer threaded barrel and the slide already cut for RMR attachment plates. 

A more far-fetch addition would be the target/race-gun versions. The Walther Q5 Match, and the Canik TP9SFX. Not because I don't want one of these sci-fi looking variants, but mostly due to their $600-700 selling price!

Speaking of....... Canik....... If you didn't already know, the Walther P99 has been copied,..... a lot. One of the main culprits has been the Turks. There's been a number of firms, such as Sarzimaz, but by far the most successful has been Canik. A brand brought into the U.S. by Century Arms of Delray Beach Florida. The Canik TP9 is basically a clone of the Walther P99, down to the decocker on top of the slide. They are so close to the various Walthers, that there are videos showing people interchanging slides and barrels between the TP9 and the Walther PPQ. The reviews for them have been very good, particularly when you calculate in the big difference the selling price difference between the brands! Canik has done so well that they've released a number of different models. If I were a betting man, I'd put money on me picking one of these $300-350 9mm models at some point and adding to my growing collection!

Status Update For My 2nd Amendment

I apologize for my blog inactivity, but I'll have to trot out my work excuse. I'm now the Assistant Swim coach and the Swim coach at my school, so I've been pretty busy. What that entails is to leave for practice at 4:45 each morning and come home about 7:30 each evening, ..... plus, into the second grading period of the school year!

On the other hand, my plan to create a small arsenal is going quite well. OK, not the stockpile that this guy has amassed, but I've done pretty well..... being up to 7 guns in a bit under a year since I first got started in just short of a year. I'm especially proud that they all fit into a plan and not just random pieces and that I've been able to do it without debt.

So, what exactly is this plan? In a word; it's purpose, in that every gun I own has a purpose and not just a random piece. ??? It starts with my belief that because we've been given the right, then it's our responsibility to defend ourselves. You know: the 2nd Amendment and stuff.....

It all starts here; with the handgun. I chose this as my first purchase because, the pistol is the most flexible. It doesn't do one thing all that well, but it can do virtually any thing. Home protection, personal concealed carry, you name it. I actually started out with an HK VP9, but after some trading around which included a Walther P99, I ended up with the PPQ that I wanted all along. It's a fantastic weapon that fits my hand well and shoots great. It also gets the majority of my handloads which to date have been exclusively 9mm. The other handgun that I own is my latest acquisition which is the Walther PPS, and it is in fact an "M1" version as well so that both have the European style "paddle" mag release. I bought this not too long after taking the Texas LTC (Licence to Carry) class. And as soon as the bureaucratic wheels of government slowly get turning, I'll start to conceal this firearm.

 

A major part of my system is this. It came to live with us this summer. In my system, each gun has a job to do and this one holds down the job of "intruder stopper". Is it sexy? ..... no Is it cool? .....a little bit with the Magpul SGA furniture and yes, mine wears the heat shield too (not because I need it, but because it was cheap and kinda cool in a WWI, trench gun way). But it has an essential job. If something goes "bump in the night", I'm reaching beside my nightstand for this Mossberg 500 "Persuader" and jacking a round of #4 Buckshot into the chamber..... the 3rd shell in we move on to "00"... It doesn't get taken out for random range days, and nobody is going to oooh and ahhhh over it when they come over, but it has a very important job. Equipped with an 18" barrel, and a white-beamed weapon light, it'll be just fine. 

And while we're on the subject of shotguns, there's this that fulfills the role of "survival" all-in-one gun "just in case". It was cheap ($65 shipped). It folds up, as you can see, and with adapters (of which I own a 9mm one), can handle darned near any cartridge. There are supposed to be other barrels coming for it as well, so that should be cool in case it ever comes to fruition, but $65!!!

Then, last month, the big one happened; the "battle rifle" got finished!  It's basically like the one in the image above, built on an Aero Precision upper, lower, M-Lok free-floating handguard/rail, with a 16" stainless barrel chambered in .223 Wylde. I'm not going to get into a ton of detail here, but this essentially gives me a do everything long-gun. It's not legal to hunt deer with here in Texas, but if push came to shove, it could do that. People can and do hunt hog with them and the .223/5.56 is an outstanding varmint cartridge. However, at the end of the day, it's a battle rifle and all that that implies! One of the strengths of the AR "platform" is the flexibility. Eventually, I'll most likely build an actual hunting "upper" based on the 6.5 Creedmoore chambering as well as a .300 AAC (Blackout) on a shorter barrel as well. Both could be done on the same "lower" that I already own, and the 300BLK wouldn't even need a new bolt or magazine! The gun was pretty much all finished down to offset iron sights about a 2 months ago.....

..... then this happened! I had picked up a cheap 1-4x optic and was going to go with that until some time in the future when I came across a local ad for a Primary Arms 1-6x with the aclamed ACSS reticle. It's used of course, be in good shape for $180 complete with a quick-detach mount DONE!!!

NOT SO FAST! Yes, it was done in so much as it was ready to shoot regular .223/5.56 ammo, but you can't shoot that at a lot of indoor ranges, plus it's expensive. On top of all that, it's been the wettest fall in decades here in North Texas. But, I found this conversion for 22 long rifle. Yes; yet another reason to get an AR. I know that the 22lr is actually .223 vs. .224, but it's close enough to work just fine on most guns. I was able to try it out on mine last week and it shoots just fine. Now I have an option for when it won't stop raining and I can't go to the outdoor range. And at close to 5 cents per, I'll happily shoot 22lr for training purposes all day. Oh yeah, I picked it up used from the same firearms classified for $125. And I'm not done yet!

This weekend, I've arranged to pick up a Walther PPQ/22LR from a guy locally. Again, it's purpose is to allow me to practice inexpensively while maintaining the feel of the full-sized weapon in my hands. I really excited to find it. I also have some other projects going as well, so stay tuned.