Home, Home on the Range

...what other explanation could there be?

Anyone who has read some of the stuff I spread across this screen knows that, as Pavlov’s dog salivated to a bell ringing, I sort of do the same thing (figuratively speaking, of course, of course) as I read some of the gun-guru’s write-ups in the magazines. I seem to get some kind of perverse pleasure (no tellin’ about some people!) running a comparison with something I might own in the same gun-genre. Maybe it’s something of a challenge; I don’t know.

You’ll find evidence of this in more then one place in these forums. A sampling:
• 7/7/11, “How’s The DB380 Compare?”, http://www.msgunowners.com/t5417p60-my-new-mousegun
• 8/10/10, “I Ain’t Believin’ This”, http://www.msgunowners.com/t5417p40-my-new-mousegun
• 7/7/10, “380’s”, http://www.msgunowners.com/t5417p40-my-new-mousegun

Today’s case in point is an article in the December 2011 issue of American Riflemen, “Uselton Arms Compact Classic”, reviewing said 45ACP 3.5” bushingless-barrelled 1911. It was interesting reading. It’s a nice looking pistol.

The article included range testing, shooting from a Caldwell Matrix rest (you can check that out at: http://www.battenfeldtechnologies.com/caldwell/catalog.asp?product=matrix).
Shooting at 25 yds the average group was 3.09”. The pistol as tested had 3-dot Novak sights.

Hmmmph, I thought, I’ve got this RIA 1911A1 CS with a 3.5” bushingless-barrell albeit with just fixed combat iron sights. Wonder how it would compare? I guess that’s the challenge.

So I went out to the range early one morning, recently, and set up. Granted I set up at 50 feet ‘cause I guess I’m too lazy to walk the additional footage to the 25 yd line. That’s also a sop to my aging eyes. I figure I can extrapolate what I do at 50 feet and project it out another 25 feet to the 25 yard line.

Keep in mind I don’t have anything even approaching a Caldwell Matrix rest (be nice wouldn’t it). I ended up shooting from the bench over my range bag, resting my forearms on the range bag.

So, here’s how it turned out (I need to emphasize right now - this is about the gun not me).......

This group measured 2.6” center-to-center. Projected out to 25yds (2.6/50 = x/75, shoulda stayed awake in Math 101) should come out to be 3.9”. Not as good as the gun-guru did with the Uselton Arms Compact (on a Caldwell Matrix rest) but I guess, with everything considered (including the shooter!), not too bad.

“So what?”, you ask, “What’s the big deal?”

Consider that the cited article showed the MSRP for that Uselton Arms Compact at $2600. On the other hand, I found current pricing on the RIA at Centerfire Systems to be $389.99 (see: http://centerfiresystems.com/AC-RI1911-CSP.aspx).

While I’m sure that it would be really nice to have a good-looking $2600 1911, I can live without it. I can easily accept that slightly larger shot grouping at 25yds while I hold on to that extra $2200.

By the way, the RIA is feeling pretty smug for itself.


Ed


PS: Often these gun-gurus will write something about the 5th round flyer from a semi-automatic and then write about the “best 4 of 5 group”. Well, if I’m allowed that, the RIA produced a 1.9” best 4 of 5 group at 50’. That’d extend out to 2.85” at 25 yds. Oh well, it’s fun to fantasize.

This is just a nonsense piece, somewhat short on any real substance. But, for lack of anything better to do, here it goes.

You know how long it’s been since we’ve had the Poker Crew out to the range? It’s been months. I guess you could scroll up through this topic and find the last time.

So, sitting at the table this past Tuesday evening, looking at the flop, scratchin’ my head, and wonderin’ why the flop had absolutely no relationship with my hole cards, I just mucked my hand and asked, “Anybody wanna go out to the range this coming Thursday?”

This is what I heard from those who had paid any attention to what I had asked (not everyone pays attention when I open my mouth):
• One - “Nah, can’t go”
• Three - “I’ll have to call you tomorrow”
• And a, “Yeah, I‘ll go”

So come Wednesday only one of the three I’ll-call-you-tomorrow’s said he’d go and the one who said he’d go complained of a bad hip and backed out. Buncha old poops!

See when I ask them again (huff-puff).

So there were just two of us out there come Thursday morning.

Here’s a picture collage from that morning.

We had a simple set up – a selection of three PRIT’s plus a Cannery Row shooting box.

Tools of the trade for that morning were an RIA 45, a Bulgarian PA-63 9x18, a Ruger 22/45, and an STI 9mm. There was also a snubbie 38 somewhere around; I guess it just missed the photo op.

Beautiful morning, a little chilly to start but really sunny and bright.

Had a good time. I'll put that picture collage up on the bulletin board at the game; let ‘em eat their hearts out.

I expect that I’ll weaken one evening down the road and ask that question again, “Anybody wanna go out to the range?”

By now I don’t really think I need to go through a detailed explanation of my motivation. Suffice to say that as I read some of these gun-guru’s write-ups in the magazines I seem to be unable to keep from running a comparison with something I might own in the same gun-genre. The last time was 12/18/11. You can scroll up to that report titled, “The Devil Surely Makes Me Do This” if you’re interested.

Duane Daiker (you can check him out at http://www.realworldcarrygear.com/) penned an article on the Desert Eagle 1911G, 45ACP, in the January, 2012, issue of Concealed Carry magazine. It’s a nice looking full-size 1911.

The article included some range results. Apparently, at least as far as Concealed Carry magazine (and presumably the USCCA) is concerned, their range tests are now being shot for what they call Practical Accuracy. PA is defined as standing, shooting at 10 yards, and then enclosing the group within a circle, the diameter of which is the PA measure. The way I understand PA, then, is that my goal is to shoot as small a group as I can, not trying to get a number score on the target.

The article reported that for the 3 commercial loads shot, each stayed within a 2 inch circle.

So, that’s what I thought I’d try to replicate.

Was out at the range early yesterday morning. Measured off 10 yards and had at it.

Here’s the result, 5 rounds, 10 yards standing:

That’s a 2 inch circle (inner diameter). All are in the 2 inch circle; granted they are low and to the left but you can’t have everything. Four of the five look pretty good. Not too bad for an old guy.

“So what’s the big deal”, you ask?

The big deal is this. The suggested MSRP for that Desert Eagle, as reported in the article, is $826. That RIA 1911CS of mine (albeit in plain-Jane black, with GI combat sights) has an MSRP probably just a little less that half of that.

The Frugal Shooter (or maybe I should write, The Parsimonious Plinker) strikes again!

Ed


PS: As you read these gun reports, very often the authors become a bit effusive over the gun being reviewed and any accessories being used. I want to tip my hat to Concealed Carry magazine. At the end of this cited article, in the lower margin of the page is this:

• “The Desert Eagle 1911 G was provided by Magnum Research with an option to purchase at a reduced price. The holsters and factory ammunition were provided by the respective manufacturers at no cost.”

Think about it.

An Aside: In my 12/18/11 report that I mentioned at the beginning, I wrote: “Often these gun-gurus will write something about the 5th round flyer from a semi-automatic and then write about the ‘best 4 of 5 group’.” Allowing me that alternative, my ‘best 4 of 5’ produced an extreme spread, center-to-center, of 7/8 inch at 10 yards, standing. Extrapolated out to 25 yards, that would produce an extreme spread of 2.2 inches, more or less. That RIA 1911 is really struttin’ around the room right now!

PPS: May get some of the Poker Crew out tomorrow. We’ll see. You know how that goes.