Here is the new Gun Notes...

 

   As we get ready to hit May 1st, it looks like most of our winter weather is behind us. I say MOST of it as we had about a foot of snow this past weekend and still may get more on thru May and into early June. If we do it won’t last long as the ground is too warm, but there is always the possibility. Other parts of the country, especially the South are struggling thru tornados and severe thunderstorms.  All this will pass and the long hot summer awaits us. And as we get into the early part of summer many of us here in the west find out if we got drawn for Elk, Deer, Bear, Bighorn Sheep and various other critters.

 

The draw system is good in one way but bad is a couple more. It is not at all unusual for someone to put in 10 to 15 years in a row and not get drawn. And out here if you don’t get drawn, you don’t hunt. The other bad side of this is it gets people so upset that they get tired of putting in for the draw and eventually get totally out of hunting, or at least out of hunting big game. One of the western states has what I consider the best draw system that I know of. If you put in and don’t get drawn for 3 years in a row, you automatically get a tag the 4th year. I am one of the ones that hasn’t been drawn in about 10 years for elk or deer, so this past January when we put in for elk, I didn’t put in at all. I get tired and bummed out not getting drawn so I just didn’t put in. And this is not good. If everyone did this that didn’t get drawn the state would be in a bind for money for the game & fish commission. I will probably put in next year but we’ll see.

 

One reason I don’t feel too bad about getting drawn is our HHC (Handgun Hunter’s Challenge) that is held each March and October. Our next one is scheduled for October 2-5, in Monterey Tennessee at the Wilderness Hunting Lodge. We already have 9 or 10 people signed up and should, good Lord willing, fill the lodge up to capacity. Consider this my invitation for you to join us. if you need more info, feel free to call me at 928-526-3313.

 

The shortages of everything continue to plague us. We got a box of gun powder in a day or so ago and I thought maybe the problem was easing up. I talked to the distributor that sent the powder to us and he laughed and said it wasn’t easing up much at all. It was just that one of our back orders came to the top of the list. He said the problem was if they got 1000 pounds of powder in it really didn’t help as they have close to a million pounds of powder back ordered, so the large shipment they got in was just a drop in the bucket.

 

The good side of the ammo shortage is that more and more folks are getting into reloading. The bad side of that is they can’t find powder or bullets, so they may get disappointed and drop out before they really get started. Every Friday and Saturday we get almost a line of folks in from Utah, Nevada and California plus New Mexico and from time to time Texas, all looking for reloading supplies, and 22 rimfire ammo. They all say the same thing, that the gun shops in the towns they live in have none of the above. The bad thing is in most cases, neither do we. So we can’t help them much at all. I am sure this shortage will ease up but it is going to take a while, possibly as long as another year. With the distributors being literally millions of rounds of 22 rimfire back ordered, it is going to take a good while to catch up. With a million pounds of powder back ordered they are going to take a good while before we can call and say send me 10 lbs of 3031 or 4350. We got 100,000 primers in a couple of weeks ago but they had been on back order for 8 months. Like I tell everyone that I talk to over at our gun shop, the best thing to do is make a list of the calibers you reload for and in that list write down all the powders that can be used with that caliber. Then if you go into a shop that has powder and you see one of the brands of powder that is on your list, grab it. They way things are we can’t be picky.

 

On the topic of shortages, it is bleeding over into other areas also. The company in California that makes all our templates is running 4 to 6 weeks behind due to a shortage of vinyl for the templates. Another company in Ohio that we buy acid from for the refinishing is 6 weeks behind due to shortages in that industry also.

 

Some of the guns that have been promised are beginning to trickle in one or two at a time. The new Glock 41 and 42 are coming in fairly often but go back out as quick as they come in. The Ruger rep was in the shop today and said they had received a “lot of comments” about their decision to drop the Redhawk and it possibly would be added back in the line up early next year. This is sort of like the Red Label that was dropped and then brought back. Unfortunately the Gold Label side by side shotgun looks to be gone for good. That is a shame as there are no really top of the line side by sides made here in the states. I would have loved to see it produced in 20 gauge or even (not in my wildest dreams) in 28 gauge. Speaking of which I have been on this 28 gauge kick for about 2 years now. I had shoulder surgery about 3 years ago and have 5 screws holding my right shoulder together so my big 12 gauges and even magnum 20s are out. I had been bidding on several CZ, Ruger and Browning 28 gauge over & unders on gunbroker and they all seemed to end in the early morning hours when I was asleep and I kept losing them. Finally a bit pissed off, I bid on 4 of them, 2 CZs, a Huglu, and a Ruger, all 28 gauge, figuring I would at least get one of them. Murphy’s Law prevailed here as I got all 4 of them.   One of the CZs was the model they call the Redhead, which being a true gentleman I told Colleen that was hers.  Unfortunately the 28 gauge bug still has me by the cojones. This week I saw a special on the Franchi Veloce 28 gauge, the Whoop De Do model with the silver receiver and gold birds on it and before any common sense could distract me I bought it. I figure that makes one 28 gauge for each day Monday thru Friday, now I just lack Saturday and Sunday.

 

Quite a few of the Glock 21 slim frame pistols coming in lately and they seem to be liked by even those that are not enamored by the Glocks. The 21 Slim Frame is still hand filling but not overly so. The old Model 21 was just too big in the gripframe for me to be comfortable with. But the new 21 SF is about as close to being perfect as they can get.

 

Recently Remington posted a recall of a LOT of rifles. Rather than just give you the high lights of the recall, here it is in it’s entirety...

 

Remington Arms Announces Voluntary Recall, Urges Model 700 and Model Seven Owners to Take Immediate Action

Madison, N.C. - Remington Arms Company, LLC ("Remington") today announced a voluntary recall of Model 700TM and Model SevenTM rifles with X-Mark Pro® ("XMP®") triggers, manufactured from May 1, 2006 to April 9, 2014.

Senior Remington engineers determined that some Model 700 and Model Seven rifles with XMP triggers could, under certain circumstances, unintentionally discharge.

IN THE INTEREST OF SAFETY, THESE PRODUCTS ARE BEING RECALLED.

Remington's investigation determined that some XMP triggers might have excess bonding agent used in the assembly process, which could cause an unintentional discharge. Therefore, Remington is recalling ALL affected products to fully inspect and clean the XMP triggers with a specialized process.

Remington has advised customers to immediately cease use of recalled rifles and return them to Remington free of charge. The rifles will be inspected, specialty cleaned, tested, and returned as soon as possible. Do not attempt to diagnose or repair recalled rifles.

Remington established a dedicated website and toll-free hotline to help consumers determine whether their Model 700 or Model Seven rifle(s) are subject to recall:

• Website: http://xmprecall.remington.com
• Toll-Free Hotline: 1-800-243-9700 (Prompt #3 then Prompt #1) Monday through

Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. EDT.

The website and hotline provide guidance on returning recalled rifles free of charge.

 

A lot of folks get all ticked off at recalls, but they need to remember this is just another way the company makes the gun better. If a part breaks in a handful of guns the company will often recall all of that model and replace that part at no charge. Recalls may sound like the company is making a defective gun but every company can have a lemon. Recalling the guns effected is the best way to take care of the problem.

 

Women shooters are kicking a lot of butts in shoots all across the country these days. Jesse Duff who shoots for Taurus and shoots the Taurus 1911 has won just about every match there is to win. And Maggie Reese, who shoots for Colt has done just about as well. Both shoot in 3 gun matches all over the country, excelling in handgun, shotgun and rifle competition.

 

I have mentioned this before but it doesn’t hurt to repeat it. The South is becoming Gun Valley as more and more gun companies are moving out of the anti gun Northeast and into the South where they are welcome and where they can get away from the union’s heavy hands easier. Ruger has a new plant in Mayodan North Carolina that is already up and running. Beretta is moving just outside Nashville, to Gallatin Tennessee. Remington is moving to Huntsville Alabama. PTR Industries has moved to Aynor South Carolina. American Tactical is relocating to Summerville, South Carolina. Some that have already established plants in the South include Glock in Georgia, Daniel Defense in Georgia, Steyr Arms to Alabama, H&K to Georgia, Ithaca to South Carolina, Masterpiece Arms to Georgia and Para Ordnance to North Carolina. The rumor is still rolling around that Colt plans a big move this fall to somewhere in the South. It only makes sense to move to an area that is firearm friendly and welcomes new business with tax breaks, cheap property and other benefits including in many instances a break from the unions.

 

There are more new items coming to light in the next week or two and I will cover them next time. Until then, take a youngster or lady shooting. They are our future.

God bless,

 

Gary