Smith & Wesson Rescue

I had no intentions on buying any collectable guns in 2015. In fact, my only planned purchase was another Ruger 10/22 rifle with the rest of my "gun money" this year being saved for optics that are needed on guns I already own. But when this rare old S&W .357 Magnum came up for sale earlier this year there was no way I could pass on it. I guess my SCAR is going to have to wait a while longer for a scope.

This .357 certainly has an interesting history. Originally it shipped in January of 1939 to a sporting goods store in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. It was ordered with an 8 ¾ inch barrel, the longest available. In October of 1946 the revolver was returned to the factory where the barrel was shortened to 3 ½ inches (the shortest available) and a Baughman ramp sight on King ramp base was added. The red front sight insert is not factory and was probably done in the 1950's. From the modifications and the amount of holster wear I would bet this revolver was owned by someone in law enforcement from 1946 and thru the 50's.

In 1960 the .357 changed hands again and it would spend the next 50+ years as someone's "truck gun." That fellow died in recent years and his friend ended up with it. The friend didn't have much interest in the revolver; he would rather have the money, now I own it.

The previous two owners didn't care much for this Smith & Wesson and it had suffered several decades of neglect. That's one of the main reasons I felt the need to purchase it, this historic old .357 deserved better.

When I got the revolver it was wearing an old pair of 1960's era S&W target stocks that looked like they had been used to hammer nails. The action was stiff and sticky with grime. I believe someone actually tried to pack the insides with axle grease. The trigger was awful, the cylinder release wouldn't return on its own. Red fingernail polish was slopped over the entire front sight.

I had to get a professional gunsmith involved but the small additional investment was worth it. The old girl has been made right again. Now if I can only get the weather to cooperate so I can take this S&W to the range!

Gone Shooting - Drink the Kool-Aid!

Well it took six weeks but I finally got to take my SCAR 17S to the range. We've had wet weather the last three times I wanted to go shooting. It was still a little wet today from some snow two days ago, but dry enough. I couldn't wait any longer. I have several guns that I need to shoot but the SCAR was the only one that went. I had to know if it was a 'Keeper' or not. I won't keep you in suspense, it most definitely is!

This morning I ran a mix of various 7.62 NATO through the rifle. I brought along some 1980s British surplus. As well as some 1990s German surplus and Cavim. From my newer stock I brought Winchester and Prvi Partisan brands. I fired 180 rounds without a single malfunction. The rifle performed flawlessly right from round one.

Today I used the factory iron sights at a distance of 50 meters and firing from a rest. Once I got used to the sights I could easily keep my shots in a 5 inch square even when I picked up the pace some. Numerous times shots were less than an inch apart, which brings us to the only flaw in the SCAR, the trigger. According to my trigger scale mine comes in at a gritty 7.5 pounds. I believe this rifle would easily be capable of sub MOA accuracy with a better trigger. That is the next thing on my list.

The muzzle brake tames the rifle quite a bit but does make it LOUD. When I got to the range the only shooters there were two elderly gentlemen at the far end puttering around with their .22s. I purposely went to the opposite side putting as much distance as I could between us (about 50 feet). It didn't help much though, after about 40 rounds through the SCAR they packed up and went home. Sorry guys!

Now that I have actually shot the SCAR I can say that all the accolades are true. It is light weight and easy to control, despite the heavy cartridge it fires it is a ball to shoot. This rifle is everything its proponents say it is, and now you can count me as one of them. I am another true believer!

The guns of 2012 ... and 2013

In 2012 I sold a lot more guns than I bought. In 2011 I continued selling off my collectable guns, the ones that were just taking up space in my gun safe. A few months ago I sold the last of my once mighty Smith & Wesson wheel gun collection. All of my revolvers with model numbers are now gone except for a very few that actually do get used occasionally. I'm keeping my pre model number guns although I did sell two pre-war .357 Magnums this year. The five and four inch guns are gone but don't feel too sorry for me because another 3 ½-inch (this one engraved) somehow found its way to my safe! I'll always have some antiques in my collection, I love them too much, but I can't justify so many guns that sat unused. I have enjoyed collecting antiques for many years but it was time to move on.

I also inherited some guns from Dad early in the year. That was another reason to sell some of the ones I wasn't using. I just didn't have room for everything! His taste in firearms ran more towards classics and among his guns that now reside in my safe include two early post war Winchesters, a Model 70 in .30-06 and a 97 shotgun, as well as a Belgian made Browning Hi Power.

Most of my actual gun purchases this year were for more modern and practical firearms, the SCAR 17S being my largest purchase for 2012. I also bought two complete S&W AR-15 lowers as cheap insurance before the election. Of course all of those were when they could still be found at reasonable prices, or found at all.

As for the coming year I don't have any 'must have' guns. In fact the only big 'gun' purchases I'm planning for 2013 are optics. As to actual guns in '13 I don't have many I'm looking for, a Ruger take down 10/22 and another Mark II pistol are both on the short list. I'll probably build up at least one of the AR lowers I bought when prices come back down. I really wanted a Kel-Tec KSG and have for a long while now. After finally getting to handle one earlier this year I only wanted it more. But I am not willing to pay the asking price let alone play the Kel-Tec waiting game. For the cost of one KSG you could buy two nice Remington 870s and a lot of ammo. I don't see me ever owning one unless the prices drop way under 'suggested' retail.

I didn't go shooting much this year either, no where near as much as I wanted to. I barely kept in practice with my carry guns. I say this every year but I do plan to go shooting a lot more in 2013.

Finally, I expect that ammunition will be my biggest expenditure for 2013, I will continue to stockpile as long as I can afford it. I recommend you do the same, if for no other reason than to keep ahead of inflation.

EDIT: Bonus photo!

My personal feeding frenzy

I have been shooting most of my life; I've 'officially' been a gun owner for over 25 years. I lived through the 1994 gun ban as well as the 2008 pre-obama buying frenzy. You might think that I wouldn't be caught off guard this time; you might think I learned my lesson already. Well, I wasn't, and I did, for the most part.

For this most recent gun buying apocalypse I was sitting pretty. Long before the last election I had all that I needed (except ammo, can't ever have enough ammo), and then I bought my SCAR 17S. I was smart enough to start buying magazines immediately, and then it began. Prices skyrocketed overnight.

When I finally counted them up I had nine mags for my SCAR but that just didn't seem right to me. So the other day I bought one more to give me an even ten. It cost me exactly double what I paid for the others just a few weeks ago. With that extravagant purchase I don't need another thing (again, except more ammo).

I'm glad I could make my own contribution to this historic event, the most ridiculous display of fear purchasing and fear mongering I have ever witnessed in all my years as a gun owner. Now, can we get back to normalcy, there are some guns I want to buy at the old prices. I certainly don't need them but would like to have them, if you panic buyers and profiteers would just get out of my way.

Not for sale

I've been sitting here looking at my SCAR 17S rifle. It's hard to believe that they are now selling for nearly triple what I paid for mine less than a month ago. The magazines are going for four times what I paid just two weeks ago. I guess timing is everything. All this panic buying and general insanity over an 'Assault Weapon' ban that has almost zero chance of happening.

I guess I can understand it a bit. I got caught off guard during the Clinton era ban and overpaid for some items too. I had only been into guns a few years then and not into 'Black' guns at all. I remember paying $200 for a stripped AR-15 receiver when just before that you could pick them up all day long for $80. There is a big difference though. When I bought that receiver it was because I wanted to build and shoot a gun that I thought I would never have another chance to own. But I'm betting a guy that pays $5000+ for a SCAR has no intention of shooting it, might not want it at all. I bet that deep down he is really hoping that some gun legislation will be passed, so he can resale later at a hefty profit. The scum would gladly give our freedoms away to make a little money.

I won't be selling mine even though I could right now and easily double my money. I made the decision to buy this rifle because it had the features I wanted. It was the best tool for the job. That hasn't changed no matter how much it's worth.

Early Christmas

I gave myself an early present this weekend when I paid off the FN SCAR 17S I've had on layaway for nearly 90 days. I originally looked at the SCAR platform when they first came out. I liked it a lot, but because of the high price and unavailability of magazines at the time I quickly gave up on the idea. Late this summer I took another look mainly because of my M1As. They're great rifles but I wanted to mount optics. If you know anything about the M14/M1A you know that mounting optics is an issue. Especially for what I wanted, that was to be able to go from a scope to red dot type sight quick and easily.

So I decided to give the SCAR another look, with its rail system the optics are so much easier to deal with and by now the prices had come down quite a bit too, by a third. Magazines, while still expensive, were at least possible to find now. It doesn't take a brain trust to figure out where this was going next. It only took me a few days to talk myself into buying one, and another week to find a store with a good price and layaway plan. Now three months later and the proud owner of a new SCAR 17S!