I have been on Blogger since 2010 but my time here has come to an end, I’m moving on. I’ve been considering getting away from Blogger and its owner Google for a while now and finally made up my mind to just do it. Please bookmark my new website where I look forward to blogging for many years to come on my interests like firearms and shooting, photography, history and my fiction. I hope to see you over there.
The new wilsonblog
Tuesday, December 12, 2017
Saturday, November 11, 2017
Tuesday, October 31, 2017
Friday, September 22, 2017
Tuesday, September 19, 2017
Gone Shooting - Colt 45 Day
I went to the shooting range again Monday morning. The weather was great and the crowd was light.
There were three Colt 1911 type pistols (all in .45ACP) that I decided to take. I haven't shot them very much this year and I'm definitely a little rusty.
I took my 1953 Government Model (top right). That's the one I actually carried for several years. I paid good money to upgrade the stock sights and then stopped carrying it shortly after. It has a larger fixed back sight and a Novak gold bead front, installed with a dovetail cut. It's definitely the easiest to shoot of the three. If I ever go back to carrying a 1911 it will be the one.
The second pistol (lower right) is another Government Model made in 1978. It's the first Colt 45 I ever bought and cost me the grand sum of $375.00 in 1991. I could've bought a brand new Colt for only a little more, the budget priced 1991 Model had just been introduced, but I decided to go with this used 70 Series. It didn't have the additional firing pin safety and this pistol was so much prettier with its polished blue finish. The 1991 had an ugly plain black finish and plastic trigger. I made the mistake of selling this Colt a couple years after I bought it to finance some other gun I've completely forgotten. Fortunately I knew who had it. Years later I was able to get it back and won't make that mistake again. FREE ADVICE - Don't ever sell a gun unless you are 110% absolutely positively sure. Nowadays this pistol is mostly a safe queen (along with another 70 Series my dad gave me) but I decided it needed to be shot. It has been years.
The third pistol (left) is a steel frame Colt Commander made in 1977. I first bought it in 2015 and took it shooting back in the spring. Last trip I only put some ball ammo through it and wanted to try out some hollowpoints this time, but I forgot to bring them. It's always something.
Monday, September 11, 2017
Tuesday, September 05, 2017
Sunday, August 27, 2017
Thursday, August 17, 2017
Monday, August 07, 2017
Thursday, July 27, 2017
Friday, July 21, 2017
A Short Long Term Product Review - Streamlight
A post by The Displaced Louisiana Guy on Streamlight's excellent products and warranty inspired me to do one of my own. I have been using a Streamlight for years now but didn't realize how long it had actually been. After his post I checked my Amazon purchase history and got a surprise, five years! Today I have owned and used the Streamlight ProTac 2L for five full years without a single issue.
I have carried and also used it nearly every day of the week since then, typically about 1-2 minutes at a time. In those five years I have dropped it 10-15 times (usually on concrete) and have run it through half a washing machine cycle twice. It still functions perfectly. I'm on my third set of batteries.
My only complaint would be the switch to get the strobe to function which has to be pressed a certain way to get it to work. After all these years I still can't get the light to do it when I'm in a hurry, but then I've never tried very hard to master it either.
I own three other Streamlight products and have yet to buy a bad one. Streamlight - a great product with value for your money. Highly recommended!
Tuesday, July 04, 2017
Sunday, June 18, 2017
Thursday, June 08, 2017
Request for the regular readers
Recently I lost all the links in my "wilsonblog favorites" section. I don't know if the problem was me or Blogger but they were just gone one day. If I used to have a link to your site or blog but don't now let me know. I rebuilt it from memory and there is always the chance I could have forgotten someone. Also, if you are linked to wilsonblog and would like reciprocal link let me know that too. Thanks!
Monday, May 29, 2017
Memorial Day 2017
Korea 1952
Another Memorial Day is here, another summer about to begin. Before with get on with our sporting events, cookouts and get-togethers, let us stop and remember what the day is really for.
Monday, May 22, 2017
Sunday, May 14, 2017
Wednesday, May 10, 2017
Gone Shooting - J Frame Day
I went shooting again Monday. The weather was perfect although a little cool for May, in the 40s when I left the house.
This time I took my Smith & Wesson "J" frame revolvers with me for practice. The Bodyguard and then later the lightweight Centennial I used quite a bit for several years. The Bodyguard 649 (upper right) was actually my first carry gun and my only one up until 2000. Now I hardly use any J-Frames at all.
For the last couple of years I haven't carried them except the lightweight 342PD (left) that sometimes I keep in my pocket around the house. Occasionally I will carry it instead of a reload for my main gun.
The third J-Frame is a 1953 vintage Chiefs Special (lower right) that's had a hard life. I've never carried that one. It's mostly retired now and is a backup to my backup.
Snub-nose revolvers are probably the hardest handguns to shoot accurately and I wasn't doing too well Monday. I was barely keeping the shots in the black (5-Inch). I hadn't practiced with them in a while and it showed. I actually did best with the 342PD. It's a lightweight gun but it always been the best shooting J-Frame I've owned. All three revolvers are unmodified but the trigger on that one was a little better from the factory. I was pretty rusty with these three and no doubt need to get them back to the range soon.
Saturday, May 06, 2017
Monday, April 24, 2017
Monday, April 17, 2017
Monday, April 10, 2017
Free Book!
Starting today my second book Traveler is free on Kindle. But it's only through April 12th so don't delay!
Traveler
Tuesday, April 04, 2017
Gone Shooting - N Frame Day
I went to the gun range again Monday. The weatherman was threatening rain yesterday morning but I went anyway. Fortunately they were wrong again although it was quite windy.
I took a few of my Smith & Wesson "N" frame revolvers with me for practice. I own several more that need shooting but I only took the three pictured. Those are the ones that get used most often.
The 627 is the revolver that gets used most nowadays and it got the most range time yesterday. Yes, the other two antiques do get carried but not very often since I bought the 627. The stainless steel construction and 8-shot capacity make it my go-to revolver.
I got there when they opened and it wasn't too crowded yet. I stayed just long enough to go through a couple boxes of ammo. The lanes were filling up fast by the time I was leaving. All my shooting was at 10 yards. I shot in double action, that's the only way I shoot revolvers I carry.
I fired 100 rounds and kept all the shots in the black, and the only issue was the wind. I had to go out three times to fix my target. I used a cardboard target stand that the gun range sells and usually a couple good-sized rocks are enough to hold it down, just not yesterday.
Despite the wind I had a great time at the range again and hopefully I can go back before April is over. I have some "J" frames that need to be shot too.
Monday, March 20, 2017
Tuesday, March 14, 2017
Gone Shooting - 45 Day
Yesterday I went to the gun range, the first time this year. It was sunny but cold (33F). Sorry no pics again - I need to start checking that battery before I go.
I took along two pistols that needed shooting. The first was my "house" gun, a H&K USP 45. It is my main home defense handgun and I definitely needed to get in some practice with it. I left the light attached since that's how I have it at the house. I've shot it with and without the light and there doesn't seem to be a difference in POI but it does (slightly) alter the pistol's balance with the light on. As always the gun functioned perfectly.
The second pistol I took was a Colt 45 Combat Commander (blue - steel frame) that I originally bought back in 2015. I owned the Colt a short while and then sold it to my brother. I never fired it. After nearly a year I decided I wanted it again and he sold it back to me last November. He never shot it either. Finally yesterday the pistol made it to the shooting range. I put a box of ball ammo through it and there were zero issues. Dead on at 10 yards too.
It was another crowded day at the range. Lots of people shooting and like the last few times I've been there an abundance of "black" rifles on the firing line. It's great to see so many new people getting involved in shooting. I have to admit though that I do miss going to the range on a weekday morning and having it almost to myself. I guess those days are gone forever.
Wednesday, March 01, 2017
Free Book!
Starting today my first book Joshua is free on Kindle. But it's only through March 3rd so don't delay!
Joshua
