Beating the Heat - July 2nd Handgun Shoot

[BrokenolMarine]

The heat has been brutal the last week or two, but it's not SO bad today. 10am it was in the low 80s. Humidity was in the 80s as well. So I planned to shoot this morning and was glad I set up the range as I did... so it would be in the shade. It was a bit cooler than the surrounding areas. I set up on the seven yard line... Didn't want to spend too much time fiddling around setting up longer ranges.

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This morning's lineup?

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From Top to Bottom:

A 1980s 6" Colt Diamondback 22
A 1980s 6" Colt Python
and, an old friend, a gift from Miss Tina for an off duty carry...
A Kimber Tactical Ultra II .45 from the Kimber Custom Shop...

First on the line was the Diamondback. Hadn't shot this or the Python yet. I tried shooting this one standing, a mistake. I don't do standing well and the lower back pain affected the groups as you can see. More on the groups later.

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Next up was the Python. This was acquired several months ago and I have been waiting to shoot it. I shot it offhand, as I did all these guns, but I sat on a stool to do it. Much better. Two five shot groups. I was happy.

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I hadn't shot the Kimber in a while, and this is a subcompact 45, smaller than a Commander. I was surprised how tight the slowfire group was.

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I shot two five shot rapidfire groups, offhand. I was very happy with them. I might add this to my EDC stable beside the Sig P220. It always carried nice and I have a very nice Galco Holster for it. Group pic with the rapid fire coming.

The Diamondback groups... you'll note the flyers in these two groups. Pain will screw up your groups and it did. But the three shots in the second group look pretty good, if you discount the flyers. I shot those AFTER I sat down on the stool.

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That Python is a shooter, and I can't wait for a nice day to put it through it's paces. It was just turning nasty on the range and I wanted to shoot all three guns.

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Last but not least, a shot of the Kimber Slow Fire Group again, after I put ten rounds over it rapid fire. I don't have a shot timer, but for me, rapid fire isn't spray and pray, but as quickly as I can drop the sights back on target. Not bad at seven yards rapid.

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The 45 was shot with match grade reloads for the Springfield Match Gun. I'll shoot it a bit more with Hydrashocks and Gold Dot carrry ammo.. If it functions well I'll seriously consider it as a Every Day Carry (EDC) gun again. It's nice to get back down on the range. I plan to do it as often as possible. Maybe when it's raining... .it'll be cooler.

[BrokenolMarine]

When Miss T bought the Kimber Tactical Ultra II she asked my guy at Greentop in Hanover for a good holster for an off duty gun. He sold her the Galco pancake you see here. I had been buying from Greentop since I was a kid, and they always looked out for me. He told her if I didn't like the holster, I could swap it. It was perfect. He knew I had a matching double mag pouch for another 45 that would work for the Kimber.

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[fortyshooter]

Very good shooting given the conditions and your pain! That humidity just saps the energy out of me nowdays. Greentops is a great place to shop for guns and reloading supplies! They gave me a really good deal on my Bond Arms Grizz trade for the 20 ga. Coach gun.

[North Country Gal]

Great report and fine shooting, Marine. Those two Colts are such classics, real treasures, both. I've also had a number of compact 1911s from Kimber and STI and have had great success with them. The new modern breed of compact 1911s are actually very reliable and, like yours, can be amazingly accurate.

[BrokenolMarine]

Will be back on the range as soon as the weather allows. I'm thinking long guns.

[5shot]

Good shooting! I've never owned any of the Colt "snake" models but there's no denying those are sharp looking revolvers!

[BrokenolMarine]

Good shooting! I've never owned any of the Colt "snake" models but there's no denying those are sharp looking revolvers!

Always been a favorite of mine...

[RetiredSeabee]

Some mighty fine shooting and as everyone has said those are some purty shootin irons.

[BigAl52]

Nice shooting Marine. I know the older pythons are great revolters but would you buy a new one.

[BrokenolMarine]

Nice shooting Marine. I know the older pythons are great revolters but would you buy a new one.

You know, I just don't know. I haven't seen one in person, but have read good and bad reviews both. I think if I had the cash I would hold out for something else on my Bucket List. It's a very short list these days. I have a few guns I could sell/trade out now that I'm not teaching any longer, and could thin out my 1911 and Glock magazine stocks as well... But, I hate to let go, especially guns, unless I know the buyer. The move to Oklahoma made that easy. I can count the folks we know on both hands with fingers to spare.

[Travlin]

Did you get a factory target with either of your Pythons? I still have the one that came with my old model Trooper 357.

[BigAl52]

Understand completely. With the crazy prices of revolvers anymore Im more than ever reluctant to turn loose of 1500.00 cash for one. Im currently looking at getting a double action 357. 686”s and GP100’s fetching 900 to 1k

[BrokenolMarine]

Did you get a factory target with either of your Pythons? I still have the one that came with my old model Trooper 357.

My first pythons were a matched pair, sequentially serially numbered, purchased in the early 80s when I reenlisted in the Corps. A few years afterwards my ex presented me with a new daughter. The pythons were sold to pay for crib, changing table, stroller, playpen, and all the rest. I kept the blued diamondback. The python and diamondback I shot yesterday were recently acquired from an old friend thinning his collection. Any factory targets I had from my earlier guns were stolen or destroyed when bonded movers tore thru all the firearms related boxes looking for guns when we made a military move cross country. I moved the guns, ammo, and jewelry in the car. But, all the original factory boxes/cases were gone on the other end.

[Travlin]

I am very sorry that the movers were greedy crooks. At least you have the revolvers. They say that Colts don't stay in time etc. My Trooper was bought used in 1969 and after learning reloading with it and shooting many thousands of rounds, it is still tight and accurate .It has the same insides as the Python on the same frame sans the ventilated rib.One thing was that after shooting many many rounds a .38 spcl .reloads in military cases it never got the ridge in the cylinder and I could shoot the longer 357 loads without cleaning the chambers. The dealer that sold it to me told me to size my cast bullets to .356 and that has worked very well for all these years.

[BrokenolMarine]

I am very sorry that the movers were greedy crooks. At least you have the revolvers. They say that Colts don't stay in time etc. My Trooper was bought used in 1969 and after learning reloading with it and shooting many thousands of rounds, it is still tight and accurate .It has the same insides as the Python on the same frame sans the ventilated rib.One thing was that after shooting many many rounds a .38 spcl .reloads in military cases it never got the ridge in the cylinder and I could shoot the longer 357 loads without cleaning the chambers. The dealer that sold it to me told me to size my cast bullets to .356 and that has worked very well for all these years.

I had a 6" trooper for years. It was a great shooter, accurate and smooth shooting. I had a shoulder holster for it, and it was my car gun.

[fortyshooter]

Understand completely. With the crazy prices of revolvers anymore Im more than ever reluctant to turn loose of 1500.00 cash for one. Im currently looking at getting a double action 357. 686”s and GP100’s fetching 900 to 1k

Go for the 686 Plus 7 shot in 3 or 6 inch. Love mine in 3 inch and everything came right on this one with no issues.

[BrokenolMarine]

I've got an old classic I love, this 2" Model 64 was a Sergeant's off duty gun when the Department issued revolvers. When the Chief told me to set up the transition to Semi-autos, we set up a really nice T&E program with five or six represented and had shooters from Marksman to Expert on the panel, including two females. The Sig P220 45 and Glock 22 40 Caliber were the top finishers. The Chief chose the Glock due to the $100 difference in cost of the guns and the significant savings in 40 caliber ammunition over 45.

When the Guns came in, we were offered the chance to buy our 4" Model 64s, which of course I did. The 2" guns were offered to the Sergeants first and when one of them didn't want his, the Chief offered it to me. I jumped on it. It's a sweet shooter as the Sergeant wasn't a shooter. He didn't buy his 4" gun either, but the contract with the Gunshop handling the transfer limited the purchases by officers to ONE gun per officer with the exception of the 2" guns. Officers could buy a 4" and a 2".

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I carried that 4" on duty for two years, and shot it in the Service Revolver class and won a LOT. I still have both of those guns, and despite offers for as much as four times what I paid, I'll be keeping them. I also have the Glock 22 I was issued as well.

[BrokenolMarine]

I never felt undergunned with the revolver, and because I practiced regularly, I could speedload that model 64 as fast as most of the Officers could reload the semiautos. With the 158 Grain Gold Dot Hollowpoint, I felt the round was more than adequate.

[BigAl52]

Understand completely. With the crazy prices of revolvers anymore Im more than ever reluctant to turn loose of 1500.00 cash for one. Im currently looking at getting a double action 357. 686”s and GP100’s fetching 900 to 1k

Go for the 686 Plus 7 shot in 3 or 6 inch. Love mine in 3 inch and everything came right on this one with no issues.

Thanks Forty. Ive owned a 686 in the past but let it go. It was the 6 inch. I dont care for the feel of the grips on the new Smiths but I know you can change them. Ive currently got my eye on a couple of older ones one is a 4 inch.

[BrokenolMarine]

The grip on that two inch 64 is a beautiful factory round butt. I took the small factory grips off and added those, from Brownell's. Very comfortable, rapidly back on target after recoil with +p ammo.