ehull20000

For what it's worth, my .30 cal can on a 308 Ruger scout rifle is hearing safe all day long to me.  I don't have a dB meter, but it is pretty quiet.  Not sure about the .243 and I would very much doubt the 7mm mag.  My 300 WSM is not hearing safe with just the can, but like you said for a few shots it is better.  You are wise to keep using ear pro at the range.  I would modify the rifle, shoot it for many more years and be happy with what you have.

Brought home my newest Ti suppressor this afternoon. It is a YHM Phantom 5.56. Sent off the paperwork on 4 March and it was approved on 9 July. Thank you to TN Gun Country for their help. AAC MK13-SD on the left and a Liberty Essence on the right for scale.

I really like my 10.5 AR Pistol. TN having a HANDGUN carry permit is my only reason for not SBRing it. I think I have the gas ports figured out for good suppressed and unsuppressed use. Once my form 4 clears I will commence with the in depth reliabilty testing and make the final adjustments. So far it makes for a great gun at inside of 200 meters with Federal Fusion 62gr. Very handy indoors. The only "problem" is that sometimes my buffer tube contacts my shoulder during recoil/cycling. Overall I would highly recommend getting one if you are willing to tinker with it. Getting them to feed all types of ammo under the sun can be a chore.

How heavy is your suppressor?

bronco302 - Thanks for the tip on the tool for the screws, but I'm gonna try to trade this knife at the next gun show I go to.  The Ultratech is very cool, but not that great for EDC.  Probably shouldn't have got an OTF in the first place but the cool factor just sold me.  

My Ultratech is hard to open and close as well, but I can get it done with one hand.  I've had it for a year or so I guess.     The screws that hold it together are that stupid three hole bit design that I've never found anywhere.  At the NRA meeting I asked the Microtech rep to sell me one, which they wouldn't.  No problem, I asked them to tighten up the loose screws and sell me some replacements, also a no go.  Had to send my knife in to get "serviced".   The H&K OTFs look very promising, I would look at them at Guns and Leather in Greenbriar.   

Yup, this is definitely an emerging market in it's infancy.  Not many people are willing to put serious money into a polymer gun even though there is so much you can do with them.  I started carrying a RMR'd Glock in 2012 after a buddy I worked with introduced me to the system.  Now Glock and S&W are both offering optic ready pistols.           Most people won't come into your shop and ask for one of these pistols because that isn't how you get one of these guns.  Most shops don't carry guns like this because they are not a widely purchased firearm and generally hurt the bottom line.  Most shops don't carry STI Edge pistols either, but that doesn't really prove anything about the gun or it's capabilities.  What guys do is send their gun or slide off and have XYZ company do the work then send it back.  Maybe buy one off of Gunbroker if you really trust the person selling it.  I really hope enhanced capability carry guns become more accepted in our gun culture so that even better guns can be developed.   I'll be shooting a competition tomorrow with my EDC gun against some race guns in Clarksville at TN Gun Country if you want to check it out.  I'd be more than willing to let you put a few magazines through it.  I will warn you though, once you shoot one I cannot be held responsible for the overwhelming urge to buy your own polymer gun and then customize it.      

That dye sounds like a good idea.  Is that something you would purchase locally or would it be simpler to order it online?  I've never bought or used dye like that so that's why I ask.  

That's a great looking gun.  Think I'll check on out the next time I'm at the range.  Congrats!

Let me know how that works for ya, would be good to know it works in a pinch!

While there are some race guns in there, most of those are carry guns as is mine.  

Holy snot!  I bet that's fun

The FNS-9 is a great weapon I'm sure.  I think if I was buying handguns all over again I would seriously consider them for a demo.   Too bad I would have to still have to  make palm swells molded from my right and left hands deleted finger grooves apply stippling on all contact surfaces perform a grip reduction to accept compact length magazines mill a channel for a RMR buy and now possibly fit a threaded barrel to accept a 1/2x28 suppressor piston   find, buy, and install suppressor height sights Cerakote the slide after all the cutting is done I forgot about undercutting the trigger guard above so that is equal to both pistols   I'm not sure switching from Glock to FN and accepting the lower aftermarket support for things like holsters, parts and magazines makes it worth it so that I can save the 15 minutes shaving off finger grooves with my dremel.     Resale and form seem to be your concern.  Performance and function is my concern.  Many people agree with your train of thought.  Many people agree with mine.  We probably just come from very different parts of the shooting swimming pool.  No right or wrong here, just good discussion.  Thanks for the back and forth.        I hope Jaysouth hasn't been scared off from customizing HIS gun in order to satisfy HIS requirements and not be concerned that OTHER people might not approve or appreciate it.   Here, here, here and here are some great examples of premium custom glocks.  I don't see this as any different than 1911 modification, precision rifle customization, AR-15 building or any of the other hundreds of ways to turn something into "yours".     

CommsNBombs, could you elaborate more about the radio system(s) you wrote about and maybe recommend some quality equipment for civilian use.  I'm not very smart in that category and would like to be more capable.  Ideally I would have a PRC-148 JEM with some preprogrammed groups and fills, but I don't think that is going to happen and as such would like to hear from an expert like yourself.     I agree that leaving your home and community is probably a bad idea in most instances after an event has already occurred.  Today I was thinking about storing some plywood in my garage in an overhead shelf system in order to be able to board up the doors and windows in my house if any sort of societal collapse were occurring even if only for a few days.  Plywood doesn't really go bad and should slow people down enough to be persuaded to leave.  I am also very interested in forming a "neighborhood watch" as I don't feel right just helping myself and hoping my elderly neighbors are okay.  

http://www.martialbladeconcepts.com He knows more than I do about knives. I would read/listen to what he has to say and if it makes sense buy something similar to what he recommends.

37!  Heck just the firearms part should put most of us pretty high up.     As previously noted, there are some questionable items on the list and the quantities are worth a discussion.  Still, a good read and fun if nothing else.     Communications is my lowest score and I agree.  I have looked at the Motorola DTR410, but honestly right now it isn't a priority.     Thanks for sharing the link.  

Steelharp, I just checked out The Session Players link in your signature, that is some great music.  I'm very impressed to say the least.     It is fantastic that you have been so fortunate to find just the right instrument so many times.  I wish finding that perfect handgun were equally easy, but often times you can modify one to make it perfect for you.   I was wondering if you could find me a circa 2012 factory produced Gen 3 Glock 17 with all the following features: palm swells molded from my right and left hands deleted finger grooves stippling on all contact surfaces will accept Glock 19 length magazines will mount a RMR factory threaded barrel to accept a 1/2x28 suppressor piston   Suppressor height sights Cerakote coated slide   I think you might have some difficulty doing so and that is why people customize guns.  Or cars or houses or even instruments I suppose.           With regard to buying a Gen 2 to avoid the finger grooves I think that is actually a very good idea.  Maybe the OP could look into handling a Gen 2 and see if that frame style offers better ergonomics.  However, if you do that you would loose the light rail and then you have to dremel that into the frame as well as missing out on some fun aftermarket support depending on when that Gen 2 was made.     Again, I wouldn't recommend modifying any collector grade gun, but a vanilla Glock 17 can really be transformed into something custom with some simple hand tools.     I doubt Glock would be interested in hiring me, but that would be cool.  

That is a great video.  It should be played at all sporting events in the next 6 months.  

I had my 17 cut down to 19 length, removed the finger grips, undercut the trigger guard and had a bit of the hump on the back taken off buy a younger guy at a pawn shop / gun store in Hendersonville off of Gallatin Rd somewhere in the vicinity of New Shackle Island Rd.  It turned out very good except for the stippling which I ended up changing myself.    That experience led me to do my own Glock 19 and it turned out very good if I don't say so myself.  The next Glock 17 I get I'll do my own as well.     Seems to be a lot of stuck up people around here.  Talking down to someone for making their gun better is pretty low.  I've done and had done the exact modifications he is asking for.  They enhance the capability of the weapon system.  That is the foremost consideration.     If you haven't had this done to one of your guns or you aren't willing to do it yourself, maybe you should reevaluate giving advice.  Or start your post about how you think polymer guns should be treated and / or modified.     Working on your own gun or car or home is about the best thing a person can do. Yes you will make mistakes, but probably not enough to matter in the long run.  The more you learn the more well rounded you are as a person.  I guess if this guy has Gaston's original Glock 17 then yeah, maybe he shouldn't get the dremel tool out and go to town, but aside from that rock out with your Glock out bro.    

Very cool.

I sorted 15 rounds of Gemtech 42 grain .22LR ammo and shot them through my CZ452 at 30 meters. I was shooting prone off of my concrete garage floor with a rear bag and a tripod in front. I have a 3 x 9 scope on this rifle and shot with my suppressor installed. Mirage was light as was the wind. The 1.795 group is around .7". I placed each round of .22LR into a spent .223 cartridge and used my calipers to measure the overall length and sorted them into three sets. 1) those closest to 1.795 2) those under 1.795 which I labelled 1.794 3) those over 1.795 which I labelled 1.796 These are my results. I'm not a great shooter by any means so some of the variation with the groups is my fault, but I think there is promise with this process and with this gun / ammo combination. I have read a bit about this largely being a waste of time and that instead buying premium ammo (Eley Tennex?) is a better way to ensure consistent groups. This is just the first experiment for me and I'll repeat this a few times to see what I come up with. My local gun shop regularly carries this and I make it a point to buy two boxes, and only two boxes, each week I visit the shop and find it in stock.

Right on.  Carb cleaner and some light oiling before storage sounds like the best plan.  I recall reading in one of my reloading books a fella recommended car wax to keep corrosion from showing up.  I might give that a try too.     I'm thinking a shotgun bore brush would be the ticket for cleaning the inside of the die.  No lead for me so I think I'll be good there.   Thanks for the help.   

Oops, sorry about posting this in the wrong forum.  I'll pay more attention in the future.     Thanks for the input, I'll try cleaning the dies better next time.  Two questions for each of you.   What do you use to clean dies?     After cleaning what do you apply to prevent corrosion?

BLUF I'm interested to know if break in is required for a new sizing die.     The long story is as follows.     I just started reloading for my 300 WSM.  The goal of this project is to provide empirical data to determine what barrel length and reamer profile to choose for my next barrel.  Right now I have a cheap take off barrel that will serve it's purpose until the new barrel / reamer combination is decided upon.     I'm trying to push the berger 230 gr hybrid target because of it's high G7 BC.  Later I will experiment with other bullets, but right now I want to focus on the 230 hybrid.     I purchased a set of Lee Pace Setter 300 WSM dies to go with my Challenger press as well as a Lee Reloader press.  My plan was to size my once fired in my rifle Winchester cases with the Challenger and seat with the Reloader so as not to have to mess with the dies.     I made a mistake and didn't clean the inside of the neck where the expander first contacts the case.  I know this now.    I sprayed Hornady One Shot on the case walls and into the case mouths as they sat flat and lined up dress right dress on a paper towel.  I rolled the cases 180 and sprayed again.  This is the same procedure I learned from my dad when I began reloading in high school.  I think this was insufficient lubrication as I got several cases stuck and eventually ruined a very nice die.  I think I can order new parts from Lee to replace what I have messed up, but I need to inspect the inside of the die first.  That is for another time.       I made some phone calls to my brother and two buddies that also reload.  They were not much help.  I did some reading in my manuals, on the internet and watched some YouTube videos.  I inspected my cases for unusual dimensions and found none.  I came to the conclusion that I should try again.  I purchased a Lee Collet Die as well as a Redding Body die.  I cleaned the body die prior to use with solvent and then lightly oiled.  After letting the oil set for a few minutes I wiped off the interior wall as best I could.  I lubed the cases this time with some Lee Resizing lube applied with my fingers to the entire case wall surface and encountered a great deal of pressure both going in and coming out of the die.  I should mention that I was not seeing any movement of the shoulder as measured with a Hornady Lock-n-Load Straight O.A.L. gauge measured at the .420 datum on the shoulder.  There was so much pressure that I was again very concerned with getting a stuck case so I stepped back and did a few more hours of reading.     Somewhere along the way I decided to give the die another shot.  I had tried many variation of how far the die was screwed in ranging from touching the shell holder plus one turn to backing off two turns.  I marked the top of the die with a Sharpie to better eyeball these adjustments.  I finally settled on touching plus one - two turns and lowering the ram in stages.  I don't know why or how, but finally it worked without significant pressure and the shoulder was moving back!  Sweet sweet success!     I have now sized my brass and moved the shoulder back about .001-.002 from the chamber walls.  I'm still completely unsure of why the die suddenly worked.  One thing I can imagine is maybe the die needed some break in with my particular cases and lube, but I'm unsure of this.  Does anyone here have a method for breaking in a new sizing die?

Wow!  That is an impressive statement.   Thanks for posting this.