Whisper

So, just got an email from Apex Tactical: "Please discontinue using or carrying your Sig P320 pistol equipped with the Apex Curved Advanced Trigger." The message goes on to say that Apex is suspending sales of its triggers for the P320 and is directing customers who purchased the triggers to return them to Apex for credit toward another product. Dealers with unsold Apex triggers are asked to return them to Apex for credit. Apex says they will test their triggers with the P320 once it has been upgraded by Sig, but "it could take some time...." I imagine this will get cleared up reasonably soon. But I'm glad I have not been too quick to grab up a P320. I am still interested in having one, but maybe in a few more months.... Cheers, Whisper

Savage 220D 20-gauge shotgun that my parents gave to me for Christmas 1964. It's still in the gun rack although I have not fired it in decades. But it killed doves, quail, rabbits, squirrels, ducks, one sandhill crane, and innumerable clay pigeons in the years before I got my first double barrel. The firing pin broke at some point and my dad made a new one out of a piece of bicycle spoke. Cheers, Whisper

Didn't have any problems with mefloquine when I went to Iraq in 2006. Maybe I was lucky. Or maybe I'm just extra tough. Yeah, that's probably it....

I'm building up a few more ARs, and for some reason I'm intrigued by the idea of a side charging upper for use on a minimalist rifle. Anyone have personal experience with side charging uppers? I'm particularly interested in positive or negative comments about specific brands. So far I'm hearing good things about BCA and Crosshill Technology (apparently they're out of business now); mixed things about American Spirit Arms; bad things about AR-Stoner. But there are lots of models around, including Tennessee's own CMT. If you've used any of them, I'd appreciate knowing your thoughts. Background: I shoot long guns left-handed, and I've determined that shooting a right-handed (i.e., right-ejecting) semiauto from the left side offers some gun handling advantages. It's one of the benefits of shooting an AK from the left hand. So I'm not interested in any of the AR side chargers with the handle on the left side (New Frontier, JARD, Spartan, etc.). Thanks, Whisper

And, if you're going to be watching Vaxxed, be aware that the director and main expert appearing on camera is a known liar and fraud: https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/to-your-health/wp/2016/05/25/7-things-about-vaccines-and-autism-that-the-movie-vaxxed-wont-tell-you/?utm_term=.87b22953ed98 Cheers, Whisper

So I emailed Diamondback and heard back from them within hours. They do in fact have "a" wrench to fit their proprietary barrel nuts, and they do loan it at no charge to purchasers of their guns or handguards. Unfortunately, they said, they had just mailed it out today to another purchaser, so they suggested I check back in a couple of weeks. So, either Diamondback is not selling a lot of these handguards, or there are a lot of guys out there cranking away on their guns with pipe wrenches.... I'm thinking now that I will probably wait for the tool to arrive before I install this handguard. I may finish up my current build with a different handguard and just build another rifle when the barrel wrench arrives. Thanks to all who offered suggestions. Cheers, Whisper

Well, I've written them and asked about the loan of a barrel wrench. We'll see what they say. And, as we've already concluded, there's always the pipe wrench and a strip of leather.... Cheers, Whisper

Well, well -- look here: https://www.classicfirearms.com/diamondback-rail-10-5 Apparently it really is a Diamondback rail. Also, the review on this page mentions the issue with proprietary barrel nut. Cheers, Whisper

Yep. Fits fine. Also, barrel nut is steel -- not what I usually associate with airsoft parts. But I don't know anything for sure except that a standard barrel wrench won't fit it.

Pipe wrench with leather pad -- better idea than vise grips. I bet I can hit the minimum torque value with that. I'll be paying more attention to barrel nuts when I buy rails in the future. Thanks again for all the suggestions. Cheers, Whisper

Thanks to all for your suggestions -- especially to you, bruiser09; making CAD drawings is really beyond the call of duty. I appreciate it. Yes, the nut has 42 teeth. I agree it probably requires a proprietary nut wrench, which was why I wanted to see if someone could identify the maker. I've seen a fair number of barrel nuts before but nothing like this. The problem with the idea of strap wrenches, chain wrenches, vise grips with leather pads, and barrel vises is that none of them offers a way to measure torque. I'm not worried I can overtorque this nut with a strap wrench, but I do want to make sure I can reach minimum torque. If we can't identify the maker, I'll probably throw this into the vise, tighten it as much as I can with vise grips padded with leather, and then fire the first few rounds through the gun from behind a barrier. Thanks again, Whisper

It's completely unmarked. I was told it was a Diamondback but it doesn't look to me like anything on the current Diamondback website. Thanks, Whisper

Strap wrench is all I can think of unless someone knows the brand of this barrel nut so that I can see about getting a wrench that will fit it. The problem with a strap wrench is measuring the torque value.

Holy moly. The story seems to hint at the possibility of some history between Munroe and the home invaders, which might be relevant. But absent that, it's hard to imagine how defending yourself with a gun taken from your assailant could produce a raft of criminal charges like this. Except in a police state, in which case all bets are off. Astonished, Whisper

I need some help from someone who has a wider range of experience building ARs than I do. Somewhere along the line I acquired the free-float handguard pictured here; purchased at some gun show probably a couple of years ago. I'm now doing a build in which I can use this handguard. However, when I purchased it I did not notice that it uses an odd barrel nut, as you can see here. Anybody know who made this handguard? There's no maker's name anywhere on it. And, what am I going to use to torque this barrel nut? I have a two-ended barrel wrench but neither end will fit this. Thanks, Whisper

My father has tried to reestablish a quail population on his land near Manchester; he's worked with Quail Unlimited and started a couple of coveys that are around for a year or two and then disappear. We don't know if they move away or are all killed off -- we aren't hunting them. Dad's too old to work on a project like this any more so I guess it will eventually fall to me or else it will be abandoned. It's too bad that quail hunting has about died out across the South. Some of my most enjoyable memories of the outdoor sports involve quail hunting.

Yeah, this is a remarkable story for NPR, since they have to be aware that greater acceptance of suppressors/silencers in the military will likely spread into the civilian world also. Maybe they're going to start reporting more honestly on firearms related issues...naw, stop dreaming. Cheers, Whisper

Let's hope this is a serious bill and not just another diversionary way for the GOP to pretend to be pro-gun. The HPA would already be enacted if the Republicans had any serious interest in it. The fact that it hasn't been says a lot about the current administration's real feelings about gun rights. Remember that Trump was a gun-banning Democrat before he decided it was more advantageous to pretend to be a Republican. Cheers, Whisper

Action job on one revolver, possible repair on another. Because they are discontinued models I want the work done by someone with experience; not just some guy with a vise and a hammer who thinks he can work on guns.

I'm signed up. I last trained with Tom Givens at his old Rangemaster facility in Memphis back in 2005. Anyone else going? Cheers, Whisper

No ideas at all? How about recommendations of Nashville/Murfreesboro gunsmiths to avoid? Thanks, Whisper

Looks like I'll be able to make this one. Hope the match is BUG friendly. Cheers, Whisper

Does MTSC have more than on FB page? The one I just checked hasn't had any new posts since May 7.

Thanks, DMark. Probably too late for me to rearrange my weekend schedule now but at least I'll know for next month.

I think this is one of those films that deserves the big-screen treatment for full enjoyment. And, concealed means concealed.