Knox Al

I had planned on going. Even got a red dot sight for .22 pistol, but will be in Chattanooga for a funeral. Hope to be there next month, it is a lot of fun.

How did you bid online? I tried to bid while a couple of items were being auctioned, after the Gone Live button came on and I couldn't place one. It looked like you had to post your top price before the item went to auction. A Browning Buckmark I wanted went for $325, no bargain after the add ons, but a fair price.   Al

What is the tool above the barrel weights? Did it come with two mags?   Thanks Al

I have taken this off line with Jon, but it happened on Friday 01/25/13 and it is not a perception, it is a fact.   Al

I went to the match on Sat. Had a lot of fun until I ran out of CCI Mini Mags. The .22 conversion kit on my Sig 22 just would not work with 38 grain Federal. It jammed on every shot so I quit the match after stage three. Will get some high priced ammo on Gunbroker and go next month. I went to two WalMarts, Gander Mountain and even sunk into going to Coal Creek, none had any CCI ammo. Had the usual Coal Creek experience. Two employees at the desk. Waited while one group checked in and another checked out for the range. Both finished at the same time. One employee walked off and the other said I'll be with you in a minute. He typed into the computer for about five minutes and they asked me what I needed. They must train them to give poor customer service.   Al

Thinking about trying the Steel Challenge at ORSA. I have a new to me Sig P226 and a .22 conversion kit. Would like to practice with it on more than paper targets at the indoor range.   Questions: Is the group accepting of a newbie or is it sort of exclusive race gun type meet? Would this gun work ok, I just want to have fun and practice, no plan or hope to win a competition? Anyone on the board who is going to the next match and willing to take me under their wing?   Thanks, Al    

  Great point. My understanding is that after the threat is removed you should drop the mag, empty the chamber lock the slide back and place the gun on the ground at your feet. This way you are not an armed person at the scene of a shooting when the cops roll up.   Al

I went to the gun auction at Powell Auction on Pleasant Ridge Road on Sat. morning instead of the gun show. Most guns there were selling for more than retail. Saw an Colt AR15 bring $2,500 and you had to pay a 13% buyers premium. I wanted to get a Sig P238, they sold three for $605 to $625 each, again before the 13% buyers premiun and sales tax of 9.25%. I stayed until an air rifle I wanted sold for more than retail.     Al

I've been thinking about an AK but must be missing something here. Atlantic Firearm's website lists an Arsenal AK 47 Sam7 Classic Milled AK rifle at a sale price of $1,989 off the regular price of $2,039. More looking shows a SLR-101S for $1,005. Is this the rifle you are talking about? Al

Yesterday I received the Sig P230 I purchased on Gunbroker. It was made in 1986 if I have the serial number dates correctly. I took it to the range today and put a box of PMC ammo through it. At 20 feet I kept all except a couple in the 9 ring and quite a few in the center ring. I was suprised by the accuracy of the little gun with it's 3 1/2 inch barrel. Plan to use it for EDC with Hydra Shok ammo. Now to find a good IWB holster, I need good concealment at work. Al

I had a doctors appointment this morning in downtown Knoxville. It took a couple of hours, much longer than I anticipated. I also had some business at the Motor Vehicle Department in the Old Knox County Courthouse for my employer. So I drove over to the courthouse thinking about what I had to do at work today and how to make up for the lost time. Parked on the street and went into the Old Courthouse. I placed my bag on the rollers for the X-ray machine and began to put my keys, wallet and cell phone in the tray. The deputy at the X-ray machine walked back to the front of the machine and held up my briefcase. He asked "Whose is this"? I said "It's mine". The deputy asked "Do you have a carry permit"? It then hit me, my 1970's age S&W J frame is in my briefcase. I grabbed my wallet from the tray and showed him my Handgun Carry Permit and said "I'm sorry, I wasn't thinking about having that in my briefcase. I'll go put it in the car and come back". He said ok, and handed my briefcase to me. I sure thought I was in trouble but it turned out to be nothing, thanks to a deputy with some common sense. Al

I bought a Sig factory .22 conversion kit to put on my Sig P226 for some cheaper shooting with the gun. Could not get the takedown lever to go up when installing the kit. Took it to the Predator shop this morning. The gunsmith there found the problem in five minutes. Cost was "No Charge" and he wished me fun shooting with it. If you need some gunsmith work in Knoxville I would suggest Predator Custom Shop. No affiliation, just found a great business to recommend. Al

Me too. After shooting a Sig 226 I am selling off the Glocks and switching to Sigs. The Glock is a good gun and shoots well, cheap and reliable. I just prefer Sigs. Al

I must disagree. Spoke to a salesman in person, he said the transfer fee is $50.00 if they stock the gun. Things must have changed since you were there. Alan

I use their range becuase it is the closest and most convenient to home and work. I have bought a couple of guns there is the past, but no more. They wanted $50 for a FFL transfer if they stock the gun. I was buying a used gun to save money so I went somewhere else for the transfer. The salesmen are a little less arrogant than they used to be. Al

Thanks for the thoughtful replies, I'll just have to mull over what to do with a firearm, as there is no clearcut answer. As for the biking advice, I'll just skip that as it is worthless. JReeds, thanks for the posting of the law, and your thoughts coming from a cyclist view. Wishing you a speedy recovery from your injury.

I am a bicycle rider and take 70-100 mile rides on most Saturdays. Most of these rides are on rural roads. This means many dog owners allow their dogs to roam free. Something about a bicycle rider attracks most dogs attention. Some want to race, others chase you while barking, a few intend to attack and cause bodily harm. Fox Labs pepper spray has been my defense against these dogs. Spray them in the face and they quit chasing you and go home. I had my first failure last weekend while riding the Tour de Tellico. A boxer type was running just ahead of me and trying to close in on my leg. I attempted to spray him with the pepper spray. The headwind was so strong and the can 3/4 empty it would not reach his face. He must have caught a whiff as he swerved ahead and darted in front of my bicycle. I hit him just ahead of his hip which knocked my bike over to the right. By some miracle I didn't go down which would have caused severe road rash and damage to my bike. Thinking about buying a .22 derringer and using rat shot for this type of problem as I have a HCP. What would be the law concerning discharging a firearm on a public road. Most I have read seems to deal with hunting. Don't want to do anything to lose my permit or get a fine. I also don't want to break my ribs and ruin a carbon frame bicycle because some idiot won't control his dog. Al

Has anyone shot the steel challenge match at ORSA? Thinking about trying the rimfire and/or rimfire optics. Like some feedback on what to expect. Thanks Alan

I want to take some marksmanship courses. Has anyone taken a course at Coal Creek? Any opinions? Thanks Al

The install doesn't look like any problem at all. My main question was the sighting in after installation. With the rear sight being adjustable, I guess I would just need to do some range work. Al

When my stolen Glock 35 was returned to me the rear sight was missing. I've received from Dawson Precision their rear adjustable sight and a .300 tall front fiber optic sight. They supplied installation instructions and the tools needed, except for the locktite. Is this a DIY? How difficult is it to get the gun sighted in after installation? Would a gunsmith do that if they installed the sights? Thanks Al

Met with Officer McNew this morning and picked up the previously stolen Glock 35. It was none the worse for wear except the slide release button is a bit shiny from carrying. The mag was stripped and just a shell. Someone had added a Pachmayr slip-on grip and I have a Chicago Police Department evidence tag as a souvenir. The officer took my ID and then ran a background check before he would return the gun. Al

Got another call from the KPD. The officer said my stolen Glock had been received by them and I could come pick it up at the property division tomorrow. I just need to have an ID and the serial number of the gun. Looks like the convicted felon who had it when he was arrested must have plea bargained or been let go. Maybe he is related to a guy from Chicago who recently moved to Washington, DC so he got his charges dropped. I'll let you know the guns condition when I get it.

Update I got a call this morning from the Recovered Property Division of the KPD. The officer told me that the person picked up in Chicago that had my gun was a convicted felon. I'm not sure if he is charged with another crime or just a felon being in possession of a handgun. He said I could expect to get the gun back in 12 to 14 months, unless the ATF gets involved which would double the time. The only bright spot is that if the guy takes a plea deal, I could it back much sooner.

I don't mean this as a slam on the KPD, as I know they are busy, but let me go through what it took to get the serial numbers in the system. The investigating officer would not take the serial numbers, he said the forensics team would do that. He gave me a card with the case number and a phone contact. I gave the serial numbers to the forsenics team. Called the police contact number after a few days, no numbers in the system. Gave them to the person to put in. A few days later a investigator called to see if I had any more information to add. I didn't, but had him check the computer system. No serial numbers were on file. I gave them to him and he said he would put them in. A few days later I go to the KPD office to pick up a copy of the police report. Two of the three serial numbers are incorrect. I'm getting a little ticked off at this point, so I call Lt. Monty Boone, head of the property crimes division and explain what is going on. He is very concerned and calls me back a couple of hours later and says everything is fixed. As I write this I am wondering if the report really did get corrected as I don't remember which gun number was correct. I think I'll call the KPD and check on the serial numbers on file. Al