Guns - A Six-Month Review

Springfield XD Mod.2 SC

Six months ago, Mrs. Untactical and I entered the world of firearms and shooting sports. What does that mean? So far, it means we've purchased two 9mm handguns, including the Springfield XD Mod.2 Sub-compact pictured at left.

I'm still in love with our first-born (okay, the first gun we bought), a Ruger 9E, but this little Springfield, which is ostensibly my wife's CCW (concealed-carry weapon), is a very nice pistol. Frankly, I'm thinking hard about getting one for me also!

Our Ruger 9E continues to be the Little Engine That Could.  Exhibit A is this image. On the right target is the first 9E magazine I shot at a recent date night on the range. The 9E has a 17-round capacity and I just stepped up from five yards out and unloaded it with no particular end in mind other than hitting the target.

On the left is the last target of the night, also from five yards out. Absent a couple of flyers, which I understand even the best shooters experience, I put 15 rounds inside a 3-inch group. That Ruger 9e runs!

Ruger 9E from 5-yards

Fiocchi 9mm 115gr FMJ

And, when I say the Ruger 9E runs, I mean we've put a combined 1,200 + rounds through it with zero - ZERO - malfunctions. We've shot everything from Winchester White Box (115 grain FMJ) to Remington's version of that same load, to my new favorite: Fiocchi.

Our local gun store carries the 115gr FMJ Fiocchi pictured at left at around $9 for a box of 50ea. That is cheaper than I've seen it online at the so-called discount outlets.

We've also run a few different personal defense rounds through the Ruger and it has happily cycled everything. We're currently loading at home with Hornady American Gunner 9mm Luger 115 Grain XTP Jacketed Hollow Point. I know... it's not heavy (i.e., 147 grain), but it's about half the price of the first home defense ammo we were sold (at a more up-scale store).

Don't get me wrong. I really liked Speer's 9mm 147gr Gold Dot ammunition but, at $25 for 20 rounds? I'll stick to Hornady for the time being.

The journey so far...

In the last six months, we've learned that gun experts are about as plentiful as sand spurs in a Florida vacant lot during the summer. I mean to tell you, if you need to know something about guns - anything - there are a hundred people just waiting to give you the answer(s) you need. A few other lessons learned are:

1. The Lay's Potato Chip rule: You can probably guess where we're going here. Guns are like Lay's in that you can't have just one. We just bought our Springfield at the end of March (missing Springfield's freaking free magazine promo by four stinking days!) and I'm already plotting how to get gun number three.
2. Money doesn't grow on trees: See number 1. If we had unlimited funds, I'd probably have as many guns as Hickok45 by now. Okay. Maybe not that many, but we'd have a lot!
3. There are experts and then there are experts: See number 2. Hickok45 has more than three million (million!) subscribers to his YouTube channel. Notwithstanding all the recent de-monetizing, threats to suspend gun channels and so on, look for the channels (on YouTube and elsewhere) that offer #commonsense, high-quality content. Besides Hickok45, a few more I respect and highly recommend are Sootch00, John Lovell (of Warrior Poet Society fame), Geauga Firearms Academy (Neil and Kim offer a valuable husband and wife perspective and this is one of the first channels I found - great stuff), and Armed and Feminine (Kelly Ann Pidgeon is a certified NRA instructor and brings valuable and professional advice that benefits both Mrs. Untactical as well as yours truly).

I won't lie. I'm subscribed to about 70 YouTube channels. A lot of those are vendors, because each vendor has a channel and I have to subscribe to them to enter contests! But don't ignore the vendors just because they want to sell you something. Springfield Armory did an amazing job with their Night of the Saint series.  And whether I purchase one of their AR variants or not, it was a great video that taught me a lot about how to operate an AR-style rifle.

What's next?

Probably the biggest thing we've learned as this journey continues is that it will never be finished. The firearm community is filled with millions of unique, amazing people, all with their own story to tell and wisdom to share. Our lives have been enriched by the new knowledge we have gained. Owning and operating firearms is not just about keeping your family and home safe, although that's a big part of it. We've thoroughly enjoyed getting to know the great people who give freely of their expertise online as well as those who work and frequent the local gun stores and ranges. To a person, they have been open, honest, and forthright. They will tell you if they disagree with you, and tell you why.

But it doesn't mean they don't like you! For example, I prefer the 9mm cartridge and have taken some good-natured ribbing from the, "Nothing good comes out of a pistol barrel unless it begins with "4"," folks. I respect their opinion and I like to think they respect mine. In fact, after handling a few down at the local store, I'm looking forward to purchasing a 1911 chambered in .45 ACP. I may not carry it every day, and it may not replace my nightstand gun, but I appreciate the timelessness and quality of the design and am anxious to shoot one and see for myself what all the hub-bub is about!

When I was in the Air Force, I trained with an M-16, eventually qualifying as expert. To all the Soldiers and Marines out there, that means about squat. But to me, it means I'm very much looking forward to getting my very own AR-15. That's not a popular subject these days and I feel a certain sense of urgency because one never knows how the laws of the land may change. I'd like to think that our Second Amendment rights will remain un-infringed, but there are some loud, screeching voices out there that are getting  a lot of attention.

In short, what does the future hold? More guns, more learning, more getting to know others in the community, and hopefully, more writing about our experiences so that other Newbies like us can enjoy the journey as much as we have.

In the words of Sootch00, "Be strong, be of good courage, God bless America, and long live the Republic."

Mr. Untactical