Category Archives: Pistol

Caliber swapping in pistols: Getting 2 or more handguns out of one, on a budget.

 

Previously I wrote an article on Pistol Caliber Versatility  comparing what calibers could be shot in place of the main round.

In this article I want to discuss a similar topic, shooting different calibers, safely in a pistol by swapping minimal parts. In this case either the barrel or the barrel and magazine.

That’s a Glock 31 in .357 with a .40 S&W to 9mm Luger conversion barrel, yes you can!

Continue reading Caliber swapping in pistols: Getting 2 or more handguns out of one, on a budget.

Pistol Caliber Versatility, Choosing the weapon that has the most ammunition choices

Over the decades of my life, I have seen ammo (as well as guns, gun parts and magazines) go through phases of abundance ($5 box of 9mm, $7 Magpul magazines) to short supply (13 round Glock 23 mags for $89, AR-15’s tripling in price and .223 55FMJ for $1 per round and 9mm could not be found). Continue reading Pistol Caliber Versatility, Choosing the weapon that has the most ammunition choices

Testing defensive ammo, how I do it.

When you carry a weapon for defense of yourself and or others, the right ammunition choice is imperative. Over the years I have switched ammo several times, ammunition for defense has come a long way and new rounds come out what seems to be yearly. I have no trouble trying something new to be better prepared.

There are certain criteria that are a must:
• Effective ballistics: terminal performance. I get this info from research
• Function: feed, eject and slide lock
• Accuracy: for me that is can I hit a chest of a human at 50 yards every time while standing and can I, from a bench with a rest put the round into a human head size target every time
• Controllability: multiple shots / follow-up shots are a must

A few samples of defensive ammo

Continue reading Testing defensive ammo, how I do it.

XS Sites, the final stage!

In June of 2014 I wrote my original articles on my visit to XS Sights. Yes, I just published them here in May. In this report I want to go over my results of using them for all 2015.

Early winter 2014 I installed a set of XS big dot sights on my Glock 19. I chose to install them myself though, as I noted in the first article, one could mail their slide to the XS factory in Ft. Worth and have them installed. I had previously bought their AR front sight, three actually. I will have to get you a review on those soon.

Continue reading XS Sites, the final stage!

XS Sight Systems Visit – Part 2, Handgun Sights

Previously I wrote about my visit to XS Sights manufacturing facility in Fort Worth Texas. That article was focused on their business. This one is focused on what has made them famous, their handgun sights.

I want to start this article with a statement; anyone who has taken handgun training should have heard “find the front sight!” or something close to that. While this article is not about how to shoot, you must have your sights on target before you squeeze a round off, and finding the sights quickly under the stress of a real world firefight or a competition is a lot harder than you think. Continue reading XS Sight Systems Visit – Part 2, Handgun Sights

XS Sight Systems Visit – Part 1, The Business

On April 4th, 2014 I was taking care of estate issues at my grandmother’s house in Fort Worth Texas. It was during this time I had the privilege of visiting XS Sight’s facilities, just 1 ½ miles from my grandmother’s house. If I had known that is where they were all these years, I would have visited them many times!

XS Sight Systems was the brain child of Ed Pastusek, who had a manufacturing facility called Horizon Tech Industries that made some very special parts for the medical industry. Founded in 1984 – yes folks, that was 30 years ago) Ed created a trusted business in the medical industry, something rare and even rarer to still be in business. This very day, one of their parts is used every 3 seconds in surgery. Machining and manufacturing were in Ed’s blood and in his family. Continue reading XS Sight Systems Visit – Part 1, The Business