Car: BMW 325i

Ah the Beamer.  I recently "inherited" my brothers former 92 BMW 325i.  Although it needs some work to be in perfect shape, all things considered the car is in pretty good shape. The major advantage of having the Beamer, as I see it, is not only does it get a little better mileage than my Ranger, It is available.  This leaves a little more freedom to look around and try to fix things myself since I have the luxury of more than 1 night to fix any problems that may arise with either vehicle.

Despite the fact that it runs pretty well the Beamer does need some work.  The major things being an oil leak and a break squeal.  Neither of these problems should take more than a weekend to fix and shouldn't actually cost much in parts.  The minor fixes include fixing a door handle, rewiring/securing the head unit for the stereo, and possibly a new glovebox.  None of these problems should be hard to fix but may take a day or weekend just because they are all really troubleshooting problems

Once I fix the oil leak and break squeak I have some upgrade plans.  First the practical... The first being, replacing the current non-functioning sunroof.  Not even sure why it doesnt work.  Motor seems to work sunroof just doesn't move.  So if the panel won't move anyway I would like to replace it with a glass panel so it will atleast serve as a skylight.

The impractical upgrades are sorta dreams that I'm not sure if I will follow or even be able to do.  The first is ugrading the engine from the 2.5L V6 to a "Modern" M3 V8. This is possible but may be challenging.  The real difficult task is replacing/converting the transmission.  Mike and I would like to try to fabricate or replace the current automatic transmission with a manual one.

Gun: Firestorm 45 Compact

Its kinda funny.  Of all the guys I own, the Firestorm is actually my favorite. 

 I bought or received all my firearms for one reason or another.  My Sig Sauer P229 .40 caliber, I bought because I wanted a 40 that i would be able to use to improve my pistol skill and so I could carry it concealed.  And I really do enjoy shooting my Sig.  I actually compromised on my Sig.  Despite it is the most expensive gun I own, there are things I would do to change it.  Night sights being one of them.  Additionally although I bought it specifically for concealed carry... I rarely carry it because of its boxy frame.  It makes me feel like everybody can see it under my shirt.

My Beretta 96D Brigidier .40.  Really nice gun.  I wanted it because it is one of the firearms my dad carried on the job.  It is a really nice gun.  I would still change it.  Being that it is a double action only model, the trigger pull is really long and  I find it hard to shoot.  Personally I don't prefer a pistol that is designed for single action and converted to double only.  I am going to see if it is possible to convert it to DA/SA.

My Ruger Security Six .357 I wanted because my dad carried it and to hunt.  I decided not to even buy my hunting license last year because I haven't hunted in 4 years because it was difficult with school.  So aside from the 1 time I took it to the range it hasn't even left my gun cabinet.

And my Springfield Armory GI Champion.  Really nice classic 1911.  I actually traded it on a less expensive gun.  I bought the GI because I have always liked Browning's classic 1911 design.  I researched and looked around and decided on the GI because of its simplicity and close proximity to the original design.  Still wasn't perfect.  I could not shoot it.  Not only were the sights small and difficult to aim, the internal ejector had a tendency to flick spent shells right into my forehead.
  
So its funny that the Firestorm is my favorite for a few reasons.  First of all, it is the only gun I bought used.  And being used it needs some work.  The beaver tail safety doesn't work right and the trigger needs some adjusting.  Second, the Firestorm has no history for me.  I bought it because it was on sale.  I ended up only paying 100 dollars for it after trading the GI on it.  I decided to trade my GI because, to put bigger sights on it and adjust the ejector would have involved major changes to the slide that would be irreversible.  Third, the Firestorm is not what I would have thought I wanted.  I usually have an aversion to flashy guns.  My usual preference is utilitarian black coatings.  The Firestorm is a Tu-tone with a black slide and silver frame. 
I decided to buy the Firestorm because it is used.  Being not a top of the line gun I felt that I wouldn't cause me heart ache first of all if it blew up and secondly if it needed work to improve it in the future.

The things I want to "improve" are the grips, sights and finish.  I really like the Nighthawk "Golfball" grips and will probably upgrade to them.  Not decided on the sights yet.  Like the standard height 3 dot sights that are on it but might like night sights at some point.  The finish is not as important to me as I thought it would be.  I either want to "paint/beadblast" the whole gun and go with a black matte finish or just have the frame refinished to match the blueing on the slide closer.

 








 

Car: Mariokart Wii

Mariokart Wii

Yeah. I went there.  If you don't want to see yourself as a gamer but you need something to... Wii is the way to go.  I also have an Xbox 360 but the Nintendo Wii is way more fun for parties.  Especially Mariokart. 

The controls for Mariokart are really simple.  It just takes some skill to get on to them.  However, once you're on to it you could be a "contenda". 
Generally a fun game to play with your friends and just enjoy the evening. 

Gun: Holsters

Holsters

Originally this was going to be a post about holsters in general.  There are enough good posts out there that can give you a 10 page run down on any holster ever made.  I could cover all that again but felt that since these other guys had done such a good job already I wouldn't step on their toes.  I decided to just give you my opinion on the different methods.

Hip Carry

As a small guy I don't like the hip carry for concealed carry.  My big problem is that this has to have a jacket or sweatshirt worn over it to cover up the weapon.  No, its not a problem to add a sweatshirt or jacket to what your wearing, my problem is that you can't take the sweatshirt or jacket off without exposing your piece.  Hip carry however does have one big advantage... Speed.  Hip carry is without a doubt the quickest to draw.  This is how I carry my gun at the range, for simple ease of access.  My choice for the range is a simple pancake holster.  It is a versatile enough holster to at least loosely hold any of the guns I own right on my hip.  Speed and Ease of Access are the two big reasons this is how the police carry their guns.  Additionally, in a "Going to War" situation or "Zombie Apocalypse" as some call it, If your not trying to hide it this is the way to go.  I actually prefer this over a thigh drop holster for those situations because with the drop holster you lose a one pocket or with cargo pants both a side pocket and a thigh cargo pocket.  My favorite for open "war" carry is the Blackhawk Serpa holster which can be fitted for a pistol with a light/laser attached.  The Serpa has a custom molded fit to your gun with a retention button that is easily disengaged by the shooter.  With the retention system of the Serpa it can be used as hip, leg or vest holster.  For concealment on the hip I would choose a Raven Concealment holster.  I have heard nothing but good about these close to body kydex holsters.

Shoulder Carry

Not a fan.  For FBI and Detectives.  Again needs a jacket to cover the weapon.  Other than having to get the gun off your belt I don't like this style.  The advantage here is that you can carry even a huge weapon like a Desert Eagle concealed if you use a vertical rig.  In the "War" situation getting your gun off your belt gives you more room for ammo.

Small of Back

My favorite.  With little more than a light t shirt this is the easiest way for me to carry.  I will admit that with a jacket this is easily concealed.  However with heavy t-shirt untucked I feel you can still conceal in this position after you take off your jacket.  Just my opinion, I'm sure it can be debated but thats how I like it.  My favorite is a
left-handed In the Waist Band (IWB) in the small of my back.  Conceals real easy and its not too uncomfortable.

Car: Ford Ranger

Ford Ranger (need a good picture of my truck... coming soon)

I used to drive a Red 2000 2.4 liter Nissan Frontier King Cab XE.  I loved that truck.  It did what I needed it to.  It was a truck and it got me where I needed to go.  I basically learned how to drive stick on that truck and anybody I knew who asked me if I could teach them how to drive stick got hands on experience with that truck.  As I used to say, "Just drive it, and don't worry anything you do I have already done."

There is apparently a factory defect in the standard transmission that was in my Nissan.  One of the "cluster packs" in my transmission disintegrated and destroyed the rest of the transmission.  That left me without a vehicle.     

When I started looking for a new vehicle I had already decided, although I would like a car to autocross, I needed a truck to get me around first.  At first I looked into newer Nissan with a similar package to the one I had.  I decided against this because of a number of minor things that were starting wrong, and of course the transmission, on my 2000.  I decided I wanted more power so if I needed to tow something I could.  This ruled out anything with a 4 cylinder.  So my initial considerations were the Ranger, Dodge Dakota, Toyota Tacoma, and Chevy Colorado.  I ruled out the Colorado because many of the people I know who had S-10s and then Colorados were unsatisfied.  The trucks just seemed to have minor problems that became a thorn in the side.

I also wanted a truck with not too much mileage on it that I was going to have to worry immediately about not the drivetrain but other body problems.  This made me rule out the Tacoma because I was unable to find any in my price range with less than 100-120 thousand miles.  The engines and transmission in them were still good but they made me worry about other things going wrong.

Next I was able to rule out the Dakota because even the Rams little brother/lighter duty Dakota had no engine smaller than a V8.  This was a question to me because although not a large truck the gas mileage would be no better than a full size.

This left me search pretty much for a Ranger that I liked.  However I was done searching yet.  It still took me sometime to find EVERYTHING I wanted in the truck with low enough mileage.  I had decided that no matter what truck I would get it had to have a least a 6 cylinder engine, extended cab, manual transmission, 4 wheel drive, and have less than 60 thousand miles.

I was eventually able to find that in my present truck 2 hours away from my house in Altoona.  And boy did it all look good when it went together.  The truck I found and now call my own is a 2004 Sonic Blue Ford Ranger XLT extended cab with a lift kit and offroad tires.

There are a few upgrades I want to do to my truck.  First, I would like to put a K/N cone filter in my truck to replace the standard air filter.  These filters are less restrictive allowing more air into your engine to combust better and get better fuel mileage at low throttle and more horsepower at high throttle.  I am also thinking about putting a tow package on it.  Obviously, my Ranger did not come with a factory towing setup.  I found out from a neighbor that the hitch that attaches to the frame for a tow package can be purchased at Advance Auto along with a few other places for a very reasonable $125.  The one built for the Ranger actually requires no cutting and only a few bolts to attach the hitch to the frame.  All of this can be done in the comfort of your own garage.  The only real problem with the two package is if you are trying to haul a really large trailer that needs electric to work the brakes and lights.  It can be done but I may need some help with this because I am not very good at wiring.  Once I've seen it I could probably pull it off but right now I don't know exactly how it would go together.

Thinking about a new car?

Someone sent this to me and I thought it was interesting

Can you imagine having the same car for 82 years?
["Mr. Allen Swift of Springfield Massachusetts received this 1928 Rolls-Royce Picadilly P1 Roadster from his father, brand new, as a graduation gift in 1928.

He drove it up until his death last year, at age 102!  He was the oldest living owner of a car from new.  He donated it to a Springfield museum after his death.  It had a 170,000 miles on it but still runs like a finely tuned Swiss watch. It is dead silent at any speed and is in perfect cosmetic shape.
That works out to about 2000 miles per year."]

Hope you all like this. I was impressed and amazed when I received this in an email.

Gun: Springfield GI Champion

Springfield Armory GI Champion (.45ACP)

Specifications from the manufacturer:
Barrel Length: 4 inches
Capacity: 7 rounds
Sights: fixed box rear and blade front

As promised, my baby, my Springfield Armory GI Champion.  This is the somewhat little brother of the well know 1911A1.  It has a 4 in. instead of the standard 5 in. barrel 1911s are known for.  The grip, however, is still full size. Meaning, although it has a shortened barrel the GI Champion will still accept just about standard 1911 mag. 

 There are a lot of options when youre in the market for a 1911.  Size, hammer type,beavertail safety types and trigger style to name a few.  I choose Springfield because of 2 things. 1. Its history, Springfield Armory being a major provider of the weapons carried by our troops in World War II.  I seem to watch a lot of WWII stuff.  2. I choose Springfield for price. Springfield Armory produces a wide variety of 1911s for a resonably low price.  Some people like Kimbers Custom Pistols.  My opinion... Kimbers are very nice guns but they are also expensive.  I choose the GI for its simplicity.  The Springfield Armory GI series is designed to appear just like the actual Colt and Springfield 1911s of WWII.  The GI series has a standard spur hammer, a stripped down trigger and a smoothed beaver tail safety.  The GI series also have a parkerized finish and kind of a matte like finish.  similar to the rough finish on a shotgun.  Other 1911s have combinations of the following, Skeletonized hammer, skeleton or match trigger, extended beaver tail and hand guard, and come in nickel or black finish. 
I actually have 3 different magazines for my Springfield.  I have the 1 Springfield 7-round mag. that came with it, 1 7-round Kimber mag. and 1 ProMag 8-round mag.  I bought the Kimber mag. at the same time I bought the gun because I like to have atleast 2 magazines, if for no other reason, simply to make shooting and reloading at the range faster and easier.  I ended up buying the 8-round ProMag a few weeks later because I have a 2 mag. carrier that came in the box with the gun.

When I bought the ProMag I started carrying that in the gun because it gave me an 8th round.  I have since decided that I like the way the standard mag. fits flush with the bottom of the gun better and have resigned the ProMag 8-rounder to my carrier for range use.

On the issue of Concealed Carry some people feel that spare mags. are necessary to be carried at all times.  Personally it is easier to just carry the gun in a holster without the hassle of trying to decide how and where you want to put your extra mags.  My opinion is if the gun itself doesn't deescalate the conflict it really isn't going to matter if you have spare ammunition.  You have a bigger problem that a few more rounds probably won't fix.

In the packaging with the pistol was also a tension holster that seems to be standard with the purchase of a Springfield pistol.  It is a pretty nice holster for hip carry or to stow your empty weapon at the range.

I like a standard pancake belt holster for versatility on the range better.  The holster I have for my 229, a Goodrich and Gould black leather Pancake holster, seems to be able to hold just about any of my guns, somewhat loose but still on your person comfortably for the range.  I would not carry a gun in a holster not intended for it for concealed carry, but I think this setup is fine for on the range.

My favorite holster for concealing the Springfield is a Desantis Small of the Back in black leather.  I am however, still getting used to the Desantis holster.  my standard pancake has a snap and strap to secure the weapon.  the Desantis Small of the Back does not have the security strap but instead a tension bolt similar to the polymer tension holster I got with the gun.  It does hold the gun secure, but, probably just being paranoid again, I feel like the .45 might fall out.  It won't, I've checked.  Just seems odd without the security strap and snap. 

Seeing as I digressed quite a bit there on holsters I should probably do a post on what I'm talking about soon.  So I guess in the near future I will do a basic run down, with pics for the visual minded, of a few of the different holster I have come in contact with.