Gun nuts - I need your advice

[jpeyton]

Got the SKS by trading an AR lower, 300 bullets and cash.

Unless that was a very special SKS, you got taken for a ride.

 

[Phanuel]

Unless that was a very special SKS, you got taken for a ride.

I have some prime Utah beachfront property I'd like to trade for some AR lowers... jesus man.

 

[Jeeebus]

PSA usually has good prices but Brownells prices, and other place like Midway are usually more expensive.

I wouldn't call them "deals," but I've picked up some 9mm brass from brownells in the last month or so at the $12.50 - $13.00/box price point. With $5 shipping, it beats most of what is currently out there.

Agree that it's usually not a great deal, but I guess we take what we can get.

 

[Nintendesert]

lol... even Cabelas raised the prices on most of their ammo. Kudos to companies like Brownells and Palmetto State Armory that are keeping prices at non-stupid inflated points.

I like Cabelas when they have a sale on ammo, they allow backorders and get pretty good inventory in due to their size so it doesn't stay backordered for long.

I got 2000 rounds of the high velocity 22LR when it was on sale and just backordered it all, took a week to get it. You can't find the stuff anywhere else right now and my 10/22 TD needed to be fed! :biggrin:

 

[madoka]

Just ordered a Surefire X400 and a Viridian X5L. Should be interesting to compare the two of them.

I also ordered a Aimpoint magnifier. That thing costs five times as much as a Primary Arms red dot magnifier. What's so special about it?

 

[pontifex]

Unless that was a very special SKS, you got taken for a ride.

need details.

What brand AR lower? A cheap one from PSA when they had a sale for $60?

What ammo? wolf ammo is inexpensive, 300 rounds is like $70.

how much cash?

An SKS usually goes for $300 before all this panic buying.

 

[pontifex]

Just ordered a Surefire X400 and a Viridian X5L. Should be interesting to compare the two of them.

I also ordered a Aimpoint magnifier. That thing costs five times as much as a Primary Arms red dot magnifier. What's so special about it?

Aimpoints are made for duty use, like military and police. they are made rugged and last. very good quality.

PA is probably chinese made and made for range guns, not duty use.

 

[RampantAndroid]

Aimpoints are made for duty use, like military and police. they are made rugged and last. very good quality.

PA is probably chinese made and made for range guns, not duty use.

Yeah - I had a PA because I wanted something cheap before I got my TA31RCO. I got what I paid for - when moving, the dot would actually move. Aimpoint, EOTech, Trijicon and such are built for military use. My 4x ACOG cost 1,300 and is the version the Army uses...as in, the same one. Point being, when you want something reliable and built well, you must pay for it.

 

[boomhower]

Just ordered a Surefire X400 and a Viridian X5L. Should be interesting to compare the two of them.

I also ordered a Aimpoint magnifier. That thing costs five times as much as a Primary Arms red dot magnifier. What's so special about it?

Reliability and battery life are the big one. The PA dots have horrible battery life, Aimpoint's literally last years on a battery. The PA dots are not crap. They are generally pretty darn reliable and hold zero very very well. For a range/plinker they are very fine optics. The guy that runs the place is a stand up dude with very good customer service. For duty or HD use get the aimpoint but if it's just a plinker the PA would serve you just fine. I have an Aimpoint Pro and it's a bargain at $400, often at $380 on sale. It also comes with a mount.

 

[pontifex]

Reliability and battery life are the big one. The PA dots have horrible battery life, Aimpoint's literally last years on a battery. The PA dots are not crap. They are generally pretty darn reliable and hold zero very very well. For a range/plinker they are very fine optics. The guy that runs the place is a stand up dude with very good customer service. For duty or HD use get the aimpoint but if it's just a plinker the PA would serve you just fine. I have an Aimpoint Pro and it's a bargain at $400, often at $380 on sale. It also comes with a mount.

I have the Aimpoint Pro also. Not a big fan of the mount that comes with it but I already spending $400 on the thing, I wasn't going to spend another $100 to get a different mount.

 

[madoka]

I think, given your budget, a nice setup would be an EXPS + DBAL.

EXPS 3-0 is now on its way.

Also picked up an ACOG TA02. They leave prison in 10 days along with a SW M&P 45. Placed a deposit on a Glock 17 and I'll be able to get it as soon as my 30 day waiting period is up.

My Surefire X400, Crimson Trace (second set) and Truglo fiber optic/tritium sights arrived. Still waiting on the Viridian X5L. I'm certain there is nothing left to mall ninja my handguns with.

Now that I'm over a dozen ARs, my desire to buy any more is rapidly dwindling. Need other suggestions.

 

[madoka]

Unless that was a very special SKS, you got taken for a ride.

I dunno. It looked so pretty though.

I traded a Riflegear lower (made by Mega Arms), 300 223 bullets, and $70. I know that the other guy paid $400 for the SKS and I paid roughly the same for my stuff, so I thought it was a pretty fair trade.

 

[exdeath]

Okay so as an update, I now have the following:

- 6x 5.56 AR15s
- 2x 22LR AR15s
- 3x AR lowers to build more
- 1x 7.62 AK (Izhmash Saiga)
- 1x shotgun (Benelli M4)
- 1x 9mm handgun (P226)
- 1x 22LR handgun (S&W M&P 22)

What should I get next?

BTW, gun nuts. . . I am now one of you!

You need a .308 battle rifle. AR10, M1A, G3, FAL, RFB, etc

An nice AK like a milled Arsenal or Krebs would be a nice addition.

 

[madoka]

You need a .308 battle rifle. AR10, M1A, G3, FAL, RFB, etc

An nice AK like a milled Arsenal or Krebs would be a nice addition.

I'm in California. I've yet to see a single 308 battle rifle for sale.

Tell me more about these AKs.

 

[clamum]

Arsenal AKs are very nice, I was gonna have the local gun shop order me one but I ended up walking out with a WASR, lol. Didn't want to wait and it was a hell of a lot cheaper and it's a fine gun for the price.

I don't really see the point of milled AKs but to each his own.

 

[exdeath]

The point for me was I already have a WASR lol.

As I neared the end of my "must have in case ban" list, a few "nice to have but not gonna cry if I dont" items surfaced, among them a high end AK. I had asked a local shop a few weeks ago to see if they could get me a Arsenal Bulgarian forged/milled AK, left my name and number, and honestly didn't expect anything to come of it with the post Dec '12 market. Was honestly caught off guard when they called.

 

[exdeath]

 

[Howard]

As for Farmers comments:

Unless color blind the eye is equally sensitive to all frequencies in the light band. The reason green is used on many things traditionally operated at night is its less likely to cause your cones to switch over to rods. Thats better for YOUR night vision.

uh no it's not

 

[exdeath]

Arsenal milled AKs are built to M1A / AR15 / PR91 /SA58 FAL quality.

Cold hammer forged chrome lined Steyr barrel with chromed chamber and bolt, hot forged and milled Bulgarian receiver, double hook trigger group, tight as a vault door and straight as an arrow. It cycles like the entire bolt carrier group and piston are made of Teflon and even the selector lever has a satisfying precision snick snick feel and sound. Mag well is tight and mags pop in with a silent click no drama. Everything is tight, no rattles, except the sling eyelet on the stock. Finish appears to be sone kind of really tough polymer enamel.

WASR is a Pinto while the Arsenal is a CTS-V.

 

[exdeath]

Green being at the center of the visible spectrum has more bandwidth while red and blue are edge/fringe bands that are cut off , so eye is most sensitive to FULL range of green being naturally tuned to the center of the spectrum.

This is why if you're going to make something monochrome, greenscale is the best choice. It will appear sharper than blue and red across a wider range of contrasts.

There is also wavelength and refraction issues. Ever notice that blue and red LED displays or equivalent fine detail are harder to read from a distance while green is fine?

 

[madoka]

Green being at the center of the visible spectrum has more bandwidth while red and blue are edge/fringe bands that are cut off , so eye is most sensitive to FULL range of green being naturally tuned to the center of the spectrum.

Thanks for the AK info. I've setup some in-stock notifications for the Arsenal at the shops I frequent.

Just got the Viridian X5L and can now compare it to the Surefire X400.

The flashlight winner is the Surefire. It was no contest. Much brighter and whiter, while the Viridian had a yellow tint to the light.

The laser winner is easily the Viridian. The green is SO much brighter and easier to see than the red Surefire laser.

Ergonomics winner is the Surefire. The Viridian is confusing as hell, with the two buttons, deep programming, and switching through all the different modes to get to the one you want. Way easier to change modes on the Surefire, where you move a four position switch around.

Size and weight winner is the Viridian. The Surefire sticks way out in front of the handgun's barrel in comparison to the lighter Viridian.

Construction wise the Surefire feels more solid and better engineered.

Price wise, the Viridian is about $50 cheaper.

Wow, I can't believe how equal they are to each other.

 

[madoka]

Arsenal milled AKs are built to M1A / AR15 / PR91 /SA58 FAL quality.

Arsenal SAM7R is now on its way.

Thanks for the recommendation.

 

[jpeyton]

We need a family picture.

 

[madoka]

I'll start with the handguns.

Since I'm limited to one every 30 days and I only started collecting since December, this is what I have:

December: Sig P226 w/ Crimson Trace, Truglo fiber optic/tritium sights, .22LR conversion kit with Sig Power parts

January: S&W M&P 22 w/ Surefire X400, Dawson Precision fiber optic sights

February: S&W M&P 45 w/ Viridian X5L, Truglo fiber optic/tritium sights

March: I placed a deposit for a Glock 17 and I have to wait two more weeks to be able to DROS. Already bought a Crimson Trace and Truglo fiber optic/tritium sights for it though.

And I bought a couple of these handgun cases:

 

[Farmer]

I wish I had as much money to burn as you. That is an impressive collection.