Bullet Boy on Shooting Sports

If you have been following me on Twitter for awhile you know that I have been absent.   Since about the first week of April until today I have been wide open with bits of time in between that I used to catch up on living.

I started off in April planning to work 7 – 10 hr day’s a week   for 1 month and then move to 6 10′s for 6-7 weeks.   Well that didn’t work out exactly as planned.   In the world of Carpentry contract work the job only lasted 4 weeks before labor cut backs.   So then I got day jobs a couple times a week in the same place for other companies for the next few weeks. Then without notice I got offered a really good job doing electrical work with a commercial construction company. Since being laid off from the initial job back at the first of March I have made a couple one day trips up and down the East Coast.   At the electrical job I have managed to work quite a few hours and been very busy on the weekends catching up on things I missed during the Spring Work triathlon.

Speaking of triathlon I managed to loose about 10-15lbs and started to get some muscle tone back after having office jobs for the last few years.     Work seems to be leveling off now and I have what I hope is a job for the summer and possibly even further with a good company.   Things should be returning to normal around here for me soon.

The end of the week I will be shooting in the Alabama State Tactical Carbine Championship.   Since I have not been practicing or even fired a weapon in a couple months I’m not sure I will be ready. After this weekend I’m sure to have plenty of ideas for post and catch up in all the goings on in the world.   The debate over 2nd Amendment rights is heating up recently with the attachment of carry laws in national parks to a credit card bill.   So the summer is looking pretty good from where I sit as a blogger but kind of rough and action packed as a 2nd Amendment Supporter. I am sure I will have more on that in the future.

Wish me luck as I get back in the saddle again.

iPhone finally has a shooting sports shot Timer.   The application is apparently the doings of SureFire the flashlight people. Surefire is most notably known for their tactical flashlights, accessories, and gadgets.

I haven’t tested the application at the range yet – but tapping silverware on the counter it works great.

From the iPhone App Description Page:

The SureFire ShotTimer is an effective, convenient way for shooting enthusiasts, law enforcement officers, and military personnel to improve their shooting skills and monitor their progress.

The Sure Fire ShotTimer displays the elapsed time and the split time for every shot fired, and even allows you to email results for later analysis.   using the start delay option, you can easily train alone or enable the Par Time mode and try to beat the clock.

It uses the iPhones microphone to hear shots and uses the speaker for audible sounds. It uses the phones built in e-mail application for optional e-mail capabilities. In order to use iPod touch you will need to use optional equipment the iPod headset and microphone.

E-mail results are fairly simple and straight forward.

In following updates I hope that their is some way to store results locally on the phone or to a remote database. Perhaps even multiple user capabilities for friendly impromptu competition. Having a history stored on the phone would allow for rapid and electronic storage of times good for use without a notebook.

Currently the ShotTimer application is listing for free a limited time.   In order to charge for the iPhone application surely there will be some type of major upgrade with storage of data available before they begin charging for it.

Over the past few days I have been busy installing my JP Enterprises trigger in my AR-15.   I have never done a trigger job myself and needless to say I think I am ready to call myself a “trigger man”.   The easy step by step directions made the install easy.   I didn’t have all the nifty tools they used to install their trigger with on the video but I got it in.   After careful attention to detail and triple checking all the settings I am ready to go to the range. Since I am going to the range I thought it was a good time to do a couple other test.   So I thoroughly cleaned my rifle, it had been almost 2,000 rounds and 2 months (maybe 3) since doing more than a wipe down. The test is going to involve Brian Enos, the author of “Practical Shooting : Beyond Fundamentals”, slide guide.   I have all three types of his slide guide. From the Slide Guide Webpage:

Slide-Glide is a uniquely formulated lubricant that protects all firearms from corrosion and wear. It also softens “felt recoil” in all semi-auto’s, especially pistols.

Advantages over other oils and greases:

• Softens felt recoil in semi-autos
• It’s super”stringy” – it stays where you put it – forever.
• Blended with the highest-grade extreme pressure compound available.

Slide-Glide provides a dramatic improvement in lubrication compared to conventional oils and greases such as lithium, or lithium-based metallic greases containing molybdenum or graphite. Additionally, it is engineered to have a stringy characteristic that prevents “tracking” or shearing on sliding metal surfaces. It stays put – ceaselessly dragging itself back into the friction areas of the cycling slide and barrel. It’s stringy characteristic keeps the grease between the moving parts – noticeably softening the felt recoil of semi-automatic pistols. Your pistol just feels”smoother” when you shoot it. And Slide-Glide isn’t just for semi-auto pistols. It slicks up revolver actions, pump and semi-automatic shotguns, semi-automatic, bolt and lever-action rifles, and even your Dillon reloading press. With three viscosities to choose from, there is a viscosity of Slide-Glide that will reduce wear and improve the operation of any firearm, tool, or machine.

Slide-Glide is available in three viscosities:

Slide-Glide Lite (thin viscosity) Applications:

• Centerfire Pistols: Non-compensated & Compensated
• Rifles: All action types (including Lever Actions)
• Shotguns: All action types
• Revolvers (Internal action parts only – not for the cylinder)
• .22′s
• “Carry Guns” Applied extremely sparingly (for maximum reliability)
• 30+ degrees F
• All Firearms:

Slide-Glide Lite’s viscosity is blended specifically for “IPSC Open guns” in any temperature, and also works great on the Glock’s “connector.” Slide-Glide Standard (medium viscosity)Applications:

• 60+ degrees F
• Semi-automatic, Centerfire:
  • Pistols (non-compensated)
  • Rifles
  • Shotguns

Slide-Glide Standard was originally blended for “stock-type” pistols in temperatures above 60 degrees. Its viscosity is a little too thick for compensated pistols, .22′s, and revolvers. Slide-Glide Heavy (heavy viscosity) Applications:

• 80+ degrees F
• Semi-automatic, Centerfire:
  • Pistols (non-compensated only!)
  • Pistols with “loose top ends” (Glocks, Sigs, etc.)

Slide-Glide Heavy’s viscosity is specifically blended for pistols with “loose top ends” (frame to slide fit). In temperatures above 80 degrees, it also works well in non-compensated, center fire pistols.

So I have applied the Heavy on the buffer and spring. I have been looking for a solution to all loud racket the recoil spring has and with a couple pulls of the charging handle I could tell a difference. I used the lite on the inside of the bolt around the firing pin area. The standard around the bolt carage and other areas. I even used a little to lube the outside of my barrel and compensator to give it that shine look and it helps on keep rust from appearing I hope. Due to some family business I will not be able to test until later this week or weekend, I hope this stuff doesn’t have loctite or Thread Locker in it.   It is red like the kind I used in the trigger job.

I am also going to clean up my XDM and lube it up with Slide Guide.   After I get through with the test hopefully I can get on the testimonal’s page at Brian Enos’s Website.   Hopefully for the test I will have a video camera and I can show you the slide guide and JP Fire Control unit in action.   I am going to put a test plan together and post here later.   If there is some kind of test you have been wondering about with an AR or XDM let me know and I can squeeze it into the video.

I have a few post up my sleeve that are due from my absence over the past couple days.   I would like to make my own you tube style video of the JP Trigger Install.   The other a Full Fire control unit posting.   Maybe I can get that done over the next few days.