Bullet Boy on Shooting Sports

Springfield Armory has debuted the latest addition in the XD(m) Series of pistols, the 3.8″ XDm Short Barrel for easy concealment.

The new 3.8 XDm is currently only fitted in 9mm.   It packs a 19 rounds in the magazine and another one in the chamber.   The 3.8 concealable 9mm raises the bar in personal protection and concealed carry.   The image on the left shows a fiber optic sight that will soon be available in the XDM line.

Immediately noticeable on the 3.8″ is the slide serration.   Instead of being straight lines they are more curved giving a new functional image to the traditional straight serrations on previous XD(m) models.   It appears besides cosmetic changes in the slide, a new upgraded grip, and 3.8″ barrel the new XDM hasn’t changed much from the 9mm XD(m) introduction. There is a 4.5 oz weight difference over the full size where it’s closest competitor (Glock 19) only drops 1.5 oz   from it’s full size counter part.

I haven’t yet seen one in person but will be interested to know how the next line of XDm Polymer Pistol’s hold up to its predecessors the XD(m) 40 S&W and XD(m) 9mm.

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If you have been following me on Twitter you would know that I have been working on getting an M1-Carbine WW2 surplus paratrooper rifle.   Well after weeks of talk and several phone calls my buddy Ray down at Simmons Sporting Goods came through for me.   I knew for almost a month that they had an estate of weapons from a gun collector with about 40 M1-Carbines.   I finally got in to look at them.   I was the second customer that got to pick through them.   I made my choice.

The Inland I choose has some obvious wear marks as any period weapon does. The wood and finish are in good shape. It has a bayonet mount which isn’t common on early M1-Carbine’s making me believe this was not an early war manufactured weapon.
Inland Division was in fact owned by General Motors most famously known for building cars. Many manufacturers stepped up during WW2 and changed their factories over to support the Mission in Europe and Asia.

You can see that the rear sight is a later sight that was fitted and can be seen on the M2 rifles. M2 sights are adjustable where M1 sights are not with a fixed peep hole sight.

The M1 is fitted with a later model M2 Bolt. You can also see the M2 rear sights as well.

The rifle also had this marking on it which makes me think it was a company symbol or some other symbol. It is certainly going to merit some checking to see its history.

I have been looking at carbines for a long time and finally getting one for my collection.   Something about the vintage and the history of the paratrooper weapon really drew me to it.   It shoots a .30 carbine round which is a straight case and can easily be mistaken for a pistol cartridge.   The M1 is reportadly accurate to 500 yards.   I doubt that but will certainly test it out tomorrow at 125yds.

Stay Tuned for the range report as a I get to scratch this weapon off the top of my want list.   The range report maybe a few days as it is cold and have some holiday festivities to tend to.

Let me know what you think?   What is your favorite WW2 era weapon?

Everyone shooter has their gun wish list. Mine has everything from M1′s, Western Guns, and 1911′s.   But anyone that knows me knows I have the Black Gun Disease, as my buddy Scrubber Man says.   Black Gun Disease is not to be mistaken with the coal miner’s “black lung” or the orthodontia disease “Black Gum”.   “Black Gun Disease” is the draw to AR-15, M-16, or military/tactical style weapons.

Today I have added a new black gun to the top of my wish list.   The Kel Tec RFB.

Ok so the picture isn’t that good looking because of the blue carpet, talk to the folks at Defense Review about that!   So according to the article I read in the Special Weapons Magazine the Kel-Tec RFB is a .308 Winchester with barrel lengths 18″, 24″, and 32″.   Depending on the barrel it weights between 8.1-11.3 pounds (empty).   It doesn’t come with sights, so that means its a flat top.   It is Semi-Automatic gas operated with a Parkerized finish and Polymer stocks.

Ok OK OK…   So its specs are standard.   I like it so much because of the Rifle Forward Ejection (RFB).   The spent cases are ejected forward.   That means the rifle is naturally ambidextrous and can be shoot right hand or left hand.   So my lefty friend Scrubber Man can quit complaining about the cost of Left Hand Rifles.   Well the cost of this beauty is enough to make anyone’s jaw drop.   Estimated cost is between $2,000 and $3,000.

Often referred to as the Bull Pup it will be available in 5.56mm, 6.8mm SPC, 6.5mm Grendel, 7.62x39mm, and 5.45mm.   The name Bull Pup is foreign to me?   This weapon isn’t really all that new as the prototypes were rumored to be developed before the assault rifle ban of the 1994 Ban, according to Mike Detty of Special Weapons Magazine.   I don’t want to bog you down with details and paraphrase the magazine.   Just go out and buy the magazine. Besides who really cares when the rifle is that cool.   I found a YouTube video that shows the gun in operation.