jkh@jade.UUCP (07/30/86)
Article: 7:8
Hi, folks!
1) I recall some mention on one of these lists (mail.firearms or mod.rec.guns)
in the past of the Charter Arms Explorer pistol (the handgun that is based
upon the design of the AR-7 rifle). If anyone is interested in these, now
would be the time to buy one. The latest (1 August 86) issue of Shotgun News
has a back-cover ad from Lew Horton Distributing Co. (175 Boston Rd.,
Southboro, MA 01772, (617) 485-3060) for these with a banner headline
announcing them as "Another exclusive closeout!". So I suppose that Charter
is discontinuing them. They come with an 8" barrel and include an extra
6" or 8" barrel at no extra cost; the price is $69.95. Extra magazines are
$6.39, scope mount $8.82, and a package deal with the mount and a Tasco 4X
pistol scope is $119.95. Kolpin carrying case is $6.79. No mention of price
or availability of the 10" barrels. If you wanted one, now is the time to give
a call to your local friendly FFL holder...
2) The 90-round .223 magazines. We previously had some discussion about these
and I posted a comment as to how the design looked suited to the AR-15/M-16
but not to the Mini-14, which someone wanted one of these for. Since that time
I saw them listed in ads in Shotgun News with blurbs saying that they were
available for *both* the AR-15/M-16 and the Mini-14. I was surprised but
pleased that they seemingly had overcome the configuration problems I
mentioned. These are now listed in various ads in Shotgun News. For
example, Ashland Shooting Supplies (209 Orange St., Ashland, Ohio 44805
(419) 289-3631) has them showing the brand to be "MWG", and the price is
$54.95 (retail $89.95); specify whether for the Mini-14 or AR-15/M-16. The
ad copy says "perfect balance in rifle while fully loaded"; this seems
incredible to me, since the design is a snail-drum with all the weight
on the left side of the rifle. But I've never actually handled one, so
maybe they have worked magic and it really is balanced...
J&G Sales lists a 90-round drum for the AR-15/M-16 only (no picture, so
I can't tell if it is the same one, but I think it is) for $59.95; also,
Southern Ohio Gun Distributors has it for $59.95, again mentioning only
the AR-15/M-16 version (with a picture, so I can tell it is the same).
Other advertisers listing only this version, at this price: Bill's House
of Guns, Aeromarine Inc., and F. J. Vollmer & Co. (won't bother with
addresses for these at the higher price).
3) Fancy flashlights: lots of the gun dealers also handle the fancy
high-priced flashlights, like Mag-lite and Streamlight. I've long
considered getting one of these, not for any real need, but just to have
(like 90% of everything else I own!). Anyone have any comments on these?
A couple thoughts I've had -- since I wouldn't be using it constantly,
like a police officer (their primary customer) would, I think it might
be better to buy the version that uses replaceable ordinary batteries
and not rechargeable nicads. This would not only be cheaper, but would
avoid the "memory" problem you get with little-used nicads. Also, I
don't think I really intend to beat people over the head with it, which
is admittedly one of the primary reasons for law enforcement to buy such
heavy-duty flashlights. Anyone have any comments as to C-cell vs D-cell
models, size of head, number of cells, etc.? [I recall an amusing story
I read many years back about Streamlights -- there was this police
sergeant who had one of their top models and who used to play with it,
turning off streetlights. He would shine it at the top of the light
pole, and it was bright enough that the amount of light from it that got
into the lightshield on the photoreceptor up there would fool it into
thinking it was daylight, and the circuit would shut down the
streetlight! Always sounded like something I really should have... :-)]
4) New gun: There are ads in this Shotgun News for a new .22 called the
Calico M-100. It appears to be from the folks that made the old American
180 .22 submachine gun (& semiauto variant). It has some sort of top-
mounted 100-round box magazine, pistol grip, a folding stock, and rather
racy lines (the magazine doesn't seem to protrude at all, but is faired
into the gun, lying along the top rear). Dealer price is $225-$230. I
have not seen any write-ups of this; anyone know anything about it?
Looks like a neat toy...
Well, that's all for now. Regards to all!
Will Martin
wmartin@ALMSA-1.ARPA (USENET address of ...!seismo!brl-smoke!wmartin
may still be working)jkh@jade.BERKELEY.EDU (Jordan K. Hubbard) (08/07/86)
Article: 8:3 [This group will be changing its name to mod.rec.flashlights pretty soon. -jh] (I know this isn't gun-related, but it's not as if the group is noisy...) > ... since I wouldn't be using it constantly... I think it might > be better to buy the version that uses replaceable ordinary batteries > and not rechargeable nicads. This would not only be cheaper, but would > avoid the "memory" problem you get with little-used nicads. Also, nicads are an outstandingly poor choice for a flashlight which is going to be used only occasionally, because nicads will not *hold* a charge for long periods of time. After a few weeks sitting on a shelf, you won't get much light from them. (Ever wonder why the instructions for nicad-powered stuff say to charge it before using it for the first time? It's because the nicads will be completely flat after a few months in the warehouse or store.) To keep nicads at full capacity, you have to charge them often... and then the memory effect becomes a hassle. Assuming you're not feeling rich enough to spring for luxuries like lithium batteries, your best bet is good-quality alkalines. They won't last forever on the shelf, but they will last a good long time -- much longer than garden-variety batteries. They also are much less likely to leak, since their outer case is not a participant in their internal chemistry. (Note the words "much less likely"; I've had one leak. But it's unusual.) Definitely the battery of choice for something that's used infrequently but had better work when the time comes. They're also a good buy in general, since the extra energy content pretty much balances the higher price. Henry Spencer @ U of Toronto Zoology {allegra,ihnp4,decvax,pyramid}!utzoo!henry
jkh@jade.BERKELEY.EDU (Jordan K. Hubbard) (08/26/86)
Article: 8:6 (I know this isn't gun-related, but it's not as if the group is noisy...) > ... since I wouldn't be using it constantly... I think it might > be better to buy the version that uses replaceable ordinary batteries > and not rechargeable nicads. This would not only be cheaper, but would > avoid the "memory" problem you get with little-used nicads. Also, nicads are an outstandingly poor choice for a flashlight which is going to be used only occasionally, because nicads will not *hold* a charge for long periods of time. After a few weeks sitting on a shelf, you won't get much light from them. (Ever wonder why the instructions for nicad-powered stuff say to charge it before using it for the first time? It's because the nicads will be completely flat after a few months in the warehouse or store.) To keep nicads at full capacity, you have to charge them often... and then the memory effect becomes a hassle. Assuming you're not feeling rich enough to spring for luxuries like lithium batteries, your best bet is good-quality alkalines. They won't last forever on the shelf, but they will last a good long time -- much longer than garden-variety batteries. They also are much less likely to leak, since their outer case is not a participant in their internal chemistry. (Note the words "much less likely"; I've had one leak. But it's unusual.) Definitely the battery of choice for something that's used infrequently but had better work when the time comes. They're also a good buy in general, since the extra energy content pretty much balances the higher price. Henry Spencer @ U of Toronto Zoology {allegra,ihnp4,decvax,pyramid}!utzoo!henry