Free For All Friday 12-12-2014: AR Scopes, Revolvers, and more!
We’ve got a lot of questions this week so I’m going to skip my usual rambling opening and go right into it!
Total noob question: understanding how to pick the correct scope for an AR-15 – Brett S.
It comes down to a couple of things. If you’re planning on using your AR more like a rifle with long range shots exclusively and you’re not really into the whole “tactical” thing, a traditional rifle scope is your best option. I’d still throw on a couple of angle mounted iron sights just in case. If, instead, you want the gun for self defense and close quarters/dynamic targets will be what you’re aiming at then a red dot sight is what you should be looking through. In this case, I’d also recommend some iron sights but, depending on the red dot you choose, you might be able to co-witness them. Finally, there is an intermediate kind of sight if you might be bouncing a bit between both uses. That would be the ACOG sight. It’s kind of a Goldilocks thing that can handle close range stuff well along with things that are a bit farther out. I wouldn’t use an ACOG if you’re looking beyond 100 yards but that’s just me. I know people that can hit 500 yards and beyond with iron sights but for us mortals, you’re going to want to go with the sight/scope that most fits your desired use.
I just saw (I’m a newbie, too) that the Taurus Judge revolver can shoot .410 shotgun shells. I’ve fired a shotgun, and they’ve got quite a kick. What’s it like shooting shotgun shells from a revolver? Is it even practical? And what applications would it have? I mean, why would you want to, other than to speed up your carpal tunnel progress. – Mike H.
One one hand, the .410 is kind of the .22LR of the shotgun world. It’s super light recoiling and light-ish on power, relatively speaking. It’s still a freaking shotgun shell, however. Saying a shotgun shell has “light recoil” is like saying “compared to a sledge hammer, a ball-peen hammer to the skull only hurts a little”. When you’re shooting a shotgun shell from a shotgun, you have the weight of the gun and many other factors helping tame that recoil a bit. Throw that shotgun shell into a comparatively light pistol frame and you’re really going to know when you’ve fired that gun. The recoil is…lively…to say the least.
From a practical standpoint, it’s really not. Again, you have to keep in mind that it’s still a gun and it’s still going to do the job it needs to do. It’s not a bad gun either. There are just other options available that I would recommend over it, especially when it comes to first guns and such. One of the biggest problems I have with it is the fact that a .410 (and any other round meant for a long barreled gun **cough** .22LR **cough**) needs a long barrel to get up to ideal speed. The moment it leaves the barrel is starts slowing down. With the snubnose of the Judge, it loses a great deal of its lethality. The only option is to use a slightly longer barrel which makes it harder to carry or pump some more powder into the shell which doesn’t help the recoil.
I don’t want to knock the gun because I love it when companies think outside of the box but if it were it my money, I’d spend it on a traditional revolver or a semi-auto for your self defense weapon.
Dry fire systems and techniques -Kurt S.
Personally, I adore the LaserLyte training options. I have spent a great deal of time using mine and I have noticed a big difference when I actually go to the range as a result. I cannot recommend them enough. As far as technique, we’ve got an in-depth guide coming up but the short of it is: practice your dry fire exactly as you would practice at the range.
Hey Noob!, I know you are not a fan of carrying revolvers. I understand all the reasons why. However, if someone decided to carry one anyway, do know of a holster that would work well? for perhaps a .38 special or a .357. Thanks as always! -Skylar R.
Before I get the revolver fan club descending upon me with torches and pitchforks, let me just say: I’ve got no problems with revolvers and I have recommended them to many people. I just personally prefer small semi-auto pistols for my own carry. I have lots of friends that are revolvers. My cousin is a revolver. I even dated a revolver in college.
As far as holsters go, you can’t go wrong with the traditional leather style. Galco makes some of the best leather holsters and they have them styled for a wide variety of guns. If you’re wanting a bit more modern material, Dragon Holsters, Crossbreed and many others make some incredible Kydex/leather combos.
Better first hand gun, a Glock .45 or M&P Shield -Paolo C.
One of my big rules of thumb is to never have a carry gun as your first gun. Even a great one like the Shield takes a toll on your hands at the range. That means people typically won’t practice with them as much so they don’t wind up getting the fundamentals they need. So based off that, I would personally go with the Glock for your first handgun. You’ll be able to spend far more time practicing with it and, once you have the techniques down pat, you can get the Shield for your daily carry.
From experience, however, it’s not that difficult to use the Glock as a daily carry either. You’d be surprised how easy it is to carry a full sized pistol.
Thanks for the questions!
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