What is “Match Grade”?
I’ve been lusting after 1911s as of late and a term I keep hearing pop up is “match grade”. After I noticed that, I started seeing it everywhere: “Match grade barrel”, “match grade ammo”, etc.
What the heck does that mean though? Well, it’s a combination of things. The root of it is the component has to be built to the highest manufacturing standard possible in order to be considered “match grade”. It’s mostly geared towards competition. Competitors want to eliminate every factor possible in order to improve their grouping and so they want barrels, bushings and such to behave as perfectly as possible every time.
There’s a problem though, “match grade” doesn’t always translate to “the best there is”. It really depends on the manufacturer. Just because a gun has a match grade barrel doesn’t automatically mean it’s going to be more accurate or dependable. If you have a match grade barrel but bargain basement bushings and a 10 year old recoil spring, the gun will still fire like crap. Think of it this way: yes, you could put racing tires and track suspension on your Volvo station wagon but in the end, it’s not going to make a bit of difference as the car itself can’t take advantage of them. In that same thread, putting a match grade barrel in a cheap gun isn’t going to make it anything other than a cheap gun with an expensive barrel in it.
Put a match grade barrel and components in a top of the line 1911, Glock or Sig and that’s an entirely different story.
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It gets boring in my comfort zone…
I’d like to start out with a confession:
I hate loud, sudden noises. I’ve been that way ever since I was a very small child (as opposed to the old, fat child I am now). Some fireworks make me cringe like I just heard one of the Kardashians talk. The official term is “ligyrophobia”, and it is a full blown phobia. In my particular case, it’s “full blown” but still relatively mild compared to others with it. I don’t get reduced to a quivering puddle of sobbing fear in a corner during a thunder storm, etc. Hearing a loud crack of thunder or that first rifle going off every time I step out of my car at the gun range still has me ducking for cover every time.
I think it goes without saying that this strange phobia makes my love of guns a surprising development. Ultimately, that is the point of this particular entry: getting out of your comfort zone. Continue reading
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Coffee and Ammo. What could go right?!
Look at it this way: if you are in a situation where you feel the need to shoot someone in order to save your life, chances are your hands won’t be as steady as you think they will.
Actually, I think it’s a safe bet you’re going to be shaking like a…thing that shakes a lot. Anyway, if you’ve been practicing at the range with a steady hand and a bad-assed pose, how well do you think you’re going to handle it when you’re pointing that gun at a home invader at 2am? Continue reading
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Quick Answer of the Week: WTF is “Trigger Stacking”?
I’m sure you’ve come across this phrase often. Like so many terms in the gun world, reviewers always seem to assume you know exactly what they’re talking about. Every review I’ve seen tends to refer to “trigger stacking” in a bad connotation, but never explained why. Continue reading
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A Very Important Video
When you go to class for your carry permit, they pretty much just cover where you can carry and when you can use it. Then they kick you out the door with your paperwork and it’s up to you from that point on.
So what do you do AFTER you’ve had to use your gun? The great Massad Ayoob covers just that subject. If you have a carry permit, this should be required viewing.
http://www.gunsandammo.com/2011/05/26/video-after-a-real-shooting/
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Wow…just wow….
I’ve been a fan of Epic Meal Time for a while but they recently teamed up with everyone’s favorite fake Russian and made one heck of a video. Any gun owner will cringe in more than one spot…as well as anyone who eats. Warning: some NSFW language.
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New Reference Guide
I have just uploaded the bullet size and bullet terminology guides. Check them out in the reference section.
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1 Carry Gun to Rule Them All….
I’ve come to realize through my discussions with people on forums, in gun stores and my own experience that there is no “Goldilocks” carry gun. Most people have 2 or three different guns that they use for different carry situations.
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Welcome to Gun Noob!
Still working out the kinks and such.
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