I've made a purchase! (gun thread)

[RT2MD]

Well, I'm officially a gun owner. I spent many weeks researching different guns, handling them at gun shops, and I took many trips to the range that rents. I was able to squeeze a little bit more out of my budget (quite a bit more..) and ended up going with a 9mm Springfield XDm 3.8 compact. So far, I've been very happy with my purchase!

I really like having the two different sized magazines, the 19rd extended for at the range and the 13rd flush for if/when I get a CCW permit and want to carry it.

Here is a picture of the extended mag

And here is the flush magazine:

Sorry for the semi-crappy cell phone pics. I've been to the range with it once so far, put about 150 rounds though it. I'm very happy with it, I really like the grip and the trigger. Planning on going back to the range after my next test to put some more rounds though it. I'm thinking about getting a TLR-1 light to go on it, for home defense purposes.

Now I just have to figure out what kind of safe I want to keep it in... I have kids, so I want it to be secure, but I'd like to have quick access if needed. I've looked at the Gunvault safes, and I like the idea, but they don't seem to be the most reliable. I've also been looking at some simplex type lock safes. I really like the Ft. Knox Personal Pistol Box. Any thoughts on any of these products, or others?

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[FiremedicMike]

Congrats, now go shoot it!

My next purchase will be a glock 30sf..

 

[scudrunner]

Very nice! Welcome to the brotherhood.

 

[kazuma]

Very nice setup. I considered buying a similar model but ended up going with a gently used HK. I like the extended magazine.

 

[RT2MD]

Thanks everybody! I'm excited about it, that's for sure.

Kazuma - I did handle a H&K 9mm USP at one shop, it was used and seemed liked a pretty good deal. I really liked the way it felt, but it sold before I was ready to pull the trigger (pun intended) and buy something. I had a hard time finding them used around here. I'm still happy with the XDm.

 

[BLADEMDA]

 

[BLADEMDA]

I like my HK USP with Jet Funnel and night sights. I've got 4 Jet Funnel Magazines in 9mm (18 rounds). I keep this gun ready with a loaded mag, USP flashlight on the rail and night sights.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0vGe3Mg4V_E

 

[pgg]

Now I just have to figure out what kind of safe I want to keep it in... I have kids, so I want it to be secure, but I'd like to have quick access if needed. I've looked at the Gunvault safes, and I like the idea, but they don't seem to be the most reliable.

I have one of the non-biometric gunvaults in my car (think it's the mini), cable locked to the base of a seat. It's been reliable and is still on the first set of batteries after maybe 3 years. Given the daily pain I endure at the Pxyis and Omnicell, I wouldn't trust a biometric/fingerprint model to let me in quickly. But the keypad works fine.

 

[BADMD]

I've looked at the Gunvault safes, and I like the idea, but they don't seem to be the most reliable. I've also been looking at some simplex type lock safes. I really like the Ft. Knox Personal Pistol Box. Any thoughts on any of these products, or others?

The XDms are nice. Once my wife recovers from my recent 300 Blackout fiasco, I'm thinking about getting the 5.25" ones. I'm sure you'll love yours.

As for the safes, I have two non-biometric Gunvaults. The older one has been flawless. It is plugged in and has battery back. It works quite well. The other one is a mild PITA. You have to open it twice to get the door to release properly. I've been meaning to send it back, but I haven't yet and it has been a few months.

 

[pgg]

Once my wife recovers from my recent 300 Blackout fiasco

Fiasco? Did she see the receipt?

Mine gets out of 10-day-waiting-period purgatory tomorrow but I won't get to shoot it until next weekend ...

 

[RT2MD]

I have one of the non-biometric gunvaults in my car (think it's the mini), cable locked to the base of a seat. It's been reliable and is still on the first set of batteries after maybe 3 years. Given the daily pain I endure at the Pxyis and Omnicell, I wouldn't trust a biometric/fingerprint model to let me in quickly. But the keypad works fine.

As for the safes, I have two non-biometric Gunvaults. The older one has been flawless. It is plugged in and has battery back. It works quite well. The other one is a mild PITA. You have to open it twice to get the door to release properly. I've been meaning to send it back, but I haven't yet and it has been a few months.

Thanks for the input. If I went with the Gunvault, I would stay away from the biometric for sure... I have also experienced all kinds of problems at a Pyxis/Accudose machine. I've read quite a few reviews online where people were saying bad things about the Gunvaults - eats through batteries after a couple of months due to faulty electronics, keyless mechanism fails quickly, etc. That's enough to make me very leery to trust them if I were in a life and death situation. The price is nice, ($80 on Amazon) as is the ability to set a more "unbreakable" code (over a simplex lock).

I also stumbled across this one: FAS1 Safe I like the fact that it includes a holster. I would feel much more comfortable with storing the weapon with a round in the chamber knowing that I wasn't going to hit the trigger while groping for it at night. It's also made with 3/16" steel and could be bolted down easily - much more of a theft deterrent than that Gunvault. But it's $220... I guess you could say that you get what you pay for, couldn't you?

I had to look up the 300 Blackout. That thing looks awesome.

 

[BADMD]

Fiasco? Did she see the receipt? .

She didn't complain when I said I wanted to buy one. The problem is that I now have two...

She was/is not amused. I have proposed giving the first one to her father as he wants one and will never buy one. This appears to be an acceptable resolution. I have had my Midway privileges revoked for awhile though.

I bet your pistol with subs will put a smile on your face. Sticking in on an SBR lower with a muffler will be truly awesome. Mine is remarkably quite compared to the supers.

 

[BADMD]

I had to look up the 300 Blackout. That thing looks awesome.

It is good, clean fun. However to do it right, you need two NFA tax stamps.

 

[loveoforganic]

Do any of you guys have any first hand experience with the kel-tec pf9?

I have very limited funds, and would really like to pick up a car gun, as I've been having engine issues and frequently drive in bad areas (unavoidable). Could always pick up a hi point... but would really like something with a little more sustainability/versatility (i.e. if I were to eventually get my CCL), and at $266, this is not all that much more money.

Mostly curious if anyone has experience limp wrist testing it. I don't have a terrible grip, but I can only imagine the recoil is quite substantial

I also stumbled across this one: FAS1 Safe I like the fact that it includes a holster. I would feel much more comfortable with storing the weapon with a round in the chamber knowing that I wasn't going to hit the trigger while groping for it at night. It's also made with 3/16" steel and could be bolted down easily - much more of a theft deterrent than that Gunvault. But it's $220... I guess you could say that you get what you pay for, couldn't you?

Congrats on the purchase! You could just bolt one of these http://www.onesourcetactical.com/zackconcealmentholster.aspx into the cheaper one - get that extra security.

She didn't complain when I said I wanted to buy one. The problem is that I now have two...

She was/is not amused. I have proposed giving the first one to her father as he wants one and will never buy one. This appears to be an acceptable resolution. I have had my Midway privileges revoked for awhile though.

I long for the day when I have the money to toy with class iii's. An american arms 180 would pretty much be perfect in my opinion. Are there any major issues with giving it away, or is it just a change of ownership form? Do any of y'all own registry firearms? Hoping to go to first machine gun shoot this february - cousin's family hosts one in the boonies biannually - PUMPED

 

[pgg]

Are there any major issues with giving it away, or is it just a change of ownership form?

AFAIK transfer of any NFA item is just a $200 tax and Form 4 (with the current 4-6+ month ATF processing time).

Which is one reason why before you buy your first stamped item, you might want to look into forming a NFA Trust and acquiring all items via the Trust. Benefits
- no CLEO signoff required
- any trustee can possess or use anything owned by the trust
- adding or removing a trustee is as simple as amending the trust

All of my NFA stuff is owned by a Trust with me, my wife, and my brother as trustees. Which is convenient, because my brother lives in a free state and I don't ... so I'm able to store and expand the collection in his safe. When my kids are of age, they can be added as trustees and individual items can be "given" to them without any ATF paperwork or retaxing.


I don't own any machineguns, it'd be cool to have a registered AR receiver, but I'm in no rush to join that club at $12,000+ these days. The way 2A litigation has been going of late, it seems likely that someday (years from now) the registry will be reopened - I'd be in for a safe full of them them. For the moment, SBRs and cans account for all of our stamps.

 

[loveoforganic]

Interesting, have heard the trust thing tossed around a lot, but never really understood what the benefits were other than no local leo sign off on the item. Thanks for the info

 

[FiremedicMike]

Do any of you guys have any first hand experience with the kel-tec pf9?

I know plenty of people who carry kel-tecs, they seem to have a reputation for being pretty reliable. I've never personally owned one, but I probably wouldn't have an issue in buying one.

Just remember, most of those "mouse guns" aren't very comfortable to shoot. The lack of weight in the firearm (which makes it comfortable to carry or easy to conceal) eats up on weight that would have reduced recoil. Of course 9mm isn't very bad in most platforms anyway, just something to be aware of.

 

[BADMD]

I long for the day when I have the money to toy with class iii's. An american arms 180 would pretty much be perfect in my opinion. Are there any major issues with giving it away, or is it just a change of ownership form?

None of my rifles are Title II (what people mean when they say "Class 3"). Short barreled rifles aren't legal for mere mortals in my state and I can't quite afford a registered lower yet. So gifting is no big deal. If my father in law lived in this state, I'd just hand it to him. No paperwork - completely legal. Since he is a resident of another state, it has to go through an FFL and he has to fill out ATF form 4473.

Do any of y'all own registry firearms? Hoping to go to first machine gun shoot this february - cousin's family hosts one in the boonies biannually - PUMPED

.

I do own 3 title II firearms - 3 suppressors. However as my Form 4s haven't been approved, I can't have them yet. My state's NFA examiner is about the slowest one they have, so I'm hoping for April but expecting May for the approval.

The Title II stuff is all in an NFA Trust for the reasons that pgg mentioned. Everyone associated with the trust can possess the suppressors without fear of committing a felony.

I've never done a machine gun shoot, but they sound like fun. The FFL that have started doing business with has a number of Post 86 dealer samples and once or twice a year he does a shoot. I'm hoping to go to one of them.