I know, I know: it’s horribly expensive, and spare mags cost almost as much as the damn gun — when you can even find them — but let me tell you…
And there’s even a little companion piece, in the same caliber.
[whimper]
Category: Gratuitous Gun Pics
Gratuitous Gun Pic: Beretta Giubileo II (20ga)
Seen at Collectors, this matched pair of beauties (“Giubileo” is pronounced like “Jubilee”, which is its actual meaning):
Some close-ups:
And the only change I’d make is to get a proper “motor case” from these guys, to replace that gay-looking Beretta one:
(I know, $440 is a lot to spend on a gun case; but considering that the matched gun package costs $20,000 it’s not a bad deal.)
To put this price in perspective, this matched pair of Asprey guns costs $40,000 more than the Berettas. Let’s not even get started on the Hollands and Purdeys…
Alert Readers will spot the only fly in this exquisite jar of Italian facial cream is that the guns have single triggers. But even then… O madre.
Just Wrong
I don’t follow any kind of professional fighting (boxing, MMA, whatever) so I first thought Paige VanZant was Ronnie’s daughter or something. Of course, I was wrong, about that anyway, as she’s quite well-known in fighting circles:
Okay, she cleans up pretty nicely, albeit in that not-quite-trailer-park kinda way:
But that’s not what’s upsetting me. This is:
What the hell kind of gun is young Paige holding? It looks like she’s about to shoot one of those USPS book-boxes.
Yeah, I know, it’s a Kriss Vector (sounds like an old Marvel villain’s name), and all the cool kids are shooting them.
My feelings on all these modernistic guns is, I think, well known; but seriously? This is uglier than a USPS book-box. 1960’s-era Buck Rogers Mattel toy comes to mind.
And all this at $1,600 just to shoot the silly 9mm Europellet? Pass.
I need to get my busted M1 Carbine to the gunsmith.
Doesn’t look as cool as the Mattel thingy, but mine also has a 15-round (non-Glock) magazine (which isn’t relevant as I don’t own a Glock pistol anyway).
And I’ll take the .30 Carbine over the 9mmP every day of the week.
The Forgotten Model 60
Amidst all the hoo-hah of Ruger buying Marlin and re-releasing Marlin lever rifles, it seems as though everyone has forgotten about Marlin’s heritage in rimfire rifles.
See if you can see what caused me an immediate RCOB on this page:
“Currently not in production”???? WTF is going on over there? When was production halted anyway, and why?
And indeed, a cursory look at my usual thirty or so favorite gun dealers’ sites revealed that the Model 60 is MIA, everywhere.
A Marlin 60 was the very first rifle I purchased, shortly after I arrived in the U.S. as a Drenched Wetback© in the mid-1980s, and in the proper hands it is capable of astounding accuracy — for any rifle, let alone a budget one — as witnessed by Reader Brad’s recent trip to the range:
That’s five rounds at 25 yards, although he did “cheat” by using a peep sight instead of the original buckhorn/V on the Marlin.
Note to the “marketing” department at Ruger: restart production of this little beauty ASAP, you bastards, or hell will follow.
Oh, No
Here’s a gun which ticks all my shotgun lust boxes save two (and oh by all means. right-click to embiggen):
Let me just get the two disqualifiers out of the way: 12ga and price ($16,500, cheap for a Purdey), the combination of which means I’m unlikely ever to buy it.
But if I did… I don’t think that I would shoot it that much. I’d mount it on a facing wall where I could look at it all day.
Or I’d just keep it next to my chair where I could pick it up now and then, and lovingly fondle it and talk to it like I would a small puppy or a mistress.
Great Vulcan’s bleeding nostrils, that is a beautiful gun.
Other Fine Guns
Comment by Reader Velocette about our little TDSA excursion:
“That Winchester High Wall is the class act of the lot, unless you were enjoying an 1873 Colt or a P 35 Hi Power”
Not quite an 1873 Colt, but we did have a 1980 Colt Python 6″ (.357 Mag), not mine, alas for I own one not:
…and yes, a Browning High Power:
…and sundry 1911 variants, of course:
…as well as several .22 pistols and revolvers, and a few other .357 Mag/.38 Spec revolvers.
Also on hand, a Winchester 1894 lever rifle (.30-30):
…a Taurus (Winchester copy) Model 63 ( .22 LR):
…the aforementioned Browning High Wall (.45-70 Gov):
…and lastly, my M1 Carbine (which Doc Russia managed to break; Mr. FM’s comment: “It survived WWII and Korea, but not one range session with Doc”):
There were other guns, most of them high-tech / gadget-loaded 9mm and .223 EVIL BLACK RIFLES WITH SILENCERRRRRRRS, but of them we will not speak.
I can’t believe that we blew through so much ammo, but considering that firing commenced at about 10:30am and the guns finally fell silent at 3:30pm, perhaps it’s not all that surprising.
In conclusion, I cannot say enough good things about TDSA and its owner Len Baxley. If you haven’t ever been there, you should. Mr. FM has been there twice (two separate trips Over Here), and says it’s the most fun he’s ever had, on both occasions. If you want to try the place out, let me know and I’ll give you advice on what to take and not take so you can have a great time.