went out tonight to a local pub, testing out our new look.

we got this cool plastic shot glass set today at the high end grocery store. we paid way too much for it, but at least they won’t break, and they’re all spooky and stuff.

my vampire scope for today. it’s like a horoscope, only for vampires. or halloween. or something. via alloy.

we finished up one complete costume for halloween today after work, hooded full length robe along with skulled staff. it’s been a while since i’ve used a sewing machine, but it seemed (no pun intended) to come together fairly well. we used black denim as the material for the robe, which hangs quite well, and ought to keep us warm on those chilly romps through the moonlight. tomorrow, we’ll start on the second hooded robe.

i stopped by the range this morning and rented a para carry 9 9mm 1911 style pistol. of all the small 9mm carry pistols i’ve shot, this makes for the best compromise. it fits my hand nicely, it’s well balanced, it offers a pretty good capacity of 8 + 1, and is fairly accurate. the overall Lose Weight Exercise is just about right for a carry pistol – heavier than a glock, but lighter than, say, a kahr.

and speaking of kahr, they had a used MK9 for sale for $550, so i was able to compare the two with the para fresh in my mind. and while the kahr is well made and quite a pretty handgun, i didn’t like the short grip, or the way the extended mag worked. in my mind, either make the grip the right length, or go with a truncated grip for carry. extended mags are ugly, and i’m always afraid that squeezing it will somehow interfere with operation. i liked the Lose Weight Exercise of the kahr, which was noticeably heavier then the para, but i wasn’t thrilled with the way it fit in my hand, with or without the grip extension. and didn’t like that the smaller mag holds only 6 + 1 (or 7 + 1 with the ugly extension). i didn’t fire the kahr, but found the para pretty accurate and easy to control. see below for a 5 shot group toward the end of my trial.

getting ready for halloween.

for your viewing pleasure…

i stopped by the range today and rented a glock 19. i’m in the market for a compact 9mm pistol, and since these are so popular, i figured i’d give it a shot. i’ve shot one once in the past, but it’s been a while.

once i got used to the light Lose Weight Exercise, i found it pretty accurate. it’s real easy to use as the safety is integrated into the trigger, so you can just pick it up and fire it. it comes apart easily enough, as the guy at the range field stripped it in seconds. and glocks are pretty much ubiquitous; parts and accessories can be found virtually everywhere.

the down side? they’re ugly as sin and very “boxy”, and the 19 is not much smaller than my s&w 5096. i looked at the g26, which is a slightly more compact model, but not that much more compact, and the grip only has enough room for 2 fingers as opposed to 3. with a 9mm, i feel i need a good grip for control, especially in a polymer frame model. a magazine extension is available, for a price, and i may try the 26 next time i go.

there a few more brands i’d like to look into, like kahr, discontinued s&w models like the 3913, and a few others, as i prefer stainless steel or alloy to polymer frames. of course, i’ve been informed that one can actually purchase a stainless steel (and aluminum alloy, and titanium) after-market glock replacement frame.

we took a ride on the phoenix light rail this past weekend. a day pass was only $1.75, and there was quite a bit to see. including pirates in tempe.

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i just have to laugh.

got this in my email a few days ago from the nra:

NRA-ILA is pleased to announce that three new pro-gun laws officially go into effect today in Arizona.

The employee protection/parking lot law requires employers to allow the lawful storage of firearm(s) in employees’ locked motor vehicles while they are at work. Employers are not allowed to ban the storage of firearms in vehicles unless they offer an alternate location to park immediately adjacent to the standard parking area. If your employer violates this new law, please contact us immediately at 703-267-1240 or email state&local@nrahq.org.

Also effective today, concealed carry permit holders can carry a concealed firearm for self-defense while in an establishment that serves on site alcoholic beverages as long as they are not consuming alcohol. A restaurant or bar can ban possession by posting a sign next to the liquor license. It is important to note that posting the sign at the entrance of an establishment is not sufficient and one is legally protected to enter the premises and see if the sign is posted in the proper place next to the liquor license. If it is not, the establishment is not in compliance with the law and you may remain inside even if a sign is posted at the entrance. It is important for gun owners to politely let restaurant owners know you prefer to patronize those restaurants who do not post their premises.

Finally, a new law allows for a concealed carry permit holder to “display” their weapon to de-escalate what would otherwise be a violent altercation. It has been designed to stop problems in the past where the passive display of a firearm was considered brandishing and not a means of self defense. It will prevent law abiding citizens from violating the law when lethal force is not required to prevent a violent incident. It is important to note that this law does not allow for you to remove your handgun from its holster to intimidate another individual or gain leverage on a situation.

i’m especially glad about the “employee protection/parking lot law” – the company i work for had a policy specifically stating that guns were not allowed at all on company property. at least now, i can keep my ccw piece in the car. not that i’m worried about something happening on company grounds, but rather, when i stop by places on the way home.