Shooting The Breeze Podcast: Episode 20

14 thoughts on “Shooting The Breeze Podcast: Episode 20”

1. Hey Walt:

   I have had a glock 17 (bought used with some holster wear at the muzzle, still no rust) for about 3 years and had no problems. If I had to do it over again I might have bought a glock 19 so I can use the same gun for competition that I carry. Right now I carry a kahr cm9.

   I installed a 3.5 pound trigger connector with just using just a butter knife and a punch: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OfyytGNqohY&annotation_id=annotation_602798&feature=iv

   Glock rear site are plastic I’ve have heard they may pop off, but it hasn’t happened to me and I use it in IDPA, when I’m not running my STI 1911 Trojan.

   Glock factory mags at $19.95, sometimes they are $17.95 (free shiping) if you catch them on sale at http://www.botachtactical.com/glockmagazines.html

   Mag holder i’m using this for $11.44 http://www.cheaperthandirt.com/ItemDetail.aspx?sku=2-SL71-1-2

   Holster I’m using Safariland 5188 Concealment Paddle Holster $28.54 http://www.cheaperthandirt.com/ItemDetail.aspx?sku=2-SL518883411

   Hope this helps bring you to the dark side.

   Nick

   1. Nick,
      I don’t know if I should thank you or curse you….. LOL

      Thanks for all of the information. I was expecting the prices on things to be a bit higher (especially on the mags, the lowest I’ve seen M&P mags for was around $30 each).

      The 3.5 connector should take the trigger weight down from 5 pounds to 3.5 pounds to match the competition Glock 34/35 correct?

      Between the price of accessories and the ease of working on the gun, I am getting closer and closer to buying a Glock 17. I still want to shoot my friends when it comes back. If it is as fun to shoot as I think it will, I’m going to start looking for one used.

      Thanks a bunch for the links. I found them very useful.

      1. Walt,

         Sorry I left out some details searched through my email and found that I bought a SCHERER 3.5lb connector and not the ghost, the Scherer fit my gen 3 glock 17 perfect without any mods. The Scherer brought my trigger from a +5lb down to about ~4.5lb. To get the pull down even lower you will need to replace some springs such as buying a new, heavier 6lb trigger spring $3.00 and a lighter Firing Pin Safety Spring $3.00. You can also replace the firing pin spring ($4.00) but I wouldn’t recommend it because then you may run into light primer strikes, and in order to resolve the lighter strikes you have to either experiment with which ammo will work or buy a lighter firing pin ($30). Lone wolf distributor on GunDudesEpisode 172 episode said they make their own 3.5lb connector “that is more like a true 3.5lb connector” but I have no idea what that will get the trigger weight down to. All this work is easy to do and you can find videos on youtube.

         Replacing the sights you can do yourself also: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ABAGA1eNx-k

         Stay safe, and Stay Armed,
         Nick

         And now for my disclaimer: I would only make these modifications if the gun was only for use in competition, and not carry.

         1. Nick,
            The Glock 17 would be a range gun only. I’m not sure that I want to get the pull weight down too low but it is nice to know that it is a fairly simple process and components aren’t too expensive.

            I remember listening to that episode of Gun Dudes. I wasn’t paying close attention to it because I wasn’t considering a Glock at the time. I’ll have to re-listen.

            Replacing the sights look like a very simple process, especially if you buy the kit from Brownells. The kit about doubles the price I had in mind, I’ll have to ask around and see if I know anyone with a rear sight pusher.

            Thanks for the information!

2. Hey Walt great show I try not to miss an episode. Question about the knife and maybe I missed it since I tend to listen to your show either at work or while feeding my son. Are these Knives for Defensive purposes, or general purposes? Do you carry one for Defensive and if so what are the differneces? Also do you sharpen these and with what do you use, I used to sharpen all mine with a stone but that was years ago I’m sure they have better tools now. Also, looking at getting a new gun I try and pick up one a year, how do you decided when its time to buy a new gun which one you want and for what purpose you want to use it (carry, Target). Love the Myths rant, my favorite myth is the “guns kill people” slogan so many uninformed people say, I always tell them that if Guns kill people then pencils misspell words.

   Stay Safe

   1. Corey,
      I guess you could say that the knife would be a secondary defensive tool, of sorts. I carry it more as a general purpose tool. I carry it on my weak side and wouldn’t ever reach for it in a self defense situation unless my strong side hand couldn’t get to my pistol.

      I’ve seen a variety of tools for sharpening knives. Some are manual and seem to hold a specific angle to the edge, to motorized sharpeners (a friend of mine has a slow speed wet-stone setup for sharpening knives and a variety of other tools). I have a set of Fine and Super Fine diamond sharpeners that I used to use for putting a quick edge on woodworking tools. I’ve only used them once to touch up the edge on my Spyderco Delica. Some of the quality knife manufacturers offer free sharpening services if you would be more comfortable sending it out to be touched up.

      Your last question I’ll talk about during an upcoming podcast.

      Thanks for checking out the episode and leaving a comment.

3. Hi Walt, enjoy as always, you are so close to Christmas, you may want to think about Santa for that Glock. Merry Christmas to you and family .

   1. I couldn’t tell you how excited I would be if Santa left a Glock 17 under my Christmas Tree…. LOL

      Thanks, Merry Christmas to you and yours as well.

4. Hey Walt congratulations on the 20th episode and merry Christmas.

   I still remember the good old days of Walt in PA when we would have nice chats about books and booze instead of all this nasty gun and knife talk….ah, happier times.

5. Have a merry christmas walt. The one article you read about about the police teaching women how to shoot was dripping with anti gun sentiment. Read it again and it basicly was stating that even the police are rubes with firearm safety. Which I agree if you want people trained in the proper use of firearms the police are going to be the last people you go to. They interveiwed some redneck backwoods police department in the effort to show that it’s the norm of the gun culture. People will cross their thumbs as a new shooter and revolver shooters. If you hold a big bore revolver the same way you hold a semi you are going to lose a thumb from the side blast , that’s why you cross your thumbs and cock the gun with your left thumb. I have been involed with guns for 16 years but am by no means an expert either but have picked up alot along the way. You seem to have the love and passion for pistol shooting and you have a lifetime to collect more and more knowlage and the beauty about the gun world is no one ever knows it all because it is so diverse and spread over many areas. You had a great instructor and one of the most professional people in the shooting world. Margret is top notch and anything you got out of her course was worth it’s weight in gold. You are a very above par shooter in conduct , sportsmanship and safety and am glad to have met you and always enjoy shooting with you. In spring you might want to think about having a show out on the range and do some gun reviews , I think you talking about and shooting gun in a first person perpective would be kind of a neat thing. Then people could see what the sights look like and it would be different.

   1. Scott,
      I’ve thought about doing something from the range. Up until very recently, it would have been tough at the ranges I belong to (they all share a common firing line and if anyone else was there shooting it may have gotten a bit hectic).

      I’d actually like to get a bunch of target stands made up and create some mini USPSA stages and talk about how I would adress each scenario. Maybe even get a couple of other shooters to address it as well so that the viewers could get a feel for how strategic USPSA stages can be.

      As far as Gun Reviews go, it would be fun but I think I’ve talked about all of my guns already. In addition, I still have a lot of learning as far as mechanics go and I don;t think I could do them justice outside of “Yeah, I liked this one” or “Nah, this one isn’t for me”.

      I really enjoyed the course that Margaret taught my wife and I. I’d like to bump into her at a match sometime but I don’t think she shoots USPSA. She mentioned doing NRA matches and I don’t remember if she said anything about IDPA or not (it has been a long time since we did that class).

      Thanks for checking out the episode and leaving a comment.

      1. Well you know people with different tastes and different guns I’m sure I could get my buddies to come out and let you review their guns. Topton would be the place to do it. I don’t think margret is/was in any of the “action” sports but she is soild and knowlageable. Did you ever see gun shows? I’m sure you could find guys to lend you their pistol/rifle/shotgun for a reveiw. Gun reviews are subjective anyway and you don’t have to strip them to bare bones to reveiw them just load and shoot them which you’re more then quailfied to do:)

6. Hey Walt congratulations on the 20th episode. I am playing catch-up. Nice to hear your comments on the buck folder. Now you know why Spyderco is one of my favorite knife makers. Funny to hear your story on the shoot, I went duck hunting several years back. From the time we left the house and ended up at the duck blinds the weather temp had dropped about 20 degrees. Not very fun. As always fun to listen to. Keep up the great work.

   I have tried to find the Fuente Fuente Opus X, at the local cigar shops in my local area, but no one carries that cigar. May have to find one on-line.

   -Blaze

   1. Blaze,
      As it gets later in the year the cigars will be tougher to track down. They seem to come out around Christmas and Fathers day.

      I love the Spyderco Knives you sent. The Delica has seen a fair amount of moderate use and it holds up beautifully. Sharpening them is tough because of how hard the steel is but they keep an edge for a good long time.

      Thanks for checking out the episode and leaving a comment.

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