Combat guns and plinking guns and just having fun
I remember all of those times I spent arguing with people on gunboards about which gun was better and which guns were pieces of junk. I started out collecting many of the Soviet era military style rifles, namely the SKS rifles. There are some fun accessories from Tapco that can make even an old relic like an SKS into a more modern looking rifle, but even if it’s not an AK, you can always customize the firearm to your liking. I wouldn’t expect to use an SKS for house to house clearing, but if you got it for $200 and want to improve the fit to your liking, go right ahead.
One problem I have found with many of the semi-autos I owned was that the length of pull on the guns was very short. This was not something I go too worked up about with the plinking firearms I owned, but for a primary weapon, the rifle stocks you use on them should fit you like a glove. Customizing a firearm to fit you is an important step in learning how to effectively use a firearm. I have learned that the hard way with various rifle scopes that ended up putting a ring around my eye because the stock was so short, I forgot to adjust my bean and got a good thunk. There is nothing wrong with changing the butt pad on any gun you own to fit you. Just be aware that when you are wearing a heavy coat or winter clothing that LOP might need to be shorter, so don’t modify your stocks too much, and think about an adjusteable stock for just that purpose.
If you are thinking about buying your first gun for inside the home, there is no better option than a shotgun. Some rookie gun shopper may think a shotgun is too powerful, but the reality is there is no better defensive weapon that can be so versatile when it comes to projectile ballistics. The difference in bullet penetration between a shotgun slug and size 9 shot is tremendous. Both are incredible leathal at close ranges, but energy is lost very quickly which is an assett in close situations. Due to modern home construction, there is no better reasoning than to consider what happens to a bullet if it misses the target or if it happens to hit the target and still go on. There is a saying that there is a lawyer attached to every bullet that exits your gun if it is used in a defensive situation and this very true.
And the answer is no, we do not, so why do people expect us to be able to shoulder the same size rifles or grip the same size handguns comfortable? Even if you’re a guy, you’re not all built the same, and luckily the military has caught on to this. If I had a nickel for every WWII vet I know that made a comment on how big the Garand was and how many of them had trouble shooting one, I’d be rich. The M1 Garand is a very accurate and powerful rifle, but not everyone could hand them. If you field a rifle of the same caliber today, and allowed people to adjust the stock for their comfort, recoil issues go away.
In the early 1990s there was a surplus of military style rifles coming into the Country. There were goofy thumbhole stocks to avoid violating gun laws or cheap parts for kits. Many of these rifles had pretty ugle stocks especially many of the rifles coming in from China or Egypt. If you have one of those MAK90s or Maadis that works great, but looks like crap, you might want to upgrade your stock with a synthetic. Many of these stocks are made in the US and can be considered US Parts to add to your legal alterations of your gun.
Well, I found out the hard way or should I say the sore way. I picked a Midwest 4 rail handguard a few years ago and loved the thing. I didn’t have the need to use all of the rails right off the bat, but I figured I’d atleast put a flashlight on it at some point. Well, I’m not much of the tactical accessory type, but I figured I’d go tactical with the 4 rail forearm. Most of my ARs have the standard forearms and I’m use to holding the rifle in the traditional manner.