We would all be interested in a side by side comparison at the range with the Shield & 469. Old skool compact vs. modern striker fired compact?
Target pics are always appreciated!
A Day At The Range/Gun of the day
- Thread starter Toothpick
- Start date
We would all be interested in a side by side comparison at the range with the Shield & 469. Old skool compact vs. modern striker fired compact?
Target pics are always appreciated!
Probably need to include the Star UltraStar as well. It's a single stack and closer in weight to the Shield.We would all be interested in a side by side comparison at the range with the Shield & 469. Old skool compact vs. modern striker fired compact?
Target pics are always appreciated!
But a teaser.
S&W had another compact model 3913 they made because the 3913 Ladysmith was so popular. I think the only difference between the two was the angled frame on the Ladysmith compared to the straight frame on the other.
The 3913 looks a lot like your Ultrastar except for the plastic frame versus the alloy frame.
If the 3913 and the 469 got married and had a baby, they would name it the Ultrastar?
The UltraStar was and still is quite amazing and far ahead of it's time. It came out in the mid 90s just as the mag limit was going into effect. At the time I had three polymer frame pistols, the Star, the HS2000 (Springfield changed the name to XD when they became the distributor) and my SigPro (Sig Sauer's first polymer). The Star and the Sig were hammer fired while the HS2k was striker.S&W had another compact model 3913 they made because the 3913 Ladysmith was so popular. I think the only difference between the two was the angled frame on the Ladysmith compared to the straight frame on the other.
The 3913 looks a lot like your Ultrastar except for the plastic frame versus the alloy frame.
If the 3913 and the 469 got married and had a baby, they would name it the Ultrastar?
But the UltraStar was quite different. First, the frame had internal ribbing and steel rail insert and so felt more like a steel frame for rigidity. Also the slide rode inside the frame rather than on the frame and so the bore axis was considerably lower making control and return to POA easier.
UltraStar vs HS2k:
SigPro vs UltraStar:
But the big difference was that the whole Firing system/Trigger group was a separate modular insert similar to the trend we see today where the firing group is the firearm and frames can be swapped. In fact the slide and frame for the 40 caliber version was the same as the 9mm, the only difference was the modular trigger group and a different barrel and magazine. The plan was to have a whole family of calibers and frame sizes that would basically use the same machinery and so common tooling.
But unfortunately Spanish banks had made major investments in China and Asia that didn't survive the 90s recession and so the banks refused to extend loans or provide financing for expansion to the Eibar firearms companies and even consolidation was not enough to save them. Star and Astra merged to form Astar and the Llama name got sold off to a holding company that moved everything to Indonesia and the Philippines.
The Star and my SigPro:
And my Star on top of my HS2k:
I’m surprised companies like Kel-Tec haven’t tried to put out their own copy of an Ultrastar type model?
The Eibar region is making somewhat of a come back but now it's mostly in shotguns. I find it sad though that a whole area that made truly innovative handguns for well over a century simply disappeared and we lost all of that institutional knowledge.
I have the Kel-Tec P11. Horrendous trigger and crappy sights, but very light weight, about the size of my SIG P365.
I bought my two youngest daughters matching P-32’s when they got out of college. It was the largest caliber and pistol with the thinnest profile and lightest weight that I figured those two stubborn, onery and hard headed girls would actually might, carry with them.
Them two mule headed heffer’s took after their momma. Of course, y’all already knew that by my pleasant and humble demeanor.
I take ‘em to the range every blue moon when I can catch up and corral those wild things at the same time to make sure they keep all the lint blown out of the hammer and they can still shoot them and haven’t forgot how.
No shooting yesterday, but I was at my club's range. I repaired a few broken gongs.
Out at 125 yards or so, I found someone's laser boresighter that they shot down range...lol.
Out at 125 yards or so, I found someone's laser boresighter that they shot down range...lol.
This evening was my clubs 50 yard rimfire BR night. We shot 5 targets. I could never get past having a stray shot or two. This card had 5 X's, though. A high X count on this card is tough to achieve because you have to take the entire X ring out.
Wonder if the rifle barrel did the cartoon-style banana peel back.Went pretty far. Almost a rifle grenade.
AA
I find bore sighters and ramrods down range every so often.
How do people get so careless around something that can kill you? Same question applies to driving, BTW.
I believe many a Yank or Reb was kilt daid by a fired ramrod.These days I mostly use an indoor range. It's disheartening to see all the skip marks off the floor, even the walls.
AA
Shot a revolver match this AM, small turnout, I suppose because it was so hot. I came in 4th, but that was about middle of the pack, bottom line was that I beat those whom I usually beat and got beat by those who usually beat me. Still a good time.
Shot my Glock 19 in a bowling pin match. Usually, I shoot a .45 ACP for bowling pins. Today I used 147 gr. FMJTC and if the pins were hit squarely, it was effective. Bowling pin matches are quite entertaining.
After the match I had a chance to shoot my new Ruger LCP Max .380 ACP for the first time. I shot a total of 50 rounds of Blazer 90 gr. FMJ and 30 rounds of Winchester Silvertips JHP. All functioned without issue. There was a bit of a learning curve to managing the trigger to accurately shoot the gun.
First 20 rounds of Blazer FMG. The first 10 rounds were aimed at the center of mass X ring, a 10 round magazine was used and are the lowest striking 10 shots. The second 10 rounds shot using the 12-round magazine were aimed at the center of the head. Those ten shots landed in the upper chest area.
After the match I had a chance to shoot my new Ruger LCP Max .380 ACP for the first time. I shot a total of 50 rounds of Blazer 90 gr. FMJ and 30 rounds of Winchester Silvertips JHP. All functioned without issue. There was a bit of a learning curve to managing the trigger to accurately shoot the gun.
First 20 rounds of Blazer FMG. The first 10 rounds were aimed at the center of mass X ring, a 10 round magazine was used and are the lowest striking 10 shots. The second 10 rounds shot using the 12-round magazine were aimed at the center of the head. Those ten shots landed in the upper chest area.
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The second 20 rounds shot from the LCP Max were Winchester Silvertips. POA was the top of the 7 ring. As with the first target, the range was 7 yds.
Slightly better trigger control.
Slightly better trigger control.
Another 20 rounds of Blazer FMJ fired, this time the POA was the top of the 9 ring. Slow deliberate shooting providing yet better control.
I tried another 10 rounds of Win. Silvertips shooting five pairs of rapid double taps. I got too confident too quickly. This Elsiepea will take some time to master!
Went to the range to try and get a little MV truing done. Got the Kestrel dialed within .02 Mil of POI at 200 yards but something seems.. off. Ah well, all the gear is loaded so I'll go back tomorrow with more ammo, the magneto speed, and proper targets (I forgot them and had to wing it. clean targets are a MUST BTW!) and see if I can get a better grasp of what's going on. And if not times up! Oklahoma and Recon by Fire here I come!!!
