Long time no see. After being here for nearly five years, I have to say I'm burnt out. Not just with the website, but mostly gaming in general. None of it really holds the same magic or glamor that it used to. Getting into childish debates on why system x is better than system y just doesn't cut it anymore, even though I enjoyed it for years. I'm not exactly happy with this change, either...if I could make myself feel the way I used to about games and talking/arguing about them, I'd do so in a heartbeat. I can't unfortunately. Save for a select few, I don't even know what games are coming out in the near or far future, and titles that would have grabbed my interest months before they came out only get my notice when they're in the bargain bin at a Gamestop I'm passing through. It's really unsettling, but this is just part of adulthood, I guess. God willing, I'll break out of it someday.

Moving on, a new gun purchase; the famed Mauser C-96 "broomhandle". Inarguably one of the most famous firearms i history, it's a relic of an era long gone. First made in 1896, its practically unmatched quality (before or since its introduction) makes this pistol a jewel in and of itself. It even manages to stand out amongst other works of German manufacture in this regard. They really don't make them like this anymore.

The distinct shape has lent it to much infamy, and has made it one of the more crowd-pleasing weapons in cinematic history (take another look at Han Solo's blaster). You aren't going to find many pistols out there with the magazine in front of the grip or trigger, and the grip is absolutely unmistakable. Speaking of magazines, this pistol isn't loaded like most people are familiar with. It has no detachable magazine (most don't, anyways), and it is fed via stripper clips through the top.

The C-96 tends to shoot the 7.63mm Mauser round, which was the most powerful handgun cartridge in existence until the .44 Magnum came out decades later. Even today, it's considered quite potent due to its speed and surprisingly high capabilities of punching through kevlar and armor. It didn't have much commercial success at first, although it started earning notice after Winston Churchill chose it as his prefer ed sidearm during the Mid-East and Boer conflicts at the end of the 19th Century. A good number of C-96s converted to 9mm during WWI, and had large red 9s carved into their grips so the troops did not load 7.63 Mauser into it (or vice-versa, either scenario very easily leading to disastrous results). After the war, it finally started to obtain seething reminiscent of commercial success. One of its biggest scores was in, of all placesm Russia during the Revolution. It was popular on both sides, but the radical, communist Bolsheviks took a particular liking to the short C-96 model, and placed large orders for them from Mauser. This earned this particular model the nickname "bolo", a monicker for the Bolshviks. This is model I came to possess. Once it's production finally halted in 1937, a little over one million had been made by Mauser. A number of countries made unlicensed copies of it during this time and decades afterwards, two of the most famous being the Chinese .45ACP "Shanxi" and the Spanish fully-automatic "Schnellfeuer". Unless you're a collector though, it's best to go for the true and blue German production. It'll cost you a pretty dime, though. Ones in decent condition often start out at $1000. Despite this, I'm more than happy with that price. The broomhandle was one of the first guns I've ever wanted to own, and I kept the dream of having one long after. It's an absolute joy to fire, and I never see myself selling it.

Well, the past 6 months have been hectic as all hell, but it's over. That means back to gaming, and writing updates. Since the AKM, I've bought a number of additional fireams. I'll list them all in one tidy entry.

M1 Garand;

The Cadillac of semi-automatic firearms, and one of the most famous and liked weapons in human history.

This Canadian invention was the first semi-automatic rifle fielded in signficant numbers in an army. It was the standard rifle of the American army in WWII, and made its adversaries envious of its capabilities. It was durable, accurate, and gave an infantrymen eight 30-06 rounds to handle an enemy. It is fed by an en-block, which holds the eigh rounds and keeps them in line while it's in the receiver. When the last shot is fired, this en block ejects out with an incredibly distinctive (and satsifying) pinging sound. It is a must-have for any firearm collector, and is in high demand in general. I haven't even fired it and I know that this is one that my kids will be inheriting.

Draco Pistol;

Made in Romania, this pistol (yes, despite its looks, it is a pistol) is one of the most durable and military-spec weapons on the market. Taking the same round and magazines as a typical AK-type, it is hard hitting, and also loud due to its comparatively shorter barrel (11" as opposed to the regular 16"). Here's how they look out of the box:

Here's how mine currently looks:

The list of personal modifications are numerous. New wood, which was stained, opened up top sights, refinished metal surface, polished bolt, an underfolder stock, a bell flash hider, and a wooden pistol grip. It's essentially a Krinkov at this point, and no longer a pistol thanks to the underfolding stock. I love it.

Lee Enfield;

A British cl@ssic. This fast-firing bolt-action legend was the last rifle of empire on the globe, and it did its job well. It had a comparatively large capacity of 10 rounds, as opposed to the standard five, was rugged, and its bolt-system is still renowned for being incredible fast. The Germans in WWI thought the Brits had more machineguns than they actually did due to large volume of fire the Lee Enfield could put out.

My model is the No. 4 Mk. 1, a WWII-variant. It's clearly well-worn, but most Lee Enfields are. Being the standard arm of an empire spanning the globe meant not many were going to go unused. It's a fantastic shooter, but the ammo it uses, .303 British, is quite expensive, the standard price being $1 per round. Quite a downside, and as a result, I don't see me firing it all that often.

Makarov:

The AK-47 of pistols. This distinctive sidearm has a certain infamy due to being used by the Com-Block states throughout the Cold War, is mind-bogglingly simple, made entirely of metal aside from the grip, and is amazingly accurate. Its simplicity in aiming and fixed barrel allows a person totally new to pistols able to land center-mass shots at 40 feet with ease. Holding eight 9x18 rounds, it's more than capable as a self defense weapon.

I adore this pistol. I have no business landing such accurate shots with this thing considering how unskilled I am with pistols. At $240, it's a steal. I trust my life to this weapon, as it is my choice for concealed-carry.

I have worked this AK over something fierce. The furniture has been restained, refinished, and in replaced in one instance (lower handguard with palm-swell). The metal finish has been reworked to a semi-gloss black instead of the matte grey it came with, the bolt polished to a shiny silver, and the plastic grip replaced with a wooden Soviet one. I have made this thing look as AKM as it gets.

Well, I think today I'm gonna go shoot my new AKMSU Krinkov (which I shall blog about tonight), eat some tasty yet unhealthy food, and play the highly-acclaimed Mass Effect 2 DLC that I got for super cheap a couple days back. Then, I think I'll cap that all off with a nap.

**** yeah.

Okay, I like guns and collecting guns. I like cleaning them, shooting them, and making them perform to the best of their inherent abilities. Now, naturally, there is going to be a similar drawing amongst other people towards swords. I can perfectly see why someone would want to collect legit swords. Authentic blades have an undeniable stigma to them, and can look pretty darned impressive when you mount them on a wall. What I can NOT understand are those stupid novelty blades and the people that mount them on the walls in their bedroom, usually in a criss-crossed fashion.

Stuff like the picture above looks like the typical doodle a bored seventh grader would conjure up during math **** It's impractical, tacky, couldn't even dream of standing up to a legitimate sword. It's only purpose is to look cool, and it tries (key word) to accomplish this usually by putting as many pieces of a dragon's anatomy over as much surface area as possible. There's a similar practice in the gun owner world. Alot of times, the same Tom, Dick, and Harry that had a half-dozen fantasy swords and battle axes hanging off of haphazardly placed wall tacks in his bedroom will get older and start to want to own a gun. Provided that they don't get impaled by one of the aforementioned blades after it falls off its sad little mount because he played Disturbed with the bass up too high, they'll finally take the plunge, and go out to a sporting goods store for a firearm. After finding out that guns don't run the same price as their aluminum swords, they'll buy a $90 Mosin Nagant or a crappy Chinese ripoff of the SKS for $140. After playing Modern Warfare 2, they'll look at their guns with disfavor. They have wood...wood means its old. Old is bad. Newer guns are better and cooler looking! They might not be able to afford a REAL modern assault weapon, but by God they can at least PRETEND they have one by putting their Mosin and/or SKS in some synthetic stock or, if they're particularly tenacious, make it into a bullpup by sending it to some hack in Indiana that'll place it in some overpriced plastic 'space-age' looking stock and connect the two triggers together with some twisty-tie.

(Hurr durrr, I has a MW2 gun!!1)

The gun community calls this asshatery 'tacti-cool', meaning that it serves the same function as all those fantasy blades I talked about earlier; all looks, no purpose. Now that I'm back on track, I ask my question; why would you be so fascinated with fake swords that have no history, no functionality, and no cl@ss? How can someone possibly be so blinded by tasteless aesthetics when it comes to blades, and weaponry in general? It seems to primarily be an issue with adolescents, so maybe I'm just not capable of understanding...

It is finally mine.

(Note: Picture is of its most recent configuration, with a wooden pistol grip, furniture stained with shellac coating, and bolt carrier polished to a shiny silver)

The one, the only, the absolutely unmistakable Kalashnikov model of 1947. This is quite possibly the most mass-produced and infamous weapon in the history of mankind. Responsible for the deaths of untold millions worldwide, it is truly a gun that will forever be linked with revolution, freedom, and tyranny. People who know nothing about guns are usually still able to point at the gun's unique silhouetteand say "That's an AK-47".

Simplicity defined, rugged, efficient, and cheap, this gun was made for the masses. It's nine pounds of stamped steel and laminate wood that was made to do only one thing; shoot bullets. It accomplishes this simple task well, and there's not much you can do to prevent it from doing it. The AK-47 will not hit a three inch target from 300 meters, nor was it even meant to do so. A target rifle this is not. Stealth is also not in its itinerary. You can't even flip the safety off without a loud click. But, again, it wasn't meant for that. What it will do is reliably work and hit man-sized target from 200 yards away with absolute ease. It is an AK-47. and nothing more needs to be said.

The one I obtained is a Romanian WASR 10/63 made in 1967. I got it for $375. The WASR-10 series were AKM clones AKMs being the most widespread variant of the AK-47 family) specifically meant for civilian export, and were, until recently, plagued by countless production issues. The parts they were assembled from were of questionable quality, and were often mismatched or damaged. Common problems were leaning frontsights and even bent barrels. They were originally meant to merely take small, 10 round magazines to comply with the then-active assault rifle ban in the US. They were also without bayonet lugs or muzzle compensators. When the ban expired and wasn't renewed (one of the VERY few things I'm grateful to the Bush administration for), many had the narrow magazine well widened to take the standard 30 round magazines. Problem was, the people who did this did such a bad job that the magazines had a tendency to wobble ferociously in the well. Then, in 2008, Romania began exporting the WASR 10/63. This was made entirely out of military spec parts, had bayonet lugs, compensators, and had an original military receiver that made the magazines fit snuggly. Overall production quality was excellent, and it retailed for a scant $10 more than its shoddier WASR-10 sibling. The 10/63 also tends to come with extra goodies, like a MEAN looking bayonet, leather sling, magazine pouch, and cleaning kit. All in all, an incredible value for less than $400. The only complaint I have is that the wood has no finish or sanding whatsoever. I guess that means I'll have to put my own personal touches into it and stain it myself, which can be seen as a plus.

And now, for something a bit different.

The Czechoslovakian CZ-82 service pistol. This splendid handgun ran me a scant $160. Considered the pinnacle of the Soviet Makarov pistol platform, this weapon is a joy to shoot, is incredibly simple to clean and disassemble, and is small enough to make it a good personal defense weapon. Developed in 1982, it was meant to replace the old CZ-52 pistol, per the USSR's request (the 52 shot the old 7.62 Tokarev pistol cartridge, while everyone else in the Soviet Union had long since adopted the 9x18 makarov cartridge). And so, the Czechs produced the CZ-82, which fired the makarov round and featured alot of interesting features. First, the barrel is fixed directly to the gun, instead of the detachable top slide. This results in better barrel stability. Most notably, it has polygonal grooving. As opposed to the standard rifling you see, this is much more shallow and smooth, giving the CZ-82 the appearance that it's a smoothbore. Make no mistake though, this uncommon grooving leads to better accuracy and a much easier cleaning experience. So, add the fixed barrel and the polygonal grooving, and you have a pistol that is incredibly accurate for its size. Knowing that they had a good export product on their hands, Czechoslovakia made a civilian export version called the CZ-83, which featured a traditional rifled barrel. But I don't settle for civilian or export versions of guns, hence why I opted for the officially issued '82. My only complaint is the plastic black grips. As anyone on the GUFU IRC can tell you, I hate synthetics when it comes to gun furniture. For me, it's wood or nothing. Unfortunately, the Czechs didn't make any wood grips for the CZ-82, so I've arranged for a guy in Budapest, Hungary to make me a set in wattle wood with a red shellac finish. I should get them in the mail in about a month.

When you factor in the CZ-82's accuracy, simplicity, pleasant aesthetics and solid shooting characteristics, it is an absolute steal at $159.99. I'd go so far to say that it's the second best firearm deal on the planet, with the $69.99 Mosin nagant rifle coming in first. Get your's today!

Much to the dismay of my foes, I have returned. I am now officially one of the few GS zombies. :twisted:

May my reign last for all of eternity!

Yes, another gun. And it's Soviet. Ain't I full of surprises? :roll:

I picked this up at a Big 5 in San Angelo, TX for $400. Quite a steal for one of these beauties:

If you notice that it looks alot like my first obtained weapon, you win a cookie. This is the sniper variant of the Mosin Nagant. Hand-picked for superior quality and accuracy, this Tula-manufactures (As opposed to the Izhevsk, or 'izzys', weapons I have) had two holes drilled into the receiver and had a mount bolted to the left side. Attached is a 4x magnification PU scope. To accommodate the scope, the bolt handle had to be turned downwards. To leave it straight, as the normal Mosin Nagant rifle bolts are, is to have the end knob smack into the scope and not having the ability to eject a spent casing. Sadly, the scope isn't original. It's a reproduction made in the USSR sometime in the 80s. But, given the condition most wartime PUs are in nowadays, I don't exactly mind. Some might remember this sniper rifle from this recent film. What I like about this particular one is that it was made in 1938, prior to that little thing called WWII lowering production standards worldwide dramatically. The stock isn't in good condition compared to my other Mosin, the front half in particular being scratched up. I have a feeling that's due to the sniper rifle actually being issued for frontline service. Probably got knocked around to hell and back on supply trains, trucks, and during action. I can only fathom what weapon will land in my hands next. Rest assured though, I'll let you guys know ALL about it whether you like it or not. :D

Also, she's named Tatyana. :P

Uh...yeah, I got another one. Except this one was a gift provided by my father. After we visited the Jackson Armory in Dallas this weekend, he secretly purchased a certain Soviet battle rifle that I had been eying for the past month. I had no hopes of acquiring one anytime soon, whatwith the high price-tag. While I was in a nearby restaurant, he stowed it away in the back of his tiny Miata. How he accomplished this remarkable feat is beyond me (it's farking long). Upon returning home, I found it laying on my bed. I present to you the SVT-40:

(Note: Pic is AFTER I totally disassembled, cleaned, and polished the rifle. It didn't look nearly this good when it first got here)

After I changed my pants, I marveled at my latest weapon. The third out of four entries I'm wanting for my collection, also the rarest and most expensive. And my father did the buying for me. Needless to say, I was amazed that he just up and bought me a $1100 weapon from the Jackson Armory. Well, I'm not one to look a gift horse in the mouth.

The SVT-40 is familiar to anyone who played the earlier CoD titles, particularly United Offensive. One of the lesser-known Soviet weapons of WWII, it was in relative obscurity in comparison to the Mosin Nagant rifles and PPSH submachine guns. Only about one million were made (a small number considering it's a product of the USSR), and most were issued to either NCOs or the exceedingly effective female snipers. It was intended to replace the aging Mosin Nagant bolt-action rifle, but the Nazi invasion of the Soviet Union and the relative complexity of this semi-automatic weapon made sure that its projected production numbers were reduced to 1/20th of the initial order during their first year of production alone (1940). The factories only produced fewer and fewer as the war went on, mostly due to the peasant and farmer conscripts not being able to make heads or tails of the SVT's layout and mechanism (remember, these guys probably grew up with the Nagant and found the older, simpler bolt-action rifle MUCH easier to understand). Nonetheless, those that did get their hands on one loved its semi-automatic capabilities. The Germans in particular grew fond of it, and the SVT came to be one of the most coveted war prizes a soldier of the Third Reich could hope to find.

"Zis veapon is very gut, ja?"

Mine was made in the Izhevsk arsenal in 1940, so it's one of the early models. Asidefrom a few shallow nicks in the stock and some grime, it was in good condition. A few hours of cleaning (and turning my fingers into the very embodiment of pain and suffering due to trouble figuring out how to reset a particularly taught and stubborn recoil spring) fixed all of those flaws and then some, making the rifle look as pristine as you see in the above picture.

In terms of characteristics, it is surprisingly light. A full pound lighter than the Mosin Nagant even. This is amazing, considering how complex it is in comparison to the latter, and doubly so when it's a whopping four inches longer (although most of that extra length is due to the sizable muzzle break at the end). Despite firing the same large 7.62x54r round that my Nagant uses, it has less kick. And yet, it's almost as accurate. The SVT has been one surprise after another for me. Appearance wise...this son of a **** is one of the MEANEST looking weapons I've ever seen. :?

It's amazing that the collection I started a scant two months ago has come this far. Two months, and I'm already 75% done, with the most difficult piece obtained with nary a penny on my part. Dad, I forgive for the Miata incident.