Just got back from the gun store - very excited. The-Fly was nice enough to go with me. The store was Jensen's in Loveland, CO. I knew I wanted an automatic, both for the higher capacity and because, well, I'm an engineer and I like figuring out how things work.
They had a selection of rebuilt Sigs and CZs, both of which I had been in to look at before. I settled on either a factory rebuilt Sig P226 or a CZ 75D. I went back and forth twice, trying them out. The CZ was $70 less, but I liked the trigger on the Sig more. The mag release, decocker, and slide release seemed to be laid out more logically on the Sig as well. Lastly, the Sig fit my hand better - if I squeezed my hand around the CZ's grip too hard, my thumb hit the mag release.
I bought the Sig 226 for $459. The background check took 50 minutes of being on hold, but that was OK as I got to wander around and look at some of their other offerings - including a Saiga 12ga that felt really good to handle.
Finally, the background check was done and I got to take the heavy box home. I got home and opened the box on my kitchen table. Gun and I look at each other.
What follows is an engineer's view of field stripping and loading a firearm.
---
"OK, honey, you and I are going to get to know each other."
(pull-click-clack) Chamber clear.
"Pull the slide back and push up on the slide catch, rotate the takedown lever, pull the slide back, and let it glide forward off the frame." So says the manual.
(pull-click) (fumble) (click-SNAP!) "OW!" Pinched myself between the back of the barrel and the slide.
Try again.
(pull-click)(click)(rotate)(pull)(sliiide) Whoa, cool. It worked. This must be the recoil spring. Why does the manual say to point the spring in a safe direction when you...(POINK!)..Oh.
Barrel, recoil rod. Hey, this makes sense.
OK, lube, wipe down. No rust in there!
OK, reverse the process. Why doesn't it... Oh. Rotate the takedown lever back the way it was. Slide goes forward and...(SNAP!) Now, can I do it with my eyes closed? (Pull-click-click-rotate-pull-click-slide. Slide-click-rotate-SNAP!) Cool.
OK, empty mag. (push) Didn't lock. (push-click) Ah, there. Mag release... whoa. Must be a spring in there that kicks it out. Back in. (push-click) Rack slide. (click-clack) So the hammer's back now, meaning that it doesn't take much pressure to fire it... Lessee... (click-clack) chamber clear. Cover threatening ficus plant with muzzle, tell it not to make any sudden moves. (click) Too bad, ficus plant. That didn't take much pressure. Hammer's down and pull trigger again... (click) That's better, I feel safer with a double action trigger. I think I'm going to leave it decocked when I store it.
OK, deep breath. Loaded mag. (push-click) Rack slide (click-clack-shink) Hey, that sounded different. Keep finger off trigger. Look at gun. Gun suddenly looks more dangerous. Hammer is back. Slide decocker (click-snap) and hammer goes forward.
OK, unload. Mag released. Still one in the chamber. Rack slide. (click-flip!) Gun safe now.
---
Now that gun and I have been introduced properly, she goes under the bedside table, loaded with hollowpoints, one in the chamber, hammer down.
Somehow, I think I'm going to sleep better tonight. We go shooting this weekend.
They had a selection of rebuilt Sigs and CZs, both of which I had been in to look at before. I settled on either a factory rebuilt Sig P226 or a CZ 75D. I went back and forth twice, trying them out. The CZ was $70 less, but I liked the trigger on the Sig more. The mag release, decocker, and slide release seemed to be laid out more logically on the Sig as well. Lastly, the Sig fit my hand better - if I squeezed my hand around the CZ's grip too hard, my thumb hit the mag release.
I bought the Sig 226 for $459. The background check took 50 minutes of being on hold, but that was OK as I got to wander around and look at some of their other offerings - including a Saiga 12ga that felt really good to handle.
Finally, the background check was done and I got to take the heavy box home. I got home and opened the box on my kitchen table. Gun and I look at each other.
What follows is an engineer's view of field stripping and loading a firearm.
---
"OK, honey, you and I are going to get to know each other."
(pull-click-clack) Chamber clear.
"Pull the slide back and push up on the slide catch, rotate the takedown lever, pull the slide back, and let it glide forward off the frame." So says the manual.
(pull-click) (fumble) (click-SNAP!) "OW!" Pinched myself between the back of the barrel and the slide.
Try again.
(pull-click)(click)(rotate)(pull)(sliiide) Whoa, cool. It worked. This must be the recoil spring. Why does the manual say to point the spring in a safe direction when you...(POINK!)..Oh.
Barrel, recoil rod. Hey, this makes sense.
OK, lube, wipe down. No rust in there!
OK, reverse the process. Why doesn't it... Oh. Rotate the takedown lever back the way it was. Slide goes forward and...(SNAP!) Now, can I do it with my eyes closed? (Pull-click-click-rotate-pull-click-slide. Slide-click-rotate-SNAP!) Cool.
OK, empty mag. (push) Didn't lock. (push-click) Ah, there. Mag release... whoa. Must be a spring in there that kicks it out. Back in. (push-click) Rack slide. (click-clack) So the hammer's back now, meaning that it doesn't take much pressure to fire it... Lessee... (click-clack) chamber clear. Cover threatening ficus plant with muzzle, tell it not to make any sudden moves. (click) Too bad, ficus plant. That didn't take much pressure. Hammer's down and pull trigger again... (click) That's better, I feel safer with a double action trigger. I think I'm going to leave it decocked when I store it.
OK, deep breath. Loaded mag. (push-click) Rack slide (click-clack-shink) Hey, that sounded different. Keep finger off trigger. Look at gun. Gun suddenly looks more dangerous. Hammer is back. Slide decocker (click-snap) and hammer goes forward.
OK, unload. Mag released. Still one in the chamber. Rack slide. (click-flip!) Gun safe now.
---
Now that gun and I have been introduced properly, she goes under the bedside table, loaded with hollowpoints, one in the chamber, hammer down.
Somehow, I think I'm going to sleep better tonight. We go shooting this weekend.
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