Tucson, Arizona

Anyone down for a desert shoot?

-Colin

 

How about this Sunday? I haven't dented any primers in a while (couple months at least), and I think it's time to fix that

Where do you usually shoot? I have a membership at Desert Trails, but have been thinking about checking out Three Points. Or were you thinking about a wildcat range?

 

Hmm, well this Sunday my fiance will be heading back towards Flagstaff where she lives (comes down for the weekend) in the early afternoon so I guess that depends on what time...?

I ususally go to Jensens west for pistols indoors and Vail mining holes for rifles and pistols and stuff.

-Colin

 

If the friggin gas prices wern't so bloody high, my wife and I would drive down and join you!!

 

Vail mining holes? Not familiar with that, but as I live in Vail that might be pretty convienent.

I was thinking sometime early afternoon, say between 1-3PM for getting started. That would let me go to church, and in the case of 2PM or later would also let me go home and eat and change clothes first.

I'll bring Miss Kaysa (my Swedish Mauser) and my Ruger P944, plus probably my 22 rifle. I don't have any (non-corrosive) ammo for my Turkish Mauser so I'll probably leave her at home.

 

If you head south on Vail from the freeway, about half of a mile past the giant wooden telephone poles, there is a dirt road that heads off west and into the desert about 1/4 to 1/2 of a mile. At the end of that road there is a large mining hole as a backdrop with a good thick layer of brass on the ground.

Also, if you head down the frontage road from the Vail turnoff, it will eventually lead pretty far away from the freeway, and there are plenty of mining holes out there. Bring some good boots because some of these are pretty hard to climb out of.

I'll have to see what my fiance says about this Sunday, but I'll get back to you. We could push it back a week or three as well if you want to get a bunch of people to go out there with us?

-Colin

 

I'm going to go shooting this weekend regardless (I need to dent primers, dangit ) but if you want to push back a meet, that's cool by me. However, I can't push it back too far as my wife is due to give birth to our first (a girl) in exactly 4 weeks. Next weekend for sure will work, 3 weeks from now will be pushing it. Otherwise, early May will be my next opening (a month after the baby's arrival).

Let me know what works for you. The more the merrier.

I live south of the freeway near Calle Bacardi and Calle Rinconado, so those mining pits sound like the best place for me for us to meet.

 

Hahahh, alright, well I'll have to see if my fiance is willing to go out shooting. She doens't like it too much but tolerates it. I'll PM you.

-Colin

 

Dang mining holes... I remember being in a really good one that the Sheriff who found us all there told us to never show up there again since it was private property, with no signs though, it was assumed to be private. If we showed up again (he wrote down our license info) he would arrest us for trespassing, on the land with no signs...

I didn't think there were any more like that though... cool.

I can't go this Sunday or I would join in the fun too. Have a good time!

 

There are ALOT of mining holes out there and almost all of them have plenty of brass in them.

-Colin

 

I didn't even make it out there on my own this past weekend .

Colin, you have a PM.

Who's up for this coming weekend? I have Friday off, plus Sat. and Sun. If people don't want to meet at the mining holes, please suggest another spot, otherwise, the mining holes will be it.

 

Next weekend I'll be in lake havasu city for a show I'm playing for Spring Break with my band. I was going to suggest the 20th - the saturday after, or maybe the afternoon of the 21st to give two weeks for more people to learn about it and come along.

I haven't been to any of the outdoor ranges in town yet, just indoor ones for pistol shooting.

-Colin

 

The 20th would work for me. Mining holes at Vail, or Desert Trails (they have 25 yard pistol and 100 yard rifle lanes, all outdoors) would work best for me.

Who else from Tucson is up for that date? The 21st would work too on my end, but I'd rather go on the 20th.

 

Yeah, the 20th is also better for me, no church in the morning so an all-day shootfest to make my shoulder nice and sore is in order...

-Colin

 

Damn! My brother's taking a bunch of bear-snacks camping that weekend, and the weekend of the 12th, I'll be out of town... sh*tty... looks like just the ol' pistol for me if I go the 20th.

-Colin

 

I don't mind letting you try out Miss Kaysa, and if I get some ammo for the Turk, you can try her out too (haven't decided on a name for the Turkish Mauser yet). Plus I'll have my .22 rifle and my pistol. So don't despair, long guns will be available. If we can get any other people to show up as well there'll be plenty of guns for us to all to try out.

 

I might be able to make it the 20th, 21st would be better though.

 

The only 8mm I have is the milsurp silvery probably corrosive-as-hell stuff...

-Colin

 

I have 3-400 rounds of Turk 8mm vintage 1949. I don't shoot it anymore because it's sooo dirty that corosive or not I won't shoot it anymore. I can't get my rifle's bore clean to save my life (you'd think 20 passes with a Hoppes #9 soaked BoreSnake, numberous passes with a bore brush, plus about 120 patches and the bore would sparkle, but noooooooo, the patches still come out black :banghead: ).

I'm actually thinking seriously about using David Tubb's Final Finishing System on that rifle. It's supposed to reduce fouling as well as help out accuracy. The only reasons I hesitate is that, for one, I'm not a reloader and that kit is just the bullets, so I'd have to get sombody else to load them for me. That and my Turk does have matching numbers all the way around so I'm reluctant to do anything that accelerates the wear on the bore.

Come on Tucsonans, who else is up for March 20/21. Let's try to get at least a half dozen (Colin, me and WhoknowsWho makes 3).

 

I know I've seen at least ten people on here from Tucson... its just a matter of finding them!

-Colin

 

I'm going to the gun show this Sunday, after my 12 hour work shift... should be a nice daze, but if I see some non-corrosize 8mm ammo, I will keep an eye out and pick up a box or two if I see a good price so we have it if we all meet. Miwall will be there so they should have some Olympic 8mm or some of their new reloads.

Heck, I have a box of 30-06 and no rifle for that either... but that is waiting for me to buy a Garand.

 

WhoknowWho, that will be cool if you can get some. My $$ are drying up for the moment (I owe the Feds and State this year, no refund ), so I can't go to the shows, or buy much ammo right now (I can chip in on any you buy though), otherwise I'd meet you there. Money should be getting better in a month or two, so I'm glad I've got some ammo already (120 rounds of 6.5x55, 400 of .40S&W, and about 1000 .22lr).

 

Those aim surplus 1000 round cases are looking might tastey...

Maybe even one of those nogants... I'd wanna try one of those out first though.

-Colin

 

You mean the Mosin-Nagant rifle? I have one you could try, but it is sporterized with a polymer stock... so no bruise inducing steel butt plate. I actually haven't shot it since I got the stock last year...

 

Hmm, well that's what I'd do to it if I got one...

What's that chambered in? 7.62x54? I may have to pick some up (non-corrosive of course).

-Colin