smccrory

Great guns, both. And agreed, Sig is proud of those 229s.

Well said jbot. Personally, and this is just me, if the gun is meant for someone else's self defense, then I don't want to be in the middle of the transaction history. Why? If they need to use it, and any detail raises questions, I don't want to complicate civil or criminal investigations with an indirect transfer. Selfishly I don't want the surprise legal expenses nor do I want to give an investigator room to say that the gun purchase was intentionally layered.

Good read on the subject: http://www.nssfblog.com/giving-a-firearm-as-a-gift-some-reminders-from-nssf/

It ain't that cheap unless you're a bank borrowing against the fed's prime rate. Plus, that's unless the market declines during then, which it has been. Repeatedly. Then lifting, then declining, rinse and repeat. 6 month expectations of gains is short and is like trying to time a volatile market. 6-12 years is a better time scale to expect normalized 8-12% gains and even that's shakey these days. Anyway, I'd also suggest caution against anything that could look like a straw purchase given elevated sensitivity post-San Bernardino. Even a justifiable self defense situation could give an ambulance chaser something to use against you.

I heard that early PF9s had a sketchy reputation but they've been resolved since and are a great value. Lightest 9mm single stack. Just gotta break them in and keep 'em lubed, from what I've read. A friend loved his PF9 before he had to sell it when he lost his job. I wouldn't mind having one in OD green.

There is a Ruger factory 7+1 round LCP magazine but they sell fast locally. Best to get them online.

I periodically use an Alien Gear Cloak Tuck 2 (neoprene, leather and kydex) for my G26 and while it's not perfect, I like it a lot. The up sides are that it's about as comfortable as you can get because neoprene is soft to the skin and distributes weight evenly across two distant belt hooks. The holster is tuckable of course, meaning you could tuck in a shirt and only print to people looking for hooks, but I never use mine that way - I just use a second loose cover layer to quicken draws. Another up side is the satisfying snap of kydex which is adjustable for retention. They're made really well and the price is impossible to beat. The only down side I've found is that to me anyway, they're not truly all-day comfortable like others have reported. I still fatigue wearing one after a few hours and need to remove it for a break if I'm bumming around the house. Neoprene can get hot and sweaty. And to remove and readjust regularly negates its advantages because removing and re-installing and adjusting the thing takes longer than a simple single-belt holster or Nemesis slipper. So, I tend to use the Alien Tuck when I'm on my feet, running errands, with a couple layers of cover garments and use other holsters for other affairs. Then again maybe I just haven't worn mine enough to get used to it like Cdubyah. It's sitting and reclining that tends to bug me.

100% agree. That alone may force me to keep my CM45. Those Elite models are sweet, especially with high-grade wooden grips. Stainless and Cocobolo = perfection.

I'd be all over it if I hadn't just bought one. As far as I know it's the second lightest single-stack 9mm after Kel-Tek's PF9, and possibly the most compact in form.

Looking at the pics - those aren't just project bikes, they're project LIFESTYLES!

+1. I have the LCP (super small) and a Kahr CM9 (lightweight velocity), as well as a G26 (reliability and capacity) and a CM45 (big holes). I LOVE the 2nd gen LCP for its pocketable size, 6+1 capacity and powerful-enough defensive load-out with Critical Defense ammo. It has been 100% reliable across several hundred rounds of all kinds, and I can regularly make 4" groups at 25' even with single-handed shooting. If you get one, consider a pinned Hogue grip sleeve - it doesn't add more than an oz, no perceivable carry width and it really improves grip purchase. If you only get ONE holster, consider the DeSantis Nemesis as both a pocket sleeve and as an IWB tuck - it'll stay put great and hides nicely even with just a t-shirt, pants and a belt - perfect for summer carry. Unlike everyone else, I don't mind shooting the LCP at the range - maybe it's the Hogue grip. The CM9 is several oz heavier than the LCP and just about the LC9S' and G43's weights. I think mine measures 18.5 oz loaded, which is 6 oz lighter than my G26 and CM45 and a little lighter than the XDS9 and M&P9, which are also stellar guns. The CM9 is a very well-made gun but requires a good 200 rounds (and/or lots of racking and dry firing at home) to break in the spring. If you have big pockets or baggy clothes, you COULD barely pocket-carry the CM9, LC9s or G43, but to me that would be pushing it, especially since there are so many great holstering options available otherwise. When I got my CM9, I looked hard at the LC9S, G43, PF9, XDS9 and M&P9SC and honestly would have been delighted with any one of them, but I scored a great deal on a used Kahr, so went with it. So, when would one carry an LCP, CM9, G26 or CM45? Admittedly I have some overlap and may shake my collection up at some point, but I like the LCP when size and weight is paramount. The G26 gets rotation when I don't mind its weight because 10+1 of 9mm in a reliable package is a comfort all its own, and it's also a darned great home defense pistol with a 15+1 G19 magazine. The CM9 (or G43/LC9S/PF9) fills a sweet spot in-between when you still need concealability and light weight but want the horsepower of 9mm, like in the winter when everyone is wearing extra layers. Sometimes I'll take the CM45 for a walk because 5+1 .45 acp rounds are no slouch either.

Also be sure to understand Columbia vs. Heller and the affirmation of an individual's right to bear arms. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/District_of_Columbia_v._Heller

Ok, I'll play that game. My Militia's name is WoogiDeeWook. There, I'm a member of a militia. I'll even draft rules so that it's well regulated. Problem sorted. Silliness aside, that's not what "well regulated" meant at the time. Do some reading at http://bearingarms.com/well-regulated/ to catch up on its syntactical context.

It's right beside the word "musket". [emoji57]

He's not foolish enough to come out and say it himself but his Bloomberg friends do. As the anti-gun crowd machinates through dicey logic, the smarter among them know where their logical progression must end - confiscation. Anything short of full-on confiscation will result in lawful owners' rights marginalized and thugs' abilities strengthened. Which to them isn't that big of a problem because they either are willfully disarmed already or have security details to protect them.

See, Birkenstocks cause death. It's proven. I'll take my $250k research fee now please.

Likely I'll be there!

Nice! Just 20 minute drive for me.

Well, you WILL die. That much is medically proven.

Also it's important to note that these watch lists regularly frag people based on name and address matching. If you have a name that's the same as someone else on that list, or lived somewhere another person of interest resided, you can be hit by the list.

If you wanted to stay with the Star line, I owned a 2001 V-Star 1100 that I really enjoyed and two coworkers love their V-Star 650s. I went from a Suzuki S40/Boulevard 650 to it, which may sound like a big jump from your V-Star 250 but believe me, it's not once you spend a week with a 650 or 1100 because their weight is carried so low. On the plus side, the 1100 in particular has all the low-end grunt you'd ever need and it sounds pretty good too. I put on a Mustang seat and passenger backrest, and the two of us were all-day comfortable. I also had a touring windscreen and wind guard "lowers" that eliminated helmet buffeting and seemed to strike the perfect balance between airflow and chill protection. I think I got about 37 mpg; a little higher on country roads. Easy to work on, reliable engine and shaft drive. I also put on a mustache bar with integrated highway pegs and a few other mods that made it cozy for long days. On the minus side it is big and hot for city summer riding. Those jugs are right between your legs and you'll bake if you get stuck in traffic in the peak of summer. In the winter, it's free torso heat, but in the summer you may find yourself wanting a smaller, lighter and more maneuverable bike for shorter trips. It's also a style more suited to bombing through country roads and highways, not tight-and-twisty corners and certainly not off-road conditions (though it'll handle gravel and flat dirt just fine as long as the short suspension doesn't bottom out). If that suits your riding style, then perfect, but if you start wanting to take turns tighter and faster, it doesn't take much to scrape the pegs. Something to consider anyway. You can get a used V-Star 650 or 1100 in good condition, well-equipped for $3k-4k all day long. They're so damned reliable, I don't think I'd buy a new one - let someone else take that initial depreciation.

Another vote for the 650 class, and for the notion that you should play around with the idea of what class bike you want next. Cruisers are great, but there are also fantastic sport bikes, standards/retros, adventure and dual sports... Reflect on what you enjoyed the most about riding this past season. Was it carving twisties? Was it enjoying a particular style or seating position or going to specific events? Was it riding similar bikes or routes with friends? Did you find anything lacking other than power? Would you like to go offroad more? Would you like to travel longer highway distances? The answer to those questions should help us to help you narrow down on some brilliant candidates for you to research.

I liked the decor, the food was mediocre, the bike nights were... interesting but not something I sought out - not my scene at all. The restaurant business is pretty tough - you need to keep adapting to the market. A completely different example is Red Robin over at Easton. Their sales were dying on the vine and their customers told them it's because the restaurant was too loud and cluttered and not someplace you'd want to be at unless you had young kids. They've since taken down most of the cluttered decorations, added noise dividers, changed their menu and upscaled the bar (away from the kids). Maybe it'll help them - time will tell. Easton has even more options for food now. But I digress... Squirrel!

Wow, that does suck. I don't know of any opportunities, but I'd check with Pillar Technologies to see if they have clients with at least staff aug needs.

If Euros, the conversion rate is really good right now. 1 Euro = 1.07 USD plus some market spot, so count on 1.13 or similar. That means 5100 euros are worth about $5800, so probably similar to the DR650 once transfer fees and stuff are added. I'm sill disappointed in the suspension though. I thought 'Zuki might do something to take back the crown from the FZ-07's incursion but it doesn't look like it.