Home Varmint Defense

Talk about or share information about handguns.
User avatar
Rick in Oregon
Moderator
Posts: 4942
Joined: Thu Dec 01, 2005 4:20 pm
.204 Ruger Guns: Sako 75V, Cooper MTV, Kimber 84M, Cust M700 11 Twist
Location: High Desert of Central Oregon
Contact:

Home Varmint Defense

Post by Rick in Oregon »

As many here know I'm a lifelong .45acp user; here's a shot of my Kimber TLE/RL (Tactical Law Enforcement/Rail) with the new SureFire X400 Weapon Light w/Laser mounted. In use, it throws a 110 lumen white light beam with the laser dot in the middle....oh, and with a 230gr .45 HP right behind it......

Just finished loading up 1,000 rounds of .45 230gr FMJ for banging steel practice, and the Kimber just looked neat sitting on top of the pile of loaded ammo. A buddy said the pic would make a good calendar for gunny guys....... :chin:

Image

Not for daily carry (have that covered), but this is my take on the perfect home defense handgun for those "night varmints" that lurk out there among us.....

Sidebar: The SureFire X400 can be used with light only, laser only, or both by choice via rocker switch.....very cool item. I had to wait until SureFire had all the SpecOps/Military orders shipped before I could take delivery on this puppy. It would be great for hound-hunting cougars too......
Last edited by Rick in Oregon on Sun Dec 20, 2009 9:30 am, edited 1 time in total.
Semper Fortis
Rick in Oregon
NRA Life/OHA/VHA/VVA

Oregon, East of the Cascades - Where Common Sense Still Prevails

Image
User avatar
Ray P
Senior Member
Posts: 645
Joined: Sat Dec 31, 2005 10:32 am
.204 Ruger Guns: 2-Rem 700 and Ruger#1 S/S
Location: NE Pa
Contact:

Re: Home Varmint Defense

Post by Ray P »

Rick.......Great pic!!! All I'll say is you'll never run out of ammo!! :wink:
Enjoy the up coming holiday.
Thanks again for sharing.
Later
Ray P.
P.S. What powder are you using when your bulk load with 230HB heads??
Life is an adventure and often to short. Make the most with family and friends. Shoot often and shoot a small hole. Love the 204 Ruger!! NRA Life Member
"We are never to old to learn"
User avatar
Rick in Oregon
Moderator
Posts: 4942
Joined: Thu Dec 01, 2005 4:20 pm
.204 Ruger Guns: Sako 75V, Cooper MTV, Kimber 84M, Cust M700 11 Twist
Location: High Desert of Central Oregon
Contact:

Re: Home Varmint Defense

Post by Rick in Oregon »

Ray: The load is the old standard "hardball" load of 5.8grs of W231 under the 230gr FMJ. It about duplicates the military load, works flawlessy in all my .45's, and really smacks the steel plates with authority.

Practicing with full power loads on the dueling tree really sharpens a guy up too. If you're out of practice, it's a humbling experience as your opponent basically "shoots you".....dueling tree style. It's a real hoot. When the target on "your side" is hit, it flips over to your opponents side. When he hits it, it flips back over to you. It makes for fast action shooting.

Image

I've also got a set of 1/2 scale combat silhouettes on steel stands for "falling plate" fun. Another way of "gunfighting" with your carry piece against a buddy. You can see them in the photo below.:

Image

Either way, alot of ammo on hand is a good thing. After all, practice keeps us alive, right? ;)
Semper Fortis
Rick in Oregon
NRA Life/OHA/VHA/VVA

Oregon, East of the Cascades - Where Common Sense Still Prevails

Image
acloco
Senior Member
Posts: 1708
Joined: Mon Sep 25, 2006 8:53 pm
.204 Ruger Guns: 12FV, 12BVSS -S
Location: Nebraska

Re: Home Varmint Defense

Post by acloco »

RIO - THANKS for reminding me that I have a 1000 165 gr 40 cal for my XD Service that needs loaded. :)

Nice weapon and the light.
User avatar
Captqc
Senior Member
Posts: 1036
Joined: Fri Feb 02, 2007 3:09 pm
.204 Ruger Guns: Cooper Phoenix .204
Location: Tigard, OR.

Re: Home Varmint Defense

Post by Captqc »

Oh Rick!
There you go again with Gun Porn! :shock: Had to make a trip out to the safe to cuddle my 45 after seeing your Kimber on the pile of ammo. :eek: :lol:
Man I love this stuff!
Gary
User avatar
futuretrades
Senior Member
Posts: 835
Joined: Sat Aug 25, 2007 11:16 am
.204 Ruger Guns: HOWA 1500 .204 Ruger Varmint, Bull Bbl, Lupy 6-18x40 custom

Re: Home Varmint Defense

Post by futuretrades »

great looking rig, Rick,
just sorry we didn't get a chance to dual against each other with my six gun on my side. i even had some 357 magnum loads with me, just to ad a little more punch. :lol:
and keep the gun porn coming. been a hot summer with no shooting! :wall:
NRA Benefactor Life member
HOWA 1500 Varmint 204 Ruger, Bull Barrel, Hogue Overmold Stock, Leupold VXII 6-18x40mm AO LRV Custom Reticle Timney Trigger
Cooper Mdl 21 20VarTargW/Leupold VXIII, 6-20x40AO Varmint Hunter reticle.
Guy M
Senior Member
Posts: 405
Joined: Sun Mar 11, 2007 11:58 am
Location: Washington state

Re: Home Varmint Defense

Post by Guy M »

Good looking Kimber, very businesslike.
BillC
New Member
Posts: 35
Joined: Sat Dec 27, 2008 6:02 pm
.204 Ruger Guns: CZ 527

Re: Home Varmint Defense

Post by BillC »

Beautiful pistol Rick!
I don't know what it is about 1911s, but they are certainly additcting.

Bill.
User avatar
Rick in Oregon
Moderator
Posts: 4942
Joined: Thu Dec 01, 2005 4:20 pm
.204 Ruger Guns: Sako 75V, Cooper MTV, Kimber 84M, Cust M700 11 Twist
Location: High Desert of Central Oregon
Contact:

Re: Home Varmint Defense

Post by Rick in Oregon »

Thanks for the positive comments gents; most appreciated.

I got a chance to use it for what it's intended for the other night. At 02:25 a loud 'crash' awoke wifey and me out of a sound sleep. She whipsered "did you hear that?". I responded by getting out of bed grabbing the TLE/Surefire .45, and sweeping the house for gremlins using the 110 lumens of blinding white light (while wifey stayed behind with her PPK/Surefire/cellphone), all the while the comforting red dot of the X400's laser showing up in the middle of the beam. IF a bad guy had been in the house, he'd have been found and either dispatched or detained rather easily (assuming no ambush).

The culprit was my shaving mirror in our master bath.....it had lost suction and fallen into the tub, resulting in the sound we heard. Better to be safe than sorry, right? ;)

The combination of full size 1911 .45 (8+1), the light and laser sure do make for an efficient defensive package.
Semper Fortis
Rick in Oregon
NRA Life/OHA/VHA/VVA

Oregon, East of the Cascades - Where Common Sense Still Prevails

Image
sniper model 12
Senior Member
Posts: 131
Joined: Fri Oct 05, 2007 12:35 pm
.204 Ruger Guns: Savage model 12 single shot synthetic stock bull barrel
Location: Southern Ohio

Re: Home Varmint Defense

Post by sniper model 12 »

Even though I am a Springfield slinger, I'd like to make your Kimber pic my new desktop photo! It sure is purdy!

Eric
"Adopt the pace of Nature: Her secret is patience."
Ralph Waldo Emerson
User avatar
Rick in Oregon
Moderator
Posts: 4942
Joined: Thu Dec 01, 2005 4:20 pm
.204 Ruger Guns: Sako 75V, Cooper MTV, Kimber 84M, Cust M700 11 Twist
Location: High Desert of Central Oregon
Contact:

Re: Home Varmint Defense

Post by Rick in Oregon »

sniper: Permission granted! Have at 'er! :D
Semper Fortis
Rick in Oregon
NRA Life/OHA/VHA/VVA

Oregon, East of the Cascades - Where Common Sense Still Prevails

Image
OldTurtle
Senior Member
Posts: 398
Joined: Sat Jan 28, 2006 9:42 pm
.204 Ruger Guns: Savage mod. 116 and Custom .204 AR
Location: East Central MO

Re: Home Varmint Defense

Post by OldTurtle »

Rick, That is a really nice set up.... I've drooled over those lights in the past...Just too many bucks right now..

I know what you mean about middle of the night culprits.... I have a suction cup soap tray that gave up holding on to the shower wall one night....It can make you think all kinds of scenarios before you find out what it was...

I may have to try one of those pictures with my Kimber 10mm....Neat idea...I just hate the idea of putting all those rounds back in their boxes afterwards... :roll:
AR
Image
Factory/Factory
Image
User avatar
Rick in Oregon
Moderator
Posts: 4942
Joined: Thu Dec 01, 2005 4:20 pm
.204 Ruger Guns: Sako 75V, Cooper MTV, Kimber 84M, Cust M700 11 Twist
Location: High Desert of Central Oregon
Contact:

Re: Home Varmint Defense

Post by Rick in Oregon »

OldTurtle: Yep, that "bump in the night" can really wake a guy up in a hurry. Always better safe than sorry. The new Kimber is the best tool I've found yet for such encounters. The red dot in the center of the bright white beam would really make a cretin think twice about what he's gotten into.

On that photo; I'd never want to put that many rounds back in boxes either! That pic was shot at the end of a 1,100 round reloading session before all the ammo got dumped into two .30 cal cans. A .50 cal can full of 230gr hardball is something I really don't want to pick up or carry! :eek:

My old PW Metal-Matic 200 is not even close to a nice Dillon 550, but still cranks out the rounds every year (eventually a 550 will grace my bench.....Wifey, are you listening?)

Image
Semper Fortis
Rick in Oregon
NRA Life/OHA/VHA/VVA

Oregon, East of the Cascades - Where Common Sense Still Prevails

Image
sniper model 12
Senior Member
Posts: 131
Joined: Fri Oct 05, 2007 12:35 pm
.204 Ruger Guns: Savage model 12 single shot synthetic stock bull barrel
Location: Southern Ohio

Re: Home Varmint Defense

Post by sniper model 12 »

RIO: What kind of holster are you using for that Kimber? I've been looking around for a good holster for my XD when I decide on a light. But I've been holding off on the light until I find the right gun carrying device.

Any advice?

Thank you
"Adopt the pace of Nature: Her secret is patience."
Ralph Waldo Emerson
User avatar
Rick in Oregon
Moderator
Posts: 4942
Joined: Thu Dec 01, 2005 4:20 pm
.204 Ruger Guns: Sako 75V, Cooper MTV, Kimber 84M, Cust M700 11 Twist
Location: High Desert of Central Oregon
Contact:

Re: Home Varmint Defense

Post by Rick in Oregon »

sniperM12: That particular .45 never sees a holster, as it's my primary home defense weapon, and as such, is always close by in the house, never carried. I've got other, more suitable 1911's for carry, none with rails, most with alloy frames for the light weight they offer.

If you really want to carry a pistol with a light and/or laser attached, check Galco Gun Leather, as they offer "duty" holsters for large frame duty autos with lights mounted. They offer one specifcally for the XD w/weapon light.

http://www.usgalco.com/HolsterPG3.asp?P ... &GunID=494

In the area of weapon lights, think "Surefire", as they're the absolute best of the lot. Streamlight is a fair compromise, just not as robust or as high as lumen/brightness as the SF series. All Surefire weapon lights meet Mil-Spec, and are currently in use in both theaters of conflict at the present time. They cost more of course, but how much do you value the lives of you and your family?

Clint Smith, the operator of Thunder Ranch here in Oregon advises a .45 with a rail for daily carry, then just install the light for night time duty, but don't carry the weapon during the daytime with the light installed. It just adds more bulk and weight to a defensive pistol that in the daytime is useless unless you're the entry guy on the assault team....(doubtful, right? ;) ) Hope this helps a tad.
Semper Fortis
Rick in Oregon
NRA Life/OHA/VHA/VVA

Oregon, East of the Cascades - Where Common Sense Still Prevails

Image
Post Reply