Hi-Point 4095 Range Report

This didn't work out quite like I planned. The original idea was to take the gun to the club IDPA shoot Saturday, and let anyone with .40 S&W ammo run a few rounds through it while I kept track of the chrony, and listened to comments. Unfortunately the match got rained out.

Today, I pretty much had the range to myself (nice), but not so much ammo testing and commentary.

Anyway... The gun worked quite well, right out of the box was hitting about 1" high, and 1/2" left at 25 yards. 2 clicks down and one click right (the adjuster didn't seem to actually click, so I imagined 8 clicks/turn) and my best group was 3/4".


I tried it at 100 yards, which was very optimistic of me, given my rather dubious eyesight. Note to self; If you think you're going to shoot very well at 100 yards with this, get some glass. Either that or a very long white cane. Still, I believe the 3" groups are quite do-able, and I had no trouble hitting a 3" x 5" gas cylinder cap, first try at that distance. Coyotes at 150 yds? I don't see why not. Should be easy. A 4X scout scope is an option. I wish I had had one.

Ammo was Federal JFP from Wally World, and worked flawlessly. It featured 180 gr bullets, and was advertised as delivering 985 fps, presumably from a full-sized conventional pistol. From the Hi Point, I was getting 1100-1120 fps. Other ammo for comparison was some 150 gr reloads which were delivering 910 - 960 fps from a compact pistol, and were hitting 1100-1150 from the carbine.

Three other people tried the gun, and described it as comfortable, easy to shoot, and having a "sporty" recoil. This assessment is because the basis for comparison is a .40 cal pistol with muzzle velocities in the mid 900s. Recoil is certainly there, but is easily manageable, slightly less than a .223. For the frail types, there's a muzzle brake / flash hider available.

The basic gun runs $305, at least where I got mine, and magazines run $18-20. Hi Point pistol mags fit the carbine, and are available in 8 or 10 round capacities, depending on your location.

Cheap entertainment? You betcha.

Edited to add the pic. I had a nice pic from the range, but the computer ate it. Honest

Addendum: I have several more posts about the 4095 on this blog. Enter 4095 into the search block at the top left corner of the page.

The Future of Transportation, Emissions

Here's a piece in NRO, noting that, in time for Earth Day, the 2010 Mustang, motoring down the road at 70 mph, emits only 1.3% of the HC of a 1970 model.

But wait, there's more!

For purposes of this comparison, the 1970 Mustang in question was not making 70 mph. In fact, it is tested parked, as in a driveway, with the engine shut off.

The 2010 Mustang has reportedly met another milestone: It can produce 300 hp, and get 31 mpg, though probably not at the same time.

All you Greenies out there now have my express permission and encouragement to go suck an egg.

Primary Politics

National Peoples Radio is already bringing up the possibility of a primary challenger to The One, even though that event is 2 years out just yet. They start off by citing four previous such moves in recent memory, and point out that they all failed. Like we don't know whose side NPR is on.

They also point out that the incumbents, having fended off a primary challenge, went on to lose the general election, so in the interest of covering the bases, they trot out some potential challengers, and look at their prospects. This exercise has the earmarks of an inter mural version of the last election in which the Times endorsed the weakest Republican candidate until he got the nomination, then tossed him under the bus without further ado, come the general.

The strongest challenger at this point has to be Hillary, although Barry has done enough for organized labor to win them over handily.

I'm looking forward to a primary which is decided when either Rahm Emmanual is found in Ft. Marcy Park, or Hill's campaign manager is found in the Chicago river. It's how it's done on their side of the fence any more.

Gun Law

Michael Bloomberg is not a Senator or a Representitive, but he has enough money to own a few. He has a Federal bill up for consideration that would impose onerous new requirements on gun owners, and even set up an eternal federal list of any one who buys or sells a gun.

Our own temporary Senator, M. Bennet, is on as a co-sponsor, and Bloomberg is trying to pressure Udall to bet on board.

Some of the salient details include a requirement to register the names of both the buyer and the seller of a firearm, along with a history of how the seller used the weapon, and how the buyer intends to use it.

Frankly, I don't see much chance of this passing, but given the suicide bomber mentality that's taken hold among the Dems, it behooves us to make sure our legislators understand that this is most certainly NOT the will of anyone besides M. Bloomberg.

Oh yes, and don't forget, when writing your congress-critter, to include a line or two requesting the BATFE be completely defunded, if only as a cost-saving measure.

Update: This article has been edited to remove references to certain unsavory parties.

Quote of the Day

Found over at Smallest Minority:

I want people elected to Congress, to the United States Senate, and to the presidency in 2012 with the express message that we are going to go to Washington and try to make Washington as inconsequential in your life as we can. I want the states to become the laboratories of innovation and experimentation. And I want to get this country back.

This from Texas governor Rick Perry. Frankly this sort of sentiment should be part of the campaign rhetoric of any politician who expects to get my vote, from candidates for U.S. federal positions, all the way down the the local city council.

Earthquake Prevention / Causation

An Ayatollah in Iran has pronounced that earthquakes are caused by promiscuous women, and has renewed demands for women to completely cover themselves to reduce the threat.

This has aroused the ire of one western woman who has decided to put the cleric's theory to the test.

Jennifer McCreight is determined to prove him wrong.

Since launching the "Boobquake" Facebook page she has enlisted more than 20,000 women promising to show as much cleavage as possible on Monday, April 26.

As worthy causes go, this one has to be right up there with the greatest. Pass the word around, and make Monday the least productive day in World business history.

If cleavage on the internet had any effect, there wouldn't be one brick atop another in the whole world, you'd think, but maybe it's a matter of reaching a certain critical mass, which would posit an explanation for the rash of big 'uns we've been seeing lately (earthquakes, dammit!) topped off by the Icelandic volcano.

Health Care Update

Pursuant to federal regulations recently discovered in the Obamacare bill, women will now be required to carry warning labels:
That list looks about right.

You laugh. Wait till we find the mens section.

Vulcanism

The last time the unpronounceable Icelandic volcano erupted, the eruption lasted 2 years. I'd say it sucks to be in Europe. Almost. My kind of privation.

Anyway, Stormbringer has a great piece on recent volcanic activity and the results of same, so drop on over and be prepared to be appalled at the possibilities.

Hi-Point 4095

I have traded in my Leader Dynamics EBW for a Hi Point 4095 carbine. Hi point is a bit slow updating their website, so the above is a 9mm version. Imagine the barrel being just a tiny bit bigger, otherwise, same gun.

Due to the ammo shortage, and an unexpected honey-do bomb, I haven't been to the range yet. Maybe this weekend. Meantime, I've found a couple of things. First, let me remind you of the story about the IT guy who joined the Army:

He goes to the rifle range, and puts a magazine full down range, only to be told that there were no holes in the target. He puts his finger over the end of the barrel and pulls the trigger, shooting off a bit of finger. He then calls back to the downrange spotter:
"It's coming out this end O.K. The problem must be on your end."

The Hi Point comes with a yellow stickie on the stock that reads:

"CAUTION This is a short barreled rifle.
DO NOT extend your FINGERS past the MUZZLE of the weapon."

The marksmanship instructor must have retired and taken a job with Hi Point.

I'm not a fan of the broom handle, but that's the only model that was available. OTOH, it folds back into a credible variant on Magpul's AFG, so maybe I'll get to like it after all.

The gun comes with an allen wrench which fits every screw on the gun except the fine sight adjustments and the broom handle. The broom handle takes the next size smaller. The handle has a clever secret compartment, in which is a wrench / screwdriver tool that allows pretty much complete dis-assembly of the gun. I was advised that brushing the bore after every 2-300 rounds would suffice, and more extensive cleaning could wait for the 2-3000 round mark.

All Hi Point carbines will be shipped with the "sport" stock, shown in the picture above, complete with a spring-loaded pad. The 9mm version reportedly has little recoil to absorb, but the .40 is reported to be noticeably "sportier".

One last thing: The box this gun came in had check boxes to designate the model inside. Choices being 4095, and 4595. Yes, that's right, according to highly reliable third-hand information, the .45 ACP H-P is actually in production, awaiting delivery of stocks, and will be on the market in August. If you already shoot a .45 pistol, you may commence drooling. This model has been "6 months out" since 2004, so I'm not holding my breath. Of course if Hi Point wants to send me a pre-production model for evaluation, I'll be happy to endorse their projected delivery date.

The club has an IDPA-style match this Saturday, so I'll be at the range, barring the predicted cloudy, rainy, and cold frightening people off. Range report this weekend. Several of the members shoot .40 SS&W so I should be able to get Chroney data over a range.

Anniversaries

Today is the 17th anniversary of the burning of the Davidian church in Waco TX.

Today is the 15th anniversary of the bombing of the Murrah office building in Oklahoma City.

Today is the second anniversary of the founding of this blog, which goes to show, third time's the charm. Or something.

A big thanks to all my readers and followers, I'll try not to dwell on politics any more than I have to, and put up more guns, Mad Science, and scantily clad ladies.

Gun Goodies to follow:

Unemployment, Another Perspective 2

Uncommon Misconceptions has, I think, put his finger on the source of the problem when trying to follow the unemployment news.

It's like trying to follow that hot stock your buddy recommended by jumping over to Yahoo Finance 3 times a day to see what it's doing. Eventually you'll figure out that it's fluctuating. Little more than that either. It's when you take a longer view, with a longer-term floating average that the jiggles in the price curve start to make sense.

When the unemployment claims dip, the media puts it on page one, and begins singing "Happy Days". When the new claims rise, the story moves to the footnotes on page 77. Click the link and see the graph with both the weekly new claims numbers and a moving average that shows the rate inching upward slowly.

Volcano Face

Here's a radar image from the Daily Mail of the Islandic volcano.
All you apocalyptic Steven King fans, go have a celebratory brewski.

There's a chance here for an interesting experiment. How long will the ash take to completely circumnavigate the world, given that the circumference of the world at 50 degrees north is not all that large, and the ash is currently making 20-80 mph.

North-South spread will depend on the size of the high and low pressure systems it gets involved with, but I bet it won't be seen south of the equator.

Al Gore has not yet weighed in on how big a tax increase would have prevented this, but I bet it's going to be a mighty chilly spring in Northern Europe, at least all the way to the Urals.

Techno Challenge

Two things coming together here: One is that no matter how successful, the media always drops a couple of zeros off their crowd estimates at Tea Party events. The gathering at Searchlight Nevada was described as "dozens", the Tax day gathering here in Denver was described as "hundreds".

Second, my circle of friends includes some very clever technologists, with specialties in about any field you could think of.

So, in the current age of the ubiquitous UAV, why don't we have one or more taking airel pictures of the Tea Party and other events. Accurate head counts are so much easier when you have a picture of all or most of the heads in question. In the times of RC aircraft, digital cameras, and wireless internet, you'd think this would be easy.

Here's your chance to be the first on your block to win the prestigious DMSC Peabody Award for extremely clever thinking.
Wouldn't that look nice hanging on your cubicle wall?

Coexist

I mean, can't we all just get a long gun? The folks in Oklahoma have come up with several variants on the bumper sticker favored by the hippie left. They are busily discussing discovering bumper stickers, window decals, and t-shirts.


I think one of these would make a swell t-shirt. Extra gunnie geek points if you can name all seven manufacturers on the last one.

Tea Party Tomorrow

At the State Capitol at 10 AM.

Unfortunately I have to be at work. A job is difficult to find, and I haven't been there long enough to take days off yet. However, not everybody is so bothered. As Michelle Malkin reports:

The Revolutionary Anti-Imperialist Movement is calling on all radicals – anarchists and communists, Mexican and Black nationalists, Third Worldists and Indigenists, students, social critics and anti-racists – to come out and oppose this vile, hateful message in the midst of the Tea Party Movement. Bring signs, bullhorns, props, a hat and sunglasses, etc. Cut loose and let these racist crackers know they are opposed.

I'm guessing there will be 2-5000 Tea partiers out there, although with the warm weather and all, it could be bigger. The downside is that there's effectively no parking within six blocks or so of the venue. I'm also guessing the RAIM folks will be countable on the fingers on one hand. Maybe two hands, with some fingers left over. If you have one to spare, give it to the RAIM-bos.

And for you sons and daughters of the great revolution of 1917, be sure you dress appropriately so as to fit in to the group you're trying to infiltrate:
And throw snappy Nazi salutes to further blend in. This and other sartorial suggestions here.

For you partiers, Glenn Reynolds suggests you bring a video camera, maybe one of the pocket sized Flip models to record all the fun.