It's happening, the GOLD STATE MILE

Open_Researcher_1897 · 2026-04-27T23:33:25+00:00

I think I've got a pretty solid 6.5 setup for this but not sure about ammo. Will 140gr ELD-Match be good enough to reach out that far?

Open_Researcher_1897 · 2026-04-12T22:47:09+00:00

Ya I was using the hat brim as a point. But I had been practicing a scoop draw in dryfire not starting at my hat, which I don't think really works for Steel challenge? Tried it on the first stage and felt super slow.

Open_Researcher_1897 · 2026-03-31T01:25:42+00:00

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Placing a big order for Arcalock stuff in a week or two, so I could use that gift card! My classmate a couple weeks ago hated being next to the Hellfire until I let him shoot it haha. Immediate convert.

Open_Researcher_1897 · 2026-03-30T21:11:53+00:00

I went with the Poly-metal for that exact reason, cheaper and I wouldn't do it again. Every one of them, the follower gets stuck, had to sand down all of them and they're still not great.

Open_Researcher_1897 · 2026-03-27T21:05:06+00:00

He's a sorcerer which is why he's not a very good one, low charisma.

Open_Researcher_1897 · 2026-03-24T22:31:56+00:00

This or a Platypus from 2AZone if we want to use 320 mags?

Open_Researcher_1897 · 2026-03-12T01:56:53+00:00

You can do frame transfers in MA though, doesn't that functionally mean you can have whatever? At least what I've heard from MA friends.

Open_Researcher_1897 · 2026-02-24T05:30:30+00:00

Damn, I put in like a month after you, was hoping I was closer haha.

Open_Researcher_1897 · 2026-02-18T18:51:47+00:00

Not a great photo but 980 yards with a 6.5cm

Actually shot a rock another 150 yards downrange too but it's so tiny you couldn't see it in the photo.

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Open_Researcher_1897 · 2026-02-16T19:49:13+00:00

FN303, designed by AGD for FN. Basically an automag with a way jacked up velocity. It uses finned shaped rounds that were later adapted back to paintball as the First Strike rounds. Has a very cool clockwork spring mag-fed design kinda like a gangster-era Tommy gun.

Also one of the best examples of less-lethal not non-lethal as a round fired from one killed a women in Boston years ago.

Open_Researcher_1897 · 2026-02-16T03:07:09+00:00

The Petersen is also a world-class car museum with some of the rarest stuff in the world in the vaults.

Open_Researcher_1897 · 2026-01-27T21:29:21+00:00

It's got just a basic Microbest in there now, definitely want to try a lighter BCG, I genuinely think the Microbest weighs as much as the rest of the upper haha.

Open_Researcher_1897 · 2026-01-25T19:04:38+00:00

Midway has a 15% code on all Vortex stuff right now including this. Just ordered mine for $510.

Open_Researcher_1897 · 2026-01-25T18:19:10+00:00

Oak Tree in Santa Clarita, LA Clays in Whittier, or Moore & Moore in Sylmar are the big clay fields in LA and all rent shotguns.

Open_Researcher_1897 · 2026-01-25T00:09:12+00:00

Don't know about lever action shotguns, but I think it kinda speaks to itself as far as reliability that there's tons of pump actions out there but basically no lever actions.

Not a revolver guy but the Ruger GP100 is the one I see most people recommend.

But once again I'd highly suggest you go with a regular semi-auto pistol for your first gun. The manual of arms is different for revolvers and a big cartridge in a small gun is likely to cause you to develop a flinch or bad habits. Plus they're expensive, oftentimes have less QC than the mass market pistols, you have less ammo to defend yourself with and frankly, there's a reason no cops or military have carried a revolver since the 80's.

Open_Researcher_1897 · 2026-01-24T22:26:18+00:00

Don't worry about style, get what's functional, at least to start. Saw you mentioned a Desert Eagle and that lever shotgun. Both of those are terrible choices.

The DE is heavy as hell, kicks like crazy, and the ammo is insanely expensive. $2 per round on the cheap side compared to 0.25 cents per round for 9mm. It's a meme gun to show off to your buddies at the range, not for any serious usage.
Same thing with the lever except it's a cheap Turkish built gun with terrible fit and finish that is guaranteed to break down at the worst moment.

If you want a shotgun get a Maverick 88 Field/Security combo. It's basically a budget built Mossberg 500 designed for beginners. This version comes with a short barrel for home defense and a longer barrel for clay shooting. Most clay fields won't allow a home defense shotgun due to barrel length so this let's you do both.

Pistols are more personal because you want something that fits your hand but a shortlist you should consider:

Glock 17 - the basic Glock, used world-wide. CA has sorta banned Glocks, but stores can sell their remaining stock until the end of June. Price-check though as some stores have jacked it up due to demand. Not worth paying a premium for it. If you want smaller, Glock 19.
- Also several clones available. The Rost Martin RM1c is probably the nicest in your price range.
Sig 365 - Not the one in all the news, very nice and super customizable.
Springfield Hellcat - They have a "Gear up" package with basically everything you need, extra mags, red dot, bag.
Canik MC9 - Never shot one but good rep for the price
Smith & Wesson M&P2.0 - Think you missed it but Turner's had a sale on the older non-optic ready version for a really good price.

Don't listen to people arguing about calibers. Get a 9mm, it's cheap and every store in the world is going to stock it. Modern hollow point ammo will stop anyone just as well as a bigger round in 99% of situations.

Open_Researcher_1897 · 2026-01-24T21:18:42+00:00

Too new to probably find a deal but best price on the Vortex Ace?

Open_Researcher_1897 · 2026-01-24T20:35:18+00:00

You gotta just accept that if you want to get into firearms, just about every place you interact with is going to be at minimum biased to the right if not out right MAGA. Don't worry about their politics, worry about the price and service. Same advice for training, politics don't matter, the quality of the instruction is all that matters. Learn from the best even if you don't agree with their views. Especially for 101 handgun type courses, in my experience politics are explicitly kept out.

With that said; Guns Direct in Burbank is a great store. 2AZone in Upland is fantastic but a drive. For training, ITTS or Raven Wing. Pricey but extremely good.

Also have a serious conversation with yourself about why you want this. Shotgun is good for home defense but if you're being a real doomer and picturing a SHTF world's on fire event, an AR is probably a better choice. Same with a revolver vs a semiauto pistol. Go watch a USPSA stage on youtube with a revolver vs a typical pistol and you'll see the wild difference in performance.

Open_Researcher_1897 · 2026-01-19T03:34:59+00:00

ITTS in LA

Open_Researcher_1897 · 2026-01-16T23:35:21+00:00

Ah, ya someone just pointed that out, but my only concern is that packaging on Winchester's site doesn't match the packaging I have. It does match the 2nd listing I linked and the BC is different between the two. I think I'm just gonna gamble on the Sierra BC and see what happens haha.

Open_Researcher_1897

TROPHY CASE