cameramonkey's Blog

Here's the link to the new Metallica song in case you're interested:
http://www.metallica.com/index.asp?item=601119
Not bad....

LOL! Don't feel bad. I'm a security freak, so I always disable broadcasting.

Yeah, I do need to chill a bit....

Great info on the CZ carbine. I've found a local dealer who has one. I'm going to go check it out. Thanks for the info. Who know, maybe he even sells the Vortex scope. I'll just go in and ask him if he stocks the CZ 527 "Ogre" package.

Run away!!! I'm with Ogre on this one. Western Digital and even Seagate are the way to go.

umtysquat, if you are using a wireless router you might find the following links useful:
http://www.practicallynetworked.com/support/wireless_secure.htm
http://www.extremetech.com/article2/0,2845,2249040,00.asp
I don't know what your level of tech expertise is, or how comfortable you are, but the info in that article should reduce the hits you get especially when you don't broadcast your ssid. I hope it helps.

Lol! Yeah, I can't see you posing with the back street boys, that's for sure. Thanks George. The Kimbers did seem to exude a little better quality. What about their mim parts issue, or is that really just an internet rumor?

Well, That's what I was thinking too. My b.s. detectors were going off big time. LOL. Maybe next time I go to the range and he's there, I'll invite him to try out my P-01 and then see what he thinks.
I too use to own a Sig 220. I loved that gun, but I cracked the frame too. Right in the slide rail grooves. I got it fixed and ended up selling it to friend who knew about the problem but loves Sigs and wanted it anyway. I have about close to 2k rounds through the P-01 and it shoots great. Here's a target from my last trip out with it. Not too bad for double taps at 15 yards.

From what I've handled, I really like the Springfield Mil Spec and their "Loaded" model. They seem really nice. Any opinions on those compared to the Kimber Custom II? Is the Kimber Custom II a better gun off the shelf? I've been eying a Kimber Desert warrior, but it seems kinda pricy.... But it was definitely nice.
What about stainless vs. parkerized...

Thanks for all the great feedback. Ideally, mostly for financial reasons, I'd really like to stick to the 7.62. I just purchased 1000 rounds of the Golden Tiger ammo, so I'd have plenty for practice. When I learned how to shoot with a pistol, a good friend of mine who's spent some time in the marines, taught me properly how to shoot, and helped me develop good habits with the pistol platform. I just want to develop the same good habits with a rifle. I know that it takes practice to get to a level of skill development. I just want to make sure I develop good rifle marksmanship habits. If the 7.62 will allow me to develop the fundamental marksmanship skills necessary, then it's a no brainer. If .223 is better suited to the task, I'll go that route. Initially when I started looking onto bolt action rifles, I looked at the .308. Then I saw how much ammo costs. I quickly looked elsewhere because there's no way I'd ever be able to afford the practice regularly. That's when I ran across the article on the CZ 527 article that George wrote. He did it first with the P-01, now with the 527. It's getting to the point when my wife walks in and sees me reading MadOgre.com, she says, "You're not buying another gun are you?" I just tell her I'm just browsing....

On a side note.... I was shooting my CZ P-01 the other day getting in some practice, when some guy who worked at the range saw that I was shooting a CZ and made a rather snide remark about CZ's. He told me that the CZ's he's seen are nothing but problems waiting to happen. I think he might be a gunsmith on the side. He was of the opinion that the CZ's problems are:
the springs tend to be weak and always need changing,
the trigger springs break,
that they have to many parts to try to fix one yourself,
the slide stops break regularly,
they just aren't a good combat handgun because they can't feed hollow point bullets reliably,
and some other stuff that I didn't really hear because I was getting pretty miffed.
He basically trashed CZ's....

He said that I should trade it in and get a "top shelf combat sidearm" (his words)like Sig, HK, Glock, XD, S&W M&P, or something else. He said I'd be happier with a gun that was easier to take care of and trust. I really think that this guy meant well since I'm one of the few people that comes in and practices and doesn't act like a street gangster. I just politely walked away figuring that this guy was just trying to be helpful or make a sale on a trade in, and I left wondering if his words were true since he sees many guns come in and get used at the range. But George, since you work in a gun shop, I wanted to get your take on this. Is this b.s. or did I just have my first encounter with a gun shop commando/ mall ninja type?

Comodo's pretty good. It can be a little intrusive at 1st with all the questions, but it will settle down.
It does seem to get great ratings from security sites.

Another good free firewall that I put on my parent's pc is PC Tool's firewall. http://www.pctools.com/firewall/

They aren't tech savvy at all, and they were able to figure it out. Seems to run pretty light. They have an old P4 2.6 system with a gig of ram. It's a rule based firewall, so you can create your own rules if you like, but runs pretty good with the basic settings. I tried to access their computer and it caught me. Not that I ever tried to hack anything....

That's true. I was just trying to avoid investing in another caliber. But if you think the .223 would be worth it, I'd consider it. I'm looking at the CZ 527 as being useful as a hunting tool, and honestly because of my relative newness to the rifle and hunting world, was just unsure if the .223 would be a potent caliber for hunting deer and like-sized game. What advantages does the .223 have over the 7.62 and vice versa?

Regarding the Arsenal, I just picked it up. It's a milled SAM-7 Carbine. It's sweet. I can't wait to take it out. I'll try to post a review soon. The shop I bought it from said I had made a great purchase and that I would be spoiled by it. He said I'd never even be able to look at WASR or "lesser" Ak ever again after I shoot it. He sounded like a man with "personal experience."

I don't own a 1911, but I have shot them. The more I read about them, the more I am intrigued yet confused by them. There is no questioning the legacy and history that the pistol has earned. The pistol is just shy of a century old. But not really knowing much about their modern production guns and brands (Kimber, Springfield, S&W, etc.), I naturally turned to the internet and message boards to learn more about them. This is a double edged sword, especially when the glockers and the 1911 affecianados butt heads. Some swear by the 1911, others can't get them to run reliably. Some have problems feeding hollow points, some have MIM parts (metal injected molded)that break, complaints about Series 2/ Schwartz safeties issues, use of non standard parts by some manufacturers, etc. After trying to sort through and figure out what is b.s. and what isn't, I figured that I'd just ask here. How much do you have to spend to get a decent 1911 that you could use for personal defense? What should one look for and avoid? Are certain manufacturers better than others? Are MIM parts bad? Will a 1911 be useful as a defensive pistol without having to get it serviced by a gunsmith? Can you order standard spare parts to have on hand that will work and fit into all models?
I know that this post may come off with somewhat of a jaded tone. It's not intended to. I'm just looking for some honest answers about a pistol type that interest me. I know that every manufacturer makes some lemons, but I'm just looking to get pointed in the right direction with some useful info before I venture into the wilds of the gun shops.

Between Fallout 3 and Gears of War 2, it's going to be a great 2nd half of '08 for gaming. Yes, I play on a Xbox 360, ( runs for cover...) But it's only because I can't afford a good gaming PC. The 360 doesn't require an upgrade every year, it has most of the games I want to play on the PC, and most importantly, it keeps the wife from giving you those nasty, raised eyebrow stares. But I do miss gaming with a mouse and keyboard. Diablo 3 may MAKE me upgrade....

Thanks for the info.

Is the Golden Tiger ammo on par with the Wolf?

Thanks for the info. I contacted the dealer. He said that he'd have no problem ordering one for me. The price he quoted me was around 575. I guess that isn't to bad for Maryland prices.... What do you think?

First off, sorry to hear about your emergency situation. I hope everything works out. I'll keep you and your family in my prayers.

Wow. Your timing couldn't be better. I've been contemplating one of the CZ 527 carbines since you wrote your review. Being a newbie to the art of the rifle, this information is great. I know next to nothing about optics, and sighting in, etc. But the 527 sounds like an ideal rifle and tool for learning. The problem for me is, I just can't find anyone that has one in my neck of the woods that has one in stock to check out. The guys who stocks CZ's hasn't seen one in quite awhile. It seems the only Cz's he sells and stocks regularly are their pistols and their .22 bolt rifles. But your information is greatly appreciated. Thanks for sharing it.

Man I miss my Sig 220....

How much do you have invested in the marlin? How much of a hit financially are you going to take? Do you already have a comparable revolver that serves you well? If it's possible, would the gentleman let you take it out for a test drive? Maybe the 2 of you could meet up and try out each other's weapons. If you get the warm and fuzzies when you try it out, then I'd consider the trade granting that you're not going to look back on it w/ regrets. I've done that way to many times. I still have a Kimber 1911 and a Sig 220 that I kick myself for trading. :(

Do you think it would be worthwhile to mount a 6x or 8x on the carbine, or would it throw the balance off to much? I'd like something a little better than 4x....

I'm seriously considering the CZ 527 carbine. There's a gun show locally this weekend, and I'm going to see if I can check one out. Since I'm new to bolt actions, can you recommend a good scope to mount on it?

Would you put the CZ and the Sig in the same camp as far as reliability and quality, or would you say the Sig wins in this category overall? I'm just curious... Not trying to start a flame war. I know George gets to see more of these guns and handle more models overall due because he works in a shop.

Greeting from behind the iron curtain her in Maryland!!! I'm glad you finally started the forum. Good luck with it.

I think I may have to go back and look at that 527...

George, any opinion on the Arsenal AK's? It's a milled receiver model SAM-7. Seems really nice. It is expensive (over 800), but the gun shop claim that the milled receiver Kalashnikovs are better quality and that they don't have any barrel wobble. Are milled models just as reliable as stamped models? Just curious.

Which model Taurus are you speaking of? I'm curious.... A 7 shot revolver could prove very useful.

There are a great many options for your price range. If you decide to get a semiautomatic, I'd suggest a 9mm because ammo is cheap and that will allow for more practice time. I'd check out Glock 17 or 19, a factory refurbished Sig 226 or 228 (these are a steal if the price is right), the Springfield XD 9mm, a CZ-75b and it's variants (the P-01, and SP-01), The FNP9, and the Smith and Wesson M&P 9mm. All of these are quality guns that will not break the bank. Try one out if you can. Go to the range and rent it or find someone you know who owns one of these and ask if you can try it out. Most shooters love to let people try their guns anyway. You wouldn't buy a car without a test drive. You shouldn't buy a pistol without one either.

Now, I'm not as knowledgeable with revolvers, but my opinion would be to get a .357 Magnum revolver. The plus side is that you can practice and shoot .38 Specials out of the same barrel. That'll allow for cheaper practice. I'd look at the Ruger Gp100 or a Smith and Wesson 686, 686 Plus, or model 66. I don't know much about Taurus revolvers, but a friend of mine had one that had problems regularly with the cylinder binding up against the barrel. Hope this helps.

Decided to keep the CZ's. Thanks for all of the input. I talked to my local gun shop guys about my idea. They were extremely helpful and knowledgeable as well (the Gun Rack in Burtonsville, MD). They didn't think it was worth trading either. They thought that I'd take to much of a financial hit doing the trade. Pretty honest considering that they could have made some more money off of me. They are a real classy bunch. Now I just need to find some extra mags and some good holsters for the P-01. Know of any good holsters?

And by the way, I played with the CZ SP-01 Tactical while I was there... OMG... one extremely nice pistol. Guys, do yourself a favor and check this pistol out! It's basically a full sized P-01 that holds 19 rounds of 9mm. Nice...... I see one in my future.

They also had a CZ 527 carbine. George's review was spot on. I'm thinking of getting one of these in addition to an Arsenal or Vector AK. What do you guys think of this idea? Pairing an AK and a CZ 527 carbine for SHTF. Both share the same cartridge and both would fulfill 2 different roles that may be needed. The AK could be used for security and defense, whereas the 527 could be used for food gathering and dealing with potential threats from a slightly greater distance. I know that the 527 isn't a super accurate sniper rifle, but by design I figure that it's gonna be more accurate than the AK. I'm thinking that could make a pretty good combo without breaking the bank. Hmmm...... any thoughts?