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I brought home my GSG 922 yesterday.
I've loaded the mags and I'm ready to attempt a zero.

First thoughts on the pistol. I'm not thrilled with the front site I may change it but it's early days.
I also need to find a holster for it. Nothing I have will work. The shop does make holsters and I may do that after payday as a carry over until I can sort this out.
You can see the rail it has and I'm not sure if I want to put anything on it or not yet. I should also say this pistol is heavier than the GSG 1911. I did not expect that.

Let us know how you felt after shooting it!

 Maréchal des Logis Walter wrote:
Let us know how you felt after shooting it!

Sure thing!

First round I hit a few issues. Two magazines failed to feed, of 6. Issue two was user error my thumb placement on the slide, right thumb over the top of the safety along with my left thumb along forward along the slid both stopped the pistol from cycling correctly. I'm learning and adjusted My right thumb is back under the safety which works. It could just have been that my grip was too tight. And lastly, and this is annoying, the rear sight started to slide off the pistol out of the track it mounts too. the screw was not tight enough. I lost the plate that sits under it that the screw puts pressure on but there is a second one in the box along with more of the same sites and screws. Neither of the Hex Keys that came with it seem to correctly fit this screw. after correcting the issue I managed to get through two more magazines before it was a repeat issue with the rear site.
I will go back with a magnet to find the missing plate and locate a hex key that fits, I have a tool box full so there's a chance.

It's a mixed bag. When it's working I'm fairly pleased with it. Not zeroed to me, just a flat mechanical zero it was set at and that went well. Where I came up short I could walk it in, just a few more shots. I'm just shooting at cans out back and I can see the sand kick up.

I had thought that saying I may replace the sites as soon as I saw them and before I had fired this pistol sounded a little pretentious but I am leaning towards doing that now. I'll just find something that works that doesn't cost an arm and a leg along with maybe that holster I may need. Speaking of the holster, if I remove the rail I believe it will fit my small of the back holster and I plan to try that after I find the screw driver I need to use, again among my tools somewhere.

The weight doesn't feel bad and I only had one "click and no bang" only one bullet of the 6 magazines thus far. (80 rounds total. )That bullet did fire after I reset the hammer. As soon s I had a magazine issue I changed for a new one and set that one aside. I think I have two that are now working properly with the magazine conversion kits and I may just change them back. Something about how the bullets site in there is creating the issue.

I guess that's not bad for round one.

++Edit++

First time go on finding the hex key. It was the first one picked up.

++ Edit 2++
Found that tiny plate with a magnet. Huzzah, I still have all my parts.

You'll have to shoot some more and see if it gets better. Guns need "warming up". 22 isn't the most reliable round anyway on a semi auto anyway. Good thing you're already figuring out a bit though.

Mounting optics on a pistol is not necessarily the overkill people make it to be I think. If it feels either more confortable or of you get better results with it there's no reason to not do it.

 Maréchal des Logis Walter wrote:
You'll have to shoot some more and see if it gets better. Guns need "warming up". 22 isn't the most reliable round anyway on a semi auto anyway. Good thing you're already figuring out a bit though.

Mounting optics on a pistol is not necessarily the overkill people make it to be I think. If it feels either more confortable or of you get better results with it there's no reason to not do it.

For sure. I have experienced the difference moving from Iron sites to 68"s on my M4 was a very nice change.
Overall I think things went well even with the small troubles thus far. A log way to go still. I mostly plink cans and targets but I've been shooting every week for a few months where as before it was just a few times a year. I don't know if I want a laser site or not yet. I had hoped to mount a strong light on the rail. I was mostly thinking to upgrade the iron sites it comes with. I have to read up on that to see just how much it would be worth it to spend and try to not over spend. But I don't know yet. I do want good night sites on what ever my larger caliber gun turns out to be. So I could buy them mount them and later move them as long as everything is compatible. It may sound silly but it would help me bring in what I want and not have to wait later, spending when I am a little light one month. I don't know defiantly need to do more reading.
On my user error, I think being lighter ammo s one reason I hit that snag early on and maybe in a higher caliber that issue goes away so maybe what I have learned simply isn't exactly applicable here.

Again I'm very happy I finally bought a gun, it was a bucket list thing and originally I was going to buy a 45 this year because I had just turned 45. It just seemed a little childish at the time having never fired a 45 before. That door is still open though.

Some blue Loctite should fix your screw problem. You'll want to use that if/when mounting optics as well. You can find it at most dept/hardware store.

 ThePaintingOwl wrote:
Depends on how much you're willing to pay I suppose. As long as you have an original to work from you can always measure the part, draw up blueprints, and send off a job to your local machine shop. It's probably not worth it unless you really love that gun but if people can "repair" old military aircraft from a serial number plate and a couple scraps of sheet metal the only thing stopping you is your budget.

That's exactly what I'm worried about: the cost.

If there are plentiful spares, I'll shoot with more frequency than if not.

Bit items like barrels are also a consideration, though I don't know that a casual shooter is going to cause much barrel wear on just speculative plinking. Generally, it takes competition-level practice sessions to really wear down the big parts.

Of course, one can buy a spare barrel, use that and just keep the original off to the side.

I will say that some weapons have enough support that one can practically build them out of spare parts.

Had the time to do a little more shooting today. It went well enough no major issues right away. Later part of my rear site would try to walk off way to the left but the site bosy stayed on which was the issue the other day. One step forward I guess.

I use coffee can lids for targets when I have them around.
These are two of three. The first 10 rounds were a struggle but I started to get over that on these two targets.





Over all I could confirm 14 hits to each target but I couldn't tell with one of the 15 rounds hit both times. That said things went well, no malfunctions of any kind at that time.
Just me still getting used to the pistol. I've adjusted my grip and am trying to stay consistent. I was standing about 7 paces away from the target board. I need to measure it out to a known distance. I have no idea how far away is right, maybe it doesn't matter. The only other thought on that is the further away I am the more difficult it will be to see the dot I place at the center of the target. Almost like the front site it too thick.

After that I lined up about 5 cans on a long and tried to plink them off. This did not go well, as I mentioned the rear site issue. Once I got it corrected, field expedient, Things worked out. I did have one weird double feed but again that was a user error. I replace the magazine and it wasn't seated all the way so it wouldn't feed then it did feed but I don't now. Some how I managed to eject two rounds. No problems after that.
That's another 80 rounds thought the pistol. It's getting there.

Nice, I'll be stealing that coffee lid idea if you don't mind.

I'm shooting this afternoon, think I'll go for my mosin at 200m.

 Maréchal des Logis Walter wrote:
Nice, I'll be stealing that coffee lid idea if you don't mind.

I'm shooting this afternoon, think I'll go for my mosin at 200m.

We drink a fair bit of coffee so I ended up with maybe 10 or 12 list this year. After those I might move to paper plates if I want a quick target to shoot at.
I do like the easy to see yellow of the coffee can lids I have though. I know there are better targets out there but I'm not in a position now where those would be something I would have on hand on a regular basis.

 warhead01 wrote:

I was standing about 7 paces away from the target board. I need to measure it out to a known distance. I have no idea how far away is right, maybe it doesn't matter.

We stuck some PVC pipe in the ground and made distance markers that fit into them. You can see the 3 meter, the 5 is rotated in the picture. Have 3, 5, 7, 10, 15, 25 and 50 marked. Helps a lot when doing drills.

Nice range!

SO, shot decently but my gun's front sight started sliding again! I'll have to fix that. Part of why the gun was so cheap when I got it, bolt hasn',t got the same serial number and frontsights waffle around. But hey, it's my first gun and I love it anyway. Plus, it keeps shooting good nonetheless!

 Maréchal des Logis Walter wrote:
Nice range!

Thanks, side with hanging 'bottles' is .22/rimfire only, other side handles pretty much anything, though 7.62 NATO tends to leave a mark.

Not visible are two plywood 'barricades' with various cut outs to force shooting in uncomfortable positions. Have also added a couple targets since this picture was taken.

Don't have the right saw for the job but I am intent on building a plinking barricade with holes for that as well! For now it'll be used with either my revolver or my auto 5

So what sort of target would one use for shotguns? Particularly if you’re practicing for hunting fowl in woods, where clay pigeons wouldn’t seem practical to my idiot mind.

The equivalent of "sighting in" a shotgun is patterning it. Adjusting the choke/lack thereof and seeing what sort of pattern it creates. This is done just by shooting at a large surface(like a big piece of cardboard) and seeing what the spread is at various distances.

Clay pigeons are useful because they help you practice shooting a moving target. Pigeons and quail are fast buggers so the biggest thing you are training is reaction time.

I’m genuinely confused. Would the pattern not depend more on the ammo, and how the pellets are sitting in each….cartridge? Round? Dunno what the proper name is. Slug maybe?

That is a variable. But the Choke also has a lot to do with it.

Chokes are small inserts that screw into the end and inside of the barrel. If you imagine how pipe threads work. Most guns have Male threads(threads on the outside). Shotguns have female threads(threads on the inside). They can constrict or expand the tube to effect the pellets as they leave. Imagine like putting your finger over the end of a hose(though not that extreme).

Ok proper Dakkanauts, and this includes service personnel both current and retired….

What’s the best thing you’ve ever shot, or played with?

In my incredibly limited experience? Genuine World War One Vicker’s .303 Machine Gun.

How did this singular idiot get his grubby mitts on that? School visit to the Imperial War Museum. I was pretty young, certainly…now that was Year 9, so around 13, maybe 14. Which was the age some went off to fight, having lied on their sign up.

I was picked from the class to get dressed up in the uniform (scratchy. Very very scratchy), and got to play with the era appropriate guns. SMLE was a hefty bit of kit, and my weedy muscles really struggled to work the action. And of course…the Vicker’s. Now naturally being a room full of idiots and Britain, I only got to work the mechanism, but even so it was a very cool experience. Sat cross legged behind this shooter older than my Grandparents (I think? I mean, most probably). Reaching forward, one hand on the grip, to pull the cocking lever*, feeling it cycle. Then both hands on the grip. Index fingers pulling the safety…then thumbs pressing down the trigger.

It felt….powerful. And really user friendly. Even though of course if shooting guns was having a sandwich, this was no closer to enjoying the full experience than licking the packaging.

Maybe one day I can complete that experience. Even if it’s just firing blanks.

But yeah, that’s my favourite!

Does 120mm MBT main gun count?

Most biggest boom that is a ''gun'' 84mm Carl-G

Context in which I had the most fun? Practising door breaching with a Remington 870. In a similar vein, that, but with breaching charges.

The gun I'd like to shoot again, or use more, however, is the H&K MR 308, that was fun.

12-bore double-barrelled shotgun (side-by-side, not over-under) at clays. I've enjoyed shooting rifles but there is something especially satisfying about a double-barrelled shotgun that I can't put my finger on. Dunno why, but the over-unders don't do it for me either.

 Maréchal des Logis Walter wrote:
Does 120mm MBT main gun count?

If you giggled, even if only internally? Yes!

Even if you didn’t giggle because it was serious worky business, then still yes.

Just training, so I did giggle a lot!

Fired a ton of 120mm, loved it. But I have a special place in my heart for a flex mounted .50 That hammering is just awesome, and watching out tear crap up is just so cool.

I think the old Dragon ATGM was fun too, that POP POP POP POP as the guidance rockets kick off is pretty neat.

I got to fire both the M249 and the M60, which it was (sort of) replacing.

The M60 was impressive. I get why you need an AG to spot you, because even with a 'geek strap' my glasses were wobbling big time.

My greatest regret was not cashing in my chits on a drug deal with the Security Forces Squadron. I'd written them up to look like Audie Murphy, and their commander was glowing with satisfaction. I was supposed to cover their live-fire exercise and then some stupid grip 'n grin thing came up, and I "took one for the team" and backed out. I still remember the SFS commander offering to pull rank on my butterbar, going up the Wing king to demand my personal presence at his exercise. I felt (falsely) that my self-sacrifice would be rewarded. I've had many missed chances turn into something better, but that wasn't one of them.

Original SA80A1. Truly, truly awful. I have no idea how this was made to work in gulf 1. Admittedly the one I had was old on top of everything else, but still. After three magazines and at least one problem every two dozen rounds it suffered a malfunction requiring it to go back to the armourer as a round got jammed after the firing pin had hit it but it didn't fire. The Captain on the range had a look best described as horror as I peered about inside and quickly took possession of the rifle.

Why was it the best thing? Was a fantastic living example of pretty much every part of the procurement cycle failing and the institutions behind it not caring, and brought a lot of lessons into sharp focus. Its the type of info/insight I love watching forgotten weapons for.

The_Real_Chris wrote:
Why was it the best thing? Was a fantastic living example of pretty much every part of the procurement cycle failing and the institutions behind it not caring, and brought a lot of lessons into sharp focus. Its the type of info/insight I love watching forgotten weapons for.

The issue I have with Forgotten Weapons is that Ian comments like an expert on military weapons without the tedious first-hand knowledge of what goes into that. His weird attempt to rehabilitate the Chauchat is a great example of not understanding the difference between an afternoon at the range and day after day in a trench. Even a relative tourist like myself can understand why the whole "jams when gets hot, don't shoot to0 fast" thing is a deal-breaker for an LMG. Spending a couple of days running around the back country on a stateside base is in no way comparable to trench warfare, but it's a heck of a lot more demanding than taking your meticulously oiled, cleaned, and pampered weapon to the range for an afternoon and pronouncing it reliable.

Before my time with the Army, I somewhat believed that the Stoner platform was flawed, but after "living the lifestyle," I've tremendous confidence in it.

Subsequent arms contracts bears that out. In the 80s, the bullpup was the weapon of the future, but they're slowly fading away. Having the magazine well in front of the trigger guard is just really convenient.

Counter point?

For a completely ignorant prick like myself? Forgotten Weapons is super accessible. It’s a base level of knowledge verging on medium. And even when conclusions are challenged as in your post, Good Sir? I’ve learned enough to understand your challenge, and from there go on to further (but still surface, I’m not gonna claim watching YouTube make you an expert in anything) learning and that.

I am confidant in saying that Ian most definitely is an expert on military weapons. He can still get stuff wrong, but I am pretty sure he took those into account in his assessment of the Chauchat(If I am remembering the specific video correctly).

Keep in mind that what an LMG is "supposed to do" has radically changed from when the Chauchat was designed and what we today want them to do.

The Chauchat was designed for Walking Fire like the BAR. Today we want LMGs to dump hundreds of rounds repeatedly in suppressing fire, but at the time that would have been unthinkable. LMGs at the time were conceptually more like Heavy SMGs. Sporadic bursts of aimed fire to suppress the enemy while advancing and at close range dumping bursts for actual killing. They're not made to dump tons of ammo towards enemy trenches to suppress large areas(thats what the Maxim guns are for!).

It was really a good idea of gun, mired down by there being a couple of bad parts to it and of course the main culprit. That being its misfortune of being used by... The French.

You could go back in time to the 1860s or 1910 and give the French the ability to manufacture LeMAS rifles and they'd still manage to do horribly.

Of course it was the worst gun you could want in Trench warfare as well. But nobody had any idea that that was coming. Everyone still thought maneuver warfare would still be the thing.