Posted on 10/11/2011 9:17:15 AM PDT by Stoutcat
No, we’re not talking about Fast and Furious today. We’re talking about what a beautiful weekend it was, and how much fun it was to go to the bucolic and gorgeous Cape Cod Fish and Game club and do some shooting!
Some of you may remember reading my post about the process of getting a license in Massachusetts from last year. Since then, about the only thing I’ve done, gun-wise, was purchase a S&W kit gun, which is a nice little revolver; but after taking it to the range and trying it out, I found I didn’t really enjoy shooting it. What to do, what to do?
Off to the gun store again, to trade it in for a Walther P22 and a Henry Survival Rifle.
First off, CCF&G is a lovely club, embodying so much that is beautiful about life on Cape Cod. Set in a rural area, there’s a trap area, rifle range, pistol range, and soon-to-be-opened plinking range. Plus an outdoor archery trail, and indoor archery range, and an indoor pistol range still in process. Plus, there’s a pond to swim, kayak, or fish in. Best of all possible worlds, eh...
(Excerpt) Read more at grandrants.wordpress.com ...
I don’t really see the point of the S&W Kit Gun.
Well, it was small and light, and as a woman with small hands, it seemed like it might be a good fit for me. Sadly, it was a bit too small. It’s a beautiful gun, but obviously not the best choice for everyone.
Light, compact, rugged, accurate, dependable, effective backpocket/holster clipped-to-your-backpack weapon for snakes/trail obstacles. 50 rounds of hollowpoints fit in a shirt pocket. If you spend some time on the trail,your questions should be answered.
I have a kit gun 4 inch barrel that I have carried everywhere while hunting. It is an opportunity gun, to have with you to shoot small game when they pop up unexpectedly while big game hunting, at least for me. I always make sure to have it and 100 rounds in my jacket pocket.
This is the second time I’ve seen the term “kit gun”.
What is it supposed to mean?
Hmm. Chainmail I am afraid I side with the original author, who said it was"small and light, but... a bit too small"
I tell ya what if I DID spend much time on a trail I'd want something a bit "larger" too. I like numbers like .44, .45 or even .50. Of course no one said those were "light" numbers, and you'd be hard-pressed to fit 50 rounds in a shirt pocket.
YMMV
... but it needs a longer barrel.
If we’re talking survival weapons, I’d rather not have something in aluminum.
A Taurus Tracker in stainless steel cost half as much, though would be much heavier, and a S&W 617 will give you 10 shots.
“kit gun”
I used build airplane kits as a kid and I wondered why the S&W .22 was called a `kit gun’ since it obviously came fully assembled.
It’s a gun small enough to carry in your personal kit, tackle box or whatever you carry field gear in. Not a sidearm, just something extra.
The Smith & Wesson is a little small for me, I carry my grandfather’s H&R Sportsman .22, a larger revolver holding nine shots, with a longer barrel.
I take mine fishing. It is a good side arm for hunting since you already have a rifle. Good for finishing shots, rabbits and best of all, grouse.
Mine fits me well with over-sized rubber grips. It is also pretty rare in that it has two cylinders, one .22 LR and the other .22 magnum. Fine little S&W wheel gun.
The kit gun is stainless steel, not aluminum... you wouldn't have any durability problems with it. As far as aluminum goes, my little Armalite AR-7 is still going strong since I bought it in the El Toro PX in 1969. I have put tens of thousands of .22 through it and hiked hundreds of miles with it. Great rifle!
There was absolutely nothing wrong with the S&W kit gun, it’s VERY high quality. It was just not comfortable for me to shoot.
We also got the Henry Survival rifle, a GREAT gun that dis-assembles and stores easily in its own buttstock. Light, compact, great accuracy, just toss it in your backpack and go! Love it.
Guilty as charged. But I would still not want to be out and about without a bit more punch then a .22, either mucking around a mountain or whatever. But I am not one to commune with nature, I'd rather eat it. Again, JMHO.
For all my blather about the kit gun, my for real backpack pistol is a Walther PPK in .22LR. Probably makes collectors wince but that little puppy is very compact, carries ten rounds per loading, and is match pistol accurate..
Your Henry survival rifle is identical to my cherished AR-7 survival rifle - designed by Eugenes Stoner, no less! I carry mine assembled, using a boot lace as a sling with some band-aids, a compass, spare ammo, and some fishing line/hooks in the butt.
Great piece of gear!
Hmmm...Kit gun...never heard that before...but understand the “kit” name now...carry in your “kit”.....heck I have three of those, Victory Model S$W 38s, one in Special, one in 38 S&W, and one that was 38 S$W and retrofitted after the war to take specials....Each with different barrel lengths....I really like all three of them. Great shooters.
I have a little Beretta Cheetah Model 87 in 22LR that I absolutely love.....looks nearly the same as my 85FS in 32ACP...with the Beretta Wood grips, they look fantastic - like a much smaller 92/96FS
Went to a benchrest match and won the whole thing! Beat 4 former Super Shoot winners! That’s a nice weekend!
I used to climb a lot to find unexplored aircraft wrecks in California and Hawaii. Never had to shoot anything more harmful than rattlesnakes during the expeditions but I got dozens of them in California. Best wreck I ever found was a nearly complete and intact P-47D Thunderbolt at Kahoolawe island, Hawaii. Dang wing guns were still loaded with 1942 lot ammo!
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