Sunday, January 21, 2007

The space gun cometh...

Well, only 9 more days to go...
(guns; betcha can't buy just four!)


(cue Sci-Fi weapon sound) BZZZZOW! BZZZZOW, BZZZZOW!

Now Josh, before you get mad, you should know that there were extenuating circumstances...

102 of them...

I'd been keeping an eye on the G22 for a while, but couldn't see spending the money on something so bloody impractical. When I hit Turners yesterday, I checked out their lever guns (my latest fancy), then I noticed that they had a Kel-Tec SU-16CA. Somehow the guys on CalGuns are convinced that these were hard to find, and I was almost ready to pay a premium for it, but then I called up good old Ade's gun shop, and he told me that he had two new ones in stock, and for $100 less than Turners. Once I knew that I'd be able to find an SU-16CA, I was very relieved. I wasn't quite ready to buy a gun in the price range of the SU. I mean, I COULD buy it, but I would have prefered to prepare for the purchase.

I looked in the corner at where they kept the three G22s I'd been eyeballing for months. this time they were all laying out against the wall instead of crammed into the corner, and one of them had a red tag on it! Turns out that the G22 with woodland camo has been discontinued, and Turners through a brilliant marketing strategy (???) chopped $102 off of it. I could get the G22 easily.

Once I knew that I COULD, I tried to figure out if I SHOULD. Wanting a gun is one thing, but when it comes time to actually (fuck it, I'm going to say it) pull the trigger, you think more seriously about it. Which was particularly difficult in this instance, because this gun serves almost no purpose.

I mean, look at it. Should I ever need an expensive solution to engaging in close-quarters-combat with an elite force of varmints, I'd reach for the G22. Otherwise, it's purely for fun. Besides, my jaunts to the range lately have been lacking something. I wanted something to spice up my visits, and since I live so close to the (pistol calibers only) range, and so far from any wide open spaces I might shoot rifles at, I think the G22 presented itself at the right time. Even so, it still took me a while to convince myself to buy this completely impractical gun. Well, the bullpup design means I get the velocity of a 20" barrel without the extra space, and it can be switched from lefty to righty easily (important if you don't like bolts in the teeth!). The .22 round is useful only for varmits of various types, and killing paper. I guess it does have some points. (very few though)

As I was filling out the paperwork, (and being fingerprinted like a criminal) someone walked up and gestured toward the woodland camo'ed G22 on the counter between me and the clerk.
"Pickin' up a G22? Good choice. I've got one, and it's a lot of fun."
"Yeah... Kinda hard to rationalize though, right?"
"Oh yeah. But hey; fun's fun!"

Yeah. I guess fun is fun. This gun serves no practical purpose other than to go to the range and have fun killing paper. (maybe even with frikin' laz0rs!)

I'm happy with my purchase.

9 comments:

John R said...

I didn't realize the G22 was on the "approved" list for CA.

It is a fun little shooter, and, you really can not have too many .22's.

John R said...

Okay, I went and did a quick re-read and it does still read "centerfire".

Fletch said...

Yep, rimfire is the only thing that's keeping this eeeeeeevil space gun from becoming an "assault weapon," or the term I prefer; "cosmetically challenged firearm."

All I know is that if a tiny P22 is classified as an assault weapon, and this space gun isn't; there's something seriously wrong...

r_mate_e said...

I look forward to a range report in the near future!!

Anonymous said...

WTF?

OK, I'm not going to give you any shit about it since you got a deal, but if you'd paid full price...

I bought my Kahr P9 - a little bitty pocket 9mil carry piece - because it was on consignment for $300 and I happened to have that on me that day. Fortune smiled and Baby JMB wept. I'll never be able to CCW here, but I have a carry gun. I also have a "Sunday Go To Meetin'" bonafide barbecue gun - a chrome and pearl 1911 - even though I can never carry it and I hate to clean it so I never shoot it. I know a little bit about impractical gun purchases, and as long as you have fun with it, more power to you and screw what anybody says.

That being said...

Fletch said...

Nice bit of luck on that Kahr, I'm jealous! As to your lacking a CCW, I know you'll do what must be done.

Thanks for the vote of support on a frivolous gun purchase. My mind was on that Remy 700, but that G22 was right there.

John R said...

Two more days....

John R said...

Time for a range report!

Fletch said...

Life has been kickin' my ass for the past few days. So, I only got a chance to take it apart, see how it ticks, and switch it from righty to lefty. I hope to get to the range this weekend, but it's already semi-booked...

I'd like to give it a new paint job (mossy oak isn't really my style) before I take it to the range, but I think I'm going to have to test function before I start making changes...