FNG76

I forget if it was Army or Gyrenes that used to teach their MP's that trick with a standard as issued flap holster and their 1911. Weapon was carried holsters and chamber empty. They were taught to partially draw the pistol just enough so that the recoil spring plug would clear the trigger guard area of the holster. Draw technique iirc caused that part of the slide to drop into the trigger guard recess. They then pushed down partially racking the slide but it was enough to chamber a round with a brisk final draw. You can see the principal by using the edge of a counter, pants leg, etc. I'd imagine that trick would work with most enclosed trigger holsters for a 1911 as well. I'm not sure if there was some trick holster someone came up with for the civilian market but that's as I recall it being relayed to me by an old MP many years ago. My Dad was a Wingnut MP and they were using .38Spl's when he was in so time has lost me the ability to recheck this info. Sorry but hope it helps even though this is an old thread.

Gotcha. Was curious since this internet thing brings the whole world to our fingertips!

First I'm sure this has been covered across many threads and posts and I've done searched and read etc but couldn't really find what I was after in a consolidated thread for ease and simplicity..... Tools!!!! Buy once cry once!!! Quality doesn't cost it pays!!! Two sayings that largely I believe in with the caveat that it's not always true and there is a point of diminishing returns for most of us. So buy the best quality you can and make sure it's all the quality you're going to need might be another way to put it? Example my old Savage 110 still puts higher quality rifles to shame loaded with surplus M2 ball and shoots on itself at 100 with Remington JSP's. It puts the bullet right where it's needed the same as more expensive rifles out to 350 yards... Farthest I've ever dropped a deer and yes I DROP deer... It's rare they even go 50 yards and most of those were closer shots.... So using that let's look at stitching irons. Common sense says the hole size should be matched to the thread size and overly large holes are going to look less appealing than a hole that virtually disappears once the item is sewn. I've noticed a huge disparity in hole sizes with different brands and manufacturers of irons. Chinese seeming to often leave a huge square hole that's blatant after stitching on my limited research... So I've been buying tools... Figured might as well buy quality first so that tools weren't limiting the quality of my results the blame would always be on me. Spend the money up front rather than buy cheap and then spend that same money later costing more in total. Vergez Blanchard and Barry King are mostly what I've been buying with some C.S. Osborne thrown in then I discovered some well regarded Japanese tools that Ian Atkinson recommends... Then a wonderful looking stitching iron I think it was bikermut? Mentioned to someone Crimson Irons? Crimson Hides? Singapore company but the review I read with hole pattern comparison looked beautiful!!! So I guess what I'm trying to ask is for suggestions on tools, brands specifically that'll be quality and quality enough for what anyone would ever need without having to go the penis envy route of oh I've got the Rolls Royce when these other brands will give the same results... Anything worth doing is worth doing right. And the end results are always what matters. Like we used to say 1000 attaboys don't make up for one F up. So I want to do it right. I don't mind spending the money if I've got it provided the product delivers, but I'm not so small that I have to be designer when another brand will do identical for less.... I hope my ramblings make sense.... Been a long last few days and I'm exhausted so apologies for any incoherencies. To try to limit things let's say tools for projects that would be suitable for 5&7 SPI projects. Wallets, sheaths, holsters, cases etc... Theoretically simple stuff from the neophyte mind. Suggestions? Thanks in advance! Eyes are bugging so might not reply until tomorrow.

Good suggestion! I'll have to see if the local community college has anything! Over by Fort McCoy/Lacrosse area here... You?

Oh I've had plenty... Mostly outdoor oriented. Hunting, fishing, camping, shooting, reloading, backpacking, wilderness survival, etc. Women when I was single... Spent a lot of time scuba diving years ago but then I grew up mostly in California and lived there for 30 years. Did I mention women??? Lol Done a bit of prospecting, gold panning, rockhounding and light lapidary. Found gold, silver, and gem stones in California in various places. Funny thing is there is now a housing tract built on an area where I found silver years ago! Lol (truth is when I found it I didn't know what it was at the time) never really found anything that'd make a man rich but the adventure is it's own wealth and riches in it's own. Learned to knap arrowheads from an older gentleman "Squawman" at a gem and mineral show my wife used to sell her jewelry at in California. Fun and relaxing yet haven't done it in years. Rode dirtbikes and dual sports, used to hill climb Carnegie but not professionally. Loved running fire roads and game trails in the Sierra's on my bike, take off and see what could be found. Exploration and adventure in the Sierra's was a big thing, take off in a direction and see what I could find. Saw some beautiful and unique things up in those mountains. Always wanted to explore the Mojave but just did a little digging out there and some hunting. Desires to go into the superstitions after the Dutchman's gold but mostly to explore and see what can be stumbled across but don't know if that's every going to happen. Moving to Wisconsin has been quite a change from California and after 8 years I'm still trying to adjust to some things. Camping isn't camping to me but then again I've always done primitive with the minimum rather than taking a home on wheels to a neighborhood called a campground. Solitude and nature versus what could well be an RV expo and drama... I'm still shocked at how little public lands there are up here. Haven't been to the boundary Waters yet but want to take my boys up there on a survival camping trip to teach them some important life's skills before I can't see at all anymore. Things are just different here and not in a bad way just different from what I know. Learning and reading is probably my favorite hobby if I had to pick one. Learning... All the amazing things a person can do if they just are willing to learn... A person can teach themselves virtually anything... It's amazing and in such they become a living library of Alexandria if they desire.... Anyhow I can go on but think I've rabbit trailed and got tangent lost enough. Thanks for the warm welcome everyone!!! And before any misconceptions occur no I wasn't in in 76, never served, grew up around a lot of Vets and even knew some bush vets my Dad knew in the PNW. Vets and combat vets for some teachers growing up. I'm a cold war kid and remember the duck and cover drills.... So yeah I learned young FNG.... 76 is when I was born. God bless and thanks again!

Hi all!!! Found out about this forum from a reply to a product question on Amazon of all places! I've been lurking and reading as much as I can and am highly impressed with the skills you all have and incredibly grateful for a group that's so willing to help and share knowledge. Thank you all from the start for all your posts and help you've provided others!!! I promise to use the search function as much as possible but if I ask something that's been covered 100 times and I didn't find the answer I apologize in advance. It's not laziness it's well I suppose advanced retinitis pigmentosa. These screens play hell with my eyes and I can only read them for so long before I can't see across the room. Don't need or want pity just being up front as folks that aren't willing to help themselves first are a pet peeve of mine. Using a search function being the first step to helping myself! So I decided to wait until this point to start leatherwork for a hobby I can do since most of my others are largely out now. Interests so far are humble I hope. Making knife sheaths and eventually some holsters. No real ambitions yet for anything more than a hobby but like I tell my boys, we live in a world built by people who did so much with so little just to provide conveniences and an easy life for people who can't do anything with everything available to them. I've got a great respect for the old ways of doing things, quality tools, things built by man to be repaired by man, and can't stand disposable goods!!! Anyhow that's me in a nut shell, sorry for the tangent and all. If I have questions I'll ask, already have some for insight into people's opinions but trying that search function first before I waste folks time. Time being the most valuable commodity we all have.... Will run out of it before anything else.. A pleasure to meet you all and thanks again! Ray Another FNG lol