@The Dude
What sold you on the mk23 in the first place?
It's Solid Snake's pistol, after all. "The only crew-serviced handgun".
Metal Gear Solid is where I first became aware of the Mark 23, and like any firearm I become aware of I began researching it, discovering it's history and development, learning everything I could about it because I'm Autistic and obsessive about firearms. Learning about its development and the trials it had to pass to win selection during the USSOCOM Offensive Handgun Weapons System program proved to me that it was a reliable, tough, rugged, and accurate weapon. A weapon you can trust your life to in the harshest conditions. I will not hesitate to make the claim that the Mark 23 is the best .45 ACP combat pistol ever made. That's what made me fall in love with the Mark 23 and I swore that one day I'd own one. And in 2016 I was finally able to make that goal.
And I feel like it's size and weight are exaggerated. While it's wider than a 1911, they're about the same length and weight when loaded, but you get 12+1 rounds of .45 ACP with the Mark 23 and generally only 8+1 rounds with a 1911. That's not to disparage the 1911. I own and love both the Mark 23 and 1911.
Are the Springfield Armry Saint ARs any good?
And thoughts on the M1A scout rifle sold by them?
This is my personal take on it, but I would not buy Springfield if you want an M14 style rifle. I had a Springfield M1A Loaded with a stainless barrel for a few years and had nothing but reliability problems with it. Failures to feed and failures to extract, even after taking advantage of Springfield Armory's lifetime guarantee and sending the rifle back to them three different times to be fixed. Even after all that, I could never get through even a single 20rnd mag without having some kind of stoppage or malfunction. I ended up selling it and buying a different rifle with the money. For years my desire for an M14 style rifle went unfulfilled until one of my best friends filled me in on a little company called LRB. They are the only company making M14 to USGI specs (aside from having select fire). Springfield and Fulton use investment casting for their receivers, bolts, and operating rods because it's quicker and cheaper than using forged parts, but those cast parts need to be machined thicker to have enough strength to safely handle the pressures seen with firearms. Springfield is also known for using metal injection molding for many of their small parts for similar reasons. LRB on the other hand is more concerned with making high quality rifles built to the proper specs. So when I decided to build a Mk14 Mod 0 style rifle I ordered an 18.5" barreled action and a genuine USGI M14 trigger group made with Harrington and Richardson parts from LRB. Dealing with LRB was an absolute pleasure. The service and customer care I had with them was the best I've ever seen, not just with a firearms manufacturer, but with any company I've dealt with. So I'm going to make the same suggestion to you that I make to anyone I see who is interested in owning an M14 style rifle: go with LRB. They can build a rifle in any configuration that you want. They aren't cheap, but they'll build you a rifle that you can trust your life to and will last several lifetimes as a family heirloom.
Saints are pretty nice for what they are, if not a bit pricy, what makes you look into them? Not judging, just want to see your wants and maybe we can figure something else.
Heavy, I love me the m1 but it's a lot more weight than you think (inb4 go to gym)
@The Dude Congrats your dudeship and super jelly. I'd pick up all the ammo costs if you let me have a few mags thru her! May it treat you well.
I want to redo my makarov slide, I'm willing to do something retarded for the lulz like case hardening even. But cold blue I can do at home. Any suggestions ideas? Should I do sights too? A bored man with free time and guns he can't shoot (thanks ammo shortage) gets silly dreams.
Bro, any time you're in my neck of the woods just hit me up and we can shoot any guns that I own that you want to shoot. I've always said that if a man can't share his hobbies or vices with his friends, then he should probably give them up.
I'm personally pretty fuddy when it comes to Springfield. I won't give them any business due to them trying to game the system and screw other manufacturers and businesses in Illinois with donations to the anti gun crowd to get them to lock out everyone but them.
Yes, I know S&W and Ruger and whatnot have also had their slip ups but I feel what Springfield did was particularly heinous.
Their scummy practices, dealing with the figurative Devil for their own gain, is part of the reason I'll never own another Springfield weapon. The other part is my terrible experience with the M1A Loaded I owned, plus the materials they use in their guns. I'm not a fan of investment cast and MIM parts. Yes, I know they're perfectly serviceable materials to use in firearms, but there are plenty of arguments to be made about parts made from those materials having shorter service lives or being more prone to breakage versus parts that are forged or machined from tool steel.
