Recent Purchases

kennith

Well-known member
Apr 22, 2004
10,891
172
North Carolina
I figured I'd pick up a few things that I've been wanting lately.

1: Ruger 10/22


I've never actually fired one of these before, strangely enough. Now that I've played around with it a bit, I "get" it. Should have bought one years ago. It's an exceptional rifle for the price. This one happens to be a 50th anniversary edition; so it's got slightly better iron sights, some engraving on the bolt, and it came with a street sign thing.

2: USFA Zip 22

This is, by far, the stupidest firearm ever built. It looks like a staple gun, feels like a brick, and doesn't seem to serve any obvious purpose. I can't determine why it exists, but it was cheap, and sometimes when things reach a certain level of stupid they are fun. The one I bought is in IBM PS/2 putty color. Honestly, if it had been any other color, I probably wouldn't have bought it.

It pisses me off, though, because USFA used to be my favorite SAA maker.

3: FN SCAR 17S

This one... I wasn't really interested in hunting one down all over the place, but I shit you not, I found one on a shelf less than MSRP! Couldn't pass it up. They're made of gold right now, and if I don't keep it I'll make a healthy profit because the things are only going to go up. AR patterns have reached critical mass. These haven't.

As interesting as it is, the 16S is a bit redundant, and a questionable purchase given the rarity of parts. The 17S, though, justifies the platform. It's not the most sensible thing in the world to own given the price, as you can get something more simple and useful for much less, but it's interesting.

Anyone else pick up something fun lately?

Cheers,

Kennith

EDIT: MSRP was higher than I thought. Actually got it for a few hundred less.
 
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Tugela

Well-known member
May 21, 2007
4,754
561
Seattle
Anyone else pick up something fun lately?

I bought a new water pump, fan clutch, and radiator. Just haven't made time to install them. Speaking of picking up fun things, anyone have a good lead on a source for an inexpensive fan wrench?
 

MM3846

Well-known member
Feb 18, 2014
1,221
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LI, NY
Speaking of picking up fun things, anyone have a good lead on a source for an inexpensive fan wrench?

I had thin adjustables that fit the Rover, but my buddy picked up one for his BMW on amazon for like $15.

I'm closing on my house in a week or so and will probably be picking up a 20 gauge pumper to play with.
 

1920SF

Well-known member
Jan 6, 2007
2,705
1
NoVA
I had thin adjustables that fit the Rover, but my buddy picked up one for his BMW on amazon for like $15.

I grabbed one off Amazon for my D1; been more than adequate and it cost about the same ($15).

As far as other toys go...when I got back from Abu Dhabi I finished up a little AR pistol/PDW build and finally put together my lower for my .22 M4-both are stupid fun, particularly the .22 which complements my oldest's 10/22 and my youngest's cricket so we're all shooting the same caliber at the same time.
FullSizeRender(1).jpg
 

kennith

Well-known member
Apr 22, 2004
10,891
172
North Carolina
I wish it was in the budget. I want a battle rifle in .308 and a MP5 clone but that will probably be awhile till it happens.

The SCAR isn't really going to do the job any better than something older and cheaper.

You don't have to spend a lot of money to get something that's perfectly capable, and with better long-term support in the US. It's unlike an AR in that it really makes much more sense in a military environment.

Even today it's still highly proprietary, and it doesn't make 30 caliber more effective than any other weapon chambered for a similar cartridge. They're all hammers in relation to 556; and certainly "surplus to requirements".

Don't get me wrong, it's really nice, but in the end, you've got a semi-auto, powered down .308 with a 20 round mag, full of parts you can't buy off the rack. It's nothing earth-shattering for civilian use; it's just hard to find and it looks cool.

I certainly wouldn't suggest stretching a budget to go out and get one; especially considering what people like to charge for the things.

Cheers,

Kennith
 

p m

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Apr 19, 2004
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I bought a new water pump, fan clutch, and radiator. Just haven't made time to install them. Speaking of picking up fun things, anyone have a good lead on a source for an inexpensive fan wrench?
Any wrench sized from 27mm or 1 1/16" to 32mm or 1 1/4" can be made to a fan wrench using an angle grinder.
 

Tugela

Well-known member
May 21, 2007
4,754
561
Seattle
Any wrench sized from 27mm or 1 1/16" to 32mm or 1 1/4" can be made to a fan wrench using an angle grinder.

Assuming you have, or have access to, an angle grinder. And any wrench of the sizes you list as a starting point. Having none of the above, I think buying one is going to be the ticket.
 

p m

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Well... an angle grinder and a good cut-off wheel will set you back about the cost of the wrench, but you'll have an angle grinder besides the wrench.
For whatever it's worth, searching Amazon for a 36-mm wrench yields many sources.
 

Tugela

Well-known member
May 21, 2007
4,754
561
Seattle
These were some of the least expensive options I found on Amazon:

Mercedes 36mm wrench for $32.38 (Prime)

More or less the same thing for $23.40

This little sucker for $16.32, but the handle appears too short to be useful

ebay turned up this cheapie from China...$20 shipped

I don't think that this is an application where spending more money for a higher quality tool is going to make an appreciable difference in doing the job. If I was replacing my head gaskets I would not hesitate to spend a lot more for good impact sockets and a quality torque wrench, because those are critical to a precision task and the consequences of screwing up are high (i.e. repeating the job). Taking a few whacks on the fan clutch wrench gets you the same result whether it's a cheap stamped tool or an expensive fancy one.
 

p m

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I don't think that this is an application where spending more money for a higher quality tool is going to make an appreciable difference in doing the job. <snip> Taking a few whacks on the fan clutch wrench gets you the same result whether it's a cheap stamped tool or an expensive fancy one.
Then you should probably look at the fan clutch wrench I bought at NAPA - which made its way from 36mm to about 38 and non-parallel.

Granted, you keep one truck and replace a fan clutch maybe once in three or four years. But that ONE single time when you find that nut frozen on water pump shaft will make you question saving fifteen bucks on a quality tool.
 

kennith

Well-known member
Apr 22, 2004
10,891
172
North Carolina
When it comes to a tool designed for a specific purpose that you only mean to use when it's absolutely needed, I would argue that you should spend the money and buy something that's not going to make a job that's already a pain in the ass a further pain in the ass.

Cheers,

Kennith
 

pinkytoe69

Well-known member
Jan 14, 2012
1,689
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minnesota
When it comes to a tool designed for a specific purpose that you only mean to use when it's absolutely needed, I would argue that you should spend the money and buy something that's not going to make a job that's already a pain in the ass a further pain in the ass.

Cheers,

Kennith

Relatively true, but in this case...

1. HF or Sears stores are readily available if the job needs to be done today.

2. For this job, other than the 17 sec it takes to get the jaw to the right width, the effort is the same...put it on the nut and hit with hammer.