Well crud

I forgot to post something.

And considering how this year has gone...  It's been 12 months of 'bat country'...  I may just hunker down and try to stay safe until it is done.

See you out on the other side?

---

Never trusted the warrior cop trend.  Not going to happen to me, tho.  A raid like this.  Middle aged white guy with zero drug history or even experience?  (But they will get excited about the guns, when those turn up.)  I might get raided because they are looking for house 41 instead of house number 14 and are after one of my MS-13 neighbors.

Trust some gunnie yahoos, less.

MAGA

So, Roberta says to me, "T-Bolt!  Are you using pre-shredded cheese in the kitchen?!  MADNESS!  That's an abomination unto Nuggan.  You saw who won the election in November.  If there is one policy of that man I can get behind is he want's to make America grate again.  DO IT!"

Because she felt so strongly about it I figured I better get in line.

There are two types of people in my life that give me advice.  Those I always safely ignore, and those that I listen closely to and weigh the implications.  Roberta is one of the latter.  I guess there is a rare third category.  People that suggest I do one thing and I automatically do the opposite and know I am making the right decision thereby.  Jimmy Carter, History's Greatest Monster lies in this special third category.  

Roberta informed me there is some... extras... in that pre-shredded stuff, too, and I might get better performance eschewing it.  Out with the grater!  For the grater good!  When a recipe calls for cheese I want to just put CHEESE in.

A homemade white sauce with cheese recipe called for parmesian and cheddar.  This would then go on pasta to for baking in ze casserole dish.  Instead of that I had to get pre-shredded parmesian.  It was all I could find.  Sad now.  I will do better next time.  But I cut back that cheese's volumetric contribution and went with Cabot extra sharp and Colby.  Just cuz.  Should be much better even with the pre-shedded.

Shredding a pound of cheese is work.

Performance improvement I'd like to see is less grease separation on re-heats as the butter takes leave of the white sauce.

Prepped this casserole Monday, cooked Wednesday, reheat Thursday leftovers and now, I report....

Good flavor, fresh and redone.  It's basically homemade mac n cheese with italian sausage and bacon, how can that go real bad?  But otherwise, still super oily, but aha!  The grease isn't butter colored.  More Trump colored.  Orange.  I tried a different variety of Johnsonville Italian Sausage.  Mild instead of Sweet.  The mild has a hint of spice and that spice is red and thus the grease is the same color as PEOTUS.  Eureka!  So I just need to do grease minimization from that sausage angle next time.  The whitesauce with cheese may be good. 

Grated Cheese.  Yes, Roberta.

Shipping

I have never shipped a gun before.  Myself.  FFLs have done that on my behalf in the past. 

But some folks find a need to ship their Taurus back to the factory for warranty work.  Hey, it does happen.  Or maybe your XD has a live round in the chamber that it won't let go of and you need to send it to Illinoise to make it not be that way.


For any of that, I am under the impression you can UPS it your ownself, legally, back to the factory.  Not to a buddy, of course.  Just to the gunsmith. 


Go to Mailboxes Etcetera and they are gonna aks you "What's in the box?"


Then what happens?  If I had to guess many places they'd be less alarmed if you said "In the box?  Gwyneht Paltrow's head."


I know enough to be extra wary and not try to tap the US Postal Service for this.  Serious bad juju going that way.


What does the UPS counter jockeys do when you say "a firearm back for repair work"?  And more importantly, does anyone have an experience trying that in a Gun Crow state like mine, or Jersey, or Hawaii, or what have you?


I don't need to ship a gun, I just wanna know what happens when you try.

Range, December Double Deuce

So lots of things I want to try.  From December 22nd

First some self examination.  I lost my concentration on the front sight.  I used to be good at that, then I was bad, and now I have got that back under control.  I am better at the trigger press.  Smooth, surprise.  That comes from ALL those trigger pulls the past year and a half.  It's not near great, but it is much much better.

I shouldn't watch Jerry Miculek videos.  I'd love to be even a 0.2 on the Miculek scale.

Things I want to do.  Shift my finger placement so the trigger is closer to the crease.  Maybe grip my support hand a little tighter.  Lock the writsts?  That's coming, but lets not be TOO ambitious this session   You have other priorities to correct before improving down that road.

Ok...  dry fire.  Hey!  I tip up on dry fire.  I used to tip down.  Aha!  That's something to see. 

So I do some shooting.  The crease helps, maybe?  Nothing dramatic.  The grip is also inconsequential, but needs to be explored more.  Still to the right of the centerline.

You know what helped the most?  That was most Leatham-Miculek inspired?  Expezially after seeing that dry fire tip up of the barrel?  Saying to myself:  "Hey, how bout we don't move the pistol at all when shooting?  Instead of tipping up, just don't move?  Until after you fire, but that's recoil and we aren't working on that right now."

THIS helped the most.  This helped me enough that I was a little excited about it.  I need to do more of that.  Second round of shot are the circled shots and the aren't all to the right of the centerline.  The first round has a lined sharpie mark, the second round is circled.  Only circled ones get to the left of the centerline as you can see.  SUre it's only six of them on that side, but it's still something 

Ciener .22, CCI Mini-max, 25 feet.  One failure to feed.  Got hungup on the feed ramp. 42 rounds fired.  Would you even count this as a 1911 wrt reliability as it is shooting .22?  I am guessing the FTF might have been avoided with more lubrication.  3 drops only.  Rail/rail/barrel-end.  That seems to juice up reliability of 1911 platforms when people stress test them online.  Don't run it dry.

My log work isn't as exact with this gun this year.  But based on the boxes of empty 22... this is 1491 rounds for the year so far.  Take that with a grain of salt.  And 150 in the 9mm.

Of the above I like #2 #4 #5 and #7.  On the second set only.  If I could do more of that and in 2017 that would be great. 

Hey! I gots to know!

Watch this flinch on the dry fire by Harry Callahan. Youtube time stamps aren't working well for me in the latest release of blogger, so fast forward to 3:55. Latest version won't let you put an ampersand when you need to in the HTML. Do you can't ampersand then 'start=235s'

What are my pistol shooting goals?

To be accurate and fast.

Ok, what does that mean?

Accurate?  Cover with a quarter accurate?  Or cover with a playing card?  Everything in the 10 ring?  Everything sorta centered?

Fast?  Fast from draw?  No, can't practice that in most local ranges.  Gonna have to find a place for that eventually.  Fast like "That one, bang!"  Well, yes.   Also second and third shot fast. Control that recoil.  Fast like 2 in that one and 2 in that one and can go one doing 2 in different ones all day.  Fast reload and malfunction clearance?  Well yes.

I tighten up when I try to go fast.  Most people do.  I need to fight against that inclination, because tense makes you miss and be slow.  Relaxxxxxxxxxxxxx.

We're also getting into some really Zen Kung-fu Tao stuff.  "To hit the center of the target you must first let the pistol move all over the target" and "Before you can hold the pistol firmly you must first learn to hold the pistol lightly" and "If you want to shoot faster you are going to have to slow it way way down..."  And the worst part of that confusion?  I understand it. 

I like some parts of Christmas Day

"Drinking the hard stuff at 9AM the morning of Christmas, T-bolt?"

Don't judge me!

I never noticed this before

Like me, Ralphie Parker is left handed. 

BLACKHAWK!

BLACKHAWK?

Best holster on Optics Planet.

Hmmm.  That could be better.  It could be worse, too, I guess.

Wait, is it worse to have a floppy nylon holster, or one with occasional issues with the trigger finger wabbling into the trigger guard on a draw when you push that little release button?  Especially under stress.

I've heard of the locking mechanism getting some grit in there on a BLACKHAWK! and just not letting go.  Which can be a very bad thing, too.

Those are bad things, but there is good things about a BLACKHAWK! holster.  The kydex is pretty strong on these.   There are other brands that can fall apart on you.

A Blackhawk! holster is certainly better than NO holster.  Shove my glock into the waistband of my sweatpants then go hit the clubs?  No thankee.

I still am not happy with the holster options for my new custom 9mm.  But that's what you get when you step off the path.  Glock?  M&P?  J-Frame?  Standard 1911 flavors?  Got PLENTY of holsters to choose from. 

Huh...

Coulda SWORE I had something scheduled to post for today. 

Kuh-nif-uh

Ever have somebody at work say "Do you have a knife I can borrow?" and then have the whole room gasp in horror when you actually produce one?  "HE'S GOT A KNIFE!  RUN!"

I carry a small unobtrusive, unthreatening, knife into my uptight hoplophobic work environment.  The one on the left.   "That's a weapon!"  Please!  If I need to kill someone I'll use my bear hands before going for the mini Skeletool.   

That's the one I usually go to.  For a placid workplace.  But it's not the only one I have, necessarily.  What if I need a real screwdriver?  Or pliers?  Hence the middle one might or might not be handy.  On my person.  Maybe.  

The scanner doesn't have very good depth of field, but yes those are 1911 grips on the one on the right.   

On this day

On this day, 72 years ago, the Belgian town was completely surrounded by German forces.  Might as well surrender, Amis....

CCI

Check the price....
It has a barcode on the back so it can't be more that 40 years-ish old.  What do you think?  80s?

Battle Horror

Ever wonder why there are no penguins at the North Pole?

Centuries of bad blood.

Careful, this might give you Christmas PTSD.

Range Report Dec 16th

This is the 'glove target'.  The glove hits are marked with a line.  Did 6 sets of three with the gloves, then 6 sets of three without and circled those.  Upper right target?   The third gloved shot is nowhere to be seen.

The circled ones were much better.  Even for a normal range day.  Often grouping all three together, consistent like.  I like consistency.  I just want to shift it to the left a bit more.

25 feet, CCI mini-max, 36 rounds, no failures.  1449 shots though the .22, according to the log books.  Failures only logged since 1200.  3 waxy buildups on #1300, #1301, and #1302.  Dud on #1354

Shoulda Saved

My North Korea drunk-post for today.

I got a range report comin.  Let me add this aside here.

You may not have noticed, but it is cold through much of these United States.  And I shoot after work with a gun that can't be taken into my nice warm office.

It was COLD.

No matter.  I keep flight gloves with me in my jacket and I have never actually tested shooting with gloves and a pistol (I have used them hunting.)

Flight gloves are thin.  Thin leather on the touch side so you have a feel for your aircraft switches and nomex elsewhere.  Nomex is fire resistant.  The gloves aren't designed to be warm so much, they are designed to save your hands when your cockpit is on fire.  They are better than nothing in the cold, plus, more dexterity!  Or is it, really?  That is what I was testing.

It is difficult but not impossible to load a .22 magazine with gloves on.  Centerfire might be easier, especially with a mag loader. 

Trigger work was noticeably worse, too.  The only gloves that might be better for shooting than these are rubber gloves, but even these good gloves feel thick as arctic mitten when trying to work the trigger.  Thumbs forward on the grip placement is also very different feeling.  After a few shot you get more used to it and some of the problems go away.

I'm glad I practiced that.

It's one of my few deviations in live fire as I work to improve my accuracy in this Shooty Vision Quest thing.  I don't do weak hand drills, for instance yet.  Just 2 hand regular stance work, isosceles now.  Trying to get consistent.   The wierd stuff I have been doing in the simulator.  But the simulator is going away next month, so weird stuff in live fire will have to appear. 

Supposed to drive

To simulator training now.  Then on to MBtGE's house for lunch.  I dunno, that ice is pretty thick...  Maybe later.

You gotta be careful.

Some gunsmithing Youtube videos are better than others.

Blackout

Saw this in the news about the North Korean Absolute Dictator that may have gone on a bender.

Citing an unidentified source, the outlet reported that last September Kim summoned the military officials after getting drunk, calling them "traitor's of the nation" for not being able to develop a military satellite.

"Not being able to develop one military satellite is the same as committing treason," Kim allegedly said during his drunken rant.

Afterward, he forced the officials to write letters of apology all night.

But when Kim woke the next morning, he was totally unaware of his outburst.

"Why are you all gathered here?" Kim said to the military officials. "All of you are old and should look after yourselves."

After hearing Kim's morning greeting, the officials allegedly cried and Kim left satisfied, believing they were touched by his kindness, the report said.

Made me think of another tyrant know for tipping a few back during breakfast.  And lunch.  And at Tea.  And dinner... supper... nightcap...

Citing an unidentified source, the outlet reported that last November Hillary summoned Democrat officials after getting drunk, calling them "traitor's of the foundation" for not being able to drag her sorry campaign across the finish line.

"Not being able to get one universally disliked crooked failure elected is the same as committing treason," Hillary allegedly slurred during her drunken rant.

Afterward, she forced the officials to write letters of apology all night.

But when Hillary woke the next morning, she was totally unaware of his outburst.

"Why are you all gathered here?" Hillary said to the Democrats. "All of you are old and should look after yourselves." [ed. yes they are up there in years...]

After hearing Hillary's morning greeting, the officials allegedly cried and Clinton left satisfied, believing they were touched by her kindness, the report said.

They don't sell too many Glocks in Maryland now

If you are going to get a gun you have to jump through the hoops to get a MD Handgun qualification license.  Forms, picture, fingerprints, training.  $100-300, depending. 

After doing all that you are gonna settle for a $500 gun? 

According to the gunstore, those that bother go ahead and pop for something fancier.  Read:  more expensive.  So Sig and HK are winners here in my home state.

That's not to say people have stopped buying quality $500 firearms.  It's just less incentive.

What if

What if...  When I pull the trigger in what feels, to me, straight back in line with the pistol thusly:

I get this:

----

But when I pull it in what feels, to me, like this:

I get more like this?

And this pushing the rounds right is some flaw in my trigger pull?  And though it FEEL like I angling the squeeze, in reality, I am really not?


Update:


How are you shooting; standing up, one hand, 2 handed, or from a rest? 
2 handed, square to the target, arms almost fully extended, elbows down, head upright and square to the taret

What is the range to the target in the pictured groups?
25 feet.  The minimum at this range.

How many shots are you taking without a ‘rest’ in between shots?

2 or 3

Can you observe via dry fire; particularly if you have a laser or bore sight you can use ?
No laser for anything that isn't DA revolver, no.

Sight picture

There are three common ways to hold that front sight on the bullseye.

Folks have gone over and over this in other fora.  Including here.

#1 is 'lollipop'

#2 I've been told is Navy hold, but I am not sure the people that told are right

#3 I don't know what that is called.  I've done it, but didn't like it.  I was shooting low then, and was doing anything to try to fix that anticipary jerk.  'Combat' sight picture?


I think folks that aren't shooting bullseye use #2, but I don't KNOW.  What do you people that can blow the center out of the target use?  Do you have guns set up to use #1 and others that do #2?

Or am I the only man in Christendom not doing Combat Sight Picture?

If #3 was the best sight picture for your gun would you make adjustments to make it #2 or #1?

If the new gun is really #1, lollipop, I may have to change it.

Ace Pic

I like this picture,

I got from here.  But Ace got it from the NRA.

Are you folks holding that low?

But it's a good visual for showing folks how to focus on the front sight.

Lots of people, me included, are drifting away from 3 dots.  For many reasons.  But at least these shown are bi-colored  You'd hate for it to looks like Green Green Red when the red is actually green.  You are gonna slice left under pressure that way, homey.

At night C could actually look good, when the muzzle is pointing off to the east.  With the red color you at least have a clue you maybe are doing something wrong.  That you want A and not B,  but with C... no indicator to clue you in when you are in a hurry to shoot the machete wielding prowler in the dark.




I'm a big believer is tritium sights but, also... maybe you don't take the shot when it is dark enough to need tritium sights because then it isn't dark enough to SEE to ID.  Like with a flashlight?  It's a big plus on the new gun for house-gun work.  Having a light on there.   It's my first pistol-mountable light.  So, 20 rounds of 9mm AND a whole buncha lumens?  Yes, please.

But the sight picture on this new gun is like this, with fiber optic strip for the green:

A bit simpler, no?  It's one of Sam's influences with all the training.  Darkened rear sights, one dot on the front only.  Biggish gaps on either side.  He wants me to focus on the front sight but not obsess over it.

Range Work

So, been shooting the new 9mm.  25 feet, 115 grain Federal.  Up to 150 rounds fired.  Only failure was the One magazine not locking back correctly, and round #10 stovepiped.  Lubed up the gun after that and no other problem since.

Dunno how many rounds through it before I got it.  At least 250.  Sam tests guns and only considers them ready for sale if they can do 250 shots without a failure.

But we'll pretend for the purposes of the log book that I am at 150.   This is one of the latest targets, all with similar results.

I circled in yellow one shot that tried to get away.

What do you see?

Upper right.

Heeling, milking, shooting flaw.  But what do you NOT see?

Nothing in the lower right.  My old flaw area.

Also, this gun shoots a little higher than point of aim.  At least that I am used to.  Shift the above four targets 3 inches left so that that group is more on the centerline....

But that has always been my goal.  When I was low and right I wanted to be left more and low I could take care of.

I'm sure Sam will have a new thing to teach me to help with that.  Whatcha bet it'll go to a firmer grip from the rather relaxed grip I have now...  We knew this day was coming.

Another possible runner up, what I am doing with the trigger finger pad.   See the .22 shots in this one.  Right, but not high.  Lollipop hold might be in my sight picture future, but play with bullet weights first.

There are two positions of this professionally tuned trigger when your finger is on it.  It's going bang or it is about to go bag.  It's hard to sneak up on the break and surprise myself.  Travel is pretty short, too. 

Did his simulator training last Saturday, too.  Always fun, but this time I reflected how I have improved my shooting in the compared to a year and  half ago.  The Vision Quest continues.

Can't play with it for a week or two, so it is back to the .22.  I am getting that one magazine tuned, the other magazines I ordered for it, and holsters made, so it is at the smith's til January, maybe.  

Yeah, kinda like that.

Have you noticed...

That pistols that USED to have on-board locking mechanisms have been quietly discontinuing them?

I think Glock had one in the grip but this was ages ago and they got rid of it ages ago and I'm not even sure of this and could be wrong and I'm not really talking about Glock.

But Springfield isn't using those mainspring housings on their 1911s...

And rumor has it S&W is thinking about dropping the zit...

Meh, I shouldn't get my hopes up.  Revolver QC out of Connecticut Massachusetts is not what it was.

Firearm Features

When very N00bish, I dwelled on firearm features I wanted in a gun before purchase.  Not from experience, obviously.  This sight style and that grip panel and the thumb safety so and the guide rod thusly.  And, of course, this model, but never THIS manufacturer... Only this caliber and no other, &c.  All picked from research, mostly online, in an attempt to maximize my potential shooting success and, as important, minimize mistakes that I wouldn't be able to live with.

The selected features didn't have that much impact on my success, and I made mistakes anyhow.

Now?  Now I am more of an advanced beginner, well on his way in his Vision Quest to be a beginning intermediate, or, dare I hope, more.  Feature requirements and preferences, while they haven't fallen by the wayside, have become less important. All those things matter less.  Just be a 'not bad' pistol and let's shoot it. 

My prejudice against Glocks is slipping away.  I didn't shoot them well, initially.  I shoot them better now.  If I won one in a raffle I might not sell it away immediately and put the proceed toward something else.  3 years ago I would.  At the very least, no need to worry about the ambi safety like I would with a 1911.  And I know how to DO safeties!  Beavertail fitting?  Oh, boy...

This is not say I don't like pouring over features and gun parts, as much as I always have.  You can't build an AR from the ground up or a 1911 from a bare frame and not take some serious thrill out of a Brownells catalog and devil take the hindmost credit card balance. It's just less important.  The gun becomes a tool.  While I like one screwdriver variety over another, in the end it is still a screwdriver and the screw needs tightening.  Most any decent screwdriver will do. 
 

Sorry bout that

Kinda in a slump.  I have some posts half prepared but my give-a-dang is a little afluttered.  I'll try to kick it into gear.

I hate this season.  Trying to look at bright parts between the stressful parts. 

Off my lawn!

The 1980s were a simpler time pic.twitter.com/X4W1qIcYIB

— Bill Corbett (@BillCorbett) December 6, 2016

Some range trips

Well, I had a magazine.  Was there 9 rounds in it or fifteen?  Let's see,  click on the 10th shot, so...  But wait!  That was a dud round.  Still, good shooting on that top left target.  Initial 9 shots, very relaxed shooter, and all inside the 9 ring.   The other targets are tres with paused between.  None too shabby except for that one, upper right.  Did a much better job focusing on the front sight.  Compared to last round, this was a good outing.  For me. All relative, of course.  That was on Wednesday the 30th, and here is the score.

First round of Tre's:  16 + 27 + 28x+ 27 + 27 =125x
Second round:           22 + 24 + 27 + 26 + 25 = 124

Is my math off?  Hmmm.  That upper left, with 9 shots, scored 86 xx

---

Then the following Sunday I went to ESS for playing with the 9mm I just got.

Oooo, lots of fun.  The trigger.  It breaks so fast and easy it feels like I am jerking it, in my mind.  Just, it goes.  Initial ranges were 3 yards, then 5, and making a golf ball sized hole.  So after 30 rounds of .22, then 40 rounds of 9mm, I am tired and the range is now at 7 yards and I start to heel and over think it.

Note to self.  Sam notices when you correct yourself.  YOU should notice it too, and remember what you did to self-correct.  Sam says it is always better when I do do so. Correct myself.  Maybe if I remember better I will have to correct myself less.

All Federal white box practice ammo.  73 rounds.  One stove pipe FTE on the 10th shot of the day, magazine 2.  Magazine 2 also leaves the last round unstripped on lockback.  Will correct it at the gun smith on Saturday.  Maybe get my new mags for it then as well.

Selling

I picked the wrong time to do so.  Ah well, better something than nothing.

I am unloading a Series 80 Combat Commander I have no use for.  Because of gunsmithing school I am flush with custom 1911s.  Plus a Gen 1 Sig 229 with that DAK trigger, in .40.  I'll be lucky to get a nibble on that.  All in an effort to take the sting out of buying this one.

One thing I am not doing is selling a problematic gun to make it someone else's problem.  Nothing wrong with either.  But what if I had a gun that just wouldn't run for me, and I didn't want it, and needed money, and buyer's should beware... Would I sell that? I dunno if my conscience would let me. I certainly wouldn't hide the problem and price it accordingly.

And I am realistic on pricing for these sound guns.  I'm not the guy that wants $1200 for his used Kimber that someone can still get for 8 bills or less.  New.  No, it is probably not a collectors item, but good luck with $1200. 

Gun Violence PSA

Did you see the gorilla?





But is that the guy that shoots up the school, or just the story that was put out after Columbine about bullied loners interested in goth and in their own 2-man 'trenchcoat' mafia?  I guess it is hard to depict Severe Mental Illness in a 3 minute video. 

Indy!

If The Walking Dead can cause a run on Colt Python revolvers...

Any of you old gunnie remember 1981?  Was there a run a breaktop six shooters because of Indiana Jones?

Die Hard is NOT a Christmas Movie

It's a heist film plus cop buddy picture.   When regular gas cost 6 bits a gallon.

But Dune, on the other hand, THAT is a Christmas movie.

Hear me out.

A 'relative' brings a gift 'box' with a surprise gift inside.

There is a Jolly Fat Man

A religious savior in a desert land

Methodical slaying of hordes of young males, hoping to get that savior caught up in the net

Wise men interested in the well being of that young savior.

Patrick Stewart is in the movie, and he also played Ebeneezer Scrooge.

A spice that smells a bit of cinnamon plays an important role, and you know they put that stuff in lattes and pies... everything.



It all FITS!  Christmas movie!

Y'all need to relax about Trump

What he says?

What 'they' said he said?

Doesn't matter.  Relax about it.  He's been talking full Trump style for a coupla years.   He's not drunk.  He's not a 8th level Dan Troll-grandmaster doing Troll-kata on purpose, either.  I bet it's instinctual, and probably not planned.

But it's just talk.  Or lies about just talk.  And it doesn't matter.

Watch what he does.   Sure the communication is important.  But, it's the pledge and the turn in magic.  The prestige is what truly matters, tho.

Hypothetical.  SCOTUS appointment.  "I'm not beholden to that list of judges I told you about last summer" ~screams!~ "My sister would make a great SCOTUS.  Or maybe Ivanka..." ~SCREAMS!~  "I nominate Ted Cruz."  ~SCRE-wait...~

You should relax.

In this totally realistic Trump scenario in a couple months... He's messed with you and me.  He's messed with the #NeverTrumps a bunch more.   He's REALLY messed with the MSM and Democrats (repeating myself).  He's made an ally and moved an enemy simultaneously.  Cruz is unconventional but would be an ok SCOTUS.  I bet Cruz would enjoy that job a lot.  And a lot more than Senator.  He might even have an easier time in the confirmation because 'Senator.'  Abbot then elevates another to be GOP Senator in Texas.  While everyone chews on the new possibility of a Senator Rick Perry, Trump is moving on to the next thing and the world scrambles to keep up with the fast pace.

The stuff he talked about didn't matter.  What he did... sorta works.  In the above.

Panic at the Kitchen Table

So I was trying to remove a stuck grip screw escutcheon on a 1911.  And I munged up the slot something fierce.  As one does when one pretend to know a little bit about gunsmithing.  I mean gunbutchery.

Oh no!  What do?  Throw the frame away and buy another.

Now hold on!  Maybe there are options.  Don't abandon hope.   You still have a chance this will come out alright with no damage to anything more expensive than a sawbuck. 

With a stuck screw sometimes tightening it a fraction of a turn will break the grip and make it easier to back out.  Or soak it in penetrating oil to loosen the threads.  Or... and be careful with this... blow torch.  Apply heat.  The expansion and contraction breaks the hold and also breaks down any Loctite that might be in there.  I said to be careful not because I am worried you will hurt yourself.  Burned skin heals.  I am more worried about messing with the temper of the metal.  Stainless steel is a bit more forgivable than carbon steel.  Try not to get the metal to turn straw or blue.

But these hints are less helpful when you have borked up the screw slot.

This was my plan.

First I would put the grip screw back in the cleaned hole with red loctite on the threads of it.  Tighten that down tight to get a good bond.  Then I'd back out that screw and hope it takes the escutcheon with it.  Sacrifice both. Plan B was to put a screw in part way from the proper side, and put another screw with a hex hole on the inside of the magwell.  Both screws touching tip to tip.  Then use an Allen wrench from the opposite whole to get the thing out of there.

Plan A worked.  But I wish I had tried B first.  That solution came to me too late, and if it had been attempted and had worked it would feel more elegant, somehow, now.

If it had failed and stripped the threads in the frame, all is still not lost.  You can add metal to the hole with a welder and re-tap the threads.  But that skill is a bit beyond me right now.

---
So, itemized, the methods for removing a stubborn escutcheon that I thought of, in order to escalation to prevent harm are:

1. tap it a few times with a non marring item (plastic screwdiver handle)
2. tighten a bit first before backing off
3. a little heat with a torch
4. soak it in penetrating oil for a week with occasional taps
5. remove all penetrating oil and apply a little MORE heat
6. two screws tip to tip, then spin clockwise from the 'bottom' end
7. red loctite on a sacrifical screw seated well inside the escutcheon, back out in 24 hours
8. spin it with vise grips
9. drill our the escutcheon with plans to perhaps add metal to the hole with a welder and retapping

I don't like the penetrating oil, normally.  But I am impatient.