Building Myself an AR-15

With 2 handguns (the P99 and T3) in the family, I figured it was time to branch out to a long gun. The question was whether I would get a shotgun or a black rifle (aka AR-15).

I initially went shotgun since I was more familiar with shotguns than AR-15s. My first choice was a Benelli SuperNova Tactical. I started looking around the gun shops in the area and on the Calguns Marketplace. However, I couldn't find the exact model I wanted.

All the local shops had a ton of Remington 870 shotguns, but not the SuperNova Tactical. There's nothing wrong with the Remington 870, it's a fine shotty. However, it just did not fit me. I previously shot a SuperNova Tactical at the Raahuages Gun Show last year and it just felt right in my hands. Since I couldn't find it local, I decided to learn more about AR-15s just to keep my options open.

I did a ton of reading (this is my favorite) and watched a ton of videos on YouTube. Let me tell you, I learned a lot about the AR-15. If you're interested in the videos, I can recommend the videos by Midway USA and Brownells (see below for a sample).

What really appealed to me is that I could build my own - I didn't have to purchase a "complete" rifle. I could buy parts piece by piece and slowly put it together. And if I was able to find good deals on quality parts, I could comfortably put together a high quality AR-15 for less than what I would have spent on a complete rifle.

I was sold and decided to try my hand at "building" an AR-15. The next few posts will detail the parts I've acquired and the progress on my build. Stay tuned!

Basic Handgun 2 Class

I had the chance to take the Basic Handgun 2 Class with Greg Block on Sunday afternoon. Per the class description:

This is a great class if you have the basics and want to improve your accuracy and confidence to shoot well in a pressure situation. Emphasis is placed on improving the shooter's ability to make rapid multiple shots on both single and multiple targets at varying distances.

We spent the entire afternoon doing double taps on various targets. We started off on large silhouette targets then gradually moved onto smaller and smaller targets. When we were able to group our shots adequately, we were challenged with multiple 4"x6" targets (numbered 1 through 4) where we first had to identify the correct target (based on what the instructor yelled out), align our sights, then double tap that target.

Honestly, it was quite a challenge. Not only was I using the P99 for the very first time, but I was also using the Big Dot sights mentioned in the previous post. I shot fairly well, but noticed that I was shooting low. "Dotting the I" on the Big Dots can be tricky at first as I was trying to shoot too quickly without having truly "dotted the I." I'll need more practice, but once I get accustomed to targeting with the Big Dot sights, I should be fine.

As for the P99, it performed like a champ. The recoil was slight, the slide was smooth and the AS trigger is unlike any other that I've shot with. I think the P99 is one of the best semi-automatic handguns out there.

Near the end of the class, I was able to get side-by-side double taps - a first for me. The key was to keep my firing hand/arm fairly straight and to lean into my shot; by doing both, I was able to keep the gun steady in my hand and could fire the follow-up shot rapidly and accurately.

I have a few months to practice before I take Greg Block's Intermediate Handgun Class. I can't wait to hit the indoor range and improve my skills with both the P99 and P22.

More Magazines...Especially at a Good Price

If you own a semi-automatic handgun, I'm sure the saying "you can never have enough magazines" sounds familiar to you. Well, I didn't think I would fall into that, especially when a single 10-round mag for my 9mm Walther P99 typically sells for $57 each.

So when I purchased my 1st generation Titanium P99, I thought I would be good since I got 4 mags to go with it. Well, that didn't turn out to be the case. I was lucky enough to find someone selling two new 10-round 9mm mags on one of the handgun forums I frequent. The seller was offering both mags with shipping for less than $42. You knew I had to jump on that deal!

The mags arrived today and I couldn't wait to try them out. Like the seller stated, both mags were brand new - although only 1 was still in its original packaging. In fact, the packaging was marked "Interarms".



If you're not familiar with Interarms, they were the first company in the US to import Walther P99s from Germany. They did this for about 3 years (from 1997 to 1999). So, it appears that I have brand new 10-year old magazines! I cannot believe that these have been sitting around for that long. Not that it matters, since they work fine in my P99. Now I have 6 mags and if I find a similar deal in the future, I'll have to jump on it too!

PS - Click here for a list of all known Walther P99 importers.

Walther P99 Holster

Now that I have my handguns (Walther P22 and P99), I'm committed to getting the proper training so I can be a responsible gun owner. In early April I took a Basic Handgun Course (which I wrote about here) and will be taking follow-up courses over the next few months.

For the upcoming courses, a holster and magazine holder are required equipment. As such, I picked up a fairly inexpensive belt holster (roughly $15) off of eBay.



As you can see, it's an Uncle Mike's Kydex Belt Holster and it fit the Walther P99 perfectly. I didn't get a paddle holster as I won't be putting on and taking off this holster on a daily basis and I like the added "security" of having my belt looped through the holster.

I'm now looking to pick up a double magazine case. I'm leaning towards an Uncle Mike's Kydex Double Mag Case, but am open to others. If you have any suggestions, please let me know.

Tipton Snap Caps

Like with the Walther P22, I wanted to minimize (if not eliminate) the need to handle live 9mm ammo in the house as I get accustomed to the P99. With that in mind, I picked up some Tipton Snap Caps.



These are going to come in handy as I get accustomed to the following:

• Loading & unloading the 9mm magazines
• Cocking & decocking the P99
• Practicing with the AS trigger by dry firing with a snap cap in the chamber

Walther P99 Comes Home

Well, the 10-day wait is over and the Walther P99 is in my possession!



As I stated previously, it's a first generation 9mm P99 that was made in 2003. It has a black polymer frame with a titanium coated slide. It came with 3 backstraps (of which I'm currently using the smallest backstrap) and 4 10-round magazines. It's had about 1,500 rounds through it already, so there's probably no need for further break-in. The trigger is silky smooth and the barrel looks great. The only issue with the P99 is some black specking on the titanium finish. Per the WaltherForums, this is an issue with the titanium finish and the main reason why Walther discontinued it. The specks don't bother me as it has no impact on how the gun operates; however, I will keep my eye on it. If the specking develops elsewhere on the slide, I'll have to consider getting it refinished.

Anyways, getting the P99 was only the first step. Much like the rest of the country, ammunition has been hard to come by here in Los Angeles. When I picked up the P99, there was no 9mm on the shelf of the Turner's store where I did the private party transfer. I struck out at a few other stores as well such as Big 5 Sporting Goods and Walmart. I finally found a 50 round box of Federal Premium Tactical HST (at Martin Retting) to use as self defense ammo and a single box of Winchester White Box (at a Turner's) for the range. Hopefully, the WWB will be in supply soon as I plan on taking a few more of Greg Block's handgun courses using my P99 over the next few months.

One of the main items I liked about the P99 (besides its looks) is the Anti-Stress trigger system. It's quite unique and is a bit too complicated for me to explain properly. However, here's a helpful YouTube video that explains it quite nicely: