License to Carry practice session

After years of putting it off, I have decided to attend the class and get my license to carry a firearm. Admittedly, I have carried a gun on occasion in the past but luckily never was caught. As previous postings here on my blog will attest, I have a pretty good collection of firearms, but for one reason or another I have never applied for a license. That will all come to an end on June 23rd.
    
Today I just wanted to get in some practice as I continue to get acquainted with my newest purchase, a Polish P64 semi-automatic pistol. It is a military surplus pistol that I bought a couple of months back.

    The certification test calls for a series of shots from nine feet, twenty-one feet, and forty-five feet. I decided to start with the longest distance right away. I figured if I can hit something from 45 feet, then the closer distances should not be a problem. Logical, huh? I selected the same target they will use in the certification test (Target #17 by Champion) and sent that puppy strolling all the way out to forty-five feet.

      Every shot in the X, 10, 9, 8 rings is worth 5 points.. In the 7 ring is worth 4 points, and everything else on the green silhouette is 3 points. On the white edges gets you zip points. You need a total of 170 points out of 250 possible to pass the test. Again, all of these shots came from 45 feet or 15 yards away. I realize it looks pretty good, but I am concerned about the constant striking of the left side of the kill zone. I know I could just use Kentucky windage and aim to the right side of the target, but I plan to let my range buddy try the P64 to determine if its me or the pistol. I plan to use my CZ75B on my test anyway.
   While I have you here, let me pass along some info on a new ammunition that I was testing today. I carried my trustee Red Army Standard ammo and also a couple boxes of Fiocchi from Italy. Previously, I have told you how great I think the Red Army ammo is, and again it leaves very little residue for the cleaning process..  But not only is the Fiocchi a dirty ammo; it also gave me four 'failed to feed' issues in the box of fifty.

     As of this writing, I have gone through about 300-350 rounds of Red Army Standard without a single issue. The Fiocchi is 95 grains compared to the 93 grain of Red Army, but I don't think that is the problem. Last week I shot 115 grain ammo by Lawman and it was also dirty, but I didn't have a single FTF issue with it. I have cleaned and shined the feed ramp of the P64 to a high sheen. I think I will stick with the Red Army Standard for all of my 9 X 18 needs.

   In regards to the 'License to Carry'...I have submitted all paperwork the Texas Department of Public Safety has requested. I had my fingerprints taken by the same lady twice within six months. When I updated my Commercial Driving License, I had to have them taken for the 'Hazardous Materials' endorsement on my license. I first submitted my LTC application back in April, so the CHL-100 form is all I need to complete the process. The CHL-100 is the verification by a licensed instructor that I have gone through the classroom instruction and the actual firing test. Wish me luck.

Editors Note:  I passed with flying colors. DPS trooper looked over my shoulder on the firing range and said, "Not bad shooting for an old guy." Scanned and emailed my TLC-100 form as soon as I got home. Should have my license soon.

Vintage Car Show in Town

     I am lucky enough to live in an area that has a lot of car enthusiasts and they love to show up and show off. This past Saturday was one of those occasions and the weather was simply super..
   When I arrived at the show the first car to demand my attention was this 1932 Ford..

   And this beauty was not only super looking on the outside..The top, running boards, and the interior was a very clean tufted leather.

    Nice, nice, nice...Just can't overstate how gorgeous this deuce
is. Sign says owned by a local couple but I have never seen it before this show. Rumble seat in the back was also upholstered just as meticulous as the rest of the car.

  
    Being a former owner of a 1955 Chevrolet Bel-Air, I have a fond attraction for that year and model. This is a very good example of how beautiful that car actually is. Chevrolet sold more cars that year than ever before, and it was a record that would not be broken until 1962. The above car was a deep bronze and metallic silver....and look under the hood.

    Turbo inducted Corvette power, more than enough to keep up with the traffic. Air conditioned and just remarkable detail in this car.

    No,..not the same car, but built by the same guy. The first one can be seen in the lower right hand corner. This one is a hardtop while the first was a sedan. Also Corvette powered and just great workmanship in both cars..

   1941 Chevrolet pick-up truck. It also has been updated with a V8 engine and air conditioning. I like the fact he retained the running boards too...but the real eye catcher was the bed of the truck.

    Yes, that is oak and it was as beautiful in person as it looks in this photo..

     1947 Chevrolet Fleetmaster coupe.. V8 power plus paint and chrome without a blemish. Note the 'frenched' headlights, and the taillights had the same treatment....and check it out inside.

     Automatic transmission and a completely custom made dash. Door panels and seats were two-toned just like the paint outside. He even installed seat belts to make it up to date legally. Nice steering wheel too.

    What car show is complete without a Model A?.. This 1930 5-window coupe is a good example. Deep metallic silver combined with Henry Ford's beloved black. Chevy V8 makes sure this old codger is not left behind in the traffic flow.

   Suede interior on door panels, seats, and headliner. Check key ignition on far left side of the dash.

     1946 Chevy coupe.. Check the V8 engine with air conditioner. Very clean and detailed under the hood. Something not a lot of people will notice is the wheels. The center hub has been removed and installed from the backside. This gives the wheel a 'dished' look about it. Very popular back in the 1950's and 60's.

   Interior of the '46 coupe.. Leather bucket seats and console. Auto transmission and A/C. I like the way the treatment on the door panels has been carried through to the kick panels.

    1937 Ford 2-door sedan...These were very popular hot rods in the 1950's and 60's..  especially the coupes. Outside it looks pretty tame doesn't it? I like the iconic windshield wipers from the top of the glass instead of the bottom,...and those teardrop headlights were the mark of a Ford until 1940.

....and like all good Fords, this one is powered by a Chevy V8 engine. Throw in power-brakes and air conditioning and it makes for a tight squeeze in that tapered engine compartment.

      This 1940 Chevy coupe is a local car and it passes by my house fairly frequently, and I never tire of seeing it. That two-tone paint job really screams for your attention. 350 Chevy V8 engine and features all the niceties you would expect...A/C, power brakes, and digital radio.

    The interior is fabric instead of leather or Naugahyde, but it still looks great. The dash is all original and I like the wood looking paint job. Great looking ride.

    I'll close with this one... a 1937 Chevrolet coupe. It belongs to a Oklahoman, but he is always willing to bring it to Texas to share it with his neighbors. Really a great looking coupe with a terrific paint job. 350 Chevy V8 allows this old timer to show the young whipper-snappers how its done.

     The rear end really shows how clean and smooth this car is.. and yes, those are Volkswagen Beetle taillights. Note how the fenders blend in with the body. Back in 1937 Chevy used molding between the fenders and the body..

    The interior shows just how great this old coupe is. Basic black dash is accented by the wood-looking panels for the glove box and the instruments. Four speed transmission and leather throughout.. I have seen this car several times and it really is a clean example of hot rodding.
    Again, my thanks to all of the car owners that took time to answer my questions and allowing me to drool over their cars. It really is a thrill for me and I get to inform my grandchildren about the great era of the 1950's and 60's. Thanks to you for coming along.