Tweaker

Over dinner with friends recently, we were talking about some gear or other and one of my friends says, "Well, you're a tweaker, like me, so I'd totally expect that...". I recognized that one word sums up a lot of my approach. No matter whether it's a rifle, boat trailer, or a ski boot, seldom is anything from the factory "just right". And one of the things I enjoy is making my gear better, or better adapted to my needs and preferences. A few examples:

Mountain Bike
Could have just hit the local shop and picked up a nice 86-speed with dual suspension. But no, I had to start with a stock SE 29er and build the ultimate hardtail single-speed. Disc brakes, indestructible Profile cranks, custom-built wheels. The result is bomb-proof and a blast to ride.

CZ 452 Rifle
CZ builds a nice little .22LR rifle. Well crafted, exceptionally accurate, nice trigger. Could I leave mine alone? Oh, no. It started with a Montana sling strap and some Uncle Mike's swivel mounts (both super-nice, btw). And then a trigger job to lower to a 2# pull and a more even, consistent pull. Then a new more rigid firing pin and spring. Topped it off with a Bushnell scope and Warne mounting rings. Most recently found a beautiful machined trigger guard from PID Products to get rid of the roughly finished crappy looking stock one. A beautiful rimfire that's a wonderful to shoot - and really not much money in it. Of course, my Ruger 10/22 had to have a trigger job and a few other mods, too.

Steelhead Swinging Rigs
No, just owning a single switch rod with floating line on one spool and spey line on another wouldn't do. First it was a full-size Scott ARC-1287-3 rod. Then an Abel Spey reel. Then another switch rod, the excellent Scott L2H, so one rod could be rigged for indy fishing and the other for swinging. And, naturally, I decided to switch from full lines to shooting heads and running line, for more flexibility. But, I'd say I now have every possible Great Lakes steelhead scenario covered.

Weber Smokey Mountain Cooker
Didn't think the lowly smoker could get upgraded? Wrong! After haunting a few online groups, I upgraded the stock door to a Cajun Bandit stainless steel one. Looks great, seals better. And I found that the stock water pan made it nearly impossible to manage the fire. So that gets replaced with a Brinkman charcoal pan that's lower and has a flat bottom. Presto! Easy access during long smoking sessions to add charcoal, redistribute, etc. I'm sure more is coming on this one.

I could go on and on, but I think you get the point. My ability to leave well enough alone seems to be non-existent. But I think these sorts of mods are half the fun.

-Sean-

FirePOWER

One of the earliest pistols I had the opportunity to shoot was a Kimber stainless Custom 1911 in .45ACP. As it was a rental unit at a local shooting range and had seen a lot of rounds fired and minimal maintenance, I loved that gun. So guns just fit and feel right - that was this gun's story.

Subsequent to that, I had a number of opportunities to shoot a friend's 1911's. These included a rather basic Springfield Armory that I could just never make friends with and a rather fussy Colt. While I liked the 1911 platform very much. Neither of those guns compared to that Kimber.

Last week, I was fortunate enough to finally own the object of my affections. While I haven't yet had the opportunity to shoot it, I love it already. The heft -- just right. The simple, logical action. The exceptional level of fit and finish is outstanding. Barrel lock-up seems perfect and the action is precise and controlled.

I'm glad I waited. I'd considered a Taurus, but that just didn't seem quite right for this very special pistol. A Remington seemed like a cost-effective American-made option, but the R1 is a pretty bare-bones model. This would have necessitated a bunch of work with a pistolsmith to do a trigger job, polish and flare the feed ramp, swap out the hammer, etc. Before long, you've got a $600 gun with $600 worth of custom work. Or, I could just buy the Kimber that already has all of that and more.

Finally, I must confess to some personal vanity. I can't explain WHY, but I just had to have a stainless model. Do I have any practical reason for this? Nope. It's just shiny and I like that.

More to follow once I've had the chance to shoot this beast.

-Sean-

First Impressions - Abel Spey Fly Reel

I've been lucky enough to add a sweet reel to the collection for the upcoming Fall steelhead season. For a while I'd been thinking about a traditional click-and-pawl reel. I love the old school look and feel, plus the idea of a screaming reel with a bit of hot chrome on the other end of the line is pretty appealing!

I was first looking at reels from the Spey Company, in Wisconsin. Fully machined, made in the USA, and readily customized to be cool and unique. But, I hadn't found $450 lying around to dedicate to a "nice to have" reel that I didn't truly NEED (but seriously, is any of this about need anyway?).

Out of nowhere, along comes a deal on an Abel Spey reel. If you're unfamiliar with Abel, these folks make top-notch products. But they're not cheap. My Abel nippers are about the sweetest fly fishing accessory you'll ever find.

Though I have done little other than practice cast with it on my Scott ARC 1287-3, I've been mighty impressed. One area that really stands out is the fit of the spool to the frame. This is an area where exceptional workmanship really shines. My mass-produced Ross and Orvis reels are just fine, but the can't hold a candle to the tight-as-a-drum Abel. It sounds like closing the door on a really high-end European performance car.

My reel is the retro non-ported design, in classic black. I'm not really sure I could even own any color combination other than this. The finish on this reel is perfect - not too matte, not too shiny.

Once inside you realize the simplicity of this sort of reel. All you find is a spring and two clickers. By simply rotating them you can select from right-hand or left-hand retrieve. Simple as that! By engaging both clickers, you get the maximum drag setting (which is where I've set mine). One cool feature is the externally adjustable drag. A nice surprise on this sort of reel. At minimum, this will be a nice way to take the tension off the spring when I'm not fishing.

Can't wait to get this one on the swing this Fall! Only a few weeks away!

-Sean-

Gun Lust

I don't need it, I don't need it, I don't need it.

But I've always loved the Browning Citori 525. Couldn't really see much difference in the 625. Then at this year's SHOT Show I saw the new 725. For a brief moment, the heavens parted and an otherworldly light shone on this beauty.

Browning did an extensive redesign on the venerable x25 to make the 725 truly special. A lower profile receiver, paired with a redesigned barrel rib, and a new grip make the 725 fall to hand like a finely handcrafted bespoke gun. The action's butter-smooth and the trigger is as crisp as some custom range queen  rifles.

I can just see this superb firearm upping my sporting clays averages or busting pheasants in the field on a crisp early Winter day. Probably too nice for bunny busting or ducks. But I've got the Remington Versmax for that!

A beautiful piece of craftsmanship. And, at $2,500 (Field model) certainly not overpriced. If you're in the market, I would definitely check this new introduction out.

-Sean-

SchwIIIIING!

Regular readers will know that the swinging flies bug has bitten me good and hard! This year I discovered the potential of swinging flies for smallmouth. Now swinging isn't limited to the Fall steelhead run or some brief windows in the Spring. Now I can add the early and late smallmouth seasons! This is exciting as I get a few more outings throwing a two-handed rod, plus there's some solid smallmouth fishing in my back yard.

This all started with a deal on a very lightly used TFO Deer Creek Series 6-weight switch rod. Add a Ross Evolution 3 reel, and a Scientific Anglers running line/skagit head with a Rio VersiLeader and you have my rig.

So far, my only fish had been hooking, and losing, a rather nice carp. Until yesterday.

On a vacation to Michigan's Upper Peninsula, I had the opportunity to wet a line in the Manistique river. After no success in the upper section where I usually fish (which was productive in steelhead season), I moved to a lower, smaller, and faster stretch. I also switched over to a pattern in my box that looked just like some minnows I'd seen on my way down river.

Third drift - I get a soft ticking that feels like I'm hanging up on the rocks on the bottom. Then that ticking gives way to the stubborn pull of a smallmouth bass! If I was generous he might have been ten inches, but that's really not the point. One thing I've found in fly fishing is that a huge step is targeting, hooking, and landing one on your own. For me, getting that first one solo is often a turning point. Looking forward to much more swinging as the Fall approaches.

-Sean-

Final Touches

I love my CZ-452 Trainer .22LR rifle. It shoots precisely. It has beautiful lines. And, it didn't cost much.

But...

The trigger guard is an absolute piece of crap. The stamped steel guard is rough and just looks really cheesy on an otherwise super cool gun. I'd found a milled replacement on a rimfire forum, but it appeared the company had gone out of business.

Recently while on that same forum, I saw a mention of a DIP trigger guard. Could it be? Could I finally be able to finish this sweet little gun with a trigger guard that's as nice as the rest of it? Yup, looks like it! I have one on order! Sadly it's backordered, but heh, I waited this long!

Upon closer inspection, I found two other interesting products. I've never been crazy about the stock plastic magazine well. But, it's an internal part and seems unlikely to see much stress so it was never a priority. Well lookee here - it's an aluminum magazine well! Wa-HOO! On further inspection, there's also an extended magazine release. Awesomeness! Didn't even know I wanted one until I saw it.

Can't wait for the trigger guard to arrive! And maybe some nice cold shooting weather along with it!

-Sean-

Signs of the Seasons

The past two days have started off with cool mornings - even had to throw on a fleece to walk the dog this morning. This morning I noticed a marked increase in migratory geese. Starting to see reports of salmon in the NW Michigan rivers.

It's here.

While I have certainly learned to appreciate Summer in recent years, Fall and Winter are my favorite seasons in Michigan. Already thoughts of swinging for Fall steelhead, watching the colors explode in the woods, duck and pheasant hunts, football tailgates, and epic powder days are swirling in my head. It means my Fall trip to Montana is coming soon, and that the reality of standing in a Winter Wonderland in the middle of a remote river chasing chrome aren't too far off.

But then reality strikes. It's supposed to crack 90 degrees today. And tomorrow. This will be made a bit easier by the comfort of a changing season on the horizon.

-Sean-