OLIAR15
03-28-20, 20:04
My very first gun at the tender age of 20 was a S&W 422. The head of the local bureau of arms recommended it for a beginner. I never warmed up to it, and I traded it for a S&W 66 six months later; it didn’t look like the pistols in the movies, was not pretty, didn’t have an external hammer, and shooting .22s was unimpressive for the young guy looking for a thrill.
https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20200329/41bef238334f1ad2b3778aee0f3f03aa.jpg
Three weeks after buying the 422, I bought a Desert Eagle in .44 Magnum, talk about a giant leap. At first I adored this gun, the size, weight, look, technology, reputation, and the power... It was pricey at $ 1100 in 1989
https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20200329/b05321acaef286c5a796a6e00762e428.jpg
However the honeymoon did not last very long. It jammed at least once per magazine, and that’s seven rounds if I recall correctly. I tried every commercial load I could find, no difference. Then I started reloading, all kind of bullet weights, shapes, powder charges. I came to the conclusion that rimmed revolver cartridges were not suited to semi automatic pistols. Then the slide broke where the gas piston pushes on it. Another $ 300 down the drain. I got rid of it after six years of frustration. A tyre seller I knew traded me for 4 rims and winter tyres for my Audi S2 Quattro. I gave him full disclosure but he said he didn’t care, he bought it mostly to fondle it.
However the desire for a powerful semi auto was still there, and in 1997 an LGS sold me this like new LAR Grizzly Mark I in .45 Winchester Magnum with a 6.5’ barrel. This gun has been very reliable and is accurate. I’ve shot it regularly throughout the years.
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https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20200329/921dd67c59918718fb02c9966f7039bc.jpg
5 years ago I acquired one of my graal pistol : a 44 AutoMag. It’s a TDE model 180 made in North Hollywood. I believe it was made in 1971, however I am not certain. When I was young I saw a good number or Automags at gun shows, in fact I was told of a Swiss gun collector who had every model imaginable. However typical price was $ 4-5000. I bought this one for $ 2100 at an auction. It is not in pristine condition hence the price.
https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20200329/d1fd530abc6d2ee507b1a1e065e41be3.jpg
https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20200329/f69852669c9870de133a3d14915d892b.jpg
A word of caution
https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20200329/00425fd2534e1c4c6f80c5bdc237fca0.jpg
Markings are quite faint. I suspect the box foam disintegrated, a well known problem, and the previous owner got a bit heavy handed with the cleaning and scrubbing
https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20200329/cd5b8b1854ed98bd27ee1c47fbaf3f6f.jpg
https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20200329/67b2fd4e7116e72a01c13c3a11f962ee.jpg
https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20200329/1d8d284e52e5ff33fd91d430531d36c0.jpg
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https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20200329/0a2a4b928fddde5770f735ca9a9c79f1.jpg
https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20200329/41bef238334f1ad2b3778aee0f3f03aa.jpg
Three weeks after buying the 422, I bought a Desert Eagle in .44 Magnum, talk about a giant leap. At first I adored this gun, the size, weight, look, technology, reputation, and the power... It was pricey at $ 1100 in 1989
https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20200329/b05321acaef286c5a796a6e00762e428.jpg
However the honeymoon did not last very long. It jammed at least once per magazine, and that’s seven rounds if I recall correctly. I tried every commercial load I could find, no difference. Then I started reloading, all kind of bullet weights, shapes, powder charges. I came to the conclusion that rimmed revolver cartridges were not suited to semi automatic pistols. Then the slide broke where the gas piston pushes on it. Another $ 300 down the drain. I got rid of it after six years of frustration. A tyre seller I knew traded me for 4 rims and winter tyres for my Audi S2 Quattro. I gave him full disclosure but he said he didn’t care, he bought it mostly to fondle it.
However the desire for a powerful semi auto was still there, and in 1997 an LGS sold me this like new LAR Grizzly Mark I in .45 Winchester Magnum with a 6.5’ barrel. This gun has been very reliable and is accurate. I’ve shot it regularly throughout the years.
https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20200329/a546958677ba3cb6a1bdc7ee44b329ae.jpg
https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20200329/2b42bdfaeccf200e646517fef1e10bdb.jpg
https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20200329/609b4dc44a96bfb9de0a2ccf83df52a8.jpg
https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20200329/476784e41a4ee3c96b9d06f62e199b43.jpg
https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20200329/d34a3a364fedb123be9e59dfb21e822d.jpg
https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20200329/59ee3e3c56ad8eaf143788449fba6a7d.jpg
https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20200329/b484018d90b0bed3106cba2177c994da.jpg
https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20200329/921dd67c59918718fb02c9966f7039bc.jpg
5 years ago I acquired one of my graal pistol : a 44 AutoMag. It’s a TDE model 180 made in North Hollywood. I believe it was made in 1971, however I am not certain. When I was young I saw a good number or Automags at gun shows, in fact I was told of a Swiss gun collector who had every model imaginable. However typical price was $ 4-5000. I bought this one for $ 2100 at an auction. It is not in pristine condition hence the price.
https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20200329/d1fd530abc6d2ee507b1a1e065e41be3.jpg
https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20200329/f69852669c9870de133a3d14915d892b.jpg
A word of caution
https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20200329/00425fd2534e1c4c6f80c5bdc237fca0.jpg
Markings are quite faint. I suspect the box foam disintegrated, a well known problem, and the previous owner got a bit heavy handed with the cleaning and scrubbing
https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20200329/cd5b8b1854ed98bd27ee1c47fbaf3f6f.jpg
https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20200329/67b2fd4e7116e72a01c13c3a11f962ee.jpg
https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20200329/1d8d284e52e5ff33fd91d430531d36c0.jpg
https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20200329/31f7e24f4ea5fb1b0cace6b0a98416ff.jpg
https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20200329/248f050e1eaaf871dbd061d0ce9a12e3.jpg
https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20200329/63ac44b6478ed16a6e191ff021178e3d.jpg
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