Bawanna Super Thins Produce Big Smile, again.

[TucsonMTB]

Hey! My wife was out of town on Sunday, leaving me plenty of time for a leisurely mountain bike ride to the range with the Dan Wesson CBOB on my hip and plenty of 45 ACP in my spare water bottle.

The CBOB sports a set of genuine Bawanna Super Thin Grips made from stabilized Box Elder Wood especially for the warmer part of the year, which is just beginning here.

http://viewsfromtucson.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/Left-Side.jpg

I knew it was going to be a good day when the first round hit the very center of the bull's eye at a little over 15 yards. :)

It has been long enough since the last session with a 1911. In that time my finger has adapted to the Kahr trigger. That made it more of a surprise than it should have been when the Dan Wesson's trigger reacted to my light touch by launching the first round . . . fortunately, right on target. :o

Starting with a surprise perfect bull shot turned out to be a good thing and the rest of the session was a real joy.

I should mention that the Bawanna Super Thins make this pistol fit my hand so well that good accuracy is given. Sometime I string a little bit vertically, but it never wanders left to right with a two handed grip and is usually very respectable when shooting one handed, which I enjoy even more.

Yep! A Kahr is fun at the range. But, it can't top John Moses Browning's design, with a set of Bawanna's grips, for range fun. :D

[Bawanna]

I'm of course extremely biased but I never tire of looking at that gun.

Thanks for the kind words. Your now in charge of marketing and whatever else you want to be in charge of.

[wyntrout]

Dang! I thought this was gonna be a post about chips or women's pads!

I remember those hallucinogenic grips... the ones with all kinds of alien creatures and imaginative stuff... really nice and we had quite a time describing what we IMAGINED we saw in them.:D

Ammo in your spare water bottle? You had a better day than I did. I'm hoping to get the scope for my 10/22 in Wednesday and maybe get to the range soon after. I have a bunch of new ammo to test.

I'm starting to think that I have too many guns... and I just want to shoot a few of them a lot... mainly the .45's. You just can't have too much fun with a .45 pistol... everything you could want in a pistol... sound and fury... and recoil!

Wynn:)

[TucsonMTB]

Ammo in your spare water bottle?

http://viewsfromtucson.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/05/1.-Ride-to-Range.jpg

Yep! I need one bottle for water, but the other one fuels whatever pistol goes to the range with me. :)


You just can't have too much fun with a .45 pistol... everything you could want in a pistol... sound and fury... and recoil!

Wynn:)
Amen, brother! :D

[DKD]

Nice piece Tucsun. Might need a half gallon water bottle for those light fatties though. Hey BAWANNA thats some mighty fine lookin grips there son.

[lowroad]

101 years old and STILL the best semi automatic pistol design ever created, IMO.

[JustinN]

What's up with the Lefty? How do you like it/have you had any other FS Mountain Bikes? Also, do you notice that suspension in the back much?

I spend a lot of my free time here in Missouri Mountain Biking, but I currently roll on a Kona Hei Hei 29er frame I built up back in December...which I absolutely Love!

[Ken_K]

Very nice piece. Those grips look awesome!

[Bill K]

Very nice looking grips but what is all that weird stuff sticking out above the back strap? :behindsofa:

Joking of course. On one hand I'd love to have a 1911 like yours but I really can't justify another firearm, particularly one I wouldn't use or carry much.

BTW, I've done my most accurate shooting with 1911's (both were Kimbers).

[SpecK]

I dont know which one I want more. The gun or the lefty. Both are very nice.

Justin, where do you ride in Missouri? I have ridden a ton of SW MO and North AR, Im wanting to branch out but stay close to home. Any suggestions?

[JustinN]

I live near Springfield so I ride at Sac River quite a bit, and we've made several trips down to Slaughter Pen in Bentonville. Just recently we hit up the Table Rock State Park trails and OMG, AMAZING. If you get a chance to get down there, its a definite MUST ride. That place is just great!

[SpecK]

Oh, cool. I live between Springfield and Rogersville, so you and I frequent the same trails. Getting tired of Sac, fun, just not enough difficulty. I start a week vacation tomorrow and think head down to the lake and check it out. heard alot of good stuff. Thanks! Maybe ill dewinterize the boat when im down there, so many options!!

[JustinN]

If you ever want to ride with us, let me know. If you're on Facebook, we actually have a group called Breakfast and Bikes (facebook.com/breakfastandbikes). We meet at the McD's there at Kansas/I-44, have breakfast, then head up to the trail...occasionally going else ware. Sac is easy and close, so we go there often. We are meeting this Sunday at 8 if you're interested in going with us. Probably have about 7 or 8 guys there, so lots of fun, everywhere from quite experienced to brand new riders, so we don't ride super fast (ride ahead and wait type of thing for the most part).

[SpecK]

That sounds great! Ill check it out.

[TucsonMTB]

What's up with the Lefty? How do you like it/have you had any other FS Mountain Bikes? Also, do you notice that suspension in the back much?
As you probably know, there are some theoretical stiffness, smoothness, and weight advantages to the single, larger stanchion tube with linear roller bearings in that 2004 Cannondale Lefty. Admittedly, I have "always" wanted a Scalpel 2000. But, while riding, the fork feels just like the Marzocchi fork on my hard tail. Both are smooth, responsive, well damped, and have plenty of travel, for my uses (no downhill racing).

I bought the bike used in 2006 at a great price, which helped. My wife rides an identical bike (with different bars and fitting, of course). Hers was purchased first as a Christmas present before I found mine. We were originally going to "share" her bike because of the cost. Man, that did not work! She can be so selfish! :D

In addition to being a great ride, it is a fun conversation piece, especially with non-bikers at the Pima Pistol Club range. I usually tell them, "I couldn't afford two fork tubes so I only bought one." The older engineers in the group immediately break into big grins and start explaining the geometric strength advantages of larger diameter, thin tubes in a rigid structure. No one seems to believe my explanation. :o

If you have heard of Tinker Jaurez, you almost certainly know that the Scalpel is a cross country bike. It was considered amazingly light in its pre-carbon days. The relatively short (less that 4") travel in the rear nicely smooths out the small stuff and dramatically increases traction while climbing on anything loose. But, stay away from big drops. They can hurt you! :eek:

Living in the desert, we both really like the open front triangle that accommodates two water bottles in conventional locations. The relatively light weight and great suspension are just bonus features. ;)


I spend a lot of my free time here in Missouri Mountain Biking, but I currently roll on a Kona Hei Hei 29er frame I built up back in December...which I absolutely Love!
Good for you! Everyone needs a great mountain bike and I believe that one qualifies nicely. I understand it is a "lifetime sport", if you don't fall off a mountain. Congratulations!

[TucsonMTB]

I dont know which one I want more. The gun or the lefty. Both are very nice.
Thanks for the kind words! Given an exclusive choice . . . go for the Lefty, or any other top quality fork. There will always be time for a 1911. Some of the guys who shoot them well are so old that I can hardly believe it! ;)

[JFootin]

Why are the brake disks on the bike shaped that way?

[JustinN]

Why are the brake disks on the bike shaped that way?

Style and Possibly increased surface area for additional cooling....on long descents, you can heat those brakes up to the point they fade considerably....

[TucsonMTB]

Style and Possibly increased surface area for additional cooling....on long descents, you can heat those brakes up to the point they fade considerably....
Yep! Magura Wavy Rotors were in vogue when I built up that bike. The brakes are Shimano XT, but the rotors are third party. In addition to reduced fade, perforated wavy rotors are supposed to help clear grit out of the pad area. We do have a lot of sand here, even on the single track.

On a positive note, wet tree roots are not a riding hazard here. ;)

[TucsonMTB]

I spend a lot of my free time here in Missouri Mountain Biking, but I currently roll on a Kona Hei Hei 29er frame I built up back in December...which I absolutely Love!
http://www.konaworld.com/images/bikes/med/hei_hei_2-9_supreme.jpg
Hey Justin! That's a slick looking 29'er. I'm guessing you have more travel in the rear than my Scalpel can claim in the front. Looks like it ought to fly!

Yes, I do go down hills better than up but, I will not volunteer to chase you down any trails. :rolleyes:

Be careful out there. About three years ago, my wife broke both a collar bone and a fibula going down a relatively mild, but rocky, descent on one of our favorite trails. I have been on a bit of a short leash ever since. :o

Take care!

[JustinN]

Thanks! Yeah I love that frame! I started out on a Marin Hard trail, out rode it until it was breaking on each ride, switched to a Felt Nine Elite Hard tail 29er (haven't even glanced back at 26ers since), then got that Kona Frame and got it built up. I'm running a Reba front fork, instead of a fox, and several differences like that (carbon bars, Shimano XT Wheels - crazy light, etc). My bike is tipping the scales around 26 pounds I think, which ain't bad for the size and components.

And you're right, it outright FLYS on trails, so brakes are important to me! It can definitely get going faster than I want to go. So far no bad wrecks for me, but that might have something to do with the fact I was a bike cop before I started recreationally mountain biking, so I had "official" off road biking training. If you can ride up a set of stairs, a couple wet roots ain't nothing!

[TucsonMTB]

Thanks! Yeah I love that frame! I started out on a Marin Hard trail, out rode it until it was breaking on each ride, switched to a Felt Nine Elite Hard tail 29er (haven't even glanced back at 26ers since), then got that Kona Frame and got it built up. I'm running a Reba front fork, instead of a fox, and several differences like that (carbon bars, Shimano XT Wheels - crazy light, etc). My bike is tipping the scales around 26 pounds I think, which ain't bad for the size and components.
Awesome! That may be as light as my size medium Scalpel! :eek:

Admittedly, I haven't weighed it in years . . . ought to do that just for fun.


And you're right, it outright FLYS on trails, so brakes are important to me! It can definitely get going faster than I want to go. So far no bad wrecks for me, but that might have something to do with the fact I was a bike cop before I started recreationally mountain biking, so I had "official" off road biking training. If you can ride up a set of stairs, a couple wet roots ain't nothing!
Wow! Remind me not to try to follow you up hills either. :)

[JustinN]

Wow! Remind me not to try to follow you up hills either. :)

Don't mistake the ability to do something with the ability to do it quickly. The full suspension definitely helps the climbing though, but I learned the stairs on a hard tail. The 29er helps on the climbs as well. We have much different terrain here than you do down there I'm sure. The close course is really curvy and slow, it's fun but nothing spectacular. A new one about an hour away though...Amazing and Super Fast! We had some good speed going on parts of it, downhills long enough brakes were fading from heat, so you just started trying to corner without, lol. I've got the new Shimano XT rotors, steel and aluminum two piece so they cool super quick, but I dropped back to 6" rotors from 8" and maintained the braking power of my old single piece 8s....

[TucsonMTB]

We have much different terrain here than you do down there I'm sure. . . . We had some good speed going on parts of it, downhills long enough brakes were fading from heat, so you just started trying to corner without, lol. . . . I've got the new Shimano XT rotors, steel and aluminum two piece so they cool super quick, but I dropped back to 6" rotors from 8" and maintained the braking power of my old single piece 8s....

Ya' know . . . it is amazing what one can learn here on KahrTalk. Every time a new pistol comes out from almost any manufacturer (plus Kahr, of course) we get all the details, usually from someone who has one.

And . . . now, I understand why down hill bikes have the big discs! Based on the crash that usually happens when I use the front brake during a rocky, technical descent, I always thought the big front disc was bizarre. Fade never occurred to me! Duh! :o