All posts by MadOgre

Weapons

Golden Age of Tactical Lever Actions RIfles

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It was back in 2012 that I was pushing the concept of the Tactical Lever Action Rifle. The reason being was that California and other States were really mad at the AR-15 and the Lever Action Rifle was a lower profile option that was legal pretty much everywhere. The lever action is also a platform that was on day one, designed to be a Tactical Rifle. What do I mean by that? I mean the Lever Action was designed to be a rifle used in Conflict. The first ones were chambered in rather small calibers, had large (for the time) capacities and if you remember your history… Came out and gained popularity during the Civil War where some units acquired and outfitted everyone with those Lever Action Rifles.

Often called a “Cowboy Assault Rifle“, its purpose was crystal clear, and today things are no different. In fact, it’s better. We’re in a golden age of Lever Action Rifles. Everyone that makes a Lever Action Rifle – makes a version, or several versions that are dedicated to just that purpose. Conflict Resolution. Maybe even less Fighting Rifle and more Fight Stopping Rifle. They are coming out of the gate with features we only dreamed about back in 2011. Handguards with light mounts. Out of the box with ghost ring sights, optic rails, and even threaded barrels for making it un-loud. We can get rifles with these configurations in chambered in Pistol Caliber Cartridges from .38 Special, all the way up to .500 S&W Magnum. And rifle cartridges from .30-30 on up to .45-70.

Henry, S&W, Marlin, Winchester, Browning, Rossi, Mossberg, Patriot Ordinance Factory, Taylor, Chiappa, Uberti, Pedersoli… And I’m sure there are other brands out there… So many great options to choose from, regardless of what flavor you want. And companies such as Henry who had only ever made more traditional styled rifles… are no making them in Black, with those tactical upgrades already on the gun, in the box, straight from the factory.

Back in 2011 I think it was… these options didn’t exist. At that moment when I had to replace a broken stock on my then “Green Marlin”, the only option for a light weight stock, was Ramline. Here’s that rifle wearing that stock, with a rail on top, and a Red Dot. This configuration wasn’t the first, but it was one of them. One of the first “Tactical Lever Actions” in appearance as well as function.

Nowadays, things that require Customization can now be ordered off the cuff…

The problem with these builds is that they tend to delete those characteristics that make a Lever Action so delightful to use. The slim nature that makes it easy to grab and run with… The narrow profile that makes them easy to slide into and out of rifle sheaths… the light weight that lets them come up on target quick and easily.
The advantages they give are good though. Still sleaker than an AR or AK type. Lower profile so they stow nicely. Quicker to operate than a bolt action. And generally they are punching bigger holes than AR’s.
Another Downside to the Tactical Level Action. You used to be able to get into one and start building your setup for as little as 500 bucks. Now days a new one is going to cost you 1200 to 2000 and any and all Used Lever Action Rifles have all been scooped up.

Gear

5.11 Tactical’s moab 3

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5.11 Tactical’s MOAB 3 “Sling Pack”. Inside I’m carrying a Springfield Armory Echelon 4.0c, on the outside I have a Benchmade SOCP dagger, and a Crusader Weaponry Patch. That’s it. Not my wallet or keys, or folding knife. Being worn as the name implies… “Sling Pack” is what 5.11 calls it… You can carry it like this. Can. And it’s okay in doing so if you’re driving. But in walking, jogging, and actually living like a human… The MOAB 3 doesn’t quite work. The weight of the pack is going to strive to follow gravity. This means it and its sling are going to rotate, and this will twist things up on you. And that means you will be constantly adjusting this pack to put it back to where you want it to be. Telling it to “Stay” doesn’t work. The MOAB 3 doesn’t listen. Now, if you include in the cargo manifest 1 or 2 or 3 loaded spare magazines, then the fidgeting is magnified accordingly.

If you were thinking of one of these, now is the time to snag one. 5.11 has a 25% Off sale. Normally, 50 bucks, I paid $40.22. The pouch has 2 pockets. One main, with plenty of room for a Glock 19 sized pistol… And the smaller front pocket with some low effort organizing, but I’m not sure what for. Maybe some ear pods. You can keep a pen and wallet in there, a couple spare mags… And that it. It’s small. Remember when I said 3 spares? That was beyond optimistic. The MOAB 3 is very small. And with that, there are some limitations. If you want more room and capacity, I suggest the MOAB 6, which is designed as an actual Sling Bag. They retail for about 80. If you want a chesticle pack, I suggest the Skyweight Chest Pack. They come in two flavors. Utility for 45 dollars, and Survival for 33.75. The molle webs on the Survival might prove to be more useful, for less money. But the utility is a bit lower profile. If you want to wear the MOAB 3 as a Fanny Pack, you certainly can… But I suggest the COVRT Select Pistol Pouch. It’s a lower profile design that doesn’t scream “Tactical! I’ve got a pistol!”

The other downside to the MOAB 3 is the strap its self. The buckle is nice, but the strap is just a hot mess. I don’t see myself wearing this thing at all, for any reason. But is it a lost cause? Did I waste my money? No… Not really. Because it can attach nicely and securely to another pack. Like my RUSH 24. If you have a pack that has molly webbing, you can attach the MOAB3 to it for some added storage. That’s a nice touch that other 5.11 sling bags don’t have. Yes, it can be a Backpack for your Backpack. Backpack Inception. I don’t mean to be down on the MOAB 3, it’s a cool little Pack and it just might fit you bill perfectly. Best Use for this? Put your TQ and First Aid Kit in here and put a Red Cross patch on the Front. This is almost PERFECT for that. But for carrying a loaded pistol in it? Sub-Optimal due to the Slower Nature of trying to draw from this thing thanks to the recessed zipper and covering lip.
So yes, it’s a cool little unit, but not for what 5.11 wants you to think it’s for.

Weapons

Springfield Kuna

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I finally got the chance to shoot the new Kuna from Springfield Armory. By buddy Ben has one, and brought it out with him when we met at the Buckskin Hills Shooting Complex, outside of Vernal, Utah. The Buckskin used to be my old stomping grounds, so it was great to revisit it. And with the Kuna in attendance, meant I got the opportunity to put a couple magazines through it.

I don’t need to do a full review on it… You’ve already read enough of those and have watched all the videos about it… So I’m just going to give you my assessment. The Springfield Armory Kuna is easily one of the very best “Large Form” 9mm Pistols you could buy. Period. Regardless of Price.

It has fantastic ergos, and one of the best triggers for this type of firearm. The recoil is negligible and the accuracy seemed to be above par, even though I only shot it standing and unsupported. The weight was impressively light. The Kuna performed exactly as advertised and we didn’t see a single malfunction. Even while in the hands of much younger and inexperienced shooters. The gun was flawless.

The only question is, how does it compare to the other large form 9mm pistols out there?
MP5K? A lot lighter with better controls, sights, and trigger, and about 1/3 the Cost.
Stribog? Better ergos, and you can get 4 extra magazines for your Kuna at the same as the Stribog.
There’s a lot of AR-15 type 9mm’s out there, but I like the fact that this was designed from a clean slate to be a .40 Caliber/9mm SMG.

Needless to say, I was extremely impressed. I didn’t expect Springfield to be delivering one of the very best SMG type firearms to the US Market. But they absolutely did. If you are looking for this type of solution to your tactical problems… you can stop looking. Get the Kuna.
I had been thinking about getting an MP5K to go along with my full sized MP5… But I’m no longer interested in doing that. I’ll get a Kuna.

Gear

Savior Apollo

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SAVIOR “Apollo” Electronic Earmuffs. These days I take EarPro very seriously. I will not shoot without them. Orange Plugs don’t do it for me. I need more. I had for the last 16 years been using the Howard Leight “Impact Sports”. Which has been okay. But my last pair went belly up for unknown reasons. The I.S. are rated for a passive Noise Reduction Rating of 22 decibels. So, better than cotton balls in the ears, but not that stellar if you are at an Indoor Range. Outdoors, it’s not that bad. Foamies under them are the way to go Indoors.

Being well familiar with those, I wanted something just a bit better. Imagine my surprise when I found these from SAVIOR. Ten bucks cheaper, but offering a 24 NRR. Worth trying, because if you want better, your spending a LOT more. Like the I.S. headset, these electronics operate very similarly, running off a pair of AAA cells, and a single dial switch with positive On/Off clicks, and beeps when going On and Off. This reduces your “I left the Muffs on” battery failures.

The Apollos are not quite as low profile as the I.S. Muffs, but still very good compared to others out there… And the Steel Wire band sure beats the hell out of the plastic I’ve used before to dismally poor results. I like the little Patch things on each side… One a Flag, and the other a Blank so you can write your initials on it with a Sharpie. Thoughtful. Because if you’ve ever been to the range where EVERYONE was wearing Impact Sports…having something that is identified as belonging to you is a big bonus. As far as earmuffs go the 24 decibels versus 22 decibels is a difference you notice… Not a huge gigantic difference but enough that you can forgo orange foamies underneath rather comfortably.

With the electronics switched on the electronic signal amplification for voices and other noises is very good and manages to not annoy you with increased ambient noises. If anything this electronic system is on par with the Howards, but I can’t really say if it’s a huge improvement. But overall compared to the Howards I do think this is a nice upgrade. And considering that this is 10 bucks less than the Howard lights at least at the store I bought these from… These could possibly one day become my recommendation.

We’re going to have to see how they perform in the long run. The Howard lights are known to be rather solid little units that you can get for about 45 bucks pretty much anywhere… And my last set lasted me a very long time so well worth the money. Hopefully these will be the same. If you’re not familiar with the brand they are well known for making other shooting accessories namely bags… But they have a very good reputation.

Hopefully, the brand will not sell themselves short by putting their name on a subpar product which I don’t think anybody has really seen that happen yet, so I am optimistic.

UPDATE: Having now done a Range Day with the Apollos, I am most pleased with them. For Low Cost Electronic Ear Muffs, these are easily my favorite now. Longevity is yet to be seen.

Weapons

My Most Fun Rifle?

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Not a Review, just some Commentary in General. Easily the most fun rifle I own is the S&W M&P 15-22. A simple .22LR chambered AR-ish rifle that produces more grins than any other rifle. Easy to shoot for most anyone. Not too loud. No recoil. No reason not to just go ahead and dump the magazine.

The nicest thing about the M&P 15-22 is that it’s fantastic for training New Shooters in the Art of Basic Rifle Marksmanship.

For New and Less Experienced Shooters, learning on this rifle, versus something like say, the Ruger 10/22, is that when it’s time to upgrade to a Center Fire AR, the transition is seamless thanks to the uniformity of Controls and Manual of Arms.

Another nice thing about the S&W is that you can train all day at 25 yards, on private property, and nobody gets disturbed, bothered, annoyed, or grumpy. Because Rimfire is rather quite to start with thanks to the lack of overpressure at the muzzle.

Weapons

Sold on Pistol Optics

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Okay, Guys. I’m sold – SOLD – on Pistol Optics. This is 15 yards, 5 rounds, 1 Hole Group. I did this having only bore sighted the dot to irons. The Springer Echelon 4.0c is a Shooter! Fantastic trigger, feel, accuracy… I honestly expected it to be just “Meh” and one of those “compared to a Glock it just comes down to personal preference” kinda things. Nope.

The Echelon is far superior to Glock. In this case, compared to the G19, the 4.0c outshines it in every metric. There is no reason for the Glock to even exist anymore. There, I said it. The gun is so comfortable in the hand, during recoil and trigger is so dang good… The gun is ACCURATE. The above group was fired at 15 yards, off hand, and that’s 5 rounds in 1 hole. Few of my pistols are this accurate.

More thoughts on the Red Dot: It’s slower than Irons, so far. But I believe I’ll be able to speed up in time with more practice. The Hex Wasp is an “Okay” unit… But I think I will eventually splurge on an actual GOOD optic, once I get out of the Training Wheels stage with pistol Optics. Maybe next year. And I’ll probably go with a dot larger than 2 MOA.

Gear

5.11 Tactical COVRT SELECT

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A Bag for the MP5 has been a question for me. The MP5 standard with a collapsible brace is a surprisingly awkward size to find a low-profile bag for. Especially for something below 350 bucks.

The bag I finally selected after pondering this question for a couple of weeks, was the 5.11 Tactical Covrt Select Carry Pack. It’s a Sling Bag type situation that the MP5 fits in with no excess length. And
it doesn’t look “tactical”. That was an important factor. I didn’t want a “I’ve got a Weapon” style pack. It’s not covered in tactical straps and patches and stuff. It’s not OD Green or Flat Dark Earth… It’s in a sporty style, looks like I might have a Pickle Ball Racket or something in there. The key was being as Low Profile as possible.

The bag barely fits the MP5 as it is. Attaching the Flash Hider is out of the question… Which is fine, because I don’t like it anyway. I like the look of the stark muzzle with the Tri-Lugs. When I do end up getting a suppressor for this weapon, there’s plenty of room in the bag for that, and spare magazines. So, while not perfect… it’s perfect for my intended purposes for the time being.

Weapons

I took the plunge

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When I acquired my Echelon 4.0c, Springfield Armory had a GEAR UP promotion rolling on it. They offered a free Range Bag, 3 spare magazines, and a Micro Red Dot. The MRD had 2 options. 1 being a little unit from Crimson Trace, and the other from this outfit called Hex and the unit was called the Wasp. I’ve seen the CT unit before and hated it, and I’ve heard some not so great things about it… and for the Wasp, well, I didn’t know anything about it and had not even seen one before. So I rolled the dice on the Wasp.

I’ve honestly never seen myself owning a pistol with an optic on it, but since it was FREE, well, might as well give it the old college try, eh? Well, the Gear Up promo took some time to get to me. SA says 8 to 12 weeks. Not sure how long it was for me… but just over 8 weeks seems about right. I had honestly forgotten about the promotion until I received an email from S.A. saying it was shipped.

Credit given to where credit is due… The mounting system S.A. has on the Echelons is very clever. I needed no adapter plate and the optic mounted low enough, I still have my Sights. And that’s important for a reason I’ll mention in a bit. The trick to the mounting system is the pre-drilled hole patterns that allow most MRD’s to get mounted. What makes it work are the different Pin Sets that, when changed, alter the base dimensions for support contact and stabilize the optic. After a few moments of “WTF is This?” it all dawned on me and was a breeze fixing the MRD to the gun nice and secure.

And I immediately hated it. Because it’s different and I’m not used to it. But as I said, I’ll give it an honest go and see how I like the whole pistol optic thing. What do you guys think, a 200 round trial or should I go 400 to 500 before I make a decision?

If I do decide that a Pistol Optic is my Jam, I have two other pistols that might get them. But regardless of if I like it… The little Wasp will be getting replaced. Here’s why. There’s no Seal on the bottom and as good and solid as it mounts – water will be able to ingress and cause problems. And by problems, I mean kill the sight. There are other units that are better suited for South Carolina weather, and I’m not about to spackle on Flex Seal on this. Although, that is a good idea for other applications! I’ve not shot this pistol with the optic on it yet… But will soon enough.

Weapons

HK MP5 Clone

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MAC makes one of the best MP5 Clones on the market, and does so at a very reasonable price. A fellow I know who has had one for a while has run 5 cases of ammo through his and gave it a positive report. 2 Malfs early on, and then a bad primer later. But I’d say that’s pretty solid and reliable.
The included cleaning kit is a bit of a joke and the bottle for your gun oil is even worse. The strap sucks too… But the gun and the magazines are about as solid as it gets. I’ll report more when I take it out to shoot it. It needs a Brace, Rail for an Optic, and eventually a suppressor.

Details:
Caliber: 9MMBarrel Length: 4140 8.9″ Button Rifled, Fluted Chamber, Chrome LinedGrip Module: Reinforced Polymer, Glass FilledTrigger: SEF Pattern, 4.25lb Pull (Approx)Finish: Laquer Paint Over Manganese PhosphateFront Sight: Hooded Front Post, Elevation AdjustableRear Sight: Diopter Rear, AdjustableOptic Mount: HK® Claw Mount Compatible (Not Included)Magazine: 30rd Standard (Two Included)

Update:
100 Rounds: 0 Malfunctions. Ammo: CCI Blazer. Accuracy: Meh… Unsupported, Standing, awkward. I’ll measure groups after I put a sto… a brace on it.

Update #2: The MP5 is ready for some Accuracy Testing. Well go hit the range later this week.

Weapons

Springfield Echelon 4.0c

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I fell in love with the Springfield Armory Echelon the moment I first held one in my hands. It looks freaking cool. And it feels even better in the hand. But I had no use for a full sized railed pistol… And then Springfield brought it out in the same size as a Glock 19 recently. And it still feels excellent in the hand.

The idea of running a Micro Red Dot on a pistol has been something I had been avoiding as I didn’t like it the first time I tried one. However people I know and respect have been adopting them all around me… so maybe there is something going on with that. I have two other pistols that could rock a red dot, but neither seem to be a good platform for an RD. Also, I didn’t want to spend 300 bucks or more on something I just wasn’t absolutely sure I wanted. And then I browsing TFB I saw that Springfield was offering a killer cool Gear Up package deal that included an MRD, 3 extra magazines, and a Shooting Bag. That pushed me over the edge. Okay. Let’s try this. So I have sent away for the Gear Up Kit… and I’ll update this when that comes in. Back to the gun in question…

I liked the White U Rear sight on most of the Echelons. But I’ve grown up with 3 Dots and I’m just more used to that. Especially in dark situations… If I’m going to pay for Tritium, I want all my Tritium! This Tritium is nice and bright, the way you want it.

The rear sight is also shaped right too. Not a ramp like with Novak sights. So if racking one handed is required, I can hook the rear sight onto something and push. Trying to that with a Novak is impossible, and then you’re trying to push off the front of the slide or something. Awkward. This is just so much easier. I like easy. I also like Smooth. And racking the Echelon is very smooth. The 4.0c is no different. Very Smooth. Much smoother than a Glock.

Trigger is better than a Glock too. A Glock has a weird wall before the break, and at the moment it goes, the pistol gets a little “shrug”. There’s a little bit of a jump. This, like all good triggers, doesn’t do that. The trigger has a little slack to take up, then it breaks very nicely without a jump. But it’s not a “Crisp” break… it just breaks. Like it just fall off and there it goes. Reset is excellent. I have no complaints about this trigger and I suspect it’s going to get very nice after some use. This is just Out Of The Box.

I really love the way the gun feels in my hand. Seriously one of the very best factory grips I’ve ever felt. The contours are just about perfect for my hand… I couldn’t imagine it getting any better. But I guess if I needed a dimensional change, there are a couple alternative backstraps to try out… One slightly larger, and one smaller. But this is perfect out of the box. It’s going to stay like this. Wait, it gets better! The texture is a fine stippling type affair that doesn’t snag on my clothes and isn’t abrasive to the hands… but when I apply normal shooting grip-force, it locks into my hand like super-glue. This is excellent texturing. And with that good grip, I can still hit the slide and mag releases without problem and without changing my grip. It doesn’t get any better than this. And it gets even better. For those of you who are SIG guys, or 1911 Guys… The Echelon’s grip angle is going to hit right. For me, it’s extremely “Pointable”. It comes up just right on target, without any adjustment. It points naturally like few pistols do… Like a 1911, like a SIG, like a CZ, like a Browning Hi-Power. It’s awesome.

This just might be… the most perfect striker-fired pistol… (Pause like Jeremy Clarkson) In the world.

I’m not going to put this into my Carry Rotation for a while. I still need to put it to the test of a bare minimum of 200 rounds… Prefer 400 or more. But I’ll do the bulk of that shooting after I mount and zero the MRD. I’ll keep you posted. Cheers!

UPDATE:
Initial Testing: 100 rounds, 2 boxes of really old mixed Cheap Stuff: ZERO malfunctions. Even in the rain. Just out of the Box. Next step is clean and lube with a good oil, and try to wait patiently for the Micro Red Dot to show up. Accuracy was good, but I wasn’t really shooting for accuracy. I was just breaking it in. And when I say this was old cheap ammo… We’re talking stuff I had left over from living back in Utah. (2013) Some Federal Blue Box, Winchester White Box, CCI Blazer, and Speer Lawman.