All posts by MadOgre

Weapons

Tactical Lever Action Shotgun?

19 Comments

I don’t know what it is, but some questions have been coming in from multiple folks asking about the viability of a Lever Action Shotgun for Tactical use. This answer is a straight up no. Reason being, is that the Lever Action Shotgun loses the advantage of flexibility that the normal shotguns have, or the ability to top off on the go like a normal lever action rifle. So instead of being the best of both worlds, it’s the worst of both worlds.
Sure, Terminator 2 made it look cool with the firing from a motorcycle and spin cocking it… But that’s about where the cool factor comes to an abrupt end.

The reloading is second to none when it comes to being slow and awkward.
The reliability is questionable in every Winchester and Win-Clone I’ve seen. But even if you had one that ran as reliable as the Sun Rise – it’s still limited with a very short mag tube that you can’t extend, and reloading is about as clumsy as mechanically possible.
Even one as practiced as Master Quinn has a time of running these things.
A Shotgun has it’s advantage in being Situationally Flexible.  You take that away from it – it’s handicapped drastically.
A Lever has it’s advantage in being light and easy to handle, narrow in profile, and easy to top off on the go.   Take those things away from it, and it’s handicapped.
I see no point in these Lever Action Shotguns other than as a Novelty or a Historic Curio Reproduction.
The use of one in a Tactical Situation would be a mistake unless this was the only weapon you had or that it was a stop gap weapon until you could get to a better weapon.
Granted 12 gauge is devastating and 4 or 5 shots from it is formidable… but this is like planning on using a 2 shot Derringer as a defensive weapon.  There are better options out there.  In every metric there are better options.

That being said.   They are still freaking cool and fun… so outside of the Tactical Use spectrum – they are just fine.

Quick Update – There is a Marlin Lever Action in .410… It was produced for a time, dropped, brought back briefly and dropped again.  So examples are out there.  They are rare and hard to find.  I’ve only seen 2 in person.   They are cool and could be viable as a Tactical Lever Action Shotgun.  But they are only in .410 and that’s also a handicap.  But it’s better than harsh language, so there’s that.

Gear, Training

Blackstone Shooting Sports

15 Comments

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Blackstone Shooting Sports is a new Indoor Shooting Range and Retail location in Charlotte, NC.  It’s using the very best range equipment and a new layout for selling guns.   It’s going to turn every Gun Shop Stereotype on it’s head.
Check out the website.  BlackstoneShooting.com
The name Blackstone has some history to it.  It’s named after Sir William Blackstone.  Don’t know who he is?  Our Founding Fathers did.

Robert Ferguson notes that “all our formative documents – the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution, the Federalist Papers and the seminal decisions of the Supreme Court under John Marshall – were drafted by attorneys steeped in Sir William Blackstone’s Commentaries on the Laws of England. So much was this the case that the Commentaries rank second only to the Bible as a literary and intellectual influence on the history of American institutions”.

Sir William Blackstone should be studied by our current Government Officials.    Blackstone’s influence on the second amendment can not be ignored.   Blackstone Shooting Sports aims at being just as influential on the future of the second amendment.

This is why my postings have been rather sparse lately. This is why I moved to the Charlotte area… to be a part of Blackstone.

Weapons

Beretta Vertec

7 Comments

1.jpg_thumbnail0I don’t have a Vertec… But I do have a Blue Gun of the Beretta Vertec.  The weight is completely wrong, but the shape is right on.  I like it.  In fact, I think I’d really like to get a Vertec.    Unfortunately Beretta has long discontinued it.

This was a big mistake.  Not as big as discontinuing the 90-Two instead of just re-naming it.  Maybe bigger than the killing off the Cheetahs.  Word is that Beretta is bringing back the Cheetah.  The least of these three sins.  Beretta, BRING BACK THE OTHER TWO!
Bring back the 90-TWO.  Bring Back The Vertec.  Just do it.

Weapons

A couple Pistol Observations.

7 Comments

The Ruger LC9S:  I’ve mentioned this pistol before. Said I’d like to take a look at one.  Well, i’ve done that now. I’ve looked. Held. Fired. And my opinion on it is now complete.

I like it.

The trigger is not a great trigger as far as the world of triggers go… But compared to other guns in the LC9’s class, it’s a fantastic trigger.  Compared to the old regular LC9’s trigger, this is a godsend.  This new trigger changes the gun dramatically.   All the sudden this gun is now a very serious weapon.  You can hit with it.  You can actually aim at your target and have a reasonable expectation of connecting bullet to bullseye.  That was not something you could really expect with the old LC9.  This new LC9S is what the Glock 42 should have been.  This gun is now on THE LIST.  I could by this one.  And I just might.

The DB FS Nine:  I’m not going to say that I don’t like it because it’s terribly ugly.  I think it’s disgusting looking… But so is an XDM, but I can live with an XDM.  It looks like a kid drew a pistol and Diamondback milled it out of plastic and regret.  But I know some of you guys out there are thinking “I like the looks”.   That’s good.  Good for you.  Honey Boo Boo’s Mom has a Boyfriend because of guys like you… Where was I?  No… The reason I don’t like DBFSNINE(!&@$T!(@$Y   Okay, I hate the name too.  For the LOVE of all that is holy – can people please use a shred of creativity when it comes to naming a main product line?  You forgot that it’s not just Full Sized – as compared to the DB9, but also Double Stacked… So according to your naming ritual, you should have called it the DB FSDS NINE 9mm… Or add a threaded barrel and it would be the DBFSDSTBNINEOMGIHATEYOUPEOPLE.   Come on.  It’s like DB went out of their way to make me not like this gun.  Okay… The top reason I hate the gun is the trigger pull.  And that it makes me go all Louis Black over here. You have a pistol that looks like it could be a good shooter here.  Six and a Quarter inches of Sight Radius here.  Four and three quarters worth of barrel.   And then you give it a trigger like CZ 100 with a sneezing fit.  Come on!
Diamondback, clean the gun up, give it a good trigger, and give it better name.  Like “F9”.  The DB F9.  Done.  Simple.  Clean.  I’ll give you credit… At least you didn’t do what FN did with the “Five-seveN”.  Gah!  That still makes my left eyelid twitch.  And don’t even get me started on Beretta’s 90-TWO!   I actually had words with the guys at the Beretta booth at SHOT over that wretched mistake.  This gun has POTENTIAL…. I’d love to see that potential realized.

Military

Fury and the Sherman

32 Comments

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First off, I just want to say that this is a fantastic WWII film that shows the dark side of American Armored Warfare at the time.  We learned of the Sherman’s handicap not from school… but from a different movie.   In school we were taught of the American Supremacy thanks to the Sherman’s great design and heroic manufacturing output from Detroit.


The reality of the Sherman was far from what we were told in school.  too little armor, too little gun, and running on gasoline instead of diesel.  It was probably one of the very worst tanks we could have fielded.   I can’t say it was one of the worst in the war – because the Brits and the Russians take those honors.  The Germans had the best tanks on the planet.  They were not as fast, but they were fast.  And they had big accurate scary good guns.  Their armor was incredible.  Basically everything the Sherman was not.

This movie, Fury, brings this all to light in one scene that had me at the edge of my seat and gritting my teeth.
Go…
Go to the theater, and watch FURY.

Uncategorized

Remington’s R1 Carry Commander.

11 Comments

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I have handled the R1 Carry Commander again… This time taking a good hard critical look at it.  Dang if I can’t find a fault in it.  The action is super smooth, not too tight, not too loose – it’s totally Goldilocks.  This is just about the most flawless Commander I’ve seen for production 1911’s.   The finish inside was excellent.  I’m impressed, Remington.  Very impressed.  This gun is a contender for the next 1911 I get.   It really is.  If you get a chance to look at one at your local gun seller – take a good look at it and tell me what you think.

Gear

Crusader Weaponry: Custom Kydex Tactical Holsters

4 Comments

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Joe at Crusader Weaponry has found some interesting tactical holsters that he wanted me to take a look at.  Having worked for G-Code Holsters last year, I have learned a few things about Tactical Kydex… not just from them but from everyone making it.  This stuff Crusader has partnered up with is different.

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Pretty much all a Kydex holster is, is a thermo-plastic made of PVC Acrylic, extruded in sheets, cut and formed under heat and pressure to form a holster.  Simple stuff, really.  What makes it all complicated is how to get the holster onto your Tactical Gear or Belt.  Clips, loops, buttons, snaps, straps, and hooks… and then you add the quick disconnect stuff, which adds cost, complexity, weight, and bulk.

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The company making this stuff for Crusader is Kinetic Concepts Tactical, or KCT for short.  KCT has take a rather clever approach that is both simple and easy to use – and it minimizes the bulk.  PALS slots. I like that.  Simple, no bulk, light weight.  It holds to the gear secure enough for Government work, but really doesn’t take too much effort to take on and off.  I like that.  A lot.

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On a Chest Rig, anything on it adds bulk and that means you can’t get as low as you may need… Or on a battle belt and things start snagging seatbelts and such.  You want it to be as flat as you can get it… And this is pretty much as flat a solution as I’ve ever seen.

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The quality is right up there with the rest of the Upper Tier stuff that’s out there.  The holster is strong and very ridged.  Tough.  All the edges are blended out and I can feel no sharp edges anywhere.   The rivets are set proper and the lamination is about as flawless as you can get with Kydex.   What I like the most about it… It’s cost.   It’s only $45 bucks for most of the color options, and there are a lot of color options.  For 5 bucks more you can get some camo patterned options.  Multicam, Digital, Kryptek… Oh, and Carbon Fiber.  Nice.  Here’s the thing… You don’t need to buy anything else to go with it.  It’s just a holster and not a system you need to get to know.  It’s just a holster.  Simple.

Available for all your popular tactical type handguns.  If your gun is not listed, well, I did say popular… Just kidding, give KCT a shout and see if they can hook you up.   Good folks there at KCT, and they want you to be satisfied with your gear.   They have Mag Carriers too.   Check them out here.   Use the Discount Codes.   Get geared up.

This is good kit.  This is going on my battle belt…

Automotive

Chevy Equinox Update

6 Comments

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May 2013 I took delivery of a brand new Chevy Equinox.  Front wheel drive, V-6, 2LT trim level, tow package installed.   At this point it has passed 32,000 miles.
Let me give you the run down… About every 2800 miles its been getting oil changes and tire rotations done by Dealerships.  And by that I mean Marine Chevy in Jacksonville.  At 8,000 miles it needed a new battery which was replaced under warranty.  That’s been the only issue.  And really not all that big a deal.
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The little SUV has performed admirably.  Turning in great fuel economy… Far better than I would have expected. Better even than the 4 Cylinder versions are reporting.  Thanks to GM’s fantastic engine. Direct injection, a smarter transmission, gobs of power at the low end… The engine never really has to work hard.  Unless you ask it to.  And when you do, it delivers.  It has a lot of torque steer that you have to physically wrestle with, so hold on with both hands before you hammer it. And when you do, the car springs to life with a quickness and agility that’s unexpected. This makes my little SUV feel more like a Hot Hatch.   A very heavy, but powerful, big hot hatch.
As soon as you let off the gas again, the EQ is back to it’s normal sedate nature.  It cruises well, quietly and composed even at high interstate velocity.  Feeling solid and connected, it’s easy to gobble up miles with comfortable adjustable and heated seats.  Pretty luxurious stuff to this guy.
The touch screen is large and more responsive than most others I’ve played with.  Easy to navigate.  Syncing phones is easy as well… And the hands free calling works very well.  As does running music from the phone.  The only thing it doesn’t do is Navigation.  Which is crazy… Chevy not putting navigation in a car at this price level is just retarded. There’s also no update feature with this system.  You can update it with a USB, but there isn’t any updates for it.
Climate control is excellent with a very cold AC and a heater that you can bake a cake with.  It comes up to temp fast and cools down fast… Really once you set it to the temp you want, you can just ignore it… The system will handle the rest.
Remote Starter.  Remote hatch/rear door opening and close. Backup Camera. Alarm.  It doesn’t lack features… Save for Navigation.
The EQ is a handsome car too. I think they look good… But it could get a little more bravado in the wheels and tires department, maybe a little lift.
I think it just may be the best vehicle GM makes.  Its also the only vehicle GM hasn’t had a recall on that I’m aware of.  GM just did everything right on it… Save for the lack of Navigation.  The only problem really is the lack of personality.  Its a very Vanilla car. Its one that is easily forgotten.  It’s like the proverbial Nice Guy.  What it needs… Is a dark side.  A tattoo, a Honey Badger snear, and a pair of boots.  But even then it would probably still be too clean cut and polite about everything.

Weapons

Four interesting guns, as discussed on AAR.

5 Comments
Fast gun segment on Armed American Radio.   I picked 4 of the more interesting Concealed Carry Gun Options.
Ruger LC9S, a Striker fired version of the LC9 we are all familiar with.  Much better trigger pull – to the point it means this slim ccw gun becomes a very serious option.   Even for me.
Ruger has another really good CCW option, the LCRx.  This is like the now familiar LCR revolver, but this one has a standard style exposed hammer, which means you can thumb-cock the action for a more accurate shot. I like that.  At only 13.5 ounces, you might think they are snappy – but with that nice rubber grip, it’s a pussycat to shoot.
Springfield XDS 4.0   This is the same gun as the XDS we all know and love, but with a longer 4 inch barrel.  A little better velocity because of that longer barrel, but the big advantage is the longer sight radius which makes it easier to shoot more accurately with.
Browning 1911 .380.  This gun was just recently announced.  It’s the 1911 .22 that’s been out for awhile, but rechambered for .380 auto.  What they did was they took a 1911 and scaled it down to only 85% size.  So it looks and functions just like the classic JMB design, but small.  Taking a gun that’s just too cool, and making it a viable defensive options.  Especially if you have tiny hands. Or you just want something different.  Probably wont be available until March of 2015, but that’s just a guess.  I’ll be looking for this at SHOT SHOW right off the bat.
Weapons

Dear Beretta, I want you to build me a gun.

10 Comments

Beretta, who loves  ya, Baby….
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You know I do… Your curves, your lines, you’re a full figured Italian Goddess…. You’re Beautiful…
Can you do something special for me?  I’m wanting something a little different… some custom work.   Let me explain – please listen to me…
I want this gun, right here.   A 92FS Compact:
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But with a Black finished Slide.  Two toned finish.  That’s the easy part.  Here’s where it gets tricky.
The most accurate semi auto pistol I’ve ever fired was the CZ 97B, which has a threaded barrel bushing to center the barrel in the slide perfectly.  That gun was telepathic.  The 92 is very accurate, but there is more accuracy in there that can still be found.
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The 92 series has a bit of play there in the barrel, that a screw in bushing would remedy.   Not like how the AMU did it, with threading the barrel and putting a shaped nut on the barrel.  I want the slide threaded and a bushing that threads into the slide like the CZ97B.  I want this on my Beretta 92 Compact.  Okay, now just for pure looks… I want a recessed target crown like on a Nighthawk Custom T3.  Like this:
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I want that on my Beretta 92 FS Compact INOX with a black slide.
Can you make this for me?
I’ll give you all my best lollipops…