Category Archives: Weapons

Build or Buy?

07/15/2016 MadOgre 7 Comments

I get asked this a lot. Do I build my new AR, or do I buy my new AR? That’s a good question. First, let’s talk about the economics of it:

This guy, I don’t know this guy. But he makes a lot of sense. If you are buying a rifle in that 1000 or Less price range.
Or what you do is spend a bit more out of the gate and buy a rifle that is closer to your ideal of the final configuration you want. There’s a lot of rifles out there in the 1500 range that come pretty much done out of the box. Or even less. I’ve seen some very good builds that are complete and good to go for about 1200.

Unless you are wanting a lot of specialized aftermarket stuff with spiky bits or excessive milling for either weight or cosmetic purposes… stuff that isn’t available OEM from anyone… Then building makes sense money wise.

Or you just want a Cheap Out build. And you are going to be shopping for low cost parts. Then in that case, you are going to end up with a Cheap Rifle. I can’t tell you how many times guys have shown me their Cheap Out Build and then they blow sunshine at me that it’s Custom. No, it’s not Custom. It’s a Cheap Out Build you put together on your coffee table. That’s not impressive, so don’t expect me to act impressed. And don’t get mad at me for not being impressed. Anyone can order those same parts from Brownells and Midway USA. A Cheap Out Build though, can get you into an AR for the same or less than most entry level AR’s. I’ve seen some Cheap Out Builds that were about 400 bucks that were actually solid AR’s. So if you do it RIGHT, you can really have something. The problem though is too often, it’s not done right and the result is just another cheap AR.

Another reason to build your AR is that you BUILD your AR. You might need some help or borrow some tools or even buy some tools… But the end result is your own rifle you put together yourself. There’s a lot of satisfaction in that. And if that’s your goal, and you are happy with the rifle – Awesome. That’s all that matters. That’s all that’s important. Because at this point in the AR Market – NO ONE CARES. Do your own thing, be your own man. You only need to impress yourself.

The 3 Things to Splurge on:
1. The Barrel.
2. The Trigger.
3. The Optic.
Spare no expense on these items. Expensive BCG’s are over rated. Expensive fore grips and stocks, are over rated. Back Up Iron Sights, unless you are going to run Iron Sights, are over rated.

Weapons

AR’s in California

07/07/2016 MadOgre 21 Comments

The Bullet Button “Reloaded” – Inventor Offers New (Likely) Compliant Offering

Okay, now I love the “let’s find a work around” problem solving to California’s asinine new laws. But at some point you just gotta say screw this and just move to a different weapon platform that doesn’t have these compliance issues. That point for me was at the 2 minute mark of the Bullet Button Reloaded product video. Disassembling your gun so you can reload… no… Just no. California doesn’t want you have an AR – Fine. Sell it to someone in Nevada, Arizona, or Utah. Or don’t. Keep it. Bury it in an oil bath so it’s forever protected from the elements, and then some day when the Liberals all die and you guys can FINALLY vote in someone with both cerebral hemispheres fully functional…. Estimated in the year 2055… Then you can pull that AR-15 out and shoot it like Eugene Stoner intended.

Continue reading AR’s in California →

Weapons

Carolina Arms Group’s new Privateer 1911

06/27/2016 MadOgre 18 Comments

Carolina Arms Group is located not very far away from me at all. About 45 minutes up I-77 and I’m pulling into their parking lot. So I’ve come to know the owner and I’ve met most everyone working at CAG. CAG has made some very nice 1911’s… and some of the the best 1911’s I’ve ever handled. That was the Trenton Series, a family of 1911’s named after the Battle of Trenton. But now CAG has a new series of pistols. Meet the PRIVATEER.

I’m going to say this… and I don’t say this lightly. In fact, I’ve considered this for some time and I keep coming back to the same conclusion. This is the best 1911 I’ve ever seen. Let me say this again…
THIS IS THE BEST 1911 I HAVE EVER SEEN.

I’ve been into 1911’s since I was 16 and the father of a girlfriend introduced me to them. His name was Dave and he was awesome. I don’t even remember his daughter anymore… but I remember Dave. Dave taught me the Tao of Browning. He taught me how the gun works, inside and out, and how to shoot it.

Dave literally saved my life because of this… because the Army gave me Zero training when they issued me a 1911 and it was a 1911 that I used to save my life when someone was intent on ending it. I’ve always loved the 1911 since those rather exciting days. And I’ve always taken them seriously because of it.

I’ve tested and reviewed some of the best 1911’s on the planet, and have owned 1911’s from the likes of Terry Tussy and other high end custom gunsmiths… And let me tell you… The CAG PRIVATEER 1911 is the finest example of the 1911 Pistol. Period. Saint John Moses Browning himself smiles upon the CAG Privateer and is well pleased.

Differences from the Trenton series have the Privateer using a regular, fine, checkering on the frame and the inclusion of an accessory rail. Up top it’s wearing Tritium Night Sights instead of fiber optics. As all serious use handguns should. The grips are a slim profile, which makes the gun more narrower in the hand, which is great when wearing gloves… and even better when the gun is tight against your side when it’s riding in a holster.

The whole gun, including the barrel, is finished with a gorgeous DLC finish. Diamond Like Coating. The DLC Finish is incredibly strong, resistant, and smooth. The gun looks amazing. The laser engraving really pops and looks clean unlike anything coated in Cerakote or other finishes. The Fit and Finish are – FLAWLESS – to the point that no photo will ever do these guns justice. You have to see these guns in person. You have to feel them in your hands. You have to feel the slide’s action. You have to feel the trigger. You have to feel the difference between these guns and every other 1911 out there.

One day, I’m going to own a CAG Privateer in a Commander length.

Hit Carolina Arms Group on Facebook, and tell them I sent you.
If you want a Carolina Arms Group pistol… See them at Point Blank Range. Or contact PBR and order one.

UPDATE:

I paid a visit to Carolina Arms Group today… The makers of very desirable things. I got a peek at a new model, the Veteran Carry… which is an insanely smooth Bobtail Commander. It’s fantastic. Save your Pennies. And they are going to be rolling out some knives with carbon fiber scales, and matching carbon fiber grips for the pistol. VERY nice. Impressive. Mark threw some laser engraving on my knife… Thanks, Mark! If you guys need anything lasered – contact CAG and talk to them about it. Their laser system is fast and precise… sharpest looking laser work out there.
The new Veteran Carry – that’s the one to get!
‪#‎feelthedifference‬.

Sneak Peek at the new Veteran Carry pistol. It’s not even finished and it’s gorgeous as hell. The Want is strong with this one.

Taking the time to fit it right. By hand.

The little details are the important ones. It has to be perfect.

What goes good with a high quality gun? A high quality blade.

You’ll be able to order a Carolina Arms Group accessory kit with your pistol… Which includes the holster, knife, and matching grips.

Weapons

Things I’m just done with.

06/09/2016 MadOgre 11 Comments

I’m done with some very bad fads that became all too common in the Gun Industry… Things that were heralded as being good or cool or tactical – but really are more of a pain in the ass than a help.

Ramp Sights. When these came out forever ago, it was really the only step up from the GI rear sights on most 1911’s. Because they were a cool looking alternative, and provided a good sight picture – they became popular. They made 1 Hand manipulations a severe handicap, but back then everyone had GI length guide rods so it wasn’t that big of a deal. But shortly after these came out, full length guide rods became popular as well. Now, 1 Hand manipulations became more of a problem. Then this autoloader cancer spread to other guns… Like the CZ-40… and I’ve seen them on a lot of others too… XD’s and M&P’s and other guns that have no place wearing Ramps. The only gun I have that I don’t mind the Ramp Sight on – my Ruger GP100 Match Champion. If I need to One Hand Rack the slide on my GP100 – I’m in big trouble. But on a 1911? These need to die in a fire. I’ll never have one on any new auto pistol ever again. Ever.

Single Point Slings. These only have a place with Tactical Ted wannabe Operators who have never lived with a rifle in their hands all day long every day. Sure – they might have a place in some situations. But most of the time, a good adjustable two point sling will ultimately be a much better, more useful option. Some slings that can go from Two to One point – fine. That’s fine. But I’ve racked my self in the nuts more times than I care to think about… and have had my rifle just be in the way more than it ever should have, simply because I was running a stupidass Single Point Sling. Two is better than One. Best things in life come in pairs. Think about that.

Quad Rails. The idea of being able to easily attach something to your weapon is a good thing. But quadrails are the Fax Machines of Firearms. They need to stay the hell back in the 90’s and let’s just move forward with M-Lok or Key-Mod… I don’t care. Or even proprietary screw on rail sections… that’s fine. But Quad Rails just SUCK. They are heavier than they need to be and they are very uncomfortable and then you add on covers and you just add more weight to them. They are terrible. A Picatinny rail across the top is perfect. But anywhere else and your rifle is just… Faxed Up. And if you have a free floating handguard that has a rail across the top – Let’s get rid of those fixed front sights. The Triangle Front Sight on an AR should go the way of the Carry Handle. And both should go where the Fax Machine needs to go.

Weapons

What I look for when looking at an AR type firearm.

06/05/2016 MadOgre 7 Comments

I’m the guy that wrote the “Why I Hate the AR” article a couple decades ago. But I’ve come around to them now… after 50 years of continual development, AR’s are pretty much all decent enough now. They all work pretty well. But… I’m really picky when it comes to AR’s now. I’ll dismiss most AR’s in any gunshop. Being jaded as I am… having seen everything on the market with little that actually impresses me… People ask me all the time what I look for. What I look for in an AR first and foremost is Accuracy. It’s all about that Barrel. I want it Cold Hammer Forged. If it’s not – I’m just not going to spend my money on it. Period. So I am going to look for those markings on the barrel to ID where it came from, so I can know how it’s made. CHF barrels are no guarantee of it being super accurate – just consistent. And that’s where accuracy starts. With traditionally made barrels – some can be very accurate. Others, less so. You don’t know what you are getting until after you bought it.
CHF Barrels, takes away that variation.
I’m also going to look for a free-floating barrel. Traditional A1 and A2 and other similar handguards that are connected at the front, are things I am going to always avoid. You can have an accurate rifle with those… But simply gripping them differently will apply different pressures to the barrel and effect the Harmonics. Variations in Barrel Harmonics will effect accuracy.

You know how some rifles prefer loads of different bullet weights and velocities? Reloaders will play with powder loads to find that perfect load for max accuracy – what they are really playing with is Harmonics.

Allow me to explain. When a shot is fired from the barrel, that barrel starts to move. A lot more than you would think. An accurate rifle has a very consistent movement and the bullet exits the muzzle the same place in the barrel’s movement every time. Things that change the way the barrel moves effects this – and thus effects accuracy most often in a negative way.

I want the Upper and Lower receivers to be tight. With as little movement as possible. In some builds, designed for close quarters, or in AR Pistols, this isn’t so big of a deal. A little movement isn’t going to effect anything. But for a rifle configuration for longer range work – I want this to be a bank vault fit. Or if this is a build that is supposedly a super high quality build… or anything north of 900 dollars… I want this to be a bank vault fit.

The other thing I look for in an AR is a good trigger pull. I don’t care about the weight in most AR triggers. But I want that break to be crisp and clean. I want it to break like a hard thought.

These are the main things I look for in an AR. Everything else can be altered and changed out easily. So they don’t matter so much. But what I described – that’s the foundation to build your Configuration on.

Weapons

The OGRE EDITION 1911

05/16/2016 MadOgre 18 Comments

I was asked about my ideal 1911 Configuration… The Ogre Edition 1911, if you will. My dream 1911.

It’s really simple. We’re going to start with a Lightweight Commander platform, give it a Beavertail and a Commander style hammer. The rear sight will be neither a GI or a Novak, and it wont be adjustable. It has to be able to facilitate one hand slide-racking in an emergency. And it’s going to have the “Bobtail” conversion not just for looks, but for feel and concealability.

The Muzzle end will have a deep target crown and will be flush with the bushing. Also note, it’s going to have a Bushing and a GI style spring plug.

The front sight will have either a Trijicon HD, Big Dot, or Gold Dot front sight post for MAX Visibility. NO FIBER OPTIC. The rear will be nice wide notch, sans the 2 rear dots. I don’t like double dot rears.

The overall gun will be slightly “Melted” to soften any hard edges.
Serrations will be simple GI style, with nothing forward.

The grips will be rich Cocobolo wood, thin, and low profile, edges slightly rounded. The front strap of the grip frame will be 30LPI checkered.
The gun can either be all black, or black over a light colored frame.

The Caliber will be 10mm.

This is my ideal 1911. Though no one as of yet makes it.

EDIT: UPDATE:
Ha! Looks like my tastes have not really changed all that much…

The Ogre Edition 1911

Weapons

AREX REX Zero 1

05/12/2016 MadOgre 22 Comments

A Rep from Arex came by to show us their new REX Zero 1 pistol.
At first glance it looks like just another SIG knock off, like we’ve seen before. But there’s something different about this one, and it warrants a closer look. First thing you’ll notice is the Ambi Safety where the classic SIG slidelock lever is. So it does have a manual safety. The Magazine release is Ambi as well, and works and feels exactly the same from either side. Deliberate push but not too much effort… damn near perfect actually. And the magazine (comes with two 17 rounders – they have no desire to sell to California or other restrictive states) drops freely and cleanly.

The gun is very SIG-Like. With full length rails and much of the architecture is classic SIG. Remember when I said the Slide Lock is a Safety? Well, these guys made the Decocker the Slide Lock Lever as well as the Decocker. So it works like a SIG, and it works like every other gun on the planet, all in one Lever. It’s really very clever. Kudos to the engineer on that. What surprised me is the nation of origin. Slovenia. Slovenia is a nice little country surrounded by Croatia, Italy, Austria, and Hungary…. a region that is very beautiful, but not know for Technical Exports into the USA, but evidently they do well exporting to the rest of Europe especially in the more technical aspects of the automotive industry… So they do have the technical chops.
Miss Slovenia kinda looks like a Discount Kristen Stewart. But I wont hold that against them.

The gun breaks down just like SIG, the Barrels look like they could be interchangeable as well. The internal machining is very clean, like a SIG. The only real departure is the normal coiled spring instead of the multiple coils.

The Magazine locks at the front-center which makes it naturally Ambi. The Mags look to be very well made, smooth, and seem to be of high quality.

The test example had very even wear marks, with the wear only finish deep… very normal looking. And all the parts, fitment, and finish seem to be of very high quality.

Typical SIG take down. No surprises, no warts found. It’s an impressive gun. I did put some rounds through it… and it functioned reliably. The trigger was smooth, no grit, no stacking… it was very SIG-like. But it was a bit heavier than my SIG P220’s trigger. Not much, but I noticed it. This did not hamper the gun’s accuracy. It shot VERY accurately. I’m not going to show the target, because after I shot it, other shooters followed on the same target. But trust me – the accuracy was very good.
The only downside to the pistol that I found was that the dovetails looked strange… and when I asked the Rep, he informed me that they are proprietary and nothing on the After Market will fit. (Same with the Grips) He then told me that they are working on other Sight options for the gun. The standard 3-Dot sights are fine for most shooters… but Defensive Shooters will want Tritium sights and Competitors will want Fiber Optics. I did not ask how easy it would be for a Gunsmith to cut the dovetails to fit a more common type… but I imagine it could be done rather easily.

Talking pricing, this is where it’s Un-SIG-Like. You’ll be able to find these retailing anywhere from 200 to 400 dollars less than a SIG 226. And that makes this gun a very viable option – but remember this was just my initial impressions from a brief (But careful) examination and a brief range session…. I would love to test one through a 2,000 trial.

My take away is that if I want a Discount SIG, I’d find a good used SIG and buy that, instead of this one that has different sights and different magazines and will need different holsters, I’m sure. But if I wanted a brand new gun that is unique and operates more like a normal gun but still has that SIG look and feel… well… this is that gun. It has a lot going for it and buyers will most likely be very pleased with the purchase.

For more Information on the REX Zero 1, check out the factory website.

Weapons

Disappointed in the PPS M2

04/28/2016 MadOgre 6 Comments

One thing I’ve come to expect from Walther – Excellent Triggers. The PPQ, P99, PPX, and the original PPS all have triggers that go from Excellent to Fantastic. The PPQ is well known for being The Best out of the box trigger of any Striker – even better than the VP9.
Now the this gun here… the PPS M2… I was really looking forward to getting my hands on one. Because I am one of those weird guys that actually liked the original PPS. So I was hoping that this would be the same gun as the original, but with some ergonomic enhancements. This is not the case. This is a completely different gun. The new PPS looks great. This is a good looking gun. And for a Sub-Compact Single Stack – it even feels good. If you like a Shield, you’ll probably love the PPS M2.
And then I tried the trigger.

Continue reading Disappointed in the PPS M2 →

Weapons

The HCAR head scratcher.

04/23/2016 MadOgre 9 Comments

I want to like the HCAR. I took a look at one earlier today and first reaction is hey, this is cool. But then I got thinking about it, and things started to bug me.
Don’t get me wrong… I’m a fan of the Browning BAR. It’s awesome American History, and I’d LOVE to own one of Semi-Autos. But to modernize the BAR and make it something different just doesn’t do anything for me… and really it kinda irritates me.
It’s an expensive gun. And if you wanted something firing a .30 cal projectile, and save a little money, and get what is going to ultimately be a better rifle for the application of tactics… a SCAR 17.
“Oh but, Ogre, these are .30-06’s!”
Uh huh… So? Can you still buy cases of cheap .30-06 ammo? Not really. Which means you are going to be buying them in little boxes of 20 like regular hunting cartridges, and most likely paying a premium for them now.
The difference between .30-06 and .308, outside of case dimensions… is about only about 100 FPS. Let’s grab two comparable loads from Hornady.
Here’s the .308. And here’s the .30-06 loaded with the same bullet.
The difference is negligible. Feel free to go through Hornady’s online catalog and compare rounds with the same bullets and see for yourself.
Anything you shoot with them, aint feeling the difference. The .30-06 is not giving you any practical advantage that you could utilize in a tactical situation. In fact, it’s going to be a disadvantage because with the .30-06 you are dealing with a longer case, requiring a longer box magazine, which means more bulk in your kit, which means maybe you can’t carry as many mags. Small difference in length could mean big difference in load out. Maybe. Say… Does anyone make a chest rig that can carry .30-06 magazines? Molly Pouches? Huh.
If I want the nostalgia of packing a BAR – oh and I do – I’d pack the classic version.

Now what these cats should do if they want to take the BAR and make it “Tactical”. Make it “Retro Tactical”. Ahem… allow me to fire up my awesome Photoshop Skills… and… Presto!

Here you go… A BAR Carbine. Recognizable as a BAR, but in a handier format for tactical applications… Lighter, Usable, and Classic Cool. And if they wanted to really make it handier – make it in .308.
THAT is what the HCAR should be. Not that Tan Pistol-Gripped, AR stocked monstrosity. EDIT: Thanks to Leon for reminding me! I just re-invented the Colt Monitor.
That’s what they should be making… Colt Monitor Replicas.

Weapons

PSA’s KS-47 has impressed me.

04/15/2016 MadOgre 25 Comments

Normally I’m ambivalent to Palmetto State Armory. I know who they are and what they are about and I’ve just never really been impressed with them. That changed today. Take a look at the KS-47 Hybrid. It’s an AR that is chambered for 7.62x39mm and runs AK type mags.

Yes, this is something that’s been done before. But this is now something that is done well. And it’s from PSA. This is coming from PSA for about 850 Retail, with free-floating keymod handguards, a wide mag release that can be used with your trigger finger, right or left handed, or you can to the AK Mag Snap move.

You can swap the furniture out with any common AR swag you want. I’d put an Ergo grip on it and a Battlelink minimalist stock. A set of Magpul Pro sights… and a Battlecomp muzzle break. Done.
This gun is well made. Tight fitting between the upper and lower, and it’s well thought out. The parts are all fit well. Nothing is sloppy and nothing feels cheap or poorly done. It’s solid. It’s a solid rifle.
I’m truly impressed.
PSA – You done well.
I am strongly considering trading something in on this. No, I’ve not shot it. It’s a new gun and we don’t shoot new guns at the store. But I really want to. Really bad. I could trade something for this. I really could. Maybe I will.

Mad Ogre

Category Archives: Weapons

Build or Buy?

AR’s in California

Carolina Arms Group’s new Privateer 1911

Things I’m just done with.

What I look for when looking at an AR type firearm.

The OGRE EDITION 1911

AREX REX Zero 1

Disappointed in the PPS M2

The HCAR head scratcher.

PSA’s KS-47 has impressed me.

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