Category Archives: Weapons

Weapons

Rethinking the Novak Sights.

2 Comments

Nov 30th 1999, I posted a thought on TheFiringLine.com that I titled “Rethinking the Novak Sights”.
You can check out that thread here.  It’s an interesting read.  And some of the ideas that were put out there are only starting to really catch on.  But more on that in a moment.

Back then the Novaks were taking the gun community by storm and these things were being installed on everything.  I even remember seeing a Remington 870 with a Novak Rear Sight installed.   Much like today, I think it’s popularity was due to the fact that while it wasn’t actually any better, the Novaks looked new and cool and to show that you were Switched On, you had to have them.  Such things are still going on in the firearms community today, but probably even more so as the Internet has become universal and pop culture spreads through it faster than the Zombie Virus.

The problem that I mentioned in the original post wasn’t ever really addressed for years.  Novaks continued their Cool Guy swagger through the gun industry even still.  The M&P Pistols, still essentially brand new, came out with Novak Style sights… or Ramp Sights as some call them.   Some guys would cut a flat face on the Ramp portion to try to solve the problem… taking a more expensive sight and then cutting on it to try to help improve the poor design.  Some guys went back to the normal flat faced sights made popular by Trijicon, as found on Glocks and other pistols.  These are better than Ramp Sights by far, but are still less than Ideal.

Rob Pincus though… he’s actually done something that addresses the issue of One Hand Manipulation.  After all these years – the problem has been solved.

The CLAW.

 

Outstanding. Problem solved. I like the wide notch rear sight, I like the fact that it can hook solid and lets you jack that slide with authority. BRAVO.
I am going to be ordering these sights as soon as I can free up some funds. I have 3 Glocks I want these on.

Back to the odd fixes… Skateboard Tape on your gun. Back at the time of that original posting, I had only heard of people using SBT on their guns, normally around the Grip. This guy that mentioned the tape actually on the slide. I have since seen it a few times… but more recently I am seeing it more and more on guns. The concept of adding grip has really taken off. I’ve seen SBT on the sides, top, and at the front of the slides on just about every sort of serious use pistol. I’ve even seen it on some less than serious guns… such as a Hi-Point. I’ve never put any on my guns, but I am considering trying it on my Glock 23.

Weapons

Enter The Beretta

35 Comments


Beretta’s have been passe and over played for a long time now… Since the first Mel Gibson Lethal Weapon movie.  Robocop packed a Beretta.  The Grammaton Clerics of “Equilibrium” packed them.  The Matrix was probably the last of the big Beretta Block Busters.

The Original 92. Note the Safety Position.

And people kinda got tired of seeing them.  So they pretty much disappeared from the Big Screen.  Replaced by Stainless finished Glocks quite often.

Well, Beretta came back big time in TAKEN 2.  A long extended Chase Scene featuring Beretta 92FS‘s, 90-Two, and Storm Pistols.   And they looked awesome on the Silver Screen.

Yeah, still looks awesome.

But is this a good thing?  I mean, isn’t the Beretta old school 80’s?

We all know the US Army just purchased a freaking ton of them, making it the handgun for the US Military for at least another 5 years.  Probably longer.  Why?  Because the 92FS is a very high quality pistol with reliability like the Sun Rise.   They are super smooth, consistent, accurate, soft shooting, and extremely safe handguns.  I will argue they have the safest of actions of any semi-auto handguns.   Yet, when they are run properly, they are just as fast as anything else.

The Classic…

The other handgun that US Military uses is the SIG P226 and the 228… Which are very good indeed, but during the Handgun Trials, the Beretta did indeed outperform the SIG’s.  You can argue that all you want, but the Beretta won it.  And if you were on the selection board, you would have given the Beretta the nod too.  I think what makes the 92 so good is what makes it so distinctive… That open slide.  A common upgrade to many handguns is to open up the ejection port.  I’ve never heard of anyone wanting to open up the 92 anymore.  Clear ejection.  Any gunk getting in there gets blown back out too.  The feed geometry is ideal.  It’s almost a straight shot in from the magazine into the chamber.  Unlike a 1911 or other guns which makes the cartridge have to do some gymnastics to get loaded.    And then there is the locking block.  Under the barrel there is a winged wedge-like block.  This is what locks and unlocks the action, allowing the 92 to be naturally and inherently smooth… Probably the smoothest action of any locked breach handgun.

Is that an Elite II?

The classic 92FS is also a very good looking handgun.  It looks cool.  There is something wrong with you if you can’t appreciate the lines and curves of the 92… It just looks like what a handheld weapon should look like.  And I think the newest version of the 92 looks awesome.

If there is any downside to the 92, it’s the size.  The 92 is indeed a large handgun.  But then again, it’s supposed to be.  It was designed to be a Full Sized, Duty Sidearm.  For the guys out there packing only a handgun in their Fight against Evil, the Beretta was comforting, it had some heft, sure, but it also had something few other handguns had… a huge capacity. 15 Rounds!  Back then, that was amazing.  Now, 15 isn’t a huge capacity… but then again, I’ve not seen a guy that can shrug off 15 rounds of well placed 9mm hits.  A big gun is a comfortable gun for shooting… felt recoil… accuracy… They are just easier to go the distance with than a small gun.

Look at the swept lines… Sexy!

Beretta is the oldest company on the planet.  They know how to make a good product.  Sure, they have had a few flops… Such as the 9000 model.  But overall, you can’t beat Beretta’s track record.

We’ve seen a marked upswing in Beretta sales locally.  They are coming back in popularity, so expect to see more of them in the Media and Cinema.

Weapons

Zero Distance

11 Comments

I think I am going to Re-Zero all of my Long Range Arms for 300 Yards. Take your favorite Killing Guns, get out your favorite Ballistic Calculator and really look at your Trajectories. Between your 0 yard and your normal 100 or 200 yard zero range, look at the highest point in the arc to that range. Now change your zero range and push it out to 300 yards. Really not much effective difference there is it? Now take a look at the trajectory between your zero to 400 yards at both 100 or 200 compared to a 300 yard zero. Here’s what I’m seeing. I hold on the Kill Zone regardless of range. No more of this “Hold on the top of it’s back” BS. At most, even with a gun that drops a lot, such as a .308 or .30-06, I might hold at the top of the kill zone – but I’m still aiming for Kill Zone and hitting in Kill Zone. This works out especially well with the Magnums and their flatter trajectories. The old stand by of 100 yard zeroes is still needed for some guns, but for your Hunting guns, it doesn’t make any sense. And that wild ass guess of “Two Inches High at 100” is starting to kinda do the same thing, but without actually knowing what your gun is doing. So next time I go out to zero, I’ll start at 100 to know where I am at, then push it out and actually zero at 300.

Weapons

It’s Marketing, Remington. You need some.

28 Comments

The .260 Remington is a great round.  Don’t think so?  We’ll get to that later…

Check out the 6.5 Creedmore.  The Rifle Shooter’s Darling Cartridge.  It leaps tall buildings.  It is Sub-MOA to a Grand.  It’s made of accuracy.  It’s everyone’s favorite round.  Right?

Well, how come the 6.5 Creedmore is so popular when the .260 Remington isn’t?   Ballistic-wise, they are almost identical with the .260 actually having a slight performance edge.  Accuracy?  Sixes really. But 6.5 Creedmore is the one people are looking for.

The difference is Marketing.  Remington doesn’t know how to do it.  They had something good YEARS before the Creedmore came out and Remington let it flop.  Basically overall performance is like a .25 WSSM, before that round came and went.  It’s one people are always asking for too… yet there is the .260, sitting there, ignored.  Even by Remington!    It makes no sense.  They should be all over the .260.    But they just don’t get it.

Uncategorized, Weapons

Dear Colt and Remington

11 Comments

The State of New York is going to pass the Micro Stamping requirement. They do not believe you would actually move out over handguns stamping as they are a smaller portion of your business.
Well, here is the thing… your customers are not going to want stamped guns.  Its bullshit science, easily removed or worn off, its a useless requirement.   But is going to do this regardless. NY thinks you guys are blustering.
The stigma of rolling over and doing the stamps is going to hurt you worse than just pistol sales. I sell a lot of rifles, tons of Remingtons. I can easily see the customer base turn against you, even here where you are hugely popular.
Look at S&W and the Department of Urban Housing Agreement.  S&W almost didn’t survive that, and they are still suffering from it today.
You guys need to move to a state where you would be cherished, appreciated for who you are.
Come to Utah.
A state that has one the highest guns per capita than anywhere else. Not only come to Utah… but come out to Vernal, Utah.  We have the highest per capita in the State. 
Just saying…. why live where you are not wanted?  Live where you would be loved!
Besides… Utah was built by people leaving New York.  Its like a tradition.

Weapons

The Caracal

21 Comments


It’s kind of like a cross between a Walther P99 and a Steyr M series. But the Caracal is better than both. I like it. A lot. I loved shooting it at the MAG-40 class, as Zak from Lone Wolf was kind enough to let me shoot it.
I’ve been thinking about thinking about the Caracal a lot since then. I want one.

Crusader, Weapons

The One Rifle.

62 Comments

On YouTube I watched a video by a fellow named James Yeager about how there is no such thing as One Rifle for everything.  He calls it a myth. 
I call Bullshit on that.
History is full of instances where a man has just one rifle and did everything with it, just fine.  Survived to tell the tale.  James Yeager is free to express his own opinions, but he is not free to his own Facts.  US History, be it Frontier History, Western Expansion, Wild West, Military History… what ever kind of history you want to call it.  Only in our Modern Email Era do we enjoy having more than one rifle for different purposes. 
In this Modern Era, the late Colonel Jeff Cooper considered a One Rifle concept and called it the “Scout”.  His Scout Rifle Concept is a proven winner.  Steyr manufactured their Scout with Jeff’s blessing and assistance.  And it pretty much did what was promised.  Now Ruger and Savage are making Factory Scout Rifles with pretty good success.
Any one of these would make for a fine “One Rifle” solution. 
Historically, the One Rifle has been a Winchester Lever Action in .30-30, .32 Special or the like.  Today a good solid and smooth cycling Lever Action is truly a thing of joy.  There are few things you can’t do with a .30-30.  I’ve even killed an Elk with one at 200 yards, and I’m sure I’m not the only person in history to have done so.
Today’s Rifleman though is packing an AR.  The Black Rifle has gone mainstream… and for many new shooters, the AR is The One.  The AR-15 might be kind of light for a One Rifle, but an AR-10 type rifle gives you some considerable advantages in terminal performance on big game.
After some consideration, I’m thinking a new One Rifle is more than doable.    Let’s do that AR platform in .308.  Let’s hit it with a light weight, 16″ True Polygonal Rifled Barrel, and let’s give it some lightweight furniture with an adjustable stock.   Simple, Clean, and effective in most any situation.  Give it an adjustable 1-4 power optic.  Give it a tough finish, resistant to abrasion and corrosion. 
Contact CrusaderWeaponry.com to order you a Crusader One Rifle.