Category Archives: Weapons

Government, Weapons

The Army wants a new pistol again?

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We’ve been playing this game off and on for a long time now.
But what the hell?  Let’s play…

They Army is wanting something fresh.  Which means the Good Old Boys are not in the running… The SIG’s, the Colt, the normal choices are out.  They want something new.  But the Army is all about having that Manual Safety.  That leaves something from HK, one of the FNH FNX pistols, or the Beretta PX4 Storm.   I’m betting on the Storm.  Okay – just a couple years ago, the US Army threw down a contract with Beretta that’s basically good for five years.  So we’re looking at at least another 3 years of Beretta M9’s.  Then late last year, the US Army dropped 49 million dollars on holsters for the Beretta M9.  And now they want to shake that tree?  Doesn’t make sense.  But the Military never let that stop them before.  Making sense is for Civilian Contractors – not the Actual Military.   But since there are contracts in place, it kind of makes sense that the replacement will be a Beretta.

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The Px4 Storm would be a great sidearm for the Military.  The safety and trigger are the exact same that they are used to, so no new training issues.  The Storm’s action does a great job of reducing felt recoil.  Accuracy and Reliability are top notch.   Mostly likely though the M9’s replacement could be an M9A1… which all those new holsters will already fit.  But really this isn’t so much about the pistol, but the cartridge.

Basically the Army is looking at more powerful rounds.  .357 SIG, .40 Cal, and .45 are the likely candidates of course.   I’m not sure the US Army wants to go back to the .45 because they Army loves higher capacity and going back to .45 Auto would show they made a big freaking mistake going away from it.  Even though we have a history of using .45, dumping it, going back to it, then dumping it again… Picking something else would break that cycle of abuse.

Realistically this means .40 cal or .357 SIG.  Either way, I’m fine with these choices.   But if I had my druthers, it would be the .40.  Between these two.  Of course, I’d love it if we went to 10mm.  But that’s just not happening because 10mm is never going to get the recognition that it deserves.  Because of The Prophesy.  It’s written.

I like the heavier bullet weights with the .40.  But on the battlefield the higher velocity and greater accuracy will give the .357 SIG the edge.  .357 SIG just makes it easier to hit the target when it’s at unknown distances.  The Sig round also gives us better barrier penetration.

The downside of cost is not a consideration for the US Military.  But the requirement of more frequent spring swaps will be.  The military is not used to replacing parts at regular round count intervals.  But this is something that they can get used to doing.

So a Px4 Storm or an M9A1 chambered in .357 SIG would be a likely and logical replacement to the 9mm M9.

Weapons

My two main guns now

15 Comments

I know I’ve been packing a Glock 23 for years… but lately I’ve been doing that less and less.  Really it’s been relegated to Car Gun Status now, so I always have it close when I’m out and about.   But what I carry on my person – that’s changed.

10464352_10203310469695910_5109397919341637312_nMore and more my Go To pistol has been my Beretta 92FS, and I’ve been carrying my 1911 a LOT more.   As I type this post, it’s the 1911 that’s sitting by my left hand.   Don’t laugh at my desk… I know it’s cluttered, but then again, so is my mind.  So it all works out.  That’s my beloved GI… which had a light issue with cracking grip panels.  That was the worst thing that could have happened, because dang it… now I’m thinking about changing other parts.  Like a Beaver Tail and a Commander style hammer… and if I am doing that – I might as well change the sear and trigger… You guys know the drill.   The grips were the lid to a bloody Pandora’s Box of tweaks.   Why?  Why the hell did I do that? I could have got some double diamond checkered wood grips and have been fine.  But no… I asked my friends for some regular old black plastics… thought I’d cheap out… not thinking about how they fecking changed the whole dynamic of the pistol and it’s in my head that I could change other things.
And now I’m looking at the Beretta 92FS and thinking… “You know, Wilson Combat is now making Beretta parts.”  They have a slick short reach trigger… No… NO!

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No… I’m not going to mess with my Beretta.   That’s become the Go To Gun.  My Almost EDC.  I’m not doing that.
But the 1911…  Well… that’s different.
I’m thinking why not have some fun with it?  I can detail strip it blindfolded, and that sentimental GI memento cherry has been popped with the black grips.   Why  not?

But you know what I really want to do to it?  Have a Color Case Hardened Finish done to it.   Kinda like this:
customelite

Deep polished blued levers and safety, but the slide and frame – Color Cased.   That is just sexy to me.   I don’t know.
What do you guys think?

Weapons

Favorite Blade Roster

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I have a lot of favorite knives, but most are from only a few sources.  I’m set in my ways… so mostly I like the Plain and Plain Edged versions of these knives instead of Serrated or Coated if those are options.  And some are no longer in production .  I also favor larger knives as a bigger blade makes work easier.   The Spyderco Native is probably the smallest of the knives on this list outside of the Spikes.  Why I like the Spikes so much?  I’ve no idea – I just do.
Is there a knife on this list that you like too?  Or is there a knife on this list that you just hate?   Let me know.

Fixed Blades:
Ka-Bar Becker BK9 Combat Bowie*
Ka-Bar Becker BK2 Companion*
Ka-Bar Becker BK11 Necker*
Ka-Bar “Big Brother”.
Ka-Bar “Warthog”.
Buck Omni Hunter 12pt*
Cold Steel Recon Tanto
Cold Steel SRK
Cold Steel Trail Master
Cold Steel Marauder
Cold Steel Scottish Spike
Cold Steel Tokyo Spike
Spyderco Warrior (Formerly known as the REKAT Hobbit Warrior**)
Ontario Marine Raider

Folding Blades:
Buck 110
Buck 110 Paperstone*
Spyderco Native*
Spyderco Native Stainless**
Spyderco Endura
Spyderco Police*
Spyderco Ulize
Spyderco Chinook*
Cold Steel AK-47*
Cold Steel Voyager
Cold Steel Recon Clip Point
Cold Steel Vaquero Grande*
Cold Steel Espada XL G-10*
Cold Steel Talwar XL G-10*
Benchmade AFCK***
Benchmade Rift Osbourne
Benchmade Bedlam*
Benchmade Onslaught
Benchmade Mini-Onslaught*
Kershaw Knockout*
Kershaw Blur

Hawks:
Anything Designed by RMJ Tactical

*Especially Favorited
** Unicorn Knife – Always wanted, never been able to snag.
*** Wish they would bring back!

Weapons

Something going on at Kel Tec

3 Comments

Last couple weeks I’ve been stopping in at a lot of gun shops.  And there is something I’ve been seeing that I’ve not ever seen before.  Lots of Kel Tecs in stock.   KSG’s and RFB’s.  The Unicorns.
Something is going on at Kel Tec… They are kicking ass.

 

Weapons

The Blade Show

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So I finally made it to the Blade Show.  It was fun and I saw many wonderfully crafted bits of sharp metal.  I was tempted greatly to buy many of the wonderfully crafted bits of sharp metal.
A couple of the blades I really liked were from Fremont Knives in Wyoming.   The one they call the Farson Blade, I found most interesting and think it would be very useful.   They also have it in a hatchet style tool.  Of course this is too light to be used like some camp hatchets… But damn if that wouldn’t be awesome for use as a cleaver.  These would be put to great use in the Ogre’s Grilling While Armed Echo Laboratory.
Now, the coolest stuff that resonated with me, was Zombie Tools.

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ZT was holding court in style in the lounge, chilling and drinking cold ones, and talking blades with whoever wanted to talk.   They have a wicked Gladius type blade that I love, their axe, (which they call the Traumahawk – shit, I love their names) the cleavers… Gotta have me the Rat Bastard…   Freaking everything they make is just badass to the bone.  Finally meeting them face to face was the highlight.

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Weapons

Hardest Kicker

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I’ve shot a lot of hard kicking rifles and shotguns before.  But one stands out in my mind as being the coolest, and the most brutal.  But like spicy food, I really loved it.
It was a bubbafied Mosin Nagant, that I bought from a co-worker when I worked at Basin Sports.   It was shortened, and the foreend was bobbed… I don’t have a photo of it, but it looked something like this:

1907carbine_014

10 rounds – you would feel it for 5 days.  And I’m a guy that can shoot shotgun slugs all day long… .300 Ultra Mag, no problem.  But this little beast made me remember it.  It made my shoulder remember it.  But it was a great little carbine.  Very accurate as far as Mosins go, and light enough to pack it around.   Great hiking gun.  Great hunting gun.  I gave it to my brother in law as a Christmas present because he needed a hunting rifle and that little Mosin would do great in his area of operation.

What’s been your hardest kicking gun?

Weapons

Sig’s Arm Brace

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SIGar15Pistol
I was hanging out at a certain gun store the last couple days, and they have a .223 caliber pistol in stock.  I had to examine this thing closely.  I’ve avoided liking these because I fee the ATF will reverse it’s decision on these things and they well be deemed to be SBR’s at the flick of a Bic pen and then the ATF will ask for all the records of all those that bought these things.   I felt like they were a potential trap.

I made the mistake of handling the bloody thing again and thinking “why not?”  It might legally be a pistol, but it’s a little rifle in all reality.  The fact that you can take this “pistol” and shoulder it and fire it as easily as any SBR, but without dealing with all the SBR red tape is very attractive to me.   Now I’m wanting one.     DANG IT.

 

Weapons

Shotguns for Defense

27 Comments

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Shotguns remain the very best weapon ever devised for static defense situations.  Meaning Home Defense or Security.  But we’ve seen a trend that has people moving away from the Shotgun in other situations.  Such as your Truck Gun or Cruiser Gun.  Police have turned to Rifles, and SBR’s are becoming the gun of choice for Truck Guns.  And depending on where you are – this might not be a good thing.

The popularity of the AR-15 is unquestioned.  It’s become “America’s Rifle”, and by Right, it should be.  The AR-15 in it’s Militant Form has been serving the Nation as our Military’s main battle rifle for over 40 years.  It’s cool to have an AR-15 and it’s cool to deck out that rifle with all sorts of add-on expensive parts and upgrades and components… and to make it so it doesn’t actually look like an AR anymore.  That’s for the Cool Guys… but is it for you?  Is a 3,000 dollar rifle what you need to defend the castle?   Really?    Do you need to reach out to 600 Meters with a glorified .22 magnum?  Maybe you do.
When I lived in Vernal, Utah I most certainly could use that range and precision accuracy for defensive use.   Maybe.  In some Red Dawn Zombie Fantasy.  In reality… my actual defensive needs were maybe 50 yards max.   That’s 00 Buck range.  If I had to extend – realistically I’d only need 200 yards.  That’s Slug range.   I’m talking Defensive Use… I’m not talking precision sniper Hostage Rescue use.  That’s for Police.  For my buddies in the Sheriff’s Department with the well zeroed heavy rifles.   I can’t justify defensive use 200 yards away.

Reality dictates I need to stop a threat that’s trying to come into my home.  And that’s where Joe Biden’s suggestion is actually a good one.  Just buy a Shotgun.  He was absolutely right.   And then he threw that out the window with the two blasts in the air and the shooting through doors thing.  But he was right about buying a shotgun.

Remington 870.  Mossberg 500.  One of those.  18.5″ Barrel.  Or if you get one that’s registered as a pistol you can get a 14 barrel for it, like in the photo above.  You don’t need a $2,000 Benelli M4… By all means, if you can get one, do it… but the mission is quite resolved with a 400 Pump Action.  Avoid the pumps made in Turkey by otherwise well known brands… Don’t cheap out on that brand new $299 pump.

I’d rather buy a well used Remington 870 than anything else… that’s just me.

Get some good 3″ hunting loads for it… not the super cheap #7 or #8 Shot loads… those suck.  Get some good loads.  And test the shotgun for reliability.  If it cycles good, and isn’t knocking you on your tush… you’ve got the weapon you need.   NOW the fun part comes in.  Now you get to go find all the different 00 Buck Loads you can find.  A box or two of each.  And find maybe 3 or 4 different Slug Loads.   Now go out and find some big boxes like appliances come in.  Draw a circle or Tape a paper plate on the box…. several of them.   And get to testing.

Patterning your Shotgun is like Zeroing your Rifle.  Find the load that your Shotgun likes the best – not the load You like the best.  There’s a difference.  If your load is giving you a pattern that is empty in the center – that is not your load.  You want a nice spread across your impact zone.  For the slugs, you want point of aim, point of impact accuracy and consistency.    Once you find the loads that your gun likes the best – That’s the ammo you go stock up on.

It’s unbelievable to me that guys will buy a brand new shotgun and then buy a couple cases of the cheap birdshot ammo… and that’s it.  If you are buying a gun to go break clays with – fine.  But for a shotgun you are going to defend lives with?  That’s irresponsible.  Take everything you do for gun safety and professionalism – and throw it out the window.  Your gun is untested and unzeroed = that’s a NO GO.  Yet you do that with your shotgun?    That’s a Fail.  You need to know how your gun performs with the ammo you are going to use for defense.  And seriously #7.5 loads that have Clay Pigeons on the box is NOT your defensive ammo.  Or else it shouldnt be.   Ever.  The smallest you should use for defense in any situation is BB Shot.  Even in an Apartment or close packed trailer park.  And even then, I’d suggest #4 Buck.  The shell should also be “High Brass”.  Trap loads have aluminum bases with very short heads… During firing in some guns, that little bit of aluminum will expand out and create a lock ring in your chamber making ejection very difficult or it could jam the gun, requiring some serious pounding to get it unstuck.   I’ve seen that in many shotguns using that cheap ammo.  You want big pellets and high brass.  And quite frankly, the bigger the better.  Police agencies across the nation and around the world who use shotguns, use 00 Buck for a reason.   Go ask your local Sheriff’s what they recommend for shotguns or what they use.   Some may use Regular or #4 Buck… I know some that used to use 000 Buck before switching to rifles.  But the great majority use 00 Buck.

When it comes to slugs, you want to use a Brenneke or Foster type slug.  Brenneke slugs have a drag device on the back of them… an attached wadding or plastic tail to stabilize the slug.  A Foster will generally be rifled and have a hollow base.  Either one is suitable for your smooth bore, and will be shockingly accurate if you do your part.

The Slug type to avoid in a smoothbore gun is a SABOT.  Oh, I know they look cool as hell.  But they require a Rifled Bore.   If that’s what you have – by all means… but we’re talking defensive smoothbores here and with those, a SABOT is useless.  They will be less stable, less accurate and they are going to tumble in the air before they strike the target and wont perform like a giant hollowpoint bullet.   You are wasting your money on those.  From all the testing I’ve done with common slug shells… overall the Brenneke type slugs are consistently the most accurate.  Especially in the 3″ loads.  Your shoulders may want something else.  2 3/4″ Foster type slugs from Winchester or Remington are common and do quite well.  Reduced Recoil Tactical Slugs kick a lot less and are just fine out to 100 yards.   But buy some different types and try them out.

The shotgun is much more capable than most guys think.