Upgrade Your AK.

The AK is gaining popularity and I’m getting more messages via email and facebook about the AK all the time.

What can an AK owner do to make the AK a better platform?  First thing I’d suggest is to do something that makes it more reliable.  This is a multi-part step that requires a bit of work.  You have to obtain a number of magazines and go through all of them and find the ones that are the least reliable.  Mark those as such, destroy or discard them.  I find that faulty mags can help when you are training for stoppage clearing.  But that’s just me.  Next, the gun needs to be Lubricated Well.  All Machines run better when they are properly lubricated.  An ST-2 treatment of Slipstream from Crusader Weaponry would be ideal, barring that, the generous application of Slipstream to the inner workings of your AK will be a blessing.
 
Next, something that can help your AK be more controllable. We at Crusader Weaponry have become hugely impressed with the products from BattleComp, and we use them on our Rifle Builds. Here is Why:

One of the reasons we like BattleComp and this video doesn’t show – is that the blast from the brake is better dissipated than the other brakes. That means less blast to disturb dust, and less blast into the faces of your fellow shooters and team mates.
Now that you have an AK that Runs, Stays Fed, and Stays in Control – you are well ahead of the game. Regardless of what you do with the sights or optics – these things are in my mind the top priorities for running an AK.
The best way to get this, is to send your AK to Crusader Weaponry and ask for the ST-2 Treatment and an AK BattleComp. While it’s there, ask for a Finish Upgrade and make your old War Horse look as good as it’s going to shoot.

What is it for?

That’s a question most often uttered at the gun counter while the person is looking up at the .50 caliber rifle.   Many of those people asking came out to the factory range day and tried it out.  Just an observation here… but not one person at the range day who watched or tried firing the .50 cal ever uttered that stupid question.  ‘What is that for?”

I did get a lot of questions about if it’s legal to hunt with.  “Yes, with soft point ammo.”  I heard people utter their desires to take elk, mule deer, and bear with it.  Many people actually do and it doesn’t destroy as much meat as people think.    There are a lot of Urban Legends and Myths about the .50 that were dispelled at the range day.

Below are some of the people that when asked, can tell you what the .50 cal is for.

Continue reading What is it for?

The Church of Government

Take a look at this news report.  It’s about 700 thousand dollars to build a wheel chair ramp in a government office.

This office.

I pulled up the report and thought I was looking at some sort of temple or cathedral or something.  What the hell?  Then it struck me… they way people pray to the Government, and seek aid from the Government, and worship the Government… and the way the Government spends, acts, holds its self above question, and pats its self on the back.  The Government is the new Priesthood, much like Pre-Martin Luther Catholicism.  Doesn’t really matter what Branch or Level of the Government anymore.
Feds.  State.  Hell, even a lot of Local Governments.   Vernal City has just built their new temple cathedral office building.  Spending huge amounts of money that could have been spent better/wiser on other things.

Just an observation… The Sheriff’s department is going to be buying new vehicles shortly.  The current ones still don’t have cages or other safety equipment in them.  The new ones wont either.  They don’t want to drill holes in them.

The Big Fifty.

The day spent at the range with the Big Fifty. The Bushmaster BA50 was fired all day, with only a couple breaks to let it cool down.

A whole box of empty boxes... We fired a lot of ammo.

The gun never failed, never jammed, and when the shooters did everything I coached them… they hit the targets.  One barrel at 1000 yards, the other barrel at 1100 yards. The kicker was doping the wind correctly and the wind was constantly changing.

 

Bushmaster BA50, .50 BMG Rifle.

This has become my favorite .50 BMG rifle. Okay, I know the audio cuts out… but watch.
My impression is that this is the best production .50BMG on the market. Great action, very accurate, and it’s the softest shooting .50 BMG out there. I’ve shot a number of other big fifties, and this is the softest shooting of all of them.

I like everything about this gun… save for one thing. The trigger pull is not good… But I think it’s going to be able to wear in just fine. Regardless… I think this one to buy. More accurate than an M107, softer shooting too. And it’s half the price. And you can shoot it just as fast with some practice.
Crusader Weaponry could really take one of these to the next level.

Slipstream works on Robots.

Hey guys, I have a few words to say about Slipstream.
I am an EOD technician currently working in Helmand, Afghanistan. I work with Nightcrawler actually.
Gundoc sent me a few bottles of Slipstream oil and a bottle of the Slipstream grease. After Slipstreaming every weapon and knife I could get my hands on, I decided to see what other field applications Slipstream has.
So one day as I was cleaning the gunk buildup from one of our bomb disposal robots’ arm, I decided that a new lubrication was in order. I promptly cleaned then greased every moving mechanism of the robot arm. I have to say it was a wise choice. Not only does the arm become less gunkified,(technical term) it moves smoother and overheats less. A properly working and smooth running arm is, obviously very important when you are disabling IEDs. My favorite part is that it somehow doesn’t get covered in dirt like everything else out here.
Here is a picture of it in action.

Actual Airforce Robot working an actual IED in an actual War Zone.

Once again thanks to Gundoc for sending me a wonderful product. This is another reason why I am purchasing a custom build Crusader Weaponry rifle with the full Slipstream treatment.

P.S.
I keep a running tally of things I have Slipstreamed in Afghanistan;
5 different M4’s, 3 different M9’s, 1 M240B machinegun, 1 M203 Grenade launcher opening grip, 1 “Ma Deuce” 50cal machine gun, Multiple folding knives and 2 different bomb disposal robots. Currently working with one of the Marines into letting me grease his constantly jamming MK19

The Savage Axis

The Sub-300 dollar Savage Axis has been impressing me more and more.  In just about every caliber, the reports have been overwhelmingly positive.  The only hesitation or complaints have been in the trigger.  It’s not a bad trigger by any means… it’s just not a good trigger by any means either.

Timney has fixed that.

Available in all the classic calibers, and 7mm-08.  I think in the .223, .243, and .308, are the more appealing of choices to me.  Quite honestly, this makes the cheap little Axis a very interesting rifle.  Very interesting indeed.  For a knock-around working gun, this just might be an absolute ideal platform.

Now, what scope would go good on this one?  Normally, I’d personally start out with a Nikon Monarch.  However, I want to keep this package as “affordable” as possible.  Say, something in the 200 dollar range, or even a bit less.  Nikon’s new ProStaff’s are pretty good.  But I’d also take good hard look at the Vortex Diamondback BDC scopes.  Something in a 4-12 would do quite well on this.

Let’s see… this rifle, with the Timney upgrade, and a Vortex Diamondback… You are looking at about 600 dollars total.  I think this would make for a great lightweight knockabout package.  Yes, very interesting indeed.

Edit:  The Howa 1500 Scoped Rifle Combo that usually retails for about 499 is a good deal on a good rifle.  The comparison to the Axis becomes a natural  one.  Which would be more accurate is a good question, which I can not answer. Both have proved to have very good accuracy.  So I’ll judge that to be Sixes.  The Howa package however is considerably heavier and it lacks a detachable box magazine, a feature that I favor when I have the option.  Considering that with this Timney upgrade, the Savage Axis then has the better trigger, lighter weight, detachable mag… I think the Axis is the choice to make.

The Tudors

The Tudors has become my guilty pleasure.  The HBO production is absolutely amazing in it’s depth and detail.  Very historically accurate as well.  It makes King Henry VIII seem quite sympathetic. Which is a good thing considering he is a great grandfather of mine.  Yes my family had a castle until relatively recently.  Anyways. The show is incredible. The casting and the acting is fantastic.  So is the costumes.  You can see why Henry went through so many wives.  The scenes with the actress that played Anne, that Cute nose and smirk of hers… As Spock would say, fascinating.

Pelican Lake Cafe

The Pelican Lake Cafe is located overlooking the Pelican Lake, it’s a bit out of the way but well worth the detour.  If you are traveling along Highway 40, between Roosevelt and Vernal, Utah, take a turn to the south onto highway 88 heading to Ouray and Pelican Lake.  Stay on that road for about 10 mile and you can’t miss it.

If you see this sign, pull in.

The food is Good and Plenty at a very reasonable price.  The breakfast burritos are shockingly good and the Burgers are absolutely the best in the state save for the Buffalo Burger at the Bohemian Brewery in Murray. What gives Pelican the edge though… the bun.  Its fantastic.

The mighty Pelican Burger

I sold a cool tactical shotgun to the owner and we talked about his cafe and the food there… He’s proud of his place and justly so.  Very cool guy.  Stop in, eat a burger (or his favorite, the Chicken Taco) and tell him that the Ogre sent you.

I bring this up again, because I took two of my boys there to grab a bite.  It was well worth the drive.