Armchair Quarterbacking: BERETTA.

I’ve not always been a fan of Beretta.  I’ll admit that.  When I was first told to turn in my 1911 to be issued an M9, I was not a happy camper, and that caused a burning hatred of the 92 series pistol that lasted for a good many years.  Two decades later and I find myself to be a rabid 92 series fanatic.  It took a long time to come around… but the gun garnered my favor the hard way.  It earned it.  Working at the gun counter for almost a 9 years, I had sold a great many Beretta products.  And I do not remember a single one that ever came back with an issue.  Say what you will about Beretta, I know they have their share of detractors out there… But I love Beretta.  But I also know they are far from perfect.  Let’s hit the high notes:

The 92FS:
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I hate to admit it, but this gun is a dinosaur.  I love mine, and I think these are the best looking automatics ever built… But the design is dated and need revision.  Oh, wait… You did revise it.  And you called it the 92A1:
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You added a rail.. which is a good… but better yet you gave it a dovetailed front sight post which was desperately needed, and you improved the internals… All of this is good, fine and well… Making this gun the best 92 you can buy.  But then you changed the trigger guard to differentiate it from the M9A1.  What I don’t understand though is why do you have these two very different pistols?  Because a holster for an M9A1 wont work with a 92A1, not even close.  I do not see the roles that these two different pistols fill.   This pistol just leaves me scratching my head.  So here’s what you need to do.   Kill the 92A1.
Wait, what?  I just said it improved everything an was the best 92 you can buy!   Yes, I did.  But it still needs to die.   Namely because it doesn’t stand out in the 92 series line.  Same with the 96A1.   I would build the 96A1 within the same frame as the M9A1, same trigger guard.  Giving the 96A1 the Civilian frame with the rounded trigger guards makes no sense.  It’s a tactical gun and needs to be better compatible with the lights.  I think this will fill that 96 nitch much better.    Now, back to the 92A1… Yes, kill it.   And fill the hole in the line up with with a reintroduction of the 90-TWO, renaming it simply as the 2092:
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This gun looks amazing, feels amazing, and shoots as good as it looks.  The reshaped safety levers are an improvement.  This gun moves the Beretta family forward.    It only failed because someone gave it a stupid name and your Marketing effort was completely lacking.
This was the stupidest name ever in the firearms industry.  It was a failure from the start.  But the pistol was awesome.  It needs  second chance.  So rename the bloody thing and bring it back.  Also, make a 2092 INOX.  And just for fun, maybe INOX slides on the blackened frames and barrels… and vice versa… because two tone guns are sexy.  There should also be a COMPACT version of the 2092 as well.

Here’s another gun that needs to make a comeback:
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The Billennium.  But instead of it being blinged out… Just make it Black and Inox.  Here’s why.  It answers the #1 Complaint that people hate on the 92 for – the Slide Mounted Safety.  The Billennium’s Frame Mounted Safety – Especially if you matched that up with the old Vertec Frame – would be a WINNER.
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You guys actually had it… and like the 90-Two… you failed to market it correctly.  In fact, I didn’t even know this thing existed.  All steel though – so it was a heavy pig.  Nice idea, bad execution.  Make THAT but with an alloy frame and your current rear sight… Beretta… I’m telling ya… WIN.    How come this hasn’t been done already?

The NEOS.  I like the pistol.  But it’s skinny grip and extreme angle is ridiculous.  Have you looked at a Ruger MKIII or Browning Buckmark?  Well look again.   Because I don’t have hands like an adolescent E.T.
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This is why I’ve never bought one.  I can’t even hold on to the thing.   However I’ve sold it to people with smaller paws than mine, and they have loved it.   Never have I sold one to a guy with bigger hands though.   Look at Ruger… They have the option of a .45 like grip frame.  Do that, but with maybe your Storm.  A Storm like grip frame.  Seriously Beretta, as much as you guys may like this thing as it is – at American Gun Counters, it turns off far more people than it impresses.

The Storm Series:
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I love the Storm Pistols.  Two things though… the Sub Compact with the tilting barrel…  Get rid of it.  It does nothing the Compact can’t do and it’s using a different action so it’s not really a sub compact version.  The SD as shown.  Where are the 9mm and .40 cal versions and where is the Compact version?  Remember when the Navy bought a lot of HK pistols recently?  They bought the compact version of the HK45, and not the full sized.  Huge handguns are good… but sometimes those Operators who operate operationally need something a bit smaller so they can conceal them.   And US Citizens like do something called EDC with guns with many of these features.   That Midsized handgun is the sweet spot, and you need to maximize that.

This Thing:
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I could write a 2,000 word report on everything wrong with this thing alone… But I don’t have time.  So I’m going to quickly outline what it needs to fix it.  It needs a major work-over.  The pyramid iron sights… Kill it.  Run a full rail across the top end to end.  Let customers use AR style irons of their choice.  No one likes these sights that doesn’t work for Beretta and have to say they do.   Extend the the body out till only an inch from the muzzle.  Thread the barrel.  Give it a thread cap.  Threads should be a common type.  Supply a flashhider/muzzle brake with it.  I like the lack of rails on the side and bottom, but put mounting hardware in there so rails can be added where needed.  The bottom of the pistol grip makes fast reloads a challenge.  Shape it like a normal pistol grip.  The Bolt Release needs to be a Safety.  On both sides, make it ambi.  Push the bolt handle out front and give it an HK style bolt catch and release.  That stock.  Get rid of it.  Put on a SCAR style Folding/Adjustable stock.  Done.  Now just rename it.  Your other rifles are the ARX series… call this one the ARX9 or ARX40 or ARX45 per caliber and you have a WINNER.   You’ll sell more than you ever had before.

I’m only going to touch on 1 shotgun.
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I want a pistol grip version and I want the feed tube to run out to the end of the barrel.   Make these options.  I also want mounting points at the front end so I can attach a short rail section to add a tactical light.  That’s it.  Simple.

Grilling While Armed

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GRILLING WHILE ARMED.  It’s a officially a thing now.  We’re on Facebook, and we’ve got the actual website coming in a few days.

We’re going to be posting Tips and Tricks and Recipes… we’ll do some video… we’re going to make you a success.  Guns and Grills… Does it get any better?

We’re going to be selling the most incredible Rub you’ve ever tasted.  This stuff is amazing.  We’ve got some different Blends for different cooks.  We’ve got shakers of Steak Season that you can throw on your steaks and burgers to put them over the top.  We’ll have other stuff too.  It’s coming.

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Check our FB Page, as we are going to give 5 lucky Grillers sample packs our our Rub, 3 different flavors.   And hopefully come Monday, the rest of you guys will be able to order it.  This stuff is made for especially for us by TexasBBQrubs.com, so if you have any doubts about how good it is – this stuff is award winning.  Seriously.  It’s been winning awards at national competitions.  You think your BBQ is good?  I’m sure it is.  This will make it better.  I could eat this stuff with a spoon out of the bag.

Edit:  I’ve deleted a couple comments about some other company’s Rub and how good it is and I should try that stuff.  Namely because I’m selling a competing product here.  And you can’t say that any other stuff is better than this stuff – if you’ve not actually tried it.  Especially if this stuff has won awards at grilling/BBQ competitions and the other stuff hasn’t but is from a popular company that specializes in a completely different industry/business.

 

Gun Peeves

There are a lot of stuff that bugs true Gunnies in TV and Movies… But the number one thing that bugs me?

1.  Pistols Akimbo
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I’m not talking about just Dual Wielding… but pointing two different guns in two different directions.   We see this in far too many otherwise decent movies.  Note to Directors:  STOP IT.  Doing this can actually ruin what could otherwise be a decent movie.   I’ve actually turned off movies I was watching when this stuff started happening.   Worst offender:

2.  Tea Cups.
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It’s one thing if James Bond does it.  He’s British and they are into Tea Cups and Saucers like no one’s business… But still.  Bond is supposed to be the consumate professional with a license not just to carry a gun, but to use it at his discretion.  I mean you wouldn’t see Jack…
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Oh come on… Jack Bauer too?  He’s killed more terrorists than a dorm full of Call of Duty players.  And he’s not even just Tea Cupping – but taking it to the extreme from of using his finger tip to brace the trigger guard.  That’s some hard core tea-cupping there.  Still… I’m looking forward to the new series of the Bam-Bam-Bauer-Power-Hour.  But this photo right here makes me wonder why.

3.  Crossed Thumbs.
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This just makes the Trainer in me get all twitchy in my right eye.  I hate seeing this.   That image is from the movie HEAT.  A movie that actually does very well in the gun handling department… until That Guy.  That Guy is supposed to be a veteran detective, a pro.  You see this all the time on TV and it grates my nerves.  But in a movie with a director like Michael Mann?  It’s distracting.  Not only that, but…

It’s going to be painful… watch the 3rd shot.  Try not to cringe.

4.  Glock Safeties and Cocking.

That was almost enough to make me stop watching The Walking Dead. But we’ve seen this in countless shows… Phantom Safety Syndrome and Ghost Cocking sounds. Why do Directors insist that they actors do something that is mechanically not possible? What are they trying to accomplish? It’s worse than the Dramatic Cocking.

5.  The Walking Dead.
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The Chickenwinging, no rear sight, laying his head down like he’s making out with it, Evil Governor.      Who also does this:
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ight Hand shouldering… to the blind eye.  Let’s just point out that this doesn’t work.

And then there is RICK.  Who can’t hold up the barrel of his Python.
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I hate Rick… almost as much as I hated his wife.  Most every episode of The Walking Dead is a parade of bad decision making and bad gun handling… The show gives me a headache every time I watch it.  It’s morbid curiosity that I keep watching.
BTW, the only guy that has his wits about him is Glenn.:
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Glenn has the sense to at least put on some body armor.  He also scored the Hot Chick as his Main Squeeze.  And for a traveling companion here, a cute chick with luscious Ta-Ta’s.   Glenn Wins.

The two most interesting new combat rifles

I remain terribly jaded about new guns and I feel like I get more and more guarded the more new and more improved something claims to be. However there are two new rifles out that have raised my critical eyebrow.
#2.  The Beretta ARX100.
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This is the third choice to the SCAR or ACR question. This is the Dodge to the Ford vs Chevy debate. It brings to the table some new concepts, while keeping within the confines of the tradition auto-rifle layout that is familiar to most American Shooters. But it does so with a wicked truly modular approach reminiscent of H&K.

#1.  The IWI TAVOR (TAR-21)
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This rifle is special.  In my opinion it’s the best new developed combat purposed arm since the AK-47.  It’s the promise of the Bullpup Rifle Concept, finally fulfilled.  And it’s been the one rifle that I’ve been wanting for over a decade now.  Now that it’s out and people have been trying it out – it’s not disappointed.  It really is that good.    It gets the #1 Position for a many of reasons.  First, it’s a Bullpup.  Which means you don’t have to SBR it to make it short and maneuverable for CQB or Vehicle purposes.  You don’t have to get it as a pistol and put on an Arm Brace to skirt the $200 Tax Stamp and months and months of waiting for the Approval to come back.  You can cross most state lines with it (Just stay away from New England) without having to ask permission or document notification or other red tape BS.   It gives you rifle length ballistics instead of SBR ballistics.  This is a huge advantage with 5.56mm.    And unlike most Bullpups, you can fire it off the left or rifle shoulder, or convert it to left or rifle as you wish.  Best yet… It’s not Vapor Ware.   I can go to two local shops and find one available.    And when I do eventually get one – I’m getting one, just a matter of timing – I’ll be able to trust it with confidence.  The Israelis have engineered this rifle extremely well… because it had to be.  While it’s still quite new in the history of small arms, it’s been proven constantly in conflicts since it’s come out.   You can buy it in different flavors… one, like the IDF’s version (but semi-auto of course) and the others with all full length Picatinny rail on top for all your Optics mounting needs.  Black or Tan, and with 16″ or 18″ barrels.   I think I’d take a black, 16″, flat-top version.