Monthly Archives: October 2015

Government

Hillary Clinton’s Testimony

9 Comments

clinton_wide_eyed_afpBecause I was in traffic much of the day that Hillary Clinton was testifying before the Benghazi Hearings… I was able to hear much of it.  First off, to give credit where credit is due – Hillary Clinton answered those questions impressively well.  She delivered her message clearly and strongly.   She’s a MASTERFUL politician.
And that’s why she is so utterly dangerous.  She was smooth and almost effortless in how she lied and misdirected.  It was an impressive performance.  I came away with a couple of things.  1.  Hillary is very good at what she does.  2.  There is no way on Earth I could trust her… not even telling the time of day.

Listening to the Talking Heads dissect her testimony has been almost as entertaining… they act so proud that they caught her in lies.  If they had listened to the questions and how Hillary either didn’t actually answer the question and misdirected, or just outright lied… they would have been able to instantly tell that she was completely full of it.  Her lips were moving.

Weapons

SIG on my Mind

10 Comments

I really wish SIG had an M-11 Legion edition.  I’ve been thinking about SIG’s more and more lately.   I sold a P229R the other day and it’s just reminded more and more how much I enjoyed shooting my 229R and how much of a mistake it was selling it.
I admit to be very smitten with the M-11 pistol  (P228) and that itch to get one is getting very… itchy.  The new 229 pistols and the M-11 are the same pistol, the M-11 just doesn’t have the frame rails.
The enhancements on the new Legion series – I really dig.  And quite frankly, I need.  I love the color of the finish, and grips are just cool.  The extra checkering, yes, I’m a fan of it.  But most importantly is the big bright front sight post.
I need that.M11-A1-D-LARGE

Any SIG 22X pistol (Any SIG model that starts with 22) is a Shooter’s Pistol.  They are exceptionally accurate and reliable, hammer fired and made of metal, the way I like it.  The double action pull on most any SIG 22X is very good.  Not too heavy, not too long for DA’s.  It’s good.  But what’s even better is the SA pull.  In Single Action mode -maybe I’m just used to them – the trigger is divine.  And the stability of any of the SIG 22X guns is incredible.  They handle the recoil, with no drama.  Sure, there’s a bit more muzzle rise during recoil than say a Glock thanks to bore axis… But the SIG’s come back on target perfectly.  And no matter what trigger package I put in a Glock, I can get better accuracy out of the SIG’s.
And I like the fact that the hammer is set up in the Rebounding configuration so manual safeties are not a bother.  You don’t need them.  Just take your finger off the trigger and/or decock… the weapon is perfectly safe.  It’s probably the only semi-auto pistol that I’d feel perfectly comfortable packing Appendix.   I trust the SIG safety more than any other semi-auto pistol out there.  I just do.

There’s a thing there… that word.  Trust.   I trust SIG.  I trust several gun brands… but SIG is probably at the very top of that list.

Weapons

Magpul’s Shotgun Stock on a Mossy 500

6 Comments

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Mossberg’s model 500 shotgun is a very simple little beast.  The one I picked up was rather lacking in that it was a Pistol Grip Only shotgun.  I was going to do something else with it, but decided to sandbag that and go a different round.  So I needed a stock for it.  After some consideration I decided to give the Magpul stock a shot, and I am really glad I did.  I almost always throw on a Butler Creek folding stock, but wanting “different” this time really paid off.
The location of the safety switch on the Mossy shotguns is on top and at the rear of the receiver.  Which makes it’s position perfect for this stock.   It’s awesome if shot from either shoulder.   If you have a Mossberg – this is the stock you need.
The grip angle looks exaggerated, but actually feels very comfortable, and the length of pull is adjustable by adding or removing the spacers.  It comes with no spacers in, making it too short for me.  So adding 2 puts it just right.  For me.  You might be different.

Automotive

Musk’s next move

16 Comments

I was just reading the latest issue of Road and Track.  Last story was that Tesla is having a bit of a crisis.

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Well no kidding.  Gas is 2 bucks a gallon and Tesla cars are hella-expensive.   I looked at one and it was the same price as our house in Utah.   While the cars are gorgeous, they are not that gorgeous and they hold curious design elements.  The car isn’t an air-breather like a traditional car.  So why does it have a traditional grill?  Why?  AC and cooling of components can be fed air from other areas.   It doesn’t need a huge intake like a Ford Fusion.  That’s one of the problems with the Tesla design… It’s a good looking car, but it looks like a regular car.  It needs to look more like something from the future… something from space.  Instead it looks like something from only 2 years ahead.

Here’s the thing.  Tesla’s marketing is all about the Elegance and Style, and the touching of the Future Tech.  When it needs to stop touching the future and get on about absolutely molesting it.  It needs to be all about the Performance.   Because the Tesla S while a high performance beast – is one freaking heavy barge.    Instead of looking at the Ford Explorer as the model to save the company… it needs to look at another model…

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Take all that E-Tech… and put it into a car like a Miata.   For two reasons.  First, there’s nothing on the road that competes with the Miata.  There’s nothing in it’s class.  A small, light, 2 seat roadster for under 30 Grand?  Name one that’s in production.  Available in the USA, smartass.  There’s nothing else in it’s class.

The second reason?   Let me tell you something.  I was leaving work and pulled out into the street behind one of the most impressive cars I’d ever want to own.  A Porsche 911 S4 Turbo.  I was taken by how small the car is if you take away those hips.   Now, the 911 has a back seat.  As long as the passengers have no legs.  And are children. Children with no legs.  Actually, it’s best to just use the back seat to carry your back pack or day pack… small book bag.  Or a wallet.    Beautiful car.  Just gorgeous.   But it’s not for the Family Guy.  It’s for the Selfish Elitist?  No… I wouldn’t say that… I’d say it’s for the automotive enthusiast.  The serious Car Guy.  And those guys will pay whatever the price it is to get that serious car.

Now, the Tesla S has the potential to be a serious car… but it’s not.  It’s too bloody heavy.  Sure it handles well, but it handles heavy.  It’s pulling too much Car.  It’s trying to stop too much car.  It’s trying to turn too much car.  There’s just too much car.   Yes, there’s a lot of weight in batteries – we all know that. Batteries are heavy.  But the Teslas also have a lot of weight in regular car stuff that doesn’t have to be there.  Take out all the drive components and other things required for the S to be a functional vehicle.  What you have left over needs to be minimized.

To do that, there needs to be a new model… The “Tesla R” perhaps. Look at that Mazda Miata and DO THAT.

Forget the 15 inch touch screen inside.  The serious Car Guy doesn’t need that.  Take the super plush seats out.  Throw in some Recaros or a type of seat similar to a Recaro that costs less.   Take away everything that the Serious Car Guy doesn’t need.  Take away everything that makes it expensive.    Strip it down to the bare essence of what makes a pure sports car.    It should be less than 40 Grand.

Tesla – You do that.  You will sell everything you can crank out.

Weapons

CZ Scorpion EVO 3

Gallery 6 Comments

12088322_10206672771871363_6133863789900828887_n   Having a chance to play with a number of these new SMG type pistols… I keep coming back to the Scorpion.

It’s a simple firearm.  A good looking firearm.  And one that feels good and runs better.  It’s not perfect… but it’s close.  There are some things I’d change about it.  Such as that grip.  And I’d make the rail sections removable on the sides.    But really those are just Nit-Pick items.  The gun is solid.  The gun is good to go.  It begs to be SBR’d and if you want an EVO, just factor in that 200 dollar tax stamp.  Because you are going to want it. 12096135_10206672771551355_4257334043752774689_n

It’s just cool looking.  It looks like a modern SMG, and not a 1950’s hold over.  It looks like something that would make the head honchos at HK slam fists into tables.  I need one of these.  The next gun I’m going to get is probably going to be a KSG… But after the KSG, it’s going to be an EVO 3.  12106887_10206672771991366_2362461247993396905_n

The ergos on the CZ are not as nice as the SIG MPX, but are very good for an SMG if you are used to SMG’s.  The HK Slap works well here, and is a welcome feature.  As is the mag release.

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I know a lot of guys are digging the Kriss or the SIG… and both are great.  Both have strong reasons to consider them.  The SIG because of the familiarity.  If you can run an AR – you can run an MPX.  The Kriss, as weird as it is – and it is really weird – is running common Glock 21 magazines.   That’s an advantage.    But the CZ, for me, just nails it… Hitting all the points I want in this type of firearm.  And it’s the least expensive of the three.

Weapons

XD MOD.2 SERVICE

7 Comments

20151005_142305The XD MOD.2 Service.  A new XD I could actually own.

This is the best rework of the XD series Springfield has.  I like this better than the XDM.  The new MOD.2 is shaped right.  It fills the hand without being too large and is just grippy enough to be be grippy without being abrasive.  The regular XD’s and XDM’s feel slick in my hands… .and for that reason I just don’t take to them.   20151005_142251Had this been the design back before I got my Glock 23 – I think I could have been very likely to have selected one of these.  Now look at the Slide and Frame contours… You know what?  The XD isn’t ugly anymore.  It’s grown into quite the handsome figure.  I like the slide serrations.  They did a great job.
There’s just one problem.
20151005_142243“GRIP ZONE”?  Seriously?  Where’s the “SLIDE ZONE” markings?  Captain Obvious needs to stay out of the Design Room at Springfield and maybe take a holiday to eastern Syria.  GRIP ZONE… Who approved that?  Who did that?  Who is responsible for GRIP ZONE?  If you know who that guy is… Mark his face with a Sharpie “SLAP ZONE”.  Please.
Other than that… Home Run, Springfield.  Home Run!  I’ll be waiting for and 3.8 Compact Mod.2 in the XDM series…  But this is tempting. as it is.  Very well done, Springfield… Bravo!

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Weapons

Armchair Quarterbacking: FNH Part 3, the Rifles

8 Comments

The 3rd and Final segment of Armchair Quarterbacking on FNH.  Part 1, I went through the pistols.  Part 2 was Shotguns, and now we’re on the Rifles.  I will not AQ on the Less Lethal, Machine Guns, and other things FNH produces, because they are not the normal fodder for the American Gun Owner.
So, let’s start out by opening your 2015 FNH Catalog to page 30…

The SPR rifles.

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Out of the 3 variants of the SPR, only one has a threaded barrel with a thread protector.   Each variant of SPR should have a TB as standard fare.  More rifles need to be Suppressor Friendly as Suppressors are becoming more common and ever more popular.  Or just for the easy addition of any number of muzzle devices.  Use a common threading profile and you’ll be golden.  This might add a few bucks to each gun, but it’s worth it.
All SPR rifles are simply .308 Bolt Action rifles… but none of them are simple rifles.  You have a variety of 3 different SPR’s, but pretty much they all look the same.  The A5M does have a Fluted TB Barrel and a detachable box magazine, but honestly, its still not distinctive.
Where’s a version with a  wood stock?  A nice simple laminated wood stock would go a long way.    And would it be a bad thing to offer some Iron Sights on that wood stocked version?   As a Dealer, rifles with Iron Sights are still popular.  The Ruger Gunsight Scout is an example.  The new Canadian C-19 is another.  Some people still like that.  I’m one of those people.
Now let’s talk caliber.  .308 is a solid option but a lot of guys, especially out west, are looking at 6.5 Creedmore rifles for precision long range shooting.   Which means they are not looking at FNH rifles.

The FNAR.  

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Yeah, I know it’s FN’s version of the Browning BAR, so I get the naming convention you are using… but behind the Gun Counter, we’ve got customers that look at that and pronounce it like a “Funaarrhh”.  Sounds like a dinner special in a Fantasy Cafe.  Roast Fnar Sandwiches on special!  This is just not good.  A name is important.

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The FNAR is an outstanding rifle… and 4 years ago or so, I got to spend some time behind the trigger on one.  Running from 100 to 1000 yards with the FNAR was a lot of fun.  But now you only offer the Competition version.  In your new Pro Shop, I saw several… and the FNAR is just as good as I remember them to be.  But it has a wart on it’s nose.  Why does it need a rail section out on the muzzle?   It doesn’t.  Anything you hang on it would just alter the barrel harmonics… so don’t.  Don’t put anything on the muzzle.  I understand you want to make it different from a Browning BAR, I get that.  So how about a pair of Sling Swivel Studs like you put on the SPR rifles?  And how about we throw a TB on there as well, for good measure.  I think those two features would be more well received than a rail section, and still keep the FNAR distinct from a BAR.

Was there any thought to a FNAR Magnum?  Say, a .300 Win Mag version that sported maybe a nice muzzle brake?    Or a .300 WSM version?  Magnums are becoming popular with the longer range crowds.    Speaking of Magnums… an SPR Magnum would go a long way.  (No, I’m not talking about the Ballista here… not yet.  I’m talking about a more traditional rifle type, not a chassis type rifle.  Savage has built a nice rep for long range shooting with their magnum tactical styled rifles.   Where is FNH on this?  Nowhere?  Why not?  Seriously.    FNH is losing ground here.  You have a nice little section of .308’s but everyone building rifles are building .308’s and many of them are using the same stocks or similar.  You really need to set these guns apart instead of being a Me Too Maker here.

The Ballista.  

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Okay, now I’m talking about the Ballista.  Actually, no, I’m not. Because I’ve never handled one in person, never shot one, so I’m not going to remark on it.  But it looks freaking awesome and over the top.  I love that.  I want one.  I’ll take mine in .300 Win Mag.  Thanks.

FN15 series.
Okay, you have a lot of great AR rifles here and the DMR edition gives me AR-Lust.  Which is something I’ve not felt in a very long time.    I don’t have much to say on these, other than you guys are missing a few popular configurations.
You have no SBR’s and no PDW versions.  There’s no FN Honey Badgers.  Or just an SBR Upper that people could order from you after getting their SBR Paperwork approved.  I know it’s not a huge market, but it’s there and the guys buying SBR’s might want an option with Cold Hammer Forged Quality.   And maybe I missed it, but no .300 Blackout?
I’d also like to a version of an FN15 that has the free floating hand guards going out to the barrel threads.

SCARS.

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They are perfect and beautiful.  I’ve nothing to suggest on them… Okay, well… just one thing though… Where’s an OD Green version?  Black and Tan is great for Cities and Deserts… But what about the woods around South Carolina?  Awful green around here.  And around other potential conflict zones.  OD Green will one day be the new Desert Tan.   Think about it.

PS90.

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I’d already have one… if it was in a different caliber.  I wish I had a dollar for every time I heard someone at the Gun Counter say “If this was a 9mm, I’d buy two.”  Yeah, 9mm would be cool, but it might cause problems with that magazine pattern and short cartridges.  Maybe a longer one would work as advertised… like say… 10mm.  If there was a “PS10” in 10mm… I kid you not I’d buy 2 for me and 1 for each of my 6 Sons.
The only other thing I’d like to see in the PS90’s… No… That’s it.  I want a 10mm version.  Thanks.
Okay, no.  That’s not it.  Because there is something about the PS90 that irritates me.  The really weird grip angles.  Yeah, I see what you guys were trying to do, but to be honest – and if you were honest with yourselves, you’d agree with me – the round grips just make the gun awkward and uncomfortable and unnatural to use.  Give us a version that has a regular Pistol Grip on it.  Magpul-PTS-Personal-Defense-Rifle-PDR-PDW-News-Update-Pyramyd-Airsoft-Blog-Tom-Harris-Media-Tominator

Like that.  But without the bridge between grip and magwell.
BTW – Speaking of that.  Buy that and Build That.  Please SOMEONE DO THAT!  Someone that’s not Remington.

Back to the PS90… Stretch out the Chasis a bit and put an AFG or VFG on it like a normal PDW.  Now, don’t think that this would take away from the unique nature of the gun… Because you would still have that.  But for all those guys that have been turned off by the cramped ergos – you would pick up a lot of sales with a more traditional layout on that chassis.

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Maybe something more like that…  but not quite so far out.  Delete the bagel forgrip and push a VFG out a few more inches and that would be awesome, especially if that was in 10mm.   You could do this and still keep parts compatibility.  Same trigger.  Just different grips and a bit more space between them.   With a civilian 16″ requirement, there’s plenty of room to work with here.

Automotive

Why Car Magazines are fading…

5 Comments

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Car and Driver, Road & Track, Motor Trend… They seem to be fading out.   Motor Trend as a brand is doing the best, thanks to the YouTube video efforting… but I’m talking about the pulp magazine articles.
The latest issue of Car and Driver had a head to head comparo between the Toyota Taco and Chevy Colorado.  With the outrageously imaginative idea to drive the two trucks from Tacoma Washing to Colorado.  Whoever had that idea – demote them to Spell Checker.  Because that’s just… not even trying.

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But what’s worse about that idea, is that they missed the opportunity.  They didn’t write about the Journey.  If you take a long road trip like that – tell the story of the road trip and then talk about each truck helped or hindered that trip.  Instead they just made it a long linear road test that’s about as interesting as watching the gauges on an emissions test.   Tell a story and work the review into it.
Most articles I’ve been reading have been like this.  Again, Motor Trend seems to be doing the best job of Creative Non-Fiction.
But Car and Driver and Road & Track are just boring to read and disappointing.  Good photography though.

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Between the two trucks though… The Toyota has had some slight upgrades but is still very outdated inside.  It wins on the outside though, hands down.  It has the right stance… some ground clearance and can handle bigger tires.  The Colorado is just the opposite.  It’s great inside the cab, and while handsome on the outside, it pretty much just an Equinox with a pickup bed.  It needs more ground clearance and tires better suited for all terrain work.  But then again, Chevy is just playing to the truck’s strengths – it’s a street truck. Chevy knows that.  So Chevy isn’t even trying.   But it needs to.

Toyota’s small work-truck reputation is built on being able to go anywhere and do just about anything.  World wide.  Chevy needs to build that reputation.
And how is it going to do that?
It needs the Automotive Press to push that narrative.  Chevy needs to make a version that looks like it’s a tough SpecOps Warfighter that eats rocks and spits gravel.   Then Chevy needs Auto-Writers who have no damns to give, and will take these trucks on some Orc-Hunting Adventures.   Write about that and write about how the Colorado tanked through it all like it just didn’t care and would rather be on top of some summit.  And they need to take that Colorado, maybe a couple Colorados… and go Everywhere.  Do All kinds of crazy stuff.  Write about the Journey.  The Adventure.  And how those trucks got them through.    Write about it.  Video it.  The Long Way Around Style – with Midsized Trucks.  Look what The Long Way Around did for BMW Motorcycles.  You can’t have any conversation about Adventure Bikes without talking about BMW Motorcycles.  Chevy needs to get that Reputation by getting out there and DOING IT.
Car and Driver is not going to give you that kind of article.  Road & Track is certainly not going to give you that kind of article.
Maybe Motor Trend can.  Maybe.

Weapons

The DurP-12

15 Comments


No thanks. A 10 Pound Shotgun, with a Safety that can’t go back on if only one barrel is fired, and has two barrels regulated like Marty Feldman’s eye balls. Maybe it’s well made, like LV says. But maybe it’s not well made enough and needs a little more Well Made to get it right. Even if it was flawless… 10 pounds. It’s also huge and bulky and I don’t see the need for a double barrel pump. This is less Serious Use Shotgun and more Novelty “because we can” Shotgun.

I’d rather have a KSG than this. Heck, I’d rather have a UTAS UTS-12 than this. And of course, I’d rather have a good old 870 than this.

This Speed test. Firing only enough rounds to make it look like it has a serious advantage over the 870? Laughable. Instead of testing which shoots X # rounds faster – so the Durp-12 doesn’t have to reload – how about a test where the Guns are fired until empty, fully reloaded and fired again. Let’s see that test. Because the number of rounds in the gun is only temporary. All guns will run dry.

And those Angled shots?   Not much of an angle from the looks of it.  Slightly up and slightly down?  Not much of a test.  Larry Vicker’s “Tests” seem to lose credibility every time.  

His camera crew though, freaking bananas on those slow mo’s. But it’s almost becoming too much. They are over doing it. And no matter how cool it looks – LV doesn’t need to talk so much giving a SITREP for every new shooting position… judas priest the man talks too much!  He’s going to give Nutinfancy a run for his mouth money. Maybe Nutinfancy needs to do more Slow-Mo. Anyways, back to the Durp-12…

You can aim POA-POI on one barrel and then you have to hold completely different for the other barrel at 100 yards. That’s a fail. It just is. ESPECIALLY since you can’t put the weapon on safe with just 1 barrel fired. FAIL FAIL FAIL! That’s just unsafe.
No… I don’t like the Durp-12. LV can keep it.