Disappointed in the PPS M2

04/28/2016 MadOgre 6 Comments

One thing I’ve come to expect from Walther – Excellent Triggers. The PPQ, P99, PPX, and the original PPS all have triggers that go from Excellent to Fantastic. The PPQ is well known for being The Best out of the box trigger of any Striker – even better than the VP9.
Now the this gun here… the PPS M2… I was really looking forward to getting my hands on one. Because I am one of those weird guys that actually liked the original PPS. So I was hoping that this would be the same gun as the original, but with some ergonomic enhancements. This is not the case. This is a completely different gun. The new PPS looks great. This is a good looking gun. And for a Sub-Compact Single Stack – it even feels good. If you like a Shield, you’ll probably love the PPS M2.
And then I tried the trigger.

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My All Time Favorite Bad Guys:

04/27/2016 MadOgre 21 Comments

You can’t have a Hero without a great villain. Your Protagonist needs an awesome Antagonist if he or she is going to be awesome. I like a good Bad Guy. Someone that really leaves a mark. Here’s a short list of my all time favorite bad guys.

Bill Cutting “The Butcher” – Gangs of New York.

What makes Bill the Butcher so awesome is his grand sense of patriotism and American Exceptionalism… in the form of himself as the most Exceptional American. America is Great, because He is American… and he’s going to keep it that way. His City. His State. His Nation. We’re just living in it. And he’s got a great sense of style… And honestly, who else other than Slash can pull off a Top Hat like that? And that Mustache is Ultra Boss.

Hans Gruber – Die Hard.

Hans is cold and calculating… He’s planned things out. He knows what’s going to happen and how it’s going to happen. This gives him confidence in his success, and when he needs to, he changes his accent and character so he can reposition. Very smooth, Hans. His team is well trained, well skilled, and well equipped… and he personally carries an HK P7… Good Taste. Great taste. Hans has his own sense of style that no one else can really replicate.

Roy Batty – Blade Runner

Roy’s goals are simple and pure… He just wants to live longer. He’s strong. Powerfully built. And smart. He is brutal when it comes to getting what he wants, and enjoys toying with the good guys. And like The Terminator – He will not stop. What makes him so bad? He smiles. He makes jokes. And then he kills you, brutally, painfully… because he likes too. That’s what makes him scary. He doesn’t even know it… but he likes hurting and killing. In his own, childlike and almost innocent way. His backstory alone would make an epic movie.

Archibald Cunningham – Rob Roy

You really get to hate Archibald. He is evil in a most unique way… And aristocratic fop who is all about whoring and drinking and spending money, and taking advantage over everyone around him… and he’s very very good with a sword. You Really Get To Hate him. In fact, you hate him so much – it takes you time to get over seeing Tim Roth in other roles because the knee-jerk reaction is to hate those characters too. He is unforgettable, and unforgivable… and he has one of the best deaths in film history.

The Sheriff of Nottingham – Robin Hood Prince of Thieves

Robin Hood is an old story told many times in film and in literature… but if you do a Google Image Search – there is only one Sheriff of Nottingham, and that’s the one played by Alan Rickman. Yes, the same Hans Gruber Alan Rickman. He’s the only Sheriff that not only cancelled Christmas, but also ordered a one wench to his bedchambers, and then ordered another one to come an hour later… and to bring a friend. You can argue who did the best Robin Hood – but no one…. No One…. Can touch The Sheriff of Nottingham.

Handsome Jack – Borderlands 2

Handsome Jack might not be well known… But he’s my #1 favorite Bad Guy. He’s funny. He goes about everything he does with a sense of humor only matched by his sense of self entitlement. He didn’t start out that way though… He started out as a hero. But that’s another story… We first meet Jack in the video game “Borderlands 2” where he mocks you and taunts you – constantly – and hilariously. And he has a diamond pony named after you… “Butt Stallion”.

Weapons

The HCAR head scratcher.

04/23/2016 MadOgre 9 Comments

I want to like the HCAR. I took a look at one earlier today and first reaction is hey, this is cool. But then I got thinking about it, and things started to bug me.
Don’t get me wrong… I’m a fan of the Browning BAR. It’s awesome American History, and I’d LOVE to own one of Semi-Autos. But to modernize the BAR and make it something different just doesn’t do anything for me… and really it kinda irritates me.
It’s an expensive gun. And if you wanted something firing a .30 cal projectile, and save a little money, and get what is going to ultimately be a better rifle for the application of tactics… a SCAR 17.
“Oh but, Ogre, these are .30-06’s!”
Uh huh… So? Can you still buy cases of cheap .30-06 ammo? Not really. Which means you are going to be buying them in little boxes of 20 like regular hunting cartridges, and most likely paying a premium for them now.
The difference between .30-06 and .308, outside of case dimensions… is about only about 100 FPS. Let’s grab two comparable loads from Hornady.
Here’s the .308. And here’s the .30-06 loaded with the same bullet.
The difference is negligible. Feel free to go through Hornady’s online catalog and compare rounds with the same bullets and see for yourself.
Anything you shoot with them, aint feeling the difference. The .30-06 is not giving you any practical advantage that you could utilize in a tactical situation. In fact, it’s going to be a disadvantage because with the .30-06 you are dealing with a longer case, requiring a longer box magazine, which means more bulk in your kit, which means maybe you can’t carry as many mags. Small difference in length could mean big difference in load out. Maybe. Say… Does anyone make a chest rig that can carry .30-06 magazines? Molly Pouches? Huh.
If I want the nostalgia of packing a BAR – oh and I do – I’d pack the classic version.

Now what these cats should do if they want to take the BAR and make it “Tactical”. Make it “Retro Tactical”. Ahem… allow me to fire up my awesome Photoshop Skills… and… Presto!

Here you go… A BAR Carbine. Recognizable as a BAR, but in a handier format for tactical applications… Lighter, Usable, and Classic Cool. And if they wanted to really make it handier – make it in .308.
THAT is what the HCAR should be. Not that Tan Pistol-Gripped, AR stocked monstrosity. EDIT: Thanks to Leon for reminding me! I just re-invented the Colt Monitor.
That’s what they should be making… Colt Monitor Replicas.

Weapons

PSA’s KS-47 has impressed me.

04/15/2016 MadOgre 25 Comments

Normally I’m ambivalent to Palmetto State Armory. I know who they are and what they are about and I’ve just never really been impressed with them. That changed today. Take a look at the KS-47 Hybrid. It’s an AR that is chambered for 7.62x39mm and runs AK type mags.

Yes, this is something that’s been done before. But this is now something that is done well. And it’s from PSA. This is coming from PSA for about 850 Retail, with free-floating keymod handguards, a wide mag release that can be used with your trigger finger, right or left handed, or you can to the AK Mag Snap move.

You can swap the furniture out with any common AR swag you want. I’d put an Ergo grip on it and a Battlelink minimalist stock. A set of Magpul Pro sights… and a Battlecomp muzzle break. Done.
This gun is well made. Tight fitting between the upper and lower, and it’s well thought out. The parts are all fit well. Nothing is sloppy and nothing feels cheap or poorly done. It’s solid. It’s a solid rifle.
I’m truly impressed.
PSA – You done well.
I am strongly considering trading something in on this. No, I’ve not shot it. It’s a new gun and we don’t shoot new guns at the store. But I really want to. Really bad. I could trade something for this. I really could. Maybe I will.

Weapons

FN M249 SAW

04/11/2016 MadOgre 10 Comments

FN has done something completely awesome. They have made available the M249 SAW for Civilian sales. That’s right, you can buy and have an M249 SAW. And I got a chance to play with one.

You might be asking – “How?” Because it’s SEMI AUTO. This is, according to the Law, a 5.56mm Rifle. It is NOT a machine gun. It will only fire once per trigger pull. Now you are probably asking “Why?”

Because a lot of Americans have served their nation and have used the M249 SAW during that service. Those of us who have used it, we all loved it. It’s accurate. It’s easy to work with and lighter compared to other weapon systems… such as “The Hog”, M-60.

All these guys and gall want to have something they used… that’s an American Tradition with Veterans. Well, with vets around the world, really. There’s a lot of guys that like to have a good Collection of weapons for various reasons, History being one of them. And the SAW has been a big part of American History for the last 25 years now? How long? Well, now anyone that really wants one can get one.
Now you are going to ask “How Much?” Well, this is one of those, if you have to ask, you can’t afford it sort of things. There are a great many brand new motorcycles on showroom floors that are priced the same or less. They are almost 10 Large. Not cheap, no… But its there and you can get it if you have the means.

Mad Ogre

Monthly Archives: April 2016

Disappointed in the PPS M2

My All Time Favorite Bad Guys:

The HCAR head scratcher.

PSA’s KS-47 has impressed me.

FN M249 SAW

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