Long Arm Open Carry

There is a time and a place for everything. Getting a snack is neither the time or the place for packing any long arm in the current political environment in the lower 48. We’ve seen mass shootings. We’ve seen Swattings. We’ve seen all manner of mindless and or intentional evil and anything to do with an AR-15 or AK variant is exceptionally scrutinized by the media and the public at large. The left is salivating over gun control. And you taking it upon yourself to openly carry your rifle to order your Bacon Double Cheeseburger isn’t helping “The Cause”.

We all know about our Rights. We all know about the Constitution. What is very evident though, is we do not all know about Optics. And I’m not talking about optical gunsights. I’m talking about How Things Look from the Outside. Because like it or not, we are not living in an area where seeing people in civilian clothes packing long guns is a normal thing in Urban Areas. You are not helping. What you are doing is making people nervous as hell. You are not teaching them. You are not educating the public. You are actually, if anything, making everything worse.
Quick thank you to Miguel Gonzalez for getting me worked up about this.e

You see, people can not read minds. No one knows you have benign intentions. What what’s been happening, you might be working yourself up to cut loose. No one knows otherwise. But what everyone does know – is that you look like one shady dude that needs to be greeted as soon as possible by the local law. That’s all we know.

Look, there has been times when I myself have openly packing all manner of long arms. From AR’s to AK’s, to PSL’s, to Tactical Shotguns and even Sterling SMG’s. While riding motorcycles. Yes… I did that. But I was also out in the middle of nowhere in Rural Utah Flyover Country. Not in a Suburban Area where I’m going into public places and places of business and ordering up a Smoothie while Exercising my Rights to Keep and Bear. Through the majority of this country, it’s ill advised to even keep that rifle in the back window of your truck.
Hell, we had that in our High School Parking Lots when I was a kid. I used to do that myself! But even that is a poor idea most places, most times these days. As much as I hate it… America has changed. We have to be smarter. We have to be more cautious. We have to be more subtle. At the same time we have to be Ready, yes. Always. Just don’t be That Guy that draws attention to yourself for hells sake. With Red Flag laws being a thing now, you could have a co-worker that drops a dime on you and next thing you know, there’s a knock at your door and people are outside waiting to come in and search your shit and to take away all your guns. Go ahead and beat your chest and spout off your bravado. The nail that stands up is the nail that gets hammered. There is a time and a place to make your stand. Pick your battles. Read THE ART OF WAR by Sun Tzu.

Springfield Armory MC Operator

If I were in the market for another full sized, railed 1911, I’d be looking for a Springfield Armory MC Operator. Let me tell you why…

Back when I was still in the Gun Industry, a Springer Rep came with a number of guns to try out first hand. I shot the lot of them, but the one I kept coming back to was the MC Operator. It just felt awesome in the hand, was exceptionally accurate for me, and it was flawlessly reliable.

A couple years after that, I was visiting the MARSOC armory at Camp Lejeune. We were fitting holsters for their new Colt Rail Guns, that won the contract to replace the MC Operators. The Marine Operators there spoke highly of the Springers and talked about how they never had problems with them… and the new Colts were giving them fits and nightmares. This made a lasting impression on me… and here I am years later again, and the MC Operator remains just as accurate and reliable for those that I know that have them and shoot them.

There are a lot of great railed 1911’s out there on the market. But few provide the bang for the buck value that the Springfield MC Operator gives you.

2019 Buick Regal GS

Being in the auto industry, I get to examine a lot of different vehicles. And when I say a lot, I do mean all of them. And being the opinionated Ogre that I am… I have my biases. This is a personal fault of mine, and I embrace it. However, I am often delighted when I find that a company has really stepped up their game and I have to admit that I am now wrong.

Buick’s 2018-2019 Regal series is generally rather boring, being somewhere in the GM line up as an elevated Chevy, or discount Caddy. But the Regal GS package is a little different. Someone at Buick spiked the dish with a little hot sauce. Because you can have it with a V-6, and All Wheel Drive, and seats that don’t feel like they belong in a retirement home community room. This is something for the Lads… and to be honest, this is something that I am increasingly interested in, Comfortable Sedans that just happen to not be boring.

This is a Car well worth looking at. Well worth taking a test drive in. I think it’s one of the best sedan options out there, and if you are looking for an American sedan… One of the very best in an ever shrinking list. It feels more of a premium vehicle than say, a V-6 Charger… And not as pretentious as a Caddy. I really like it. One of the things I also like about it… the engine is Naturally Aspirated. I appreciate a twin turbo’s power boost, but I like the feel of an NA engine.

This car will compare well against an Audi A6, BMW 326, Genesis G70, as well as certain sedans from Lexus and Acura. So if you are looking at this segment… I think the Regal GS is well worth the consideration.