Tired of Tantos.

06/07/2015 MadOgre 20 Comments

I’m tired of Tantos. Once again the Tanto Rage is in full swing and all the new blades I’ve been seeing… the ones other guys are all “Look at this” all about… They are all Tantos. The Tanto design is completely over rated. While it has it’s Pro’s, I’ve found over time that the Cons are out-weighting them. I’m not going to go into a Nut’n Fancy detailed breakdown of all the points and elements. These should be apparent to you… you’re a big boy and Google is your friend.

I use my knives a lot. My “Tactical” knives – most guys keep them well oiled and unused in their “Kit”. Totally razor sharp. In case of Zombies, or a call from SECDEF requesting the use of their particular sets of skills. I’m not that guy anymore. So all my throat slitting, 4/5 rib punchers get used for other things. Like what they are designed to actually do – cut things. Not “Testing” by chopping tree limbs, bending the blade sideways or all the other “Torture” tests people do. No, I used them to cut things. Like food. My Combat Bowie? That’s become my favorite BBQ knife. I don’t care if a blade is forged by Hephaestus himself out of meteorite and the souls of fallen Samurai. It’s pulling KP over here. It’s going to open packages. It’s going to slice sheets of vinyl. It’s going to do the every day menial tasks that is of the peasant class, not the warrior class.

I’ve found that Tanto knives are cool looking, but they don’t like to really work. For the most part, much of the cutting ends up happening at the point of the blade where there should be a wide curve. Instead there is a sharp angle. This is an exaggeration of the original design and is a modern invention from fantasy. And it puts all the cutting in real world use at that point. Which will dull easily and quickly regardless of how elite the steel is. Now, I’m not talking about swords or sword length blades. I’m talking about knives. One handed, and generally under 18 inches of blade length.

I feel no sense of history or belonging with a Tanto. It’s not culturally connected to my heritage. Of course, the blade that does connect with me culturally is of little actual field use either… but I know it’s a part of my family history in early times before they came to America. These are actually good for deboning and slicing baked goods. But that’s not entirely the point either. When I pick up a Tanto, there is no connection to my past in any way. They feel hollow to me these days. There is no feeling patriotism. I have one tanto bladed knife left. It was a gift from friends… I will never part with it. All my other Tantos have been given away or just lost and I’ve not bothered searching for them.

My favorite blade, that touches on my American Heritage, and makes me feel that sense of “this belongs here”… are the Bowie Knives.

Bowies can be big and beautiful. They can be elegant and refined. They speak of our Frontier History as a razor sharp national icon. The Bowie is as American as the 1911 pistol and a Harley Davidson motorcycle. The actual history of the Bowie has some questions as to the design. The first Bowie Knife designed by Jim Bowie, carried and used famously by Jim Bowie… we don’t know what that knife looks like. Or the actual size. It was just reported to be a big freaking knife. But the modern style of what we call a Bowie fills the void of details just fine. The style is unique in a large blade, and translates well into smaller blades. It’s beautiful and it’s effective… and best yet it actually works.

Now, I’m not about high polished elegance and all that. I like working blades. Just like my guns. They need to speak of their use and capability. They need to tell you just by their appearance that they will do horrible things to you. They need to tell you to be careful with them… and that they don’t care if they have to hurt. That’s a real Bowie to me. One of my favorites that says all that is from ZOMBIE TOOLS. These guys got the Bowie just right. And added some serious DGAF attitude.

I think that’s probably the #1 thing that Tantos just don’t have. Attitude. They don’t don’t have that machismo. CHARACTER. The most interesting man in the world wouldn’t carry or use a Tanto. Most importantly… a Tanto is unfit for use in preparing and serving BBQ and spending the day Grilling.

Go get yourself a damn Bowie Knife.

Weapons

HK Love

05/29/2015 MadOgre 16 Comments

The HK USP. It came out in 1993, and when I first saw it in 1994, I bought it on the spot. It was a .40 caliber. Big, mean looking, but it shot very good. The gun became very popular, even making the cover of “Rainbow Six”. I loved it. HK loved it too, as it really brought them into the US Handgun Market. Since 1993, there have been many variations, and evolutions. But what made the USP so good, and why is it still a good option today?

HK went all the way with the USP. They used features that American Shooters like… Frame mounted safety that has Up for Safe and Down to Fire, just like a 1911. A 1911 grip angle is also there. Wide, easy to use control levers. If this gun was a car, it would be a full sized Mercedes… big, comfortable, powerful, easy to drive and with a lot of options. Some variants also have a down to decock feature, or a Decock Only, depending on what the shooter wants or is used to. These options made a big difference. Also, the full size slide and oversized trigger guard that make operation with Gloved hands much easier. Aggressive but not uncomfortable texturing on the grip frame… the USP has it all. And it does it all in a package that is well balanced, accurate and great shooting. Outside of Military and Law Enforcement items – the USP was HK’s first real Home Run in the US. And it still is.

I’m just going to leave this here.

You can drool on this hot gun porn.

Now clean your gun… slowly…

Automotive

Sorry the Posts have been few and far between.

05/25/2015 MadOgre 7 Comments

Point Blank Range had their Grand Opening Week last week. From May 16th to the 24th. This went along with NASCAR’s RACE WEEK, which is a huge Broohaha in Charlotte, NC.

One of the things I did was to get Harley Davidson of Charlotte to come out – and they did! They know I’ve been wanting a new bike, and they brought them. Each of the ones I’ve been wanting.

One is a nice little Sportster Forty Eight. Mini Ape Hangers (Which I am not all that fond of – but the riding position actually feels good), great aftermarket seat, Vance & Hines pipes and a Screaming Eagle Intake. All tuned to run together nicely. I like the Sportsters, and especially the Forty Eight model. I will have one eventually. As much as I love the look of them, that 2.1 gallon tank is limiting. If I was to have just one bike – I don’t know if I could live day to day with only a 2.1. I need a tank that LOOKS like that one, but holds 3, or 3.5 gallons. That would be perfect.

Then there’s the Fat Bob. In “Sand Camo Denim” I don’t get Harley’s name for the paint, but it’s a flat desert tan. I really dig the twin headlights. If I got the Sportster – I’d want to put lights like these on it. In LED. If possible. But I love the look. Reminds me of a vintage WWII bike, with some modern touches. I’d name the bike “Rommel” and put Afrika Korps emblems on it. I think these bikes are badass… and they ride very well. Very balanced and planted. The most Stable bike I think I’ve ever ridden.

Yeah, I have to post a second photo of this one. Love it. Just love it.
But then there is this one… The Breakout…

This image doesn’t do it justice. The red paint is just gorgeous. As is that huge fat rear tire. “Dat Ass”! The Breakout is a dream bike.

I was going to probably trade in my car on that Fat Bob… the Wife said “Do what you want”. And then I go to do it – she’s all “No, don’t.”

I love my car, it’s very nice, but I need something that feels alive and a part of me. Something with muscle.

Still looking…

Gear, Training

The Lead Trojan Horse.

05/25/2015 MadOgre 8 Comments

Lead contamination is dangerous situation that we shooters all worry about – or should be worried about! I work at an indoor range. We go to great pains to make sure that exposure to lead is as minimal as possible. Every day we clean each range bay, and we use state of the art HVAC and air filtration systems to keep the air clean. Not just to make the range comfortable, but to keep everyone safe as they enjoy their experience.
Lead particles can get everywhere. In your hair, your clothes, all over your guns, and all over your hands. We always encourage our patrons, guests, and friends to wash their hands after shooting. But there is one area that gets neglected, that we don’t think about.
Our Range Bags.
Think about it. It’s right there on the firing line with us. We go into the bag all the time for ammo and magazines… and it’s catching some of everything we throw down range. Powder and Powder Residue, Brass at times… and lead particles.
As dirty as your hands can get, you grab that range bag. Then, you go and wash your hands, and then you grab your range bag again to take it to the car. At home, you wash your clothing, shower, and then you grab your range bag. Your hands could be getting contaminated with lead even before you shoot for the day.
Let me ask you this; when was the last time you cleaned your range bag? You don’t have to answer that. I’ll be honest. I don’t think I’ve ever cleaned my range bag! How much lead have I been bringing into my home?
Make cleaning your range bag a part of your shooting schedule.

Weapons

Glock’s dominance

05/17/2015 MadOgre 34 Comments

Police One put out an interesting survey. “What do you think of your Police Sidearm?”

Glock’s dominance in the LEO market is epic. Over 68% of the market is staggering. But that’s actually not that surprising to me.
What is, well, not so surprising, but disappointing… is the complete falling of SIG and Beretta. 22.6% and 8.5% respectively. As bad as that is… is the results of the question “What would you like to carry?” Those numbers being only 21.3% and 4.6%.

This very clearly tells us that the time of metal framed guns fired with hammers is going the way of the Flint Lock. This saddens me. I prefer the metal-hammer guns over poly-striker guns. The feel, the weight, the superior single action pull… and that I can pull more accuracy out of a hammer fired gun.

j6k1g7 — As unpopular as Cream of Wheat.

What saddens me the most about this though – is that it tells me that Law Enforcement is no longer a Profession of Shootists. Like the FBI, Municipal Law Enforcement isn’t a Gun Culture anymore. They no longer want fine guns of refinement and craftsmanship… they only want Shooting Appliances. They want guns – and this is the secret to Glock’s success – that are simplified down to the lowest common denominator. Yes, I’ll say it.

Glock is the Common Core of handguns.

Most LE Agencies are not hiring shooters anymore. They want guys with education in Psychology and Human Development… They want Councilors. We saw this trend starting 20 years ago. I think this is why we see so many questionable police shootings… so many cops shooting dogs. I think a lot of these COP 2.0 guys may be power tripping… because the guys that come from the Gun Culture don’t get worked up or feel the need to power trip and flex their authority so much as these C2.0 guys and gals.

Huh… Oddly enough, all my LEO friends are from the Classic Old School variety. Good Cops that use Common Sense before using Ego. Damn good Cops. Many of them carry Glocks, because of Policy, not by choice. Some choose the Glocks… and that’s fine. They can’t shoot that well anyways. (j/k)

The Sidearms used by the most astute of shooting professionals remain hammer fired, metal framed guns. The US Navy SEALs, I must point out – having the freedom of using anything they want, use SIG 226’s. I don’t know any single group that personifies a Gun Culture more than the SEALS. They take Pistol Craft more seriously than any other group… with US Air Marshals being a close second. And they want that SIG. They want a stable shooting platform with as much accuracy as you can have in a Semi-Auto handgun.

In the Consumer Market – sales of SIG’s and Beretta’s are down. Regardless of quality, and regardless of special offers and marketing efforts, you just can’t sell them like you used to. The first choice is Glock… followed by the S&W M&P and the Springfield XDM series guns.

I’m not counting 1911’s – that is a market unique to it’s own, and I’ll talk about that in more detail at another time.

For me – I will remain a fan of the SIG’s and the Beretta’s. I prefer the triggers. I prefer the safeties. Now, if you are going to go Glock – get a new trigger system from Lone Wolf. Get some new sights from Lone Wolf. And you can make the most out of that Glock, if that’s what you prefer or have to live with. And I do appreciate the Glock for what it is… and do like them with LWD triggers. But given my druthers, I’ll take my Beretta over any Glock.

Oddly enough, the guns I want the most are all metal framed, hammer guns of the Revolving variety. With only a couple automatics. A SIG M11A1 is one the autos. The other are Browning/FN Hi-Powers and a SIG P210. But my beard is grey and I don’t like the music these kids listen to these days. Oh… and get off my lawn.

Weapons

Probably still my #1 Favorite Firearm.

05/08/2015 MadOgre 16 Comments

Weapons

Beretta Px4 Storm .45

05/01/2015 MadOgre 3 Comments

I like this gun. It felt very good in my hands, shot very accurately… Much closer to point of aim, point of impact for me… just ran “Good“.

Good isn’t really the right word… Freaking Awesome is about right. It felt freaking awesome. I know the Storm isn’t a SIG or a 1911… But it’s a wonderful shooting gun. 10 rounds in the mag isn’t all that impressive, but the mag is smooth and easy to load and feels like its a higher quality piece than most other mags.
I don’t mind the Beretta Safety. I even like it. I don’t mind the DA/SA trigger. I even like it. I don’t mind the funky action – I really like it. I’m weird that way. But when you have a .45 that shoots like it’s launching Nerfs instead of 230 grain slugs… that’s something. When you have a gun that puts the first 5 rounds into the same bloody hole, right where you wanted it to go – That’s awesome. I know this group doesn’t look like its really all that much better than the Glock 30s’s group. But the gun felt like I had much more control, and that I was placing my shots better…. It felt like that. I knew where the bullet was going to go before I looked at the target. I could call the shots with it. Normally I can only really do that with a 220 or 1911… but I could with the Storm.
Now, the Storm is not up there like a SIG P220 is, or a nice 1911 is… But it’s right up there, real close. I like this gun. A lot.
The trigger pull could use some work. It’s not all that smooth on the example I fired. Which was a Range Rental Gun, that I think I was the first guy to try it out.

Five Stars, Beretta. Five bloody Stars!

Government

Glock 30s

05/01/2015 MadOgre 3 Comments

There was a time… 2013, where the Glock 30s was the object of my desire. Having spent some quality time with one… I’m not all that hot to trot for it anymore.

At 30 feet, that’s a respectable group. But I just feel… “Meh” about it. Not that there was anything wrong with it. The gun shot very well. And 10+1 Capacity of full bore .45 Auto is nothing to sneeze at. That’s more ammo on board than a full sized 1911, in a package that is much smaller and lighter. Trigger was typical of Glock’s 5.5 pound trigger… You feel one, you’ve felt them all. And I know that can be altered at will thanks to our friends at Lone Wolf Distributors. And the sights too. The sights on factory Glocks… Why THE HELL are they so stupid? Seriously. They suck. Balls. They suck balls.
The grip needs a bit of work being rather slick in my hands. To me, really, Glocks are project guns. Spend some time with them, making them feel and fire how I want them too. And then once the project is over, I just feel done with them. I like them enough to want to play with them… But I am not emotionally attached. Like Vegas hookers or something.

I know all the arguments for the Glocks… I do. I sang them myself when I was drinking the Glock-Koolaide. But… I’m just… Done with Glocks. They are just not me. I don’t feel that connection with them. I don’t feel that connection with my Microwave Oven either. But I do with my old fashioned Weber Grill. One is an appliance that I use to get a job done. The other gets that job done, but takes time and care… and I spend more time with it and come to love it all the more every time I use it. Not the Microwave. And not the Glock.

But if you like it – I understand way. I respect your opinion. Mine just differs.

Weapons