I’m a big fan of both. Hornady ammunition is solid, reliable, and accurate. Their Critical Defense line of ammo is very good. Very clever. Putting a rubber plug in the cavity of a hollowpoint to insure expansion without the need for they hydrostatic pressure to force expansion. Brilliant. And the Critical Duty like is a tougher bullet, loaded hotter. I’m impressed with the 135 grain 9mm CD load so much so that I may adopt it for use here at Ogre Ranch and for my personal carry gun (this month being the Beretta 92FS) and for the carry load for my Son’s pistol, an M&P.
But is the new Critical Duty better for serious use than the Winchester PDX1 loads? Winchester did a great deal of engineering to get these loads just right, and they built off the long years of experience for making the most effective duty loads you could get for the last 20 years. I am an unabashed PDX1 fan. I was a fan of the Black Talons and the Ranger T loads. In fact, I still have Black Talons standing by. The PDX1 takes that reverse tapered jacket approach and now gives us the Bonding improvement that made loads such as the Gold Dots so popular.
I’m not sure… but I am thinking that I will keep the PDX1’s for all my guns, save for the 9mm’s and roll with Critical Duty loads for those. Actual testing will have to be done though before I make any changes.
No Glock November
It started as a challenge. A gauntlet thrown. No Glocks for the Month of November, just Beretta, and specifically, just the Beretta 92FS, which I just happen to have. I can’t give the details, or any better explanation… but I have my reasons.
I came into the Beretta 92FS which was owned by my Brother, which was owned by my Friend, which was owned by evidently a Cop according to Beretta. But all that is not important. The important bit is the challenge its self. The fact that the Beretta is “Too Big” and “Too Heavy” and it has the Safety in the wrong place and it’s just wrong to Carry and that you can’t do it. Well, yeah, I can, and I am. In fact, it’s mostly Open Carried when not at work, which is no big thing out here in my part of the world. Lots of guys Open Carry around here. And since the Election, the numbers of Open Carry that I’ve seen has gone through the roof.
Back to the Beretta. I got it well used. Thanks to another friend at Beretta, I’ve changed the locking block, springs, and the grips back to OEM. This required the grinding of the Grip Screws as they were too long and locked the magazine in tight like it was bolted in… because it was. So I had to shorten them. This took all of 4 Minutes. The thicker rubber grips were just a touch too thick for my hands. With the OEM’s back on, I like it much better. Fits my hand and points better for me. I am digging the gun. It’s a good 92, and according to Beretta it’s a Law Enforcement gun that came from the factory with Night Sights.
So now that everything is ready for duty, I’m going to pack nothing but this Beretta for the rest of the month. No 23’s, no 22’s, no 17’s… Not even an M&P, and no 1911’s. Just Beretta, and just this 92FS.
All carry and all pistol shooting is Beretta. This is going to be a challenge because I am so used to the Glocks. My G23 in my Adams Holsters Sharkhide rig has been a part of me. I am no stranger to the 92. I had one before, years ago. I sold it and got a CZ-97B, and that turned into another gun that I don’t remember… Springfield maybe. Yeah, that’s what it was. But I had a nice 92 that I had picked up almost brand new. To be honest… as much as I liked it… I wasn’t that good with it. Well, I’m a much better handgunner now, so I’m not bothered with going from crisp single action like triggers to this DA/SA style.
Another challenge was thrown and accepted. Next month, it’s SIG.
Luke 22:36.
“Then said he unto them, But now, he that hath a purse, let him take it, and likewise his scrip: and he that hath no sword, let him sell his garment, and buy one.”
I think this is good advice, coming straight from our Savior himself. We are heading into a time of trials. For me, this last 4 Years have been very difficult. I am not expecting the next 4 to be any better. In fact, I am expected things to get much worse.
I am not a very Religious man. But I am a Spiritual one. I believe in God, and I believe in the Gospel according to the teachings of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. I am a Mormon and proud to be so. Even though I am not a very good one. I do not attend church very often. More like, hardly at all. But the Spiritual side of me is telling me that it’s time to go back.
Warning – Religious Post Here.
Massive Layoffs
In the past 48 hours, these companies reported layoffs:
Westinghouse – 200
Research in Motion Ltd – 3,000
Lightyear Network Solutions – 15
Providence Journal – 23
Hawker Beechcraft – 410
Boeing 61,000
CVPH Medical Center – 17
US Cellular – 980
Commerzbank – 6,000
Iberia – 7,000
Momentive Performance Materials – 150
Brake Parts – 75
Vestas Wind Systems 1,700
Husqvarna – 390
Ericsson – 14,000
SRA International – 222
PerkinElmer – 75
Majestic Star Casino and Hotel – 80
Center for Hospice NY – 80
Bristol-Myers – 500
Lower Bucks Hospital – 500
Oce North America – 9
Corning United Blood Services Gulf – 150
Atlantic Lottery Corporation – 16
Welch Allyn – 10% of manufacturing work force
Dana Holding – 12% of work force
Stryker – approx 5%
Boston Scientific – Unspecific amount
Medtronic – 1,000
Smith & Nephew – 80
Abbott Labs – 550
Covidien – 600
Kinetic Concepts – 300
St. Jude – 300
Hill Rom – 200
Darden Restaurants – 3%
JANCOA – 350
Kroger – 30
ING – 2,350
Caterpillar – 4,000 (Decatur plant)
Alcatel-Lucent – 5,000
Umatilla Chemical 34
Rocketdyne…100
Pepsi – 8,700
Bank of America 30,000
And the unnamed Las Vegas Employer who let go of 22.
No, I’m not making this up. Some of these layoffs were planned in advance of the Election regardless, but were asked to not announce until after the election – such as Boeing, who had been hinting at it though for some time. Many of the others were holding on and were not going to lay people off if Romney won. Many of these companies just couldn’t afford to keep them on thanks to the Healthcare laws passed which would have been repealed under Romney.
Guys, this has just started. There are going to be more layoffs coming. Buckle up. It’s going to get bumpy.
For you business owners out there… something to think about….
You didn’t fire those workers. The Democrats did.
Maybe I could own a Goldwing.
I’ve said more than a few times that the Honda Goldwing is to Bikers what retiring to Florida is for old people with no imagination.
I’ve been wrong and I admit my mistake. I could own a Goldwing. This one.
Oleg and a Broadsword
Oleg Volk has been sent one of our Broadsword rifles, the same one that Rob Pincus as just tested. Yes, the Broadsword really does look that cool. In fact, it can be cooler yet, because we can do your Broadsword in whatever colors you want. Coyote Tan. Flat Dark Earth. Murder Black. Our Signature Gray. Ogre Green. Whatever you want.
The Broadsword rifle from Crusader Weaponry. A 762 that shoots like a 556. Rugged, reliable, and deadly accurate. This is the best 762 AR type weapon on the planet, bar none. If you buy anything else, you have made a mistake.
In the picture is the Broadsword wearing Diamondhead sights and an Elcan optic which are not included, but one could consider them “Serving Suggestions”. I would suggest these highly, as I would also suggest perhaps a 6x ACOG.
The Election
Words can not describe my utter dismay and disappointment with the Election. I am glad MadOgre.com has been down for a few days since the election – because my ranting would have been as incoherent as Liberal Logic.
We have (as a Nation) re-elected the guy that basically ordered the death of a US Ambassador and a couple US Navy SEALS. We’ve elected the guy that bows before leaders of other nations, not as a lack of tact – but as a symbol to the world that America is lower than the others. Come on, he even bowed to a Florida Mayor. We’ve elected the guy that has been to all 57 States. The guy that claimed to be a Foreign Student at Colombia. The guy that grew up hating America. We’ve elected to keep sending Chewbacca on expensive and extravagant vacations. We’ve elected to keep going down the path of Socialism and destruction.
As a Nation… We have really and truly fucked up. How did this happen?
Crusader Weaponry at SHOT SHOW
Both Joe and I will be going to SHOT SHOW 2013. While there, we will be interviewed by a pretty big magazine in the gunslinger community. We will be making contacts, taking names, and generally kicking ass. I’ll be interviewing some people, taking pics and vids and such. A group of Bloggers are going to be meeting for a lunch one of the days there. It’s going to be a blast.
Server Failure
Sorry for the Down Time, Guys.
My Host suffered a massive failure in a Blade Server Stack that brought down all the servers, including MadOgre.com and a bunch of commercial clients. A pretty expensive event there. This happened last Sunday afternoon about 4 PM and it’s been down all week. It’s now Thursday, 2:23PM and it looks like we’re back up.
I’ve been offered hosting by about four different sources…. But it would be hard to change. Since I registered MadOgre.com, I’ve used the same host. I pay a very reasonable fee quarterly and I pretty much get away with whatever the hell I want. So I am reluctant to make a switch as many of you have been encouraging me to do. I was freaked out like crazy just changing over to Word Press. I did NOTEPAD for years and then used MS FrontPage for years after… and now Word Press. I take a long time to get comfortable changing anything.
Anyways, for you MadOgre.com readers, most any time MO is down, I’m found on Facebook under my real name, or I’m on WeTheArmed.com.
Remington Buys TAPCO
Just read that Remington has acquired TAPCO. That’s interesting. Because as much as Remington has turned MARLIN into a major SNAFU, they have been doing very well the Tactical stuff. Bushmaster and DPMS – for all their flaws – has been made better by Big Green. AAC, the guys that make some serious use Suppressors has had some more attention as well. Remington is putting a huge amount of effort into the Tactical Category. I find this very interesting. And now TAPCO. Well, if anything, Remington can’t screw up TAPCO, makers of cheap crap to hang off your AR. Sure, some of it isn’t bad I guess, functional, and does what it is supposed to do.
I still find the MARLIN, H&R, New England Arms purchase to be most curious. Remington wanted to get into the Lever Action business and has just about completely ruined Marlin because of it. But then again, Marlin was on a downhill slope to begin with. But I still find it funny that Remington is still having Marlin make their Savage Clones, and New England is still importing their Chinese made 870 knock-offs. I don’t get this. Did Remington really need to get into the Cheap Gun market? Or did they need to get into the Lever Market?
I tell you what though, Remington needs to get back into the Hunting market. That’s what built Big Green into Big Green. The Tactical Market has far too many competitors and Remington is gambling big time on the possibility of future Military Contracts. And while they are concentrating on Fighting Guns, the Hunting Gun market is slipping out of their grasp.
If I was going to buy a hunting rifle right now – whatever caliber – I’d be looking at Sako A7’s, Tikka, or Browning. The T3’s have come a long way and are consistently impressive with their accuracy. Browning rifles have never disappointed, in fact, their X-Bolt rifles are a top choice. I’ve not seen one that looked like it was the last rifle slapped together on a Friday evening. I’ve not seen one that couldn’t shoot. They are building them right.
Back to TAPCO. Why would Remington need to buy TAPCO? I would have thought Remington would have rather swallowed up MAGPUL, considering that they are already using a lot of MAGPUL stuff in their BushyPanthers. The MOE line is almost as universal as “A2” Furniture. Are they going to stop using MAGPUL now and go TAPCO Intrafuse? That would be a mistake, but if they own the brand, they are going to want to pimp it as much as possible. And I’ll be honest, I’d rather not have anything TAPCO on any of my AR’s.
So why TAPCO?
What does TAPCO do in the Tactical Market that no one else is really doing? AR SWAG? No… Shotgun shit? Cheap ass stocks for your Mini-14 and SKS? No. You know what comes to my mind when I first think of TAPCO?
AK-47’s. They are the Go To Guys for your AK parts. Their stocks are industry standards, and if you want a Trigger then you have to get the TAPCO G3 trigger. The only company really doing anything else for your Kalish is US PALM, but they are small potatoes compared to TAPCO’s market penetration into the AK sector.
Does this mean that REMINGTON might get into the AK business? Well, yeah, they just did. But are we going to see an R-47 rifle? Hmmm…