Weapons

My Rifle.

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This is my person AR-15.  I’m not done tweaking it yet.  I’m going to shoot some Olive Drab Green on it, a little brown on it, and some MagPull Flat Dark Earth… But I’m in no hurry to do so.  I’ll select color and pattern after I move to NC.  Get the local colors there.  Going all FDE isn’t going to do me a bit of good out there.  And I’m not going to do it in anything fancy like Ceramic empregnated polymer or epoxy based resins or teflon infused bone.  None of that.  Krylon.  Spray on, rattle can, Krylon.  Why?  To remind me… that this rifle is a Tool and not a Precious Keepsake.  The wear on the Krylon will be viewed as Training Badges.  Scars gained in activities that develop and teach skills.
Also, I’m going to order a drop in trigger for it – because, to be honest, the trigger is Meh.  I was going to order a popular now trigger that starts with a G and no one can pronounce the name the same way twice.  But instead, I’m going to order one from “Black Rain”.  They have a solid adjustable unit that lets you tune it.  I like that.
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Instead of taking the time to order put parts together, I just started out with an off the shelf rifle.  I selected a Daniel Defense DDM4V7 Light Weight.  Then Joe at Crusader Weaponry installed the BattleComp muzzle brake and hit the Bolt Carrier Group with a Permanent treatment of Crusader Weaponry’s SLIPSTREAM lubricant.  Makes the gun run slick and snot, and it feels like a .22LR when shooting.

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Here you can see the BCG better.  The Slipstream gives it a satin grey finish… nothing flashy or “pimped out” about it.  It’s just slick.  If you hand cycle it slowly, you can actually feel the bolt lock and unlock within the action.    On top of the rifle is the Lucid HD7 Gen 3 FDE optic.  Backing it up is a set of MagPul flip up sights… which is kinda pointless as the Lucid is bullet proof and the batteries last forever.

I’ve thought about putting an upgraded optic on it… something “Better”.  But looking at the so called better options… I’m really not seeing any Red Dots that qualify as tangibly better. I’d have to go all the way up to the Trijicon SRS… and those suckers retail for over 900 bucks, for only some sort of perceived “Betterness”.  Yeah, I’d rather spend all that extra coin on ammo.

If I do switch off this optic… it would only be for something that was magnified  Perhaps in a 1-4 variable.  But to be honest, nothing as really sold me to justify the swap.  Vortex has a PST 1-4 something or other that looks cool, but has huge unprotected turrets that can easily get spun unintentionally.    Forget that.   Yeah, I’m happy with the Lucid HD7’s.   They define “Bang for the buck” value.

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The Shield Ending

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A couple observations on The Shield as I have just finished the series. The show is quite a ride. Convoluted and twisting like a wounded snake. I am impressed with the depth of the series, the details and the way every episode builds the story to the conclusion.
I’m relieved that it’s over. Because when you get into a good story that is well told, you put yourself into the story, immerse yourself in it… and with this one, I felt dirty. When it ended, I actually breathed a sigh of relief that it’s done.
Over all, this show told a story and told it well. It’s not a happy story. It’s a story of Failure. It’s one that is hard to look at. On one hand, you have Bad People doing Bad Things for Bad Reasons. Then you have Good People doing bad things for Bad Reasons. Then you have Bad People doing Bad Things, for Good Reasons. It’s hard to keep track of who the good guys are and who that bad guys are.
Vic Mackey just might be the most interesting character in TV’s history. His loyalty to his Team is amazing, and trying to overcome Bad Choices with more Bad Choices is an interesting lesson. Vic has admiral attributes in some of these things… the fighting for his Team. His loyalty to his wife was a bit weak, but this show has few people of real integrity and strength. In the end… SPOILER ALERT – Don’t Read Further.

Continue reading The Shield Ending →

Weapons

Semi Auto Pistol Genetics

8 Comments

SemiAutoDNA

 

Feel free to suggest other pistols that are not mentioned and where they should be.  The roster for most boxes are easy to fill.  But the Metal-Striker box is the hard one.  There are just not that many out there.   If I was going to design a new pistol, I’d do a Metal Striker pistol.  Because there just isn’t that much competition out there for it.  One thing is for sure though… I’d make sure I’d stay away from Kahr’s trigger mechanism, because those motherfuckers sue everyone that makes anything even remotely similar.

Government

Etched Dates

9 Comments

Some places in this nation are banning magazines.  Simple boxes with springs in them that use the same high level of technology found in Pez Candy Dispensers.   In some of these places you can keep the magazines as long as they were made or acquired before the ban.  So it was said that you have to have dates etched on them.  But so many magazines out there in the world with no dates.  This is of course a bullshit requirement and unenforceable.  So I have a suggestion…. here’s the date to etch:

July 4th, 1776.

 

Weapons

S&W 1006

17 Comments

I need a S&W 1006.  The gun the FBI couldn’t handle.

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The best alternative to the 10mm Glocks and EAA Witnesses or a 1911.  Not that I dislike those options, they are the common ones.  I want something different, and I think the 1006 looks like the one to get.
The FBI version was the DAO 1076.  The 76 also was slightly shorter in the barrel, like a Commander version of the 1006.  I actually like the decock/safety, but I think I’d rather have the longer barrel with the 10mm.  

 

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Two shows worth watching.

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One old, one new.

The old show is new to me.  I’ve never watched it before, but i’m loving it.  The Shield.  Great series… good writing, good twists, good actors and characters.
The main character, Vic Mackey, is one of the most interesting characters on any TV shows.  A Bad Guy that does good things for good reasons some times… and does bad things for good reasons some times… and every once in a while does a good thing for bad reasons.  But you end up rooting for him.
The whole series is on Hulu Plus.  This makes Hulu Plus well worth it to me.

The new show is VIKINGS.  A Semi-Historical drama that is pretty accurate in some things.  Cool characters, and a smoking hot Shield Maiden that is worth watching just for her.  Rower.  Overall, I find the show extremely compelling.  Even if it’s much like Sons of Anarchy on Long Boats.  You could call it Sons of Vikings.  But that’s not quite fair.  This show is unique.  And very well done.  I enjoy it a lot.
You Armchair Historians can stuff it about historical inaccuracies… it’s the best we’ve seen so far, eh?

Automotive

Jeep Noob

14 Comments

One morning recently I was on my KTM 525 MXC sitting just below the trail head to “SUPER SECRET TRAINING LOCATION 2”.  To get to SSTL2, you pop off Highway 121 where there is a narrow looking trail going up rather steeply to the top of the hill.  It looks daunting, but it’s really no problem.
I was sitting there adjusting my neck strap and gloves after having to stop to take a cellular call when a Jeep Wrangler Safari pulled up.  It hurt my eyes it was so shiny new.  The driver and his girl (smokin hot redhead) were wondering if they could make it up that trail as it looked too narrow, so they asked me if I thought they could make it up.
I told them it was plenty wide enough if they take it easy.  I explained how I used to go up it all the time in my Chevy 2500.  The driver… the boy… was unconvinced.
At this point a pair of Ford F-350’s came down the trail.  The second truck was pulling a trailer with a Bobcat on it.
I looked back at the boy, winked at the girl, flipped my visor down, and took off down the highway.  A mile later I looked back.  There was the Jeep.  The boy didn’t sack up and try it.

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Recoil & Recoil.

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I remember the first time I ate a Jalapeno. It made me cry. I was young… still watching Saturday morning cartoons. Just a kid. I think we had just moved to Fircrest, Washington.  I remember going into the kitchen and seeing these peppers on the counter.  Don’t remember why, but I picked up the pepper off the counter and started eating it. Never had one before, seen one even. I was unprepared and unfamiliar with the heat of that little thing.  Thought I was going to die.
Now, if I’m in the mood, I can eat them whole like I would a carrot or something. I’ve learned to enjoy the heat. Tolerance is the word. I built up tolerance to the heat and found I liked the flavor. Took some time of course, but now I do not consider them to be all that hot.
Much is the same with recoil.   Especially with Shotguns.  I don’t mind the recoil and I enjoy the devastating results a shotgun can give you.  People perceive spicy food’s heat, and recoil differently.  This is based on familiarity and tolerance of the thing.  The more you are exposed to it, the less it effects you.  It’s not that one guy is packing more sack than the other guy… it’s just a matter of getting used to it.

Speaking of hot peppers in Fircrest.  I remember pranking my brothers, Josh and Zack.  I coated a couple apples in Tabasco Sauce.  Multiple Coatings, let dry, coat some more, and let dry again.  The apples looked normal.  Then I made sure there was nothing in the fridge to drink.  Then I filled the faucet with Tabasco.
Like a good big brother, I offered my brothers the apples.  In a very short amount of time, the boys were in great distress and running around… they ran to the fridge… nothing… they ran to the sink.  One of them put his head under and opened the tap.  Hilarity ensued.
To this day I feel bad about it… but still laugh at the memory of it.

Speaking of Recoil.   I got the latest issue of Recoil Magazine on my Nexus 7 Tablet.  I had little interest in it, as I had cancelled the subscription.  But since I knew Ian took over as Editor & Chief I thought I might give it a look through.  I’m impressed.  The magazine is good.  I’m not through reading the issue, but I am liking everything I’m seeing.  It’s less GQ with guns and more Gun Magazine, with Style.  It makes most news stand gun rags look tired and old.  If they keep it up, I’ll renew my subscription.

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