Tag Archives: Weapons

Weapons

FNH SCAR 17

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I finally got my hands on a FNH SCAR 17, or SCAR Heavy as it’s also called.  Retailing for 2899.99, it’s not a cheap rifle… it’s not the most expensive one out there, but is it worth the asking price?

It’s a “Nice” rifle. But it’s not almost 3 Grand worth of nice. It’s freaking Injection Molded Plastic with some Stamped parts and a Mediocre Barrel… with Proprietary Expensive Magazines. If it has anything about it that is an actual tangible advantage to other 7.62mm Weapons – is that the SCAR is a very lightweight gun for it’s size…. because it’s plastic.  Since when did plastic become worth as much as Titanium?  Is it the notoriety of SOCOM affiliation?  No, really, is it?  Because there is another FNH .308 semi auto rifles that are also used by SOCOM in even more limited secret squirrel numbers… The FNH FNAR.  More accurate.  Less money.  And in my opinion a better rifle… but that’s another topic.

I like the SCAR 17 though.  It’s cool and different, and would make for a great mountain assault rifle.  If I was asked to patrol the mountains on foot with a small team, the SCAR 17 might be a great option for that.  But this gun isn’t worth almost 3 Large… Not even close. This is an 800 Dollar gun with 2000 Dollars worth of Gee Wizz. The trigger sucks, the sights suck, the action is about as smooth as an out of the box WASR-10, and the reported accuracy is average for a DPMS Carbine.  Not something I’d personally spend my money on…. not that much money.  I’d rather have Joe at Crusader Weaponry build me a custom SR-25 rifle, light weight, 16″ barrel, with accuracy like a laser pointer.  But that’s just me.  Now, if FNH was more reasonable on the price… say 1499.99, that would be a much better price level and I could get behind the SCAR.

There is one more thing about the SCAR 17 though.  It’s rare and exclusive, giving it an air of superiority based on that fact alone.  Like early iPod or iPhone adopters, they could be snobbish about it… but now everyone has iPods and iPhones and it’s cooler now to own a Droid phone.  (argue that in another thread I’ll start in a moment)   That isn’t going to happen anytime soon with the SCAR 17.  It’s going to always remain a rare find and highly sought after.

You know what… screw it… if I had a spare wad of cash and already had a Crusader Broadsword – I’d freaking have a SCAR 17 in a heartbeat.  Wouldn’t even have to think about it.  I’d have Joe trick it out, sure, but I’d still get one in an instant.  Who am I kidding?  Why?  Because it really is freaking cool.  It’s sexy looking and it’s full of potential violence… and that is just what I want to send my money on – Sex and Violence.  Ultimately, all true red-blooded American Males do to.

Weapons

Less is More?

24 Comments

There are two pistols in 9mm that I actually want.  As of right now, everything on the market on most gun store shelves… I don’t want.  I just don’t… they don’t do anything for me.  I’ve no interest in them.  But coming soon, we’ve got a couple that have made me raise my Ogrish Eyebrow in interest.

First is the Strike One pistol from Arsenal Arms.

The second is the Caracal pistol.

 
The Strike One, to me, just seems really interesting and I really dig the super low bore axis and full 5 inch barrel. I’d like to see some accuracy tests. I’d like to do some accuracy tests. The new action and some innovations in this gun make it most interesting.
The Caracal has been tested by our friend Rob Pincus and he is all over this handgun… If Rob really likes something like this, it’s worth taking a look at. I’ve read what’s out there, seen the pics and vids…. But I want to get one and shoot it.
Now, none of these handguns are any revolution in hand held weaponry… both are firing the same 9mm rounds that everything else is, and as a result, we’re going to have the same terminal ballistics, effective ranges, and ammunition supply as everything else. So why do I want these guns? Because I’m looking for something other than the same routine. For the last several years I’ve become painfully jaded about the handguns on the market… there are no perfect handguns out there. Maybe there is something here that is getting us closer to that. Both of these pistols have something in common, other than in caliber… Simplicity. They are both very simple pistols in design and mechanics and that’s something I truly appreciate… when Less can be More.
Take my new Motorcycle for instance… the Superhawk really is a very simple bike. It’s a simple V-Twin with very little technology going on in there… other bikes of it’s type are using computers and electronic fuel injection… The Superhawk has a pair oversized carburetors and a choke lever. But everyone how has ridden one as almost universally agreed its one of the best rides – in the world. It gets there not just by being simple, but by doing simple very well. So simple, it smacks of elegance.
The Glock Pistol illustrated this beautifully when it took the world by storm. Yet the Glock is not perfect at all. Rob Pincus has pointed out his distaste for the requirement of Dry Firing the weapon to disassemble it. Springfield has corrected this from the XD series in the XDM series. The M guns don’t require it and the mechanism is about as complicated as a Slingshot. Maybe that’s what I am looking for… the simplicity of design, distilled down the it’s most basic form that interfaces with the shooter like it was coded in the very DNA.
Until we achieve a completely Matter-Energy Conversion power source that can feed the energy requirements of hand-held Directed Energy weapons or Electro-Magnetic Mass Drivers… we are going to be forced to continue to use cartridges as we know them today… and Simple Elegance is the best we can aspire to.

Uncategorized, Weapons

Round Count

5 Comments

Let me start by saying this… Round count doesn’t matter.  When you bring in a gun to trade in, the store doesn’t need the full Biography of the gun.  We don’t need to hear the round count.  I don’t care that you only had 1 magazine fired through it.  You only fired 1 box so it’s practically brand new.  That’s all meaningless.  I had a guy that swore he only fired 3 rounds out of his Ruger revolver.  Doesn’t matter.  A.  People lie about that big time… and B.  Firearms don’t have Odometers on them.  Unlike the value of a Car, the value of a gun doesn’t factor the number of rounds fired.  Not at all.

What we do care about is CONDITION.  In fact, that’s practically all that matters.  Unless you have a gun that was NEVER fired and is in PERFECT and FLAWLESS condition, then maybe.  But that almost never happens, so it’s moot.    On just about any gun, firing some rounds is going to effect the condition a little.  Most guns go from 100% to 98% almost instantly.  After that, they could stay there for awhile at 98 for good long time of careful handling.  Most guns tend to be 95%.  This effects the value more drastically.

Now when you bring in a gun, and it’s 95%, say it’s worth X amount of dollars according to the book.  That’s the Max we could sell it for.  We have to make some money on that gun, so we are going to give you less than that.  About half, because we have to mark it up, but keep it less than a brand new gun by a margin that would still let the gun move instead of people saying “Well, I’d just buy the gun new.”  Don’t be offended if your baby doesn’t bring the big bucks you wanted.  It’s nothing personal.  And your beautifully crafted, bitter-sweet story isn’t going to raise the value either.  Come on, if the gun meant so much to you, why the hell are you trading it in?  Don’t be thick. If your Baby is worth so much – then sell it yourself.   You know you are going to take a hit on value if you trade it.  If we gave people what they wanted for a trade in gun – Used guns would cost double what New guns would cost.  We can’t sell a used gun that’s priced outside of it’s Book Value.  The store ends up sitting on them for years until they are finally marked down to Give Away prices just to get rid of the things.

So no, Sir.  I’m not going to give you twelve hundred bucks for your late Grandfather’s WWI Ruger Mini-14 with a Simmons scope on top.

Uncategorized

Buck 110 Ecolite

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Remember me talking about this knife… like back in the Spring?  Well the order I put in for one never showed up so I did a One Click order on Amazon.com and bam.  I finally have it in my ogerish paws.

The Buck 110 Folding Hunter is the lock-blade knife that legitimized folding knives for any serious use.  It wasn’t the first, but it was at the time the best.  Good sized clip point blade, good steel, and a solid lock that just flat out works.  It was the Folder to have for years.

Now the Buck 110 is still popular among the Outdoorsmen, but the Tactical community looks askance at it. It is heavy.  It is shiny.  It doesn’t have a pocket clip, assisted opening mechanism, or any gadget or do-dad to make it tacticool.  It’s simply a knife.  And that’s what I like about it.

The Ecolite version (I got the green one – don’t be shocked) fixes two of the 110’s major complaints from the Tactical Guys.  It’s not shiny and its not heavy.  I do wish it had a pocket clip, but I can live without it.  I mean, don’t we have enough pockets and pouches and things we can carry it in?  If not, it comes with its own.  It’s nylon and black and can be worn vertically or horizontally.   It’s a little off the beaten path for those that want to be Contractor Cool, but it’s worth looking at.  Why?  I’m seeing the Buck 110 as being the edged equivalent of the 1911.  It’s a pioneer and its still every bit as good now as it was back in the day.  In fact, the day is far from over for both of these classics.

The 110 Ecolite is sporting handles made of what Buck is called Paperstone.  It’s a strong compound material that looks handsome, and really does keep the knife light.  It might, I dare say, it even makes the knife more useful, as one is going to be less prone to leave the at home and use something else.  And don’t think it’s too large. That’s crap. Your cell phone is probably the size of four of these knives.

I really like the knife.  Wish I had it a lot sooner.

 

Weapons

The gunfight is going to happen. Bring it.

32 Comments

You know it’s coming. Grab your long gun and your side arm. I think I had that question four or five times today talking to different people. Not zombies, not monster hunting, but a simple good old fashioned gunfight. What will you bring to the fight? And don’t say “Friends with Guns.” Just you. High Noon.
In all seriousness, if I know a gunfight is going to happen, I’m bringing one of my 870 Tacticals… most likely my old Police Gun. It’s slick as hell, being all Slipstreamed and running as reliable as the Sun Rise. It’s going to be loaded with Federal Premium FC 00 Buck. My pistol is going to be my Glock 23 in .40, loaded up with Winchester PDX1’s.
Why? Because they are SIMPLE and they are RELIABLE. Above all, they are going to deliver my violent will when and where I need it. No bells and whistles and tricks to remember. They are potent enough, with enough firepower on tap to end a hostile encounter – and to win that encounter.
I was thinking about my Crusader tuned AR… Gun’s not a problem. But my optic runs on batteries. Will they fail me? I don’t know. My Shotgun’s sights wont. I was tempted to say my Springer GI – because I can hit with it very well. But I like hollow points and I just don’t know for an absolutely certainty that that old 1911 is going to run my PDX1’s as flawlessly as I require. My Glock does, and I have more in the gun with one mag than my 1911 has with two, and that is an advantage.
I trust my Glock. I trust my 870. I trust them with my life. Hype, popularity, online smack talk… I don’t have time for that. It’s about Trust. Also, if I have to go Mele… I’m bringing a baseball bat, a heavy wooden one. A Louisville Slugger. Just saying.

Weapons

What is it for?

12 Comments

That’s a question most often uttered at the gun counter while the person is looking up at the .50 caliber rifle.   Many of those people asking came out to the factory range day and tried it out.  Just an observation here… but not one person at the range day who watched or tried firing the .50 cal ever uttered that stupid question.  ‘What is that for?”

I did get a lot of questions about if it’s legal to hunt with.  “Yes, with soft point ammo.”  I heard people utter their desires to take elk, mule deer, and bear with it.  Many people actually do and it doesn’t destroy as much meat as people think.    There are a lot of Urban Legends and Myths about the .50 that were dispelled at the range day.

Below are some of the people that when asked, can tell you what the .50 cal is for.

Continue reading What is it for? →

Crusader, Gear, Military, Weapons

Slipstream works on Robots.

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Hey guys, I have a few words to say about Slipstream.
I am an EOD technician currently working in Helmand, Afghanistan. I work with Nightcrawler actually.
Gundoc sent me a few bottles of Slipstream oil and a bottle of the Slipstream grease. After Slipstreaming every weapon and knife I could get my hands on, I decided to see what other field applications Slipstream has.
So one day as I was cleaning the gunk buildup from one of our bomb disposal robots’ arm, I decided that a new lubrication was in order. I promptly cleaned then greased every moving mechanism of the robot arm. I have to say it was a wise choice. Not only does the arm become less gunkified,(technical term) it moves smoother and overheats less. A properly working and smooth running arm is, obviously very important when you are disabling IEDs. My favorite part is that it somehow doesn’t get covered in dirt like everything else out here.
Here is a picture of it in action.

Actual Airforce Robot working an actual IED in an actual War Zone.

Once again thanks to Gundoc for sending me a wonderful product. This is another reason why I am purchasing a custom build Crusader Weaponry rifle with the full Slipstream treatment.

P.S.
I keep a running tally of things I have Slipstreamed in Afghanistan;
5 different M4’s, 3 different M9’s, 1 M240B machinegun, 1 M203 Grenade launcher opening grip, 1 “Ma Deuce” 50cal machine gun, Multiple folding knives and 2 different bomb disposal robots. Currently working with one of the Marines into letting me grease his constantly jamming MK19

Weapons

Winchester 94-22M Temptation

9 Comments

We have a Winchester 94-22m .22 Magnum that came in on trade.  It’s sporting a nice peep sight set up, nice checkered wood stocks… really nice looking.  From a distance.  Up close the gun is ugly.  Pitting everywhere and the wood has more dings than I’ve ever seen.  Some are unfortunately too deep to fix, and wood was amazing.  New, this rifle would have been stunning.

The temptation is to restore it.  No collector value, that’s just gone.  This would be a rescue.