5 Star Gear

I am on the run this weekend so I am posting another simple gear post. I know it's lazy! But I can't post while I'm driving. My wife freaks out if I do!

I love Magpul accessories.

One of the things I have learned over the years is that cheaper is not better.

Magpul MBUS PRO Steel Sight Set

These flip-up sights are all steel and fully adjustable. Not the cheapest but I own cheaper versions that I thought were decent until I tried these.

--Don't be stuck with dead batteries during the Zombie Apocalypse!!

Glock Tactical Light

I don't know if I have ever blogged about the Glock OEM Tac Light before I should have. I love this light.

"If you are looking for a good light for your Glock, then look no further. This light is tough, and very light. When mounted on a Glock pistol, you can barely feel a difference in weight versus not having a light. This light is produced by Glock and is constructed of the same polymer as their pistol frames."

This is designed for the Glocks. I use it on both my Glock 17 and 21 with equal utility. Now on Amazon Prime for $79.

Click the image and read the Comments! Great stuff.

There are brighter lights but I feel like this is perfect for the job!

--Works great with suppressors in the dark...

FedEx And UPS Refuse to Ship a Digital Mill That Can Make Untraceable Guns

I saw this article on WIRED.COM of all places.

Go read it for yourself, but what I find really interesting is that they are happy to bring me an full upper, a stock, magazines, ammo, scopes and even LASERs without skipping a beat.

This is extra dumb in Virginia because I can purchase lowers all day long legally in private sales and there is no blood in the streets.

That is notable because you have to feed this 80% lowers anyway. They cost the same in VA as complete lowers.

Don't get your panties in a bunch FedEx and UPS because that is what they want to happen. Look at all the free press these guys are getting!

--These are not the droids you thought they were.

Weekly Comic Wednesday

Cold

I am freezing my ass off today.

It was -3F out there when I got up this morning.

I swear Mr. Freeze is out there trying to make my day difficult. One of my cars decided to not run so my son had to borrow my car.

The coffee is finally sinking in.

Who has the freeze gun? Cut that stuff out!!

--My feet are still cold.

FAB Defense PTK-BLK Black Ergonomic Pointing Grip Angled Foregrip w/ Storage

I saw this on Overstock.com and I like the looks of it.

It is also on Amazon and a pile of other places as a FAB Defense PTK-BLK Black Ergonomic Pointing Grip Angled Foregrip w/ Storage.

"Optimal wrist angle provides a comfortable, natural body stance and pointing grip on the weapon. Comfortable, hand-fitting shape. Storage compartment in grip. Built from Mil-Spec reinforced polymer"

--And only $19 to $29.

Quotes of the Week

“The duty of a Patriot is to protect his country from its government.”
– Thomas Paine

Rudy Giuliani needs to stop peddling the vicious rumors and lies that Pres. Obama wrote in his autobiography.
--jon gabriel

There is all the difference in the world between treating people equally and attempting to make them equal.
– Friedrich Hayek

It is easy to be conspicuously 'compassionate' if others are being forced to pay the cost.
– Murray N. Rothbard
There is no more dangerous menace to civilization than a government of incompetent, corrupt, or vile men.
– Ludwig von Mises

Inherent vice of capitalism: unequal sharing of the blessings. Inherent blessing of socialism: equal sharing of misery.
–Winston Churchill

Communism doesn't work because people like to own stuff.
– Frank Zappa

Communism works only in Heaven, where they don't need it, and in Hell, where they've already got it.
– Ronald Reagan

Shot Show 2015 with Magpul

I love Magpul products.  I may have to try the 60 round AR15 drum. Starts shipping in June.


--I'll also try the new Glock mags that are under $15.

The Run on .223

I happened into one of my usual stops for a couple mags for my Glock and noticed that the shelves were empty of ALL the .223 ammo. Not just the M855 steel core stuff.

Dammit.

It isn't that I don't already have a few thousand rounds at home. I do. Sheesh. I have over a thousand rounds already in mags.

It's just that I buy 100 rounds every time I shoot 100 rounds. So, like the run on .22LR, a couple things will happen:

• Prices for .223 will go way up, dammit.
• Availability will be thin
• I will shoot it far less
• My inventory will shrink

It's a stupid rule anyway. Backdoor gun control. We can't seem to take them away so let's make them less effective. Unless you are a despot. Then it's not so stupid. Can't have your armed citizens able to penetrate your mob control armor or your hunter killer robots!Oh and it's fine for your storm troopers I see...

--Citizen owned body armor will be next.

Weekly Comic Wednesday

Winter Weather

We got about 6 or 8 inches of snow last night in Virginia.

Everything is closed.

Schools, the local and Federal governments and even lots of local businesses are all closed.

I currently have friends visiting me from Buffalo. This is a typical Tuesday for them.

What does any of this have to do with guns? The friends that are visiting have small kids. If we are stuck in the house because of snow it was doubly important to make sure that while they are chasing the cats around they will not find loose firearms.

These friends are not shooters in any way. I have offered to take them to the range but they are simply not interested. They are not anti-gun, they think it's fine for other people. It's just not for them.

--They know they will be the first to go when the Zombies come...

NFA Trust

SilencerCo has a new offering called EasyTrust. I have several NFA items and have planned on setting up a trust. I may try this and report back.

I will quote from the website:

"A properly-prepared gun trust has significant advantages for gun owners. It enables the use of NFA-regulated firearms and accessories among trustees, protects against potential future regulatory restrictions, and provides for the orderly transition of ownership upon death. It also tends to speed up the process for obtaining NFA items, eliminating the need for a Chief Law Enforcement Officer’s signature, fingerprints cards, etc"

"The EasyTrust is 50-state legal. The process of ratification will differ by state, but we’ll send you a document detailing the processes you’ll need to follow. We priced the EasyTrust at $129.99 – a fraction of the cost of typical gun trusts – to make it accessible to everyone. Reject the idea that a trust is a luxury item. In reality, it’s a must-have for anyone looking to #FightTheNoise. All EasyTrust sales are final."

--I will buy one. 

(Update: I bought one. More later!)
 

Quotes of the Week

Communism works only in Heaven, where they don't need it, and in Hell, where they've already got it.
– Ronald Reagan

Whatever you do, don't doubt yourself because of others.
--Ayn Rand

Every government interference in the economy consists of giving an unearned benefit, extorted by force, to some men at the expense of others
--Ayn Rand

The worst lesson we could take from the left is try to win the culture by stoking outrage.
--Ann Coulter

Giving money and power to government is like giving whiskey and car keys to teenage boys.
– P.J. O'Rourke

We have more machinery of government than is necessary, too many parasites living on the labor of the industrious.
– Thomas Jefferson

Just because you do not take an interest in politics doesn't mean politics won't take an interest in you.
– Pericles

Subsidies create more of whatever is being subsidized.
– Lew Rockwell

I have come to the conclusion that one useless man is a disgrace, two become a law firm, and three or more become a congress.
– John Adams

People who are forever ready to charge others with “greed” never apply that word to the government.
– Thomas Sowell

Rail guns get closer to being real out there.


--When will the rifle sized one be ready!!??

Nations Gun Show

The Nations Gun Show is this weekend in the Dulles Expo Center in Chantilly VA.

I will not be going this weekend because I will be having friends visiting from out of town.

The reason I mention it today is because of recent events in the courts. It might be busy in the future... more busy.

A federal district court in Texas overturned a 1968 gun law prohibiting the sale of handguns to out-of-state residents, granting those who live in Washington, D.C., the ability to travel to an out-of-state gun store, buy a handgun and bring it home without a middleman.

Read more: http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2015/feb/11/federal-court-rules-residency-requirements-pistol-/#ixzz3RcTrOWcs

--1968, 1934, 1984, Gun control efforts are all eroding...

Ammo Age

One thing I really should have done in the past was date ammo that was going into a long term rotation.

A few years ago I started storing my .22LR in soda bottles. A 20 ounce soda bottle holds 500 rounds perfectly. It keeps the ammo handy and very dry. I like using the wide mouth Snapple bottles.

I even ran a test, keeping some in my aquarium for two months and it was still dry.

I have been shooting my old .22 recently. I picked the bottle based on the most tarnished ammo.

--From now on I will put a date on the bottle. If I ever find any to buy again...

Weekly Comic Wednesday

When Children Visit

I have friends visiting from out of town this weekend and they have small children. They will be here for five nights.

Now that my kids are adults and out of the house I am more relaxed about placement and storage of firearms in the house.

It's easy for me to clear the projects off my bench and collect the few firearms from their usual spots. I don't stash them all over the house so it's easy.

In my house knives are more of a thing. There seems to be pocket knives all over the place. Fixed blade knives, kitchen knives and even swords and axes.

--I will not put away my Zombie Gnome!

Range run duds

On Saturday when Tony and I went to the range all we took was .22LR.

I was intentionally shooting my oldest ammo. The Ammo had to be at least 25 years old. 

The Remington 597 has a pretty light firing pin. And out of the 150 rounds I shot from it about 10 of them were duds. They had very clear strike marks and I carefully set them aside.

I had also brought along my HR .22 revolver and as a test I loaded up all these duds in there. I ran the entire drum 3 full times. Eventually all the rounds fired but one. Some on the first lap, some on the second and none on the third.

Only one round failed to fire after four tries, including the rifle.

I'm thinking of getting another .22 revolver.

--It was a good day.

Quotes of the Week

We have more machinery of government than is necessary, too many parasites living on the labor of the industrious.
 – Thomas Jefferson

Just because you do not take an interest in politics doesn't mean politics won't take an interest in you.
– Pericles

Subsidies create more of whatever is being subsidized.
– Lew Rockwell

I have come to the conclusion that one useless man is a disgrace, two become a law firm, and three or more become a congress.
– John Adams

People who are forever ready to charge others with “greed” never apply that word to the government.
– Thomas Sowell
I know no method to secure the repeal of bad or obnoxious laws so effective as their stringent execution.
– Ulysses S. Grant

Experience constantly proves that every man who has power is impelled to abuse it.
– Montesquieu

Silencers

Range Day

I went to the rang today for a bit of quiet fun.

This is my suppressed Ruger Mark III with the Leapers Red Dot. Got it sighted in and super fun to mag dump at 25 yards.

It is so quiet.

People always ask what it is. You basically only hear the action cycle.

-Fun Fun Fun...

Tec-22

It's Friday! Random Mostly.

It's been a long week for me at work. Not much to blog about this morning. I will only be going to work for a couple hours today and out at lunch time!

I did buy a Promag Glock vice block this week. I have one for AR15s and find it to be very damn handy. I can clamp it in my vice and hold double stacks.

I also ordered four more mags for my Glock 17. The package came yesterday with four mags for a Glock 19. That little adventure will be blogged about later. Will it be a post about good or bad customer service?  We shall see...

It's 11 degrees out there right now. I moved to Virginia to get away from the cold dammit!  Where is my Global Warming when I need it! They promised me global warming! Oh, sorry. Climate Change. 

--I will also be doing my taxes this weekend. I will NEED to go to the range after that.

Tool for Hiding a Gun

I am always on the lookout for good ways to hide and store my guns. This vid shows you how to make a quick and easy and cheap gun magnet.



I could use a series of these on the inside of the door of my safe. I could use it to stash one behind my headboard or a bedside table.

It might even have utility in the trunk of my car.

 --Plus it gets rid of that pile of hard drives I have...

Weekly Comic Wednesday

Random Tuesday

Good morning, Tuesday.

I just finished the book Friday by Robert Heinline again. I remembered enjoying it more.

I also just watched The Interview on Netflix. I am so glad I didn't pay to see it.

I am planning a full post on my new Manta Suppressor Cover. It will allow me to touch a hot suppressor to make sure it's still tight.

A friend of mine spotted me in the studio audience of NRA Gun Gurus. I was sitting in the front row. He freeze framed it and too a pic of the TV and posted it on Facebook.

I went to the range with several friends this weekend. I decided to shoot .22s.

I took some of my oldest ammo. It was probably 30 year old ammo and out of 50 rounds 5 rounds were duds and 2 had feed problems. They were lead nose hallow points. Very soft ammo.

The guy in the lane next to us had a brand new 1911 and while trying to load it's very first round it would only come half way out of the magazine. The mag would not eject and the round was firmly stuck. JayG helped the guy out and finally got the round to load. Looks like the mags will work with only 7 rounds.

--Need more coffee. I am off to work!!

Police Encounter

This guy was in Oceanside CA and open carrying a S&W .40 on his belt that was not even loaded. Open carry is legal there, but apparently he was making enough people nervous that multiple folks called the police to report an armed suspicious character. I can understand that.

I have a few comments:

• This guy was lucky that he was stopped by a reasonable Officer.
• Open carrying an unloaded firearm is not a good idea. It's a good way to get killed. It's like a Shoot Me First sign.
• The safest place for a gun is in the holster. 
• If you are doing this to make a point and think this kind of activism is helping, you are probably wrong. 
• When dealing with the police, if is usually better to be the one asking the questions.
• Answer questions politely with your own question. Presuming you are not doing anything wrong. "Good morning Officer, how are you today?" or "Have I wandered into a restricted area?" (school zone) or "I'm very safety conscious and lawful, is there something wrong?" or "I'm on a tight schedule today. If everything is cool I need to get moving." 
• Be polite. Not belligerent. Police can detain and release you. It's easy to justify if you act poorly. 
• I usually thank the officer as well for all they do. They have a shitty job and usually have to deal with assholes all day. Be polite. Know the law. Ask questions. Don't be an asshole.
• Remember, Police are humans beings and can have bad days and even make mistakes. Don't put yourself intentionally in conflict with them.

--I always say this: We need more Andy Griffith and less SWAT.

Quotes of the Week

People who are forever ready to charge others with “greed” never apply that word to the government.
– Thomas Sowell

I know no method to secure the repeal of bad or obnoxious laws so effective as their stringent execution.
– Ulysses S. Grant

Experience constantly proves that every man who has power is impelled to abuse it.
– Montesquieu

I don't make jokes. I just watch the government and report the facts.
– Will Rogers

What this country needs are more unemployed politicians.
– Edward Langley

What the government is good at is collecting taxes, taking away your freedoms and killing people. It's not good at much else.
– Tom Clancy