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Edible Landscaping – Growing Food on the Down Low

By
Jim Cobb
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Edible landscaping

I’m writing this at the beginning of October. While we’re putting the gardens to bed, we’re already looking to next year. I hear a lot of people complain that they lack the space for an actual garden. One option to consider is edible landscaping.

What is Edible Landscaping?

This is landscaping with purpose, with intention, and with an eye toward producing food rather than just decoration. Essentially, the idea is to replace traditional landscape plants like hedges and shrubs with counterparts that produce vegetables or fruit. This is done with attention to appearance, as well. Practical can also be visually attractive.

Edible landscaping - mower
Increasing the size of your flower beds for edible landscaping means less you’ll need to mow.

Hiding in Plain Sight

Edible landscaping can be a great option for those who live in HOA communities or other areas where rules may forbid traditional garden plots. You’re able to sneak food plants into your flower beds and along your property line without too much risk of getting fined.

Another reason for secrecy could be the risk of having food stolen during some sort of long-term grid-down scenario. If the grocery stores are all closed and they aren’t likely to reopen anytime soon, people could get a little squirrely.

Edible landscaping - potatoes
Potatoes and other root crops are ideal for edible landscaping.

Stalks of corn are pretty recognizable to most folks. But a lot of people will completely overlook carrots, potatoes, and other root crops, even if they are looking right at them in a flower bed.

Take It Slow

If you’re an edible landscaping beginner, take it slow and easy. You don’t want to get overwhelmed right out of the gate. Maybe pick just one flower bed to convert to food production and see how it plays out. You can always expand into other areas if things are going well.

Edible landscaping - flower bed
You could easily add food plants into flower beds like this with no one being the wiser.

Considerations

As you make your plan, there are a few things to keep in mind. With edible landscaping, you’ll need to be able to physically reach each plant you grow so you can harvest the produce. This means you’ll need to plan ahead for how you’ll do so, such as a small walkway. It doesn’t need to be a crushed stone path, but you’re going to want to get to each plant without crushing others in the process.

Take a good look at the amount of sun the location receives, as that will have an impact on what you’re able to grow. In addition, you need to consider the amount of shade the plants themselves will create. This leads into companion planting concepts, which is a whole subject unto itself. Suffice it to say for now that over the last several thousand years, we’ve learned that some plants thrive when growing near one another, such as corn, squash, and pole beans growing in the same space. This is called the Three Sisters.

There are many references available that go into great detail on companion planting. One of the best is Mel Bartholomew’s square foot gardening system.

Edible Landscaping Examples

Here are just a few suggestions on plants you might consider for your edible landscaping projects.

Garlic – as the family cook, I can tell you with certainty that you can never have enough garlic. Plant this along the edges of a flower bed as a border. Do the same with onions.

Peppers – these come in such a range of colors that it would be a shame not to use them in your flower beds.

Blackberries – these make outstanding hedges, along with raspberries.

Pole beans – these can add height to the equation. Build a small trellis for them to climb. Look into the vast array of bean varieties available. Red noodle beans are neat to see and taste great.

Edible landscaping - beans
Beans can add height to the bed for visual appeal.

Root crops – potatoes, sweet potatoes, carrots, beets, and more are all great options for edible landscaping.

Edible landscaping is a great way to increase your self-reliance while keeping it hush-hush.

The Red Pill on 1X Prisms

By
Travis Pike
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Being a contrarian is cringy, but here I am, being a contrarian. I think you can be a responsible contrarian. I can admit the AR-15 is the best all-around rifle out there, but that doesn’t mean I’m not going to buy a BREN. I think being a contrarian can even be useful. Turn that contrarian nature into the ability to explore things outside of the norm, and for that reason, I want to give you the red pill on 1X prisms.

1X Prisms

Prism optics are typically embraced as fixed, low-power optics that are known to be robust, easy to use, affordable, and have a fairly small footprint for a magnified optic. 1X prisms don’t offer that magnification and are seen as red dot alternatives. They are a reflex sight, for lack of a better term.

Compared to a red dot, they have downsides. They have a tighter eye box and do have eye relief, which means you don’t have the same flexibility as a red dot. They also don’t get as bright as a red dot.

Why would anyone ever choose 1X Prisms over red dots? I have a few reasons, but I also want to discuss what a good 1X prism should offer users.

What a Good 1X Prism Should Offer

First, good 1X prisms should have a large reticle. Not just in its overall size, but also in the width of the reticle’s parts and pieces. If it’s a circular reticle, that circle should be thick. Likewise, the center point should be large.

The reason is that prism brightness doesn’t hit that eye-catching bright level of red dots in bright lights. In that case, a larger reticle is easier to see and use in bright environments. A big, thick reticle makes a lot of sense.

We also need the optic to be compact. Preferably, roughly the same size as an Aimpoint T-1/T-2. We don’t want a giant optic that’s only 1X. Additionally, a mounting footprint that’s common can be invaluable. This allows you to pick different mounts, mount optics at different heights, and potentially on different guns. The Aimpoint T-1/T-2 mounting footprint makes a lot of sense.

Finally, we want excellent eye relief. We’ll never get red dot eye relief, but the longer the eye relief, the better.

Why 1X Prisms

Alright, so let’s dig into why my cringy contrarian nature likes 1X prisms. I’m not intending to convert anyone from the red dot cult—I’m a part of that cult—but I want to at least provide my thoughts about the advantages of 1X prisms.

Astigmatism Alternative

The most cited reason to use a 1X prism is that you have astigmatism. Red dot reticles become blurry and difficult to see, often starbursting and becoming difficult to use. The etched reticle of the 1X prism doesn’t blur or starburst. This makes it a decent alternative to red dots if your eyes suck.

More Robust Reticles

Most red dots use a red dot reticle, and that’s it. Some other options include a circle and dot reticle, and some even integrate ballistic drop dots. 1X prisms can feature bigger, more robust, and even more complicated reticles. Your options are pretty much endless, but 1X prisms are typically a variation of a large circle and center reticle.

Some companies have taken advantage of this and integrated a holdover for height over bore adjustments at super close ranges. You can use this holdover to prevent the height over bore effect from making your shots appear to hit low. It’s handy for precision shooting at close range.

Batteries Not Required

The etched reticles don’t require batteries to operate. They require batteries to illuminate, but illumination isn’t required to utilize the sight. These are fairly bombproof optics, and if the electronics break, then they’ll still work perfectly fine. Insert your EMP joke here.

Doesn’t Wash Out In Bright Light

One of the things I found out recently with 1X prisms is that they don’t wash out in bright light. If you’re navigating a dark environment and activate your weapon-mounted light, you could wash out your red dot. In dark conditions, a lot of us will have our optic dim, and forget we might need a white light, and bam, it’s washed out.

Lord forbid you flash a reflective surface by mistake, your dot will disappear. That’s not the case with 1X prisms. The etched reticle doesn’t wash out, especially if it’s a big reticle. It’s just there, black and easy to see.

Going 1X

1X Prisms aren’t as user-friendly as red dots for close-range use. They have eye relief, and they have a tighter eye box in most cases. They don’t illuminate as brightly. That’s all true, but there are some situations where they excel, and every gun owner should be well educated about their optical choice

Travelling with 5.11 Part 3: The Load Up Carry On

By
Tim Stetzer
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As I mentioned in my last piece on the 5.11 Packable Backpack, I’ve been traveling a lot more since I retired a few years ago. Much of that has been by plane, and it’s caused me to reevaluate my luggage and gear. I’ve had the same carry-on for years, probably decades, but on one recent trip, I had to check it because it was too big for the airline. I realized that at the time, airlines had different standards on carry-on size, and that I had just gotten lucky on previous trips with my old suitcase. When I started looking into it, I saw that all airlines were supposed to standardize on a 22 x 14 x 9-inch footprint as of the summer of 2025. This is the sweet spot for the 5.11 Tactical Load Up.

The 5.11 Tactical Load Up

I started looking for a new carry-on that would meet that standard and quickly found a lot of misinformation on the market. Many places that sold carry-ons claimed to be correctly sized. But when you actually looked at the dimensions, many of them were off. Some by a little, some by quite a bit. When you narrowed it down to carry-ons that actually truly did meet the new carry-on specs, the list decreased significantly.

Being that 5.11 isn’t primarily in the luggage business, unlike most of the other companies that I looked at, I was surprised that their Load Up carry-on actually did meet the correct spec. Being that I’d had good luck with their bags and packs over the years, and especially the RUSH 24 that I’d been using most recently, I decided to give their carry-on a shot too.

The Load Up

Bear with me while I regurgitate some specs. There are a lot of details to this carry-on, so I’m going to paraphrase 5.11’s specs and description before getting into my thoughts. 5.11 touts the Load Up as combining rugged construction with smart organization. I’ll give you a spoiler now and say that they did a good job of actually accomplishing that.

The Load Up’s main compartment is made from an impact-resistant polycarbonate hard shell bottom tray. It has an expandable zipper that increases the depth from 9 inches to 11 inches, boosting capacity from 45L to 55L. Although that 11 inches puts you over the strict carry-on size limits if your airline is checking.

The compression-molded lid is built with 1680D ballistic water-resistant polyester and reinforced with hypalon corners. Inside the lid compartment is a padded laptop sleeve with a hook and loop strap to securely hold your computer. There’s also an admin pocket and two-way access to the center mesh compartment helps keep essentials organized.

The center compartment also includes a removable divider for flexible storage and internal compression straps to stabilize contents. Additional features include a convenient top zippered pocket, lockable zippers with sliders, a business card/ID sleeve, and a name tape loop panel for quick identification.

The bag includes a retractable handle, multiple grab handles, and replaceable wheels for easy transport. Dimensions with wheels are 22 x 14 x 9 inches, and 21 inches high without wheels. The bag weighs 6.6 pounds and is imported. It’s available in Tungsten (Gray), Volcanic (another Gray), and Ranger Green and has an MSRP of $240.00.

Size Matters

That 22 x 14 x 9 dimension is key. That’s what the new airline standard is, supposedly across the board. I don’t buy luggage often and honestly balked a little at the $240 price tag. Mainly because I’m cheap. But when I looked at other bags that actually met the airline standard, I found that to be pretty competitive. Especially once I looked at the features and the build quality. I read a lot of reviews of other carry-ons and saw a lot of durability complaints on those. And many cost as much or more than the 5.11. I ended up deciding on the Load Up in Ranger Green.

First Hand Impressions

When I got my carry-on, I gave it a once-over and was actually really impressed. My wife and daughter had also gotten new carry-ons and went with typical luggage brands. In comparison, the 5.11 felt more solid and was definitely better thought out. It has a good-looking, clean design, and the available colors are subdued but don’t scream tactical. Unlike my Multicam backpack.

The handle opens and retracts easily, and the wheels work well and aren’t obtrusive. If you ended up needing to check your carry-on for some reason, there aren’t a lot of protrusions sticking out to catch on airport baggage systems.

Space-wise, it is what it is. It’s smaller than my old carry-on, but it meets the current required spec. With that said, I’ve used it for a few weekend trips now and was able to fit a spare pair of shoes, toiletries, and a couple changes of clothes without issue. This, coupled with my RUSH 24 37L pack, gives me plenty of space for a multi-day trip.

Heck, if you pack more frugally than I do, you could probably get away with a longer trip. My buddy and his wife did a whole 7-day cruise with just a carry-on and a personal bag. I always contingency pack. What if it rains? What if it’s going to be cold? Or worse, what if I poop myself? I always have backup clothes and layers. 

Organization is Key

I love the organization of the Load Up. The mesh divider lets you separate clothes and other items so that you can easily access them without having to dig through your whole suitcase to get to them. My wife and daughter’s bags are pretty much just one big empty section. They work, but my wife was a little envious of the organization on the 5.11 carry-on.

The admin pocket is really handy too. I could stuff paperwork, and even my Kindle and an iPad in that section, so that I could access them without having to open up the whole bag. I like having my pack as well, but I could honestly probably get by just fine using the Load Up as my only carry-on item.

I’m very happy with the build quality too. The bag is fairly light at 6.6 pounds, but it’s solid. It got dragged across gravel lots, up over curbs, tossed in and out of vehicles, and manhandled by porters. It’s no worse for wear after multiple trips and months of use.

The Perfect Carry On?

I asked in my previous two pieces if they were the perfect packs for their intended purpose. The RUSH was darn close, and the Packable Backpack checked all of my boxes. The Load Up also checks all of my boxes for a carry-on. It meets the size requirements of the airlines, it’s ruggedly built, and the handle and wheels work well, dragging it through the airport and across parking lots. I love the organization of it as well.

Often, I’ll find gear that I like but think it would be even better with “X” additional feature. I really can’t think of anything I’d add, or anything I dislike on the 5.11 Load Up. They did a great job on the build quality, and have made a better carry-on than any of the actual luggage brand bags I looked at.

Legendary Buck 110 Folder: The Knife That Changed It All

By
Reuben Bolieu
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The Legendary Buck 110 Folder arrived in 1963 and immediately changed the knife world. It gave hunters a folding blade that locked like a fixed knife and could be carried efficiently by all. Not to mention, it looked sharp with brass bolsters and ebony scales. 

Buck 110 Fever

Soldiers tucked it into rucks, ranchers wore it on belts, and outdoorspeople trusted it for everything from skinning deer to cutting rope. Buck sold more than 15 million 110 knives, making it one of the most successful knives ever built.  

The knife itself has never stood still. Early blades used 440C steel, prized for its toughness, before shifting to 425M in the 1980s. By the 1990s, Buck settled on 420HC, heat-treated for a balance of edge retention and corrosion resistance. Premium runs now feature steels like S30V and MagnaCut, giving collectors and hard users more bite.

In 1983, Buck added contoured handles for comfort, proving they listened to feedback from the field. The 110 Auto introduced push-button deployment, while the Slim series shaved weight, added pocket clips, and embraced modern carry habits. The 60th Anniversary edition fused MagnaCut steel with classic brass and ebony, a handshake between past and future.  

The 3.75-inch clip-point blade, made of 420HC steel, provides precise cutting. It folds to 4.875 inches and fits neatly in a black leather sheath.

The Buck 110 endures because it never forgot its roots. It remains a knife that feels at home in a deer camp, a soldier’s kit, or a movie close-up. It is both tool and symbol—an American legend that still cuts its own path. 

Hollywood Likes the Legend

Hollywood noticed. The Buck 110 has flashed across screens in films like Natural Born Killers and Kill Bill. It appeared in The Dukes of Hazzard, The Walking Dead, and even made its way into music videos. It often played the role of the quiet star of a tense moment. Alexander Supertramp (Christopher McCandless) uses the Buck 110 in the movie Into the Wild. He’s carving words into some scrap wood and skinning a moose in the story of Christopher McCandless. 

Directors love its silhouette because it instantly signals toughness, danger, or frontier spirit without a single line of dialogue.  

The Original Buck 110

The 110’s robust lock-back design guarantees a secure, wobble-free open.

The Buck 110 Folding Hunter doesn’t mess around. It pairs brass bolsters with rich Crelicam™ ebony scales—pure class. The 3.75-inch clip-point blade slices clean with heat-treated 420HC steel. Lock-back design snaps it open with confidence, no wiggle. Fold it down to 4.875 inches and stash it in the black leather sheath. Belt carry? Absolutely.

Built for hunters, but it tackles rope, wood, and stubborn packaging like a champ. The sheath comes from abroad, but the knife showcases all-American muscle.

The Buck 110 Folding Hunter showcases brass bolsters and stylish Crelicam™ ebony scales.

A Legend in My Hand

“This is a real knife,” is what I thought the first time I handled the legendary Buck 110 folder. It just felt robust and solid. It was a far cry from the pawn shop and swapmeet knives I acquired as a kid. The Buckmaster 184 was the coolest knife due to the Rambo knife craze at the time. So, in my mind, you couldn’t beat a Buck Knife. 

The Legendary Buck 110 features a 3.75-inch clip-point blade made of heat-treated 420HC steel, which cuts smoothly.

Somehow, the knife got away from me, and I acquired several newer tactical and EDC folders. Recently, I was able to reconnect with it via handling a buddy’s 110. It felt good in the hand, as always. Although it was well-worn and told a heck of a story, it was still sharp. It met turkeys and deer, along with other daily tasks. It made me wonder where mine has been and what story it had to tell. 

One thing is sure: it remains the undisputed champion of pocket folding hunting and utility knives. I doubt any other folders will come close in my lifetime!

Bravo, Buck Knives!

The Mental and Physical Game of Home Defense

By
Travis Pike
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Home defense is more than just having a gun. You need to have a plan, and you need to have the proper equipment for home defense, like a white light. Home defenders should be trained to use their weapons to a high degree of proficiency as well. Additionally, you should practice the mental and physical game of home defense. The most critical component is a prepared mind and the ability to think clearly under immense stress.

Preparing Yourself for Home Defense

We are going to explore three dry exercises you can do in your home that involve both the physical and mental aspects of home defense. Having a gun, a plan, and the proper equipment is great, but knowing how it works inside your home is the glue that holds it together. In the military, we’d rehearse everything.

We’d rehearse reaction to fire, how to respond to an IED, our duties in a raid, and more. The rehearsal painted a mental picture of the plan we discussed. I want to bring that same mindset to home defense and home security.

Room Clearing (Not Really, But Kind Of)

Yep, I know, one-man room clearing is suicide. Two-man room clearing is suicide with friends. We got it, but there could be a home defense scenario where you have to move through your house. I’m not telling anyone to clear their house room by room solo, but I am encouraging you to move through your house with your weapon because you might just have to.

We want to focus on two things. First, how does your weapon of choice handle in your home? Do you use a Mossberg 590A1 with a 20-inch barrel? Great, grab the gun and start moving through your house with it. Is it too long? Is it difficult to maneuver? There is only one way to find out: walk through your home, with an unloaded gun, and figure it out.

As you’re moving through your home, focus on maximizing cover and concealment with your weapon at the ready. This will help you realize where cover and concealment exist and how your weapon interacts with them. You don’t want to be figuring this out when someone is trying to kick your door in. A home defense rehearsal can go a long way to maximizing your personal safety.

Do it during the day, and do it again at night. Practice using your white light inside your home and seeing how it works. Practice light discipline and tactical use of your light, but do more than a momentary press to learn about what creates light obstacles in your home and how much of your home your light can illuminate.

Do it slow; it’s not a race, and we aren’t doing this dynamically. The goal is to rehearse and observe the movements.

The Home Defense Scenario

Next, after rehearsing moving through your home, practice starting from zero. Zero is where you are most commonly in your home at different times of the day. I’m either in my office, living room, or bedroom, so I’m going to position myself in one of those rooms and plan how I’d react to a home invasion.

God forbid someone comes into my home while I’m in my office, which doubles as my gun room. I’ll take forever just making a choice! From any of these positions, I want to do a physical rehearsal of what happens next. Personally, I’m going to retrieve a firearm and call the police. Is my phone with me? How far away is a firearm from my position?

(U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Daniel Childs)

How fast can I retrieve and ready a firearm while managing my family from these three rooms? I have to consider where my family is likely to be at different times and the best way to manage their safety while reacting to a threat. Rehearse this, walk through your home, retrieve your weapon, and react. A rehearsal will show you things you failed to consider.

It’s a lot to consider and think about, and again, you don’t want the first time you’re considering these things to be when the door gets kicked open.

The Mental Game

You can’t rehearse every possible scenario, but you should mentally consider what could happen. Another useful training and preparation tactic we used in the Marine Corps was decision-making scenarios. Think of realistic scenarios that could happen.

For example, you have a front and back door, and someone is kicking in both. What do you do?

You have kids across the house, and a home invasion begins. What do you do?

You hear a window break. How do you react?

The author, on the left, uses a training knife to escape an entangled fight.

Think about your home, your family, and various entryways and how they’ll affect your response. Beyond how to react to a threat, think about what you say when you call the police.

Dedicate a few minutes a day to walking through your home and thinking about the potential home defense situation. Go outside your home and consider it from an outsider’s view. It doesn’t take much to identify weak points and even make some home changes to be better prepared.

I’m a huge fan of cameras equipped with motion lights, and after approaching my home at night, with the mindset of how do I get in, I got a few more.

The Home Defense Game

If there is one thing I want you to remember from this article, it’s this. Don’t wait till the bad guy starts kicking the door in to plan your reaction. Failing to plan is planning to fail, and all that jazz. You don’t need to obsess about this stuff, or scare your kids and annoy your spouse. Just plan, rehearse, and ready yourself. Home defense isn’t a game, but home defense preparation can be both a mental and physical game.

Court Tosses Biden Final Rule Defining Who Is “Engaged In The Business”

By
Mark Chesnut
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One of the most egregious restrictions President Joe Biden’s Justice Department (DOJ) foisted upon American gun owners and gun dealers was the Final Rule that redefined who is “engaged in the business” of selling firearms. The law, which was designed to drastically reduce private sales of firearms, an American tradition since the country’s founding, was confusing enough that it forced many to not sell or purchase firearms because they were afraid of committing a felony for doing something they had done for years.

“Engaged in Business” Rule Unconstitutional

Now, in a lawsuit brought by the National Rifle Association and two individual members, the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Alabama held that the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) exceeded its statutory authority by issuing the 2024 Final Rule.

Change For The Better

In the case Butler v. Bondi, District Judge Corey L. Maze wrote in the ruling: “The Final Rule … embraces the concept that a single sale of a single firearm can constitute proof that someone is engaged in the business of dealing firearms: ‘there is no minimum number of firearms purchased or sold that triggers the licensing requirement.’ The Final Rule then goes further; it says that a license could be required even if no gun trades hands as long as there is an ‘offer to engage in a transaction, when combined with other evidence (e.g., where a person represents to others a willingness and ability to purchase more firearms for resale).’”

Judge Maze further explained in the ruling that the Final Rule went well beyond how Congress had defined “engaged in the business.”

“To sum up, Congress decided that a person is not engaged in the business of dealing in firearms unless he deals firearms ‘as a regular course of trade or business,’” the judge wrote. Regular means repeated or often. So, regular business requires more than one firearm transaction involving a single firearm. Because the Final Rule says single transactions involving one firearm may be prohibited in some cases, it exceeds ATF’s statutory authority…

“For these reasons, the court agrees with Plaintiffs that ATF exceeded its authority when it interpreted the GCA to possibly prohibit a single purchase or sale or a single offer to purchase or sell a firearm.”

Ultimately, the ruling is likely to ease concerns of gun owners when it comes to buying, selling, or trading firearms in a private manner. The fact that the Biden Administration overstepped its bounds was obvious from the start. It’s heartening to have a court come to the same conclusion.

Lightweight Suppresion: Griffin Armament Sportsman Ultra Light HD .46

By
Tim Stetzer
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Griffin Armament announced the new Sportsman Ultra Light HD .46 suppressor this week. They’re positioning it as a lightweight, budget-friendly option built specifically for hunting. It addresses durability limits seen in the original Sportsman Ultra Light line.

The Griffin Armament Sportsman Ultra Light HD .46

Unlike the earlier aluminum models, which Griffin says were limited to light sporting use and required cooling after a handful of quick shots, the new HD version uses full 17-4 H900 heat-treated stainless steel and tubeless laser-welding to deliver what the company describes as “near-titanium” weights with markedly greater durability. The “HD” in the name denotes the High Durability construction.

Griffin says the Sportsman Ultra Light HD .46 pairs that stainless construction with the firm’s patented ECO-FLOW baffle technology. They say that the system reduces user exposure to toxic gases. It also lowers system gas to improve the function on gas-operated hosts.

The .46 model uses industry-standard 1.375×24 HUB threading. That allows compatibility with Griffin HUB mount adapters as well as third-party mounting systems. It also accepts Nielson devices (booster housings) for use on Browning-style tilt-barrel pistols up to .45 caliber.

Ratings and Barrel Limits

Griffin rates the Sportsman Ultra Light HD .46 up to .45-70 rifle cartridges and .45 ACP pistol rounds. The company notes there are no minimum barrel length restrictions or constraints for magnum rifle calibers. Longer barrels do tend to promote longer service life, however.

All machining for the Sportsman Ultra Light HD family is carried out at Griffin’s Watertown, Wisconsin, facility. Griffin also cautions buyers that the suppressor does not include a muzzle device or HUB mount interface. Those mounting components must be purchased separately.

The Sportsman Ultra Light HD .46 carries an MSRP of $604.95.

I’ve had a Griffin Sportsman Ultra Light .36 suppressor for almost a year now. I bought it primarily for shooting .350 Legend, but I’ve used it on 5.56mm, .300 Blackout, and 9mm as well. It’s been a great can with its light weight and HUB mounting options. My only regret was that not long after I got it I started looking at .400 Legend rifles.

I now have two .400 Legends, and some .40 S&W, 10mm, and .45 ACP pistols and AR’s. I could really use a suppressor that will work with those. Based upon my experience with the .36 version, the new Griffin .46 is most likely what I’m going to pick up.

Affordable and Robust – Checking Out the Ruike P166

By
Jim Cobb
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Ruike P166

A few years back, a YouTube influencer popular at the time for knife content recommended a Ruike folding knife. I don’t recall the exact model, but I picked one up. It served admirably as part of my EDC rotation for a while, then I retired it to my bedroom dresser. It’s what I grab to cut off tags from new clothes, that sort of thing.

Based on that positive experience, when Ruike contacted me about reviewing its new P166 model, I said to send it over.

The Ruike P166

The first thing I noticed about the P166 is that it’s very angular in appearance. Lots of straight lines rather than sweeping curves. It gives a vaguely futuristic impression to me. Like the style of folding knife you might see in a sci-fi film.

Ruike P166 - blade
The tanto blade profile mirrors the overall angular shape of the knife.

The blade is Sandvik 14C28N. While I’m not overly familiar with this material, it’s sort of a higher-end budget steel option. In terms of edge retention and corrosion resistance, it’s similar to AEB-L. I have a few knives in AEB-L, and they’re all solid performers.

The P166’s handle is crafted from aluminum. It has some mild texturing to help with grippiness. This is a liner lock knife. The lock slides into place effortlessly and engages fully with the blade. There’s a bit of color at the pivot points on either side, which adds a little bonus to the aesthetics. The P166 is equipped with a non-reversible, deep-carry pocket clip.

Ruike P166 - pivot point
The blue at the pivot points adds a touch of color to the mix.

This is a flipper-style knife. The flipper is very small, protruding just slightly from the knife’s frame. It has a bit of jimping to help with traction. Pressing the flipper swings the blade into position.

Over the years, I’ve found that each flipper knife has its own quirks in terms of how to open the knife quickly. It just takes a few tries to find the sweet spot on the flipper that does the trick. Once the liner lock is disengaged, the blade falls closed very easily.

Ruike P166 - liner lock
The liner lock on the P166 engages the blade fully.

The blade runs 3.62 inches, and the handle is 4.88 inches, giving you an overall length of 8.5 inches. It is very comparable in size to a Buck 110 Folding Hunter, though much lighter. The manufacturer specs give a weight of 4.8 ounces for the P166, but on my postal scale, it’s 4.3 ounces. In comparison, the Buck 110 comes in at a hair over 7 ounces.

Ruike P166 Performance

I’ve only had the P166 for a few weeks. In that time, I’ve used it for a range of common knife chores, such as cutting cordage, breaking down boxes, and even cutting a bit of fruit. I found it handles very well. The edge retention is on point. I really like how easily the knife swings closed after the lock is pushed aside.

Ruike P166 - leather
Slicing up a pile of scrap leather was child’s play with this knife.

I’d consider this to be a mid-to-large folding knife, but it’s quite nimble. This is likely due to its light weight compared to its overall size.

Ruike P166 - paper
Even after a few weeks of use, the P166 could still easily cut paper without tearing it.

I look at the P166 as a great option for those who work construction sites or other heavy-duty jobs. This is the sort of knife that you won’t feel compelled to baby or coddle. Use it like a rented mule and never think twice about it. I’ve owned knives with price tags twice the size of the P166 that performed half as well.

Find it at Chicago Knife Works for about $87.

The Forgotten innovation of Savage Arms

By
Travis Pike
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Savage today is well-known for its popular line of budget-worth bolt-action rifles. These affordable rifles are often feature-filled and produced in nearly every common caliber you can imagine. Savage today has dabbled in AR-15s, handguns, and even shotguns. Savage of today is a solid company, but the Savage Arms of yesteryear was one of the most innovative companies of its era.

They put a focus on making firearms for the civilian market and excelling and innovating in that world. This led to numerous innovations that are often overlooked and ignored when discussing innovative firearms. Arthur Savage was a pioneer and a brilliant, forward-thinking inventor. He started Savage Arms in 1895 and released a number of innovative firearms and calibers.

Let’s dissect that forgotten innovation.

The Savage Model 99

The Savage Model 1899 descended from the Savage 1895. The Model 99 quickly surpassed the 1895 and maintained its innovative design. The Savage 1899 used an innovative rotary magazine that allowed the weapon to utilize more aerodynamic Spitzer-type projectiles. Lever-action rifles of the era used tubular magazines, which prevented the safe usage of spitzer-style rounds.

The Model 99 offered a lever-action rifle designed for higher-powered smokeless powder cartridges that flew fast and hit hard. The Model 99 came in tons of different calibers during its nearly century-long run. This includes Savage’s own proprietary cartridges and modern options like .308. Heck, they even made a .410 bore model for a limited period of time.

The little rifle had a number of unique features. My favorite is the integrated round counter that allows a quick and easy way to check your magazine capacity. The Savage 1899 was primarily used by civilian hunters, but the Montreal Home Guard adopted the rifle during WWI, which had a bayonet lug and full military-style stock.

Savage Model 1907

When the Army wanted a semi-auto handgun in .45 ACP, several competitors emerged. Savage entered their own pistol, but as we know, Colt’s design won and became the M1911. Savage scaled down the .45 ACP version to .32 ACP and .380 ACP and shrunk it to be a convenient concealed carry gun.

The gun promised a locked breech, which was rare for the era, but the system was a delayed blowback at best. The Model 1907 was the O.G. of removable double-stack magazines and in .32 ACP held ten rounds. Much like the SIG P210 and the CZ-75, the Savage Model 1907 used an inverse slide rail system to lower the gun’s bore axis.

The Model 1907 was a single-action, striker-fired gun with an exposed striker cocking device. These guns were built for and advertised to civilian shooters looking for a modern (for the era) pocket pistol for personal defense. They even heavily advertised the gun to women. Savage’s little pistol saw adoption by the French during WWI and by the Portuguese military.

Savage Model 1920

By now, you’ve figured out that Savage likes to use the year as the model number. It’s tough to believe, but Savage was the first company to release a commercially available bolt-action sporting rifle. Military bolt actions were common, but sporting bolt actions didn’t exist. The Model 1920 changed that and released a purpose-built, lightweight sporting rifle.

There was no need for a full military stock or bayonet lug. You didn’t need a heavy wood stock, and Savage was able to create a slim and trim bolt-action hunting rifle. Its portability was a big selling point for the gun, and it was often advertised as a mountain gun due to its lightweight design.

The Model 1920 used a Mauser-inspired action with some important refinements. They utilized a sliding tang-mounted safety and an L-shaped slot in the receiver that acted as a shoulder for the bolt handle. Sadly, the Savage Model 1920 wasn’t all that popular, and only 12,000 were produced.

.250-3000 Savage

Now, let’s talk about the cartridges Savage developed. With the advent of smokeless powder and stronger guns, bullets got smaller and faster. Savage was the first company to produce a commercial rifle cartridge that was capable of exceeding 3,000 feet per second. A .25 caliber, 87-grain bullet could reach 3,000 feet per second.

Other loads included a heavier, and slightly slower, 100-grain projectile. The .250-3000 Savage was a fairly popular round, but was limited due to its light projectiles. The round is good for varmints up into white-tail deer species. The .250-3000 Savage isn’t popular today, but rounds like the .250 Ackley owe their existence to the .250-3000 Savage.

.300 Savage

The .300 Savage was designed as an improvement to the .250-3000. It was capable of handling larger game. The goal was to create a mini .30-06 that’s usable within 300 yards or so. The short 46.5mm case made it easy to chamber in rifles like the Model 1899. It would also become popular in semi-autos like the Remington Model 8.

The .300 Savage predates most intermediate cartridges, but isn’t all that different than the 7.62x39mm and the .300 Blackout round. It provided a practical punch in a fairly short package. To this day, it’s still produced and is an excellent all-around cartridge.

Savage Arms and Innovation

Savage Arms has a long history of producing awesome firearms and cartridges that pushed boundaries. They made some fascinating guns, and I think men like Arthur Savage and Charles Newton deserve credit for taking risks and making something new.

Tech in the Outdoors: Embrace it!

By
Reuben Bolieu
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THAW™ designed a dual-purpose USB-C rechargeable hand warmer and power bank to keep you warm and charge your USB devices.

The outdoors world has become increasingly tech-driven. Tech in the outdoors isn’t a bad thing. It’s natural. I’ve noticed how many items I use that require charging via USB. Plasma lighters, headlamps, hand warmers, lanterns, and power banks. This is especially true if you use camera and video gear. Let’s highlight gear that needs charging yet is still lightweight, and easy on the pocketbook. More importantly, multifunctional. 

Outdoor Tech

Rechargeable Tech Hand Warmers

Introducing the THAW™ dual-purpose USB-C rechargeable Hand Warmer and Power Bank, a groundbreaking solution designed for those who refuse to let the cold slow them down. Available in both small and large sizes, this innovative device combines functionality and comfort, ensuring that you stay warm while also powering your essential USB devices.

With its advanced double-sided heating technology, the THAW hand warmer delivers consistent warmth to your hands from all angles, making it an ideal companion in any adverse weather condition. Whether you’re navigating snowy trails, enjoying winter sports, or taking a leisurely stroll on crisp days, this device guarantees that you remain cozy and comfortable. Now, that’s tech in the outdoors!

Crafted for convenience, the THAW Hand Warmer boasts a sleek, ergonomic design that easily fits in your pocket or bag, providing on-the-go warmth whenever you need it. The USB-C rechargeable capability ensures that, not only can you keep your hands toasty, but you also have the ability to charge your USB-powered gadgets, such as smartphones or headphones, providing you with the ultimate peace of mind during outdoor adventures.

Don’t let the cold take away your enjoyment of winter activities. THAW rechargeable Hand Warmer to keep you Warm to the Core.

MSRP: $29.99

UCO Sprouting in the Outdoors

The Sprout Hangout Mini Lantern offers strong light for tents, picnic tables, hotel rooms, or campsites. Use the push-button control to adjust brightness up to 100 lumens or switch to blue Moonlight Mode. The MAGNA-LOOP magnetic lanyard allows you to hang it from tents or trees, while also sitting on tables or nightstands.

The UCO Gear Sprout Hangout Mini Lantern features a Moonlight Blue setting, enhancing the mood at your camp or porch.

This compact lantern runs on a rechargeable lithium battery or three AAA batteries (not included). Weighing 2.75 ounces and measuring 1.8 inches tall, it’s portable and convenient.

With an IPX4 rating, it resists water splashes from any direction. Expect about 4 hours of use on high and 50 hours on low. For maximum brightness, hold the button in white mode, and dim it by holding until it softens. Realistically, high lasts about 2 hours and low lasts 17.5 hours. True tech in the outdoors from UCO. This lantern suits picnic tables or as a cabin nightlight.

MSRP: $25.99

UCO Gear’s Sprout Hangout Mini Lantern includes a LI-ION rechargeable battery. It requires a Micro USB cord and holds 3 AAA batteries (not included).

SOL Fire Lite Tech Multi-tool

Start your campfire and light the way with this fuel-free lighter. The dual arc technology quickly ignites tinder at the touch of a button. Its watertight case protects against rain, wind, temperature, and altitude. You can charge the lithium battery in under 2 hours using a micro USB charger, lasting up to 45 uses.

The SOL Fire Lite features a 100-lumen LED light with low, high, and strobe settings for essential needs. Expect about 3 hours of low-level light per charge. Use the 3-foot tinder cord as a lanyard or for igniting fires by exposing its flammable core. At under 2 ounces, this tool is perfect for camping, hiking, or storage in a glove compartment.

I tested the Fire Lite’s charging time, which was quicker than the claimed 2 hours. In the woods, I ignite various types of tinder: poplar bark, river birch bark, and poplar shavings. The thin, curly feather sticks ignited easily, as did thicker shavings. The Fire Lite even ignited birch bark and poplar bark in humid conditions quickly. Definitely fire tech in the outdoors at its finest!

The dual arcs on the lighter’s top ignite flammable items instantly upon contact. Use it to light campfires, stoves, and other sources of heat.

The supplied cord can also act as a lanyard. While SOL suggests using it for tinder, I found it versatile, keeping intact. You can use the strobe setting to attract attention if needed. 

During a camping trip, I used the Fire Lite as my main light, and the battery lasted. On another overnight trip, using the flashlight intermittently drained the battery before morning. A small USB charger would have resolved this issue. The next charge took only 1.5 hours—Bravo, SOL Fire Lite!

MSRP: $24.99

Tech in the Outdoors Summary

Tech outdoors isn’t going anywhere. Imagine the future, rechargeable fishing poles, skis, and even shelters. Whatever inventors come up with next, remember it’s a tech world, so embrace it!

The Ethics of a Lethal Skill

By
Travis Pike
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What does it mean to possess a skill designed for lethality? If you’re someone who is serious about carrying a firearm, either professionally or privately, you’re likely in possession of a skill that’s fairly easy to access but difficult to obtain. If you train and practice with a firearm, you possess a degree of lethal skill.

That’s all there is to it, but have you stopped to ponder what that means for you and for society? What are the responsibilities and ethics of possessing and constantly improving a lethal skill? It’s something I’ve been kicking around in my crayon-eating brain and something I wanted to talk about. It all started because I started practicing martial arts.

Lethal Skills and Ethical Dilemmas

I promise you it’s not a midlife crisis that drove me to start Judo. I’ve always been in crisis, but now I can afford it. I train at a club that’s mixed with kids and adults training at the same time, albeit separately. Part of Judo, and seemingly any martial art, is learning the ethical use of martial skills. The kids are taught not to go to school, and Seoi Nage, some kid who fouled you at basketball.

Marines with Weapons Training Battalion conduct the Annual Rifle Qualification train-the-trainer course on Marine Corps Base Quantico, Va., Feb. 17, 2021. The ARQ is replacing the current Annual Rifle Training to increase lethality by creating a more operationally realistic training environment which will be implemented service-wide by fiscal year 2022.

As a quasi-mature 35-year-old dad of three, who is the oldest student in the class, it’s not quite as harped on with me. You are walking around with a skill that could seriously harm someone, so you have to be responsible with it.

I’ve seen it mentioned here and there in the gun world and have preached it myself, but firearms training isn’t codified like martial arts. I’ve never been in a class where the ethics of carrying a firearm come up.

Julie at the 2016 USPSA Revolver Nationals
Julie at the 2016 USPSA Revolver Nationals

It’s understandable why it’s not brought up. I’m paying so-and-so instructor to help me shoot faster and straighter, and we have limited time to do so. Judo has the benefit of two classes a week, firearm instructors are getting me for a day or maybe two total.

The Ethics of Lethal Skill

If you translate this to the gun world, I’m carrying a firearm everywhere I’m legally allowed to. This means almost every interaction I have has at least one firearm present. What kind of ethics do I need to uphold to be a responsibly armed person?

The paradox of power is that with it comes the responsibility to use it correctly. A proficient shooter with a firearm wields immense power. It’s a lethal skill that should not be used to dominate.

Being trained with a firearm can give you confidence and reassurance, but it should bring with it a sense of humility. The better trained I became, both in my professional time toting a firearm and as a concealed carrier, the more I realized that there is a razor-thin margin for error ethically, legally, and between life and death. Once a shot is fired, there is no way to reverse that decision.

If you work on any skill, you ride a roller coaster of proficiency. You suck when you start, but then you climb that mountain and you think, hey, I’m pretty good. Then you plunge down that hill and realize, oh hell, I don’t know anything. You go from humble to confident to back to being humble.

Humility – The Core Principle

I believe that humility is the core principle of possessing a lethal skill. It applies to your training. Don’t ever think you’re good enough. You should always continue to train and sharpen your skills. If you have to use your firearm, you have a responsibility to be as proficient with it as possible.

Not only to protect yourself and your family, but to ensure you make your shot count and avoid putting innocent people in danger.

Humility also brings us to real-world confrontations. If you are proficient and skilled in any form of fighting, then most confrontations are over before they start. If that’s the case, then why even fight? Well-trained and skilled people have nothing to prove. If you find yourself in a confrontation, you need to be able to determine if it’s actually worth violence, and very few confrontations are worth it.

If you’re humble, then you’re also not assuming you will win. Let’s say I’m a Judo black belt and I can take a guy to the ground. I beat him, but I never saw his friend come up and soccer kick me in the head while I held an armbar. You never know who else has a gun, and having a sub-two-second Bill Drill doesn’t mean you’ll win the gunfight.

De-escalation Is A Responsibility

If you have a lethal skill and the means to exercise that skill, then you have the responsibility to attempt to de-escalate the situation.

De-escalation should always be at the forefront of how you handle confrontation. Jack Clemons’ famed “My bad, here’s 20 dollars” is a brilliant example of de-escalation. Jack was a giant of a man who was also remarkably skilled with firearms, and he was not only willing to de-escalate, but he also had a plan on how to do it.

Fight or flight - time to act
Regular training and practice with martial arts and similar disciplines will reduce your reaction time as well as hone your defensive skills.

If you can’t de-escalate, can you escape? I live in a Stand Your Ground state. I don’t have a duty to retreat legally, but ethically, I believe that if escape is a safe option, you should take it. Escaping can be as simple as walking away from an angry guy at the bar.

I’m confident enough in myself that his insults aren’t going to affect me. I gain nothing from fighting him, but I have a lot to lose.

(I support Stand Your Ground and the legal protections it provides, and Duty To Retreat creates an unjust legal dilemma in self-defense situations.)

De-escalation is the ultimate self-defense skill. You win 100% of the gunfights you avoid.

Discipline Is a Responsibility

If you have the discipline to train with a firearm, to make accurate shots, and to make them quickly, to draw in less than a second, and to score a sub-2-second Bill Drill, then you have the discipline to walk away from confrontations, to de-escalate confrontations, and to avoid confrontations altogether.

The ethics of having a lethal skill are rooted in humility, responsibility, and discipline.

Modern Day Castaway Depots – One More Prep Plan to Consider

By
Jim Cobb
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Castaway Cache

I first learned about Castaway Depots maybe a year ago. They make a nice parallel to modern preparedness planning.

Castaway Depot History

Back in the 1860s, there were some shipwrecks near New Zealand where survivors were able to make it to nearby islands. There were two separate wrecks in 1864, though several months apart, near Carnley Harbour. People from both of these wrecks made it to shore and survived, albeit on different ends of the island. Each of them didn’t know the other group existed.

Castaway Cache - island
There are probably times when we all wish we could get stranded on an island for a bit.

After these and similar incidents, various entities established emergency depots on several of the islands in the area. New Zealand formally took over managing them in 1877 and continued managing them for about 50 years.

As communication equipment improved, the need for the depots diminished. The program was eventually discontinued in 1927.

What Was a Castaway Depot?

The idea was to provide supplies and equipment for shipwreck survivors to use until they could be found and rescued. With that in mind, government ships would visit each of the depot locations at least once every six months. While there, they would drop off stocks of live animals to live on the island, cut and stack firewood, and build or repair small huts.

Six months is a long time to be sitting on a deserted island, hoping for rescue. But with at least some of the heavy lifting already done, it was likely a bit more manageable.

Modern Castaway Depot – The Cache

From a prepper or survivalist standpoint, caches have been around for quite a while. I can recall Ragnar Benson writing about them in Survival: Live Off the Land in the City and Country, which came out back in 1982. In that book, he described how to use PVC pipes to squirrel away everything from tools and coins to firearms, burying them in out-of-the-way locations. The idea was that if you were on the run for some reason, you could dig up a cache to resupply on the move.

Castaway cache - pvc
PVC tubes are one traditional survivalist cache container.

Preppers still make these sorts of caches today. There are numerous plans available online with detailed instructions as well as lists of supplies needed. A buried cache isn’t a bad idea, though, like any plan, it has some limitations, and it might not be ideal for everyone.

We’ve talked about a couple of other types of caches here as well, including the Home Cache, as well as using storage units as a way to keep some extra gear and supplies off-site but available. There’s one more approach you might consider.

The Castaway Cache

Before we go further, let me say that nobody is saying you need to do all of these different caches, or any of them for that matter. The goal here is simply to share ideas that you may find helpful. Take what you can use and leave the rest.

The Castaway Cache is a tote, suitcase, or similar container that you stock with some everyday essentials and then stash with a family member or good friend who lives in the area. This isn’t a survival kit. Think of it more as a helping you get by kit. The idea is to assemble what you might need for a few days if you were driven from your home unexpectedly. For example, a house fire or flooding. Rather than rely on the generosity of strangers to donate clothes and such, the Castaway Cache is there to provide what you need.

Castaway cache - suitcase
A suitcase would make for a great Castaway Cache.

Here are a few things you could store in the Castaway Cache:

  • Spare clothes
  • Toiletries
  • Copies of important documents
  • List of important phone numbers
  • Cash
  • Emergency supply of prescription meds
  • Spare eyeglasses

Even if you aren’t planning on crashing at your friend’s house, you can grab the supplies you have stored and move on from there.

Castaway cache - tote
A tote is easy to store in a basement or garage until it’s needed. Photo credit: Amazon.

This would need to involve someone you trust, of course. You’ll also want to be able to access the Castaway Cache a few times a year so you can swap out medications and such. But this is something you can put together with very little out-of-pocket expense, given that you already own everything you’d be putting into it.

Consider it one more tool in the preparedness toolbox.

S&J Hardware Makes An American Push

By
Travis Pike
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I’m an unashamed shotgun nut. I love shotguns of all types and designs, and I can even find some space in my heart for a Turkish shotgun. If you’re a shotgunner, you know about certain brands, brands like Aridus, Mesa Tactical, and S&J Hardware. I’ve got a number of shotguns wearing S&J Hardware magazine extensions and have had nothing but love for the brand.

S&J Hardware

S&J Hardware is a proud Canadian company, but this year, they are making a push to hit the U.S. market. They are opening an S&J Hardware USA facility in Austin, Texas. This facility will be involved in not just importing Canadian products from S&J, but also getting into the manufacturing side of things.

A big part of this push will be centered around the Remington 870 platform. If you’re not familiar with the Remington drama, they have had some hiccups, went bankrupt, and were sold. They are being slowly revived, but there is a gap in the market that S&J Hardware is looking to fill.

S&J Hardware and What They Bring to The 870

I spoke with S&J Hardware today to get a better idea of what their expansion plans are. A lot of the focus on the 870 is because the current Remington company is not focusing all that hard on the 870. They are making the guns, sure, but spare parts are currently 24 months backordered. S&J Hardware gets calls daily from U.S. police forces looking for 870 parts.

S&J will be producing nearly every small part for the Remington 870 platform. From extractors and ejectors to the little springs necessary to make the gun function. That’s great, but what interested me most was S&J Hardware taking an ambitious embrace of the Remington 870 MCS.

The MCS is an 870 design that was only really sold to military and police forces. A few have made their way to the civilian market, but are rare as honest politicians. MCS stands for Modular Combat Shotgun and allows you to swap various barrel lengths, magazine capacities, and more to turn the gun from a full-sized fighting shotgun to a pistol grip breacher gun.

S&J Hardware is developing numerous MCS parts and adapters. Namely, the dedicated short forend is under construction, as well as various other MCS-sized options. They are looking to produce short barrels for the 870 series with matched magazine tubes. Being able to convert your 870 to a stamped short-barreled shotgun and have your own MCS design will be amazing.

This will provide access to a configuration that’s long escaped American shooters. It’s somewhat funny a Canadian company is doing what the classic American Remington 870 refuses to.

What I’m Excited For

With a hefty population of TAC-14s on the market, there are plenty of receivers that are ready to become AOWs and short-barreled shotguns. I’m interested in making my own Super Shorty-style 870, but no one is producing the barrels and magazine tubes necessary to make it possible.

S&J Hardware will be pumping out high-quality short barrels and magazine tubes so I can make the AOW of my dreams. They are even producing a folding forward grip, which is necessary for these super short designs. That same folding forward grip, they call it the Close Quarter Combat Grip, is available for full-sized shotguns.

Why? Well, front vertical grips create a better push-pull without the likelihood of breaking when you press it too hard. It’s a neat alternative design for helping fight recoil.

The stuff S&J plans to put out seems impressive, and some of it is already available on their website. Outside of 870 gear, they produce chest rigs, magazine extensions, elastic shell holders, and more. Highlights include bayonet mounts for Mossbergs, Benellis, Stoegers, and Remingtons, adapters to mount SGA stocks to various shotguns, and various stocks and grips designed to mount on the MCS system.

If you’re a shotgun nut like me, give them a look.

Traveling with 5.11: Part 2 – The MOLLE Packable Backpack

By
Tim Stetzer
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I retired from full-time law enforcement a few years ago. I still work part-time, but I have a lot more free time now, which my wife has decided to fill up with travel. If we’re going by car, I can bring whatever I want. I have space. With air travel, though, I found it’s not always easy fitting everything I might need or want. One thing I struggled with was a good small day pack for vacation excursions, short day hikes, or other times where I just needed to be able to carry a bit of extra gear.

I tried a couple of sling packs and found that they didn’t quite carry what I needed. I also didn’t love the comfort factor of a sling pack compared to a conventional dual shoulder strap pack. After looking around a bit, I came across the 5.11 Tactical MOLLE Packable Backpack, and it looked like it might be just what I wanted.

Table of contents

5.11’s MOLLE Packable Backpack is made from lightweight 70D recycled ripstop nylon with a PU coating. It weighs just over 10 ounces and folds into its own integrated pocket for compact storage. Folded into the pocket, it’s a six-by-six-inch square. When opened, it offers a 12-liter (730 cubic inch) capacity with dimensions of 18 inches high by 9 inches wide by 5.75 inches deep.

The main compartment features a clamshell opening for quick access, while external stretch-woven side and front pockets provide additional storage when the pack is unpacked or stowed. Comfortable mesh shoulder straps include laser-cut MOLLE and are secured with a removable sternum strap.

The MINIMOLL™ MOLLE strap system allows for modular attachment of gear, and additional features include dual gear loops, a rear haul handle, and hydration compatibility. The Packable Backpack comes in Sage Green, Major Brown, and Volcanic colors.

The MSRP is $60.00, although as of this writing, it’s currently listed on sale for $44.49.

Montana or Bust

I picked up a Sage Green pack before I headed to Montana back in April. I especially liked how small the pack is when folded into its integral pocket, as well as the light weight. It makes packing for air travel easy, with a minimum amount of space used or weight added. Even my sling packs took up way more room when I added them to my suitcase or carry-on previously.

It’s small enough to be worth packing just in case you might want it. It’s there if you need it, but it doesn’t take up so much space that you’re going to regret having it even if you don’t use it.

But I did use mine. While in Montana, even though I had my 5.11 RUSH 24 pack, I still used the Packable Backpack around camp. It was handy for taking stuff back and forth to the shower house and cookhouse, or just from the tarp hooch to the communal fire pit area. I didn’t have to unpack my main pack just to use it for shorter treks around camp.

Alaskan EDC

The Packable Backpack really came into its own on the Alaska trip, though. This was a 9-day trip. 7 days on a cruise and a day on either end in Seattle. In early June, the weather was mixed. Cooler weather with most days in the 50s and rain is highly likely. My primary use for the pack was to carry rain gear or another layer of clothing. I also made good use of the water bottle pockets. That’s something that I missed not having on the bigger RUSH 24 pack.

The top zippered compartment by the grab handle was a good place for my sunglasses. We’d go between bright sun and rain off and on throughout many of the days. Having a convenient place to grab or stow my glasses as needed was welcome. A 12L pack isn’t huge, but it proved big enough and wasn’t cumbersome. I could stuff my Gore-Tex jacket in there, along with a flannel shirt, as well as miscellaneous gear. I generally had enough space to still be able to jam some souvenirs and snacks in as well.

While the mesh straps aren’t padded, they still proved to be comfortable. Keeping in mind that I couldn’t load this 12L pack up like I could the big RUSH 24. For the types of loads that the Packable Backpack is designed to carry, the straps work well. I found the traditional backpack much more comfortable than the sling packs that I’d previously tried on trips like this.

The pack isn’t waterproof, but it is water-resistant. We had rain for at least some portion of the day on most every day we were in Alaska. With that said, I never noticed my gear that was inside the pack being wet. One day in particular, while hiking to see Mendenhall Glacier, it was a steady, cold drizzle. The pack held up well and kept my gear dry and secure.

A Perfect Pack?

I asked the same perfect pack question of myself in the RUSH 24 write-up, and my answer on that one was nearly so. In the case of the MOLLE Packable Backpack, I’m going to say that it hit all of the marks for what I wanted. It’s light and stores compactly for travel. It’s small and light enough when expanded that I didn’t feel burdened like I might with a bigger pack when going about daily activities. For what it’s intended to carry, it was comfortable.

The Packable backpack had enough space to carry what I needed, plus a little extra. There also wasn’t too much space that added unnecessary bulk, or that tempted me to carry more than I needed to. I generally even had some room to carry some extra stuff that my wife foisted on me as well.

Especially at the sale price of $45, the pack is a great deal. Even at the original price of $60.00, I’d consider this well worth it. The MOLLE Packable Backpack has become a “must-have” piece of travel gear for me from here on out.

Using a 9mm AR As a Training Rifle

By
Travis Pike
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The price of .223 Rem and 5.56 has come down a bit. It’s getting a little cheaper, dropping a few cents per round from a high of .50 cents per round. That’s great, but it’s still expensive. We want to keep our skills sharp, but not break the bank. One way to do it, with a limited range, is to look at a 9mm AR. Like .223 and 5.56, 9mm ammo is dropping in price and is an affordable alternative with some caveats.

Namely, you can’t train beyond 100 yards or so. When we get back to 100 yards, the 9mm can be a little less stable and won’t provide the same accuracy or consistency as 5.56. Anything beyond 100 yards, and you get into a realm where 9mm begins to suck even more. What’s great is that you can easily train within home defense ranges.

Training with a 9mm AR

What About .22LR?

Training with .22LR is the true way to shoot cheaply. .22LR costs pennies, and kits from CMMG can make for a solid training platform. Just drop the conversion bolt in, use the provided magazine, and you’re off to the races.

Photo Credit: ABC News

The downside is reliability. The kits mostly work, but they have some quirks. Second, the bolt doesn’t lock open on the last round, and that sucks. Finally, the .22LR has no recoil, so your training is not going to be all that realistic.

I still shoot a lot of .22LR, and it’s fun, cheap, and has training benefits, but I think a 9mm AR is a better option all around.

What You Need to Train With a 9mm AR

The proper setup for training with a 9mm AR can vary. The good news is that the best system is the most common and cheapest. A straight blowback AR has about the same recoil, or even worse recoil, which is better for training purposes.

A direct blowback 9mm AR with a last round bolt hold open device. This allows you to better simulate reloads. Those are the must-haves, but there are a few other things you can do to make it a more beneficial system.

First, avoid Glock magazines if you can. Glock mags are great, but their size, shape, and slant mean they don’t replicate an AR-15’s. It’s not mandatory, but to maximize training, let’s try our best.

Colt SMGs are slightly better, but still the wrong shape. They are straighter and handle more like an AR magazine, but still aren’t perfect. The best thing to do is get two Gen 2 PMAGs and the ENDO kits that swap their guts to feed 9mm. These mags are 5.56 mags with new guts and have a last-round bolt hold open.

They best replicate your AR magazine, fit in your pouches, and give you the best training potential. Plus, you can easily build a 9mm AR with a multi-cal lower and these magazines.

You can find 9mm uppers that easily match your 5.56 upper enough. They come in all sizes with all manner of different handguards.

If your AR has an LPVO, then you might get a budget LPVO, something super cheap that replicates your optic enough to work. If it has a red dot, well, you have tons of cheap red dot options.

Training with a 9mm AR

You train with a 9mm AR the same way you’d train with a rifle. Shoot the same drills, strings of fire, work cover, and all those fun things, but with 9mm, which is often half the price of 5.56. Run and gun and focus on those same basics.

If you want to work on your long-range skills, the best thing you can do is get small targets. Using 3×5 cards as A-zones, reduced-sized targets, and similar. This won’t replicate long-range shooting and skills, but can help supplement your skills in accurate shooting, which can translate to longer-range shooting.

It’s simple, just cheaper, while replicating the feeling of a fighting rifle. The 9mm round is easy to suppress, reliable, and common. A big benefit to using the cartridge is the ability to shoot at basically any range. Indoor ranges, in particular, are 9mm rifle-friendly.

Additionally, it’s easier to find matches that use PCCs. You can get some run-and-gun training in with your PCC that’s harder to get with 5.56 rifles.

Get Training

I shoot a lot, and I love it. Anyone who shoots a lot certainly pays attention to that price per round. A 9mm AR works well to simulate the look and feel of a 5.56 rifle with roughly the same recoil. It makes for an excellent training tool to keep skills sharp when money’s tight. Do it smart and you’ll be set up for success.

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