The ATF has been said to have sent the final rule on Pistol Stabilizing Braces to the White House for approval and we could see publication as early as later this week with likely a 60 day period before implementation.
The biggest question is, does the rule die again? We’ve seen this can kicked multiple times now, and the ATF are ‘doing their best’ to comply with the administrations obvious desire to put pistols onto the NFA while the rules clearly stating otherwise, because definitions are real things. The NFA is already absurd enough as it stands without dragging and blurring the lines still further over “pistols” with scores above or below a certain threshold to make the NFA items.
The evidence suggests the NFA should be amended to remove SBRs, not at a new category of not quite an SBR but our bureaucratic nonsense put us in this mess so were going to nonsense even harder to get ourselves… well… further into the mess.
This video from Armed Attorneys is a little old compared to the current information but the speculation remains, does this rule make itself a target or does it die again and get ‘redrafted due to inputs, suggested revisions, etc.’ so that the administration can claim they’re working diligently while in reality they are spinning their wheels.
I’d put decent odds on this going away. Not better than average odds, I’d still put those on this getting into print and starting off a lawsuit chain, but decent that it gets stuck in a cycle of revisions, updates, committees, approvals, and so forth all stating they’re totally working on it and making progress.
Ready to solemnly swear that you are not up to no good, you promise? After less than 3 years the Form 4473 is changing, again.
The BSCA and NDNA have added more lines of screening for the Form 4473 (the paperwork you do to purchase or pick up a firearm from an FFL) and are adding language against straw purchases and other prohibited individuals.
If you, an oh so intelligent and critical thinking individual, ask yourself and everyone else around you “What happens if they just lie?” the answer is… nothing. They must get caught lying to trigger the felony charge that can come with doing so, and that given the number or prosecutions of making a false statement on a Form 4473 is basically an add-on charge for padding out a prosecution sheet from a larger event.
The BSCA and NDNA have firmed up the definition of straw purchase though, and that has been something we needed. The language upon the new form and referencing the statute itself may come into confusing conflict with marking accurate answers on the form.
They are also now differentiating between within and outside city limits, this is in order to direct inquiry to the proper jurisdiction if further scrutiny is warranted during a background check. This is most often going to be used in conjunction with the deeper required checks on young people and under the NDNA to notify law enforcement of a denial.
Those notifications are only supposed to be for denials, however instances have been seen in the past and will undoubtedly occur under the new law where delays, and not denials, are referred to law enforcement. That improper notification chain will likely have two distinct negative effects, the false notifications will make local law enforcement more apathetic toward the FBI notifications as being without value and if it results in a law enforcement contact of the individual, especially if they passed their check after the delay (like I do, I have an FFL/SOT) it is likely to further erode trust and community relations by increasing unneeded friction between lawfully acting citizens and the police.
In short. The new Form 4473 is likely to cause confusion in buyers, problems in notifications, and increase rather than decrease community friction points. These forms become mandatory for use April 1, 2023 however FFLs are strongly encouraged to use them starting now.
Per ATF,
Due to new statutory requirements set forth in both the NICS Denial Notification Act and the Bipartisan Safer Community Act (BSCA), and to reflect the implementation of ATF Final Rule 2021R-05F, ATF Form 4473 has been revised. Because the new statutory requirements are designed to enhance public safety, and to ensure compliance with these provisions and Final Rule 2021R-05F, the Office of Management and Budget has provided emergency authorization to ATF to immediately use the revised Form 4473. ATF will be publishing the Revised Form for Notice and Comment Review in the coming months.
ATF encourages all federal firearms licensees (FFLs) to begin using the Revised Form immediately. The Revised Form is available on ATF’s website, and can be downloaded and printed for immediate use. Please note that the entire Form, including instructions, must be printed, and stored together. Hard copies of the Revised Form will be available through the ATF Distribution Center beginning February 1, 2023. The ATF eForm 4473 application is also being revised and notification will be sent when it is ready for use.
A 30 day gap of continued liberty arrive as an early Christmas present for Oregonians today. Unfortunately, District Court Judge Immergut denied the restraining order requested by 2A activists in a lawsuit attempting to stop the implementation of Oregon Measure 114 in court on Tuesday. Immergut however did grant the state time to put together the permitting scheme previously due to go into effect on Thursday, December 8, mere days after the OR Attorney General implied in a tweet that delaying the implementation of the law would cost lives.
Whether granted a 30 day reprieve, or 300, the evidence that the law was poorly written and entirely unplanned for is inescapable. One has to wonder if the defendants changed their tune on the implementation date because they recognized the untenable position it placed them in, or because they realized that letting it go forward would create a constitutional crisis that would call into question the entire law on its face.
The massive glut of purchases that hit the OR NICS system in November, which continues to grow in size, should make clear the harm this law as written had the potential to cause, but apparently Her Honor disagrees. As yet, while the permitting portion of the law has another 30 days until implementation, the magazine capacity ban seems to be going forward, and unless something dramatic happens before the 8th, will become law. The case will continue, and the many 2A groups fighting for your rights in court will continue to do so, but for now a glimmer, however faint, of hope has arrived for Oregonians.
Hopefully Benitez will put an end to California’s mag ban soon, which would put yet another nail into the coffin of 114 that OFF, GOA, FPC, and others are currently constructing. While relief from an arbitrary limit on magazine capacity would be a welcome thing, the real meat of this case is the permit to purchase, and we’re hoping to see more action on this front soon now that our foot, however barely, is in the door.
Ah, another lovely night with a Dremel, some JB Weld, and Pabst Blue Ribbon. Today we are going to look at some of the best Milsurp weapons on the market. Milsurp rifles are neat, but we can make them better right? Let’s bust out the Amazon quality scopes, the Archangel stocks, and the cheapest scope mounts I can find. Who says we need to leave a historic gun historic? Let’s rip into them! Here are my top five favorite Milsurp weapons and how you can upgrade them.
The Mosin Nagant – The Ultimate Milsurp Masterpiece
The Mosin is the classic cheap gun that’s fun to shoot and totally capable of hunting North American game. How do we upgrade the Mosin Nagant? Easy….we don’t. Instead, get a Ruger American in .308 or .30-06. These budget-friendly rifles can be had for around 300 to 400 bucks. They are simple, accurate, easy to toss an optic on, and plenty accurate for deer season. In the big boy .30 caliber rounds, you are getting similar power, range, and capability as the are 7.62x54R.
Unlike most 7.62x54R, these rounds are a lot less likely to be corrosive. Mosin Nagants are great, but a Ruger American is about the same cost, a lot lighter, and much easier to equip with an optic. Not a bad way to get a full-powered rifle on a tight budget.
The M1 Carbine – Rock and Roll
The M1 Carbine is such a cool rifle. It’s small, lightweight, easy handling and accurate. They still make modern reproductions, but they are nowhere near as great as a Milsurp M1 Carbine. A WW2 M1 Carbine is pretty old school with its wood stock and lack of Picatinny rails. What are we going to do?
Royal Tiger Imports
We are going to put it back into the gun safe and purchase an Aero Precision EPC. The EPC doesn’t come in .30 Carbine but does come in 9mm and 40 S&W. Upi can use an AR pistol brace or stock, depending on your configuration. Those calibers are cheaper and much easier to find. The gun takes Glock magazines, and those are a lot less finicky than M1 Carbine mags.
Swiss K11 Carbine 7.5×55
Holy crap, is the Swiss K11 awesome. It’s probably my favorite milsurp rifle. The K11 is a very finely made bolt action rifle with a twist. It’s a straight pull bolt action rifle. Meaning you pull the bolt back and shove it forwards, and that’s it. It’s much faster and more effective than a standard bolt gun. These rifles are absolutely beautiful and fantastically fun to shoot. How can we make it modern?
Edelweiss Arms
That’s easy! We buy a Savage Impulse and eliminate the impulse in your brain to add a scout scope to your K11. The Impulse offers you a straight pull bolt action rifle that comes in nearly every major caliber. These beefy, powerful rifles are very capable and a ton of fun to shoot. They offer you the same straight pull bolt design without having to find 7.5x55mm ammunition.
The SKS – The AK-Lite Alternative
The old SKS is a neat rifle, and while it was basically Russia’s M14, it was still a solid rifle. The days of 99-dollar Milsurp SKS rifles are long gone. You can still find SKS rifles from various countries, and they don’t break the bank. The wood stock and fixed magazine are lame, so let’s get a Dremel or visit Tapco! Or wait, how about we just buy an AK? All we are doing by modernizing an SKS is making it more like an AK.
There are tons of AKs out there at varying quality levels and price ranges. There is one out there for you! Plus, the aftermarket is bigger and better with stuff from Magpul, US Palm, and more. Leave that old SKS alone and just get you the AK you want.
Makarov and Cheese
Oh yeah, the old milsurp Makarov pistol. The 9x19mm Makarov isn’t a powerhouse, but it is .380-like in capability. The Makarov is a lot like the AK and has been imported from tons of former Soviet Block countries. Makarovs aren’t exactly modern. No rails, no optic cuts, no compensators…boy, that would be… Awesome.
Irongate Armory
Honestly, I’d say just goof around with a Glock. The more I think about a tacaticalized Makarov, the better I think it will be. It seems goofy, but I’m here for it. Let’s toss a Holosun, a comp, and some kind of light on a Makarov and call it a day.
Keep Up With the Milsurp
There we have it. A list of the best milsurp guns and how to make them modern. Now we know how to take a crappy old, history-filled, milsurp rifle and turn it into something totally better. Something like that. You know what… don’t touch milsurp rifles with ill intent. Leave them the way they are and enjoy them.
Whenever a new potential gun owner asks what handgun they should get, they’ll often get a mixture of advice. Some will say just get XYZ brand, and others will say go rent some guns and see how they ‘feel.’ Feel is often touted as a very important part of owning a firearm, but what does that mean? The Polymer 80 grip feels better than the Glock grip. If it feels good, is it good to go? People justify their weapon selection by how it feels, but feel is a very open term. Admittedly hand size and gun fit are important, and today we are discussing what feel means and how to get the proper fit of your gun-to-hand ratio.
Sometimes a handgun doesn’t necessarily feel good but can be entirely effective. The Walther PPS M1 feels a bit like gripping a 2×4. However, the controls are completely accessible and easy to access. Sometimes a gun feels bad and is bad, like small hands and a Desert Eagle. It just won’t work. With that in mind, let’s teach you how to get a good gun fit.
Making a Gun Fit
When you grab the gun, there are a number of things you can examine to ensure the gun fits. First, knuckle placement will tell a tale. When you grip the gun, examine where your knuckles fall in relation to the trigger guard. If it’s directly under the trigger guard, you are getting along pretty well. This fit is desirable to maximize control.
If you find your knuckles orientating towards your non-dominant side, the grip might be too small. If your knuckles are orientated more towards your dominant side, the gun fit might be too big.
When it comes to compact handguns, especially concealed carry guns, the size will always likely orientate towards the thinner side. Sometimes you have to sacrifice control and proper gun fit for small size and concealment.
When you try different guns and grips, try to maximize a proper fit with the knuckles as close to being under the trigger guard as possible. It might never be 100% perfect, but it can be close enough. I would never choose a lower-quality handgun for a better fit, either.
Triggered
Another important part of gun fit is your ability to reach the trigger. Can you safely and effectively reach the trigger with the first pad of your trigger finger? If you have to shift your grip to reach the trigger, it’s likely too big. If you have to shift your finger outward to get the first pad on the trigger, the grip might be too small for you.
Typically guns with flat triggers offer a shorter reach, and curved triggers can slightly increase that reach. Companies like Glock often produce their big bore calibers in short-frame models to improve trigger reach.
Dropping Magazines
When you establish a good firing grip on your gun, how easily can you access the magazine release? If you have to make a big shift of your hand to reach the magazine release, you might need to make a change. You should be able to reach the magazine release fairly easily. It shouldn’t require you to shift your hand much more than lowering your dominant thumb.
If your thumb can reach the magazine release without issue, but you have trouble pressing it, the grip is likely a bit too small. If you have to shift your entire hand toward the magazine release, the gun fit is likely too small.
Solving Gun Fit Issues
We live in 2022, and most guns come with a variety of backstraps that allow you to customize your grip. It’s often worth experimenting with these various backstraps to get the optimum fit. Sometimes the proper fit doesn’t always feel good. To get the proper fit on my Arex Delta, I had to use the XL grip insert, and it doesn’t feel great, but it allows me to better control the gun and access the controls.
While I’ve written an entire article about how gun fit is important, it’s never an excuse to purchase a lower-tier firearm. Reliability, accuracy, and capability are often much more important than getting a 100% proper fit. You never want something way too big or way too small, but most guns fall fairly in between the two. Get the best gun fit you can without purchasing a craptastic gun.
It only took 14 hours to go from "this murderer was following the NRA's dangerous advice to shoot people for any infraction" to "this legal gun owner defended himself and is being railroaded because he's Black and Texas' gun laws only apply to white people" pic.twitter.com/OHAr4J1pQ7
The narrative of any shooting is a confusing jumble for the first few days, and anyone can get caught with their informational pants down, from Moms Demand Action, to the NRA. Any news source should be considered likely to get at least a few things wrong in the rush to get to print. Police often even make erroneous statements in the early aftermath. As we’ve seen numerous times a claim of “suspect in body armor” can rapidly turn out to be “suspect in Wish dot com airsoft vest”. High stress situations and a financial incentive to be the first to report can’t help but produce inaccuracies.
That said, we’re awarding Shannon Watts, of Moms Demand Action, a gold star for not only failing to take this sort of information deficit into account, but running with whatever narrative suits, even as the story changes dramatically. Initially, Ms. Watts announced that a crazed gunman, who naturally must have been spurred into criminal action by the ever-nefarious NRA, was facing murder charges, presumably rightly in her mind. Just over a half day later, when the story developed enough for her to learn that the shooter was a Person Of Color, naturally this depraved murderer morphs into a lawful shooter who was being railroaded by the racist Texas police.
While it’s inescapable that racism exists, and can impact police decisions, the skill and acumen Ms. Watts displays on the Moms Demand twitter account in changing both direction, and horses midstream makes one wonder if she has a secret background in rodeo. At least as a clown, certainly.
The CZ Skorpion has been making its way onto the wish lists of gun nuts for 6 decades now, in one form or another. From .32ACP to 9mm, from Cold War Cool to PCC fame, this Czech subgun is immediately recognizable at every stage of its evolution, which Ian from Forgotten Weapons breaks down in detail in this video. The first gen model has been available as a very, very heavy semi-auto pistol for a while, and the modernized Skorpion is a popular PCC/Braced pistol for plinkers, prepper, and competitors alike. In this video, Ian takes a look at where it came from, and how it got here.
The intermediate form is especially interesting, as the OG model shines through what is an admittedly slapdash looking effort, but the final form can be found lurking amidst the buffet of attachments, if you look hard enough. Maybe squint a bit too.
It’s interesting to watch a machine pistol/PDW evolve into a full-size military submachinegun (or PCC), especially with the influence of the Laugo prototype, which seems to have imparted some Walther MP, or HK USP influence.
Movies have an odd relationship with guns. It’s either they get it right, or they get it terribly wrong. One of the struggles movies have is making the guns in their films memorable. Hero guns is often the title used to describe standout firearms. Along the way, they occasionally make something a bit odd, and sometimes they create what I call Hollywood Abominations.
The Lee Enfield/Mossberg Maverick- Young Ones
Young Ones is this independent apocalyptic film involving water, water thieves, and a couple of famous child actors. The film is fairly entertaining but not exactly memorable. Something about robots and jealousy. What I do remember about the film is the very distinct combination of a Lee Enfield No.1 MK3 with a Mossberg Maverick Shotgun.
The Maverick is mounted like a Knight’s Masterkey under the Lee Enfield. Somewhat chopped the stock off the Lee Enfield and added a Vektor folding stock, and rounded the whole thing off with a seat belt as a sling. The end result is one of the standout Hollywood Abominations that looks awkward as hell. Holy length of pull Batman. This thing looks terrible to shoot.
(I still want it.)
The End of Days MP5
Is it really fair to blame the film End of Days for this configuration? It popped up first in the video game Half-Life. This is about Hollywood Abominations, not the video game abominations. Combining an M203 with an MP5 makes almost no sense. You’d choose an SMG when you want something lightweight and easy to handle.
Adding an M203 40mm grenade launcher is a great way to increase weight and reduce maneuverability and handiness. Plus, the M203 has a longer effective range than the MP5! It’s a bit absurd, but here we are. To mount the M203, the armorer had to use a larger muzzle device to act as a secondary index point for the damn thing.
That being said, I guess if you are fighting the literal devil, maybe you want as much firepower as you can carry.
Snake Plissken’s MAC-10
God, I love Escape From New York. It’s such a fun flick that perfectly encapsulates pulp fiction. Our gravel-voiced hero Snake Plisken, former Green Beret and current criminal, is sent into the penal colony of New York City to rescue the President. His issued firearm is a MAC-10 machine pistol.
An odd choice, but okay. It features the famed SIONICS suppressor, which is downright necessary for controlling the MAC. Still in the normal territory. Where we enter Hollywood Abomination territory is in the optic. It appears to be a 2-7X scope mounted to the suppressor. Trying to index this thing just right to use the optic would be a pain. Oh and they removed the stock too.
Not to mention that the heat from the can would likely play with the zero. The gun also has a holster and sling. We actually see Snake use the sling when he has to climb away from the baddies. We also see him cut a hole in the floor with the MAC, so take it for what you will.
All The Hollywood Abominations
This is only one article on Hollywood Abominations. It’s likely one of many I could write, and I might just make another. Hollywood tries its hardest to make interesting weapons that stand out, and sometimes it gets a little weird. Maybe they should consult some real gun pros to get something both unique and effective, but what do I know?
A box of unfathomable horror in California or Oregon, and a box of magazines to normal people
Attorney General Ellen Rosenblum of Oregon said in a statement the above and added. “We are confident the Oregon Constitution — like the Second Amendment of the U.S. constitution — allows these reasonable regulations.”
I don’t know if I would be confident in that Madam AG, that whole “shall not be infringed” section doesn’t just magically become void if you state that what you’re doing isn’t infringement. That’s not how it works. Sure you got your liberal urban voters, who couldn’t pass an elementary school level test on the subject, to approve your measure without a critical thought passing through their heads. But that’s the wonderful thing about constitutional republics you see, the tyranny (or idiocy in many cases) of the majority can be challenged and beaten.
Capacity restrictions and permitting requirements have no such track record. The strongest evidence in our possession suggests that safe storage laws have some influence on injury rates among minors and that pretty much ends what we know has a positive influence from gun control.
Where is this data that says 10 rounds is safe and that we are curbing violence with it? Where is this data that says a permission slip to exercise a constitutional right is saving oh so many lives? Where is peer review on the data showing it, the prohibitions and pieces of paper, are protecting people from homicide?
Luckily for the rational folks who understand what infringement means, the Oregon courts have put a pause on it.
The Oregon measure bans the sale, transfer or import of magazines over 10 rounds unless they are owned by law enforcement or a military member (who never do anything wrong, unless its ACAB time) or were owned before the measure’s passage. Those who already possess high-capacity magazines can have them only in their homes or use them at firing ranges, in shooting competitions, or for hunting, as allowed by state law after the measure takes effect (which makes this whole thing rather moot as magazines are durable goods and the next tragedy will be leveraged to remove grandfathering).
It would also close a federal loophole that allows gun transfers to proceed if background checks cannot be completed quickly.
That loophole is in place to make certain the Fed can’t just forget a background check and leave it in limbo, which happens every day. There were dozens of checks that didn’t get a resolution when I was behind a gun counter, there were plenty of times NICS wasn’t working at all as their computers were in the midst of yet another operating crisis. We should totally suspend people’s right to a firearm for use in their defense over technical difficulties though, right? It’s only safe.
NICS and state systems have never passed a mass killer after all. Hint: It was 77% of the time according to a 1966-2019 NIJ review. Mass killers got their gun legally and passed all checks 77% of the time, acquiring their weapon another way in only 23% of instances. Making for 100% damned if you do damned if you don’t, it’s almost like a motivated killer can’t be stopped if they are otherwise free to act as they wish regardless of the circumstances of that freedom.
But I’m sure limiting magazines to 10 rounds, except all the ones that aren’t, and removing the Brady transfer mechanism that was put into place specifically to not violate anyone’s rights through an arbitrary system failure will solve things. The permit-to-purchase requirement is another one that is especially interesting, because I don’t think they actually came up with a state method for that. They made it a requirement without having a process in place, fantastic execution of authority team. Way to keep the confidence levels high.
The Supreme Court decision on the New York law signaled a shift in how the nation’s high court will evaluate Second Amendment infringement claims as they now require a much stricter scrutiny, that judges can no longer declare a law ‘serves public interests like enhancing public safety’ without strong evidence and instead must weigh whether the law is “consistent with the Second Amendment’s text and historical understanding.”
That was a huge win in Bruen, and the follow-up reckoning from the bench that lower courts should reexamine recent 2A cases under that guidance before the Supreme Court starts handing out more defeats was telling. ‘Public Interest’ has always been a catch all defense that have allowed courts to drop cases and side with the government for nebulous and ill-defined reasons.
Because of course if it was for ‘the greater good’
we should shelve things like logic and evidence, or lack there of, and do the thing you consider to be in the publics interest. Funny that if something you don’t think is in the publics best interest comes along you suddenly don’t think folks should just be able to declare it so, but I’m sure that is not hypocrisy talking or anything.
Anyway, Oregon government is the biggest of mad that their new rule is probably going to get the SCOTUS ban hammer if they don’t get it sorted before hand and that is just wonderful.
This is a favorite expression of friend and mentor Cecil Burch of Immediate Action Combatives.
Without putting words in his mouth, my understanding is that this comment is born out of people’s tendency to view things through the lens of their own experience and use that to determine viability and validity, whether that be a technique, piece of equipment, or lifestyle choice.
This is going to be a short series on my observations of that saying’s applicability in various segments of the gun world.
I will preface this by saying that these articles are not intended as any sort of hit piece or critique of any specific individual, merely my observations having spent time in various segments of the defensive space, as well as seeing how some ideas are received by folks outside of the self defense community.
My hope is to help bridge some perceived communications gaps that result in people talking past one another, to facilitate the transfer of the best possible information in the easiest possible manner.
GUN SHOP MICRO ISN’T EVERYBODY’S MACRO:
I spent my first 2 years after college working at one of the largest family owned gun shops in the city (possibly in the country). My time there exposed me to a lot of information and expertise, as well as a fair share of myth, lore, and outdated info.
Just like the environment mentioned in Part 1, when working in firearms retail, everyone you work with regularly is either already deeply entrenched in the armed lifestyle, or at the very least it’s not a foreign concept to them.
That may not be the perspective shared by someone that’s walking up to your counter for the first time. They may be uncomfortable with the idea of guns for self defense. They may not be aligned with you politically, religiously, or philosophically.
Gun store employees can be someone’s first (and sometimes only) in-person interaction with “gun people”.
What’s imperative that we all keep in mind is, in the context of defensive firearms, people will literally be betting their lives on the advice we provide. It’s incumbent that we do our best to set people up for success, not try and shoehorn our favorite solution into a context where it may not be appropriate.
It’s generally agreed that the optimal defensive handgun is a double-stack 9mm on the larger side of compact (Glock 19 sized). They’re big enough to be reasonably controllable, but at least moderately concealable for most folks (at least the ones in the middle of the bell curve).
But people aren’t a homogenous group, and individuals will require tailored solutions. Hand sizes vary. People have various degrees of dexterity and grip strength. Different lifestyles & careers come with different wardrobe requirements and varying levels of permissive environment. So if the only solution a sales associate has is the optimal full size double stack, they either end up selling someone an ineffective solution for the problem at hand, or possibly discouraging the person from carrying altogether because they’re made to feel like there’s something wrong with them because they’re unable or unwilling to accommodate the optimal solution.
My own mother was made to doubt her choice in a Shield EZ because the guy had a bias against manual safeties.
This also applies to sub-caliber handguns. While 9mm is the current king of the hill, 380, 32, and even 22 still have a place in defensive applications. Primary & Secondary did a great Modcast on the topic.
Working the gun counter is a delicate balance, because obviously you need to make sales in order to keep the lights on, but bad advice can get people hurt or killed.
While the gunshop myths about giving women 38 snubs and novice home defenders pump action shotguns are slowly dying, the latest crop of bad info coming out of gun shops is generally insisting that the full size fighting handgun is appropriate for everyone that walks through the door, and that civilian defenders need to be ready for the next North Hollywood shootout.
Now don’t get me wrong, if someone’s lifestyle is such that they can practically manage a double stack handgun, spare mag, and all the supporting accoutrement, more power to them. Not everyone is fortunate enough for that to be their reality, and we need to have solutions for them, not “just try harder/make it work”.
Whenever I see someone post a picture of their EDC and it wears one of those silly grip sleeves, I get a little bit of a chuckle. I’ve always thought they were just Crocs for your gun. I see them often enough that I think it’s wise to write a bit of a cautionary tale for those considering grip sleeves. If you are unsure what I’m talking about, believe me when I say ignorance is bliss.
Grip sleeves are those thin rubber sleeves that are designed to fit over the grip of your gun. It slides up and on your gun. Quite a few companies, both large and small, make these grip sleeves, and they seem popular enough. While popular, you should know the downsides and cautions of these little gadgets.
Why Grip Sleeves
Personally, I don’t know. I’ve tried them and originally thought they were neat. However, after learning to shoot and shooting more, I’ve become convinced they are fairly useless. However, that doesn’t mean I’m right, as I am often wrong. While I don’t personally understand the desire for grip sleeves, I have heard of reasons from others.
Many say it improves the fit of their gun to their hand. The grip is too small, and they need to make it bigger for their hands. To that, I just say buy a gun with a bigger grip…you probably get a higher capacity in doing so.
They’ve also been noted to improve grip and to be sticky. This one I can buy, but with a lot of modern guns, the grip texture is already quite aggressive, and if not, stippling is a better option. On the flip side, I’ve also heard people say they help cover grip texture they find too rough.
I’ve also heard recoil reduction, especially for J-frame revolver shooters. Again, if you are shooting a revolver, you can likely swap the entire grip for something better accommodating. I’m not entirely sure of the difference they make with recoil, and I haven’t experienced that in my limited shooting with grip sleeves.
If I had to guess, it’s because people like to tinker. Tinkering with guns is fun and sliding on grip sleeves is an easy way to make a simple upgrade. I don’t hate tinkering. I do it too.
Problems with Grip Sleeves
Why do I dislike grip sleeves so much? Did they touch me as a child or something? Well, not quite. While I have no doubts that some grip sleeves are better than others, in my experience, they have more problems than benefits.
First, once you shoot with one a fair bit, you’ll likely notice it sliding up or down on your gun. It won’t be a major movement but a slow and steady climb or decline. It becomes more noticeable during high round count practice sessions or classes. When grip sleeves slide up or down a semi-auto pistol, you’re bound to run into issues.
It might begin to cover or press on your magazine release, making it stiff or inaccessible. If it slides down too far, it might pin your empty magazine in the gun or make it difficult to seat another magazine.
When carried concealed, the stickiness of the rubber can catch on your cover garment when moving and create an exposure or printing situation. Concealed is called concealed for a reason.
Finally, you have to see these things as disposable. Eventually, they will get a small tear and need to be immediately replaced. A slight tear will evolve into a bigger tear and could interfere with using your handgun.
Grip Sleeve Alternatives
If you are still seeking to tinker with your grip, check out Talon Grips. These are specifically designed for individual firearms and fit the grip. They often add a grippy texture and improve your traction on the gun. They are an affordable upgrade you can do at home too.
Grip sleeves aren’t for me, and maybe you’ve used one for 1 million rounds with no issues, but I think everyone should know what they are getting into with grip sleeves. No one has ever said, “Hey, nice Crocs,” for a reason.
Ian takes the time in the video to go over FB Radom’s service rifle entry. Poland, after their entry into NATO, worked hard at joining the military logistics lines as best they could. However they had a military trained on the AK, and that training doesn’t change on a dime when it comes to manual of arms.
The compromise prior was the Beryl. A competently modernized AK that will stand up as useable for decades yet to come. But it wasn’t a modern rifle. It was like an M16A4, an excellent culmination of late 20th century design. It was not an M4A1 URG-I, where similarities to identical systems of internal operation are present but everything possible to optimize has been done from the outset.
The XM5 is another example, an AR-16/18 design with modern aluminum forging and machining making up the foundation around a proven operating system optimized for performance and size.
The MSBS Grot looks like the ACR, because it is what the ACR was supposed to be. A modern modular service weapon with components optimized for both performance and serviceability.
Poland took the concept of the ACR, SCAR, and other modern modular service weapons and put together a system that would meet multiple service needs and requirements, including a bullpup format like an X95 or MDRX for those circumstances where a bullpup is advantageous. It is an excellent organizational solution that want to standardize many parts while having the option to configure rifles for specific roles. Bullpups can be deployed with vehicle borne users or those working in actively urban zones and the traditional carbines can be used with organizations more conventionally afield. The bullpup made it to production state, but not into the update phase as no units requested its fielding.
It is a very interesting rifle and talking with FB Radom about it last year at SHOT was quite fun.
Yesterday a Federal court in WV found 18 USC § 922(k) unconstitutional. 922(k) criminalizes the possession of guns with removed, altered, or obliterated serial numbers. It found no historical tradition of regulation where s/n were required for possession. https://t.co/ZFOBY1eydNpic.twitter.com/TkobSmwg8j
In case you missed it, the federal requirement that firearms possess serial numbers was found unconstitutional. In yet another impact of the decidedly significant Bruen SCOTUS ruling, a federal judge blocked a federal law criminalizing possession of a firearm with an “altered, obliterated, or removed” serial number.
Per Bruen, if a law has no historical parallel to the time of the drafting of the constitution, it may be found unconstitutional. Since in the 1790’s serialized guns didn’t even really exist in any significant numbers, if at all, there is little argument to be made against such a law. The case arose in Charleston, WV from a prohibited person caught in possession of not only a firearm, but one without a serial number. The defendant, Randy Price, challenged both charges on constitutional grounds, but only the challenge to the law requiring a serial number was upheld.
Despite being less than half a year old, the Bruen decision continues to ripple across US courts, rolling back gun control laws left and right. This hasn’t deterred anti-gun advocates, but it has given those fighting for RTKBA significant help in fending them off. Expect a lot more to come from this landmark ruling which eclipses even Heller and McDonald in scope and impact.
Actually, that is generally the answer. Escape and evasion from the location of a violent occurrence is best practices. Run. Hide. Fight. And all that jazz.
Several of Chicago’s worst years for homicide came during the ban, crime dipped in the late 90’s and into the 2000’s along with the trend nationwide, nationally where handguns were just fine, and then spike again for COVID. It’s almost like the ban did nothing to dissuade motives during times of stress and crisis and saved nobody. Weird.
But I’m sure banning those pesky assault weapons which account for a minor fraction of the total homicides will absolutely make this map look better.
Those durned AR-15’s I tell ya.
“The state needs to ban the sale of assault weapons, ban the sale of ammunition magazines holding more than 10 rounds and require existing assault weapons in the state to be registered.” The subheading opines, because apparently a FOID isn’t good enough now. We need a FOIDier FOID! Making everyone who wants to own a gun carry a card that says they’re safe to do so isn’t good enough, do things more absurdly!
The last plan failed miserably due to unenforceable tedium, instead of focusing on causes, we should add more unenforceable tedium to fix it.
Can we just admire the fact that we’ve gone from ‘Poodle Shooter’ to describe the AR-15’s alleged inability to stop a starving third world communist to ‘terrifying firearms of immense power’, like the AR is suddenly a GAU-8 ready to BRRRRRT a city block in the hands of a ne’er-do-well.
After pontificating on the new proposal and saying mass shootings, like that means anything anymore, just to get everyone in the right frame of mind, the Times then gives us this gem.
A strong bill would include measures that make the city’s and state’s streets safer.
Oh, like the SAFE-T act? Which removes cash bail and will put those awaiting trial back into GenPop where they will almost certainly not do anything else bad or escalate the thing they did? Because they only ever did the one crime they were caught doing, nothing else of course.
Granted the SAFE-T act doesn’t let out someone who got picked up for murder or child sex trafficking, the intention is actually something I support. Getting people out of jail who haven’t been convicted of anything and who do not pose a threat to GenPop. I don’t question the intention, merely the implementation.
Most important among the provisions the final bill should include are banning the manufacturing and sale of assault weapons in Illinois, banning the sale of ammunition magazines holding more than 10 rounds and requiring existing assault weapons in the state to be registered.
So long Springfield Armory.
Why though?
Many of the shootings in Chicago are committed with firearms that have large capacity magazines that hold 30 or even 50 bullets.]
Define ‘many’ please and also whether or not you have heard of the concept of reloading.
[Police can tell when they show up at the site because the area is littered with shell casings.]
Once again I would like to put forward the concepts of reloading and more than one firearm or shooter.
[High-capacity gun magazines make it easier to kill many people in a hurry.
Which is once again a tired argument not borne out by evidence.
We also see no explanation for how the criminally inclined to misuse current firearms will be compelled to stop by creating a registry. So more than likely the policies inevitable failure will be blamed on the rest of the Midwest. You know, all the neighboring states with lower murder rates.
Among other measures under discussion that we’d like to see in the final bill are prohibiting devices that turn one-shot-per-trigger-pull firearms into fully automatic weapons like machine guns]
Jerry Miculek is soon to be a prohibited device in Illinois.
[; raising eligibility for a state firearm owner’s identification card to 21 for most state residents]
Good luck, Bruen and case law are going to knock that one hard.
[; and extending the duration of a firearm restraining order from six months to one year, including renewed restraining orders.]
With a legal recourse for someone restrained? Do they get their day in court to get their rights back without being convicted of a crime? If they are such a danger why are they free at all? What if they get one of those guns that walk over from Indiana and do crimes with it or something. What if their FOID card didn’t get revoked in time and the cops can be bothered to follow up? What if any of the innumerable tediums that allow weapons to remain in ‘prohibited’ hands because they are not viewed a priority happens?
[ Under what’s called the “red flag law,” restraining orders can be issued to remove guns from the possession of individuals who are a danger to themselves or to others.
But rarely are and with mixed efficacy.
The entire bill must be written in a way that has teeth and impact.]
So something that isn’t a stupid, generalized, and unenforceable prohibition full of easy and legal workarounds making the law nothing better than a nuisance? Maybe locking up the violent and keeping them there?
[ The devil will be in the details, and the hard work of codifying a final bill remains to be done. For example, defining which weapons are categorized as assault weapons must be done carefully.
Why? We know you mean all semi-autos, and if you don’t you’re stupid. You should mean all repeaters too, like revolvers, pumps, and lever guns while you’re at it.
But you don’t. Because you’re either stupid, naïve, or this isn’t about ‘gun crime’ at all.
Up to states to act
And Bruen to keep stopping you.
New legislation to address gun violence nationally is unlikely to get through Congress, even though President Joe Biden is calling for a ban on assault weapons.]
Joe barely knows what room he is in, he cost the Democrats dearly in the mid-terms and the only thing that stopped the feared ‘red-wave’ of Republican victories were MAGA morons who couldn’t be assed to not be blathering only-Trumpers without a decent independent thought to their name. If they had been able to hold their own, Trump backing or otherwise, they’d have cleaned Senate and House, as well as more Governor seats, because Democrats did themselves no favors in looking like they have a handle on things. The only way they stayed is if the alternative looked worse.
Just like Trump won because Clinton was literally the worst option, Democrats weren’t taken wholesale because the Republicans failed miserably to put forward candidates who could say… well… anything remotely articulate that would convince GenPop they had even remotely better ideas.
[ When the new Congress convenes, the House will be majority Republican, which means sensible legislation addressing gun violence is unlikely to go anywhere on the federal level. It’s up to the states to act.
Again, Bruen.
Banning the sale of assault weapons in Illinois and raising the age for getting a state firearm owner identification card to 21 would help prevent shootings such as the July 4 attack on parade-goers in Highland Park.]
Would it? You sure it wouldn’t deny adults a Constitutionally protected right to a firearm, which is among the only reason the federal handgun age is sustainable, because 18-20 year olds can buy rifles and shotguns?
[ Illinois law now sets the age limit at 21, but a parent or legal guardian can grant consent for someone 18 or older; that exception would be eliminated. The only remaining exception would be for those serving in the military.
Oh good, because military members have never committed a mass shooting. Cool.
Nidal Hasan, Fort Hood mass shooter
Oh, yeah. Nevermind.
Whether raising the age would stand up in court remains to be seen. In February, a Texas federal judge threw out a law requiring people to be 21 to carry guns. If Illinois enacts a similar provision, the issue might wind up being settled by the gun-friendly U.S. Supreme Court.
Those pesky gun friendly constitutional rights again. It’s almost like there’s an amendment about it.
As of Thursday evening, there were 40,650 gun deaths this year nationwide, more than the number of Americans who died in action in the Korean War. In Chicago, eight people were killed by gunfire over the long Thanksgiving weekend and at least 30 were injured. Nearly 600 people have been killed in shootings in Chicago so far this year. The casualty toll is beyond description.
You should hold Lightfoot and crew accountable for that, maybe work on some policies that reduce the likelihood that violence is a viable currency or will be tolerated. How’s the homicide clearance rate?
Chicago Police Supt. David Brown has touted the increased number of murders considered “cleared”: 400 in 2021, the most in 19 years, Brown says. Based on the official CPD tally of 797 homicides last year, that’s a clearance rate of just over 50%.
But 199 of those cases were closed “exceptionally,” which means no one was charged. And one in seven cleared cases involved a murder committed more than 10 years ago. – Chicago Sun Times
Neat…
It is baffling to me that you will present evidence that the police are overwhelmed and using dirty stat padding tricks to get their efficacy to, a still rather abysmal, 50% with only 25% resulting in a charge, and yet still think that a ban will somehow work in the least. Banning murder didn’t work.
Who’s going to enforce it? The cops with their 25% success rate for murder charges?
But new legislation needs to be drawn up whenever it becomes clear loopholes are allowing killings.]
Loophole is just something you don’t like, and ‘allowing killings’ is like saying roads existing ‘allows’ for road deaths. Yes, by the blitheringly simplified idiocy of supposing that existing is taciturn to endorsing, roads cause road deaths, guns cause gun crime, and spoons make people fat.
[ Illinois law has too many loopholes and too many gun violence victims.
I guess? If crime is a loophole in the law?
Illinois law has too many loopholes and too many gun violence victims.
There, I fixed it for you. A overly simple statement that without a plan, of which none is present here, its declaration has no value to add.
