Block II – The Best M4?

By

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November 21, 2022

As an armorer I love going down these developmental rabbit holes on why programs came to the forefront and what they all entailed.

The M4A1 SOCOM Block II wasn’t just a freefloated rail on the guns. Daniel Defense, although making a near correct Block II, doesn’t actually since Colt made the guts of the SOCOM guns. Josh, Henry and their guest Jeff Gurwitch get into that.

For those who don’t want to sit through the very entertaining 40 minutes of excellent information, here’s a short take until you do.

The Block II and later the URG-I were attempts by SOCOM to maximize the performance of the M4 for special forces use. The SF groups are obviously operating (pun intended) at a higher level of weapons proficiency than your typical soldier or Marine, even those in ground forces elements.

They had great success by offering improved optics, improved ancillaries, improved ammunition, and the improved uppers to cover down on the configurable nature. They had shooters who could use these at their full performance envelope.

That is one of the reasons the standard M4A1 hasn’t followed the full URG-I update force wide. Most shooters cannot shoot to the enhanced performance envelope because they cannot shoot to the standard one. The standard one is quite good, but since SOCOM was maxing it out, and needing these rifles to do more with less, investing in the SOCOM inventory made sense.

What we received was what would become the foundation for the General Purpose Carbine, a gun that could do a good bit of everything.

Hit play and learn.

Gunday Brunch 77: Choose Your Sources Wisely

By

David Reeder

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November 20, 2022

Today’s topics: Don’t take self-defense advice from a Power Ranger, we’re never running out of bullets, and birds aren’t real.

Ask the Armorer: Do I Need to Care About My AR-15 Selector Spring?

By

Anna Martinez

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November 19, 2022

Quick Answer: Yes, you should care.
Longer Answer:

The main job of the selector spring is to give the selector detent the correct amount of tension to pop into each divot within the actual selector. Essentially allowing the selector to both move and seat.

The selector spring has a tendency to bend and break over time. It can also be bent during an install that has a lack of knowledge or care. Just like most things on the AR, the spring can can corrode and rust as well.

A bent selector spring can cause the selector to essentially bind up, causing it to be harder to move. The worst case scenario? And it has been seen..the selector spring breaks in two. If the selector spring breaks in half there will be no tension on the selector and nothing to stop the selector from just freely spinning. Almost as if you installed the pistol grip and firing group without the spring, and we have all done it…

Another super weird and rare occasion, the broken spring can wiggle it’s way past the detent and fall into your trigger group, locking everything up. (sounds impossible I know)

So how do you ensure that this doesn’t happen?

Proper Install

The selector spring is placed inside a hole inside the pistol grip and the selector detent is placed into the receiver with pointed tip towards the selector. To install the selector spring place the selector on semi and hold it there. Ensure that you don’t bend the selector spring as you are tightening the pistol grip on. To do this, place the pistol grip with the spring inside onto the receiver. While watching the spring ensure that it is straight up and down and lined up with the detent hole, then press down on the grip to close the gap between the receiver and the grip. Then tighten the grip screw.

A lot of people like to tighten the grip screw without pushing the grip entirely down first. Basically tightening the grip does as the screw is being tightened. This way isn’t the best method because it is more likely that the spring will bend as you are tightening.

Pro Tip: Placing the screw into the hole inside the grip before installing the grip helps.

This is how NOT to do it. Often this is how the selector spring will look if the installer is not paying attention. They will then press the grip down to tighten, causing the spring to break. Ensure that the spring is STRAIGHT and not angled when installing.

Proper Care

Putting a lubricant onto the spring and detent before install helps with three things. One, it acts as a glue to keep the detent in place in teh receiver ensuring it doesn’t fall out as you are installing everything. Two, it actually helps with the movement of your selector. Remember, lube the friction points. That detent seating inside the selector holes is a friction point, putting a bit of lube between those surfaces will help the selector move easier and more crisp. Three, prevents rust.

The types of lube we used in the Army for this? LSA-T or CLP. LSA-T is a type of white lubricant and the Teflon makes it almost a greasy substance. This will keep it intact. For a quick fix, throw some CLP down the detent and selector spring hole.

Here I am using LSA without Teflon. This is a little more runny than the LSA-T but will still work. Just apply a dab to the detent and the spring to help with corrosion and movement of the selector.

Annual Checks

In the Army we had to do annual checks on each weapon. This included both gauging and servicing. During the service portion we would loosen the pistol grip to check to make sure that the selector spring isn’t bent and that is isn’t rusted. If it was rusted we would either replace it or just throw some CLP or LSA-T on. If it was bent we would replace. It takes 30 seconds and can prevent your gun going down.

SWAT Fitness – Take OCSO SWAT Fitness Test (Florida Version)

By

Travis Pike

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November 19, 2022

I love digging into the various police qualification shoots used around the country and trying them out. It’s a fun way to spend some time on the range and see how various state, local, and federal law enforcement officers shoot. What I’ve never tried is a police fitness test. I’ve never sought one out, and it never occurred to me to see what physical fitness standards police forces do or do not have.

I was mindlessly thumbing through social media when I ran across the Orange County sheriff’s Office page. (This is the Florida Orange County, and not the California one that stole the name from us.) The post was a video with a member of the SWAT team breaking down the fitness standards to become a SWAT deputy.

As someone losing the fight with Taco Bell, I try to work out and work out often. After seeing the fitness test, I decided it looked easy enough and would give it a try.

The OCSO SWAT Fitness Test

When I say easy, I don’t necessarily mean easy physically. I mean easy logistically. The equipment required is too tough. You need a pullup bar, a 20-pound bag of sand, and at least four hundred meters to run. Don’t forget some ground for pushups and situps. The sandbag can be improvised and made fairly easily with a little duct tape and the same type of sandbags you use to protect your home from flooding.

I had all that already on hand. Admittedly my sandbag is 25 pounds, but what’s five pounds…right? The test is compromised of four rounds of the following:

400-meter run with 20 lb sandbag

5 Strict Pullups

10 Hand Release Pushups

15 Unassisted Situps

You have to complete those four rounds in 14 minutes and 30 seconds. To make sure we all understand what these terms mean, let’s break it down. The SWAT Fitness test uses specific language for a reason.

Strict Pullups – Come to a dead hang prior to every pullup. No kipping or Crossfit pullups.’ Straight up til your chin is over the bar and straight down.

Hand Release Pushups – Every time you get to the bottom, lift your hands slightly off the floor and drive them down again to lift yourself.

Unassisted Situps – You do not have an anchor to use when sitting up. It’s just you and your abs.

Taking the OCSO SWAT Fitness Test

There is no break between exercises, so I want everything positioned to where I can end the run and begin the exercises. Why waste time when time isn’t on your side? Using yards instead of meters hurt my Freedom-soaked brain. With a little math, I figured out it’s essentially a quarter of a mile. A quarter mile is 402 meters.

I already have a quarter mile mapped out, so no big deal. I grabbed my 25-pound sandbag and hit the pavement. Four rounds went by fairly slowly, and admittedly, I could have prepped myself better. I did this almost spontaneously and should have memorized the exercises. I had to stop twice to double-check the order and amount of reps.

For my overweight, work-in-progress self, I finished my first SWAT Fitness test with an embarrassing amount of time over the allotted time and felt pretty dead. I failed but rested and refit. I memorized the exercises and even printed a card with the exercises and reps listed and left it attached to the pullup bar. I figured that would be faster than opening my phone, putting the pin in, going to screenshots, etc.

I moved my pullup bar to the shade because it was quite toasty on my first go-round. A day later, I ran the test again and shaved off more than a minute, but I still didn’t pass. That’s fine with me because now I have a goal to work towards and keep after.

Short and Sweet

The SWAT fitness test is short and sweet but quite demanding. I appreciate the easy logistics of the operation. It should be noted that it is a test but could be an effective workout when you are tight on time. Get off the range and give it a try.

Winchester’s Model 94

By

V. Caldwell

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November 18, 2022

ww2 — This old gun isn’t a .30-30 at all but a 32 Winchester Special.

The Winchester 1894 has every element of a desirable American rifle. A sense of history, emotional attachment, and excellent power and performance cannot be faulted. The will take game save your hide and serve without maintenance for many decades. People with similar interests end up with similar rifles. These interests include shooting, hunting, and accumulating firearms. We are drawn to the display cases as aboriginals to a ceremonial fire. A man staring into that case may appear to be motionless and doing as close to nothing as possible, but nothing could be further from the truth. As my friends Tanner, Trey, Kevin and Morris watch this with daily attention their customers are deep in thought. Finally- perhaps after a number of trips to the shop they will ask to see something from the case. More often than not in today’s economy the piece is laid away for weeks or even months. After all we all have more guns than we need and less than we want. Some windfall may result in an early acquisition or perhaps the inevitable harrowing of the shelves that occurs at tax time or during the general election will speed the process up. Finally the lay away ticket is marked paid in full and the paper work is completed and the new addition taken home. This is as close to pregnancy and childbirth as a man may come.

One of my rifles was recently brought home after just such as stay. The rifle is a Winchester Model 1894. The Winchester 1894 is the brainchild of John Moses Browning. He was an extraordinary individual and inventor. The lever action rifle was nothing new but the Model ’94 owes little to previous rifles. Certain rifles in the blue steel and walnut age still call to us. The Royal Canadian Mounted Police had a long association with the Winchester rifle. By a trick of fate the Winchester was used by shore patrols in England in the dark days of World War Two when any good firearm was worth its weight in gold. The Canada Rangers patrolled the Pacific slopes with the ’94. The rifle was used by both the good and the bad. In my memory is a case in which a night clerk at a motel took out a bad actor that was attempting to rob the clerk. The night clerk owned one rifle, a Winchester 1894 .30-30 WCF and he took it to work with him and kept it in a corner. The man he shot and killed through a car door was the primary suspect in an ambush of a peace officer. The majority of my memories are of deer taken with the Winchester 1894 by more hunters than I could name. Like many of you the Winchester 1894 was my first center fire rifle.

None of us are immortal but John Moses Browning’s memory and his guns seem to be. There have always been and will continue to be more cheap guns than good guns. A few firearms have become firmly respected trappings, reaching legendary status. The Winchester 1894 combined the popular lever action with a high powered smokeless powder cartridge. The Winchester 1894 harkens back to a time when blue steel and walnut ruled. The Winchester 1866 and Winchester 1873 may have been in action earlier but the ’94 enjoyed a long life in the West and elsewhere. The .30-30 WCF lever action rifle was still in use in police work, particularly with highway patrol officers, well into the 1990s and perhaps beyond. The LAPD issued Winchester 1894 rifles during the Watts riots. While the shorter Model ’92 action had greater leverage for its short fat pistol caliber cartridges the Model 94 fired a .30 caliber center fire cartridge with much greater range and accuracy. If you have ever attempted to sight a .44-40 rifle in for 175 yards then you know exactly what I am speaking of. The 1894 rifle is still in production but it stalled for a while with a hitch in production in 2006 when the Winchester plant in New Haven Connecticut closed. At that point some seven million rifles had been produced.

Advantages of the Model 1894

The Model 1873’s toggle action worked well enough but was not particularly robust, one reason the military never issued the rifle. Scouts used the rifle and appreciated its firepower. The new lever action rifle by Browning used a single operating bar in contrast to the dual sliding rods of the Model 1892. The rifle also had a greater margin for safety due to a new firing pin design. The rifle was smooth and capable but not as fast as the previous rifles. It was more for long range deliberate fire than the earlier rifles. While many rifles were produced with longer barrels and special stocks the 20 inch barrel carbine was the most common 1894 rifle. The new .30-30 WCF cartridge pushed a 160 grain bullet to some 1970 fps. No more did the western hunter have to memorize hold over or hope for the best. The new cartridge shot amazingly flat . While the .44-40 was credited with killing more men good and bad than any other caliber in the old west the .30-30 put more game on the table. The rifle was particularly praised in the far reaches of the continent such as Alaska for faultless reliability.

My first center fire rifle was a thirty thirty and a Winchester. We just called the Winchester a thirty thirty as we called the Colt 1911 a .45. Very few other types were seen. The Winchester 1894 suffered indignity in 1964 with production changes that were not as severe as those of the Winchester Model 70, and these changes were meant to cheapen production. Pre ’64 rifles such as the one illustrated are treasured for this reason. The modern Miroku produced rifles are at least as accurate as reliable, however. The new gun also features a washer to tighten the action, the original action was plenty tight. When firing the rifle off hand, remember, do not push the lever down but forward for fast and efficient operation.

Accurate, powerful and with modest recoil, the 1894 Winchester Special is a great all around woods gun. Modern ammunition technology has made the rifle even better. Hornady introduced the LeverRevolution line of cartridges some years ago. The lever action rifle had previously not been compatible with pointed bullets. The nose of the spitzer type bullet set on the primer of the cartridge ahead and could result in a detonation under the forces of recoil. Flat nose bullets were used in lever action rifles for safety purposes. ( A few enterprising souls handloaded hot spitzer loads for the .30-30 and loaded one in the chamber and a single round in the tubular magazine.) Hornady’s LeveRevolution bullet features a polymer tip on top of a pointed bullet. This ingenious design allows the use of ballistically superior loads. The LeverRevolution line breaks a solid 2,250 fps with a 160 grain bullet. I cannot do this with a handload. With quality handloads the Winchester will often print a two inch 3 shot group at 100 yards and about two and one half inches with most factory loads. There is nothing wrong with the hard hitting fast expanding 150 grain loads.

Competition Electronics Chronograph 15 feet

Velocity

Hornady 150 grain JSP: 2254 fps
Hornady 160 grain LeveRevolution: 2250 fps
Winchester 150 grain Super X: 2224 fps
Priv Parizan 150 grain: 2111 fps

The 1894 is a long lived and useful rifle.

The Winchester is still a fine survival rifle you should have on hand. A tip- add TruGlo fiber optic sights. The improvement is vast.

Sailor Sells Machine Guns – Kind Of…

By

Travis Pike

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November 18, 2022

Petty Officer 1st Class Patrick Tate Adamiak was recently convicted for attempting to sell a charcuterie board of fun but effectively prohibited weapons. This sailor was found in possession of nearly twenty-five machine guns after selling eight in an undercover ATF sting. A search warrant uncovered the 25 additional machine guns as well as two grenade launchers, two anti-tank missile launchers, and five improvised explosive devices.

That sounds pretty salacious and makes you think, is this guy selling military weaponry? Where else do you get machine guns? Well, it’s a little bit more in-depth than that. Adamiak ran Black Dog Arsenal, a company that specialized in parts for guns, not complete guns. Black Dog Arsenal seemed to be in the business of selling historic firearms parts and pieces, including receivers.

The initial investigation was launched, and the informant ordered some products from Black Dog Arsenal. The products included machine gun receivers, specifically an RPD and PPSH 41. What’s important to know is that these receivers had been cut with some form of saw, but by law, to demill a machine gun receiver, it needs at least three cuts in the receiver with a quarter inch of material removed.

Adamiak should have known that and admittedly did break the law. Not that I support any laws prohibiting free people from owning firearms, including machine guns. However, it’s not as salacious as the headlines are making it seem.

Adamiak Found Guilty

A Federal Jury did find Adamiak guilty of the following charges of three counts of receiving and possessing an unregistered destructive device, one count of receiving and possessing an unregistered firearm, and one count of unlawful possession and transfer of a machine gun.

The presence of grenade launchers and missile launchers is interesting. He was convicted of three counts of unregistered destructive devices. Were these something like an RPG-7 that had also not been properly demilled? It seems unlikely they were LAW or AT4 spent tubes to score a conviction. The grenade launcher means nothing since my Yugo SKS technically has a grenade launcher.

Inert RPG7s are fairly common and legal to own

Were the destructive device charges related to the IEDs found during the initial search? It seems like after selling eight machine guns and possessing 25 machine guns. He would have been convicted of more than one count of possession of a machine gun.

Adamiak certainly made some dumb decisions and actions. He did violate the law, but he wasn’t selling machine guns to terrorists. He was selling what are effectively hunks of metal. The headlines made it sound like the ATF shut down a criminal mastermind, but in reality, they shut down a guy who sold parts on Gunbroker. Next, they’ll bust me for my AR 15 kits.

I’m glad the ATF is focusing on this and not on recovering the rifles they allowed to walk into the hands of Mexican cartels.

DeSantis’ New Introductions

By

V. Caldwell

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November 17, 2022

de1 — Compared to the Speed Scabbard, left, the Vengeance is a much more advanced design. Note the reinforced holstering welt of the Vengeance.

I realized long ago how important quality leather is. When wearing a handgun for most of the day you cannot afford cheap gear. The holster must hold the pistol in the correct position for presentation from the holster, ride close to the body for concealed carry, and offer a good draw angle than doesn’t over stretch the wrist. If there is a better concealed carry holster than the DeSantis Speed Scabbard I have not seen it. If you are able to conceal the holster with a covering garment the Speed Scabbard is a great choice. Recently DeSantis developed a considerable upgrade on the Speed Scabbard. The geometry is different and while you see a similarity in quality and workmanship the Vengeance isn’t a modified Speed Scabbard. With a light bearing holster you must start with a clean slate. You may still order the original Speed Scabbard while the Vengeance is available for Glocks with a mounted combat light.

The Vengeance™ Scabbard, #201, is an untraditional open-top pancake-style OWB holster. It is made of native US full grain steerhide and features three belt slots for multiple carry positions. Its adjustable tension device allows for a custom retention level. The wraparound band at the top of the holster provides additional strength and aids in re-holstering. It’s now available for many popular weapons and light combinations.

I ordered my example for the long serving Glock 19X 9mm. The Inforce combat light proved a good fit. Remember that the holster is a loose fit if you do not use a combat light so order another handgun holster if you don’t normally deploy the pistol with a combat light mounted. The combination is secure. I like the fit and the pistol rides securely while the presentation is sharp, very fast with practice. The stitching is excellent and the leather top grade as expected from DeSantis. I experimented with the draw angle- there are three belt loops- and with the tension screw until I had the perfect set up.

Among my favorite types of carry is the inside the waistband holster. DeSantis recently introduced the Infiltrator Air in the Pegasus line up. The Infiltrator®”AIR” IWB holster is adjustable for both height and cant. Its holster component is adjustable precision-molded Kydex® and the back component is all synthetic and “breathable” material. It comes with “C” Clips. Optional “J” clips are available. The holster uses a hard Kydex shell for rigidity. The Kydex shell is rigidly affixed to the holster backing. The backing is a breathable soft comfortable component. The belt clips go over and under the belt taking a good bite of the belt for security. If you take a close look at the holster the muzzle of the handgun may be angled out for a fast draw without binding. The holster retains tension on the handgun by maintaining a hold on the pistol’s long bearing surfaces and the trigger guard. I have used the holster with the Glock 19X. Also, since the holster features an open bottom, I have used the full length Bul Axe, a Glock 17 clone, with good results. The Infiltrator Air allows the concealed carry handgun shooter to keep the pistol concealed with a minimum of covering garments, even a T shirt, and to do so with some comfort. DeSantis holsters build on many decades of experience including large government contracts. These holster serve a real need.

Note double stitching and reinforced holstering welt.

On UVA – The Shooting and Response

By

Keith Finch

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November 17, 2022

white house response to UVA shooting — White House response to UVA shooting

As I look further at the shooting on the UVA campus that has garnered media attention and triggered the firearms debate afresh, I am noticing several peripheral items.

The shooting itself seems to have likely been triggered by a bullying, disagreement, or other direct social trigger. The people shot were seen as directly offensive to the shooter. The shooter was under investigation from the school for failure to disclose a misdemeanor, related to illegal carry of a weapon. The shooter was originally on the football team for a season, the three dead and two wounded were current players. It is possible that was a source of strife too.

The shooter was at risk of being kicked out of school, went on a class trip, was returning from the trip with football players and he was no longer one, and then three were shot and killed. The charges brought against the shooter are telling as well, second degree murder. First is premediated, a planned attack or prepared attack. If evidence existed that the shooter had planned to get into this confrontation, it would be first degree murder. Second degree murder is without premeditation, no evidence must exist that the shooter intended an attack specifically or in general against these three but suddenly decided to kill them and wound two others. This charge is often used in situations where someone overreacted in response to something.

The charges suggest this was not a planned killing, it was in response to something that happened right there at the bus as the trip was returning. It suggests a conflict arose and came to a head there, when the shooter pulled a handgun. If evidence is found that this was the shooter’s intent, the charges will likely be upgraded. But at this juncture this seems to have been homicide in reaction, overreaction, to something the players initiated with the shooter. We have nothing on the specifics of what the trigger was, nor who ‘started’ it or history between the shooter, a former player, and the players killed and wounded.

White House Reaction

Predictably inept.

“This is sad, thoughts and prayers. This is why we should ban assault weapons by the way, because an adult concealed a handgun on a college campus and then shot three people under circumstances that appear to be overreactive and not premeditated.”

It’s a low party line response, unsurprising, and honestly expected of this administration at this point.

Campus Reaction

UVA apparently was on top of the event rather quickly. Issuing the guidance to stay indoors and RUN. HIDE. FIGHT. This is the STOP, DROP, and ROLL of shooters on campus.

The issue comes with follow on communication. Students hid with phones off, lights out, locked behind barricaded doors and under covers for hours upon hours. Ineffectually, and as it turned out needlessly, panicking about a killer who had long fled after the shooting at the bus. He was not hunting door to door, he was not randomly firing across the campus at anyone who moved, he killed and fled.

The reports are indicating that the hide reaction seems to be actively paralyzing folks who are waiting directions on what to do next from the mobile communications network of the campus instead of exercising any free agency to improve their own safety. Students certainly wouldn’t be encouraged to own a firearm and be ready to repel an intruder, with or without campus warning. Students wouldn’t be encouraged to be aware of surroundings, keep an eye out, report on a suspect who was known to the occupants of the bus he rode back with his class it seems, and could therefore be described accurately down to name, date of birth, if he did or did not live on campus, etc.

None of that appears to have happened. Just a RUN. HIDE. FIGHT. warning issued until the arrest was made. The campus, from reports like ABC, appears not to have been alerted so much as paralyzed by the notice. That should be a highly concerning reaction to emergency planners who need to encourage more proactive reactions, like leaving if it is safe to do so.

Especially if you are a student, the stories of these reactions should get your personal wheels turning on what to do in order to get to safety. The campus is giving you a little useful information, but it could be old, it could be in error but their best effort, it could be an accident. How are you going to make yourself safe if your safety comes into much greater than average danger. Are you going to cower in a closet for 12 hours paralyzed or are you going to be more proactive?

What are you going to do. The campus cannot for you. The cops cannot for you. You must be ready to exercise some agency on your own behalf and get you and yours to safety.

Campus Carry

Regardless of UVA’s policies, which are listed here, the shooter was carrying a concealed firearm. Legally or illegally is rather irrelevant, he had the pistol. The policy did not physically prohibit the firearm from entering the space, there was no control to do so. This is the reality of public spaces like university campuses, they are uncontrolled space.

Policies prohibiting possession, rather than misuse, are entirely ineffective and days of success without an incident cannot be attributed to the policy. The behavior of the students, guests, and faculty determine that. You could just as easily put into place a policy that states misuse of weapons is unacceptable with equal or greater success. Law and policy are only as effective as they are enforceable. These prohibitions are not enforceable. They are, at best, actionable after the fact, exactly the way a misuse policy would be. They have no additional actual control, they are a request for a behavior standard they cannot effectively enforce.

Hundreds of their thousands of students could be carrying weapons and if done correctly the campus will never know. There is absolutely an active rate of violation of this prohibition, that is an inescapable fact and I would expect it to have started in earnest after Virginia Tech. The likely trend is that more folks have become noncompliant, not less.

Conclusions

I believe that gun control happy politicos have made a mistake in trying to politicize this shooting. They saw campus and thought they had better bait than they did. What they have instead is an adult who did something that would be completely legal and permissible all over this nation, and is done so all over this nation, who then did something highly illegal reflexively after a trigger event and is now facing three second degree murder charges and two attempted charges.

The shooter may end up looking like a partially sympathetic figure depending upon what the investigation reveals, he also may not. But the killing was not random.

The call to ban assault weapons is an absurd and politically charged response that further erodes confidence in the rule of law and good order.

The reactions of campus and authorities appears to have been well directed, however the aftermath is exposing a serious flaw in mass information system. We are triggering panicked overresponses in undertrained people who are then waiting for step-by-step directions, updates, and so forth in order to remain ‘safe’ during the event.

We know from other emergency events, fire especially, that directions must be clear, concise, and constant. Even then there will be people who ignore them, overreact to them, or react unexpectedly. In an event like a shooter loose on campus the directions must be equally as clear, concise, and constant. Using a mass information system, information must flow. If the information flowing may alert the suspect unduly to act, then no information must flow. But I personally do not like that argument nor the concept of using disinformation, like a shelter warning for a storm, in place to try and corral a suspect.

The aftermath is showing that many of our ‘drills’ are causing anxiety more than preparedness, which means it is time to rethink those drills. This is far from the only place this drill fatigue can be seen to have ill effects, but it is one of the more crucial.

The 25 ACP – The Worst Carry Caliber

By

Travis Pike

-

November 17, 2022

“Son, you don’t want that thing. It’s a 25 ACP. It’ll just piss someone off. It’s weaker than a .22LR.” Those were the words, or thereabouts the words, of a gun store clerk while I browsed a Raven MP-25. Admittedly the Raven is a fairly craptastic gun, but I have a thing for Saturday Night Specials. Today we aren’t talking about Ravens, but we are talking about the .25 ACP.

John Browning invented the round. In 1905 Browning and FN released both the .25 ACP and the FN M1905 at the same time. The idea was simple, let’s make a gun as small as possible but also reliable. In 1905 they had the .22LR, but rimfire rounds aren’t known for their reliability. These days they aren’t bad, but in 1905 I’m betting the .22LR was a little less reliable.

Browning and FN wanted a caliber that allowed you to have an ultra-small pistol but provided the reliability of a centerfire cartridge. This is what led us to the .25 ACP. A few years prior, Browning released the .32 ACP, but apparently, that round just wasn’t small enough. The .25 ACP and M1905 became the first of the Baby Brownings. In 2022 the 25 ACP isn’t a very popular choice for anything beyond collecting, but is it unfairly maligned?

The 25 ACP By the Numbers

Is the 25 ACP as bad as everyone makes it out to be? Is it really worse than the .22LR? The round uses projectiles that fall between 35 and 50 grains and moves at velocities between 900 feet per second and 750 feet per second. That’s the definition of anemic. In terms of energy, we are looking at 65 foot-pounds. For comparison, your average 9mm packs about 350 foot-pounds of energy.

When it comes to self-defense, the most important thing to remember is penetration. Handguns, in general, just poke small holes in bad guys. What they need to be capable of doing is penetrating deep enough to reach something vital. The established standard for competent penetration is 12 inches of properly calibrated ballistic gel.

If a round can penetrate at least 12 inches, it is highly likely to be capable of reaching something vital and shutting down the bad guy. Here is where we see some potential issues. To even get close to reaching the minimum depth, you have to use FMJs. Hollow-point designs just can’t reach the minimum required depth.

Most 50-grain FMJ loads can reach that depth, but even then, it’s inconsistent. Greg Ellifritz gathered data from 1800 shootings and broke them down by caliber. This data showed that in 35% of cases, the .25 ACP did not incapacitate the bad guy regardless of how many hits landed.

What’s The Point?

It is not a very capable round. It can reach the minimum depth necessary, but only inconsistently. It’s also an expensive caliber. 9mm and even 380 ACP are cheaper than the little 25. So what’s the point in 2022?

25 ACP doesn’t make it too deep into Ballistic Gel

Admittedly there isn’t much of one. If you needed a very small handgun, then the 25 ACP would work well in that role. The little caliber has very little recoil and can be much smaller than the tiniest of .380s. However, no one is making that handgun. You might be able to find a vintage Baby Browning, but I wouldn’t recommend an antique for concealed carry.

Interestingly enough, the little round is still produced and isn’t exactly uncommon as a cartridge. Sure, it’s not a top seller, but someone has to be buying it. It would be interesting to see a modern 25 ACP pocket pistol, but I wouldn’t hold my breath.

The C-More Red Dot – Hollywood’s Favorite Red Dot

By

Travis Pike

-

November 16, 2022

I love examples of the American dream in real life. C-More red dot sights are an example of the American dream. Ira Kay was a dentist who enjoyed shooting USPSA, but his aging eyesight was making it harder and harder to compete. He looked into red dot optics and wasn’t satisfied, so he decided to build his own. Legend has it that the first few prototypes were developed in his dental office.

These optics became fairly popular and were some of the first red dot sights designed specifically for handguns. They went on to gain some small military orders, and C-More would later develop the M26 MASS, which would be adopted and utilized by the US Army. C-More also had some massive success in Hollywood. In fact, it’s basically the Desert Eagle of optics.

C-More Sights – Hollywood’s Favorite

I use the Desert Eagle as the example because it has well over 600 film credits to its name. Much like the Desert Eagle, the C-More seemingly pops up in action movies left and right. Movies like Mr. and Mrs. Smith, The Expendables, No Time to Die, xXx, Transformers, and even the upcoming Mission Impossible Dead Reckoning. It’s an optic that’s everywhere, all the time.

Why? Does C-More just mail these things to actors and hope they pop up in film? No, and to answer the question, we have to go back to the later 1980s and early 1990s. Throughout the 1980s, action movies were crazy and over the top. Movies like Predator, Commando, Rambo 3 and 4, Cobra, and so many more ruled the box office.

As the 80s ended, things got a bit grittier, and there was more of a focus on realism. 90s action movies were grunge, and 80s action movies were hair metal. The 1990s is when we saw the end of hip fire. Firing from the hip has been a Hollywood trope for decades, from the Dirty Dozen to Commando, it was just how action heroes used guns.

By the end of the 80s, and with the creep of the realism bug, our action heroes began to aim their weapons. As the 1990s faded into the 2000s, iron sights were on the outs. If you had a super commando action hero, iron sights just wouldn’t do.

Pretty Faces and Open Spaces

What optic does your hero use? In the early 2000s, the options were a little more limited, and they were often rather large. A big optic doesn’t work for a visual medium because it takes up too much of the screen. Plus, for those dramatic close-ups, you lose the view of your actor’s face.

If you are paying Angelina Jolie money, you don’t want an ACOG to cover half of her face. It’s tough to follow the characters if half their face is covered by a COMP M3. What can you do? That’s where C-More comes into place. The C-More sight is very minimalist, and while it’s clearly an optic, it doesn’t take up much of the screen and doesn’t block your character’s face.

It’s perfect for playing into a visual medium. These days, we have lots of optic options, including smaller red dots. That can be mounted further forward to get them out of the way. Even so, the C-More red dot still pops up here and there and likely will keep popping up due to its legacy and availability in Hollywood armories.

Measure 114: Liberals Trust Police?

By

Lars Smith

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November 16, 2022

Sign reading Vote No Measure 114 — Credit: stop114.com

Measure 114 is the ONLY gun law ⁦on the ballot in the US in Nov.

People who claim it’s racist are the same people who championed the person who pulled a gun on Don’t Shoot PDX. They want 114 to fail so they won’t be forced to sell guns to BIPOC. https://t.co/C0Fhpzj51O
— Ceasefire Oregon (@CeasefireOregon) October 29, 2022

The left in Oregon supporting Ballot Measure 114 has apparently had a crisis of identity. After years of announcing that police across the country are institutionally racist, classist, and generally mean, bad guys, and specifically calling out Portland Police for using right-wing memes and calling attention to OathKeepers within PPB ranks, we’re at a crossroads. Apparently the right-wing racist/fascist/authoritarians we were told to protest to protect black lives for the last two years are magically not racist or authoritarian at all… so long as we’re talking about gun control.

Yes, the ACAB crowd is suddenly on board with cops, and all it took was Ballot Measure 114: a mishmash of prior failed gun control efforts including a permit-to-purchase system, a pre-requisite training class, a public list of Oregonians who attempt to purchase a firearm, and a 10rd cap on magazine capacity, among other things. This necessarily means that Law Enforcement (the bad guys, remember?) will be the arbiters of every Oregonian’s enumerated right to own a firearm. To clarify once more, for those in the cheap seats, the same people we were told were racist nazi thugs can decide who can be armed, and that’s not just okay, but a good and necessary thing.

Crazier yet, Oregon Law Enforcement seems as apprehensive about measure 114 as you might, and for good reason: The permitting program they’re meant to enact and maintain has no funding, despite the Oregon State Sheriff’s Assn estimating a $40,000,000 annual pricetag. The live-fire gun safety class you will have to take before applying for the permit is not enumerated, nor does anyone seem to know who will be offering it, or where. Gun ranges in Portland are few and far between, and unless you’re a member of a club, most people shoot on BLM land.

Additionally, when we asked Ceasefire Oregon how Law Enforcement was meant to determine which of a pile of 30rd magazines was made before or after measure 114 took effect, we were told that magazine manufacturers inside the state would be required to stamp every magazine they produce to indicate their production date. Do you know any magazine manufacturers inside of Oregon? Neither do we, and judging by the lack of a response to that question, neither do they.

All of this is not new to measure 114, or gun control movements in general. They will court whoever it takes to enact their misguided legislation, and fortunately many of their own are quick to call this out. Along with the usual pro-gun groups, a twitter search of “#NoOnMeasure114” calls up a who’s-who of Socialist, Trans, and general leftist orgs and individuals in the Pacific Northwest calling out Brady, Ceasefire, and everyone else who seems to have forgotten everything they said about police in the 2020’s up to this point. If it feels weird to be on the same side as Socialists, consider that it’s nice to see a coherent message, and a vocal pro-rights stance from any direction these days.

WAR: Poland struck in the latest Russian rocket attack against Ukraine

By

Keith Finch

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November 15, 2022

We do not do a lot of news on the war here, there are other excellent sources for that, but a NATO nation has been hit by Russian weapons with two reportedly killed, at least.

MORNING UPDATE: Evidence is now suggesting that while the weapon was certainly Russian that hit Poland, it may have been fired by Ukraine against the incoming Russian missiles, missed, and then landed in Poland.

UPDATE 2: The Polish President has said it appears to be a Ukrainian fired weapon in defense against the Russian mass missile attack, the missile is Russian made but was fired against incoming Russian weapons that target Kyiv and elsewhere. This appears to be, although the investigation hasn’t concluded, Russia’s fault indirectly instead of directly. Russia’s missile attack necessitated Ukraine’s defensive firing of the Russian built interceptor missiles, one or two of which malfunctioned, flew into Poland, struck a farm, and killed two, is currently being held as most likely to blame. Article 4, an emergency meeting of NATO, has been enacted.

Przewodów, Poland which sits near the border with Ukraine was hit by two of the over 85 missiles. Russia, has used rocket attacks on Kyiv as a method of retaliation as their conventional forces get hit hard by Ukrainian ground and air assets in the conventional fight.

With ordnance landing on a NATO nation causing deaths and damage, Article 5 could be enacted and the nation could theoretically bring the whole of NATO into conflict with Russia. Russia’s only defensible claim would be they did not deliberately attack Poland, to which Poland might not care.

Russia continues to fair poorly against the smaller Ukraine, they would crumble under a combined attack from NATO. The problem is, of course, that Russia could still use their nuclear arsenal to retaliate. Especially in Europe. A more measured response is more likely with Poland making a demand of recompense and leveraging NATO as the stick to extract it or bring the Kremlin to the table.

This is a developing situation. Poland’s defense ministry and prime minister are meeting.

With evidence suggesting this may have been Ukrainian counterfire instead of a miss from Russia, Ukraine’s continued aid from the west may suffer as a result. If it does, an emboldened Russia could prolong the war even further by pushing harder and firing into dangerous areas for Ukraine to defend so as not to hit NATO again.

Final confirmation has not been issued by Poland or US sources as of this update.

The new RECC-E Stock from Reptilia

By

Keith Finch

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November 15, 2022

Seen first on SSD

It takes quite a bit to impress as a rifle stock these days. Magpul, B5 Systems, and VLTOR might be household names when it comes to stocks. Niche companies like Maxim Defense have specific use items too that rock. But making a standout option to hit the space hard that has the aesthetic and efficacy to succeed is something Reptilia has managed to do consistently.

After more than two years of development and testing, Reptilia is proud to announce the RECC·E Stock for AR15/M16 and AR10/SR25 pattern rifles. Designed at the request of a military end user, the RECC·E Stock features a constant cheek weld, ambidextrous QD sling attachment points, rubber buttpad, and a modular design that allows usage of a standard AR15 carbine buffer system, or A5/SR25 carbine buffer system by replacing the receiver extension (buffer tube) and forward portion of the stock. Weighing only 12.0 ounces including the proprietary AR15-length receiver extension, the RECC·E stock is the ideal lightweight solution for the entire spectrum of AR-pattern guns from compact to precision.

Technical Specifications:

• Proprietary Receiver Extension: 7075-T6 Aluminum, Type III Milspec Anodized Finish
• Materials: Impact Modified, Glass-Filled Nylon Polymer
• Weight (AR15/M16): 12.0 oz.
• Weight (AR10/SR25): 12.7 oz.
• Length of Pull (AR15/M16): 10.8 in. – 14.2 in.
• Length of Pull (AR10/SR25): 11.6 in. – 15.0 in.

For more details read on here. Or head to ReptiliaCorp and order.

$159.95 MSRP is solid for a stock/receiver extension. Add your preferred buffer system and send it.

I wasn’t sure what I wanted to run on my FCD 12.5 build, I think I’ve solved that problem.

The Butt Pad – One Thing We Can Learn From the Russian Army

By

Travis Pike

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November 15, 2022

The Russians have been getting their asses kicked across Ukraine. Trying to find anything worthwhile in their equipment, tactics, and personnel is tough to do. Tough, but not impossible. Ladies and gentlemen, let me introduce you to the butt pad.

If you’ve followed the war, you’ve likely seen the butt pad. It’s that thing sticking to the butts of Russian soldiers right below their body armor. This is not butt armor. I promise Russian badonkadonks are not being protected by big square pads. Well, the pads do offer protection, but not from shrapnel, but from the cold.

What Are Butt Pads For?

Do you ever wonder how the Slav squat became the Slav squat? It looks uncomfortable, and why is it so closely associated with Eastern Europe? Because it’s cold there. The ground is cold, often frozen, and the Slav squat keeps their butts off the ground. The butt pad does the same thing.

Placing your body against the cold ground will suck the heat out of your body. It doesn’t matter if you are sitting, kneeling, or in the prone. If you do it against the cold or wet ground, you will be miserable and more prone to hypothermia. Thus, the butt pad provides you with a layer of protection and isolation from the ground.

We use Isomats for sleeping for a reason. It’s not because it is a pad that’s comfy. It’s because it keeps you warm and away from the ground and helps you retain body heat. Butt pads do the same thing, but do it as you move and groove through a battlefield…or a hunt…or a ruck…or whatever.

How To Make Your Own Butt Pad

I remember turkey hunting one year. I sat against a tree, my butt on the wet and cold ground. It was so cold. I was miserable, shivering, and completely distracted. I killed nothing that day and really wished I had a butt pad.

You might be in the same situation and also might be in the mood for GAT Daily’s guns and crafts hour. Making one of these butt pads is fairly simple. You’ll need one of the old-school Isomat/sleeping pads. These are fairly cheap and available across the internet and military surplus stores.

One sleeping pad can create multiple butt pads. Measure out about 18 inches and then cut that portion off of the isomat. This will be the bones of your butt pad. These mats are not very water resistant, so you need to do a little waterproofing.

Good duct tape works. Stick to a more camouflage color than silver. Wrap a layer around the sides and then top to bottom. The tape waterproofs it and also keeps it from fraying and falling apart. As you apply the first layer of tape, create a 550-cord sling.

Wrap the end of the 550 cord up. Typically the butt pad would remain on or in your pack. However, if you are moving from spot to spot, it can be a hassle to place in and out of the pack. A good section of 550 cord makes it easier to move around with for short hauls.

Busting Out

The butt pad is perfect for sitting for extended periods of time, especially on cold, hard, wet, or snow-covered ground. It provides a layer of thermal insulation. You can use it when kneeling or even when in the prone. In an ambush, it acts as a way to isolate your upper body from the ground.

It’s simple, cheap, lightweight, and very effective. Heck, even at night, it can be a pillow, although watch which side you use for your butt and which side you use for your head.

Girsan P35 Match/OPS

By

V. Caldwell

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November 15, 2022

The standard fixed sight MC35 is a good buy and has proved reliable.

I am not a marketing whiz. I know what I like and I know what works and I feel I am able to judge quality. A few years ago FN eliminated the High Power from production. Decreased sales and an ever increasing price point due to heavy manufacturing costs of this older design played a part. Springfield introduced a High Power clone and the next thing we know folks are buying the High Power again. EAA also introduced a High Power clone- and FN has redesigned their High Power. It is even more expensive and folks are clamoring. I don’t know but I suppose it is all a good thing. The EAA imported Girsan High Power is a faithful copy of the Browning MKII High power in most ways. There are good sights, an ambidextrous safety, good fit and finish, a 15 round magazine, compatibility with Browning High Power parts and magazines, and good reliability. The quality is good, for the price, at about five to six hundred retail depending on the model. It is worth the money and you may own a good shooting High Power for less than half the price of a ‘real’ High Power.

The trigger is heavy like the original with most models breaking at 8 pounds. A MATCH version with flat trigger offers a better trigger action and adjustable sights. The MATCH OPS also offers a light rail. These are very interesting handguns. The High Power is a pistol that fits most hands well and has a certain retro look many appreciate. With these modern improvements the pistol offers a good shooting experience. I tested the MATCH and MATCH OPS versions. The slide fits the frame with little lateral play. The ramped barrel is well fitted. The front sight is a bright red fiber optic. The rear sight is a compact but fully adjustable unit. The rear of the sight is serrated. The rear square notch offers a good sight picture. The ambidextrous safety allows a left handed shooter or right handed shooter in a jam a good option. The grips are a modern starburst similar to Wilson Combat types. The MATCH trigger breaks at six pounds, a pound lighter than a standard High Power. The flat trigger helps the action feel better and reset is good- not as fast as a 1911 but good for a High Power trigger.

Firing the pistol went as expected. The 9mm isn’t a hard kicker and a pistol weighing well over thirty ounces loaded isn’t likely to jar the teeth with recoil. An extended grip tang and a slight dip in the frame to lower the bore axis helps. I used Black Hills Ammunition 115 grain FMJ for most of the firing. The pistol was well lubricated before firing and never failed to feed, chamber, fire or eject. The 1911 is fast to an accurate first shot while the High Power may be even faster. Drawing from a Falco leather Crabhawk holster and zeroing in on the X ring I had good results at 5, 7, and 10 yards. The trigger isn’t my favorite but it would not be difficult to acclimate to the trigger. The pistol is supplied with one magazine. It is a quality MecGar type. I added several original FN magazines and the pistol ran well. I fired the MATCH OPS most and only a few rounds in a comparable MATCH pistol. In the end I found a pistol worth the money. As for absolute accuracy I benchrest tested the pistol with two load. The Black Hills 115 grain FMJ gave a five shot 15 yard group of 1.9 inch. The Black Hills 124 grain JHP grouped five shots into 1.7 inch. The pistol seems accurate and reliable. If you are looking for a High Power on the cheap this is the piece for you.

FINISH: BLUE/BLACK

CAL: 9mm
CAP: 15+1
BBL: 4.87″
OAL: 7.75″
WT: 1.8 lbs