Bul Axe 9mm Pistol

By

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October 26, 2022

GAT1 — The Bul Axe is a reliable and useful handgun.

A few months ago Bul Armory introduced a new pistol. Bul is famous for clones of 1911 handguns and close copies of CZ 75 pistols as well. Bul offers good quality handguns at a fair price. The newest pistol is a clone of the Glock 17. I have not examined or tested a compact version modeled after the Glock 19. These compact 9mm handguns are also available. With close to eighty percent of police forces and a similar number of concealed carry handgunners deploying a polymer frame striker fired handgun the market is huge. Some pistols such as the Shadow Systems 9mm cost more than the Glock but offer good features. Walther pistols have a great appeal. Then there are pistols that are less expensive than the Glock. If the pistol costs more than the Glock be certain it offers an advantage. If the pistol cost less almost certainly corners have been cut. It is true Glock did the R & D and T & E and other companies may ride their coattails. A pistol with good features and a bit of bling selling for about the price of the Glock may be attractive. The pistol has been available at $669.71 from Cheaperthandirt.com. Every gun store of any size at all has 9mm ammunition and Glock magazines. Everyone who makes holsters offers models for the Glock.

The Bul Axe 9mm is offered in several versions including the Axe Cleaver. The pistol resembles the Glock 17. It is dimensionally the same. The Glock barrel fits the Axe slide while the internals are very similar. No reason to mess with success. Most clones seem reliable if not as well refined as the Glock. The pistol operates exactly the same as the Glock. The Axe uses Glock magazines- it would not make any sense not to. The supplied magazines are very well made and at least comparable to Glock magazines. The base pad seems robust. The slide is very well done. The stainless steel slide features nicely designed and executed forward and rear cocking serrations. A very interesting scalloped muzzle is part of the appeal of the Axe 9mm. The sights are all steel and similar to upgraded sights from Novak and a few others. These are excellent all around target and combat sights. The frame doesn’t feature grip inserts. The frame is considerably upgraded from the usual run of polymer frame guns. The geometric design results in an excellent balance of adhesion and abrasion. My hands are average size. A number of associates with smaller and larger hands found the Bul Axe well suited to their hands. There is a dished out portion of the frame behind the trigger guard. This lowers the center line of the bore making for less leverage for the muzzle to flip during recoil.

Trigger compression is sharp and clean. Various stock Glock pistols in the safe feature a trigger compression of 5.6 to 6.5 pounds. The Bul Axe breaks cleanly at 4.5 pounds. This is a clean break with rapid re set. The pistol is comparable to the Glock in every detail as far as field stripping, maintenance, and handling. The magazine release is slightly oversized. The slide lock appears to be a slightly enlarged late model Glock 17 magazine release. While considerably different in many details from the Glock this pistol will respond well to anyone who uses the Glock well. While a cheaper gun will achieve its low price by decrements the Bul Axe has additions to the Glock. As of this writing the retail prices runs a little less than the average Glock retail price for a Glock 17. I found that I was able to run the Bul Axe seamlessly. The pistol is not so different from the Glock I could not run between the two types easily without major adjustment. The changes in the grip and trigger are natural. The trigger feels better than the Glock but you still must be an accomplished shooter to get the best results.

There were no surprises firing the Bul Axe. The pistol comes on target quickly handling well. Line the sights up press the trigger and you have a hit. The handgun was fired primarily with Remington 115 grain UMC Ball ammunition. Results were good. Firing at close range out to 25 yards the pistol exhibited good results. I also fired a quantity of Remington 147 grain Golden Saber and the Speer Gold Dot 124 grain +P. The pistol never failed to feed, chamber, fire, or eject. Absolute accuracy firing from a benchrest using the MTM K Zone rest I fired several five shot groups at 25 yards. This isn’t combat relative I supposed but tells us something about the pistols fitting and quality. The sights were an advantage. The 115 grain UMC load went into 3.0 inches, the Golden Saber 2.0 inches and the Gold Dot, 2.8 inches. I find this excellent performance. After confirming reliability I added the pistol to my personal defense battery. I added TruGlo Pro Tritium sights. Night sights are good to have and I like the TruGlo set very much. The Bul Axe is fully compatible with Glock sights, however, the front sight was tight, pretty tight, going in.

I like larger handguns for carry. They are easier to shoot well, have less recoil, and generally have superior handling. You must choose your concealed carry holster well when carrying any gun but especially a full size service pistol. The DeSantis Leather Goods Infiltrator Air is a new favorite holster. It represents the latest generation in development from one of our most respected makers. The Infiltrator Air features a backing of padded breathable material. Some of us perspire more than others and many of us live in a part of the country with a humid climate. This is a true hybrid with a sturdy Kydex holster. This holster offers an excellent balance of speed and retention. The holster is worn between the trousers and the body. Only a short draping garment is needed to conceal this rig as the majority of the handgun is concealed inside the pants. Strong well designed belt clips keep the Infiltrator Air firmly anchored to the belt. Practice quickly moving the covering garment out of the way and you have a viable concealed carry rig. The holster doesn’t collapse after the pistol is drawn allowing easy re-holster.

I found the Bul Axe reliable. The pistol offers advantages over most polymer frame pistols and operates on a proven system.

The author added TruGlo Pro night sights to his personal Bul Axe 9mm pistol.

Ask the Armorer: Why Does the Correct Type of Extractor Spring Matter?

By

Anna Martinez

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October 25, 2022

In short, well made extractors and extractor spring assemblies matter because failures to extract will shut the gun down entirely.

The AR-15 world is like the Wild Wild West. If it is not Gov issued the build isn’t having to follow any sort of rules or regulations. This leaves A LOT to chance that it was made to to proper spec. That spec being the same spec that the Technical Data Package has stated since Colt pushed it out in the 60’s.

Within one of these specifications is the Extractor and Extractor Spring. A tiny portion of the gun but very important. While the extractor and extractor lip have not changed much, the extractor spring has definitely improved both coming straight from Colt and the aftermarket world.

Notice on this critical components kit that there is a black buffer with copper spring and O ring as the extractor spring assembly.
DanielDefense.com

The History/Types of Extractor Springs

Before going into the importance of the spring, let’s go into a short history of them. Please know that all of this knowledge is coming from working on hundreds of issued rifles and carbines while in the Army. The sheer number of guns worked on allowed us to be ordering a lot of extractor springs due to wear or new assembly. Over time we started seeing different extractors arrive.

Note: Extractor springs will have a buffer, spring, and sometimes a rubber O Ring.

Colt gave us both the M16 and M4 builds. Within these have been different extractor springs. In the beginning The M16 had a black buffer and silver spring, then came the blue buffer and silver spring. On the M4 side we had the black buffer and silver spring, now we have the black buffer and copper coiled spring. The black buffer and copper spring can now be used in both M16 and M4 platform and has shown no issues when routinely replaced and cared for. This means that if the spring becomes bent, the buffer is missing, or it is failing due to wear, replacement is necessary and normal.

This is now the current and most updated extractor spring assembly for the M4 platform within the Military.
Brownells.com

The Aftermarket World

Let’s shift to the aftermarket world because this is where things start to get weird.

As stated before, it is the Wild Wild West. You will see many different spring types due to manufacturer and gas system on the build. Here are a couple of examples. I am going to list the color, but two black springs may not be alike ie number of coils or material.

Daniel Defense MK-18: Black buffer, copper spring, O ring
BCM (upgraded spring kit): BCM Black spring, black buffer, O ring (note: BCM states on their website that the O ring may not be needed due to the strength of the spring)
Sprinco Upgrade Kit: Black buffer, black 5 coil spring, black O ring
Colt: Black buffer, copper spring

Note: The O ring is Crane/Mil-Spec approved.

Sprinco M4 / AR-15 Extra Power 5-Coil Extractor Spring Upgrade Kit
PrimaryArms.com

The Issue

The reason for this whole article is due to something seen last weekend. While at an event someone bought over their gun stating the typical thing “It’s jamming”. Okay. I am not going to say the manufacturer of this build but it was in fact an entire build from this company which actually has a pretty good reputation in following proper specs.

The rounds put down range from the owner were the very first rounds ever put through the gun. Before we shot it that day though, I did a quick strip of the gun and entire BCG. This lead me to immediately feel the weakness of the extractor spring. After opening that, the extractor shown was a black buffer, with black spring, and a O ring. Not a copper with black buffer. I then checked the lip, everything looked okay but there was some wear on the lip already after only the 3 rounds he said he fired.

First round down range, failure to extract.

Feeding was fine, chambering was fine, firing was fine, extraction was non existent.

What was happening there could be two things.

First, there is simply not enough pressure from the extractor spring to push the lip of the extractor over the rim of the case to hold on as the bcg is pulled back, thus extracting the fired case and then ejecting it out.

Two, the lip of the extractor could be out of spec and did not have enough surface area to grab the rim and hold on.

While this can be fixed by hopefully just replacing the extractor spring, you might as well just grab the entire extractor while you’re at the store just in case it is the lip of the extractor and not just a weak spring.

A failure to extract shown.
GunsAmerica.com lists this as a failure to eject but in this case it is a failure to extract because the bolt did not grab the case after firing and starting to feed another round.

Removal/Installation

To remove the extractor simply press the straight pin out with a small flat punch or even a pen. DO NOT USE THE TIP OF THE FIRING PIN. Applying some pressure to the back of the extractor where the spring is can help release the pressure on the pin.

Installing an extractor and extractor spring is simple but there are some tricks.

On a bolt the extractor is held in by a small straight pin. When putting this pin in to install an extractor it should be HARD to get the extractor and hole lined up due to the pressure of the extractor spring, especially if it is new. To make this easier, push down on the part of the extractor where the spring is, while pushing the pin through. If the pin is started but not all the way in, use needle nose pliers to clamp the bolt where the pin is while pushing down on the spring. It should go through. You can also use a hard surface to push the pin through while putting pressure on the back side where the spring is seated.

Apply pressure to the extractor spring as you are installing the pin to relieve some pressure and allow the holes to line up.

Use a hard surface to push the pin in completely, make sure it is flush. Pliers can be used to clamp the bolt and the pin as well but be sure to not scratch or damage the bolt.

To install the spring assembly, push the buffer down a bit through the spring. Just to get past the spring and not get in the way of the spring catching the housing. Now, hold the spring in your needle nose without bending or crushing it. There is a small lip on the extractor where the spring seats, while holding the spring push it into that housing and twist, almost like you’re coiling the spring in. As it catches it may need to be pressed down a bit to totally click into place. To verify it is in pull on it a bit, without stretching it, it shouldn’t come out.

It may take a couple of tries to fully seat the spring, that’s okay.

This is a Sons of Liberty extractor. The extractor spring will catch on the lip of the spring housing during installation. Use a needlenose to screw the coils into the housing. Give it a light tug to ensure that its seated.

Cleaning

Ensure that the lip around on the extractor is clear of carbon build up as too much build up can lead to a failure to extract as well.

The Right Time to Carry FMJs

By

Travis Pike

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October 25, 2022

Buy a gun, buy a good holster and buy ammo and you have a pretty start to concealed carry. When people say good ammo, they typically mean high-quality defensive ammunition from companies like Speer, Federal, or Hornady. The projectile is typically a jacketed hollow point. Most of us with common sense carry jacketed hollow points. With that said, is there ever a good time to carry FMJs?

My first response would be mostly no. If you are carrying a 9mm, a .357, or even a .380 ACP, I’d say FMJs penetrate too much, and they don’t offer expansion. Handguns suck for fighting, and they could use all the help they can get. Expansion creates more tissue damage because the projectile is growing in diameter. This growth also slows the bullet and stops it from over-penetrating.

Most of the time, FMJs are not the answer. They penetrate too much, and they don’t expand. However, that doesn’t mean we should universally ditch our carry FMJs. There are some rare, select scenarios where it’s a good choice.

The Time to Carry FMJs

With the advent of guns like the SIG P365 and Ruger LCP MAX, it’s tough to justify not carrying a 9mm or 380 ACP. Most of the time, it’s easy to get away with carrying either. Unless you find yourself in a speedo, or maybe in some select formal wear, or in a situation where if someone detects you are carrying a gun, it could be bad on the social end of things. Our options here are go smaller or go with nothing at all.

The right time to carry FMJs is when you go with a mouse gun or pocket pistol. I’m talking about a real mouse gun or pocket pistol. Guns that come in .25 ACP, 32 ACP, 22LR, and similar calibers are the mouse guns I’m talking about. These guns fire fairly anemic cartridges.

When it comes to penetration or expansion, if you can only pick one, you want penetration. You need to be able to get the bullet deep enough in the body to strike something vital. Expansion is great, but it stops the bullet from reaching the vitals. You are just making slightly larger holes with shallow wound canals.

If you are going to poke holes in your attacker, you want them to lead to a place that matters. This is why it’s appropriate to carry FMJs with these little guns.

The Pocket Gun Problem

These guns and their anemic cartridges are stretched thin, and if we accept 12 inches of ballistic gel as the standard penetration necessary to reach something vital, then FMJs might be the only choice. Repeated gel tests show that these little calibers can reach the necessary penetration with FMJs consistently but often fail to do so with hollow points.

The exception is .22LR. One of the best rounds for self-defense in that caliber is the CCI Velocitor, and it is technically a hollow point.

Although, in gel tests, it doesn’t seem to ever actually expand. It likely requires the velocity imbued by a rifle barrel to do so. With rounds like the 32 ACP and 25 ACP, the only hope you have of reaching the finish line is a slightly heavy FMJ, especially from a shorter barrel.

What about over-penetration? Typically the FBI standard is 12 to 18 inches, with 18 inches being too much. That’s not necessarily a concern with these little calibers being fired from short barrels. They just make it over the finish line most of the time.

The Other Carry FMJs

Another reason to carry FMJs is in small revolvers. The short 1.87-inch barrels don’t allow for a ton of velocity to gain, and velocity is often the key to getting a JHP to expand. Although, even a round nose .38 Special FMJ fired from a short barrel can over penetrate. So you have to be very selective about the round type.

In this case, a wadcutter can be an awesome defensive round. Wadcutters are essentially flat bullets, and they were designed to make perfect circles in paper targets for competition. The flat design helps prevent over-penetration, but the FMJ aspect of the bullet helps it dig in deep enough to reach the vitals.

Absolutes Are Rare

Absolutes are an interesting thing. The gun community as a whole seems to dislike absolutes, so much so that we often will wargame a specific situation to make it fit a certain aspect or point of view. We should keep that same energy when it comes to things like ammunition. Sometimes it makes sense to carry FMJs, and sometimes it doesn’t. Educate yourself on your gun and caliber selection, and find out what works best for you.

Anderson (Yes, That Anderson) Launches The Kiger-9c

By

Keith Finch

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October 25, 2022

kiger-9c pistol anderson manufacturing glock clone

Everyone in the AR-15 market space has heard the name Anderson Manufacturing. They’re a huge part of the low cost market when it comes to receivers and their introduction of the RF85 coating on the firearms which lowers the lubrication requirements for the rifles (they still need lubrication, I don’t care what their ad type says) and smooth out their operation.

Now they’re getting into the handgun market.

It’s a Glock clone, a model 19 styled pistol compatible with Gen3 parts. Gen3 parts existent in plethora levels of volume and have been supported for a long long time. Most of the recent non-Glock Glocks are built on this decades proven design.

Interestingly… these don’t appear optics cut. But I do believe they will be affordable, and that will certainly help.

A basic handgun, built on a proven frame, and with established deep market support, from a company known for their affordable firearms.

What about holsters? This is a handgun afterall.

DeSantis has over a dozen of their models that Anderson worked with them on to assure fit right from launch day. Mini Scabbard, Speed Scabbard, Vanquisher, Variable 87, and more, all ready for a new Kiger-9c to carry.

AIMBot – GarandThumb reviews the XM157

By

Keith Finch

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October 24, 2022

The US Military, with the NGSW program and the several that have come before it, has been seeking to increase the efficiency of the soldier’s fighting loadout. Giving them more tech and more options with that tech and doing their best, sometimes, to not marry the soldier to the tech in case it doesn’t work.

The NGSW picked several things to add to the Army’s inventory of weapons. The XM5, the XM250, and the XM157, along with new high ammunitions.

Honestly the XM5 is the most boring part of the whole series, despite it getting the attention from us gun loving folk because that’s the one we can buy once it releases. The XM250 radically upgrades the lightweight beltfed, the 6.8 offers capabilities 5.56 and 7.62 can’t match, and the XM157 is the first preliminarily fielded smart optic.

Smart optics have one crucial function, shorten the time it takes for the shooter to get rounds onto the target. That is it. Everything in the optic and about the optic is designed to shorten the length of time it will take for a soldier to engage a target, especially at extended ranges. Using an integrated rangefinder and some onboard atmospherics measuring capabilities the XM157 matches that information with the ammunition and weapon that you are firing (you tell it that, like M4A1 with M855A1) and it will give you an adjusted point of aim to impact.

Auto-aim, AIMBot, whatever you want to call it. Instead of forcing a soldier to visually range by eye, a time intensive skill, use the optic reticle to set the shot, a second skill requiring understanding of the optic and reticle, and then take a shot with a high probability of impact, a third skill that is time and resource intensive to train… The optic can assist with two of three for the shooter and shorten the time and number of errors.

Lots of math, science, and technology all to shorten the complexities of sending a round into a target.

Neat. Hit play.

Anti-Gun Media Wrong Again

By

Lars Smith

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October 24, 2022

Photo of Supreme Court Building, Whose Ruling Anti-Gun Media Interprets Incorrectly — Photo Credit: NRA-ILA

https://www.nraila.org/articles/20221010/no-scotus-didnt-just-rule-against-gun-rights

While it may seem unfair to describe an interpretation of SCOTUS refusing to hear a gun rights case as “Anti-Gun”, the NRA-ILA goes into great detail on what exactly happened, and why the misrepresentation paints news outlets as anti-gun. Headlines like the ABC News one here paint a vivid, if bleak picture for those interested in the right to keep and bear arms, but fear not: It’s not accurate. You should read the entire NRA-ILA article at length, but we will summarize it here.

Firstly, despite headlines, the Bump Stock Ban was not “upheld” by SCOTUS. There were two separate cases challenging the ban that are relevant to this discussion: Gun Owners of America, Inc. v. Garland, and Aposhian v. Garland. In both cases, the 6th and 10th Circuit Courts respectively upheld the ATF rule making bump stocks legally “machineguns”, despite nothing about them fitting their own legal definition thereof. Upon this ruling, both petitioned to be heard by SCOTUS.

SCOTUS declined to hear (known as “denying a petition of certiorari”) either of them, but that is not the same as upholding the lower Federal Appeals Court rulings. While the average person might be forgiven for confusing this for an endorsement of the ban, reporters should know better, whether they’re anti-gun or not.

It’s also worth considering, as NRA-ILA explains in greater detail, that there is a 3rd case working its way through the 5th Circuit, that is going to be heard in front of the full court, vs a panel of judges, and it’s entirely possible SCOTUS is simply waiting to see how that pans out before deciding to hear it, if necessary. One would imagine that misrepresenting the highest court in the land should be embarrassing, but it’s possible our editors care more about such things than those at ABC.

Gunday Brunch 74: Gun Industry Marketing

By

Keith Finch

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October 23, 2022

All three of the boys are back, and this week we’re talking about marketing. That’s right, some of the good, bad, and ugly of marketing in the firearms industry, a topic they all know a bit about!

Remember the Kel-Tec Pee Mustache? The boys remember…

Mental Health Matters . . . in Violence & Suicide

By

DRGO

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October 22, 2022

[Ed: This is the text of Dr. Young’s presentation to the Second Amendment Foundation’s 2022 Gun Rights Policy Conference October 2, 2022. The video is posted here, beginning at 1:46:45.]

We need to be concerned about ALL violence, not just with firearms because guns are NOT the issue. Gun owners and those with mental illness are stigmatized by the ignorant. We must challenge the perception that either guns or mental illness are primary problems, while doing everything we can to prevent tragedies.

Only 4% of violent crime can be attributed to the perpetrator’s mental illness. People with MI are far more likely to become victims of violence than to commit it. 10% of Americans have some psychiatric illness at any point; 50% during our lifetimes.

Blaming psychiatric medications for violence is a red herring. Good treatment is almost always effective. The issue is that the mental illness worsens, or treatment is inadequate. Worry about people who are NOT in treatment at all, not those who are.

Criminal Violence

A large portion of criminal violence is due to drug culture– gangs, dealers, and addicts desperate to buy more. Addictions are also psychiatric problems – genetically based & very treatable now.

Career criminals have antisocial personalities (sociopathy) – others don’t matter, only their own desires. They are only influenced by consequences. Antisocial criminals end up incarcerated if not dead. Later in life, they may have learned that they can’t just get their way and acting out diminishes.

Serial killers are psychopaths. They also don’t care about others – and they enjoy others’ pain, distress and humiliation. In childhood, they were often kids who tortured animals and set fires. Nothing changes them, and their drive to harm others does not diminish. They can only be kept away from society.

Both sociopathy and psychopathy are genetically grounded, reinforced through developmental experiences. Incarceration and protecting ourselves are the only practical interventions.

Community intervention can help reduce local violence. These programs are directed at those most likely to be attacked, who happen also to be those most likely to attack. For example, urban gang members and drug dealers.

Means substitution occurs in aggressive violence —criminals use whatever tools they can, For example, “knife violence” in the UK has dramatically increased since self-defense with firearms has been essentially prohibited, even if one does have a gun.

Mass Killers (including School Shooters)

These are actually the least of these problems in frequency and casualties, less than 1% of criminal violence. But these attacks are the most publicized and scariest to us. The perpetrators ordinarily have poor social skills. They feel and are socially inadequate, they get bullied and so pull back from socialization and become reclusive. For example, the Newtown killer reportedly had significant autism. (Let’s remember that most people with autism are just shy introverts who would never hurt a fly.)

Half of mass shooters apparently had some psychiatric attention. Severe mental illness may be involved: The Colorado movie theater shooter had schizophrenia with delusions and hallucinations pressuring him. In the 1960’s, the University of Texas clock tower shooter had been a fine, upstanding young man, who developed irresistible compulsions to kill others, to his own distress. On autopsy, he was found to have a growing brain tumor.

The young men who assault students, often their peers, are usually trying to avenge personal grievances. Almost all have been bullied (typically at that school), some define themselves as “incels” (rejected “involuntary celibates”), and there may be racism, homophobia or other disturbing beliefs.

Recent work proposes that underlying their hostility and desire to destroy others is likely unrecognized, untreated depression. With limited internal resilience and feeling nowhere to turn, they become suicidal. With nothing to look forward to in life, they feel that it isn’t worth living, for them or anyone. This nihilism decides them to take out others with them, because it is the only recognition they believe they will get in life. The relief this affords makes killing easier, culminating in their own suicide. But this also means that intervening in their initial depression can short-circuit the cascade of calamity.

Suicide

This is by far the biggest issue in America’s violence. Like any violence, it is an outcomeof multiple factors. 2/3 of shooting deaths are suicides, and half of all suicides are committed by gunshot. Gunshot is a highly lethal, and this number of deaths comes from just the 5% of suicide attempts in which guns are used. But hanging, jumping, throwing oneself into traffic, crashing one’s car and drowning all are readily accessible and can be just as deadly.

People typically develop suicide plans with specific means; the final act may be impulsive. Means substitution doesn’t typically happen as an individual shift of method. But different cultures have characteristic preferences. For example, in Japan hanging is the method of choice, in South & Southeast Asia it is household poisons. It is no surprise that with the prevalence of guns in America they are used so much as tools for suicide. If all guns suddenly disappeared from the United States, many lives would subsequently be lengthened. But I expect that our overall suicide rates would not change over the long run just because of that, because people would move to using other means with that cultural change.

Because any of us can kill ourselves at any time, intervention can be urgent & prevention vital. Suicide is nearly always preventable because the belief that one must die almost always comes from perfectly treatable depressive illness or delusional thinking. Chronic or recurrent illness increases lifetime risk of suicide, so continuing treatment can be necessary.

Suicidal people, like mass killers, almost always give clues to their frame of mind & intent. There are far more suicide attempts than deaths; the 95% of attempts that don’t kill typically involve less lethal means and are done in circumstances that confer a better chance of rescue.

Red Flag Laws (or Emergency Protection Restraining Orders)

These are billed as a way to keep people in crisis safe from suicide or doing violence to others. None of those in force are fair or effective:

There is no due process ensuring that the accused can face the accuser or present his side.
The initial period of confiscation can last up to a year without appeal.
The subject must pay for representation to contest the confiscation.
Penalties for false accusations don’t match the impact of a wrongful action.
Storage of confiscated firearms is usually haphazard, with damage often done.

Two problems are the most serious in relation to the risk of suicide:

Only firearms are subject to confiscation, not any other weapons or dangerous tools.
There are no requirements for psychiatric evaluation if the subject is not considered criminal.

Data so far shows no significant benefit to these laws. We can’t tell how many lives may have been saved, but we know that a few lives have been lost in their execution (just as with no-knock warrants). In all states, with reasonable cause, law enforcement can either criminally arrest someone or transport him to a hospital for psychiatric attention. Weapons can be separated from a subject when required. The only reason for these gun confiscation laws is to confiscate guns. Fear of that keeps many gun owners from seeking help when they could.

How can we help as a gun rights community?

We can speak to firearms enthusiasts credibly, confronting the stigma of mental illness and promote treatment. Showing our caring & compassion also counters the bloodthirsty image the anti-s tar us with.

There are a number of helpful programs coming out of the Second Amendment/firearms world:

WalkTheTalkAmerica, founded by Michael Soldini, works to raise awareness of depression, suicide & violence risk in the firearm community.
SaferHomes is SAF’s collaboration with Washington State experts. They show how gun owners can keep their homes safe, and train advocates & gun owners to help each other.
Voluntary Do-Not-Sell lists are bills that legislatures in Washington, Virginia and Utah have passed laws that enable gun owners to temporarily register to not be allowed to buy a firearm for whatever period of time they choose.
HoldMyGuns, founded by Sarah Joy Albrecht and Genevieve Jones promotes temporary, voluntary storage of existing firearms at FFLs, and educates them in recognizing suicide risk. Similar work done by NSSF, and in New Hampshire and a few other states.
FasterSavesLives, led by Jim Irvine, arranges training of school personnel to carry concealed, and be prepared to fight off attackers and give emergency trauma care. This is prevention, not just intervention, because once a school is known to have such staff ready, attackers choose less well defended places.

What can individuals do?

We can use our situational awareness to intervene compassionately. Because people give clues about being depressed or angry & their potential to commit violence or suicide, those close to them are likely to recognize a problem. Families, friends, co-workers, teachers, pastors – any may be confided in, notice worrisome behaviors, or sense a risk.

Ask about their frame of mind – asking does not promote acting out. It opens a path toward hope. The person wants help or wouldn’t show clues; otherwise, they’d already be dead. They just don’t know what to do. Be empathic, supportive, encouraging. Be gently persistent in persuading the person to get help & help them find it.

Where, one might wonder? Ask about evaluation & treatment options from any health care provider, mental health agency or the Mental Health Association. There usually local hotlines. Learn about these options in case you need to use them. The National Suicide Prevention Hotline is now 988. If danger seems imminent, call 911. Your loved one will thank you later.

.

— DRGO Editor Robert B. Young, MD is a psychiatrist practicing in Pittsford, NY, an associate clinical professor at the University of Rochester School of Medicine, and a Distinguished Life Fellow of the American Psychiatric Association.

All DRGO articles by Robert B. Young, MD

Cyberpunk 2077 Sequel Announced

By

Lars Smith

-

October 21, 2022

An Image Of A Selection Of Guns From Video Game Cyberpunk 2077 — Photo Credit: Puredmg.com

https://www.pushsquare.com/news/2022/10/cdpr-is-betting-big-on-cyberpunk-2077s-sequel

While the game launch was something of a disaster on many fronts, after some TLC and a much-needed boost from the Netflix show in the same setting, Cyberpunk 2077 has come roaring back. Tons of purchases, downloads, and gameplay hours have given the game a much-needed boost, coming alongside the latest update that includes tie-ins to the aforementioned Netflix series, Cyberpunk: Edgerunners. On the heels of all this comes the news of a new, American-based studio for developers CD Projekt Red, and the code name for the sequel to the game people love to hate: Project Orion.

While it’s unlikely that the overwhelmingly positive reception of Edgerunners had a significant hand in the decision to develop and release a sequel to Cyberpunk 2077, (too much planning has to go into such things for it to have happened that quickly) it’s a big sign that more, and better things are to come for the franchise.

Set in a dystopian near-future, Cyberpunk 2077 and Edgerunners alike portray a neon-washed concrete jungle filled with desperate people trying to get ahead the only way they know how: Guns. Lots of guns. The gun designs, technology, an implementation in Edgerunners, and the game it draws from, are impressive and well worth the time and money if you’re into such things. Customization options, both cosmetic and practical abound, and that’s not even considering the storyline, which was impressive in its depth, replayability, and, well… lets call it “physical attributes”, when it comes to interacting with particular characters.

If you are a fan of FPS style RPG videogames, and haven’t visited Night City yet, give Edgerunners a watch. If that piques your interest, by all means dive into Cyberpunk 2077, and get as amped about the potential of a sequel as we are!

Space M16s and For All Mankind

By

Travis Pike

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October 21, 2022

I like to give credit where credit is due when it comes to TV shows and movies and their portrayal of guns. Sure, we all lose our minds over John Wick and heat, but sometimes there are such great subtleties revolving around guns in TV and movies that they deserve to be appreciated and even discussed. Today we are talking about For All Mankind and some space M16s.

I just stumbled into this show, and I’ve become a big fan. For All Mankind is an alternative history where the space race never ended. The United States and the Soviets continue to race to different milestones and develop technology at a much faster rate. Eventually, this led to certain clashes on the moon between American and Soviet forces. The United States stands up the Moon Marines, a fireteam of Marines sent to the moon with space M16s to whip communist butt.

This isn’t a hyper-violent show with raging gunfights, and it’s about as grounded as actual Space Marines can get. I won’t dive too deep into the show, but I want to point out the attention to detail whoever designed the Space M16s utilized when arming the Moon Marines.

The Space M16s

The first Marines got to the moon in 1983 to protect the Jamestown colony. They are tasked with fighting in large, bulky space suits and use a period-correct weapon with numerous modifications. They do appear to be A1 uppers with A2 handguards on A2 lowers.

First, they are painted white, which not only acts as camouflage but it is explained that the paint will protect them from thermal damage. The lunar surface has rapidly swinging temperatures. The moon can be as hot as 260 degrees Fahrenheit to minus 280 degrees.

The M16s look like A2s but feature a collapsing stock. The stock is an M4 design and would be a must-have for the big bulky suits worn by the Moon Marines. Additionally, the stocks are fitted with a downward protrusion to allow them to interact better with the shoulders of the bulky suits.

Across the top, we have the carry handle with an optic mounted to it. Carry handle height is probably perfect for dealing with the helmet of the space suit while still finding a sight picture. The optics appear to be Colt 4X rifle scopes, which had an eye relief of a little over 3 inches. That would have to be adjusted greatly for the Marines to effectively use the optics.

We would really need a red dot for this to work. It’s unclear what the optics actually are, and it is an alternative history, so maybe they are red dots. Using irons would be out of the question.

Firing a Gun on the Moon

There is a scene of the Marines trying their rifles on the moon. There is a notable effect of recoil on the Marine named Vance, who is shooting his rifle. It knocks him rearward as that low gravity takes its effect.

I’m not super knowledgeable on the subject of space and how guns operate. I do know they could fire on the moon. However, the question becomes, would the Space M16s function? I’d imagine the low gravity would affect how the magazine feeds and how the bolt and buffer cycle together, and that might create some issues.

With less gravity, your bullet would fly further with less drop. There is also no wind on the moon, so it just flies in a straight direction. An astronaut plays a joke on one of the Moon Marines and says the round he fired might just travel back around the moon and hit him, so he might want to move.

I’m spitballing, but I think designing a gun in a recoilless rifle format would be the best way to go. A repeating weapon that uses a cylinder like a revolver that is manually rotated between shots. This ensures reliability and repeatability. Also, with the blast traveling rearward out of the gun, the recoil wouldn’t knock the shooter backward.

Space M16s and Moon Marines

I’ve not watched enough episodes to get deep enough into a battle with Space M16s vs. Space AKs, and knowing this show, it’s not likely to happen. However, I’m impressed at the forethought and design of the rifles in a show that’s not necessarily an action show. I might make my own Moon Marine M16 with a lower and AR15 jig. The Moon Marines and their Space M16s are a fairly small part of the season, but the people making this show have an eye for authenticity.

SIG Brings a Suppressor Ready ‘COMBAT’ Finish Style to the P320 AXG Line

By

Keith Finch

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October 20, 2022

The P320 AXG Scorpion is bar none my favorite pistol, P226 grip ergonomics with the smooth 320 Legion trigger pack. I run the Scorpion constantly and just when I went out and got a threaded barrel for it… This happens.

Look, a threaded barrel and raised sights. Bet I could put my EPS on it too… sigh *opens wallet*

I can comfort myself in that I like the Scorpion finishing style more than the utilitarian two-tone COMBAT… but… I like the two-tone too. SIG… why do you do this to me?* Anyway, it is yet another excellent AXG package and if one hasn’t gotten your purchase yet, I admire your restraint. I don’t have it.

*I know why, I am being dramatic

From SIG,

The P320AXG-Combat brings the classic FDE and Nitron two-tone appearance popularized by the original P226 Combat. This unique pistol is equipped with an optic-ready Nitron slide, FDE anodized AXG grip module, threaded barrel, and suppressor height XRAY3 night sights, and ships with three 21rd magazines.

Each of these limited edition, P320AXG-Combat pistols includes a Custom Works engraved slide and is delivered in an exclusive Custom Works case with Custom Works challenge coin and certified custom certificate.

Six Concealed Carry No-Nos

By

Travis Pike

-

October 20, 2022

So you want to conceal carry? Great, excellent, good. There are tons of guides out there to help you get started. That’s not what we are doing here today. Nope, we are talking about what to avoid when concealed carrying. These are your concealed carry no-nos.

SOB Holsters – The Grand Old Man of Concealed Carry No-Nos

Small of the back carry sure seems like a good idea, but in reality, it’s like the bizarro version of appendix carry. It places the gun in a familiar place, which does make it fairly well concealed, kind of. If your shirt gets caught on the gun, it’s going to be exposed, and you aren’t likely to know. Every time you sit down, you’ll have a gun pressed into your back.

Don’t forget, if you fall on it, you are likely to injure your back severely and permanently. Also, drawing it is super slow and awkward. There is no real good reason to carry SOB unless you’re cosplaying Nic Cage from Face/Off. That’s the only time this isn’t one of our concealed carry no-nos.

.410 Revolvers

I’m not totally against .410 revolvers. I’m just against them for defensive use, especially when loaded with .410. They are a ton of fun to shoot, and eradicating clays on a berm is a great way to have fun with one. For defensive use, they suck. They shoot a rather anemic shotgun round, and the best defensive loads for them are still not nearly as effective at a 9mm.

These guns are also huge, heavy, and hold five, maybe six, ineffective rounds. They don’t offer any real benefit to defensive shooting. Load one with .45 Colt, and it’s fine but still massive and silly. Might as well carry a .357 Magnum with a 3-inch barrel. It would be a much more effective firearm.

Don’t Dutch Load Your Ammo – One of the More Dangerous Concealed Carry No-Nos

I don’t mean to offend any Dutch folks in the audience, but I don’t know how else to describe the act of loading alternating rounds. I’m not even sure why it’s called Dutch loading. The combination I hear most often regarding Dutch loading is to load alternating FMJs and JHPs. That way, you can shoot through a windshield or car door or something.

The other way I hear is loading your first shot of a revolver with rat shot, then going to defensive ammo. It’s just a dumb idea all around. Carry proper defensive ammunition, and don’t try to prep for a very niche situation by loading a round that is bound to over-penetrate or underperform.

Concealed Carry Badges

I don’t know why these continue to exist. I thought we made fun of these products until they were out of business years ago. Yet, here we are, and they are still around. I guess the idea is for the badge to capture someone’s attention and to alert them that you are, in fact, a good guy. These faux police badges are a great way to break the law, as some states are fairly open-ended about what entails impersonating a police officer. As far as concealed carry no-nos go this one is potentially illegal and also cringe.

Is the plan to draw your badge and show it when the cops show up? I’m sure reaching for something at your waistline is a great idea when the police arrive at the scene of a shooting. Or do you wear it openly? That kills the idea of concealed being concealed. As concealed carriers, we aren’t police, and we don’t need badges.

If you are really concerned with being identified as a concealed carry holds after a defensive gun use, get one of those big bright sashes. That’s less stupid than this badge.

Don’t Mount Optics In A Stupid Way

Sadly I see this all the time. People want to put a red dot on their guns, but they do it in the dumbest way possible. The dumbest way I know of is replacing your rear sight with a Picatinny rail and then attaching the optic to the rail. Choosing bad gear is one of the main concealed carry no-nos.

That is all sorts of silly. It places the optic way too high and is not a secure means to mount a tool designed for concealed carry. Replacing the rear sight with a plate is always tricky, and a few companies do it right, but they are few and far between. It’s best to mill your slide or purchase an optic-ready slide.

If this isn’t an option, stick to high-quality sight replacement options like Dueck Defense.

Have Your Priorities Straight

I won’t judge much of what you carry, but I will judge your priorities of carry. If you carry two guns, a folding knife, a fixed blade, a multitool, a reload, and a challenge coin, but you aren’t carrying medical or nonlethal, I’ll probably judge you. If you were just to carry a gun and a knife, ehh, I get it. Sometimes you don’t have room for a ton of gear.

If you load yourself down with crap for your Instagram pocket dump but neglect other, more realistic priorities, then you might need to rethink what you’re doing. Having some basic medical stuff, or at least a TQ, is just common sense. You are much more likely to need medical than your gun, much less two guns. The same goes for nonlethal. It’s a tool worth having if you are already going to shove a ton of crap into your pockets. Not setting your priorities is a big concealed carry no-no.

Concealed Carry No-Nos

This is only seven items of hundreds out there. I decided to be a bit more specific and maybe address the topics I see brought up every so often. I do reserve the right to expand this list, but for now, I hope I’ve given you six things to think about when you decide to strap your gun on today.

Walther WMP .22 Magnum

By

V. Caldwell

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October 20, 2022

.22 Magnum ammunition offers excellent performance for the size of the cartridge. This is a fragmented CCI 30 grain V Max loading.

Every firearm doesn’t have to have a clear cut role, at least unless you can only afford a gun or two. Been there and done that. A .22 Magnum self loading pistol is a wonderful thing to play with. Walther firearms has managed to create a Walther like pistol- a neat trick it has a certain Walther flair that functions well with the rimmed long rimfire. While the Kel Tec pistol is reliable the original AMT was not and a few other attempts have failed. The Walther proved reliable. As reliable as a rimfire may be. The cartridge is dirtier than centerfire handgun cartridges as the relatively slow burning powder of most loads is designed for rifle use. An exception is the Hornady 45 grain Critical Defense refined for use in pistols. Some loads are more useful in handguns than others. And then rimfire ignition will never be as reliable as centerfire. But don’t let that discourage you. Rimfire ammunition is more reliable than ever. In firing about three hundred mixed rounds over the past few weeks I experienced a single failure to fire even though there was a good firing pin hit. There have been no failures to feed, chamber, fire or eject.

The Walther is a large handgun, larger than the Walther PDP F and Q5 9mm handguns on hand. If the pistol were a center fire I might say this reduced my grip on the pistol and was a problem for recoil control. With the .22 Magnums mild push this isn’t the case. The pistol is super easy to control. Part of the fun of the pistol is the .22 Magnum’s report. It sounds like a Magnum! But there is simply no recoil. The pistol features a double action only trigger action. The slide is racked and the hammer is partially cocked. A press on the trigger finishes cocking the hammer. This is a short stroke and the action is smooth. Measured on the RCBS trigger gauge trigger pull weight is 4.6 pounds. I like this. The sights are fixed sights with a fiber optic front sight. The sights were properly regulated for 40 grain loads at 15 yards.

The action is a neat design with the barrel running in a trunnion inside the receiver. This is a delayed blowback. This simply means that lower power loads shoot the spent cartridge case out quickly. Higher pressure loads adhere more strongly to the chamber walls and delay opening until pressure subsides. This system works well. The pistol also features a total of four different magazine catches. There is a push button type on each side of the grip. There is also a two piece paddle release. Walther uses push button and paddle types and while their 9mm handguns use a single type paddle release fans of either type of Walther magazine release may find familiarity. Firing the pistol is a joy. The WMP demonstrates no recoil or muzzle flip. Well, of course it recoils some or the slide would not cycle but even compared to a Kel Tec the pistol is noticeably docile. I began firing with the CCI MAXI MAG 40 grain loading. This load ran consistently over 1400 fps. Firing off hand I centered the loads in the X ring at 15 yards. I also tested the CCI V MAX. This is a 30 grain loading. At 1500 fps this is a great pest popper. Reliability was excellent with these loads and several other loads tested.

Firing for small groups at 15 yards three shot groups went into 1.5 inch or less. This is a superbly accurate pistol. I am not a fan of such a light caliber for personal defense but then those with a physical disability might find an easy to handle low kicking handgun better than sticks and stones. If you deploy the pistol for personal defense us a 40 grain load. The speedy 30 grain loads break up in an inch or two of penetration. They would make excellent pest poppers but not defense loads. In the end the Walther WMP is a great all around shooter. It is light, easy to use well, and holds fifteen rounds of a good outdoors cartridge. Just be aware- this is a large handgun. Trigger reach may challenge some shooters. This is a great survival and outdoors gun in my estimation. You could kill a lot of game with this pistol and feed yourself quite a while if you can shoot. And it is easy to shoot. Waltherarms.com

Specifications

Caliber: .22 Magnum
Finish: Black
Frame: Polymer
Action: Double Action Only
Unloaded weight: 27.8 ounces
Barrel Length: 4.5 in.
2 15 round magazines spare rear sight and two optics plates supplied
Average retail: $540

The WMP is well made and offers a high quality .22 Magnum at a fair price.

The Best Looking Worst Rifle

By

Keith Finch

-

October 19, 2022

MK14 EBR was the rifle that kicked me over the edge into modern (for the time) GWOT weapon nerddom. I was a fan instantly and ate up everything I could about why it was the best at being the best modernized battle rifle that had ever battled riflely.

This ignored, out of ignorance, all the obvious copium that the SAGE chassis built into fixing the M14 rifle’s deficiencies. The EBR was futuristic looking and could be festooned with the latest and greatest war fighting gadgetry, however it became heavy as sin and was only marginally accurate if you messed with any of the carefully tuned torque sets the chassis needs to function well.

Torque isn’t new in firearms, the AR has several places where torque is important. The M14 unfortunately has several more which need a great deal more attention. More attention means more maintenance. We accepted this because, until we started pushing the MK17 and the M110, we didn’t have a great 7.62 solution to field in mass at the squad and team level. But we had M14’s and we had CNC machine equipped companies willing to put them into new chassis.

The EBR looks fantastic. It is one of the most aesthetically pleasing rifles to come out of the GWOT era. It looks mean, efficient, a masterpiece of delivering the hatred and discontent to the American enemy… you could almost overlook the fact that it was a moody rock and lock magazine, heavy, and mediocrely accurate rifle. It sent a larger round than the M16, but not more accurately. It was a railed out black clad cold war battle rifle brought into the 21st century.

It worked.. okay. It was the best we had at the time that we could get where we needed, and sometimes that is good enough. Compared to what Russia is running their troops with to Ukraine it is downright top of the line (I’ve seen the rusty AKs and Mosins… oof) and the M14’s were not known for failing to shoot, it was maintaining them and keeping them accurate that was the struggle. They shot, they cycled, and they throw a 150gr M80 round down range with some authority.

Of all the .308’s that I have no practical reason to want or own, this is the one I want the most.

Many thanks to Mike Jones for doing a video on this Gamer Gun of all Gamer Guns (Modern Warfare, not 3-Gun).

SIG Introduces P320 30-round magazines Extendos for All

By

Travis Pike

-

October 19, 2022

The SIG P320 has been slowly and steadily eating Glock’s lunch. The P320 was SIG’s first polymer frame, striker-fired gun, and it’s grown into quite the pistol. After the Army adopted the weapon, the rest of the military followed, cementing the weapon in the consciousness of the gun-buying public. SIG and the aftermarket also haven’t been afraid to greet the SIG P320 with open arms, allowing for development and customization to an extreme degree. SIG’s latest release is that of an OEM 30-round magazine. The P320 30-round magazines have taken the platform a step further.

Plenty of companies have produced extended P320 magazines to varying degrees of success. ETS produces some polymer frame models, and while they work, they aren’t perfect. They only work with polymer-frame P320 pistols and don’t work in PCCs or metal-framed P320s. Promag makes some, but Promag…. Now that SIG is producing a P320 30-round magazine, we have an option for the standard pistols, as well as the variety of rifles and braced pistols that have made their way to the market.

Breaking Down the P320 30-Round Magazines

The P320 30-round magazines take a cue from the P365, believe it or not. The P365 15-round magazines come with this grip extension that is heavily checkered but also removable for use in the P365XL. The P320 30-round magazines come with a polymer wrap-around base plate. You can remove it and replace it with a standard base plate if it’s not your style.

On top of that, the insert is textured with a very grippy material. The pads of texturing run up both sides and that coordinate exactly where your thumb and forefinger fall when you draw your magazine for reloading. It’s more than a long piece of bare metal. The polymer inserts fit perfectly in a full-sized handgun grip or a PCC magwell.

The followers are bright orange and easy to see. This is especially true through the witness holes that allow you to keep watch on your ammo count. Speaking of witness holes, SIG ditched the witness hole for every round, and it’s a wise move. Seeing as how these will very likely be used in PCCs, those witness holes could be an issue. They allow for the ingress of dirt and debris into the magazine. If we had thirty of them, we would have thirty points of ingress.

Instead, the P320 30-round magazines feature only six witness holes, one every five rounds. It allows for a very educated guess in terms of ammo capacity while protecting the inside of the magazine and its overall reliability.

Why It’s a Big Deal?

The P320 30-round magazines allow the SIG P320 and its magazine platform to move forward. I own a Banshee Mk17, and it’s a mighty fine weapon, but the magazines topped out at 21 rounds. It’s been a bit frustrating. Now we have an OEM option that embraces the standard capacity for modern semi-auto rifles and braced pistols.

A good bit of Glock’s success isn’t due to Glock. It’s because they made their magazines in various capacities for various calibers. Those magazines have been embraced by rifle and braced pistol platforms. SIG finally realized that the American gun owner loves extendos and P320 owners wanted more.

It’s a good sign that we now have a quality, reliable, extended magazine that works in my P320, my Banshee, and my metal-framed P320 model. The one downside is the MSRP of 60 bucks…if you can move past that, your P320 now has a man-sized magazine option.