U.S. District Judge Miranda Du upheld the Nevada law that banned unserialized firearms. She expressed doubts that legal challenges would succeed and stated the law was “a valid exercise of the governments’ police power.”
This is troubling as the ATF is looking to take action at the Federal level (still not congress, still not their job) to redefine what a firearm receiver is and mandate their serialization. [go comment on that rule change]
The challenge to the law’s implementation was based on 5th Amendment protections against government seizure of property, as well as the normal 2nd Amendment challenges. Ultimately those arguments didn’t sway Judge Du as she said the freedom to keep and bear serialized firearms, the majority of commercial arms, was as normal.
That is going to be a strong crux of the federal argument to mandate serial numbers, that most firearms have them. That serialization also mandating a NICS or state background check, no matter how delayed, for the possession of the firearm to proceed.
Magic Talisman Syndrome – Federal Edition
I’ve talked about the ‘magic talisman’ method of self defense here before. Where people believe that simply owning a gun makes them safer. Owning a gun does not make you safer to any degree, knowing how to properly use a gun that you own does. It’s the same as owning a musical instrument or golf clubs, you are an owner and not a musician or golfer.
The police like to pull out serial numbers in the same manner. Serialized firearms are traceable, right? They can be tracked and therefore ‘safe’ (or less dangerous) than unserialized firearms.
Let’s be clear. The firearm databases, like registered pistols, and the trace reports law enforcement can generate at the dealer and manufacturer levels provide useful tangential data, they do not make or break individual homicides or assault cases. There isn’t some rash of murders and violent crimes where an armed assailant got away with it because a firearm without a serial number couldn’t be traced to their possession.
Yes, ‘Ghost Guns’ have been found in more crimes. They became wildly popular. Draco pistols and AR’s have shown up in more crimes too. Why? They became wildly popular. We went from approximately 400,000 AR’s in 1994 to 20,000,000 in 27 years, one generation where the rifle was banned from manufacture for nearly half the time.
Tracking the types of guns used in crime is an important statistic. Tracking where they come from is too. This is information that can be used to find useful patterns and even locate specific illegal sources of arms. But the serial number isn’t the end all be all of that data stream. It is part, but the data also is tracking unserialized firearms, firearms with unknown or destroyed serial numbers, and methods of acquisition.
The unserialized firearm is just one cog in both legal (the majority) and illegal movement of firearms, and not a massive one either. Just a convenient one from an acquisition standpoint. But just because it became popularized, doesn’t mean illegal arms manufacturing was particularly difficult before. And when we take a look at the super-minority of problematic violent offenders and their overall access to arms, worrying about nonserialized weapons this much becomes asinine.
They are moderately harder to track. They do not have a nice convenient 4473 that they were recorded upon. That is it. That is the difference.
“fElOnSz caN gEt TheM!”
Felons can get regular serialized guns too, and do… regularly. The LE and political talking heads are vastly over estimating (or overstating) the difficulty gap between a kit built gun without a serial number getting into prohibited hands and that of any other method, like straw purchase or a purchase or trade that simply ignores a required background check person-to-person. Dealers will continue to do what they can at a store level to spot and stop straw purchases and outright thefts, but they happen.
The possibility of a negative outcome does not overshadow a person’s right to engage in lawful and protected acts. Owning and operating a firearm store could result in that store being robbed (been there), owning a firearm and having it in your vehicle at the time your vehicle is broken into could result in the gun’s theft, and owning a home can result in damages to your home from man or nature.
This is life. But can we stop pretending serial numbers are magic anti-felony talismans.
We’re all enthusiasts at some level. Sure, some of us are more serious about competition, some of us are more serious about defensive shooting, but not a single person that’s deeply invested in our hobby won’t admit that some guns are just cool. If I had to create a simple five-stop bucket list of guns you have to shoot before you die, this would be it. Some of the guns are on this list because they’re historically significant, others just because they’re cool and I like them.
Thompson M1 .45 ACP
The classic. Obviously, if you’re going to shoot a Thompson, it should be a proper Tommy gun in full auto. Of all the variants of the Thompson out there, the one I’d absolutely want to shoot would be the classic WW2 variant, the M1 or the M1A1. By modern standards, the Thompson is heavy, unwieldy, and overly complex, but in its heyday it was an awesome Nazi-blasting machine. Even though contemporary subguns like the MP40 were technically better, the Tommy gun holds a special place in American history and pop culture.
HK MP5
The featured image in this post is an MP5, and for good reason. It is possibly the most iconic sub-machine gun ever, with the only possible contender for the title being the original Uzi. But the MP5 has been with us for ages, and in fact continues to serve across the world in the hands of police and military forces. Hollywood is still obsessed with the MP5, likely because it’s still hugely popular in cinematic armories, and let’s be honest it just plain old looks cool. The one on my bucket list is the MP5-SD. With its collapsible stock and suppressor, it’s the king of cool.
Minigun
Do…do I need to explain this? It’s a Minigun. It’s 6 barrels of BRRRRRRRRT firing 7.62 NATO at rates of fire only exceeded by how fast politicians can tell lies. It’s everything that’s good and wonderful in the world, and of course it’s hard to get your hands on one to shoot one. But who cares! It’s a friggin’ MINIGUN. BRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT
M2 Browning (Ma Deuce)
I realize this list is pretty machine gun heavy, and there’s a good reason for that. Most people don’t get to shoot machine guns as part of their regular lives, so getting the chance to do some full automatic thumping is awesome. Which is why the Ma Deuce is here. Unless you join the military, chances to shoot an M2 are limited to either being extremely wealthy or going to Knob Creek and paying for the privilege. If you can, you should. Because the M2 is the definitive American Machine Gun. Designed by John Moses Browning, shooting his most powerful cartridge, the M2 has been in service since 1933. It’s fought in every single war America’s been in since then, and it’s still downrange thumping out hate and discontent against our enemies to this day. That’s a record to be proud of.
A true custom 1911
A Wilson Combat “CQB” chambered in 9mm
The ultimate expression of the handgun is a true, full custom 1911. There’s something undeniably special about a custom 1911. Fit, finish, accuracy, it’s just nice. I’ve shot a couple full custom 1911s and I’ve loved every minute of it. I’ve also shot a lot of 1911s that weren’t so high end, and even when a low end gun is reliable, like our Rock Island, it’s not quite as special as a full house gun.
There’s the list! How many of these have you shot? I’ve got the custom 1911, the MP5, and the Thompson all crossed off, and I’ll soon have the proper M2 crossed off. Guess I need to figure out a way to shoot a minigun…
Pistol caliber carbines, and by extension braced pistols, remain a popular choice for the everyday shooter. Why not? They offer shooters a cheap [relatively] source of ammo combined with the control and accuracy of a carbine in a pistol platform. They are easy to suppress, accepted at most ranges, and fun to shoot. The prevailing thoughts on PCC optics have always been a simple red dot.
Pistol calibers offer a limited range compared to rifles, and a red dot should do the trick. I agree; red dots work extremely well on PCCs. However, the more I thought about it, the more I started thinking about low-powered optics on PCCs.
Why Magnified PCC Optics?
Well, this isn’t necessarily about inside-the-house self-defense, but competition and external use of a rifle. A suppressed PCC makes a lot of sense if you have a fox in the hen house or some other pest that needs removal. Competitive PCC matches also often involve small targets at various ranges.
In both situations, a small target needs to get hit. Be it a pest or a popper. Here is where low-powered PCC optics shine. A PCC is largely a 50 to a 100-yard rifle, and at those ranges, a low-powered optic makes everything easier to see and hit. Like any other weapon, a magnified optic improves your ability to see the target as well as hit the target. Low-powered PCC optics could extend your effective range as well and bring out to 100 to 200 yards.
I gathered three of the more common configurations of low-powered optic and took them for a spin on three different PCCs. These optics were an LPVO, a 3X prism, and a combination of a red dot and a 3X magnifier. The optics were the Vortex Spitfire HD Gen 2, a Bushnell TRS 25 with UTG magnifier, and a Bushnell AR optics 1-4X LPVO.
My theory was that optics in the 2 to 4 power range would be perfect for PCCs. In that space, there are not a ton of options geared at PCCs, so I used what I had on hand. In fact, Primary Arms is the only company I know that makes a magnified optic with a PCC-specific reticle.
Close and Long Range PCC Optics
PCCs work extremely well at close range, so you don’t want an optic that reduces your ability to engage at close range. As part of the testing procedure, I tried the optics at 15, 25, 50, and 100 yards. I wanted to ensure the optics worked at both close, moderate, and long ranges in relation to a PCC.
I also utilized small targets at close ranges, 15 and 25 yards. The small target being a 4-inch gong and went back to the idea of popping small targets at close ranges with extreme precision.
Red Dot and Magnifier
Close Range Use – The Red dot and Magnifier combo excelled at close range, obviously. Pop the magnifier out of the way, and boom, you’ve got the speed of a red dot again. The versatile nature of these PCC optics makes it easy to transition to a magnified view to kill that four-inch gong.
Moderate and Long Ranges – The magnifier ruled the roost and got me on target with the larger targets at 25 and 50 yards. Out to 100 yards, I dropped rounds on a man-sized IPSC target with relative ease. That’s a lot of drop or a 9mm round, so I had to guestimate the drop without any aids due to the simplicity of a red dot reticle.
Final Thoughts – A red dot and magnifier setup provides a versatile option for PCCs. It does allow for that ease of swapping instantly between red dot and magnifier optic. The simplistic reticle doesn’t do much with the foot of drop a 9mm experiences. Two PCC optics do provide two failure points and a lot of rail estate taken up, especially on something with a 4″ barrel potentially.
Prism Sight
Close Range Use – A fixed power 3X prism sight requires a bit of practice to be fast at close ranges. You need a bright daylight reticle, and the bigger the illuminated portion, the better. With the Spitfire Gen 2 HD, I had no issues dropping lead into close range targets, although it’s not as fast or as intuitive as a dedicated red dot.
On slow fire shots on the 4-inch gong, I had no issues ringing it over and over. It should be mentioned that the reticle provided a point of aim to compensate for mechanical offset. It allowed for super-accurate shots at close ranges.
Moderate and Long Range – The 3X magnification made it easy to hit a wide variety of targets at 50 yards. This includes the 6-inch gong with relative ease. Out to 100 yards, the MOA reticle made it easy to estimate for roughly 12 inches of bullet drop and constantly dinged steel at 100 yards.
Final Thoughts – The prism provides a very lightweight and compact option for magnified optics. Some PCCs don’t offer much rail space, and the prism provides a simple option. Also, the reticle is rather handy for both extreme close range and long-range use.
LPVO
Close Range Use – Setting the dial down to 1X made it relatively fast and easy to get on target. The eye box isn’t super forgiving compared to a red dot, but consistent use made it easy to hit the target rapidly. Zooming in on that 4-inch gong was simple but not as fast as the prism or magnifier PCC optics. The reticle provides a good estimate to compensate for mechanical offset as well.
Moderate and Long Range – At 50 yards, I dominated a variety of gongs and got more hits on the 4-inch gong at this range than with any other optics. At 100 yards, I used the MOA reticle to estimate for drop and landed plenty of rounds on target without difficulty.
Final Thoughts – The LPVO provided a versatile option for both short and long-range use. I think an LPVO utilized for this task should have a massive illuminated reticle, like the Accupoint 1-4X with a triangle reticle. Being able to cycle through magnification settings is nice, but I really only dialed into 1X or 4X. LPVOs don’t have as forgiving of an eye box and are rather large for a PCC, similar to the dot/magnifier.
The World of PCC Optics
After lots of shooting and testing, I don’t think I’d write off magnified PCC optics. Personally, I preferred the prism option for its small size and weight combined with a versatile reticle combination. I want to get my hands on the 2X Primary Arms prism with the 9mm reticle. However, the Vortex Spitfire HD Gen 2’s 3X was rather nice at longer ranges.
I think good magnified PCC optics should have a reticle that allows for drop estimation and compensates for mechanical offset. Like most rifles, a magnified optic does provide some substantial advantages over a plain red dot. For a defensive PCC, I think a red dot is easily the best choice, but for other tasks, magnified optics do wonders.
New Zealand and Australia like to brag about their purported success with gun control — essentially all guns in Australia, and the banning of military-style semiautomatic firearms in New Zealand. Their self-congratulatory pronouncements are more imaginary than real. Gun buy-back programs have not been a total success and violent crime persists in Australia, as it does in Great Britain and threatens to do in New Zealand.
New Zealand passed draconian gun control laws in April of 2019 in the aftermath of the Christchurch mosque shooting. Australia had done the same after the Port Arthur, Tasmania, tragedy of April 28, 1996, when a crazed assailant opened fire and shot 35 people.
Many New Zealanders in 2019 reacted just like Australians did in 1996. Passions were high and the government reacted quickly and without serious deliberation. Draconian gun legislation thus was passed in the heat of the moment in both countries. Neither Australia nor New Zealand had or have a strong national organization standing by to protect the rights of the people under such circumstances that could equal the National Rifle Association (NRA) in scope or Gun Owners of America (GOA) in tenacity — to protect their members from freedom destroying legislation, particularly knee-jerk responses to tragedy.
Australia, a semi-arid, isolated continent and a vast nation-state, in many ways parallels the history of the United States. In the 1850s and 1860s, it had gold rushes and pioneering settlers, reminiscent of our own western migration. In World War I and World War II, it fought with the allies. Australia remained a subject of Great Britain until 1986 when the last ties with the British crown were dissolved. With only 19 million [Editor’s Note: 25 Million] people, Australia has an impressive fauna that includes plenty of varmints, marsupials, dingoes (that wreak havoc on livestock), as well as large rats and other rodents. Yet, hunting has become prohibitively difficult for all but a handful of Australians with private lands and the usual connections.
Now, the ban on firearms and the disarmament of ordinary Australians has left criminals free to roam the countryside as they please. Bandits, of course, kept their guns. Like in America, only the law-abiding by definition obey the law. The Australian government has responded to persistent violent crimes by passing more laws, and just two years later in 1998 Bowie knives and other knives and items, including handcuffs, were banned.
In Australia today, police can enter one’s house and search for guns, copy the hard drive of a computer, seize records, and do it all without a search warrant. It’s the law that police can go door to door searching for weapons that have not been surrendered in their much-publicized gun buy-back program. They used previous registration and firearm license lists to check for lapses and confiscate non-surrendered firearms.
The ban has also made it more difficult for women to be safe from predators or abusive partners. As noted in The Samurai, The Mountie, and The Cowboy by Dave Kopel, 25% of all homicides are spousal killings with 75% of men doing the killing. Australian men are less likely to use guns because bare physical force frequently suffices for killing their wives or girlfriends. Again 25% of men use no weapon at all.
On the other hand, women most frequently use a gun to defend themselves from abusing husbands, boyfriends, or sexual predators. Now with the strict gun ban, it is more difficult for women to defend themselves. This situation is somewhat similar to the US experience that men can kill during domestic violence with whatever tool is around, if not the bare hands and feet, but women need guns to protect themselves.
Therefore, the Australian experience is that banning firearms leaves women defenseless in the face of abusing husbands or boyfriends — men who ultimately end up killing them. In my book, America, Guns, and Freedom (2019), I also cite examples of women being killed by abusive husbands and boyfriends in the US while waiting to obtain the firearms they bought because of waiting periods and prolonged background checks.
In Great Britain, the same phenomenon occurred following the 1996 massacre of schoolchildren by a madman in Dunblane, Scotland. The British government banned firearms and ordered the confiscation of most guns. Following the ban, a horrific crime wave took place in England and Scotland that gradually stabilized at a very high rate. In fact, last year London surpassed New York City in serious crimes and murders, something that has not happened since the time of Jack the Ripper and the Whitechapel murders two hundred years ago (1888-1891).
As in Australia, British women have been disproportionally affected, with assault and rapes leading the crime wave. To make matters worse, women cannot defend themselves. Self-defense is not a valid reason to use weapons of any type. The only fully legal self-defense product in Great Britain currently allowed is the rape alarm. Women have been instructed not to display a knife or any other weapon in order to ward off a potential assailant.
With these absurdities in the laws, women continue to add to assault, murder and rape statistics, hapless victims, with no right to armed self-protection. When confronted by a rapist, British women have been instructed to run, and if outrun, to shout. The use of any type of weapon to fend off home invasion or to deter a rapist — knives, or God forbid, guns — is forbidden. If all else fails, the only item that a woman is permitted to use is a rape alarm!
This is the status, or rather the nadir of absurdity and injustice, that human dignity has reached for law-abiding citizens in Great Britain, where criminals are coddled, while alleged social and economic inequalities justifications are made for their crimes. Sadly, we have seen some of this occurring in the United States in the wake of the COVID-19 “pandemic” and the “peaceful protestors” in the George Floyd riots.
Women need the NRA, just as much as the NRA needs women to support it. Today the NRA is under heavy fire, and it needs our support. As we have seen, the NRA is still needed to protect our rights, so that we will not go the way of Great Britain, Australia or New Zealand. Yes, the NRA needs to do some hard work to get its house in order, but we should not join in to give aid and comfort to the sworn enemies of liberty, who wish nothing but its dissolution to make their job of gun prohibition easier.
The media I have learned is an excellent guide about who might be our friends, and conversely, our enemies. That the NRA is under heavy fire by the liberal media and their allies in the socialist Democrat Party should tell you something that is well encapsulated in the 4th century Arthasastra statecraft dictum, “The enemy of my enemy is my friend.” Think about it. They are not doing us a favor by disbanding it or reforming it to make it more efficient!
And returning to the even larger issue, the $64,000 question is whether citizens, particularly women of the Anglosphere nations, will wake up from their slumber, break away from the authoritarian leftist parties who take them for granted, and join the conservative parties of freedom.
That alone will go a long way, at least in the United States, to regain their dignity and their natural rights to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness in an increasingly uncertain and dangerous world — and perhaps in time to make a difference in the crucial November presidential and congressional elections.
Two of the most watched shows on television are NCIS and NCIS: Los Angeles. The 2nd spinoff show, NCIS: LA features covert NCIS agents based out of Los Angeles investigating things that have nothing to do with NCIS and regularly getting into gunfights and leaving bodies all over LA. And each week, they’re correctly depicted using the Sig Sauer M11, the standard issue pistol for NCIS, Army CID, and a number of other special units of the US military until the update to the Sig M17/18.
The Sig Sauer M11-A1 is a commercially available version of the military sidearm; upgrading the slide to stainless steel and adding Sig’s excellent Short Reset Trigger. The Sig M11-A1 comes standard with three 15-round magazines, and SigLite night sights. It does not have an accessory rail, so adding a WML is out, however it does use the standard Sig P229 grip profile, meaning you can swap the grips out for Crimson Trace lasers if you want, which I highly recommend on a carry gun.
That’s really what this gun is designed to be – a carry gun. The phosphate coated internals are more resistant to corrosion, and since it’s priced competitively with the rest of the Sig P229, this would actually be my first choice of the family of P229 sized guns to ride in a holster. Since I know you’re going to ask, my 2nd choice would be the P229 SAS Gen 2. Back to the Sig M11-A1 and it’s performance as a carry gun. I’ve been carrying this gun exclusively since it arrived; for every day carry I use a Blade-Tech Nano that I’ve modified a bit for appendix carry. The Sig is definitely a bit more difficult to conceal than the M&P Shield I’ve been carrying, but it also holds twice the ammo and is much easier to shoot well, thanks in no small part to the Short Reset Trigger.
At 25 yards in slow fire, it shot the above group using Winchester 147 grain FMJ, which the gun seemed to like quite a bit. The hardest part about going from a striker fired gun like the Glock I shot at Steel Challenge to a DA/SA gun like the Sig is managing the first shot. When drawing from concealment, there are a couple of ways to do this, the most effective for me to is draw the gun up to my eyeline then begin pressing the trigger as I drive the gun to full extension. Doing a press-out like that gives me a slower first shot than I get when I press the trigger at full extension, but it also increases my first shot accuracy on low percentage targets. If I was going to shoot the Sig M11-A1 exclusively, I’d spend a lot of time working on the first shot from concealment. After the first shot, shooting the gun is comically easy, again because of the SRT. In my opinion, the Sig SRT is the best factory DA/SA trigger on the market, and if you’re carrying a Sig, you owe it to yourself to have one set up in your gun.
A carry gun also needs to be reliable, and the Sig nailed that category as well. I’ve fed it a diet of pretty diverse ammo:
Those rounds in addition to a bunch of stuff I had lying around the office have brought the total round count without malfunction to over 500. That’s a sufficient trial for me to consider the gun good to go for carry; for once I don’t feel the need to shoot 2,000 plus rounds out of a gun to feel comfortable carrying it.
The Sig M11-A1 is a great carry gun. It’s accurate, it’s reliable, and it’s just as easy to carry as any other gun in its class. Which brings us around to the one point of the gun that is a bit hard to swallow: the price. The MSRP on the gun is over $1100, and while it’s the same MSRP as the P229 SAS Gen 2, that is a lot of cheddar to ask for a carry gun. So if all you want is a Generic Gun 9mm, the Sig isn’t for you. But not everyone wants that, just like not everyone wants a Toyota Camry. So if you want a reliable, accurate carry gun with a little bit of military heritage and just a little bit more class than a Generic Gun 9mm, give the Sig M11-A1 a look. It’s like the difference between buying a suit at Target and a suit from Nordstrom. Sure they’ll both due the same thing, but one does it while looking a hell of a lot better than the other.
Baen Books has released Mike Kupari’s latest novel, The Family Business. It’s an action-filled tale (something more than dystopian, perhaps less than post-apocalyptic) tale of a Federal “Recovery Agent” on the job what remains of the United States after an alien invasion. And a nuclear war. And some subsequent “urban unrest”.
You get the idea.
Author Mike Kupari, a former EOD technician and PMC contractor, out on the range practicing his shooting skills (to practice what he writes!).
Here’s an excerpt:
“A dry wind blew through the streets of Chandler, kicking up more dust. Empty buildings cast long shadows as the sun hung low in the afternoon sky. The gunfire had ceased now, but helicopters still patrolled the skies.
The raid had been an abysmal failure. Homeland Security lost both its helicopter and the Ruffner armored personnel carrier. In total, eleven federal agents had been killed: eight in the APC and three in the helicopter. Special Agent Frampton was among the dead.
Fearing that the UEA insurgents would counterattack and go for the mobile command post, Special Agent in Charge Delaney had pulled his men off the cordon of the target building so that they could provide security while they waited for reinforcements.
Reinforcements came, eventually. A military police company from the Arizona National Guard had rolled in, backed up by a couple AH-71 Crow compound attack helicopters. They had the man- and firepower to do the job, Nathan reckoned, but by the time the government forces regrouped it was too late. Most of the insurgents had fled. Some had escaped in vehicles while others apparently used the old city sewers.
A dry wind blew through the streets of Chandler, kicking up more dust. Empty buildings cast long shadows as the sun hung low in the afternoon sky. The gunfire had ceased now, but helicopters still patrolled the skies.
The raid had been an abysmal failure. Homeland Security lost both its helicopter and the Ruffner armored personnel carrier. In total, eleven federal agents had been killed: eight in the APC and three in the helicopter. Special Agent Frampton was among the dead.
Fearing that the UEA insurgents would counterattack and go for the mobile command post, Special Agent in Charge Delaney had pulled his men off the cordon of the target building so that they could provide security while they waited for reinforcements.
Reinforcements came, eventually. A military police company from the Arizona National Guard had rolled in, backed up by a couple AH-71 Crow compound attack helicopters. They had the man- and firepower to do the job, Nathan reckoned, but by the time the government forces regrouped it was too late. Most of the insurgents had fled. Some had escaped in vehicles while others apparently used the old city sewers.“
Kupari, a self-described revolverphile who preaches the Gospel of the FN, is an experienced (though wrong-handed) shooter who uses his experience as a former EOD Technician, PMC contractor, and general retr0-gun-nerd-savant to provide verisimilitude to his writing.
Kupari has written several novels previously. He’s also a prolific contributor to sites such as The Mag Life, Breach-Bang-Clear, and others like them.
Here’s another excerpt.
“Jesse’s shop looked cluttered and chaotic, but he seemed to know right where everything was. The centerpiece of it was a CNC mill and a lathe. Electronics projects cluttered one workbench, while firearms projects took up another.
A faded Arizona flag hung on one wall, as did a prewar, fifty-star US flag. Next to them was a pair of posters. REMEMBER PHOENIX, one declared, while the other proclaimed KEEP WATCHING THE SKIES!
Below those, framed, was his certificate of his completing the Arizona Ranger training course and a photo of his swearing-in ceremony. Leading Nathan to his gun-bench, Jesse picked up a large pistol and proudly handed it to his friend.
“What’s this?” Nathan asked, examining the gun in his hand. It wasn’t anything he’d seen before, and he knew his way around a gun.
“Did you make this?”
“I did,” Jesse said, beaming. “That’s my third prototype. It’s ready for field testing.”
The gun was a hefty semiautomatic, but the magazine well was located in front of the trigger guard. Nathan locked back the slide, verifying that the weapon was unloaded, and looked at the markings.
“.45 Win Mag?”
Jesse grinned. “Yup! The problem with most magnum semi-autos is that they’re huge, right? It’s because they’re trying to cram a revolver-length, rimmed cartridge into a pistol grip. You end up with a grip like a two-by-four. I solved that by moving the magazine well out of the grip.”
“Like a Broomhandle Mauser,” Nathan said.
“Only in overall layout. This gun is striker-fired. It’s roller-delayed, recoil-operated, like the Kraut STG-88 assault rifle. Try the trigger!”
Nathan released the slide and squeezed the trigger. With only a little bit of take-up, it felt like a thin glass rod breaking.
“Damn.”
“Three and a half pounds’ pull weight on that, and it doesn’t feel mushy. I added a thumb safety because the trigger pull is so light, and to make it extra drop safe. I tossed my second prototype off the roof, onto the driveway, over and over again, trying to get it to discharge, and the safety held.
Anyway, the barrel is fixed, so it’s real accurate. For the next prototype, I’m working on a user-serviceable quick-change barrel system. You’ll be able to swap from the five-inch service barrel, like on this one, to a longer, heavier target barrel, and even a short snub barrel. I figure I can machine a scope mount into the heavy barrel, so it’ll be good for handgun hunters. I may be able to figure out a caliber conversion system, eventually, too.”
“This is really nice, Jesse,” Nathan said, aiming the pistol at an antelope head mounted on the wall.
“The magazine holds ten rounds. I’m working on a twentyrounder, but I haven’t put it together yet. Even still, that’s four extra shots over a typical police revolver, it’s more powerful, and it reloads quicker.”
“I’m impressed, Jesse. Very nicely done. You gonna put these into production?”
“Eh, I really can’t. I’m a one-man outfit. I don’t have the capability to mass-produce a gun and making these as one-offs would make them too expensive. Once I get the design finalized, I’m going to try and sell the manufacturing rights.”
“Yeah, I guess that makes sense.” Nathan flipped the gun around in his hand and offered it to Jesse butt-first. “You gonna pack this beast on your next Ranger call-up?””
The book is officially described thusly:
Decades ago, the Visitors descended on Earth. They claimed to bring peace and prosperity. Their real goal was the total subjugation of humankind. But humanity did not give up its only home without a fight. After a devastating war, the Visitors were driven back to Mars. Their millions of willing human collaborators were left behind. The task of hunting down these former alien collaborators and bringing them to justice falls to Federal Recovery Agents like Nathan Foster.
Now, Nathan Foster is tasked with bringing to justice Emmogene Anderson. As a teenager, Emmogene was experimented on by the Visitors and implanted with a device that allows her to control other people. With her is her obsessive ex-lover, who was also a former commando of the Visitors’ forces. It’s an easy enough job—but Emmogene has been implanted with something else, something much more important.
Nathan and Ben must decide what is right in a largely lawless world— and the fate of the planet hangs in the balance.
Says Kupari,
“I started writing in high school. I didn’t really get into it until college when I began writing fiction online. I never seriously considered trying to be a novelist, though, not until 2006. That was the year I met Larry Correia. He liked a story I was writing online and asked if he could jump in on it. That story ultimately became DEAD SIX.
I lived in Doha, Qatar for a year, while working security at a US installation there. Qatar ultimately became the inspiration for the fictional country of Zubara.
Later in life, I served as an explosive ordnance disposal technician in the US Air Force. I deployed to Afghanistan and applied that experience to my second book, Swords of Exodus.
My first solo novel, Her Brothers Keeper, wasn’t exactly inspired by real life. I am sad to admit that I’ve never captained a privateer rocket ship. I do, however, have a lifelong love of science fiction and space opera and am excited to continue sharing my take on different genres.”
About Author Mike Kupari
Mike Kupari is the author of the debut science fiction novel Her Brother’s Keeper, as well as the co-author, with Larry Correia, of the best-selling Dead Six military adventure series including Dead Six, Swords of Exodus, and Alliance of Shadows. He is a relatively active prolific freelance writer, having contributed to Breach-Bang-Clear, The Mag Life, and other publications over the last several years. Mike grew up in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula and enlisted in the Air Force at the age of seventeen, deploying twice as an Explosive Ordnance Disposal tech. He went on to serve six years in the Army National Guard and spent several years both at home and abroad as a security contractor with a PMC. He now lives in the northern tier, bemoaning the price of ammo, arguing with a truculent parrot, and filling in DFPs (complete with grenade sump) dug into his yard by a recently adopted canine.
The United States is holding their own in Tokyo. Even as the gymnastics team were forced to take a procedural Silver Medal, Skeet landed Gold.
From USA Shooting
Amber English, Lieutenant US Army, took the Gold for Women’s Skeet as Vincent Hancock took mens and Will Shaner took the 10m air rifle event. English one by 1 point.
Hancock repeated Gold wins from London and Beijing.
English was not Team USA’s first choice for gold, Amber Hill unfortunately tested positive for COVID-19 prior to the trip to Tokyo. That gave English the spotlight, the lead spot, and she brought home the win.
Photograph: Xinhua/Shutterstock, Amber English
It’s a good day for the games and the U S of A, and America’s truest sport.
The ALCU, The American Civil Liberties Union, an organization supposedly dedicated to the protection of civil rights among those more vulnerable to having them stripped from them declared one such civil right racist.
3 guesses which one…
Yes, the 2nd Amendment is racist, according to the ACLU, the right to Keep and Bear Arms for the security of yourself and the state (language in the Michigan constitution specifically) is actually in case someone with different melanin related genetics than you gets ‘uppity’ or some such nonsense.
The right that literally guarantees, through force of arms, the choice and ability for someone to be self determinant. The right that enforces the final barrier from being immediately subject to the whims of someone or some group willing to bully into compliance through naked force. The right that unequivocally declares, “No.” and backs it with fire and fury.
That right is racist?
Why?
America bad, or something.
A complete and total disregard of all history outside the brief period that the United States exists in. The fact that, as imperfect as the world remains, there has never been a better time to be alive. Ever. Our petty first world grievances and the inequities of our lives (that do still deserve litigation and fixing, no doubt there) are nothing compared to any other historical period.
Nobody with two brain cells to rub together and create some cognitive heat is longing to return to the local warfares that are essentially perpetual across Europe, Asia, and Africa, the Huns carving an empire, the Roman caste system that included slavery, or the Egyptian, or any other governing force in any region at any earlier period in history. They were all highly tribal, largely xenophobic, and looked out for their interests first.
Some, for some strange reason, haven’t grasped the approximately 100 million communism killed, but others have a grasp on that to remind them it’s a bad idea.
But with the exception of the forgotten 20th century atrocities and terrible events, most seem to agree the 21st century is a fine time to be alive overall.
We’ve come up in the world.
But one civil right that empowered that rise is apparently bad, and the internet took that personally.
Here’s the tweet.
Racism is foundational to the Second Amendment and its inclusion in the Bill of Rights.
Learn more from experts Carol Anderson and Charles Howard Candler on this episode of the At Liberty podcast.https://t.co/9AjGALT1GH
“With 233 mass shootings so far this year, the issue of gun violence in the U.S. is all too familiar,” Santos wrote. “Tragic events like the Pulse nightclub and Parkland shootings go from being media spectacles to quotidian events at an alarming rate in a country that often heralds the Second Amendment above meaningful safety for all its citizens. The vigilantism of widespread gun ownership puts Black Americans in an especially vulnerable position given the brutality and human cost of discriminatory policing.”
“The gun violence epidemic continues to spark debate about the Second Amendment and who has a right to bear arms,” she continued. “But often absent in these debates is the intrinsic anti-Blackness of the unequal enforcement of gun laws, and the relationship between appeals to gun rights and the justification of militia violence. Throughout the history of this country, the rhetoric of gun rights has been selectively manipulated and utilized to inflame white racial anxiety, and to frame Blackness as an inherent threat.”
Needless to say this went over about as well as a brick to the head (to see real results on that, peep the news out of Texas), one example from Boston Globe columnist Jeff Jacoby.
Gun Control has always held it roots in racism. Laws preventing armament of groups, not enabling the armament of all the people as the 2nd Amendment empowers. The Militia is the whole people.
“I ask, Sir, what is the militia? It is the whole people. To disarm the people is the best and most effectual way to enslave them.” – George Mason.
The Whole People
‘The Whole People’ of America includes more now than it ever has. We are closer to living the fully inclusive ideals the Constitution laid out our foundations for than ever. The meaning of the 2nd Amendment remains constant. It wasn’t “The whole people, but secretly only white male landowners.” Ignoring women and minorities who took up arms, even in 1776, and have forever since continued to do so, as is their right.
The internet’s reaction to the ACLU’s absurdity was… fun to watch.
The ACLU has completely lost the plot. Meanwhile, the the National African American Gun Association, which began in 2015 with a single chapter in Atlanta, now comprises more than 75 chapters with 30,000 members. More here: https://t.co/M8N1BnwP8uhttps://t.co/NuhUNpRmmT
ACLU’s position on the Second Amendment has always been nuanced: it’s an important constitutional protection, but one that’s collective, not individual.
Now they’re full on proclaiming parts of the Bill of Rights to be racist. https://t.co/1lhED1FImu
The two are completely unrelated. Completely. All this chalks up to is trying to push a false narrative. The ACLU is no longer even worthy of its own name. https://t.co/4vdet66Q9Z
Yes, throughout American history white, racist Democrats opposed free citizens’s right to bear arms because of skin color. (Also: Democrat Taney’s bigoted opinion re Dred Scott inadvertently reaffirmed 2A as an individual right — a right for all.) https://t.co/MmUXXiZLvx
All the usual errors on attributing gun violence, deaths, mass shootings, and the like are present in their argument. The ALCU apparently looked at what Giffords and their pal Chipman was spouting as gospel and have forgotten the whole mission of objectively fighting for everyone’s civil rights. Oh how the virtuous have fallen…
But the 2A was always the right they were weakest on. Apparently the power of actual self determination at the literal ‘Liberty or Death’ level of commitment is too far for certain constitutions.
I’m not one of the dudes floating around hating on 1911s. However, I do see them as obsolescent. They aren’t obsolete, but they are on the way. For concealed carry, it’s whatever, but for duty use, I don’t see a real reason to choose the 1911 over any modern handgun currently on the market. The Marine Corps’ own Force Recon clings to the 1911 as the M45A1 CQB. They do have access to the M18 and G19X, but the 1911 is the official sidearm.
Today we are going to talk about why Force Recon should ditch the 1911.
Currently, they are one of few military and police forces clinging to America’s warhorse. Without a doubt, the M1911 has a fascinating and rich history of service. However, so does the Thompson, the M1 Garand, and the Winchester 1897. We all admit these guns have faded from service for a reason. It’s time for the 1911 to take that long walk in professional retirement.
Why exactly should Force Recon ditch the 1911? It’s not just because it’s an old gun; it’s because it lags behind technologically.
Low Capacity
Eight rounds of 45 ACP isn’t much to rely on. Maybe Force Recon Marines use a 10 round extended magazine.
Great, now you have the State of California approved capacity. In a world where 17 to 21 rounds are standard, then 8 to 10 rounds aren’t favorable. If you swap to your handgun, then it’s likely an emergency situation, and in that situation, more is likely better than less.
High Weight to Firepower Ratio
The MEU(SOC) Force Recon 1911 weighs 40 ounces unloaded. That leaves to wonder two things. First, why carry a pistol that weighs 40 ounces and holds eight rounds, and did Colt 45 name their malt liquor Colt 45 because it’s 40 ounces too?
Weight wise the new M17 from SIG Sauer weighs 29.04 empty ounces and offers 17 round flush fitting magazines, and 21 round extended magazines. Polymer framed pistols cut a hefty amount of weight and give you more firepower per ounce.
It’s Expensive To Produce and Maintain 1911s for Force Recon
High-quality 1911s cost a heckuva lot more than high-quality polymer frame, striker-fired pistols. Force Recon aren’t wielding Taurus 1911s here, but some of the very best combat weapons on the market. As such, they pay a hefty sum to purchase them. Force Recon is not a big force, and they can’t take advantage of economy of scale when they purchase these high-end 1911s.
To maintain these weapons, you need a specially trained armorer to service and maintain these firearms. Quantico’s Precision Weapons Section does the job with specialty training, tools, and experience that doesn’t translate to any other part of the Marine Corps.
[Editor’s Note: I have it on authority from Quantico that every pistol needs to be worked over before becoming deployable, nothing is out of the box.]
Reliability Issues
In an effort to update the 1911 design, Force Recon purchased the Colt M45A1 pistol. It’s a fine-looking 1911 with a rail, tritium night sights, G10 grips, and the like. The cerakote FDE finish looks great but turned out to be crap. The finish flaked off and quickly induced failures in the gun, leading the USMC to decommission and sell the guns.
Over a century later, it seems like we still can’t get a 1911 to run as well as a modern firearm design. This isn’t the fault of the design itself, but we’ve had over a century to improve our firearms and technology.
The Hot New 9mm Loads Outperform 45 Ball
45 ball and its famed stopping power don’t hold a candle to the new 9mm JHP loads the military has adopted alongside the M17 pistol. These M1153 Special Purpose rounds give the end-user a 147 grain, jacketed hollow point projectile that outperforms any full metal jacket round.
Instead of having eight rounds of 45 ACP ball ammunition, Force Recon could have 21 rounds of 9mm jacketed hollow point ammunition at his side. I know what I’d prefer.
Sometimes Sacred Cows Should Be Tacos
Force Recon seems to have an identity issue with the famed 1911. They famously held out on the adoption of the Beretta and gained a bit of fame for it. I’m curious to know why the Force Recon 1911 has stuck around for so long. Is it a sacred cow? If so, grind it into a hamburger. Delta, DEVGRU, and MARSOC have ditched the 1911, and it’s time for Force Recon to do the same.
The True Velocity .308 WIN composite cartridge is designed for perfection. Included in the commemorative package are 22 state-of-the-art, composite-cased True Velocity rounds loaded with 168-grain Nosler Custom Competition HPBT projectiles, a branded D.O.P.E. (Data on Previous Engagements) logbook and an official 1 MOA True Velocity challenge coin. Commemorative packages will arrive in a collector’s edition box.
With a 30% reduction in weight compared to traditional brass rounds and unprecedented accuracy and consistency, True Velocity’s precisely manufactured ammunition provides serious shooters with a serious advantage.
Included in purchase: recycling bag for spent casings
Now, I am not one to dictate how someone should launch their product to the public. True Velocity is partnered with General Dynamics and Beretta chasing after a win in the NGSW competition, that bullpup is probably the #2 contender. Their prime competition, in my humble opinion, is Sig Sauer’s bi-metal brass/stainless case and MCX SPEAR/MG68 combination.
So while this is cool and plastic cased ammo is now a commercially available product in a sense, it is not available (yet) in regular commercial allotments like 20, 100, 200, 500, or 1,000 rounds. No word on pricing for those rounds either and that will determine market viability in most circumstances whether they are chasing match ammo market or the bulk ammo space.
My incredulity on this one is high. I choose the image for a reason.
The Browning BAR in 30.06 is one of the few publicly ‘available’ (NFA or Licensed Dealer sample) high powered automatic rifles.
But CBS San Francisco is reporting that Dan Fink, Lieutenant of San Rafael PD, described the weapon that way.
“We believe a high-powered automatic rifle was the weapon used,” Lt. Dan Fink, with San Rafael Police, told KPIX on Saturday. –CBS San Francisco
What happened?
More violence at a nightclub. A location where alcohol and other inhibition lowering substances are prolific. A place where certain persons of certain persuasions can be confident their rivals, their competition, or those they hold a grudge against will be present of their own social standing and entertainment. A place where a lot of currency is exchanged for valuable recreational goods and services.
In short, a place where criminal violence for a given motive and gain is not uncommon.
The motive on this one is still unknown, but I would hazard my money on a targeted attack on one of the wounded or dead individuals. If not that, then someone who was close to them or someone associated with the club’s management or ownership.
As for the “high powered automatic rifle” …
I’m going to hazard a guess at it being an AR or Draco pistol. Something in 5.56x45mm or 7.62x39mm intermediate cartridges and semi-auto. It could be an illegal full-auto, but using such an either expensive/legal or highly illegal item in an attack like this is debatably useful. Maybe they bump fired it. Maybe they used a binary type trigger. Probably, they just pulled the trigger really fast and hammered the area of their intended victim with bullets.
But that doesn’t stop a California cop from using the opportunity to demonize firearms, use wrong nomenclature, and obfuscate the criminal issue as one of firearm ownership rather than whatever conflict was between the attackers and the targeted.
But if it turns out they used a Bren, a BAR, even a full-auto 308 of some sort like a FAL, G3, or M14, I’ll retract my incredulity and concede the Lieutenant was accurate in his description. I doubt it though.
Yes, it looks like ammo is starting to make a resurgence. We appear to have hit the level of inventory where common calibers in popular loads readily available from most retailers again, albeit at elevated prices. Speaking of elevated prices: price gouging isn’t real.
The SINTER is a monolithic 3D-printed 6Al-4V Titanium silencer from Texas silencer companyRadical Firearms.
Radical Firearms RF15 with Sinter attached, a proper layout of good gear, and a sadly small number of AR15 magazines to feed it.
Length and girth? We can get that info for you.
Radical Firearms says,
“This Radical Firearms suppressor is 8 inches long, 16 ounces, and rated up to 300 WM. If you thought it couldn’t get any better, it does! The Sinter’s full titanium construction means you get durability without any added weight.
It’s not just about the insides for the Sinter titanium suppressor, but it also has to do with its unique aesthetic appearance.
The honeycomb exterior is intended to help dissipate the heat due to its increased surface area, helping the Sinter cool down faster. This is a wonderful feature since the Sinter can withstand higher rates of fire!
With its muzzle brake taper mount design, you’ll also be able to mount your silencer onto your host firearm and be ready to rumble in no time at all.”
Sinter Silencer Specs
The SINTER is one of the lightest, most durable suppressors on the market to date. Tested on everything from .22 WMR to 300 WM, all calibers are hearing safe. The internal design creates a robust superstructure unachievable through traditional manufacturing methods. Constructed wholly of Titanium 6Al-4V, the SINTER has a high strength-to-weight ratio creating a durable and the lightest weight commercially available suppressor for everyday use. – Radical Firearms
Cal: Up To 7.62
OAL: 8”
OD: 1.75”
Weight: 16 oz
Material: Titanium 64 (Ti-6Al-4v)
dB: ~136.7 with 12.5” 308
• Monolithic Design•
• Additive Manufactured (3D Printed)
• High Temp Cerakote Exterior Coating available in Black or Desert Tan
• Muzzle Brake Taper Mount Design
• Honeycomb exterior provides increased surface area for heat dissipation
As a fan of The Godfather, I always associated the garrote as a weapon of the mafia. That was where I first saw it, and that was always my impression. I didn’t think much about the garrote. It was tucked away in my brain as something from a movie and the Hitman series of video games.
Imagine my surprise when I was browsing through an old Popular Mechanics magazine and found an article called Tough Guys by Wayne Whittaker. The article details the hand-to-hand training of soldiers and Marines heading to fight in World War 2.
The garrote gets mentioned. With my curiosity peaked, I began to research the use of the garrote from a military perspective. Imagine my surprise when I found the military background of garrotes goes back a fair way.
In World War 2, Commandos carried garrotes to remove sentries. As I researched, I found that believe it or not, and the garrote is still in use today. Well, I don’t know how many soldiers are carrying one these days, but the institutional knowledge still exists.
Two modern military forces, both with their reputation for tenacity and brutality, have some form of institutional knowledge regarding the ole choke rope. The first is the French Foreign Legion, and the second is the United States Marine Corps. Since I can’t read French, we are doing it the USMC way.
The Garrote in the USMC
I served five years as a Marine infantryman and never knew the USMC had garrotes in the armory. It’s not something commonly taught between grenades and machine guns. A friend of mine went careerist in the Marine Corps and served as a MCMAP Instructor. He became one of the higher-level black belts. He casually mentioned the fact that as part of improvised weapon training, they learned how to make and use garrotes.
You can’t casually mention that to me. I had to dive in and see how the USMC teaches Marines to choke people to death. Hell, if I knew that was an option, I would’ve sought out more MCMAP training. I grabbed a MCMAP manual and did some light reading on how to strangle someone.
Here’s how they describe the garrote.
Improvised weapons, such as hard and soft garrotes, are made from locally available material. Unlike weapons of opportunity, improvised weapons are designed as a weapon for a specific function. The most common use of improvised weapons is for the silent removal of sentries during a raid, infiltration, reconnaissance mission, or other tactical scenarios as a means of incapacitating a potential prisoner or for use during a survival, escape, and evasion situation.
There are several methods for employing the various types of garrotes. The method chosen will depend on the tactical situation and intended results. The employment of a garrote is considered deadly force. In most cases, the garrote will be employed when silence and stealth are required.
The approach and close with the aggressor should be deliberate and noiseless. Stay low with your body below the aggressor’s line of sight. The entry should be rapid while applying explosive force to achieve the best results.
The Flexible and Hard Garrote
Flexible garrotes are wires, fabric material, ropes, and the like. Hard garrotes include sticks, batons, and similar rigid items. The Manual teaches ways to use both from the front and rear of a threat. As you’d imagine, the rear garrote is the preferred method, and the front is used when detected by the threat you’re trying to remove.
Personally, the front choke with a garrote looks like a pain in the ass, and I’d likely just revert to punching, kicking, and biting rather than attempting a front choke.
From the Rear
With a Flexible Garrote
• Place your left-hand palm side up in the center of your aggressor’s back just below the neck.
• With your right hand, palm side down, loop the flexible garrote around your aggressor’s neck from right to left, forming an X across your aggressor’s back.
• With the inside of your right foot, collapse your aggressor down by striking the back of his right knee and riding it down to the ground.
• While staying close to your aggressor and still stepping on the back of his right calf, pull down and to the right with your right hand, while leaving your left hand in place until your aggressor is unconscious.
With a Hard Garrote
• Shoot the long end of a garrote across the aggressor’s neck. From right to left, palm side up with the right ulna bone making contact against the aggressor’s right carotid artery.
• With your left hand, grab the garrote palm side down, placing the weapon across the aggressor’s left carotid artery.
• While keeping your elbows in tight, squeeze with both arms in a vise motion until the aggressor is unconscious.
From the Front
With a Flexible Garrote
• With both arms straight out in front of you, move forward toward the aggressor’s neck.
• Next, you will move around your aggressor’s right side to his back while simultaneously wrapping your right arm around the aggressor’s head so that the garrote ends up around the aggressor’s neck forming an X on the aggressor’s back. The right hand is palm side up, left hand is palm side down.
• Collapse the aggressor down to the ground by striking the back of the aggressor’s right knee with the inside of your right foot.
• While staying close to your aggressor and still stepping on the back of his right calf, pull down and to the right with your right hand while leaving your left hand in place until your aggressor is unconscious.
Practicing The Techniques
I used a Century Bob to practice the techniques in every way but actually kicking the legs and bringing the aggressor to the ground. The rear, flexible garrote technique is by far the easiest, and with a little practice, I could execute the technique fairly quickly.
The hard garrote provides a little more challenge, but it’s doable, and you can get fast at it with relative ease.
Front techniques seem to be a mess. Maybe they work with a skilled user. I feel like a bad guy with arms, and potentially a rifle would smoke my ass in half a second. It really seems easy to beat the guy down and then try and garrote them.
Front techniques seem to be more about how to handle a bad guy if he turned around as soon as you made your move. Only then could I see the technique being effective and practical. When you are already in motion, it’s good to know what to do when things go wrong at the last second.
Practicality
Is removing a sentry with a garrote more effective than using a suppressed rifle with subsonic rounds? Hardly, but it’s fascinating to know it’s still something the Marine Corps keeps in their back pocket just in case. High tech vs. low tech. Check it out, the USMC MCMAP manual can be easily found online if you want to see the other techniques Marine ninjas use.
In the previous installments we’ve talked about whether or not you should carry a reload, and if you do carry a reload, what the best method for carrying it is. Today we’re going to look at a couple of methods of HOW to actually reload if you do need to top the gun off. This post will have a video up to provide some visual examples.
Types of reloads
Broadly, there are two types of revolver reload methods. There is the Miculek-style, or switch-hands method, were the gun transfers from the strong hand to the weak hand during the reload, and the loading device is manipulated with the strong hand. Then there’s the weak-hand reload, where the gun stays in the strong hand the entire time and the loading device is manipulated with the weak hand. There are pros and cons to each method, and while I’ve personally found the Miculek-style reload to be more biomechanically efficient, I’ve also found that the weak-hand method is a little more intuitive for people who are experienced with semi-auto guns.
A note on moon clips
A quick note here – the reason I don’t talk about moonclips is because for very small revolvers like the LCR and J-Frame, I genuinely don’t like moon clips. When you shrink the clip that much, it becomes a lot more fragile than the clips for large guns like the GP100 or an N-frame S&W. Big guns: big thick clips which are sturdy. Little guns: tiny flimsy clips that easily bend. Hard pass.
Reloading with speed loaders
Alright, now we’ll discuss reloading with speed loaders. I prefer push-style speed loaders like the Speed Beez or Safariland models over the HKS twist style loaders. While the HKS loaders are very secure, they also require you to immobilize the cylinder on a reload, which if you use a weak-hand reload creates an extra step. Regardless of whether you use a Miculek-style reload or a weak-hand reload, here are the important points. 1) get the gun as vertical as possible when you articulate the ejector rod. Whether you press it with your thumb or push it with the palm of your hand, having the gun vertical is the most important trick to getting all the naughty brass out, and it also helps keep the gun clear of unburnt powder. 2) Create a touch-index on one of the cartridges. When I grab my loader I like to get my index finger on the tip of one of the cartridges. This allows me to do a couple of things that help reloads, the first being “point” the rounds into the cylinder. We’re really good at pointing at stuff, so if I look my reload in while pointing my index finger at a charge hole my chances of success are pretty good. Similarly, by touching the cartridge I can also use this index to reload if I can’t clearly see the cylinder.
Reloading with Tuff Products Quick Strips
If you carry a Quick Strip for your reload, reloading is a bit trickier. For five shot 38 Special revolvers, I like to carry a seven shot Quick Strip loaded with five rounds – this gives me space to grab the loader with a positive grip and indexes at least two rounds regardless of which orientation the loader was in when it came out of my pocket. When I’m using strips to reload, I absolutely prefer a weak hand reload. I feel like I have better and cleaner access to the cylinder when I keep the strip in my weak hand, and can use my thumb to assist in peeling the rounds off the strip and into the gun. Subjective? Yes. The Miculek-style load does work with strips, but I’ve found it to be less efficient.
Hopefully with the help of the video, you’ve figured out an efficient way to reload your small CCW revolver. It’s important to note that unlike the Mandalorian, this is not THE way, it’s merely an example of a couple of ways. There are countless variations on how to do these reloads, and it’s worth checking out other authoritative sources like Darryl Bolke, Chuck Haggard, and others on this topic.
