The clip on the AMP will attach to your belt and MOLLE webbing.
Real Avids AMP Series of “pocket tools” keeps essential tools handy.
When it comes to making innovative tools for shooters, Real Avid is leading the way. Since I was first introduced to Real Avid back the 2016 SHOT Show, the company has been bringing unique, quality tools to shooters. One of their first tools was the Gun Pro Tool AR-15. This was one Real Avid’s first “pocket tools” and one of the first in the industry dedicated to firearms. It is still one of Real Avid’s top selling tools.
Today, Real Avid has expanded the number of pocket tools with the Gun Tool AMP Series. This series consists of a 1911, an AR15 and Pistol AMP. Each of the Gun Tool AMPs has tools specifically to maintain and keep these firearms functioning.
This is the AR15 AMP, with a Tanto blade and scraping tools to clean the BCG, firing pin and other hard to clean spots.
What sets these tools apart from others is they all have tools that each style firearm needs. The 1911 and Pistol tools have an all in one file/carbon scraper/bottle opener blade; while the AR tool has a bolt override tool, carbon scrapers for the bolt carrier group, firing pin and a firing pin retainer puller. The AR AMP has 7/64”, 9/64”, 1/8” and 3/16” hex tools for tightening optics and sights as well as an A2 front sight tool. These tools plus various flat head and Philip’s driver bits come with the Pistol and 1911 AMPs. In place of the AR AMP’s all inch pattern hex bits; the 1911 and Pistol AMP have .028″, .035″, .050″, 1/16″ hex wrenches to adjust laser sights or red dot sights point of impact. The butt of each tool can also be used as a tapping hammer or in a pinch a window breaker.
The tap hammer on the end of all three AMPs works well for drifting sights or temperamental pins. In a pinch, it is a good window breaker.
As someone who has quietly discussed his own stupidity for leaving those unique tools at home when working with specific firearms, I can tell you an AMP would have been a god send. There is nothing worse than making time to go to zero an optic and not have an appropriate wrench. Without those small hex bits a range trip is wasted.
The 1911 and Pistol AMP have small inch and metric pattern hex wrenches to adjust laser or red dot sights
The bolt override tool makes clearing a double feed caused by poor quality ammunition a snap. Simply insert the tool in the gap between the bolt and upper receiver, push the tool forward like a nail puller and pry the bolt open or can use it to pull the bolt open. Either way it is easier and safer than pulling the charging handle and pounding the butt into the ground.
When locked in place by the liner lock, the bolt override makes clearing double feeds in an AR a snaop.The “holster” of the AMP is the driver and stores the bits.The clip on the AMP will attach to your belt and MOLLE webbing.
You will find the built in holster and separate bit driver are features that truly puts the AMPs ahead of the competition. How do I access the knife and fold out tools was my question. It was so simple it should have been obvious, push the big red button. This releases the tool driver and the knife section from the holster. The drive tools are retained by the knife and driver when the driver and knife are locked back in place. The entire AMP attaches to your belt, range bag or other gear by a locking clip. No need to worry about fumbling with a nylon carrier and the fear of losing it and its accessory tools.
This is the lock and release that opens the bit driver and secures the knife portion of the AMP into the holster.
Each AMP is identified by its liner color and knife; OD for the AR, grey for the Pistol and red for the 1911. Of course the 1911 AMP has built in bushing wrenches for both Government and Officer’s models. All three AMPs have different knife blades. The AR has a 2.6” Tanto blade; the Pistol AMP has a 2.6” Wharncliffe blade, while the 1911 AMP has a 2.6” Drop Point blade. Coincidentally, each of these blade styles works well to remove stuck safeties, slide stops, or other items on its respective firearm. Yes I know, knives are only for cutting; until you need it for other uses.
Eash AMP has a different Blade from {L-R} AR15 Tanto, Pistol Wharncliffe, and 1911 Drop Point
Overall Real Avid’s AMP Tools are a refreshing change; a firearm’s tool that has tools that are actually needed with an AR, a Pistol or 1911. Each one is $69.95 and would make a great gift for yourself or any shooter on your gift list this year.
Why should shotguns be ignored when it comes to modular handguards and accessory attachments? We’ve seen M-LOK systems dominate the rifle market and luckily enough they’ve begun to slide into the shotgun market. For pump-action shotguns, the pump is one of the few places you can add accessories and still manage their controls. Modern options exist and there is no reason why you can’t have an M-LOK Shotgun pump. In fact, we have three options for you to check out.
Why an M-LOK Shotgun Pump?
Rails on a 12 gauge shotgun pump suck. The recoil generated by a 12 gauge shotgun and the way Picatinny rails dig into your hand is not a pleasant combination. An M-LOK shotgun pump allows for easy and comfortable manipulations and the ability to attach lights, lasers, kitchen sinks, and more to your gun. M-LOK options are lighter weight, slimmer, and overall just better for shotguns.
So who makes the best M-LOK shotgun pump? Well, I’ll give you the best, as well the most lightweight, and most modular. Now keep in mind these three designs are only available for the Remington 870 and Mossberg 500/590. These two platforms own the market, and that’s why most options are limited to the Remington and Mossberg guns.
The Best Overall – The Magpul SGA Pump
The Magpul SGA was the first M-LOK shotgun pump to hit the market. Magpul is always an innovator, and the SGA series has become the standard for professional-grade shotguns. Both Remington and Mossberg produce Magpul variants of their shotguns, and it’s easy to see why.
The Magpul SGA isn’t just some slots dug into a standard shotgun pump. Magpul did an excellent job of designing the pump and making it very ergonomic. Most shotgun pumps are round, but the SGA is more squared off, with only a bit of roundness to it at the bottom. The pump is streamlined and nearly snag proof. The bottom is textured with a series of ribs that allow for a sure grip, and this makes it easy to manipulate the pump.
The sides and bottom of the pump have numerous M-LOK slots for accessories, and the slots are placed for easy reach and to accommodate various shooter sizes. Speaking of, Magpul wisely made their M-LOK shotgun pump longer than most. The rear area is extended, and this allows smaller shooters to have more control over their guns, but it doesn’t extend far enough to interrupt side saddles.
The front and rear of the pump also have built-in handguards that keep your hand from slipping off in either direction. As usual, Magpul did it right, and like the P-MAG, the SGA pump is becoming a standard issue item with manufacturers.
What I Like
Longer Design
Provides a very stable grip
Affordable
Proven
The Lightest Weight Design – The Ergo M-LOK Pump
Ergo is mostly known for their grips, but they’ve been expanding a good bit into other realms. Their stocks are sweet, and their grips are great, but their advancements in shotguns are what I’m looking at today. They make sweet adapters and a kick-ass M-LOK shotgun pump. This aluminum shotgun pump is also a minimalist design, and I do like to keep my shotguns streamlined and my pumps as small as necessary.
The Ergo M-LOK pump is damn near best described as svelte and is the perfect option for those looking to keep the weight low on their scattergun. This option works with both Remington and Mossberg shotguns, and for Mossberg, they have both full-sized and SBS options. The Ergo M-LOK pump is the lightest M-LOK shotgun pump of the three on this list.
It offers slots on the bottom, left, and right sides of the pump and gives you four in each location on the full size and three for the SBS variant. The layout is three rectangular outlets that come together as one pump. It doesn’t look comfortable, but it is. You can grip and control the pump with ease. The Ergo M-LOK pump offers zero extra room and keeps to the minimalist design philosophy.
What I Like
Superbly lightweight
Minimalist design
Aluminum Construction
The Most Modular – Strike Industries VOA Handguard
Strike Industries is my latest M-LOK Shotgun pump and is a smart mixture of the Magpul and Ergo options. If you want aluminum construction on top of a longer length pump, then the VOA handguard has you covered. The VOA is 8.9 inches long and gives extra rearward length for shorter shooters.
The VOA pump also pushes forward a bit and places an M-LOK slot as far forward as possible. Mounting a light here would make a lot of sense to help in eliminating barrel shadow, or at least reducing it. The VOA offers the most M-LOK slots, ten total options for accessories of all kinds. The VOA pump is very aggressively textured on the sides with peaks and valleys for finger placement.
The rear of the pump also has a handguard to keep your hand in place when aggressive manipulations come into play. The VOA is surprisingly light and ergonomic for its length. It combines aluminum design with a long pump action to accommodate shooters of all sizes and plenty of slots for M-LOK attachments.
What I Like
Aggressive ergonomics for enhanced control
Tons of M-LOK slots
Longer length accommodates more shooters
Shotguns Rule
M-LOK belongs on everything, and that includes shotguns. Modern guns require modern solutions, and the pump is the best place to mount accessories. The best way to mount accessories is M-LOK and outfitting your shotgun with an M-LOK shotgun pump is the future. Don’t get left behind.
The holidays are upon us, and people are still thinking about gift ideas. A popular gift every year is to give someone a firearm, but how? What do you need to do if this is your plan? This guide, How to give a firearm as a gift, should help.
The first thing you need to know about how to give a firearm as a gift is whether the person you’re gifting the gun to is legally allowed to own a gun. It’s a federal felony to give, or transfer, a firearm to someone that is what we refer to as a prohibited person. Prohibited person means that person is barred under federal law from owning a gun. Reasons for that include, but are not limited to: felony convictions, domestic violence convictions, dishonorable discharge from the military, not being a legal resident, and several others. If you have reason to believe that someone is one of these and you give them a gun, you’re committing a felony. Don’t do that. The person you’re gifting the gun to also must be of legal age to own that gun. Again, federal law bars children under 18 from owning a handgun, and different states bar rifle ownership at different ages. Do your research before you buy!
The next thing you need to know about how to give a firearm as a gift is whether the person you’re giving the gun to needs to get a background check. In some states, once you buy the gun, you can wrap it up and put it under the tree and then that person can open their new gun on Christmas. However, 13 states require a second background check when ownership of the gun changes hands. Those states are: California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, New York, Oregon, Rhode Island, Washington State, and the District of Columbia. In all those locales, you have to take the gun back to a Federal Firearms Licensee and get a background check done on the person receiving the gun. Additionally, in Maryland and Pennsylvania, you have to do that if you’re transferring a handgun.
How to give a firearm as a gift can be a complicated process, as you can now see. That’s why the firearms industry’s trade association, the National Shooting Sports Foundation recommends giving gift cards instead. Generally I agree with that sentiment, except for giving a gun to a child on a significant birthday or Christmas. If you’re buying gun for an adult, to me it makes more sense to give a gift card than to give them a specific gun. But, if your heart is set, then hopefully this article has prepared you for how to give a firearm as a gift.
When this quarantine hit, I took the time I was no longer commuting and turned it into more time to workout. I was hitting at least an hour a day, seven days a week, and seeing hardly any results. The reason being was that I was working without a plan. One day I did random weight lifting, another kettlebell stuff, then one day, I ran. I had no consistency and no plan. After the realization, I got a plan, and in just a few months, I saw strength, cardio, and flexibility gains beyond what I had achieved in months. I applied the same concept to my firearms training and found it immensely helpful. Here are four reasons why you should have a firearms training plan.
Keeps All Skill Sharp
Just like working out, I would go out and train what I felt like doing that day. Do I wanna practice my draw? Or my AR reload? Or my shotgun reload? I decided that day and did what I felt like doing. There was no consistency in training and no schedule to it. If I was bored with the rifle, it might be ignored for a month. Then when I came back to the rifle, I would be rusty and focus my training on all rifle stuff. Then everything else got rusty.
Negative feedback loops were built, vicious circles formed, and most progress was halted. That’s not a great way to build and maintain skills across a variety of platforms.
Having a plan and sticking to it ensures time for all skills. It’s like push day, pull day, and leg day, except its rifle, shotgun, and pistol. Here are my four reasons to make a firearms training plan.
Keeps You Organized
Outside of solving my problems with my firearms training, I’ve also found that planning my training maximizes my time and efficiency when training. I also set the time aside during my day for it. It’s penciled in, scheduled if you will. This is a specific time that I keep consistently and it only changes based on weather and necessity.
Forces You To Do Things You Need to Do (But don’t want to)
I found that planning and setting a specific agenda for my firearms training plan doesn’t just force consistency. It forces me to train things I’m not good at and things that I don’t like doing. I hate dry fire, especially with a long gun, and I hate front squats, but I have to do them once a week.
Close range pistol drills are fun to me, and I get that surge of serotonin when I get my time ultra-low. I tend to stick with the drills I’m skilled at because it feels good. When I sit down to write out my training plan, I include drills I’m not good at to force myself to elevate my skills and address weak points. I love doing bench press, but if all I do is standard bench press, only a particular part of my body gets strong.
Makes Tracking Progress Easy
A firearms training plan makes it easy to track progress with specific skills. Writing down times and accuracy results makes it easy to track your progress and adjust as necessary. A shot timer and MantisX make tracking these things easier as well. With progress recorded, you can alter your training to match your necessary skills.
So if you are really good at reloads, spend less time on reloads and work more on malfunction drills. Knowing weaknesses also allows me to approach professional training sources with goals and questions for instructors.
How to Plan
First, I write out exactly what I plan to do for a particular session with a revolving cycle of various skills. Sometimes it’s live-fire; some days it’s all dry. Some days it’s slow, some days it’s fast, and some days it’s both. Regardless, my firearms training plan will be written out and established before I hit the range.
I review previous notes and training plans to see what training I did the day or week before. Most of my training follows a pattern that revolves around 9 to 12 different training day templates. I use these templates and can adjust them very easily. Just like a workout template, they are meant to be built on.
The day before I training, I gather the gear needed and stage it. Gear can be shot timers, a MantisX, Snap Caps, magazines, ammo, ears, and eyes, etc. Toss it in an AR 15 case and go. This ensures nothing is missing before the day starts, and I might even load magazines to maximize time.
When it hits my time to train, I grab the plan, the gear and get after it. Breaks are built into the plan, and I can take notes between training sessions. I typically focus on one skill for ten minutes or so before I take a break. Once I go from getting faster to getting slower, I take a break and move to a different skill.
I try my hardest to focus most on concealed carry skills and handgun shooting because, realistically, it’s the most valuable of my training. At least once a week, I ensure I have some long gun focus. Firearms training plans will vary between goals, but concealed carry and self-defense are my primary focus.
Plan, Train, Plan
I have seen a ton of improvement over the last month. I’ve cut par times, built confidence, and shrunk groups in both my handgun and long gun training. With an ammo shortage currently in the works, I’m doing more dry fire than anything. I honestly can’t wait for the shortage to lift to see what an increase in live-fire will do. Having a plan has made a difference to me, and while I’m no expert, I’m betting it can help you.
Trust me, and you’ll love it when a plan comes together.
We recently touched on Iraqi AKs with Kalashnikov group’s video on Worst AKs in the world. But a common theme we are seeing is that the AK variants that suck are the ones where the builder didn’t care or stopped caring materially about the product.
The Tabuk rifle, named after the famous expedition by Muhammad in 630 AD, was Saddam Hussein’s pat on the back to himself as a glorious leader able to build an ‘Iraqi Rifle’ for the Iraqi military and people. In reality, the Iraqi army was filled with surplus AKs more than domestic built examples and the Tabuk variants were essentially just Yugo’s.
The most interesting variant, in my personal opinion, is the “Sniper” or “Designated Marksman” variant where they essentially slapped an RPK barrel and sight, flashhider, and a 4x AK side mount pattern optic of convenience on the standard rifle and called it a day. While the additions would offer the shooter some improvements (a touch extra muzzle velocity, better sight picture, and more mass and hardware for recoil control, it illustrates the parroting nature of many aspects of middle eastern and third world arms development.
It looks like a Sniper or DM rifle so it is, as opposed to the western approach of building a rifle that performs like it. Compare the Tabuk, a DM AK, to a Mk12, a DM AR-15/M16. The Tabuk mimics features it sees on DM/Sniper platforms it is trying to emulate cosmetically while changing the base rifle as little as possible. The Mk12 was a purpose built upper receiver and then rifle meant to field a highly accurized M16 from available tech. M16A1 lowers were selected for the superior full-auto trigger. Barrels were freefloated and set up to field suppressors. Advanced optics (for the time) were selected and maintenance on the weapons was carefully tracked to maintain accuracy.
Those concepts didn’t, and largely still do not, resonate in the Middle East and third world militaries, allies or enemies. Logistics and Maintenance is something the US and NATO militaries invest heavily in. Keeping gear working for the small percentage of professional warfighters they field. Others are much more fly by the seat of their pants and hope for the best. My own trip to Africa, training local partners, was enlightening in that they really don’t fix things. If its broken they toss it and they use it until it is too broken to use at all.
In the desert, on our training range, our company expended tens of thousands of rounds daily. Marines generally drew a few hundred per day for a few different square range and LFAM exercises. Our coalition partners got 10 rounds per year. 3 to zero, 7 for score. They expended more ammunition demoing our rifles than they might see in a decade. Vastly different mentalities to the small arms and troop supply questions.
Anyway, I’m off on a tangent. The Tabuk is one of those distinctive AKs that exist due to very interesting decisions and circumstances. Not a direct buy from Russia, not even licensed from them. It’s a one off of a one off with their own domestic twists, but when it was made well it ran.
And also, if you aren’t already following Ian on Forgotten Weapons. You should fix that.
There are very very good small batch AK productions in the United States. Rifle Dynamics, FullerAK, and Krebs Custom are testaments that American AKgenuity even after import bans struck down some of the finer complete rifles we were once offered.
But… that hasn’t held true across the board. The term ‘you get what you pay for’ holds true in the AK too. And oh.. have we seen some atrocious Made in the USAk’s. The video goes through a few especially egregious examples of fail but is careful to highlight that, like the AR, when we do it right we do it right!
The American market has a quality all its own in that if demands more, more than many international standards when it comes to durability, reliability, and accuracy. Now, the whole of the market doesn’t always demand more. Some demand less, as in less dollars because AKs are just ‘cheap commie guns’ and other FuddLore of yesteryear. The under informed buyers of the world mix their narrow perspective with a couple items of ‘research’ from the internet and come up with funny answers.
Yes, it is perfectly reasonable that a good AK and good AR cost about the same. So be suspect on anything that is to good to be true pricing.
A man once offered me SCAR rifles for $1549 each. I told the man I would take 10. I was serious, he was not.
Beware the cheapo AK just because it says Made in the USA.. you’re gonna have a bad time.
*Que the my X brand has X,XXX,XXX rounds through it with 0 issues comments*
Cool, I am happy for you. But the sample size we are working with are total produced items and categorized by design changes and implemented fixes. It’s all well and good that your IO or US Century hasn’t acted up, but in the small arms game you need a continuous stream of successes with very few failures and a history of active fixes to those failures to be considered viable. Sig has that. They’ve had several weapons turn out less than stellar in mass market, but they fixed the problems. They didn’t just replace one for one hoping it wouldn’t be a lemon this time around.
And that’s how US AK’s became the third worst while simultaneously being some of the best. I’m looking forward to Arsenal AK20’s in a big way for a reason.
Remember way back in January when I made a post about Goals?
Well 2020 turning out to be what it has, I didn’t get a whole lot on that list accomplished. But during my recent week off I did finally manage to check one of those things off the list. I just learned how to pressure can! Another “prepper” level achieved and skill level unlocked.
“Big deal” you say – you use your Instant Pot pressure cooker all the time- you say.
Well let me explain a few things.
Think about your Instant Pot as an automobile manufactured in 2020 – with automatic transmission, idiot lights on the dash which constantly monitor the engine, back-up camera, lane drift warnings, and remote start.
Then look at an actual pressure canner, which is more akin to your grandfather’s 1963 Buick. It has a manual transmission, manual steering (ie: no power assist), hand crank windows, and might not even have seatbelts. That’s the big deal.
My brand new (as of last December when I bought it) Presto 16 quart pressure canner is a completely manual affair. There are a couple safety features, but they are entirely mechanical. My own brain is the only processor that is managing the operations on this baby.
“Wait” you say, “but my InstantPot has a ‘canning button’ .”
Therefore, if you want to home-can low acid foods like meats, vegetables, soups and the like, you are left with learning how to drive your grandfather’s Buick. So that’s what I’m talking about. And THAT’s why I’m so proud of myself.
Why do you need pressure, and what’s low acid, you ask?
In order to understand why all this is important, you need to understand the reasons for canning in the first place. While cooking can be considered an art, home canning is most definitely a SCIENCE.
Briefly, the canning process uses scientific principles to ensure that food spoilage organisms – including human pathogens – are killed within the preserved food, and then are prevented from re-entering until the jar is opened and exposed to the air again.
The science involved includes the interplay between mathematics, physics and microbiology. There are lots of very smart people who have tested these procedures and determined them to be the best current and safe way to preserve food. The National Center for Home Food Preservation at the University of Georgia is the biggest resource, but many state extension agencies – including Clemson University and Utah State University – maintain websites and test recipes for safety.
Random people on YouTube are not necessarily using safe practices or recipes, so beware. Just as with safe firearms practices, you can’t always trust the internet. Know who you are getting your information from.
There are very specific steps and procedures to be followed in order to ensure a safely canned product in the end. Deviating in any way can risk the health of yourself and your family. And the dangers are not always obvious.
The presence of some spoilage organisms, such as molds, is visible. Some organisms produce an “off” smell. Some organisms may produce a gas or a color change to signal that the food is contaminated and not safe to eat. But the really big scary problem is Clostridium botulinum toxin , which is tasteless, colorless, and odorless.
This organism grows well in an environment without oxygen – like a sealed jar. When it grows, the bacterium secretes a chemical that is known as one of most potent neurotoxins in the world.
Here’s a nerdy factoid for you. The word “botulism” comes from the Latin word “botulus”, or “sausage” – because the first recognized deadly outbreaks of this type of food poisoning involved sausage. So there’s a thing we both didn’t know before.
Safe home canning (or any canning – even commercial operations) involves creating conditions in which the hardy endospores of the botulism bacteria cannot survive and reproduce.
A high acid environment (pH less than 4.6) inhibits the germination of botulism spores, which is why you can waterbath-can high acid foods like fruits and berries, and pickled foods like – well, pickles.
But meats, vegetables, soups, etc are low acid, and thus cannot be processed in a simple boiling water bath.
No, you cannot just “boil it longer” in a regular water bath. That’s a common and dangerous misconception. Because no matter how long you boil those jars of food, the temperature will never go above the boiling point, or 212F at sea level. At higher altitude water boils at an even lower temperature than that.
In order to kill spores of Clostridium botulinum you need to achieve and maintain a minimum temperature of 240F. (250F is the Commercial Standard) The only way for that to happen on our planet is to apply pressure to the system. Thus you need a closed vessel which will build up pressure via steam – a pressure canner.
And it’s not just the procedures for the canner itself that are involved. There are other considerations like the density and texture of the food in the jar, “headspace” (how much air space between the top of the food and the lid), the size of the jar, and processing time. These are all variables that must be considered in the safety of the final product. That’s why it’s important to know what you are doing, and follow tested recipes and procedures when home canning.
See the previous links provided for more information on the hows, whys, and wherefores. But that gives you an idea of the high stakes involved in IMPROPER canning or even making an honest mistake. Little considerations like unintentional paralysis and death kinda added to my intimidation – imagine that.
In the past year or two I’ve been doing a lot of reading up about safe canning, and also joined a safe canning group on social media. This group is SO adamant about safe practices, that the phrases “grandma did it” and “no one died” earn you an almost immediate appointment with the ban hammer. (Just because grandma survived her game of botulism roulette doesn’t mean it’s a safe practice. And some previous practices are no longer considered safe) So between the knowledgeable folks on that group, and reading up at the NCHFP, I gained enough confidence to take the plunge.
One would think that since I used to run the microbiology lab room-model autoclave that I would not be intimidated by a stove top pressure canner. Except I was. I tend to allow myself to be intimidated by things I have no experience with (and things that might blow up). That’s why I’m always posting about trying new things and forcing myself into new situations. Because if I don’t push myself, my natural inclinations would have me sitting in a dark corner. Fortunately my natural curiosity drive is stronger than my intimidation factor.
I started learning simple water-bath canning of high acid jams, applesauce, etc a couple years ago. I didn’t need to can low acid vegetables, because I have a dehydrator. But in order to learn to can meat I needed to learn to use a pressure canner. I bought one last year after Christmas and it has sat in my cupboard ever since – until last week.
You may remember in my turkey post that this was going to be my excuse for learning to can meat. And so it was.
I had eleven days off over Thanksgiving and no one at home but me, so I spent nearly all of that time in the kitchen, pushing my boundaries.
I started Wednesday night after work and did a test run of procedures using only water in the jars. First, I had to find out what my location’s elevation above sea level was so I could choose the proper weighted regulator/rocker to produce the pressure I needed for my location. I am at 1200 ft, so I needed the rocker weight for 15 pounds of pressure.
The reason for the test run was because I wanted to note how long it took for the water to boil on that burner and what settings on the stove knob it required. I noted the ten minute steam venting process and what stove settings that required. Then I noted how long after the weight was placed on the steam pipe it took for the system to come to pressure and the weight to start rocking, and also the stove setting for that. Yes, I’m a control freak. That’s how I deal with uncertainty – baby steps and control.
On a side note, the social media group taught me what determines whether the pressure weight is rocking appropriately. Apparently you want a slow, graceful “Hula”, not a frenzied “Belly Dance”. Huh – who knew?
As you can imagine there’s a fair bit of variability and tweaking involved til you get a feel for what it takes to maintain a consistently heated and pressurized canner. I did it with just water so that there was no chance of ruining any actual food while I learned the ropes.
With that accomplished and my confidence increasing, I woke up early Thanksgiving morning and started canning. I first did grilled turkey breast chunks in broth (hot pack method). That was followed by canned turkey broth, split pea w/ham soup, and ham-n-bean soup (safe recipes) over the succeeding days. I was a little nervous with each new recipe, but in the end it was fun!
Grilled turkey breast in broth.Turkey brothHam and Bean soup
Next I want to dig through my freezer and try chunks of boar or venison. Lots of people can their red meat game with beef bullion to soften the flavor and texture of the tougher cuts.
This is actually kinda fun and satisfying now that I am over the fear hump. Granted it’s a good bit of work and mental concentration upfront. But on the back end, I can just open a jar, heat and eat. Plus, the meat is now shelf stable for a couple years and will not go bad in a power outage. That seems worth the work to me.
Since I have a gas stove, I realized that I “could” even do this on an emergency basis “during” a power outage to salvage meat in the freezer. I’d just have to light the stove by hand. I have read that some people even do the entirety of their canning on portable propane burners on the back porch in the summer to keep the heat outside. So that’s an emergency option to consider and plan for as well.
I am so glad that I pushed myself to get over this hump. Now there are a huge array of new recipes and things to can that are open to me that were not before. Not to mention the feeling of security of having shelf stable meats and ready to heat soups available in case of emergency. (Or in case I catch the ‘Rona and just don’t feel like cooking). I just picked up another 20-pound turkey for $0.59 a pound. Cheapest poultry I’ll find all year, so I’m not done yet.
More cheap protein
I’ll probably be messing with this pressure canning thing and new recipes for the rest of the winter, so it probably won’t be the last time you hear from me about pressure canning. But bear with me, it’s a new and exciting learning curve, and you know how I am about my motto – “Never Stop Learning”.
“Nanny State” is a descriptor used to describe a governing body that knows better than you on all subjects, always, for your own safety. Logic cannot be used to dissuade the Nanny State and an individual cannot by any means be left to act of their free will, that’s just dangerous. What if they acted other than how the Nanny State wanted them too!? Regardless if someone was injured or not and regardless of whether the rule is actually positively effective when taken into full context, it is the thought of the rule that counts.
Gun owners must lock their firearms inside a container or use a trigger lock
Yes, broad spectrum prohibition on an “unsecured” firearm in the home because the adults of Dublin cannot be trusted to make rational decisions about their own safety and living conditions
Gun owners in Dublin will soon be required to store their firearms inside a locked container or keep it disabled with a trigger lock while inside their home after the City Council unanimously approved the new ordinance at its meeting last week.
California already has similar laws in effect for guns in households with children living there, or that require a gun owner to store their guns from a household member who is prohibited from having guns.
At least the broader California law (in this instance) holds some context, inaccessibility to a prohibited person is consistent with federal firearm laws.
“What we’re doing in this case is just expanding that definition beyond those two scenarios — children in the home or criminal record — and applying it to all households,” City Manager Linda Smith during a presentation at the Dec. 1 meeting.
Because arbitrarily expanding criminality never backfires, right? This isn’t Dublin, California (not that I should expect sense from this coast) stating that ‘If a firearm is determined to have been inadequately stored to prevent access (IE: on the kitchen counter), the owner may be held liable.’ It is the “do it, or else” type of heavy handed and overbroad stroke decision that cannot produce a desired result beyond signaling all that virtue.
Added to the Dublin Municipal Code, the ordinance known as Chapter 5.89 to Title 5, states, “No person shall keep a firearm within any residence unless the firearm is stored in a locked container or disabled with a trigger lock.”
Two exceptions were added: when the firearm is lawfully carried on an individual, or when it is under the control of a peace officer.
Because a peace officer’s child would never be the one, nor the peace officers themselves, to do something irresponsible with a firearm.
The new 5.89 Code Chapter, under Public Welfare heading, has not been published yet so it is unknown what penalties it may hold for violations. Enforcement is also questionable as this would require inspections of the home. But the rule is not written in favor of or in protection of community members. It effectively prohibits having a firearm ready to resist home invasion without serious mandatory extra expenditure on lockable cases and hardware.
Many states and locales have safe storage requirements, but they are purposefully undefined to make the requirement flexible on the owner. Instead of mandating hardware they mandate reasonable safe storage, if an incident were to occur the court would take the totality of circumstance into account and determine if the firearm was reasonably inaccessible.
Why does that matter? For the children, of course.
Councilmember Shawn Kumagai said the ordinance “will state clearly to our community that we embrace a culture of gun safety” and “safe gun storage helps to prevent unintentional and intentional injury and death of minors, helps prevent gun suicide, and deters gun theft.”
A staff report stated “the unsafe storage of firearms threatens public health and safety,” and that 54% of gun owners in the U.S. don’t lock away all of their guns. This year, there have been at least 236 unintentional shootings by children, resulting in 102 deaths and 141 injuries nationally. Seven of those were in California, resulting in two deaths and five injuries.
Seven of those were in California, resulting in two deaths and five injuries.
Now, what is the violent crime rate in Dublin, a city of about 63,000.
The Dublin CA crime rate for 2018 was 170.18 per 100,000 population, a 24.6% increase from 2017.
The Dublin CA crime rate for 2017 was 136.58 per 100,000 population, a 5.13% decline from 2016.
The Dublin CA crime rate for 2016 was 143.97 per 100,000 population, a 20.99% increase from 2015.
The Dublin CA crime rate for 2015 was 118.99 per 100,000 population, a 8.55% decline from 2014.
So the critical incident, the emotional one that they insist is why they must have this rule and structure it the way the do, is a 1:5,567,142 (approximately) with safe storage laws as they were previously, for the whole state. But the chance that your are raped, robbed, or assaulted in Dublin (murder is thankfully rare, usually 0) hovers somewhere between 119-242:100,000 (for the 16 years given) and Dublin is much safer than California and the US as a whole.
Violent Crime Year over Year, FBI UCR
So why, do they feel this need to flex extra control in Dublin? Why are they “stating clearly” to their community that their community cannot be trusted to make adult decisions on their own and that they will be penalized for not following the Nanny State?
“54% of gun owners do not lock away all of their guns” is a purposefully vague statement to show that adults cannot be trusted on their own, it gives no context to the locked or unlocked guns, living situations, etc. It is then used to highlight the 236 national incidents of unintentional death and injury of minors. All of which are ‘true’ and we should be working to effectively reduce and keep low.
But let’s take a look at another unintentional injury source, one that is certainly present in California’s climate, drowning.
From 2005-2014, there were an average of 3,536 fatal unintentional drownings (non-boating related) annually in the United States — about ten deaths per day.1 An additional 332 people died each year from drowning in boating-related incidents.2
About one in five people who die from drowning are children 14 and younger.1 For every child who dies from drowning, another five receive emergency department care for nonfatal submersion injuries.1
More than 50% of drowning victims treated in emergency departments (EDs) require hospitalization or transfer for further care (compared with a hospitalization rate of about 6% for all unintentional injuries).1,2 These nonfatal drowning injuries can cause severe brain damage that may result in long-term disabilities such as memory problems, learning disabilities, and permanent loss of basic functioning (e.g., permanent vegetative state).3,4
What does Dublin say about pools?
G. Pools and spas shall either (1) be kept in working order so the water remains clear and free of pollutants and debris; or (2) drained and kept dry. In either case, properties with pools and/or spas must comply with the minimum security fencing requirements of the state of California;
Okay, what does California say about pools?
Pool fences in California need to be 5 ft tall with gaps between fence slats of 4″ or less, gaps of 2″ or less under the fence, and fence gates must be self-closing and self-latching. They can be 3-sided and attached to the house or other structure, but that doesn’t count as one of the listed pool safety features.
What are those safety features?
Enclosure that isolates the pool or spa from the home.
Hmm, seems like very similar “safe storage” requirements are present but pools and open water continue to be far more injurious. Yet far less emphasis is placed on ‘safe storage’ of recreational water features than on handguns despite the disparity in injury rates.
Sellers are not required to bring the pool or home ‘up to code’, but you may be asked to anyway, after the buyer reads the home and pool inspection report.
Home owners aren’t required to sell at the newer code 2018 levels. Only new pools or renovated ones are required to be at code. Meanwhile, all residents of Dublin who own firearms must keep them locked, unless you’re a cop.
What we are seeing are priorities based upon emotional impact, not data driven. Banning recreational water activities and closing pools public and private would immediately reduce deaths and injuries associated with those activities. It wouldn’t even violate a constitutionally protected right, but it wouldn’t be considered. It would be dropped immediately as a ridiculous, unenforceable excess over governmental Nanny Statedom. For recreational water activities, something with an astronomically higher accidental injury rate than constitutionally protected firearms. Something with a higher injury rate for children than firearms, a top 5 leading cause of death in fact.
But we cannot bring such facts to an argument about emotional manipulation. Guns bad! Pools and beaches good! Damn the actual risks.
Nanny Statedom will never outperform education in reducing accidental death and injury. But folks are happy to do it for guns, one more piece of control on the books and looking like they are contributing.
The “Supreme Commander” of the Not Fucking Around Coalition (NFAC), John Johnson, has been brought up on federal charges after camera footage has confirmed he pointed his rifle (no confirmation on whether or not it was his “bullpup” XM-15 that kicks) at law enforcement in Louisville.
“Grandmaster Jay,” since apparently Supreme Commander wasn’t enough title, pointed his weapon at and used the weapon mounted flashlight on officers observing a September 4th demonstration from a rooftop.
“All officers advised they were concerned Johnson might intentionally, or even accidentally, discharge a round at them,” the agency’s Louisville division said in a statement to the Daily News.
A highly valid concern since it is clear that Johnson has no clue.
NFAC has caused injury due to negligent discharges at their protests on multiple occasions. The idiots among them make the average gun show numbskull need to step up their numbskullery to compete. Obviously, for those oblivious to tongue in cheek sarcasm, I do not wish negligent handling to escalate. I do like seeing a dangerous individual with a following brought to answer for their foolishness though. I don’t have high hopes that this will be cast as anything other than oppression of him based on his race among that follower group, but I can have low hopes that some will see the why.
Authorities said Johnson knew exactly who he was pointing his rifle at because at least two officers with the Louisville Metropolitan Police Department were wearing body armor with a semi-reflective placard clearly identifying them, according to the FBI.
None of the officers had drawn their handguns and only one had a rifle that night, though he did not point it at Johnson or any of the NFAC members at the scene, the agency said.
The criminal complaint says the suspect “forcibly assaulted, resisted, opposed, impeded, intimidated, and interfered with federally deputized task force officers” when he aimed a rifle at them. The charge is punishable by up to 20 years in federal prison.
I doubt Johnson will catch the full 20, 5 would be more my guess. This, along with continuing Antifa arrests and other individual arrests for various misconducts around the nation related to protests show a clear line that LE organizations are not just letting everything slide. They may not have the evidence to pursue every assault, arson, or theft. But those they do go through.
We will see.
I’m most curious what the coalition the keeps finding out because they clearly aren’t living up to their name, will find out next. Maybe how to be a responsible 2A and justice advocacy organization? I doubt it, but one can continue to hope. People learn new things every day.
“A More Extreme Gun Rights Movement Is Emerging in the NRA’s Wake“
HAHA! HAHAHA! HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!
Good.
That isn’t to throw all that much shade at the ILA specifically, they are still the 800lb lobbying gorilla of gun rights, but it is good to see other organizations emerge as increasingly effective. And seeing MJ’s take on “Smart, Fearless Journalism” when it comes to the VCDL rally is entertaining.
First, let’s start out with two truths and a lie:
A good number were decked out in paramilitary outfits and tactical gear. Confederate and Gadsden flags waved high and wide.
Because what is a good anti-gun article without an ‘all gun owners are old white racists’ implication?
Image via AP News, VCDL Rally in Virginia January 2020
Truth, lots of military gear and Gadsden’s… a little light on the Rebel Flag though.
I love this line in particular.
The FBI arrested members of the neo-Nazi group the Base, who had allegedly stockpiled firearms and ammunition, discussed plans to recruit members at the rally to help kickstart a race war, and talked about committing acts of violence against people of color.
Sure, but this guy was there too.
Image via WHYY
And he had way more friends than the arrested Neo-Nazi’s, that I’d bet hard money on. And what about these guys?
Image via Google Search
Mother Jones must’ve just missed them.
And this fine gentleman holding a picture of the Governor.
Image via Google Search
Or these men.
A little secret about the 2.0 gun owning culture, we like gun owners. We like making new gun owners from non-owners. We want to see the individual liberty and exercise of the Second Amendment grow. And that doesn’t have a race, gender, or even political party attached to it. The two parties did the whole pro-gun/anti-gun hat thing themselves, we didn’t ask them too.
It’s highly amusing to watch groups like Mother Jones try and leverage one of the most prominent examples of inclusive 2A advocacy to paint it as inherently racist.
Remember folks, two or more is a group. So two asshole neo-Nazi Antifa ISIS Greenpeace KKK NFAC whoever the hells with a bad idea make for an extremist organization. Small groups with a lot of conviction and bad ideas. We tend to think of groups like Boko Haram, ISIS, and the Taliban when we here “Extremist Organization” but those are large quasi-state entities, almost corporations that export fighters for various conflicts that they ideologically care about. The majority of problematic cells are much smaller, still dangerous.
Did extremist elements attempt to recruit?
Oh, absolutely. That’s how recruitment goes, you go to places where you can find a group to exploit vulnerable members. The more irate, disenfranchised, and marginalized members of that group feel the easier it will be to pick off ones and twos from the group at large for your tiny cell of delusional ‘freedom fighter race warrior whatever the hells’. Seriously, there are whole series written on how to exploit and manage irate populations into insurgencies. The US and Russia have done it forever, still are.
Base (the neo-Nazi group) clearly did a terrible job of recruiting since they got arrested instead for plotting terroristic mischief. That happens when 22,000 people peacefully assemble and you start talking to them about your insane goals of kicking off a race war.
Missing the point, Mother Jones
What gets glossed over by anti-gun extremists is how inclusive mainstream Gun Culture 2.0 is. The most toxic things among our current crop is fanatic level brand loyalty (ONLY SIG IS GOOD, everything else sucks and you are stupid for buying it!) or brand hatred (SIG SUCKS, you should never buy anything from them. REEEEEEEEEE) and “Poor Shaming”.
As with all fun things, the internet will ruin them by taking it too far. “Stop being a poor.” is once such thing. I am keenly aware of what it is like to like good firearms and have nowhere near the money to support my like, I wanted a SCAR 17 on M&P15-22 budget. I had to back out of purchasing a used M&P15T as my first rifle because I didn’t have enough money to pay for my car. I wouldn’t have the money to purchase for 3 more years.
I got a good one eventually. But I ended up dumping a lot of dumb money into the gun too.
That is what being ‘a poor’ is about at the heart. Being ‘a poor’ is a mentality, not an income level. The guy or gal out buying the Taurus G3 might be if they go in saying, “well.. I don’t want to spend a lot of money.” I’ve seen a guy roll up in a brand new off the lot Cadillac wearing about $3k in business attire and leave with a Hi-Point because, “they’re really all the same when you get down to it, so why spend more?”. That man is ‘a poor’. Man, you rolled up in a new Cadillac.. not a used Impala. Why? If they’re ‘all the same so it doesn’t really matter’ why the Cadillac?
A person coming in saying “I want to buy the best thing I can safely afford.” leaving with the Taurus G3 is not ‘a poor’. That same person skipping the Taurus and deciding the used Gen3 Glock would be a good idea for a few bucks more, or knowing this is all they have for the moment but will circle back to something better when they can is the mentality we encourage. Always be improving your position, defense tactical doctrine as old as organized armies. Improve your skill, improve your equipment, repeat.
What gets out of hand in the gun community is too much criticism for poor, especially uninformed choices. People are very loyal to their spending and will justify their purchase of the terrible Amazon or Wish optic, that may be worth criticism. The internet will then devour their poor soul, too much and too far.
When target of the combined tirade isn’t ‘a poor’ though, but legitimately destitute, we failed them… They didn’t ignore wisdom and sound advice to buy something terrible for the cost of something quality, they did the best they could. The internet is terrible at making that distinction many times, and we fail to help.
You, dear readers, and I cannot control the internet. But we can monitor ourselves and be certain we maintain and broaden the inclusivity, education, and welcome of the 2A community. Be aware that our personal favorites and biases can color the fundamental truths, even our senses of humor may make or break someone’s entry into gun ownership. Don’t be ingenuine, just be aware.
We love the gratification of being helpful, lets not allow the more selfish gratification of being ‘right’ take over. Never shame someone for doing the best they can, give them the tools to do better.
In conclusion
We hit on several different meandering topics. Mother Jones is still a cadre of intellectual leftist isolationists (echo chamber so echoey…). Their selective editing to project a narrative is hilariously bad (at least pick a storyline not instantly suspect by wide angle group photos of the event). And yes, there are absolutely people on “our side” of the binary issue of firearms that we would prefer not be here. But those aren’t the ‘new’ extremist gun rights groups. In general we like them, they get it.
The media seems to love them some anti-gun trauma doctors. It seems they never miss an opportunity to quote one of them when the subject of gun violence pops up.
In fairness, they have some expertise on the subject. For example, they see quite well what a bullet can do to the human body, and that expertise has relevance in a number of instances.
The problem is that so many take this particular expertise and believe that it gives them expertise on firearms as a whole. In particular, the media and trauma doctors believe it. Take this trauma doctor in New York City, for an example.
As he watches the surge in gunshot victims across New York City, veteran trauma surgeon Dr. Ronald Simon is baffled by politicians’ inability to stem the bloodshed.
“It’s mind boggling to me that we can’t get our act together to start taking steps to prevent this kind of gun violence,” said Simon, Director of Trauma Surgery at Maimonides Medical Center in Brooklyn.
“I just hope that eventually, sooner rather than later, people could put their political desires or motives aside and all get together and create laws or programs that will enable us to reduce the availability of guns and prevent people from getting them that shouldn’t have them so that there are no innocent bystanders,” Simon said.
In other words, Simon wants people to put their political desires or motives aside and adopt his political motives and desires.
I mean, that’s all he really said there. What he fails to note because it falls outside of his expertise is precisely how those shooters got those guns. New York City is damn near a firearm desert. It’s more difficult to get and carry a firearm there than anywhere else in the city, yet this article is all about how shootings are soaring this year. There’s been no real liberalization of gun laws in the city, so if gun control worked so well, why all the bloodshed?
We can all agree that the increase in violence this year is troubling. Especially since so many places saw violent crime drop to virtually nothing during the lockdown. The fact that violent crime is skyrocketing over last year means that it’s actually worse than we can really see just looking at the year-to-year statistics. After all, last year didn’t have a lockdown.
But do you know who doesn’t have the answers to the problems? Trauma surgeons. Now, don’t get me wrong. There are those who have studied beyond what they see at work, to be sure. No group is truly monolithic, after all, but those who have real expertise on the subject aren’t experts because they’re trauma surgeons. They’re experts because they put in the work beyond their professional requirements.
See, where their expertise falls apart is that they’re only shown a very narrow window of the role guns can play. They see the very worst, but guns are also used to prevent countless crimes. They’re used to protect human life, even when they’re not fired.
While Dr. Simon can lament the gunshot wounds he’s seen on his operating table, he rarely knows the full story. How many of those wounded, the ones that bother him so much that he thinks we should all set aside our principles and beliefs so we can appease the almighty trauma surgeon, how many of them were shot by a law-abiding citizen defending their own life? How many were criminals shot by other criminals?
Unless Simon can answer those questions, his experiences are irrelevant to the discussion and the media would do well to stop promoting those ideas. Trauma surgeons such as Dr. Simon have a lot to offer any discussion, but only with regard to their actual expertise.
And Dr. Simon would do well to realize that what he’s really demanding is that the rest of us put aside our beliefs that gun control will fail just as it has time and time again just so he can feel better about himself.
–Tom Knighton is a Navy veteran, a former newspaperman, a novelist, and a blogger and lifetime shooter. He lives with his family in Southwest Georgia. He writes for BearingArms and is also the host of Unloaded TV on YouTube.
TAMPA, FL, December 3, 2020 – Meopta is pleased to introduce MeoStar B1 Plus binoculars in 8×32 HD, 8×42 HD, 8×56 HD, 10×42 HD, 12×50 HD, and 15×56 HD models. The B1 Plus is the latest iteration of Meopta’s top binocular line and integrates numerous new features in one high-performance binocular. The innovative optical design, HD FL lenses with advanced coatings, central locking diopter, and upgraded rubber armoring for improved grip and ergonomics, deliver a truly superior user experience.
Razor-sharp images, improved resolution and contrast, color fidelity, and exceptional low-light performance are hallmarks of this line. The optical system with MeoBright lens coatings is optimized for twilight, giving hunters the advantage of seeing fine details more clearly at extended ranges in low light. The rugged B1 Plus also features an aluminum alloy body engineered to withstand the most extreme hunting conditions.
“Our MeoStar binoculars have long been a favorite of guides and serious hunters who demand premium performance and appreciate value,” said Pavel Stastny, Senior Director of Sales and Marketing at Meopta. “We continue to deliver European optical quality across all of our product lines and back this with our outstanding U.S. warranty policy.”
Multi-stop, twist-up eyecups accommodate all users, and the eyecups are removable for quick and easy cleaning. Meopta’s MeoShield anti-abrasion lens coating offers added protection in rough terrain, and the MeoDrop hydrophobic lens coating repels rain, dust, and grease from lens surfaces.
The MeoStar B1 Plus binoculars are nitrogen purged, waterproof, fogproof and, like all Meopta optics sold in the United States, are backed by Meopta’s Lifetime Transferrable Warranty.
Meopta has been producing high-end European optics for over 87 years and is a leading manufacturer & partner to many of the world’s finest optical brands. Meopta conceives, develops, and manufactures precision optical and electro/optical systems for semiconductor, medical, aerospace, and military industries as well as for consumer markets.
NICS posted 186,645 background checks for the year’s traditionally biggest retail sales day. However as we know.. 2020 just hits different.
First, we are in a legendarily record setting year for firearm sales. We are on the 8th month of “two weeks to flatten the curve”, a more steaming pile of epidemiological crap may never have been uttered. But that is neither here nor their, what it lead to was a curbed law enforcement response nation wide.
That curbed response, the realization that officers would not risk infections (by department, city, county, or state mandate in many cases) suddenly brought home the point that officers and many readers here already knew.
You’re on your own.
You always have been on your own but now it was even more so as LE agencies acknowledged that certain calls were not going to get responses and that staffing problems from infections and quarantines were going to up response times.
This started the early run on guns. People quietly put 2 and 2 together and got wise to the fact that a bunch of people not working because they cannot work remotely, plus stress and panic from the virus, plus law enforcement admitting they cannot cover like normal, equaled an environment where it was more likely than normal that a home invasion or robbery might occur.
More financially strained people and lower law enforcement presence with delayed response times. Simple math.
Then the riots happened. An already stressed nation was at a tipping point and then George Floyd died with an officer kneeling on his neck. Ahmaud Arbery was chased down in a truck and killed by a former prosecutor’s office official and his son. Breonna Taylor was killed in a raid we were told was no-knock and at the wrong address (that turns out not to have been the case, right address and they did knock, Taylor was on the warrant) but that is not what the nation heard. The nation was stressed to burst and that caused a burst.
Police “not doing their jobs” due to the virus and police misconduct against minorities. Regardless of the overall validity, true instances versus false instances and there are certainly a pile of both, the melting pot boiled over and cities burned. Individuals and groups took advantage, over and over again, of the legitimate and righteous anger toward public abuse of trust and authority and looted and torched. Many were injured, a few were killed, and the nation watched as no ‘righteous force’ protected anyone from becoming a victim of anyone else.
The 2020 panic buy was on in full by summer. The illusion of societal safety, which was always a relative term, compared to individual safety was gone. Your individual safety was on the individual, so people bought guns and got CCW licenses… although that second one was halted in many spots, quite in violation of people’s rights, because no provision to process licenses remotely was in place.
4th Highest NICS Day on Record
2019 was a banner year in many ways. People were working, politicians were grumpy at each other, and life overall was in forward flowing upward trend. 2020 has seen drastic changes in how Americans, especially in the service industry, make a living. By Government mandate to curb infection rates these industries were barred from making money. They could not engage in trade. Government also only cut one single check and a patchwork of “business” solutions that did nothing to replace raw incomes to live and make payroll.
That has been week after week, month after month, panic and rapid adaptation. People through it all have been arming up in record breaking month after record breaking month. Ammunition prices are astronomical and firearm prices are up, the world of 2019 where you could find what you wanted in the industry on demand had vanished.
Ammunition is a year backordered. Production lots for guns are largely already sold into 2021.
And yet in this barren shelfed market, on the year where remote shopping is the way to go, and where shipping is 3-10 days slower than normal, it was the 4th highest day on record for NICS transactions. I wonder what the rest of the weekend looked like. This whole week too as orders come in and transfers complete.
Guns are in demand like never before seen, no election, no proposed law, nothing generated the sales like a nasty virus and its fallout.
Wait.. What? Oh! 3D Printed Baffle Titanium Pistol Suppressor, my mistake. The MOD-X9.
NEWINGTON, N.H., (December 2, 2020) – SIG SAUER, Inc. is pleased to introduce the MOD-X9 Pistol Suppressor. The MOD-X9 is the first release of SIG SAUER’s modular line of pistol suppressors made of titanium baffles for the ultimate in lightweight strength and performance that allows the user to personalize their suppressor for overall length, weight, and sound.
“SIG SAUER was the first to innovate and design the first truly modular pistol with the P320, and we’re now excited to bring new, innovative modularity to our line of suppressors with the MOD-X series of suppressors,” began Tom Taylor, Chief Marketing Officer and Executive Vice President, Commercial Sales, SIG SAUER, Inc. “The MOD-X9 is designed for 9mm pistols and rifles, is easily configurable allowing the user to choose the amount of baffles to optimize sound, length, and weight.”
The SIG SAUER MOD-X9 Suppressor is comprised of seven, 3D-printed titanium baffles and an encapsulator with 21-points of impact adjustment. The length is adjustable from 3.25 inches to 7.5 inches, the weight is adjustable from 5 ounces to 8 ounces, and the sound is adjustable from 127.4dB to 145.3dB. The suppressor is easily, user-configurable and comes with two pistons, disassembly tools, ½ x 28 and 13.1 pistons, and a fixed-barrel spacer and includes the most popular inch and metric position for its given caliber.
“This is an exciting addition to our line of suppressors because it’s the first product launch of brand-new innovation in suppressors and moves past the traditional baffle design currently in the market. Once again SIG has raised the bar with the groundbreaking technology we engineer into our designs, and you can expect to see a full line of suppressors from SIG with this new technology in 2021 for all calibers,” concluded Taylor.
MOD-X9 Suppressor Specs:
Overall Weight: 8oz. Overall Length: 7.5in. Overall Width: 1.35in. dB Average: 129dB (147gr 9mm) Caliber: 9mm Finish: Black DLC Baffle Material: Titanium Mount: 1/2×28 and m13x1xLH Pistons
The SIG SAUER MOD-X9 Suppressor is now available for purchase at retail stores. For more information about the SIG SAUER MODX-9 Suppressor or the full line of SIG SAUER Suppressors visit sigsauer.com.
About SIG SAUER, Inc. SIG SAUER, Inc. is a leading provider and manufacturer of firearms, electro-optics, ammunition, airguns, suppressors, and training. For over 250 years SIG SAUER, Inc. has evolved, and thrived, by blending American ingenuity, German engineering, and Swiss precision. Today, SIG SAUER is synonymous with industry-leading quality and innovation which has made it the brand of choice amongst the U.S. Military, the global defense community, law enforcement, competitive shooters, hunters, and responsible citizens. Additionally, SIG SAUER is the premier provider of elite firearms instruction and tactical training at the SIG SAUER Academy. Headquartered in Newington, New Hampshire, SIG SAUER has over 2,300 employees across nine locations. For more information about the company and product line visit: sigsauer.com.
The design is.. distinct. With either threaded together or somehow linked baffle sections the can is modular for length and weight. The rather distinct extra exterior geometry likely serves the dual purposes of reducing weight and increasing surface area for cooling.
My favorite feature though, from the included information, is that it is shipping with hardware for Sig pistols and many popular 9’s from the whole of the market, pistol and PCC alike. Two pistons and a fixed barrel spacer in the box, that is good coverage and thinking well of the market. The Sci-Fi aesthetic doesn’t hurt either.
James Williamson loves a few things in life. BoJangles, Magnum P.I., Porsche, his family, and HK firearms.
In this video he is looking at one of the final roller delayed HKs during the development cycle of the later 20th century. The next major rifle would finally diverge from roller delays and begin the late 20th and early 21st century preference for the AR-18 type short stroke pistons.
The G41 emerged as a well designed but poorly timed release to try and supply NATO. James talks about the STANAG program, which you will likely recognize from the STANAG magazine which weapons like the FAMAS G2, F2000, Tavor, M16/M4, and L85 use somewhat interchangeably. “Universal” standardization didn’t workout quite how they thought. Today, even in partner militaries, logistics are internalized.
This doesn’t mean magazines and other equipment is incompatible today, it is more so now that when STANAG was first introduced, but it does mean that optimization tends to be for the domestic supply. M855A1 has probably not been accounted for by France, Belgium, Great Britain, or Poland even though they all use service weapons that should, in theory, be able to run the round with little issue. It could probably be used in a bind even, if one of those partner nation units needed ammo, but that is more due to the virtues of well built rifles than deliberate compatibility.
James points out the obvious influence of the M16A1 on the STANAG program and the G41, it wasn’t the only rifle to be influence that way since we can see it on the AR-18 strongly also. But the G41 was built to be a partner rifle with the M16, to be fielded beside the M16 on in the forests, hillsides, and streets of Europe. Rifles like the AR-18 were more direct competitors than partners, but by the time of the A1 the M16’s fielding foibles (by the military failing to follow directions) had been fixed and the rifle was a fine instrument.
A few short years after the G41 emerged the M16A2 would win out as the A1’s successor with an eye to much great precision out of the rifle. The US Marines led that effort and the Army hated the original sight design, thinking the Marines liked to shoot at ‘impractically far distances’.
The M16 influences are largely surface borne though and internally the G41 is logically progressive from the G33, MP5, and G3.
