Franklin Armory® goes to great lengths and expense to bring quality products to market that people want. Franklin Armory® has designed, developed, and begun the manufacture of a new firearm — The Title 1® — that is California compliant but is neither a rifle, shotgun, nor pistol. Franklin Armory® has, and will continue lawfully taking preorders from buyers in the state.
Tens of thousands of Californians have already placed deposits on the Title 1® firearm so they could get one as soon as they become available. Franklin Armory® has made it a priority to deliver on these pre-orders to their customers – but we can’t – because CADOJ is unlawfully refusing to process the requisite paperwork.
In response to this inaction, the law firm of Michel and Associates, PC is preparing a Mass Action Lawsuit to represent those persons whom CADOJ has prevented from lawfully acquiring their firearm. If you have made a deposit and are unable to receive your firearm(s) because of defects in the CADOJ designed and maintained Dealer Record of Sale Entry System, you should consider joining this lawsuit. There are no fees or costs involved for participants.
Even though the possession of Title 1® does not violate California law, CADOJ has deliberately refused to process sales of the Title 1®. As a result, Franklin Armory® retailers cannot transfer Title 1® firearms to consumers because licensed dealers cannot submit their sales applications to CADOJ online. The state-mandated system, Dealer Record of Sale Entry System (“DES”,) does not allow for the transfer of certain firearms that do not meet the limited predefined identifiers in the DES System. It is an easy technical fix, but CADOJ has deliberately delayed the simple technical correction to allow this product to be sold.
The sale of Title 1® firearms are being blocked by biased CADOJ bureaucrats. CADOJ was made aware last year of the need to add an “other” category to facilitate Title 1® sales but refused to take this step. This technological barrier prevents licensed firearm dealers from proceeding with a sale, transfer, loan, or submission of information to the CADOJ. The actual effect is that California firearm dealers cannot accurately submit the necessary information to the CADOJ for processing.
This, we believe, constitutes a violation of the CADOJ’s duty to accept and process all firearm applications and a violation of each purchaser’s due process rights. On behalf of the tens-of-thousands of people who put a deposit down to purchase the Title 1®, this lawsuit seeks to declare CADOJ’s conduct unlawful and to compel CADOJ and its agents to fulfill its obligations and process all Title 1® purchases that were made prior to any subsequent prohibitions, restrictions, and/or limitations.
On the drive rod assembly there is a riveted or (dimpled) pin that holds the assembly together. Owners and operators of this gun often install the rod with the dimple up and exposed. I have also seen them somehow lock the two pins on each side inside the receiver at the 12 and 6 o’clock.
The Proper Install
Below is the correct installation of the drive rod and drive rod spring. The dimple should be DOWN and the pins should be locked in to the receiver at the 9 and 3 o’clock.
Why do we care?
There is a legit reason for installing the drive rod with the dimple DOWN. If anything were to break within the drive rod assembly that rivet that is holding those parts in would not be impacted by anything in the gun as it is protected by the bottom of the receiver. If the rivet were to be up and the drive rod were to break that rivet could be removed by other parts within the weapon and more damage could occur, not to mention the difficulty it would be to remedy the malfunction.
There are now drive rods that are being pushed out from manufacturer that have stamped on the rod “this side up” because it is still being installed incorrectly.
I too have installed this part incorrectly a number of times because I didn’t understand the “why” of it. After going to the FN M249/M240/MK-19 course by FN in South Carolina, I have not messed it up once because it registers as being something of importance.
Gun owners and dealers alike are well aware that firearm sales spike during times of national crisis. This usually occurs when people fear that new gun laws may be implemented in the near future. However, this year a different kind of scare has sparked a national run to the gun shops. While we are in an election season, the increase in purchasing firearms also correlates with the rise of COVID-19, and is greater than the typical surge.
How Large Is the Increase?
Before the reasons of this surge are examined, let’s examine just how large this surge has been. There actually aren’t direct counts of the exact numbers of firearms purchased. However, there is data from the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS). Every time someone purchases a firearm from a licensed dealership, a background check is conducted. Statistics from this don’t technically record how many firearms have been purchased. But reasonably accurate estimates can be made based on this background check data.
In March, approximately 2.6 million firearms were sold. This is an 85% increase over March of the previous year. In April, the number was around 1.79 million, marking a 71% increase. Data suggests that in July, there were likely around 1.2 million handguns purchased and 600,000 long guns purchased which are 152% and 108% increases respectively over 2019. This increase in gun sales has been truly historic, but what does it all mean?
Panic
The coronavirus introduced serious uncertainty into the country. At times, this uncertainty has manifested as panic and panic buying. Fears of resource scarcity were bound to bring people to the gun shops along with searching for toilet paper. Fear of potential social unrest if large amounts of people could no longer find food was a driving factor. There was also the simple fact that self-reliance seems like even more of a virtue in times like this. Another part of the cause for the large increase in gun sales is that police departments across the country have become less responsive due to the coronavirus and social pressures. Response times have increased, and the value of being able to defend oneself has therefore increased as well.
Along with general societal issues, Asians faced increased discrimination that encouraged their purchasing firearms for self-protection. Reasonable people understand that looking Asian does not mean someone was responsible for bringing coronavirus to the U.S. Nor does it mean they carry the virus. Unfortunately, some are not reasonable. Many of the purchasers have been of Chinese descent although Asian Americans in general have increasingly sought out gun shops.
Our current nationwide urban unrest is also responsible. This has raised two reasons for people to purchase firearms. First, many black Americans are discovering their right to firearms ownership for their own protection. Americans are generally realizing what “defunding” police with increasing street violence may bring. In certain cities, citizens no longer feel safe relying on local government for protection. No one can know how long this will go on.
What Comes Next?
Along with these disruptions, the hot coals of the 2020 election are flaring up. Many Americans fear the changes in gun laws that a Democrat regime may bring; Joe Biden will not be kind to the Second Amendment should he win.
Neither will the coronavirus end soon. While there are talks of a vaccine on the horizon, its arrival date in unclear and unlikely within the next few months. This means that the coronavirus and its effects will be here for some time.
What will the long-term influence of all these new gun owners be? There definitely include more than the usual proportion of new gun owners. Many who were previously disinterested in firearms and self-protection seem to have changed their minds. As we see many on the left of the political spectrum exercise their Second Amendment rights, could there come a change in how Democrats view gun issues in the future?
It may well be that whichever side wins in November 2020, this increased awareness of and preparation for self-defense will continue. That would be good for the individuals doing it as well as for the health of our country.
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—Jay Chambers is a Texas archer, shooter, survivalist and business owner at Minuteman Review. He believes in free speech, resiliency and self-sufficiency in an increasingly unpredictable world.
It seems more and more shooters; male and female are taking fitness more seriously. I have heard from a number of women they like their athletic apparel but it is not built for the range or tough enough to endure the rigors of training for competitive shooting; especially three gun and “tactical” events. When enough people speak companies listen, especially 5.11 Tactical. A few years back 5.11 introduced their tough as nails Range Tights and Capri pants. These were a big hit but the heavier weave gets hot working out indoors or on hot days.
To give ladies another option that worked well for range, yoga or casual wear; 5.11 introduced the Natasha Tight and the Recon Jolie Tight. These tights do not have belt loops and are a lighter weave than the Range Tights. This makes them much better for workouts and casual wear.
When I was talking with 5.11 about these and a few other pieces of lifestyle clothing, I was wondering who would help me T&E them. Then it dawned me a friend of mine Nicole Lynn (on Instagram @moparmodel_offical) is an active outdoorsy lady. She is a fitness model, yoga instructor, mom, wife and outdoor addict; she would tell me how they perform. Since these items were not standard range apparel, she suggested we do photos that fit their purpose; exercise and casual wear.
Nicole Lynn, said the new 5.11 Tactical athletic apparel looked good and fit well.
The first item we looked was the Recon Jolie ($79.99). These tights come in a variety of patterns; Star Spangled (red, white, blue), Razzle Dazzle (Black, White, Grey) and Camp Rose (White, OD, Black). Below the calf and stripe up the leg are contrasting colors. Unlike many athletic pants, they come in sizes 0-12 and run true to size.What sets these apart from designer pants is the material, they are 88% nylon and12% 8.6 ounce elastane. This material is abrasion resistant while it is soft and comfortable like those made from Lycra blends. The blend also is far more odor resistant than other fabric blends and moisture wicking.
The Recon Jolie with it’s patterns is a change from the monotone look of many athletic pants.
5.11 Tactical designs user friendly features into their pants not seen in yoga pants, pockets. There are slash pockets on each thigh to carry your phone, money, etc. If you prefer a more secure spot for money, there is a hidden pocket in the right side waist band. These pants were comfortable enough Nicole Lynn climbed up on her Jeep, Scarlet and got comfortable. She said they would be ideal for the active lifestyle.
There are slash pockets on each thing so you can carry your phone, ID, etc.
If you are looking for a bit more subdued pair of tights, the Natasha ($59.99) might be more what you are looking for. They are sized S-XL in black and flint. The material is again 88% nylon and 12% elastane but it is single jersey so it has a leather-like sheen. This material also incorporates Enduro-Flex properties so it is anti-microbial and moisture wicking. Like the Jolie, the Natasha has thigh pockets. These have flat coil zippers to secure items like your phone.
The pockets have enough give that even your sunglasses are safe in them.The Natasha may not look it, but these pants have enough stretch to be comfortable doing even the mos complex yoga moves.
While shooting photos of the Natasha we noticed they are dressier pair tights. The question is, would the dressy and slightly heavier tights would they be good to workout in? As you can see they certainly are ready for the most active of activities. Nicole commented that these are the perfect tights to show you can be dressy and shoot in heels…so we did.
While not ideal for competition, if you get the urge Nicole shows us you can rock red pumps while shooting.
With most of the country having temperatures in the 80s plus it’s hard to think of needing the next item, 5.11’s Kinetic Full Zip jacket ($89.99). It is available in sizes XS-XL and Black, Peacoat, Grenade and Lunar. This jacket is uses to different blends. The body is constructed of 94% polyester, 6% spandex blend; contrast constructed of 87% polyester, 13% spandex. Using two different fabric blends ensures the jacket washes well, endures the rigors of the range and looks good doing it.
The off center zipper helps prevent brass from going down the Kinetic’s cowl neck.
Aside from the material used in the Kinetic, it has a few unique features. First is the cowl neck and off center zipper to keep hot shells from being ejected down the jacket. Second to help keep the chill off, the drop hemline prevents the tail from riding up. Third are the sleeve thumbholes to keep your hands warm. Fourth, you will find pen slots on each sleeve. The next to last item is a zipper key pocket on the left cuff. Last is the back pocket for extra shells for the range or other items if you are out hiking. 5.11 packs the Kinetic Full Zip Jacket with loads of features to give you the best bang for your buck.
Thumb hole sleeves have become very popular. They keep the sleeves from riding up when layering under another jacket and help break the chill.
5.11 is known for serious use clothing items, but they also offer fun t-shirts and tanks for working out and casual wear. We looked at a couple of shirts to give you an idea of what 5.11 has.
First up was the white Sunday Gunday t-shirt ($18.39). This is a fitted shirt sized S-XL, made from 50/50 cotton polyester, 4.3 ounce ringspun jersey. Using this blend ensures the shirt will keep its shape wash after wash. For comfort and to prevent it from losing shape, the neck tape runs from shoulder to shoulder. Lastly all of the seams are double stitched to prevent them from coming lose.
This photo sums up the Sunday Gunday t-shirt; fun and sassy.
Our next to last item is the fitted Barbell BAE Tank ($24.99). Available in grey sized XS- XL, this 50/50 modal, cotton blend was designed with working out in mind. Unlike many tank tops, the neckline and arm holes are cut to prevent too much of you from showing when working out. Nicole told me both shirts run true to size. She likes her clothing tighter and wore a small in the Sunday Gunday Tee. For a looser fit, the medium in the Barbell BAE was ideal.
As you can see the BAE Barbell Tank’s neck and arm holes are cut to allow full range of motion without having a clothing malfunction. The Multicam Flag Bearer hat is ideal for casual wear, hunting or duty wear.
The last item is the Multicam Flag Bearer Hat ($19.99). With its six panel 100% cotton canvas, high brim construction; it will not lose its shape. The moisture wicking sweatband is foam lined for comfort, fit is adjusted with a hook/loop closure. On front of the Flag Bearer is a block of loop material to attach a patch. If you wear this as a duty hat there is another square on the crown for a reflective tape. 5.11’s Flag Bearer is built keep the sun out of your eyes for years to come.
This piece barely touches on workout clothing from 5.11 Tactical, but it is a good overview. Keep an eye out for more items to be added to the 2021 catalog. 5.11 understands ladies are an important part of the outdoor/shooting industry and continues to bring more items out to meet their needs.
The FN M240, or internationally the FN MAG, is probably the most successful and wide spread general purpose machine gun of the western world. It has also been called a medium machine gun or MMG in addition to the GPMG title which is associated with its multi-role and multi-variant nature.
How many variants? Well FN produced four. The Brits have twelve of their own. The Swedes have five. The US military has eight and that’s before the Barrett/Geissele. And then the Chinese made one illegally without license because, “F*ck you, we’re China.”
“But Keith, Ian is showing a BAR that looks kinda like the Colt Monitor Variant.”
Correct. The Browning BAR (via Colt to FN) was the direct predecessor of the FN MAG. The BAR internals and operation were (and are) suited for sustained automatic fire. They just needed longer duration and that has always been best accomplished with felt feds. Pulling the internals out of a BAR look shockingly familiar to modern machine gunners.
As Ian covers, the FN-D introduces the barrel change mechanism that carried over to the FN MAG/240. That feature has, while perhaps less practically applied, sustained on variants to this day. The “barrel swap” in order to increase sustained fire rates and preserve barrel longevity is fantastic in theory but in consistently applied outside of training ranges (and sometimes even there) since taking your working machine gun apart in a gunfight you’ve clearly been at for a minute has its downsides.
Imagine stumbling across a nice, 3-inch stainless steel Ruger GP100 in a gun store back in the early 2000s. The gun looks great, and there on the left side of the frame is a mysterious stamp: “CIA, Georgia VT.” Those three letters, “CIA,” immediately send the mind on a tour of fantasy, wondering if this gun was in the hands of an agent creeping around Central America? No, as CIA in this case stands for Century International Arms, the company that re-imported these guns. That doesn’t make these imported Ruger GP100s any less interesting, though.
During the mid 1980s and into the early 1990s, Ruger produced GP100 revolvers specifically for the export market. The two biggest consumers of these guns were Canada and France. In Canada, they were issued to the RCMP and municipal agencies, including the Montreal police department. In France, they were also issued to municipal police forces, sometimes alongside the Manurhin MR88, and sometimes instead of the French manufactured revolver. Eventually, they have been retired or phased out of service, and these imported Ruger GP100s have returned to the United States.
Now that they’re back, the imported Ruger GP100s make great basic carry guns, fun range guns, or first revolvers. Before the COVID-19 pandemic, they could be found for $300-$350 from surplus websites or on Gunbroker, and will hopefully return to around that price once the world settles down. If you do get a chance to inspect one before you buy, check three areas before you slap your cash on the glass. The first thing to check for is lockup – when the hammer is forward and the trigger to the rear, the cylinder should not have excessive side-to-side movement. A little wiggle is okay, but you shouldn’t be able to move the cylinder hole opening past the forcing cone. Next, on a GP100 you want to make sure the trigger/hammer engagement is working correctly by decocking the revolver. Cock the gun, then ease the hammer forward while releasing the trigger. The trigger should rebound forward on its own. Last, take the grips off and check for rust under them.
If you happen to have a set of feeler gauges and know what you’re doing, you could also check one of these imported Ruger GP100s for endshake, which is the amount of forward and backward cylinder movement. Truth be told, most of these foreign trade-ins have been shot minimally, so endshake won’t be an issue. I had a GP100 that fired over 10,000 rounds of 38 Special and never developed significant endshake, so a cop gun should be fine.
These imported Ruger GP100s are a great choice for a first revolver or a carry gun, if you can find one for a reasonable price. They’re fun guns with a good story, and they’re also some of the last law enforcement trade-in revolvers out there. If you see one, grab it!
During the mid 1980s and into the early 1990s, Ruger produced GP100 revolvers specifically for the export market. The two biggest consumers of these guns were Canada and France. In Canada, they were issued to the RCMP and municipal agencies, including the Montreal police department. In France, they were also issued to municipal police forces, sometimes alongside the Manurhin MR88, and sometimes instead of the French manufactured revolver. Eventually, they have been retired or phased out of service, and these imported GP100s have returned to the United States.
Now that they’re back, the imported Ruger GP100s make great basic carry guns, fun range guns, or first revolvers. Before the COVID-19 pandemic, they could be found for $300-$350 from surplus websites or on Gunbroker, and will hopefully return to around that price once the world settles down. If you do get a chance to inspect one before you buy, check three areas before you slap your cash on the glass. The first thing to check for is lockup – when the hammer is forward and the trigger to the rear, the cylinder should not have excessive side-to-side movement. A little wiggle is okay, but you shouldn’t be able to move the cylinder hole opening past the forcing cone. Next, on a GP100 you want to make sure the trigger/hammer engagement is working correctly by decocking the revolver. Cock the gun, then ease the hammer forward while releasing the trigger. The trigger should rebound forward on its own. Last, take the grips off and check for rust under them.
If you happen to have a set of feeler gauges and know what you’re doing, you could also check one of these imported GP100s for endshake, which is the amount of forward and backward cylinder movement. Truth be told, most of these foreign trade-ins have been shot minimally, so endshake won’t be an issue. I had a GP100 that fired over 10,000 rounds of 38 Special and never developed significant endshake, so a cop gun should be fine.
These imported GP100s are a great choice for a first revolver or a carry gun, if you can find one for a reasonable price. They’re fun guns with a good story, and they’re also some of the last law enforcement trade-in revolvers out there. If you see one, grab it!
The AR platform is essentially the God Emperor of Dune, if Dune were Modularity instead of a fictional planetary creation of Frank Herbert. If I want an entirely new stock on an AR platform it is nearly universally a 10 minute ordeal, at most.
Rare exceptions for one off systems like Maxim Defense and LWRCi models that have shorter unique buffer systems but those only add moderate complexity to the task. AR’s have threaded in receiver extensions that take the recoil system and support the stock and working around that system is very simple.
Upgrading my M16A4’s fixed A2 stock to the more comfortable Magpul MOE rifle stock took a few minutes and a flat head screw driver. The most complex thing about it was not loosing the rear takedown pin’s detent spring into orbit, since it is held under tension by the stock.
When I opted to further upgrade the M16″A5″ into the A5-I, I changed the stock again. The adjustable B5 SOPMOD Bravo went on which, unlike the MOE, required removal and replacement of the rifle length receiver extension and recoil system. This whole process took about 15 total minutes, including staking the castle nut (Yes, you should do that. It’s easy.), and I had my adjustable stock equipped M16.
And that’s really the extent of the complexity. Regardless of the current or future recoil and stock systems I want to run on that AR (or any other AR) the process of properly adding them to the rifle is rather simple and they are highly interchangeable.
Not so, on the AK.
In the video, Brandon goes into why choosing which stock option you want on the AK is crucial prior to purchase. With the exception of the standard ‘fixed’ stock tang configuration, which has some strong after market options, what you pick is pretty much what you get. A side folder is a side folder and an under folder is an under folder.
Side folder lyfe.
I like the side folder I bought, personally, and that’s good because I cannot just go and snag a B5 to put on the end of my rifle. I don’t intend to, but the point is that I can’t. My receiver is cut for the hinge and locking mechanism of the AK folder and replacements are nowhere near as prominent on the market as AR stock parts.
Add to that, each type of stock has it’s own receiver machining, and the under folders are especially invasive to the virgin stamping, making your selection prior to purchase critical.
That, ultimately, is what this post is about. Knowing that choosing the venerated and robust AK platform means making some largely permanent decisions when it comes to what configuration the rifle is in.
So far in this series I’ve talked mainly about growing the pandemic plants themselves. Today I’m going to branch out a bit into the needed “support” activities.
To grow well, plants need three things – soil, water, and sunshine. I can’t help much with the sunshine, but I will share a few things I’ve been doing to help with the water and soil situation. These activities are low to no-cost, and so are ideal for the “apocalypse garden” situation. Even if it’s late in the growing season, this can give you some things to plan for next year.
Compost
This first thing you can do to help your soil health is to start composting. I’ve written about it before a bit here. Composting is not only good for the soil, but also helps a great deal with the household waste stream.
Even if you only have an apartment balcony “garden”, the soil in your containers will benefit from compost you create from your own kitchen scraps. Compost will also help you “refresh” this season’s potting soil for use again next year, thus saving you money in the long run.
I have done cold composting in a plastic contractor bag in my garage for about three years now. The drawback to cold composting is that you need to chop things pretty small and try to keep seeds out of it as there won’t be enough microbial heat generated to kill them. Shredded junk mail makes a great carbon source to balance out the nitrogen source of the kitchen fruit and veggie scraps and also helps to keep down any smell. (Though I have not found smell to be a huge problem as long as you keep meat/dairy out of your compost and turn the bag regularly to aerate everything). Using that paper also reduces the household waste stream even further.
This year I started an outdoor compost bin mostly for the garden scraps. Having a spot to toss the trimmings that will eventually break down into soil amendment for next year is convenient and free, and doesn’t have to be unsightly. Mine is made of rebar and green mesh, tucked back against a forsythia bush that isn’t easily viewed from the street.
Urine as fertilizer
A second type of composting I’ve been experimenting with uses yet another free resource – urine. Bear with me if that grosses you out. But if you are fine with cow manure and horse manure for fertilizer, you need to know that human urine is actually a “cleaner” option, so it shouldn’t bother you to use this free resource.
Unlike manure, urine is actually sterile upon exit from the body. Unless you have an infection or are on serious chemotherapy drugs or something, urine makes a fine and free nitrogen source for your garden and compost. It has been well – studied in other countries.
I started down this particular path accidentally. I was experimenting with what to use in my “luggable loo” in an emergency to absorb liquid nitrogenous waste, rather than cat litter or other commercial concoctions. I decided to try the shredded junk mail and cereal boxes that I use for my compost as an absorbent material. Every couple uses I’d also add a layer of played-out potting soil from my window garden to the liner bag too.
Storing the bag in my garage when it was full (I live alone, so there’s no one else to object), after a few months with occasionally rolling the bag around to mix, I ended up with a nice broken-down dark compost. It has worked great as an under layer when starting a new planting bed or container – and it was free.
Urine/paper compost ready to enrich a garden container.
There are other ways to use urine as fertilizer. It can be deposited directly onto the compost heap if you are male and the compost is in a secluded area, or you can deposit it into a dedicated container like a peanut butter jar to then be poured onto the compost later. You can use it diluted as a weekly liquid fertilizer too, but but it should be applied directly onto the soil and not sprayed over foliage or edible portions of food crops.
In a collapse situation there probably aren’t going to be large amounts of chemical fertilizer available. If you don’t have livestock to provide manure for fertilizer, then human urine is an abundant and free source of nitrogen and trace minerals.
Cardboard mulch
Another free soil treatment I have tried came about as a result of the pandemic and my composting efforts. The lockdown stuff resulted in a lot of online ordering, which resulted in a lot of extra corrugated cardboard boxes arriving at my home.
Does your house look like this?
The larger boxes worked well to suppress grass when starting a new planting bed. But what to do with the smaller ones? I decided to try shredding them and using them as mulch in the planting beds. I figured they were brown anyway, so they wouldn’t be as unsightly to the neighbors as my regular multicolored paper compost shredding.
Shredded cardboard boxes ready for mulch.
I decided to do a trial in the bed next to the house in the backyard. I first laid down wet newspaper and brown paper which also arrived in those cardboard boxes. That was followed by handfuls of shredded brown boxes, which was followed by a light watering to encourage it all to stick together rather than blow around.
Mulched bed resting while waiting for fall planting.
It’s been a couple of months now and I am very pleased with the results. The shredded cardboard and base paper combo are suppressing weeds nicely, while also holding on to moisture and helping keep the soil from drying out too much around the plants. Worms also love to eat cardboard, so this encourages their proliferation in your soil.
It’s really hard to find a downside to this mulching method – maybe it’s that you have to have a fairly heavy-duty shredder to handle the corrugated cardboard. This method not only keeps dozens of boxes out of the landfill, it looks neat and tidy, is completely biodegradable, and best of all – it’s FREE!
I’m calling it a win. Give it a try and see what you think.
Water
After soil, water is the next indispensable ingredient for a garden. While true that you can just use the hose in normal circumstances, in a prolonged dry spell it can be hard on your well or your water bill with heavy usage. In a collapse situation you may not have city water service at all.
With my pandemic garden this year I issued myself a personal challenge. I wanted to use the hose as little as possible to see how it went. This turned into a quite an education in the value and use of water.
Gray water
The first step I took was to try to use only “gray water” or other water that I would normally let run down the drain. I didn’t go whole hog and re-route the washing machine or anything, I started small.
The first step was sitting a bucket under the shower while the water warmed up. That gave me 2-3 gallons daily, which I dumped into a lidded Rubbermaid tub outside the back door. The lid helped to deter mosquitos and the idly curious pet or wildlife. This was completely clean, potable water which would have otherwise run down the drain. I was previously wasting it, so I considered it “free” garden water even though I was technically paying for it.
A source of garden water you probably haven’t thought about.
Then I started putting a small “Easter bucket” by the kitchen sink into which I poured water that I washed vegetables in and water that I wasted letting the spigot water get hot enough or cold enough. That gave me another couple gallons a day to dump into the outside storage container.
Later I started adding water in which I had blanched vegetables for freezing. Some people also do pasta water, but mine just seemed a little too slimy/starchy, and I didn’t want my outside container to start smelling like a garbage can. I also added the water from my basement dehumidifier to the mix. I used up that stored water pretty promptly, so it didn’t have much chance to sit around and get stagnant and smelly, and the residual chlorine from the “clean” shower water helped keep the bacterial load down.
Eventually as my garden expanded, I needed more water than my gray water collection could provide. Which brings me to the next category.
Rain water collection
When my gray water production became insufficient I started looking into rainwater collection. Although my DIY skills are improving, I really didn’t want to tackle a DIY rain barrel system. It would have saved me some money, but some things are worth the investment to me and this was one of them.
I first ordered the downspout attachment to get the rainwater from my gutters to the storage barrel.
Then I ordered a rainbarrel from Amazon. I can’t find the link anymore for the actual company, but it was made in Canada not China (which was important to me at the time).
I admit that I had a bit of drama while setting up the downspout attachment. My house has downspouts that empty directly into the french drains- they don’t just dump out onto the lawn.
Following the directions on the box, I started sawing through the downspout with a hacksaw in order to insert my redirect attachment. Somehow I failed to notice that the bottom portion of the downspout wasn’t supported by anything. As I finished the last cut, the downspout section dropped down into the French drain below ground about a foot beyond my reach! *insert f-bombs*
I tried reaching it with barbecue tongs, but no luck. So I rushed off to the home improvement store while thunder rumbled in the distance, still muttering profanity under my breath.
Not wanting to purchase an entire 20-foot length of downspout, I bought three two-foot sections instead and some flexible elbows to jury-rig my solution. Then I rushed back home just ahead of the thunderstorm. I finished the job as the first big drops of rain were starting to fall. Whew!
That first storm filled the 54-gallon barrel and lasted me for an entire week’s worth of watering. My roof isn’t that big and the downspout was only draining one section. It only took that first storm to convince me of the utility of a rain barrel. I had no idea I could channel that much water that easily.
However, if things filled up with one storm then I needed to decide what to do about overflow. I decided against setting up a second barrel in series. I didn’t want to over-invest in my first season. The barrel did come with a flattened “hose” of sorts that was supposed to handle overflow, but it didn’t work very well.
I ended up jury-rigging a better solution for the overflow using an old vacuum cleaner hose ( I am not a a hoarder…), zip ties, and duct tape. It has worked well for me so far. I added knee high pantyhose to the ends of the hoses as an insect filter, too. Standing water can be a mosquito breeding ground and nobody wants LaCrosse Encephalitis, West Nile, etc., trust me.
My rain barrel complete with jury rigged down spouting and overflow hose.
As of this writing I’ve saved myself roughly 400 gallons of city water and the growing season isn’t over yet. This was accomplished with comparatively little effort, so it was definitely a good investment. Yes there was bucket-carrying involved but I’m not getting much exercise otherwise, so it was all good for me. Aren’t gym kettle bells really just glorified buckets anyway?
Another advantage to having a rain barrel is that it provides an alternate source of water in an emergency. Because god-knows-what is on my roof getting washed off (bird poop, mold in the gutters, etc) I wouldn’t want to drink the water straight. But boiling and a Life Straw filter would probably fix that in an emergency. That water would also be useable to flush toilets (as long as the drains work) and for hand-washing if boiled. You could even boil the water with your SilverFire Survivor Stove.
This whole exercise has really made me appreciate water much more than I used to. It’s easy to take such a precious resource for granted when you can just open a tap whenever you want. But when you have to save your water carefully and hand-carry it in buckets you realize how much you’re using, what it weighs, and what an achievement it is to have clean water piped right to every household. It also makes you realize what a shame it is to flush perfectly drinkable water down the toilet. But that’s the way things work until society comes up with a better plan.
All of that convenience isn’t likely to be there during an apocalypse, so planning ahead for garden and household water is a really good idea that you probably shouldn’t put off any longer. I’m glad I’ve started to address it.
I know that all of these measures I’ve talked about sound like a lot of work – and it was. But it was accomplished in small baby steps. This year’s reality is that I’ve had a lot of time on my hands and gardening has been a productive way to channel that energy and time. Honestly, all of this garden related activity has kept me sane and focused during a really difficult season. So, gardening is therapy I don’t have to pay someone for AND I get to eat the results. Win-Win.
The pandemic gardening isn’t over yet, so stay tuned for an update piece on how things went, what grew, what didn’t, and plans for next year.
The Soviet Union was very pragmatic. If they had something that worked, they didn’t really change it. They had AK, they kept AK. They just changed caliber and improved a few items here and there for both production ease and effectiveness.
The PKM is another example, just an AK that Kalashnikov made into a belt-fed for the 7.62x54r. He kept the proven piston and rotating bolt, built around a non-disintegrating belt and open bolt firing mechanism. He just flipped the carrier and piston essentially.
And as for optics and mounting… they had a method, they kept it. Side rail with a clamp. For dots, for sniper scopes, for carbine scopes, for machine gun scopes, and for rocket launcher scopes. All used the Warsaw Pact Side Rail Bracket.
Henry and Josh of 9-Hole Reviews speculate the ‘why‘ of the optical choice and I concur with their hypothesis. With a, perhaps, surplus of RPG sights available and RPG-7’s being more limited in their use than the AK-74’s the optics were of greater use as observation tools even if iron sights were still the primary method for engagement.
The ability to observe targets, observe and adjust for impacts, and even simply observe whether or not someone is or is not a threat make adding the sights an advantage to the Red Army soldiers, especially in Afghanistan where the distances being fought over were much greater than in Europe.
The Soviet military was well known for very simple fixes to tech conundrums, perhaps most famously when they took pencils to space while NASA spent millions on a Zero-G pen. If they have something that works okay they see no need to develop better. It’s contrary to the American arms race, especially in 2020, where everyone is on the race to make a better mouse trap.
Essentially if the Soviet Union found a solution, they took the Frank’s Red Hot approach and put that sh*t on everything.
[Ed: Economist John Lott, Jr., Ph.D. does the soundest fundamental research on gun control in the business, far better than the “public health” research DRGO routinely critiques. This is his latest (August 8) biweekly or so report on his work and appearances that he sends to subscribers. It’s well worth a spot in our post rotation, and it’s well worth your subscribing and donating to his non-profit Crime Prevention Research Center.]
This past week we released a new study showing that most countries ban mail-in ballots for citizens living in their countries and that even most of those that do allow mail-in ballots require Photo-IDs to obtain them. You can download a copy of the study here, and I think that you will be impressed by how much work our team lead by Margarita Masiukova-Robl put into collecting this information. The study got a very large news story at Fox News, and I published an op-ed on it at Newsweek.
An op-ed that I had at Real Clear Politics summarized five of the three dozen gun control myths that I discuss in my new book with that name. I think that you will find it particularly well written. I have also done 65 interviews in the last two weeks that have primarily focused on the book. On Friday, I was on the Sean Hannity radio show for an hour, which has an audience of 13.5 million people, but I haven’t had a chance to put that interview up yet. I also spent 3 hours on George Noory’s Coast-to-Coast AM,which has 9 million listeners. Out of all the recent interviews that I have done, I thought that the ones that I did on KABC in Los Angelesand WMAL in Washington, DCwent particularly well.
I did several television news appearances on NewsMax TV, the videos for two are linked below.
For information on activities at the Crime Prevention Research Center, here is a link to our “info deck.” Please view in full-screen mode and scroll using the arrow buttons at the bottom of the screen.
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Thank you very much for all your support. These have been difficult times for everyone, and I just want you to know how much your support has been greatly appreciated.
The Henry Axe 410 is an odd cookie. You see, fun guns are my favorite, I love fun firearms, and most of my weapons are fun guns. Fun guns also tend to be cheap guns, and not necessarily well-refined guns. The Henry Axe is undoubtedly the best made, most refined fun gun I’ve ever handled. The Axe falls into the same realm of weapons as the Mossberg Shockwave. It’s a firearm that fires shotgun shells.
This specific model is a 410 and features a 15-inch barrel with an overall length of 26.4 inches. There is no stock, just a grip. The grip look is what inspires the name. The pistol grip looks almost like an axe handle, and it’ an accurate description.
The Henry Axe is the perfect option if you want to feel like a Terminator Junior. We’ve already talked about how this gun is already inherently weird, and that’s ignoring the fact that lever-action shotguns are intrinsically odd. The combination of a shotgun shell firing weapon that’s not a shotgun and is also a lever action and is incredibly well made makes the Axe a real standout.
Style and Substance
Lever action guns are inherently stylish. Maybe it’s their old west appeal or the fact you get a visceral thrill from working the lever. I’ve always had a soft spot in my heart for lever-action guns. Add in the fact that I’m a shotgun nerd and think the NFA is abhorrent, and you get a weapon I’m bound to love.
The Henry Axe 410 keeps the finely made design, and high-quality Henry is known for. The Axe feels solid and extremely well made. The finish and wood furniture are both fantastic. The finish is a dark, blued steel that is extremely strong and durable. I’m not a gentle man, and I live in a humid environment, so any signs of rust would be present immediately. The wood is a dark brown American walnut that looks and feels great. It’s part of that style that keeps me loving lever action guns.
The Henry Axe features a single gold bead that’s large and eye-catching. The gun is topped with front and rear sling swivels, and you can load the weapon through a loading gate or directly through the top of the tube.
The lever glides back and forth and smoothly to manipulate. The Henry Axe only has a 2.5-inch chamber, so the lever throw is short and comfortable. There is no manual safety, just a transfer bar, and anything else would be an abortion on a lever-action gun. Lastly, the gun uses Invector chokes that are easily removable.
The Henry Axe is a very high-quality package, and it cuts no corners in its production inside or out.
Range Time!
As much as I love working the action on a pump-action shotgun operating a lever is much more addictive. It’s a shame 410 shells are so expensive because I keep running through them. The recoil on this gun is nearly nothing and the massive combination of wood and steel results in a 5.75-pound gun. To put that into perspective, it weighs more than the 12 gauge Mossberg Shockwave.
Even the heaviest load of buckshot is a kitten in this gun. It is not painful or difficult to control and doesn’t make the lever impact your fingers due to recoil. The Axe can quickly be fired with one hand, but it’s still almost six pounds, so I don’t suggest trying to flip cock it. The Axe ejects spent shells with a good bit of authority and power and sends them flying from the gun.
The gun is pretty easy to aim, and the lack of any real recoil keeps you from flinching or smacking yourself in the face. Adult shooters of almost any size or experience level can handle it. It’s even fun for new shooters. My girlfriend is a petite little thing with minimal experience with guns and has a blast with the Axe. Setting up a series of clay pigeons on the berm and blasting away against a timer is a ton of fun.
As a lever-action, the reliability is all on you and your ability to cycle the gun manually. It doesn’t fail to eject, load, or fire in the last few hundred rounds. While ammo is dried up all around me, I can still find plenty of 410, so this gun has been going to the range with me more than usual.
What’s the Purpose?
What could you do with this gun besides have tons of fun? It can be tough to find a real use for the weapon, and I’m not someone who needs a reason to buy a gun. If I searched my mind, I can find a few ways the Axe can be handy.
As a Floridian, I live in a constant battle with venomous animals of all sizes and shapes. Even the nonvenomous intrusive python is an issue here. The Henry Axe is a short and handy means to dispatch snakes with extreme prejudice.
The lack of a stock can make it a fun and challenging small game hunting tool. Squirrels and rabbits would be perfect prey for the Henry Axe.
You ever get one of those Wal-Mart clay pigeon throwers and get some buddies together for the most informal game of Skeet ever? If so, then the Axe is a blast to try and shoot clays with.
As a defensive weapon, it would work, but there are a lot better choices out there. A full-sized 9mm handgun would be a more practical choice, as would a braced AR 15 pistol.
The Henry Axe – Because Why Not?
The Henry Axe is not a cheap gun with its MSRP of 970 dollars, and thats a lot of dough for a fun gun. However, it’s also a very well built gun, and its the highest quality ‘shotgun shell firing firearm’ on the market. It has that classic Henry look, feel, and quality we’ve all come to know and love. That kinda quality costs money, and as someone who has spent more money on less fun (aka my first marriage), I’ll pay for quality when it brings a smile this big to my face.
This past weekend I drove back to the wondrous Alliance Ohio training facility to attend Sentinel Concepts Essential Carbine. I try and make it to at least one of Steve Fisher’s courses each year, more if I can, because the phrase “No two classes are the same.” is something that needs to be experienced to be understood. It is the absolute truth.
Every chance you have to pull the trigger on your rifle or handgun, under a structured informational environment, with informed supervision, to improve your shooting should be capitalized on. Even with ammo tight. Keep training.
What I did differently this time around (that I haven’t in previous training events) was cycle rifles.
“Everyone in this room, right now, needs to know how to operate an AR-15. Load it, unload it, and hit a pie plate (or a B8) at 25 yards off hand. Everybody in this room needs to know how to operate an AK. Load it, unload it, pie plate at 25 yards.”
There is nothing on this earth that guarantees you will be in a gunfight carrying your gun.
I brought four rifles.
I confirmed four rifles.
This does requires a level of familiarity with these rifles. You cannot expect to pull it off with a new platform you have not run yet, that’s what Clint was going for when saying ‘know how to operate’. For new rifles, take the platform through a course front to back. But rifle types you are familiar with, check on their readiness.
First up, my SCAR 16, it has grown since the TDP article and is still bar none my favorite rifle. It just shoots and runs like nothing else and that makes it worth the price tag, for me at least. YMMV, that’s fine. But the SCAR is just a smooth running machine.
But beyond the subjective nature of me liking the rifle and running it, it is my designated general purpose rifle. It is my first choice to be the tool for the job, especially if I’m uncertain what the job might be. That’s why its running a Modlite PLHv2 and Razor HD Gen III, and offset RDS. All purpose light, all purpose optic suite. From 6ft to 600 yards this rifle is going to be able to make something work.
That’s its job. It isn’t my only rifle with a job though.. so after several drills it got put on the table and another rifle came out.
The X95 is a shouldered profile as small as an MP5K but with full 5.56 carbine muzzle velocities. At 13″ in barrel length the little Hebrew Hammer can do work. I picked it up and went right back to the drill list we were running. I’ve also spent a lot of one on one time with the X95 and the IWI Academy, but this reaffirms that work in an alternative environment surrounded by ARs (and one SCAR 17).
My X95 is a house gun, it lives inside 50 yards and its optic and light are set to help me in that role. I can move and shoot at odd angles with it, easily open doors and take corners, and even switch shoulders effortlessly. It’s a fine rifle that is very good at its job and I love letting it work on the range.
Shooting the drills, same B8’s, same practical accuracy standards.
Day 2 we started with a quick 10 round confirmation… and I grabbed my ‘Truck Gun’.
Image by RMFA Photography, J. Sarkody.
Rifle Dynamics RD NATO. Fresh out of the carry bag just like I had last shot and zeroed it and just like it would have been grabbed in an emergency.
How did it do?
10 rounds from a Geissele Super Duty AR wearing a Razor 1-6 and 10 rounds from my CompM5 wearing RD NATO. 10/10.
More drills, more B8’s, more confirmation that these guns run the way I want them to and will do the job I ask them when I ask them. I ran through the 6 loaded magazines I had for the RD and put it down.
More like KILLigan’s Island.. am I right? Right..? Okay, I’ll see myself out.
Working standing, kneeling(s) and back to standing while also working a longer and more fatiguing drill. With ammo being scarce round counts are likely going to be reduced in classes for awhile to allow you to still get out and train.
And now. Rifle number Four!
M4gery!
An everyday AR-15 amalgamation that approximates an M4/M4A1 with common parts. Even a stock mil-spec trigger (since changed) and my old school middle-GWOT Marine ACOG. This was put together because it is still the reining standard of AR world. The M4 with quad rail, fixed front sight, and an Aimpoint or ACOG. LPVO’s are coming… but they aren’t here unless you’re rocking your own somehow (on a department, authorized, or DoD gun) or have SOCOM’s checkbook.
The old warhorse still does work, and you should still be able to do work with it. There are a lot more older rifles with older set-ups than new ones. The proof was in 2 others being in class. Gear changes and upgrades when it actually gets purchased to move forward, but don’t be in a rush to abandon working systems until you can transition well to the new item.
The M16/M4 and ACOG are my oldest and most trusted friends in the fighting rifle world. That’s home base, systems I’ve seen hundreds of thousands of rounds go through with a high degree of success from shooters with widely varying skill levels. From basically trained to truly proficient.
Rifle is Rifle
It does not and should not matter what rifle I pick up, I need to make it work. Do I have preferences? Certainly! SCAR 100% with an Razor Gen III, offset secondary optic, and a rock solid white light. Funny how that’s how mine is set up… This doesn’t make me dislike my X95, or AR’s, or XCR any less. It doesn’t make me trust these rifles any less or enjoy them less when I shoot them.
It means that if I need a rifle, it can be damn near any rifle, and I will make it work. It can be any optic and I can make it work. I can pick up, or be handed, a wide variety of carbines and ancillary supporting equipment and I can make it Do Work. The longer I have that rifle, light, optic, the more I can make it work for me.
If it’s a pick-up or hand off during a ‘spicier’ time in life, I’ve got what I got. If I can put a quick zero on it and check batteries and the like, awesome. That puts me even further ahead and more likely to succeed. Knowing that I might not fight with one of my rifles or handguns is a very real and driving force behind my desire to have a working knowledge of and share that working knowledge of systems with you all.
You can have a favorite, that’s great. But you should have a tempered respect for any rifle you might encounter, enough at least to know how it works. The shooter with the old FAL, G3 clone, M1A, SKS, or Mini-14, who knows how to run it can run circles around the Gucciest of Gucci rifles in the hands of someone who is non-proficient.
Spend some time and know the guns. Because Rifle is Rifle.
One of the most pervasive bad ideas in the firearms community is the idea that there are different kinds of shooting. “Range shooting vs real world shooting” is a comparison that is brought up often, but the problem is that it’s incorrect. Today we’re taking a look at the myth of tactical shooting.
Why do we even say that there is a myth of tactical shooting? Because it’s founded in the idea that somehow people shoot their guns differently when they’re in a life or death situation vs when they’re on a range training. The truth is far from that. When you shoot a gun, regardless of the environment, two things are happening. The first the physical act of shooting, which consists of aligning the sights, pressing the trigger, and managing recoil. Those are three factors are influenced by grip and stance, and together make up the complete athletic act of shooting. The second category is environment – what’s going on around us. “Environment” in this application means everything but the act of shooting, so it includes weather, your physical condition, the situation that you’re in, etc.
Confusing environmental factors for shooting factors is what created the myth of tactical shooting. The act of lining up your sights, pressing the trigger, and managing recoil is exactly the same if you’re shooting a 3×5 card at 7 yards as it is if you were shooting an axe-wielding psychopath in the face at 7 yards. That hasn’t changed, but what has changed is your environment. In the latter situation, your stress level is going to be jacked through the roof, and stress will rapidly degrade your ability to perform the act of shooting.
The myth of tactical shooting originated from people trying to create training scenarios to manage stress. Think of your brain during a stressful situation like a computer. If it’s devoting 50% of its computing power to the act of shooting to get optimal performance, it can only devote 50% of its power to the real world situation in front of you. However, if you’ve trained to become a proficient marksman, your brain can devote say…25% of its power to the act of shooting, leaving 75% to manage the “tactical” situation in front of you.
We accomplish this goal by two types of training. First is marksmanship training. The better we are at shooting, the fewer resources our brain needs to carry out the act of shooting when we need to do it. The second type of training is stress inoculation. Essentially, we want to use environments like competition shooting or quality force-on-force training to vaccinate our brains against stress, so that when we’re in an actual life or death situation, we have a level of familiarity with stress. This keeps us from falling apart, and mirrors the methods the US military has been using for years to train people for combat.
So when we say “the myth of tactical shooting” what we really mean is this: shooting is shooting. We prepare to solve shooting problems by training for those, and we prepare for the different environments we may encounter by vaccinating ourselves against stress by inducing stressful scenarios. But how to shoot a gun doesn’t change.
Good boots like BLACKHAWK's Trident and a quality day pack, make light hikes a pleasure.
In my summer ventures to the mountains of Wyoming and Montana, I experienced all four seasons in a week. Literally we had rain, cold, wind and snow about 100 miles northeast of Cody. Once Mother Nature was done throwing all this nasty weather at us, it got high desert hot.At altitudes of over 3000ft; the air is clear and dry and the sun is bright and hot. If you are going hiking, sightseeing or shooting you need supportive shoes with an aggressive sole without a waterproof liner.
Several years ago my choice would have been BLACKHAWK’s Light Assault Boot. This boot was a practically perfect boot for hot dry conditions with its Cordura upper and Vibram Multi-sport sole; this boot was a tank. Fortunately BLACKHAWK has come out with a new boot, the Trident 6” Ultralite.
The Trident’s multi-sport sole gives you good traction is mud, loose soil and sand as well as on rocky inclines. The Flex grooves reduce fatigue and pressure on the Achilles’s tendon.
With a name like Trident (the Navy SEAL badge), I suspected this was a tough boot. It is available in black or coyote in men’s sizes 5.5 to 14 with a MSRP of $129.95. I chose coyote because black would show the dust from the mountain trails.
Like previous BLACKHAWK boots, the Trident Ultralite uses 600 denier Cordura. This material is lightweight and durable. Unlike its heavier cousin 1000 denier, 600 denier Cordura is flexible and breathable. This helps to keep your feet from sweating and the Agion lining prevents foot and boot odor. Nylon by itself is not very supportive, so the Trident is reinforced with rough out leather. It wraps the body of the foot and heel for maximum support without additional weight.
Support is further increased with the NATO Speedlace System. This system uses the leather reinforcement to cinch up the boot at key locations like the lower portion of the foot arch and around the heel. When you snug up the laces, the boot feels like it is part of your foot. The gusseted tongue also helps keep your foot secure when wearing the Trident loosely laced by keeping your foot in the boot.
The gusseted tongue keeps debris out of your boots and the tongue from sliding.
Once BLACKHAWK ensured the Trident was supportive, the boot had to give you cushioning. This was accomplished by using Phylon for the midsole. Phylon is compressed EVA pellets that are heated and cooled in a mold to give a precise fit to the upper and outsole.
Comfort is further increased by using Ortholite for the insole. Ortholite is open cell foam that compresses barely 5% over the life of the insole. Combing the Ortholite insole with the Phylon outsole you should not have tried feet or an aching back at the end of the trail or shooting match.
A rolled toe helps prevent the sole from separating and give your grip on a vertical surface like a hill or wall.
When out on the trail or range we want a comfortable boot and one that gives good traction. The multi-dimensional tread clears debris and grips even on wet grass or muddy clay. The outsole rolls up the toe and up the angled heel. This gives you traction at toe off and when descending a slope. The angled heel allows your foot to roll and stay in contact with the ground where a boxed outsole may not give you traction on a slope with loose dirt or gravel. This is a feature that is generally found on high end hiking boots not boots with a $129.95.
The angled heel gives you traction descending a hill and it allows your foot to roll, this helps prevent twisted ankles.
BLACKHAWK’S footwear team packed the Trident Ultralite Boots with loads of features. These features make this boot ideal for hiking, hunting and competitive shooting when it’s hot and dry. If you get caught in a summer cloudburst they do dry fairly quickly. Quality footwear like the Trident Ultralite Boot will make your ventures more enjoyable by reducing strain on your feet, legs and low back. This definitely will help you stay safe and have fun
I don’t think it’s a big secret that people like PCCs. They dominate the market, and people like me eat them up. The majority of PCCs are straight blowback guns, and there is nothing wrong with that inherently. However, it does have it’s downsides. Whenever I see a PCC using something alternative to direct blowback, I get excited. The Banshee by CMMG is one such example, and the Banshee line of firearms includes various calibers, variants, and magazine platforms, and it recently grew by one, the Mk17.
The Banshee Mk17 is named because of the SIG Sauer M17 service pistol. You know, the P320 that won the MHS contest and is being adopted force-wide. The Banshee Mk17 takes P320 mags and is one of the first PCCs to do so. The Mk17 uses a rotary delayed blowback system that was invented and patented by CMMG. The rotary delayed blowback system utilizes a custom bolt that does resemble your everyday average 5.56 bolt.
It’s Technically Retarded
If you look closely at the bolt lugs, they vary slightly from standard AR 15 bolt lugs. This allows them to rotate inside the chamber and create a delayed rotary design. This design offers a lot of advantages over traditional blowback operation.
First, the Banshee design can accommodate calibers ranging from 9mm up to 458 SOCOM reliably. We also get fun oddballs like the 5.7 and 10mm in a reliable carbine-action.
The purpose of the Banshee’s delay is to allow pressure to escape before the bolt cycles rearward. The rotary delayed system eliminates the need for heavy buffers, bolts, or springs. This makes charging the weapon and fixing malfunctions easier and keeps weapon weight lower.
Lastly, if you’ve ever fired a blowback PCC like the Scorpion, you may have noticed the recoil seems a bit much for a 9mm carbine. Blowback recoil isn’t bad, but a 9mm feels like a 5.56. The rotary delayed system reduces that recoil and makes it feel more like a 9mm and less like a full-powered rifle round.
Screamin’ Good Ergonomics
CMMG’s Banshee offers similar ergonomics to the AR 15 platform. We must be specific here because there are several different series of Banshee. This is the premium grade 300 series. There also exists a 100 and 200 series that offer fewer features, but a lower price.
The 300 Series of the Banshee includes an ambidextrous safety and a large ambidextrous charging handle. Both are fantastic, and the charging handle in particular is outstanding. The gun is absurdly easy to rack, and the bolt glides rearward.
The magazine release is moved backward to accommodate easy reloading, and you can reach it with your trigger finger without swapping grips. Magazine releases can be a challenge with how pistol magazines lock into an AR lower, and CMMG figured it out well enough.
Short little fella’
The Mk17 sports a 5-inch barrel with a slightly shorter handguard that offers enough room to fit your support hand. The handguard has a built-in handstop that’s clever, small, and looks great. It also keeps your hand from getting a hole in it. I do prefer a mag well grip on a gun like this, but the handguard is just long enough to work.
The Banshee Mk17 uses the CMMG Ripbrace. The Ripbrace is a modified SBA3, and it is the same five-position design, except that it deploys to your preset position with nothing more than a quick tug. You set the position with a set screw and can pick from any of the five. It’s great to grip, rip, and have the brace set at your desired length.
The gun is a short 18.9 inches with the brace collapsed and weighs a mere 4 pounds and 10 ounces. The Banshee Mk17 is superbly light and capable. It would be an outstanding home defense weapon, especially for those smaller framed, weaker, or less trained shooters.
Range Day with the Banshee
Ahhh, the fun part of the review. The Banshee comes with one P320 21 round magazine, and I think it needs to come with at least one more. Luckily I have extra because loading one at a time would be terrible. I tossed on my Meprolight Foresight to act as my optic of choice and started at 25 yards.
At 25 yards, this thing owns everything. It’s an absolute beast that drops rounds into one small hole measuring less than an inch. Inside of this range, you can easily hit the vital portions of a torso or to make critical headshots. It’s a superb shooter even out to 50 yards.
My groups were 2 inches on the large side at 50 yards from nothing more than a hasty prone position. You could still quickly ring a target’s bell without trying very hard. Going beyond 50 yards and out to 100 yards starts bringing in the effort associated with bullet drop. At 100 yards, there are roughly 12 inches of drop from a 9mm round. Not only that, but the round starts becoming a little less predictable.
The groupings open up quite a bit, and I saw 5-inch groups at best. Pretty standard for a pistol round outside of its max range.
The Recoil of the Banshee
The Banshee Mk17 is a soft shooting little gun. The Banshee has barely any recoil and muzzle rise is also non-existent. It’s a soft shooting and capable gun. It’s impossible not to want to mag dump when you can.
There is a big difference in the recoil between a standard blowback action and the rotary delayed system the Banshee Mk17 offers. The Banshee is a little beast that’s perfectly suited for home defense.
Does the Banshee Eat?
Ammo is on short supply right now, so I only have what’s in my stash. This includes a lot of Winchester White Box 124 grain FMJs and a good share of SIG M17 124 grain JHPs. The Banshee ate it all and did so with little effort. Not once did I experience a jam, misfire, fail to fire, failure to extract, eject, or anything else. The Banshee goes bang with every trigger pull.
It’s not picking about being clean or lubricated. I have done neither, and the gun doesn’t seem to mind. I can also hold it anyway I want, and the gun doesn’t care. The Banshee Mk17 is one helluva PCC.
The Banshee is a lightweight, easy shooting gun that feeds from an up and coming pistol platform that will be around for a very long time. The Mk17 is a perfect new entry into a successful platform born to be short and light. It’s an expensive platform, but the quality makes it worth the price. My only complaint is that the gun only comes with one magazine.
That small complaint is one overshadowed by a competent and high-performance weapon. The CMMG Banshee Mk17 is a classy broad in a category of guns often occupied by plain jane operating systems. Give them a peep here, and you can see the Mk17, as well as models based on Glock magazines, FN 5.7 magazines, and more.
