SBR EPISODE I: SHORT-BARRELED RIFLES – A SHORT CRASH COURSE
In the early days of firearms development (beginning of the 15th century), the [extremely condensed and incomplete] discovery / invention timeline looked something like this:
- Rifling
- Wheel lock
- Flintlock
- Pin-fire
- Rimfire
- Centerfire
Short Long-Gun History
The development occurred over a span of nearly five centuries. However, once centerfire cartridges were introduced in 1869, Winchester produced the first center-fire rifle within three or four years.
And rifle development and purchases / ownership rocketed from there.
Many rifles were engineered with v-e-r-y long barrels. These long barrels were needed to help develop higher velocity (due to the limits / slow burning rates of the available propellents at the time). However, these long long-guns were very cumbersome to manipulate and shoot.
A demand eventually developed for smaller rifles that were easier to handle. To make those rifles or muskets lighter and more compact, the obvious approach was to shorten both the stocks and the long barrels.
Though a modification as such would definitely result in lower velocities of the projectiles, and therefore lower power, the trade off was much greater maneuverability. And if this new, smaller rifle could still produce acceptable levels of power, it would be deemed a worthwhile trade.
Carbine Creation
Thus was born the “carbine,” a shorter version of a full-length rifle, that fires the same type / caliber of ammunition.
And as the development of propellents progressed and long barrels were no longer required to achieve the desired ballistics, the next logical step was to develop even shorter barrel lengths – to gain even greater maneuverability and usability.
Birth of the Short-Barreled Rifle (SBR)
SIG SAUER Modular Handgun System Receives Full-Material Release from U.S. Army
NEWINGTON, N.H., (July 9, 2019) – SIG SAUER, Inc. in conjunction with Winchester Ammunition, is proud to announce the SIG SAUER Modular Handgun System (MHS) has officially received notification of Full-Material Release (FMR) from the U.S. Army Program Executive Office Soldier, Picatinny Arsenal, NJ. MHS is collectively comprised of the SIG SAUER M17 Full-Size, and M18 Compact handguns, and Winchester Ammunition M1152 Ball, M1153 Special Purpose, and M1156 Drilled Dummy Inert.
Full-Material Release is a significant milestone for the MHS program and is the official determination that the U.S. Army has rigorously tested and evaluated the M17 and M18 handguns, and associated ammunition, to determine it as safe for use when operated within its stated parameters. The official FMR notification received by SIG SAUER on June 27, 2019 states that MHS has been fully tested, meets all operational performance requirements, and is logistically supportable within the environment it is intended to operate.
Ron Cohen, President & CEO, SIG SAUER, Inc. began, “the Army’s announcement of Full Material Release is the final stamp of approval for the MHS Program, and a true testament to the successful collaboration of the U.S. Army, SIG SAUER, and Winchester Ammunition to deliver the highest quality MHS program to our soldiers in the field. The FMR notification really highlights the safety and quality of the M17 and M18 handguns, and the success of the MHS program in its entirety.”
To date, over 59,000 Modular Handguns have been delivered by SIG SAUER, and over 44,000,000 rounds of ammunition delivered by Winchester Ammunition to the Government for MHS; in the next 5-7 years an additional 350,000 handguns and 100,000,000 rounds of ammunition are scheduled for delivery.
“We are enthused by this announcement, and honored to have all the branches of the U.S. Military participating in the MHS program. These are both important and significant steps to ensuring that MHS, the M17 and M18 handguns, and Winchester Ammunition will serve the U.S. Military well into the future,” concluded Cohen.
The M17 and M18 handguns are 9mm, striker-fired handguns featuring coyote-tan PVD coated stainless steel slides with black controls and utilize both 17-round and 21-round magazines. The handguns are equipped with SIGLITE front night sights, removable night sight rear plates, and manual safeties.
About SIG SAUER, Inc.
SIG SAUER, Inc. is a leading provider and manufacturer of firearms, electro-optics, ammunition, airguns, suppressors, and training. For over 100 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 – a world class, state-of-the-art, 140-acre training facility. SIG SAUER is headquartered in Newington, New Hampshire, and has more than 1,700 employees across eight locations, and is the largest member of a worldwide business group that includes SIG SAUER GmbH & Co. KG in Germany. For more information about the company and product line visit: sigsauer.com.
Kimber EVO SP (TLE)
Kimber improves on their Two-Tone model with the EVO SP (TLE). They kept the magazine well, deepcrownbarrel and TRUGLO Tritium PRO, but they now also feature a set of TLE style G10 grip panels andbackstrap with an aggressive slant-checkering.
New Zealanders Surrender… 700 Guns
Total
As of last week reports out of New Zealand have the total number of surrendered arms in the country at 700 while the estimate on the number of now prohibited weapons hovers around 300,000.
Isn’t civil non-compliance grand!
As of last week, only around 700 weapons had been turned over. There are an estimated 1.5 million guns—with an unknown number subject to the new prohibition on semiautomatic firearms—in the country overall. – Reason.com
The New Zealand government responded in a world watched, perhaps record setting, knee jerk reaction to the horrific Christchurch massacre. Immediately the Prime Minister promised to ban the dangerous assault weapons that plagued the country. They were ‘clearly’ the only reason in all the myriad reasons that the massacre took place and banning them from private hands always works every time with no ill consequence and everyone is safe forever. The End.
Right? United Kingdom? Hold on, I’ll let you finish the morning shankings first. All is well, correct?
If you’ve been under the proverbial (or I suppose literal too) rock and are unaware of the act, the political actions since,and the resultant here is a summary.
The Massacre
A euronationalist, ecofacist, and several other descriptors that led him to being accused of both left and right wing extremism (funny that they damn near seem to be two sides of the same coin eh) named Brenton Harrison Tarrant, 28, killed 51 people and wounded 49 in attacks on two Mosques in Christchurch. He killed them while streaming it live on Facebook and has a published digital manifesto largely hidden in the bowels of the internet explaining why.
In summary, a racist piece of human garbage live streamed his attack for attention. He wanted to trigger a race war in the US to simultaneously stop our “Imperialism” and reinstate segregation or a multi-nation solution, get all non-anglos out of Europe through force, and punish Muslims for daring to be Muslim outside of the Middle East.
Typical extremist rhetoric, demands, changes that must be made, list of grievances, etc. But the attack was carried out in a modernized method of delivery that terrorists previously hadn’t utilized for reach. It targeted millennial tropes like PewDiePie and an old joke with the hands floating around the internet, and took full advantage of live stream video in a first world nation.
The use of technology for dissemination combined with the shock and scope of the carnage triggered several of the effects Tarrant wanted.
Including gun control.
The Response
New Zealand bans assault weapons quickly and says they would have a scheme to buy them all back. Mandatory confiscation of property by the government from hundreds of thousands for a crime hundreds of thousands of people didn’t commit. After this announcement the New Zealand public, many in support of doing something waited to see how it would shake out.
No actual plan was is place. The government was just going to ‘do something’ because, of course, they must. So they banned the evil “assault weapons” (semi-autos across a wide design spectrum) and promised to buy them back.
Is it a “buy back” if it wasn’t their property in the first place?
Anyway, the general feel of the whole situation is that while New Zealand does not have a 2nd Amendment protecting their natural rights of armament and the citizenry itself is not as culturally invested in its own retained armament as the United States, the citizenry is highly dissatisfied with the law and the proposed methods and amount of compensation for the turned in weapons.
If the New Zealand government had the first hint of a clue they would be offering full retail value for the firearms, without question. Such a scheme would show good faith on the part of the government for fair compensation.
Instead the New Zealand government is going to evaluate every weapon that is turned in, grade it like it would be going up for resale, and make a low percentage offer. A further cheapening of an already cheap move by the government to mandate property forfeiture without the owners committing and being convicted of a crime.
The New Zealand police expected a rate of non-compliance but it seems that the government is hell bent on doing everything in their power to assure that rate is as high as possible. Then they’re pointing to Australia and their buyback and asking why can’t it work just like that?
Well A: because that one didn’t work as well as everyone wants to pretend, and B: because New Zealand saw that it didn’t. To be sure the firearm culture of New Zealand isn’t what it is here, but they know a raw deal when they see one and they know they’re taking the blame for an action not their own.
Prohibition never works.
Trijicon ACOG: Gen 2
The Trijicon ACOG is not a new sight. The TA01 Advanced Combat Optical Gunsight was released in 1987 and gained acclaim, and wide adoption in the two decades after. By 2007 optics had become standard for first world militaries and mass adoption of sight platforms was proceeding. The United States Marine Corps acquired 115,000 sights after an evaluation of the optic in 2005 determined it was a high value add force multiplier fleetwide.
The ACOG line developed into a multitude of variations for service rifles, carbines, light, medium, and heavy machine guns. Trijicon’s nigh indestructible combat optic garnered a sterling reputation, but not quite flawless.
I gained an appreciation for the ACOG, especially the TA11 and TA31 models, which to this day I consider my preferred general purpose optic. I’m diving into the water of modernized LPVO’s and have plenty of red dot sights, both certainly serve their purposes. However, at this time, the ACOG is still my choice.
With dot optics rapidly advancing the ACOG’s deficiencies (namely eye relief) were starting to show through. The 4x and 3.5x standard sights were overkill in many mission respects. The ACOG was a well vetted jack-of-all purposes yet master of none, but shooters in many circumstances needed a more purpose fit optic.
The ACOG needed to evolve.
Introducing Gen 2
Trijicon released the Generation 2 Compact ACOG line with 5 added models. These new sights were smaller, stronger, more user friendly, and configurable. The Gen 2’s were designed to push the ACOG back into mission relevance in a field of optics and users that were heavily trending towards red dot sights and CQB focused equipment.
I’ve been using two of these models. The TA44 ACSS (a partnership with Primary Arms) and the TA50.
TA44
The TA44 is Trijicon’s direct address for what a sight like the Aimpoint CompM5 brings to the field. Small, robust, and reliable.
The TA44 ACSS is a 1.5x16mm gunsight. It sounds miniscule. It sounds ridiculously miniscule… until you use it.
I have astigmatism, a very common ocular condition that alters how my eye processes light. There are varying degrees to the severity of astigmatism but one of the most common side effects, when it comes to the firearms world, is red dot sights blur. This can take a few forms depending on the quality of the sight and the projection within.
EOTech’s appear to have a fine haze to my eye. The Trijicon MRO has a four pointed starlike visage at most brightness settings. The Holosun and Aimpoint emitters seem to produce the least distorted optical image for my eyes but still ‘star’ a bit. None of the mentioned sights had a problem when it came to being usable or accurate, my eyes just don’t see the clean round 2 MOA dot being projected. There is always a level of distortion thanks to my eyeballs.
ACOGs don’t have this issue. The reticle in an ACOG is solid state, it’s a physical piece, not a projection. The astigmatic eyeballs that reside inside my skull can see a solid state reticle without the blur.
So when it came to finding an optic that could perform as well or out perform a good dot the TA44 stepped to the plate.
1.5x16mm
With only a 50% boost in target image size and an objective lens smaller than any dot sight… I was skeptical. But I trust Trijicon and the ACSS reticle developed by Primary Arms made this optic as an ideal candidate if it worked.
Work it does.
The TA44 is still a magnified optic and has an eye box (area behind the sight where you can clearly see an image) but the listed eye relief of 2.4″ is such a loose guideline its nearly laughable. You can acquire a sight picture rapidly from much further away. The 16mm lens collects ample light and transfers a clear crisp image to the shooter’s eye. A reduced length fiber optic pipe on the TA44 greatly mitigates the overbright tendency that the TA31 can suffer from, a trait that led to users adding electrical tape to the sight as an improvised brightness control.
The micro sized Gen 2 ACOG is exactly what I wanted out of an optic in the red dot role.
TA50
The TA50 surprised me.
How do I mean?
With this little Gen 2 ACOG I wasn’t expecting much. I certainly didn’t foresee having a spot for it the way the I had the TA44. The 44 does something new and fits a need that the TA31 and TA11 don’t. But the TA50 is a 3×24, putting it right in the same basket of 3-5x fixed combat gun sights with the two older ACOGs, both with long excellent records of performance.
The 50’s spec sheet wasn’t nearly as endearing either. With a 1.4″ listed eye relief coming in closer even than criticized the TA31. The field of view was also reduced in comparison to the TA31. The “advances” for the optic swap were a reduction of magnification by 1, a reduction in length by .8 of an inch, and the saving of 3.8 oz in weight. Nothing I couldn’t easily pass on.
But let’s give it a fair shot.
I clamped the sight on and went to work. The BOBRO mount makes that a one lever process without the tension tuning many other QD mounts require.
With the spec sheet I was expecting the TA50 to act like a smaller TA31, an optic I unashamedly like as is and it doesn’t need a clone. What I found was a micro TA11 instead, and the TA11 is a sight that could use a trim.
3×24
The TA11 (pictured above on the M16) is a phenomenal gunsight. It’s most lauded feature point was better eye relief for those not digging the TA31.
But the 11 is… thick… especially by today’s standards. 8 inches long and 14 ounces of forged aluminum put it as the 3rd largest of the ACOG line.
The TA50, like its little brother the TA44, and like I am discovering on the whole Gen 2 ACOG lineup, has the eye relief “guideline” posted at the close end. The eye box is smaller than the 44’s but comes up generously and feels like finding the TA11. Despite being listed as a tenth of an inch closer the eye box on the 50 is better than the 31.
This revamped the entire way I had been looking at the review. By making the TA50 the logical successor to the role the TA11 had been fulfilling, the sight makes perfect sense.
And damn did it shoot well.
I put about 600 rounds under it on the ACE at a course. Then swapped it on over to my 12.5″ Aero
Another 600 down the pipe and I was sold. I pulled the TA44 from my M6 and put the TA50 in its place. The TA44 will now await the arrival of my X95 and my M6, an EDC Carbine designed in a “get me home from anywhere” type mindset, has greater observation and effective range. (For now… I have a tendency to play optical musical chairs on the guns)
Conclusions
TA44
The TA44, with the addition of the ACSS reticle, is a highly capable battery free CQB/reflex/red dot role gunsight. It’s light, durable, and retains the hands off ‘set it and forget it’ design that endears me to the ACOGs. It plays especially well with astigmatic eyes and using it with a white light will contrast the solid reticle nicely, avoiding washout.
Note: Green reticle has a tendency to be less visible in lower light and can washout in certain backgrounds, it excels in bright light.
TA50
The TA50 is exceptional in any role the older TA11 would be considered for. At 62.5% of the length and 43% of the weight of the TA11, sporting the same range of optical capabilities, the TA50 offers additional effective range and observation to users who want them. The size of TA11 might drop it from consideration, for smaller platforms especially, and the TA50 mitigates that concern.
Gen 2 ACOG’s
The 2nd Generation of Trijicon ACOGs successfully blend the traditional strengths of the older sights with the individual and agency requests for smaller, capable, durable optics. The lower magnification models in the 1.5x and 2x range effectively fulfill the rapid engagement roles intended for red dot optics while offering the user the advantage of magnification for observation and extending the effective range of equipped platforms. The Gen 2’s accomplish this with no additional complexity.
The 3x sight offers the desired features of the older models in a shorter and lighter housing, with easier controls than earlier sights, and features conducive to use on smaller platforms. The final offerings of low and high base models and a variety of aftermarket mount support mean the Gen 2’s can be easily added to most platforms on the market, even those that do not run on the AR height over bore standard offset.
Virginia Looking to Revive One Gun a Month
HB 4004 would revive Virginia’s repealed One Gun a Month law that was kicked to the curb back in 2012. Governor Ralph Northam is looking to revive the practice of limiting Virginia’s residents to buying one handgun per 30 day period. The law is ostensibly to keep the state from becoming an ‘arms trafficking’ hot bed.
“People would come to Virginia. They could go to a gun dealer. Buy 25; 30 weapons, put them in the back of their car, take them to D.C.” said Randy Rollins, former secretary of public safety under Virginia Governor Doug Wilder.
You know except…
The disposition of two or more pistols or revolvers to any nonlicensee [person without an FFL] during a period of 5 consecutive business days must be reported on ATF Form 3310.4, Report of Multiple Sale or Other Disposition of Pistols and Revolvers, not later than the close of the business day on the day of disposition of the second pistol or revolver. The licensee must forward a copy of the Form 3310.4 to the ATF office specified thereon, and another copy must be forwarded to the State police or local law enforcement agency where the sale occurred. A copy of the Form 3310.4 must also be attached to the ATF Form 4473 executed upon delivery of the pistols or revolvers.
So it looks to me as if there is a law for trafficking in place already that hands Federal, State, and local law enforcement all the information they would need to begin a case if guns were discovered to be being trucked across state lines. If I buy two handguns for any reason, like I bought a new carry gun but then a revolver I wanted for hunting this year happens to be on sale so I get that 3 days later I go on a list to the ATF, State, and local LE informing them I have purchased multiple handguns.
This particular notification happens all the time.
So what precisely are the Virginia legislature trying to combat with one-a-month?
Nothing. It’s “feel good” gun control. Security theater made up to look like a visible effort is being pushed with fire and vigor.
As Philip Van Cleave of the VCDL points out. “New York continued to complain about guns coming from Virginia, all the years that we had a one-gun-a-month,” he said. “It didn’t make a difference.”
It didn’t. It won’t. This theory is like putting an adhesive bandage for a cut onto a sunburn. Imagine the look on Washington’s face with this garbage happening in his home state after the anniversary of the declaration of war with the arms of the homefront against Great Britain.
Beware the Blade
(from bricksstuff.de)
Approximately 30 percent of all U.S. homes have at least one firearm. But there is another weapon that is in 100 percent of all homes: bladed weapons.
Knives are the most common, but this also includes hatchets, axes, swords, kukris, machetes, tomahawks, spears and the list goes on and on. It is unlikely that the average citizen is aware of the vast diversity of bladed weapons, which are probably mankind’s second weapon development (following the caveman’s impact weapon, the club). (For an overview of the variety of bladed weapons, see www.smkw.com and www.ltspecpro.com.)
If you talk to many police officers, most will tell you they would rather be shot than stabbed. If this seems strange, consider the differences between gunshot wounds and those from bladed weapons. When some people are shot, they don’t even realize it and keep on fighting; it is not unusual that police must shoot suspects multiple times to end the fight, especially when the suspect is mentally ill or under the influence of illegal drugs. On the other hand, cuts—even minor ones—are very painful.
When gunshots hit the extremities they may not be fatal. They can also create the classic “through and through” wound when they enter the body on one side and exit from the other, without hitting an artery or vital organ. Some bladed weapons are capable of chopping off an extremity (or even a head) with one blow; thus bulletproof vests offer little protection. Second, bladed weapons can easily sever an artery in a leg, arm or neck: unless medical intervention is immediate, the person will bleed to death very quickly. Third, bladed weapons can pierce a vital organ. Last but not least, a puncture wound to the chest can cause an acute pneumothorax (collapsed lung), which can be fatal.
From PreparedGunOwners.com: “Obama LIED again – more people mass murdered by Knife attacks in China than with Guns in America” which was written on January 7, 2016. From John Lott, PhD: “For the average multiple victim Chinese knife attack since 2010: 4.4 people were killed, and 14.5 injured. Excluding the Kunming Railway Station attack the average is: 3.1 people killed and 8.6 injured. If you look at all the cases where at least 4 people were harmed the average attack had: 4.7 people killed and 15.8 injured.” Bladed attacks occur all around the world but are rarely reported in our mainstream news media. Britain also, which has very strict gun controls, has seen a frightening increase in knife attacks over the last several years.
Terrorists have discovered the lethal combination of vehicles plus hand weapons, running as many people down as possible then getting out and shooting or stabbing survivors. Such attacks have occurred in Europe and the U.S., and I expect these to increase due to easy access to both vehicles and knives. And the largest terrorist acts are still being accomplished with airplanes, explosives, and fire.
Serial killers frequently prefer knives, as there is no forensic evidence such as bullets or shell casings and no unnecessary sound. Bladed weapons are cheaper and easier to obtain than firearms, and do not require the rigorous licensing process for purchase or permitting to carry. You are very likely face an attacker armed with a blade during a robbery, rape or home invasion.
Massad Ayoob’s core advice about knife fighting can be paraphrased as: “You may well kill your attacker with your knife, but he won’t die until 3 hours after he has killed you!” Yes, I carry a “Missouri legal” folding knife, but see this as a last ditch self-defense tool should my gun, pepper spray and impact weapon all fail—highly unlikely. Many years ago, I took a one-day knife fighting course in which we used rubber knifes. Every student would have died the “death of a thousand cuts” had they been real!
Mass shooters can be stopped by determined unarmed persons, either when their guns jam (as they often do with inexperienced shooters), they run out of ammo, or they have to reload. If the defender knows how to properly grab a pistol (revolver or semi-auto), it cannot fire the next round. There is also a physical limit to how many guns and how much ammo one person can carry. By contrast, bladed weapons don’t usually break, they don’t run out of ammo, and they need not be reloaded.
Imagine trying to stop a determined attacker who has a bladed weapon in each hand and 8 more on his body. I don’t see how, unless you have a gun and he is farther away than 21 feet. Pepper spray may slow him down and allow you to escape. However, criminals who are highly motivated, under the influence of drugs or alcohol, or mentally ill can attack right through both pepper spray and TASER defense.
Consider the Sandy Hook school shooter. Imagine he had been armed only with serious bladed weapons as described in the first paragraph. He might have had a harder time entering the school; perhaps he’d have had to smash his way in. But a mad man could hide and wield 10 or more kukris, swords, hatchets, and other bladed weapons without a problem. While gunshots alerted others that an attack was underway, a bladed attack would have been less noisy, with only the screams of the victims. The sight of limbs being severed and blood splattering would have caused pandemonium just as shooting did. True, it takes more time to kill with bladed weapons. But he would have not run out of ammo nor could anyone without a firearm have hoped to disarm him.
Despite the delineation of the “21-foot rule” by police officer Dennis Tueller in 1983, the media and public are still under the delusion that a bladed attacker should be reasoned with, shot with pepper spray or shot with a TASER, as if responding with a firearm is disproportional. If “ignorance is bliss”, then these ignorant advocates of “non-lethal means” are hoping that God really does protect fools.
Some bladed weapons— notably Tanto knives and tactical tomahawks, can break through auto glass and cut through the steel doors of cars like a table knife cuts through hot butter. Also, there are knives make out of hard nylon that can be sharpened and are not picked up by metal detectors. If you think you are safe in a “NO WEAPONS ALLOWED” building where every visitor has gone through a metal detector, think again.
Crime is caused by defects in morality and mindset, not by weapons—no more than pens cause libel. Murder has been with us since Cain killed Abel (Genesis 4.8). Those who want to protect themselves and family members should be on guard against criminals and terrorists who utilize bladed weapons, not just firearms or clubs.
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— Warren Lind is a retired licensed clinical social worker and former security officer who writes extensively about crime, survival, and self-defense. He is a member of too many pro-2A organizations to list.
QUICK AND COMPACT DRILLS FOR YOUR CARRY GUN
One of the old mantras many of us continue to see and hear is that the sub-compact firearm is “Carried often, but shot little.” Let me go on the record stating that I TOTALLY DISAGREE with this old adage. Like many of you, my every-day carry companion is a sub-compact handgun (the dark-earth 9mm Springfield Armory XD-S), and I shoot it on a regular basis.
It seems this adage is often repeated by instructors because, in their experience, many of the subcompacts of the past were difficult to manage and the recoil was harsh. These “cons” resulted in little practice time with the firearm.
With the smaller versions of the Springfield XD series though, I do not find this to be the case at all. I actually enjoy practice sessions with these small pistols.
Special Concealment Assignment
Quite often I get requests from friends in the security business requiring assistance with multi-day protection details. A few days prior to receiving the Springfield XD-S Mod.2 for evaluation, I answered one of these calls. After obtaining some of the specifics related to this executive detail, it was clear that a suit and tie were the “uniform” of the day. Knowing that 1) dress belts are not the best rig when carrying full-sized firearms and 2) blending in and concealment were the high priority, I opted to carry my sub-compact 9mm Springfield Armory XD-S as my primary firearm. My Springfield Armory SAINT was relegated to the trunk of my transport vehicle as the “back-up” weapon. Good choice, I know…
Range Time Required
With the protection detail a short week out, I focused my range training specifically to the XD-S 9mm and the .45 caliber XD-S Mod.2 that I had not yet shot.
I decided to drill / practice three techniques:
- Movement while drawing, with a concealment garment
- Multiple round engagements, more than the traditional 2 shots per target
- “Failure drills” – multiple rounds to the body, followed up by rounds fired to the head
BUYING YOUR FIRST CONCEALMENT PISTOL
I am often asked by family and friends to recommend or suggest a first firearm. And while I am honored to be trusted enough to be helping, I usually respond by asking, “What are you going to be doing with the gun?” The reasons for my question are several, and that usually provokes soul-searching and added thought by the person I’m helping.
Friendly Fire
I enjoy (and have gone through many times) the process of helping first-time gun buyers / first-time gun owners select the “correct” gun for them. The most interesting thing that I see when helping someone select their first handgun is that they usually end up with something completely different from what they initially thought.
I’ll tell you a story about a good friend of mine, who in her early 50s decided she wanted to get a gun. Again my first question to her was, “What are you going to be using it for?” And she said, “Honestly, I’m not sure.” While I appreciated her honesty, I told her she needed to think about what she primarily wanted the gun for.
Over the next few days we chatted a few times about exactly what she wanted her first gun to be. After our discussions, she finally decided that she wanted it to be a handgun and that it needed to also be easy to shoot / operate. She thought she was leaning towards a full-size service pistol.
So, I told her I had a variety of pistols that she could try and I would be willing to help out anyway I could. Over the next month or so, we went shooting with many different types of handguns, from revolvers, sub-compact and compact semi-automatics, up to full-size 1911s.
First Firearm Findings
After my friend had shot a wide selection of my handguns and was also shown the features of those guns, she finally ended up selecting the Springfield Armory XD-S in 9mm. I was slightly surprised that she picked this particular pistol, as initially she thought she wanted a full-size service pistol. After all the test firing of over a dozen different guns, my friend told me that the XD-S 9mm fit every requirement that she was looking for. The XD-S was a do-it-all handgun for her particular situation.
America!
You knew it was coming.
Enjoy.
Stay safe. Use sunscreen. Keep all your digits and limbs. And America the fuck on!
IN CONGRESS, JULY 4, 1776
The unanimous Declaration of the thirteen United States of America
When in the Course of human events it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature’s God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation.
We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. — That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, — That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness. Prudence, indeed, will dictate that Governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes; and accordingly all experience hath shewn that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed. But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future security. — Such has been the patient sufferance of these Colonies; and such is now the necessity which constrains them to alter their former Systems of Government. The history of the present King of Great Britain is a history of repeated injuries and usurpations, all having in direct object the establishment of an absolute Tyranny over these States. To prove this, let Facts be submitted to a candid world.
He has refused his Assent to Laws, the most wholesome and necessary for the public good.
He has forbidden his Governors to pass Laws of immediate and pressing importance, unless suspended in their operation till his Assent should be obtained; and when so suspended, he has utterly neglected to attend to them.
He has refused to pass other Laws for the accommodation of large districts of people, unless those people would relinquish the right of Representation in the Legislature, a right inestimable to them and formidable to tyrants only.
He has called together legislative bodies at places unusual, uncomfortable, and distant from the depository of their Public Records, for the sole purpose of fatiguing them into compliance with his measures.
He has dissolved Representative Houses repeatedly, for opposing with manly firmness his invasions on the rights of the people.
He has refused for a long time, after such dissolutions, to cause others to be elected, whereby the Legislative Powers, incapable of Annihilation, have returned to the People at large for their exercise; the State remaining in the mean time exposed to all the dangers of invasion from without, and convulsions within.
He has endeavoured to prevent the population of these States; for that purpose obstructing the Laws for Naturalization of Foreigners; refusing to pass others to encourage their migrations hither, and raising the conditions of new Appropriations of Lands.
He has obstructed the Administration of Justice by refusing his Assent to Laws for establishing Judiciary Powers.
He has made Judges dependent on his Will alone for the tenure of their offices, and the amount and payment of their salaries.
He has erected a multitude of New Offices, and sent hither swarms of Officers to harass our people and eat out their substance.
He has kept among us, in times of peace, Standing Armies without the Consent of our legislatures.
He has affected to render the Military independent of and superior to the Civil Power.
He has combined with others to subject us to a jurisdiction foreign to our constitution, and unacknowledged by our laws; giving his Assent to their Acts of pretended Legislation:
For quartering large bodies of armed troops among us:
For protecting them, by a mock Trial from punishment for any Murders which they should commit on the Inhabitants of these States:
For cutting off our Trade with all parts of the world:
For imposing Taxes on us without our Consent:
For depriving us in many cases, of the benefit of Trial by Jury:
For transporting us beyond Seas to be tried for pretended offences:
For abolishing the free System of English Laws in a neighbouring Province, establishing therein an Arbitrary government, and enlarging its Boundaries so as to render it at once an example and fit instrument for introducing the same absolute rule into these Colonies
For taking away our Charters, abolishing our most valuable Laws and altering fundamentally the Forms of our Governments:
For suspending our own Legislatures, and declaring themselves invested with power to legislate for us in all cases whatsoever.
He has abdicated Government here, by declaring us out of his Protection and waging War against us.
He has plundered our seas, ravaged our coasts, burnt our towns, and destroyed the lives of our people.
He is at this time transporting large Armies of foreign Mercenaries to compleat the works of death, desolation, and tyranny, already begun with circumstances of Cruelty & Perfidy scarcely paralleled in the most barbarous ages, and totally unworthy the Head of a civilized nation.
He has constrained our fellow Citizens taken Captive on the high Seas to bear Arms against their Country, to become the executioners of their friends and Brethren, or to fall themselves by their Hands.
He has excited domestic insurrections amongst us, and has endeavoured to bring on the inhabitants of our frontiers, the merciless Indian Savages whose known rule of warfare, is an undistinguished destruction of all ages, sexes and conditions.
In every stage of these Oppressions We have Petitioned for Redress in the most humble terms: Our repeated Petitions have been answered only by repeated injury. A Prince, whose character is thus marked by every act which may define a Tyrant, is unfit to be the ruler of a free people.
Nor have We been wanting in attentions to our British brethren. We have warned them from time to time of attempts by their legislature to extend an unwarrantable jurisdiction over us. We have reminded them of the circumstances of our emigration and settlement here. We have appealed to their native justice and magnanimity, and we have conjured them by the ties of our common kindred to disavow these usurpations, which would inevitably interrupt our connections and correspondence. They too have been deaf to the voice of justice and of consanguinity. We must, therefore, acquiesce in the necessity, which denounces our Separation, and hold them, as we hold the rest of mankind, Enemies in War, in Peace Friends.
We, therefore, the Representatives of the united States of America, in General Congress, Assembled, appealing to the Supreme Judge of the world for the rectitude of our intentions, do, in the Name, and by Authority of the good People of these Colonies, solemnly publish and declare, That these united Colonies are, and of Right ought to be Free and Independent States, that they are Absolved from all Allegiance to the British Crown, and that all political connection between them and the State of Great Britain, is and ought to be totally dissolved; and that as Free and Independent States, they have full Power to levy War, conclude Peace, contract Alliances, establish Commerce, and to do all other Acts and Things which Independent States may of right do. — And for the support of this Declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of Divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes, and our sacred Honor.
New Hampshire:
Josiah Bartlett, William Whipple, Matthew Thornton
Massachusetts:
John Hancock, Samuel Adams, John Adams, Robert Treat Paine, Elbridge Gerry
Rhode Island:
Stephen Hopkins, William Ellery
Connecticut:
Roger Sherman, Samuel Huntington, William Williams, Oliver Wolcott
New York:
William Floyd, Philip Livingston, Francis Lewis, Lewis Morris
New Jersey:
Richard Stockton, John Witherspoon, Francis Hopkinson, John Hart, Abraham Clark
Pennsylvania:
Robert Morris, Benjamin Rush, Benjamin Franklin, John Morton, George Clymer, James Smith, George Taylor, James Wilson, George Ross
Delaware:
Caesar Rodney, George Read, Thomas McKean
Maryland:
Samuel Chase, William Paca, Thomas Stone, Charles Carroll of Carrollton
Virginia:
George Wythe, Richard Henry Lee, Thomas Jefferson, Benjamin Harrison, Thomas Nelson, Jr., Francis Lightfoot Lee, Carter Braxton
North Carolina:
William Hooper, Joseph Hewes, John Penn
South Carolina:
Edward Rutledge, Thomas Heyward, Jr., Thomas Lynch, Jr., Arthur Middleton
Georgia:
Button Gwinnett, Lyman Hall, George Walton
Have a Safe and Fantastic Independence Day
Calguns and FPC Take on California
Calguns and the Firearms Policy Coalition (FPC) groups filed a federal lawsuit on Monday, challenging California’s new law banning the sale of firearms to people under the age of 21, arguing those 18 and over are adults with legal rights to possess pistols and rifles.
“Once individuals turn eighteen, they are adults in the eyes of the law,” said John W. Dillon, the Carlsbad attorney representing the gun groups. “Law-abiding adults are entitled to fully exercise all of their fundamental rights, including their Second Amendment right to keep and bear arms for all lawful purposes, not just hunting or sport.” – Via KTLA
The FPC
All adults not otherwise prohibited from having firearms have the same rights as others. Age-based discrimination in this context is unconstitutional and morally wrong. These adults could be called to fight and die for their country, but the State of California had prevented them from accessing the full scope of constitutional rights entitled to them under natural law and the Constitution.
Individuals 18 years and older are considered adults for almost all purposes. For example, at 18 years old, U.S. citizens can (i) vote, (ii) fully exercise their freedom of speech, (iii) receive the full protections under the 4th, 5th, and 6th Amendments, (iv) enter into contracts, and (v) serve in the United States military. Indeed, male citizens over 18 years of age are designated members of the militia pursuant to federal statute, 10 U.S.C. § 246(a), and may be selected and inducted for training and service into the United States armed forces, 50 U.S.C. § 3803(a). As such, they are eligible to serve in the military, and to die for their country.
In addition, the “militia of the State” consists of both the organized and unorganized militia. Specifically, the State’s organized militia encompasses the National Guard, State Military Reserve and the Naval Militia. (Cal. Military and Veterans Code Section 120.)
“The unorganized militia consist of all persons liable to service in the militia, but not members of the National Guard, the State Military Reserve, or the Naval Militia.” (Cal. Military and Veterans Code Section 121.)
The Supreme Court in D.C. v. Heller recognized that through Congress’ plenary power, it organized all able-bodied men between 18 and 45 as part of the militia in the first Militia Act. (Heller, 554 U.S. at 596.) Thus, the Supreme Court recognized 18-to-20-year-olds as part of the militia; and as such, they necessarily have the right to keep and bear arms. Further, as affirmed in Heller, the right to keep and bear arms extends beyond the militia, reserving an individual right to keep and bear arms for all lawful purposes, “most notably for self-defense within the home.” (McDonald v. City of Chicago, 561 U.S. 742, 780 (2010).)
This case seeks to protect and restore the Second Amendment rights of legal adults who are being prevented from exercising them because of California’s statutes and the Defendants’ policies, practices, laws, and customs they enforce.
This is a major case in the battle for gun rights that could set national precedent on what the 2nd Amendment truly protects. We need this win.
Aridus Industries and the Beretta 1301 Tactical
By James Lu
Shotguns have become synonymous with hunting, home defense, and car rides.
The shotgun is, by most accounts, an aged design, with first patents dating back to the mid-1800s. But without improvements to the existing “pump action” and “semi-auto” designs, shotguns have fallen by the wayside in favor of more modern platforms like the AR.
The 1301
The 1301 is an extremely reliable semi-automatic gas-operated 12 gauge that comes ready to go right out of the box. With an 18.5 inch barrel, 5-round magazine tube, fully adjustable ghost ring sights, and a rail for mounting optics it’s already set up nicer than most factory guns. The compact synthetic stock has a 13-inch length of pull with aggressive texturing on both the stock and forend.
The Beretta 1301 is also lighter than most shotguns weighing in at 6.4 pounds. Even though it’s so light, this is an incredibly soft-shooting 12 gauge thanks to the Beretta “Blink” gas system and rotating bolt.
Beretta’s 1301 Tactical brings shotguns into the 21st century but, admittedly, still leaves some room for improvement.
Enter Adam Roth and Aridus Industries
Aridus Industries is new to the scene, but Adam Roth is by no means an amateur when it comes to the shotgun. Roth has worked with industry giants like Steve Fisher, and Rob and Matt Haught—more on that later.
When it comes to employing the shotgun in self-defense or “social” situations, Roth has done his homework, and he offers a number of products for popular lines such as Remington 870, Mossberg 500/590, and the Beretta 1301.
Improving the 1301
Back to front, Aridus has done everything conceivable to make the 1301 user-friendly and ready for action.
Starting with the stock. Shotgun stocks are notoriously long, too long for effective use in many cases for the defense role. Aridus takes full advantage of the Magpul ASA-1301 Stock Adapter to mount the Mossberg 500 Magpul Stock to the 1301 and still use the SGA receiver sling mount, if desired. This brings the length of pull from 13+” to a little over 12”.
Q-DC
Moving forward is the item that put Aridus Industries on the map. The Q-DC is the Aridus answer to another age-old question about shotguns: How do I carry more ammo?
There are several options out there for ammo carriers, ranging from plastic shell holders to elastic shell cards with Velcro backing, but Aridus has taken the concept a few steps further. The receiver adapter is machined from a block of 6061-T6 US-made aluminum with a durable type III hardcoat anodized finish. The parkerized steel latch and stainless steel torsion spring keep the carrier in place, and removing the carrier is as simple as depressing the torsion lever and pulling the carrier outward. Reattaching is even simpler, merely snap it into place along the receiver.
On the side of the ejection port, Aridus makes a small, yet almost invaluable addition to the 1301’s shell removal system. This Beretta semi-auto is an excellent shotgun, but the stock shell removal system drops the bolt if pushed down on one end and drops all the rounds in the magazine tube if pushed down on the other end. It’s a nice idea when you’re hunting, crossing fences, or working administratively on the gun, but it’s not as desirable in a defensive encounter.
Aridus developed the YT-1301 Latch and Shroud, which all but eliminates the 1301’s ability to drop all its shells, essentially turning it into a bolt release only.
CROM
Aridus boasts the lowest optic mount currently on the market: the CROM mount. Their proprietary mount allows the user to mount any Aimpoint (RMR too) or similar clone low enough to co-witness the ironsights—a high feat in the world of shotguns.
The CROM mount was designed with input from Rob Haught, and a “Haught Mod” is available, which modifies the ghost ring to make it faster and easier to line up the sights. Using the CROM mount requires removing the stock rear sign and optic rail and swap to Aridus equipment.
Instructions and an installation video by Roth himself walk the user through the simple process. Please note that, if using the clone optic route, it is recommended to double-check dimensions to ensure your optic fits and you can reach the mounting hardware with the optic installed.
Zhukov 1301
The Beretta 1301’s stock forend is serviceable, but it lacks the ability to mount attachments. With a fair amount of engineering, Roth was able to modify the Zhukov handguard—originally developed for the AK platform—to create front and rear mounting adapters that allow it to integrate seamlessly onto the 1301s magazine tube. With the Zhukov, users can mount lights, sling points, extra shell holders, and more, as long as the M-LOK screws are cut or ground down from the to prevent interference with the 1301’s action. Some screws will clear, some will be long.
Beretta certainly hit a homerun with the 1301 series of shotguns, and Adam Roth at Aridus Industries helped them turn it into a grand slam and bring the 1301 up to the forefront of hard use gear.
