Whenever I review a red dot, I talk about its refresh rate. Refresh rate is critical to a red dot’s performance. When I mention flicker or blink with a low refresh rate optic, I see people claim their red dot doesn’t do that, and I’m wrong. I’m wrong about a lot of things, but I think the misconception comes from a misunderstanding of what refresh rate is and how it affects shooting.
Today, we are going to try and clear that misconception up. A high refresh rate is important enough that it might be one of the more critical features of a red dot sight. A red dot uses an emitter that shines an LED light against an optic’s lens. The lens has a coating that allows the LED to reflect against it and form your reticle.
That bluish tint is the coating used to reflect the dot. To help preserve battery life, the LED isn’t always on. It’s rapidly turning itself on and off so fast you can’t perceive it, well, most of the time you can’t perceive it. The higher the refresh rate, the faster the LED is coming on and off, and a higher refresh rate is ultimately more desirable.
Refresh Rate and Red Dot Performance
I can’t think of any modern red dots, even cheap ones, with a refresh rate so low that you can see it flicker with the naked eye when holding the weapon and optic stationary. An easy way to observe a low refresh rate is to use the camera on your phone. The rolling shutter design used in smartphones can capture the flicker.
Hold the camera up to the optic and move the optic a bit. You’ll be able to see it flicker. Even dots with a high refresh rate will flicker a little under a camera, but it won’t be as apparent as an optic with a low refresh rate.
If your naked eye can’t see the difference, then what’s the big deal? Well, you can see the difference primarily when shooting fast and when moving the gun from target to target, or just moving the gun quickly. The shooter’s eye can see the dot flicker or lag when moved, which can slow a shooter down since they can’t maintain a great sight picture.
A high refresh rate dot will blur, but will be easy to track and see during fast movements. A low refresh rate is most apparent on handguns. The slide reciprocates rapidly, which can cause the dot to flicker and stall. If you’re tracking the dot so you can make multiple hits, then the refresh rate becomes critical.
When it comes to defensive shooting or competition shooting, being able to track that dot absolutely matters for shooting fast and accurately.
Under Night Vision
I’ll admit I don’t care about night vision. It’s neat, but the happiness it brings just isn’t worth the price tag to me. I’m taking this information from folks who shoot a lot under night vision and all say the same thing. Refresh rate matters a lot under night vision.
When viewing a low refresh rate under night vision, you’ll be able to see the flicker and blink, even more so when moving. Remember, we want that refresh rate to be high for fast shooting.
Astigmatism and Refresh Rate
Using red dots is always a pain if you have astigmatism. Astigmatism varies a lot depending on the individual. Some can use the optic with relative ease, and others cannot. A high refresh rate can’t fix the astigmatism issue. A low refresh rate can exacerbate an astigmatism issue. A low refresh rate can make a red dot seem even worse for a shooter with astigmatism.
Go High
A high refresh rate is just better. Quality optics have high refresh rates. Heck, even cheap brands like Cylee tend to have decent refresh rates. These days optics are getting better, but every so often a company will plop out an optic with a low refresh rate, and it will be a real pain to deal with.
The author’s hobo skillet was from a heavy-gauge aluminum baking pie pan.
I’ve been called a hobo for my style of packing and camping. I reply, “Is it hobo or good living?” The term hobo may be thought of in a derogatory way, but not to me. Hobos had tools and skills, yet were used to roughing it in the true sense. Here are a few hobo skills we can all learn from and ways to utilize gear and refuse in an old-school way.
A “hobo” is a migratory worker or wanderer who travels by freight trains. They seek employment and opportunities. Hobos have a unique culture shaped by their nomadic lifestyle. Unlike “tramps,” they are willing to work for food or money. “Bums” often avoid work altogether. Hobo culture includes distinct skills, symbols, and traditions passed down through generations.
You can utilize hobo skills in survival scenarios, making the most of what you find, create, or trade for. Like backpackers and minimalists, hobos also had that multiuse mentality. Carry items that have multiple uses whenever possible, and consider modifying your gear accordingly. Finally, hobos are ingenious and have the tools and skills to create what they need while on the go!
Pie Tin Skillet
I refer to it as a pie tin, loosely. In fact, it’s not the cheap foil tin type that is disposable. I saw a baking pie pan on sale and tried incorporating it into my camp cook kit. First, I procured a broomstick-thick piece of wood and cut it to length. Then, I made a notch for the pan to fit into with a simple cut from a Swiss Army Knife. The rim of the pan needs to be bent to increase grip and stability, especially when full of food. I played with it until it fit just right.
A handle was made by the author using a broomstick-thick stick and a Swiss Army Knife saw.
I converted the baking pan into a Hobo Skillet and found another use for it after removing the handle. The empty, clean pan easily fanned the flames for my campfire. So, hobo or good living? I call it good living!
Good Living with Cardboard
Cardboard is an insulator. In the 2012 movie, Big Miracle, there’s a scene on the ice where a kid is selling cardboard. The idea was to stand on it while watching trapped whales in a small town in Alaska. At first, the cardboard was priced very low, but the smart kid eventually raised the price drastically.
That’s the power of cardboard as an insulator. So, when I toted a large Priority Mail box to the woods for my insulation, I was expecting good results. As expected, it insulated well, as I slipped down the smooth surface all night. I should have adjusted the hammock, but I like a little suffering. It was definitely a case of hoboing over good living.
Cardboard and an empty wine bag add comfort, and you can easily replace them.
Good Living Hobo Stove
A hobo stove is a genius concept. They’ve been in production for decades before Emberlit and Uberleben entered the game with their twig stoves. Original hobo stoves come in various sizes, each with its own unique design. Many hobos create stoves from food or coffee cans. They all run on combustible fuel like paper, sticks, scrap wood, and rags. Some of these stoves feature a round surface on top that serves as a griddle, while traditional stoves have an open top.
Starting with an open can, poke holes in the bottom and top rim for airflow. Decide if you want a fuel port to add sticks and fuel. The port can be at the bottom, allowing you to slide fuel in, or atop, where valued coals can’t escape. Remember, hobos had tools and skills. In reality, you need a can opener and a knife, but tin snips would make it safer and easier. Hobo or good living? I call it good hobo living!
Here’s a small coffee can hobo stove the author made last winter with a top fuel port.
Box Wine For Hobo Comfort
Spoiler alert. Box wine is really in a bag. Several years ago, putting together my Covid Hunker Down Camp, I decided to add items that were easy to obtain. Rather than stash a good camp pillow in the forest, I used an empty wine bag. It was easy to adjust the firmness with the valve. However, you had to deal with a certain amount of Pinot Grigio or White Zinfandel in the air.
I tried it in a hammock first, with minimal air, since a hammock doesn’t really require a pillow. It was in the hot summer months, and the hammock was the way to go. However, during the colder months, I used the wine bag on my pole bed on several overnight trips. It worked ok, but obviously I needed to cover the bag with a hanky or some cloth. It can be slick and want to glide off the wooden poles, so I put it inside my bivy. Hobo or good living? Both.
Hobo or Good Living Conclusion
A tracker once said after studying tracks and constantly looking for signs, “You’ll never look at the ground the same.” The same is true when looking at bottles, tin cans, metal, and other waste—it will never look the same!
I love weird guns, but more than that, I love when people are brave enough to do something different with firearm design. People being able to innovate is why we have guns like the Glock, the AR-15, and inertia-driven semi-auto shotguns. Innovation can be amazing, but it can also be flawed. Today we are going to look at some innovative, interesting gun designs that went amok throughout history.
Operation Mercury was a disaster for German paratroopers. German paratroopers parachuted with handguns and had to retrieve their rifles and machine guns from dropped crates. This led to massive casualties and changed Hitler’s tactics and use of paratroopers. The paratroopers sought to develop a selective-fire rifle that they could jump with and that would act as a rifle, machine gun, and submachine gun.
This led to the development of the FG-42. The FG-42 was a 7.92x57mm weapon that doesn’t neatly fit into any category of firearm. When fired in semi-auto, the gun used a closed-bolt design. It was selective-fire, and when the selector moved to full auto, the gun switched to open-bolt.
The gun utilized an inline stock design to help control muzzle rise and increase its controllability. The magazine was mounted to the side of the gun, which allowed the bolt to extend into the buttstock and provide a more compact design. The overall length was 38.4 inches, which made it shorter than the 43.7-inch KAR 98K.
While the FG-42 is all kinds of cool, it had issues. It was difficult to control in full auto, and the 20-round magazine capacity meant it ran out of ammo quickly. The bipod was flimsy and rattled, and the side-mounted magazine made the rifle unbalanced. It was also complex and expensive to produce. Only about 7,000 were made.
Calico Light Weapon Systems
I might be one of the few hardcore fans of the Calico guns. The Calico Light Weapon Systems came in .22LR and 9mm and used a top-mounted, double-stack helical magazine. Magazine capacities were between 50 and 100 rounds total and mounted to the top of the gun. This allowed you to have lots of ammo in a fairly small amount of space.
The 9mm versions of these innovative guns were roller delayed, which resulted in light recoil and an easy-to-control gun. The ammunition sat on top of the gun and created a balanced gun, and also helped tame muzzle rise. The gun was surprisingly ambidextrous with downward ejection and a multitude of ambidextrous controls.
For the era, the use of polymer in the receiver was new and ambitious. It helped drive the price lower and increase production capability. The downsides were also tied to that innovative magazine. Some magazines had reliability issues, leading these guns to be considered unreliable.
The magazine placement leads to height-over-bore issues, and 9mm tends to be used at close ranges. The rear sight is placed on the magazine, which means its indexing wouldn’t always be the same. It’s also difficult to mount optics to the gun. A lot of people didn’t see the advantages of the helical magazine, and the 1994 AWB more or less killed the company’s momentum.
The Pedersen Device
The Pedersen device wasn’t a gun, but an innovative conversion kit. World War I showed the need for close-range, rapid-fire weapons, namely submachine guns. Spinning up development and deployment of submachine guns would be slow, so what if you could convert a M1903 Springfield rifle into a semi-automatic weapon?
John Pedersen developed the Pedersen device, which would drop into a Springfield M1903 and convert it to a semi-auto .30 caliber weapon. The .30-18 caliber cartridge was proprietary but would later inspire the 7.65 Longue. It fired from a 40-round magazine. It was a simple blowback, and at its core was basically a pistol without a frame or grip.
The project was designed to be a part of the Allied Spring offensive of 1919. An entire infantry division would be armed with it. Soldiers had 40 rounds and low recoil. They could storm trenches and rapidly fight the enemy at close range.
Sadly, it had reliability issues. The extractor was small, and the firing pin was also the ejector. It wasn’t ready for prime time in the trenches. The cartridge was also underpowered. The war also ended before it could be issued and used. Sadly, the Army destroyed them, so they became rare.
The Nambu Type 14
Japanese military sidearms are an interesting mix of interesting and terrible. The Nambu Type 14 reflects that well. The Nambu Type 14 was first completed in 1902 and presented a locked-breech pistol design, which was rare and innovative for the era. The gun is recoil-operated and fires an 8x22mm Nambu cartridge.
Adoption was slow, with the Navy only adopting the gun in the 1920s, and in 1926, the Army adopted the pistol, which served until the end of WWII. Besides being a locked breech, it had interesting and innovative features for the era, which included a magazine safety. The striker-fired design used an interesting striker that was both the firing pin and the striker spring housing.
The Nambu Type 14’s good features end there. The gun had a fragile construction, but one could argue that this was due to poor and cheap construction rather than a design flaw. Small parts were known to be fragile; the striker was weak and would break or offer light strikes.
The 8x22mm Nambu was also somewhat anemic and reportedly poorly made, which led to reliability issues. The magazine was also an issue. The slanted grip made reloads difficult; the magazine did not eject, and had to be stripped from the gun. Oh, and the safety required a second hand to activate. Bill Ruger was inspired by the Nambu and created the Ruger Standard.
The AN-94
Russian arms design tends to create guns as simple as possible, or overly complicated Rube Goldberg machines posing as guns. The AN-94 falls into the second category. The gun’s main claim to fame is the recoil impulse system. Essentially, the gun delays the recoil of the gun until the first two rounds are fired.
It does this by featuring a barrel and receiver that move rearward as the first shot fires and the second round is fired before this rearward motion is complete. This delays the recoil impulse. I think I’ve explained that right because it seems overly complicated, and no GIFs could help my crayon-eating brain figure it out.
It also had a hyper-burst feature that fired a two-round burst at 1,800 rounds per minute. This allowed shooters to engage with two rounds before they felt recoil. A weird feature of the gun is the offset magazine, which is necessary to work with the recoil impulse housing. It’s not noticeable in flat photos, but in real life, it’s rather fascinating.
The downsides are the predictable high cost and complicated manufacturing. It also seems to be a fairly delicate system that could easily break or malfunction. The AN-94 has seen some limited use, and somehow, there is one in the States bouncing around big YouTubers. The gun’s innovative, but might be a little too innovative for the time being.
Innovative But Flawed
I love seeing innovation, I love seeing the weird and odd, but admittedly, sometimes weird and odd just doesn’t work all that well. Still, if you’re an enterprising gun designer, be innovative, be willing to take some risks, and please, release some of this cool stuff to the public.
Remember doing fire drills in school? Most of us probably didn’t take them too seriously, given that we were just kids, but those practice evacuations had multiple purposes. They taught us what to do and where to go if the fire alarm went off. This meant we wouldn’t have to think it through, should there be a real fire. That, in turn, reduces the potential for panic.
Those drills also tested how well the established plans worked. They were dry runs so the folks in charge could iron out wrinkles and watch for problems.
Evacuation drills aren’t just for schools, either. Rick Rescorla was a British-American who served in the U.S. military during the Vietnam War. After retiring at the rank of Colonel in 1990, he entered the private security arena. As the director of security for Morgan Stanley, he conducted numerous evacuation drills at their offices at the World Trade Center in New York City.
He’d anticipated that one day the towers might be attacked in some way. His insistence on those drills is credited with saving thousands of lives on September 11, 2001. Rescorla lost his own life when he ran back into the South Tower in an attempt to help others.
There are a few different emergency drills you might consider running at home on a regular basis.
Fire Drill
Test your smoke detectors at least a few times a year, and make sure you can hear them clearly.
Does everyone in the home know what to do if the smoke alarms go off? Each person needs to know how to get out of the house as quickly, and as safely, as possible. They need to remember to feel the doors before they open them. Get down low so you’re under most of the smoke and crawl. Practice Stop, Drop, and Roll in case their clothing catches fire.
An important element of your fire escape plan is ensuring that all family members can actually hear the smoke detectors from their bedrooms if their doors are closed, fans are running, and such. Is the alarm loud enough to wake them at night?
Once they’re out of the house, there should be a rally point where everyone gathers to make sure nobody is left behind. This could be a tree in the neighbor’s yard, for example.
Run this drill at least quarterly and at different times of the day and night. Start on the easy setting and tell everyone what you’re doing ahead of time. As they gain confidence, make it less predictable.
Home Evacuation Drill
While you’re probably not leaving the country, passports for each family member aren’t a bad idea.
This is a step up from the fire drill, with the scenario being a disaster or emergency that’s causing you to flee the house, possibly for a few days or more. The goal is to get everyone into the family vehicle(s) as quickly as possible, while also remembering to grab the evacuation kits and other supplies you feel may be necessary.
There are a few different elements to this drill. Family members need to stop whatever they’re doing immediately. If they’re using an appliance or non-portable device, it should be turned off. For example, you wouldn’t leave the stove on when you leave the house. They should locate their evacuation kit, get dressed if needed, and head out to the driveway.
All of this needs to happen quickly, with younger family members getting assistance as needed from others. Who’s in charge of the pets? Which animals are coming along and which might have to be left behind?
Once everyone is at the vehicle, inspect the evacuation kits. See if they’re still stocked with the gear and supplies that should be there. Check to see what else everyone may have grabbed that they felt was important. You should also time these mock evacuations, with the goal always being to beat the previous drill’s time.
Grid Down Drill
Make sure you have plenty of candles, oil lamps, and such on hand.
This one is a little more involved, as well as challenging, but it can also be fun if you have the right attitude. Spend 24-48 hours or more experiencing a mock power outage. Some folks suggest actually turning the power off at the breaker box, but I don’t know that you need to take it quite that far and risk having to toss out food from your fridge and freezer.
You can make this drill as strict or loose as you’d like. For example, maybe you don’t allow the use of any electronic devices of any kind. Or, maybe they’re allowed for as long as the internal batteries hold out. You could change things up from time to time and use some of your emergency power gear, like a generator or a portable power station with solar panels.
Depending on your situation, you might go so far as to disallow the use of gas appliances like the water heater or gas stovetop. If it’s winter, turn down the thermostat as low as possible without risking frozen pipes. This would be a great opportunity to try making an indoor microclimate.
See how quickly family members can adjust to living off the grid for a bit. Explore different ways to prepare food and make the best use of whatever supplies you have on hand. Some of them might just find they kind of like being unplugged for a day or three.
Do a quick recap after each drill, highlighting what went well and where things could improve. Remember that a big point to doing these drills is to find what works and what doesn’t, so you can adjust and adapt your plans as necessary.
I love movies, and I especially love movies that involve firearms. It’s a natural combination of two things I enjoy. If Michael Mann releases an action flick, you can bet your last dollar I’ll be seeing it in theaters and have the Director’s Cut Blu-Ray. As much as I love movies and guns, I don’t get wrapped around the axle when movies get guns wrong. In fact, it’s often humorous. Today, we are going to dissect some of Hollywood’s most nonsensical movie guns.
I avoided a lot of fantasy-style movies. I’m not going to dissect the Star Wars guns because, well, it’s Star Wars, and I don’t know how lasers work. Everything I’ll dissect will be a real gun firing a real cartridge. Let’s dig into it.
Escape from New York: MAC-10
Snake Plissken is so damn cool. The voice, the eye patch, the attitude, he’s just so over the top and campy, it’s hard not to be charmed. He’s an antihero that’s tough not to love, and he surfed into our hearts in 1981 in Escape From New York. Plissken, a hardened convict and former commando, is tasked with rescuing the President from the penal colony of Manhattan.
Before going in, he’s armed with a MAC-10 that’s trying its best to be somewhat futuristic. It’s as futuristic as 1997 can get! The MAC-10 is a classic submachine gun bordering on a machine pistol. It’s a .45 ACP gun and was commonly paired with the Sionics suppressors. That’s the case here, but other than the can, the gun doesn’t make much sense.
For one, they chopped the stock off, which is silly since it doesn’t add all that much bulk. To make chopping the stock even worse, they handed a magnified optic to the gun. To take it a step further into nonsensical Hollywood guns, they mounted the scope to the suppressor. Even if it’s a long eye relief scope, mounting it to the suppressor is ridiculous.
First, it’s not going to be stable, indexing will be a mess, and suppressors get absurdly hot. It’s silly and over the top, but fitting of the character. This same configuration makes a cameo appearance in The Walking Dead a few decades later.
South Central: M14 and Revolvers With Potato Suppressors
South Central is a 1992 independent film that’s an adaptation of a novel called The Original South Central L.A. Crips. It was a movie that received a ton of praise for its story, acting, and realism. I can’t speak for its realism in terms of South Central in the 80s, gang lifestyles, etc, but I can say its use of potatoes is ridiculous. These are less movie guns and more movie suppressors.
The film portrays some gang violence, and in more than one scene, our enterprising criminals equip their firearms with potatoes that act as suppressors. Yep, potatoes, and it works, at least in the film. The suppressors reduce gunshots from BOOM to pew. Suppressors work by slowing down and cooling gas; a potato cannot do that.
They equip revolvers with potatoes, which is utterly ridiculous. Even if a potato works as a suppressor, it wouldn’t work on a revolver. The gap between the cylinder and the barrel emits plenty of blast that makes suppressing most revolvers impossible. However, some, like the Nagant revolver, can be suppressed.
They even equip an M14 with a potato suppressor, which is hilariously ridiculous. It’s firing a supersonic round that’s quite powerful. A .38 Special would turn potatoes into mashed potatoes, and I can’t imagine what an M14 would do to a potato at the end of the barrel.
Ant-Man: Hammer-Fired Glock
Ant-Man, the superhero whose power varies widely depending on what’s convenient to the writers, can wield and control ants. I like the movie; it’s silly, fun, and Paul Rudd is always great. A scene near the end has Ant-Man and his army of ants invading a tech bro’s office to stop him from doing whatever big bad thing he’s planning.
Ant-Man fights his way through an army of nameless bad guys and uses ants in creative ways. One such way is having dozens of ants cling to a handgun and get between the hammer and the firing pin. This renders the bad guy’s gun useless, and in reality, could work. If you can stop the hammer from dropping, the gun can’t fire.
However, the camera zooms out, and the gun of choice is a Glock 17. Keen eyes will recognize that the Glock is not a hammer-fired gun. It’s a striker-fired gun. There is no external hammer, and the gun releases a striker that fires the gun. Ants would have a lot harder time jamming a striker-fired gun, so if you’re an Ant-Man villain, jot that down.
What’s crazy is that there are dozens of movie guns that could have made this an accurate portrayal. We have guns from SIG, Beretta, and even some old S&Ws that could have filled the slot. It’s an easily avoidable error, but if they had avoided it, I couldn’t have made my wife sigh while pointing it out.
The Tomorrow War: The AR Abomination
Alright, so time travelers come back to the past to recruit you to fight a war in the future. Humanity is losing, and losing badly. The invaders are ravenous beasts that can’t be negotiated with, can’t be reasoned with, and they are winning. The aliens are massive animals that fall into the dangerous game category. If I tell you this, what gun are you taking to fight them?
Maybe an AR-10? Hell, the SIG M7 seems like a great choice for killing big, armored beasts. Maybe even a semi-auto rifle chambering a futuristic big-game cartridge. Hell, I’d settle for a Browning BAR, the original WWII BAR in .30-06. Well, how about an AR-15 with a 7.5-inch barrel?
What do you mean? An AR-15 that’s best used in close-quarters combat, firing a fairly small round that requires velocity to kill, isn’t a good idea? A 7.5-inch barrel doesn’t render a 5.56 round useless, but against giant, seemingly thick-skinned alien beasts, it’s less than optimal.
Don’t worry, we’ve also equipped the rifle with Hera Furniture, ACOGs, RMRs, and Inforce lights. Wait, no, that doesn’t make me feel better at all! The guns are a futuristic take on the AR, but aren’t so dressed up that they don’t look like an AR. This is why it doesn’t violate my no sci-fi movie guns rule for this article. At least the guy with the Beretta 1301 makes a little sense.
Napoleon: Scoped Baker Rifle
I like Ridley Scott movies, but Napoleon let me down. I didn’t care for the film and would rather watch Gladiator 2. Maybe the 4-hour Director’s cut version will be better, most Ridley Scott director’s cuts are, but I’m not counting on it. I’m no historian, but a leading historian in Napoleonic studies, Patrice Gueniffey, wasn’t a fan.
Again, I’m no historian, but I know a little about guns, even guns from Napoleon’s era. In the Battle of Waterloo, we see a British sharpshooter armed with a Baker rifle, which is accurate. Both historically and in the gun’s ability to make hits. The Brits learned from the American Revolution that rifled long arms were valuable tools to engage their enemy.
The Baker rifle was fielded by sharpshooters to engage the enemy at longer ranges and to disrupt the command and control elements of a military unit. Where the Napoleon film goes wrong is showing a scoped Baker rifle in 1815. The Brits weren’t issuing scopes with the Baker rifle, and we wouldn’t see practical rifle optics until about 1830.
Best yet, the scope isn’t a scope, it’s a spyglass. There is no reticle, no adjustment method, or anything that would make it useful. It’s also mounted with what appears to be burlap that’s wrapped around the gun and the spyglass. That’s not exactly a well-mounted scope. It’s silly, but honestly, the film is kind of silly.
Bad Movie Guns Are Great
There is a horseshoe-shaped scale of greatness to movie guns. On one extreme side, we have great movie guns. Movies like Heat and Collateral are on that extreme side. In the middle, we have the boring films that don’t do anything bad or anything great. On the other extreme side, we have the guns we listed today. Their designs are hilarious and entertaining. The point of a movie is to be entertaining, so I prefer bad movie guns to boring movie guns.
This past June, I had the opportunity to attend GunCon as a media member, and what a great (and wild) time it was. At the event, I crossed paths with many familiar brands and faces. However, there were also many newcomers and unknowns. And with those came ingenious and innovative ideas. My favorite innovation came from WARDEN Studios, a small company based in Chardon, Ohio.
Over the past few years, particularly since the COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent shutdown, people have focused on preparedness. This includes a focus on items such as food, water, firearms, ammunition, and logistical gear. During this time, these people also learned about communications and its significance during major world events (such as a national food shortage, blackout, etc.).
For shooters and enthusiasts, being able to communicate with others while wearing hearing protection is highly valued—but it has often been costly. For example, a Peltor ComTac headset—that’s comms-enabled—and widely considered the gold standard for tactical communications, starts at around $800. Otto Communications headsets are twice as much.
That price often doesn’t include necessary cables, nor does it include any radio or push-to-talk functions out of the box. Furthermore, operating the types of radios required for this necessitates a license (HAM radio operator license).
Unfortunately, no one has yet developed a better solution. And yes, Walker did introduce a walkie-talkie attachment for their Razor line of electronic hearing protection. These are simple devices. They operate on FRS frequencies that do not require licensing. However, these frequencies are accessible to anyone, which means someone could be listening to your private conversation.
I’d argue that these provide basic-level functionality but aren’t suitable for serious communication. In addition to the FRS-only frequencies, these clip-on units offer inferior range (<100 yards line of sight), require extra batteries, and can only use “VOX” activation instead of push-to-talk. So, it transmits your voice constantly, along with wind, gunshots, and loud breathing.
These also occupy the 3.5 mm port on your earpro, so you can’t use the attachment to talk on your phone, nor can you listen to music while this module is attached. Again, there must be a better option—and there is.
Who Is WARDEN Studios?
Firstly, WARDEN Studios is a design and engineering company that specializes in solving unique problems. Their background is heavily rooted in the design and manufacturing world, with a focus on communications. So, it makes sense that WARDEN’s featured product is a headset retrofit that converts your existing electronic hearing protection into a capable comms solution. And after using them for the past few months, they are the real deal.
Retrofit
From WARDEN, the Retrofit is “civilian comms from the ground up. Tailor-made specifically for civilians—not just repurposed military headsets. The simplest, cleanest, most durable way to get comms connected with your existing earpro.”
So, how does WARDEN go about this?
“This conversion process was developed to provide an affordable, rugged, civilian-oriented alternative to high-end tactical headsets. The Retrofit replaces your existing 3.5MM jack with an improved 3.5MM connector and allows you to connect to a phone or radio using various detachable cables. Unlike other offerings on the market, our microphone is hard-mounted to your ear protection, ensuring durability and reliability in all conditions.”
Front View of Walker Razors with Retrofit. Side View of Walker Razors with Retrofit. Note that the Boom Mic Swivels and articulates.
Almost sounds like it’s too good to be true—but I assure you that it’s not. These are a legit solution. The boom mic is adjustable, but doesn’t feel flimsy. The mount itself is sturdy. The system is passive and doesn’t add additional drain to your hearing protection’s battery.
While I could provide you with all the technical specifications here, I’ll direct you to WARDEN Studios for that information. Instead, I’d like to share my experience with them and why you should consider them for your own communications needs.
How I’ve Used Them
To be honest, radio communications are pretty new to me. I have a passing interest in the subject, but no clear direction. It’s something I hope to expand my knowledge and skills in, but I haven’t done so yet. That said, I still found the WARDEN Retrofit incredibly useful.
To this point, I’ve primarily used them with my iPhone 16 Pro, utilizing the USB-C cable (which can be purchased as a kit or separately). And I’ve found a ton of functionality with them.
First, the Walkers perform as they did before, serving as hearing protection—there is no diminishing return when doing the retrofit. Second, I’ve used them when I’m on the lawnmower and my friend Ryan wants to talk about the gun he’d like to purchase (he always calls me for guidance, because, you know, I’m an expert…right?). When talking, I hear him perfectly through the headset, and he never knows that I’m actually doing yardwork.
And the other is listening to music while shooting. Generally, when I’m testing or training, I’m by myself. So, I like to throw on music or a podcast—call it multitasking.
Warden Cable Kit Featuring a 3.5mm to 3.55, USB-C to 3.5mm, and a TP120 to 3.5mm.
Running the Warden Retrofit with Zello
However, as a communication device, I’ve used them with the app Zello. Zello is a push-to-talk solution that doesn’t require any licensing. And it’s free for the basic version! When I spoke with Andrew from Warden, he described the app as a “mesh” system, where you can communicate with multiple friends or the broader community.
For those interested in radio communications, I recommend this as a starting point. It works well with the retrofit, and I’m easily able to talk with friends. The only downside is that it relies on a cell signal. Not the best in an SHTF scenario. Which is why I plan to continue my education and build up a radio skillset.
After speaking with Andrew, this is the recommended path he suggests:
“I recommend going from Zello to GMRS to Ham Amateur radio. Zello only requires a USB cable and nothing else. GMRS requires a radio, a TP120 cable, a PTT, and an FCC license. The license is valid for 10 years, doesn’t require a test, costs $35, and covers your entire family to use a radio. It provides access to multiple frequencies and significantly higher transmit power compared to FRS.
“If you genuinely enjoy GMRS and wish to advance your communications education, HAM radio is the next logical step. It involves taking classes and passing a rigorous test, but it allows you to use many more frequencies and transmit at higher power. Beyond that, there are private business licenses that let you operate on your own frequencies and enable data transmission, texting, GPS, and encryption.”
As you can tell, Andrew is an expert in this field. For my purposes, I have a basic Baofeng radio from Amazon, but if you’re looking for something with significantly more capabilities at a reasonable price, I recommend checking this out.
Even with the Retrofit, the Walker Razor retains it’s normal shape and function.
Final Thoughts
The WARDEN Retrofit was one of the most exciting products I’ve come across. Andrew and his team offer a solution to a real problem. They make communication systems affordable and approachable for normal shooters, campers, or general preppers. The system is durable and feels as if it came that way from the factory.
Currently, the Retrofit is available for Walker Razors, Sordin Supreme Pro-X, Howard Leight, and the Walker Recon, with additional cable bundles also available. When you make your order, Andrew will send a confirmation email with the shipping address. Then, go to your local UPS or Post Office and send them to Northeast Ohio. Currently, turnarounds are quick—about a week.
Current pricing for everything but the Sordin’s is $125.00. The Sordin Retrofit is $150.00. Currently, there is a sale if you buy the bundle—that’s the option I recommend going with.
My friend, and one of my favorite gun writers, Daniel Reedy, recently wrote a short article about the new Aimpoint with a circle dot reticle. He states he hates circle dot reticles, and immediately I was in a “why” mode. Why hate circle dot reticles?
I like circle dot reticles, so I have a bias. However, I stopped thinking about why Mr. Reedy dislikes circle dot reticles and wondered why I liked them. Have they ever improved my performance? Do they offer any major advantage over a simple 2 to 6 MOA dot? I got to thinking and I got to shooting.
Maybe they offered some advantage, maybe they didn’t, but I figured I could experiment and find out for myself. What started with carbines and red dots ended up with me considering the idea of both shotguns and handguns, and some external conditions. Please keep in mind I’m talking about red dot sights and not holographic sights.
Stated Upsides
There are upsides to circle dot reticles. The first is for shooters with astigmatism. Astigmatisms vary more than new AR calibers, so it’s not always a conclusive solution. However, my wife suffers from astigmatism, and a circle dot reticle is easier for her to use than just a dot.
The circle dot reticle can be used as a range-finding device. Most circle dot reticles copy EoTech’s reticle, and in doing so make it possible to find range at a couple of hundred yards using a man-sized target. If they fill the reticle top to bottom, they are about a hundred yards out. If they fill it from the dot to the bottom, they are about 200 yards away.
However, this also requires you to be aiming at a man standing broadside, totally exposing their body, and hoping they stay still. Outside of an ambush, I hesitate to think it’s all that handy, and when it is handy, it’s only handy for military or police users at best.
Circle Dot Reticles: The Downside
The biggest apparent downside is how much of the lens the optic takes up. The smaller the optic, the more crowded the lens gets by the circle and dot reticle. On optics like the AEMS, it’s less of a problem because the lens size is quite efficient, same with the HS510C. It’s still eating up a lot of your view.
When you start shooting at longer ranges and at smaller targets, it feels quite crowded. For example, at 100 yards, it’s easier to use a 2 MOA circle on a 33% reduced-sized target than trying to lock the circle dot over the target.
Now, to truly test this idea, I went to the range with a Holosun AEMS.
The Circle Dot At the Range
I liked circle dots because I used to think they made me faster. Fill the circle and start shooting. I used the AEMS because I could swap between a 2 MOA dot and a circle dot reticle.
I practiced doing simple ready-up drills and transitions between IPSC-sized A-zones. I ran several of each drill with both the circle dot and dot reticles. According to my timer, there is no difference between the two. Namely, because I’m not trying to find the dot or the circle. I see red on the target at close range, and I start pulling the trigger.
I’m target-focused, and all I need is a red dot to make my shots quick and efficient. I never felt the circle dot helped me land shots faster. I think this is still true for shooters with less experience. They might benefit from having the bigger reticle. With a target-focused mindset, I’m not looking to fill a circle anymore.
What about height over bore compensation? Circle dot reticles aren’t all that useful for that either. They aren’t big enough to make a difference, and while they might help a little, they still won’t provide you with correct height over bore compensation.
Outside of the Carbine
Circle dot reticles are present on plenty of handgun red dots, namely the Holosun optics, but others have adapted this reticle as well. On a handgun, they are typically around 32 MOA in size. That’s massive, and it takes up a lot of window space. With a target-focused shooting style, it’s not a problem, but personal preference has me leaning into using dot reticles.
At the range, I didn’t notice a difference in speed at close ranges, but at 25 yards, it’s a bit much and puts a lot of reticle in a tiny lens. Hitting a big target is easy. However, hitting smaller targets becomes a little trickier.
On the shotgun is where I found a real benefit. To be fair, I found this out years ago. In using a shotgun, I can use a circle dot reticle with a handgun-style optic for patterning purposes. It’s not going to make a difference when it comes to making fast shots from a ready-up drill.
Instead, it’s useful for taking a precise shot with a shotgun when using tight-patterning ammo. I know that my chosen defensive shotgun load, which is Federal FliteControl 8 pellet 00 buckshot, stays within that 32 MOA circle at 12 yards 100%. At 15 yards, it’s still basically inside that circle.
If I have to take a precise shot with a shotgun within these ranges, I know my pellets are going to stay within that circle. If a threat is using cover and all I can see is a small portion of the threat, I know my pellets are going to land within that circle. At that point, I can ditch the dot entirely and just use a circle.
My Final Thoughts On Circle Dot Reticles
I don’t hate circle dot reticles. I still like them, but I do understand why others don’t, especially on a carbine or similar weapon. They have some limited utility, especially with shotguns, but wouldn’t be enough to get me to choose one optic over the other, all things considered.
The human body can be tough and strong, but it definitely has its limitations. From wood slivers to thorn bushes, to sharp metal, prickly cactus, or partially hammered nails, injuries can happen in the wild or in the concrete jungle. Unfortunately, your bathroom’s medicine cabinet can’t join you on your adventures, but a compact first-aid kit can.
These carry-anywhere packs hold essential first-aid gear to patch you up and get you back to your task at hand. From minimalistic kits to comprehensive packs and everything in between, the assortment below is your answer to the unpredictability of life.
Good things come in small packages, and the Lifeline Prepared Weather-Resistant First Aid Kit backs that statement up. With one of the smallest first-aid footprints available, you’ll be able to carry this kit just about anywhere. It offers a highly durable ABS plastic case, chock full of twenty-eight useful first aid products. These include bandages, insect sting relief, antiseptics, towelettes, and more. Ideal for minor cuts and scrapes while on the go. An integrated carabiner is included for easy attachment to your belt or gear bag. Get big results from going small!
Specifications
Weather-resistant ABS case
Full 28-piece set
Offers basic first-aid essentials
Compact, pocket-size design
Includes a convenient carabiner
MSRP: $7.99
North American Rescue Creek Mini Kit
No matter where your adventures take you, the Creek Mini First-aid kit has you covered. The unit offers waterproof protection with its sealable pack. Inside, enjoy the peace of mind with over two dozen diverse first aid products. From a variety of bandages to gloves, wraps, gauze, and even a tourniquet, normal mishaps won’t be a problem for you. This assortment is ideal for deep woods, marine, or urban activities.
Specifications
Compact design for outdoor trekking
Covers minor to severe injuries
Waterproof and dustproof outer pack
Overall weight: 1.30 pounds
Over two dozen components
MSRP: $207.99
Lifeline Prepared 125 Piece Essential First Aid Kit
Prepare against inevitable cuts, scrapes, and scratches with this comprehensive kit. Enclosed within its soft canvas pack are a mind-blowing 125 useful first-aid items. From bandages to gauze, to a cold pack, tape, and alcohol pads, your answer to minor injuries is with this portable collection of items. The pack offers a durable handle, tough soft canvas, and a zippered closure that keeps all products secured inside. Don’t head out without the 125 Piece Essential First Aid Kit!
Specifications
125 Basic first-aid products
Zippered closure
Heavy-duty carry bag
Compact, easy-to-carry anywhere
Includes an informative first-aid booklet
MSRP: $14.39
Lifeline Prepared Realtree Medium Hard-Shell First Aid Kit
Deep woods activities can bring minor cuts and scrapes, and the perfect solution to these is the Realtree First-aid Kit. Sporting the famous Realtree camo pattern, the pack offers hard shell protection for fifty-three useful items. All sizes of bandages, gauze, antiseptic towels, tape, scissors, tweezers, and a convenient first-aid guide go along on all your outdoor adventures. This medium-sized kit fits easily inside your vehicle, cabin, backpack, or store it in your emergency kit for future needs.
Specifications
Hard-shell foam case
53 basic first-aid pieces
Authentic Realtree camo pattern
Compact for easy carry and storage
Includes a carabiner for easy attachment
MSRP: $15.99
North American Rescue Mini T-Pack First Aid Kit
Waterproof, re-sealable, and highly portable, the Mini T-Pack packs a load of first-aid items in a small, ultra-tough package. This mini kit offers aid for both minor and major issues. From cuts and scrapes to heavy blood loss and bone fractures, and everything in between, you’re well covered when outdoors. First-aid items include basic bandages, tape, gloves, and bleeding control dressings. It also offers more unconventional items like a CPR mask, chafing ointment, a survival blanket, and a C-A-T tourniquet. The Mini T-Pack is ideal for all urban and rural excursions.
Specifications
Patented film with a hermetic seal
Water and air-tight design
Covers minor and major first-aid needs
Convenient see-through pack
Ideal for all outdoor activities
MSRP: $101.19
Sawyer Extractor Pump
This unique and highly useful product removes venom and poisons from snake bites, bee stings, and mosquito bites when you’re out in the field. This compact kit comes packed within an easy-to-locate, bright yellow container. Inside the Extractor Pump kit, you have everything you need to combat nature’s pests and their painful bites. The kit includes four different-sized suction cups, sting relief pads, adhesive bandages, a disposable razor, and the extractor pump. An included how-to manual rounds out this highly valuable outdoor essential.
Specifications
Easy-to-use system
Four cup size options
One-hand pump operation
Compact and reusable
Brightly colored, durable containment case
MSRP: $19.49
North American Rescue Out-Pak Kit
Super compact and full of essential first-aid components, the Out-Pak Kit offers gauze, bandages, sting and bite packets, tape, gloves, a survival blanket, and more for any outdoor adventure. All items are easily accessible within the case’s clamshell design with elastic interior straps to keep everything stable and in place. The Out-Pak Kit can be attached both vertically and horizontally to larger packs for maximum access where needed. A PVC medical patch, large zipper pulls, and multiple color options add to this kit’s vast amenities.
Specifications
Rugged nylon bag
Both vertical and horizontal attachment options
Integrated MOLLE webbing
Includes PVC patch for easy identification
Available in six distinct colors
MSRP: $98.49
Adventure Medical Kits Trauma Pack Pro
Sometimes injuries are far beyond a simple cut or scrape. To handle heavy bleeding, turn to the Trauma Pack Pro. This assembly consists of two feet of QuickClot gauze, a trauma pad, latex gloves, duct tape, and an easy-to-use tourniquet. All items are focused on stopping blood flow and stabilizing the victim until professional help can arrive. Trauma response instructions are included, so anyone without even the hint of medical experience can help when needed. A rugged, nylon pouch with a secure hook-and-loop fastener keeps all items secure and compact for easy carrying.
The .357 SIG was produced by taking a 9mm projectile and necking down a .40 S&W case to accommodate it. This produced a high-pressure, fast-moving 9mm round that was attempting to replicate .357 Magnum performance. Bottleneck pistol rounds are odd, but many people thought the .357 SIG was the first to try to combine a popular case with a popular projectile. However, there was a cartridge called the .38/.45 Clerke that came before it.
The .357 SIG did achieve a SAAMI spec, which pulled it out of the wildcard market. The .38/.45 Clerke never made it that far. A man named Bo Clerke designed the cartridge in 1963, and it premiered in Gun and Ammo magazine. The .38/.45 Clerke combined a .357 projectile with a .45 ACP case. The case was bottlenecked to accommodate the smaller projectile.
The .357 SIG wanted to replicate .357 Magnum performance in a semi-automatic format. They wanted to maximize velocity and accepted the increase in recoil. The .38/.45 Clerke had a different goal. Bo Clerke’s intention was to design a low-recoiling target round. Bo Clerke also wanted the gun to work with a wide variety of projectile types.
International Ammunition Association
You could use a standard round-nose bullet, but the use of .357 projectiles opened up the market to wadcutters. Wadcutters were immensely popular for shooting targets. They left a perfect circle in the target and made scoring easy. The problem was that flat rounds don’t feed well in semi-autos.
Mr. Clerke’s solution was to use a much larger case to ensure it would feed in a semi-auto 1911 platform. This would make it one of the few semi-autos that could handle wadcutters. The 1911 format also meant you didn’t need one of those crazy expensive target pistols. A shooter could get into an NRA Bullseye Match with a semi-auto without having to buy a pricey S&W Model 52.
The .38/.45 Clerke could project a 130-grain bullet at 1,245 feet per second. It wasn’t a slouch, but it wasn’t a high-performing cartridge either. It’s a bit more powerful than a basic 124-grain 9mm round, but not exceptionally so. Of course, you still got the same limited capacity you’d get with a .45 ACP due to the size of the case.
Cast Booolits
Running and Gunning with the .38/.45 Clerke
The use of a .45 ACP case and .357 bullet made it easy to reload the cartridge. You need form and sizer dies, but it wasn’t out of this world. Most M1911 pistols can be converted to .38/.45 Clerke. You need to swap the barrel, and typically, the easiest way to accomplish this task is to ream out a .38 Super barrel. Bar-Sto even made .38/.45 Clerke barrels as drop-in replacements.
The round made some headway with Bullseye Shooters, but never climbed out of the wildcat market. These days, a few dedicated M1911 aficionados still reload the cartridge, and the dies are available if you want to do something a little crazy.
The .38/.45 Clerke is a largely forgotten part of both Bullseye history and M1911 history. It was a simple and creative solution to a fairly niche problem. Mr. Bo Clerke was clearly a smart man, and he simplified a complicated problem.
The Japanese military in World War II fielded a variety of interesting weapons. Most military forces in this massive war produced some interesting designs while relying on guns from the war before. What was different about the Japanese military was that their firearms’ design didn’t do much to advance firearms design, but Japan was creative.
Let’s look at the rare, weird, and awesome guns of Japan in World War II
The American military was the only one to field a semi-automatic main rifle in World War II. Everyone else was playing catch-up. Imagine being a Japanese soldier fiddling with the bolt of your Arisaka when a Marine with a Garand unloads a half dozen .30-06 into your chest. The Japanese forces wanted a semi-automatic rifle.
They decided to copy the M1 Garand in the form of the Type 4 rifle. The Japanese Garand chambered a 7.7x58mm Arisaka cartridge and fed from a fixed ten-round magazine. Instead of En-Bloc clips, the Japanese soldier would use two five-round stripper clips to load the gun.
The Type 4 kept the long-stroke gas piston design, and it looks like someone described an M1 Garand from memory. Japan lost before the rifle could be fielded, and very few existed, with numbers ranging from 125 to 250 examples.
The Type 2 TERA Rifle
World War II saw the mass use of airborne troops. Paratroopers became a force in every major military. The United States even had ParaMarines. The Japanese had their own paratroopers and ran into the same problems all paratroopers run into: How do I jump with all my gear? Rifles were a lot bigger, so the Japanese solution was the TERA rifles, the weirdest one being the Type 2.
The Type 2 TERA rifle is a takedown rifle. Specifically, a bolt-action takedown rifle. The barrel separated from the receiver. The barrel and receiver were held together by a tapered wedge. Paratroopers used a folding wire ring to tighten the wedge lock. This allowed the rifle to be taken down fairly quickly and put back together fairly quickly.
The Type 2 would be kept in two-leg bags, split in half. The Japanese military experimented with folding bolts and bayonets, but drew the line there. These rifles were fielded, and about 19,000 were produced.
The Type 26 Revolver
Technically, this wasn’t a WWII design but was fielded during WWII since Japan needed handguns. The Type 26 replaced the No. 3 Russian. The Type 26 was an oddball. It was a mix of design influences from around the world. The double-action lockwork was French-inspired, and the hinged frame was S&W-inspired. It had a dose of weird Japanese influence.
The revolver fired a novel 9mm cartridge, which was similar to the .38 S&W. The top frame hinged open to eject cartridges and load the gun. The side panel was hinged and easy to open for cleaning and lubricating. This was a double-action only gun with the world’s ugliest hammer.
That’s fine, but the cylinder didn’t lock when the trigger wasn’t being pulled. This meant it free-wheeled, so anything could spin the cylinder. It’s a stupid design, to be fair, and the trigger was terrible, and the cartridge anemic.
Experimental Model 2 SMG
I’ll give it to the Japanese military; the Experimental Model 2 SMG had a cool aesthetic. It looked like it came right out of some steampunk dystopia. The Model 2 was designed to address complaints that came from the Model 1. It remained a simple blowback-operated firearm but featured a unique operating system.
The Model 2 featured a barrel shroud that reciprocated with the bolt as the weapon fired. The return spring was located behind the shroud rather than the bolt. The recoil spring pushed the shroud forward, and it carried the bolt forward. The shroud also acted as the charging handle, which was intrinsically ambidextrous. Some early models even featured a pneumatic buffer that would make B&T jealous.
The Model 2 SMG fired the 8mm Nambu cartridge and came with 30-round magazines, but the 50-round Type 1 magazine would work. Initially, the gun was rejected in 1935, but World War II changed the game. Not many were produced, and only one is known to exist.
Type 11 Light Machine Gun
The Type 11 comes from lessons learned in WWI, namely, machine guns make the right of way. The Japanese saw that a light, easily portable machine gun would be useful, so they designed the most useless version of that gun. The Type 11 was a man-portable machine that weighed 22.5 pounds and fired the 6.5x50mm Arisaka from a 30-round hopper.
Yep, a hopper, like a paintball gun. The hopper could be removed to be reloaded or reloaded by an assistant gunner. Five-round stripper clips fed the hopper, and they were stacked flat and secured by a spring arm. Rounds were stripped from the lowest clip, and the clips would then eject out the bottom of the gun.
Admittedly, it used the same stripper clips as the infantry rifles fielded by Japanese soldiers. It seemed clever, was slow to reload, and the open hopper made it easy for dirt and debris to enter the hopper and the gun. Also, the buttstock was bent far to the right to compensate for the weight of the gun. Good luck feeding this thing while on the assault.
The Japanese and Their Oddballs
The Japanese military had some truly oddball guns; we aren’t even talking about their oddball features. Like, who puts anti-aircraft sights on a bolt-action battle rifle? Leave it to the Japanese to make that a thing. If you enjoy the weird and odd, and debunking charts to trace the various Japanese battle rifles, then start looking into Japanese weaponry of WWII.
The Knives of Alaska Caribou Skinner/Cleaver is perfect for butchering meat and prepping stew ingredients.
When picking fall hunting knife sets, quality is key. Think gut hook, knife, saw, and small hatchet. Each tool has its job. The gut hook eases the gutting, the knife handles skinning and butchering like a pro, and the saw slices through bone.
A hunter uses a small hatchet for heavy-duty butchering tasks that a knife can’t handle, such as splitting bones. Butchers and hunters often use it to break down the rib cage, sternum, and pelvic bones of a large animal. This tool and task make it easier to gut and quarter. Consider balance, durability, ease of use, and transportability. Let’s explore two outstanding set options that really stand out!
Fall hunting kicks off an exciting season for outdoor enthusiasts. Hunters roam forests, tracking deer and other game. Crisp air energizes the spirit, while colorful leaves create a beautiful backdrop. Gathering with friends around the campfire fuels camaraderie and stories. Armed with top-notch gear, hunters prepare for successful outings in nature’s embrace. The thrill of the chase makes every adventure unforgettable!
Caribou Combo Hunting Set
The Knives of Alaska Caribou Combo is the lighter version of the Light Hunter Combo, making it perfect for field dressing whitetail deer and medium game.
It features two knives in one sleek sheath: the Light Hunter Cleaver, at 7 ½-inch D2 steel overall. It slices smoothly and features a gut hook for messy jobs. The Cub Bear is a fine-detail knife that’s great for carving and paring. Both have comfy black SureGrip handles and fit snugly together.
The Knives of Alaska Caribou Combo features two D2 steel knives: the Caribou Skinner/Cleaver and the Cub Bear, each about 3/32 inches thick.
This combo is ideal for deer, sheep, and mountain goat hunters. The Caribou Skinner serves as both a butcher knife and a versatile tool, making meal preparation a breeze. Bon appétit!
MSRP: $189.99
The Muley Combo Hunting Set
The TOPS Knives Muley Skinner/Saw Combo is your ultimate outdoor duo. With a 4.50-inch drop point blade and a 4.25-inch saw blade featuring a gut hook, you’re ready for any adventure. The stylish Black Orange Tan G10 handle and dual leather sheath add flair and function.
The Muley Skinner, made from tough 154CM stainless steel, excels at skinning game and handling campsite tasks. Its deep-bellied blade and weather-resistant G-10 grip make it a reliable companion, handcrafted in Idaho.
The TOPS Muley Skinner/Saw Combo features a 4.50-inch drop point blade and a 4.25-inch saw blade with a gut hook.
The Muley Saw is a bone-cutting champ that can also tackle wood in emergencies, with its sharp gut hook added for versatility. The skinner’s corrosion-resistant build gets the job done without fuss. Together, they’re versatile tools that pack a punch—who knew the outdoors could be this fun?
MSRP: $550.00
Fall Hunting Knife Sets Features
Hook This– A gut hook knife is a hunter’s best friend when it comes to field dressing. With its clever hook, it slices open the abdomen while keeping internal organs safe from harm—no one wants an organ spill! It’s perfect for tackling tough tendons and cartilage as well. This knife isn’t just a tool; it’s the secret weapon for turning your game into dinner without a hitch!
The Caper–A caping knife is a must-have for hunters—think of it as the Swiss Army knife of trophy care. With its sharp blade and fine tip, it tackles everything from skinning around trophy zones to crafting those perfect shoulder or European mounts. It lets you work with precision, ensuring your game’s hide stays intact while you channel your inner taxidermist. In short, it’s the secret weapon for turning your hunting prizes into a lasting keepsake!
The TOPS Muley Skinner efficiently deboned the bird with its deep belly and ultra-sharp edge, maintaining a secure grip even in messy conditions.
Closing
This handy hunting set keeps all your field dressing tools in one place, making processing game a breeze—no more wrestling with larger game! Using these specialized tools spares your everyday knife from the wear and tear of gutting. Therefore, helping your tools stay sharp for your next adventure.
I don’t have a lot of time to play games. I have a full-time job that can be demanding. I have a family, and video games aren’t a priority in my life. Every so often, one comes around that catches my attention, and due to the peer pressure of my friends, I played Ready or Not. Ready or Not places you in a fictional city based on Los Angeles. You’re a SWAT commander in charge of a four-man team.
You’re thrown into a wide variety of missions. The missions are often based on realistic situations, which include a gas station robbery, cartel human trafficking rings, and even a SWATting situation. The game is very dark and tries to focus on realism. Keep in mind, realism always takes a back seat to fun, but Ready or Not tries to be more realistic than other first-person shooters.
I’m not a video game reviewer, but I’m a gun nerd, and in the first few minutes of this game, I was hooked because it’s made for gun nerds like me.
The core of any gun nerd game is the gun selection. Ready or Not breaks down their firearms into Rifles, Shotguns, Submachine Guns, and handguns. There are also additional weapons like a breaching shotgun and rotating launchers that can fire gas, less-lethal, and flashbangs.
The Shotguns
I’m a shotgun nerd and was pleased to see a mix of the classics with some modern touches. In fact, I own all of the shotguns in the shotgun category. Classics include the Remington 870 and Benelli M4, but we also have the magazine-fed Mossberg 590M, the Beretta 1301, and the Benelli SuperNova.
Specialized shotguns include an orange-furniture outfitted 870 that fires bean bags and an 870 MCS. The less-lethal 870 is actually less lethal; if you make a headshot, it can kill the target, so be cautious.
Submachine Guns
Submachine guns might be out of style in most modern SWAT teams, but not in Los Sueños. There are plenty of SMGs, which include classics like the MP5 and a 10mm variant of the MP5. We have PDWs like the P90 and the MP7, and a smattering of B&Ts. This includes the MP9-N and SPC9. Don’t forget the UMP 45 and UMP 9, the S&W MPX, and even the Flux Defense Raider.
Rifles
Rifles get the full monty treatment in Ready or Not. We get PDW-sized .300 Blackout rifles, like an LVAW wannabe, some PDW-style ARs, and then standard carbines and short-barreled rifles. There are predictably lots of AR variants.
To keep things spicy, we get FALs, G3s, SCARs, AUGs, and even an AK. There are tons of rifles, and like real life, they tend to be a great choice for all-around performance. Plus, if you’re facing armored targets, the rifles are going to be your best friend.
Handguns
Handguns include options from SIG, Beretta, Glock, and even a Colt Python and LAR Grizzly Mark V. Handguns are your secondary option and are often relied upon by your shield guy.
Beyond Guns
Having a ton of guns is cool, but what makes the difference is how they handle. Each gun feels fairly distinct and has an effect on the game. The shorter the gun, the easier it is to use in close-quarters combat. If the gun’s long, it gets in the way and clings to your body when you approach a door or a close wall.
You have to go around a corner wider with a longer gun. This gives you real advantages when using short SMG-type weapons or even a handgun in some situations. You can also swap between high and low ready positions, which can make a difference when dealing with cover.
In Ready or Not, shotguns allow you to swap between buckshot and slugs, including the ability to do a slug select drill. If you’re only running buckshot, it’s tough to deal with aggressive hostage negotiations, so you might want to swap to your pistol.
Rifles, handguns, and SMGs allow you to equip JHPs or armor-piercing ammo, or a mix of magazines to alternate. Walls, doors, and similar items can be penetrated by bullets, and AP can even penetrate non-armored targets and harm someone behind the person. This means firing a thirty-round burst from an AR is a bad move.
It’s realistic in that way, but also sometimes a little glitchy. It doesn’t always work, but most of the time, penetration is something you need to be concerned about.
Gear And Accessories
One of the neat things you can do is customize your gear. You can pick an armor type; for example, you can use ceramic armor, soft armor, or even steel armor. Steel armor can even fragment rounds into you when shot. Soft armor lets you move faster. You can even choose to leave your back plate behind.
Ready or Not allows you to pick from different armor types, which allow you to carry more ammo, flash grenades, etc. You can balance your loadout to accommodate more of your preferred tools. If I want fewer pistol mags and more flashbangs, that’s an option. Plus, you can pick from several different stylistic choices of plate carrier, belt, and gear. I’m an M81 fan.
Accessorizing Guns
Each gun has a fixed number of slots for upgrades. You can attach optics, which include real-world designs from Aimpoint, Holosun, EOTech, Vortex, and more. You can use red dots and magnified optics. Even your pistols can attach optics, including the RMR or SRO.
You can use lights and lasers. Lights include the Surefire Scout for most guns, and the Surefire X300U for handguns. The Surefire DSF even shows up on the 870 series. Lasers include the PEQ-15 and MAWL. When using lights or lasers, you have to be careful.
The enemy can spot them coming. You think you’re safe with IR lasers and night vision? Well, some bad guys have night vision. You have to play smart, and that’s what makes the game a lot of fun to me.
It Gets a Little Weird
The weird part of this game comes from the bad guy’s guns. We see the usual mix of ARs, AKs, shotguns, and Uzis, but sometimes the bad guys have some esoteric weapons. For example, the Calico M950 shows up as a bad guy SMG.
Ready or Not is an alternate world where the P250 became a popular gun, apparently. Also, some are MILSURP fans and wield the Makarov. I’ll give credit to the game; the bad guys also have 3D-printed Glocks, which is at least an interesting criminal gun to see.
Armed and Nerdy
Ready or Not is a ton of fun. I love replaying levels, trying different guns and tactics. I main a shotgun amongst my friends, but single player is a playground where sometimes I respond to a gas station robbery with a FAL, or I go to Epstein’s island with an MP7 and lay waste. Either way, I’m nerding out and having fun.
Habits are a great tool when it comes to achieving long-term goals. They allow you to continue moving forward without putting a lot of conscious thought into it. If you want to get in better physical condition, developing a habit of daily exercise will help you get there.
In fact, if you commit to the habit for a while, it can feel uncomfortable if you don’t engage in it. For example, let’s say you start exercising every morning. About six months later, something comes up that pulls you out of your daily routine, and you can’t get that exercise in. You might feel a little discombobulated all day long as a result.
Creating habits with a prepper mindset or perspective will absolutely help keep you in a better position to handle emergencies. Here are a few examples of what I mean.
Filling the Tank
Once you get started with this, it’s fairly easy to keep up with it. That’s especially true if you have a fairly consistent daily commute. Make it a habit not to let your gas tank fall below half. Once it hits that halfway mark, fill it up.
We don’t get to choose when a crisis will strike, nor the form it might take. If you have a sudden need to drive somewhere, such as when a family member needs to go to the hospital, you don’t want to have to stop for fuel along the way.
As a practical matter, you’re not spending any more money filling your tank at halfway than when you otherwise would. You might be stopping for gas more frequently, but unless you drive quite a bit on a daily basis, it’s probably adding maybe one extra stop a week.
Staging Gear
Let’s say your smoke alarm wakes you up in the middle of the night. Unfortunately, it isn’t because your teenager forgot a pizza in the oven. This is a real emergency, and you need to evacuate immediately. Do not pass Go, do not collect $200.
In this situation, what would you grab? Would you be able to find what you need quickly? I’ve read that because of all of the synthetic materials in homes today, you may have just a few minutes to escape before things get truly ugly.
It’s a good idea to get into the habit of staging quick grab items each night before you go to bed. This isn’t nearly as complicated or involved as it might sound. As an example, take your cell phone, keys, and wallet and put them together on your nightstand or dresser. You want them in the same place every night, so there’s no fumbling around trying to locate them. You also want them within easy reach, as you might not be able to run to the other end of the house to retrieve them.
Along these same lines, keep footwear of some sort near the bed, so you can slip them on quickly. Even slippers are better than bare feet. A robe, or sweatpants and a hoodie, might also be wise if you tend to sleep without wearing much of anything.
Escape Routes
We’ve talked before about establishing points of egress. The basic idea is to get into the habit of scoping out where you can go in an emergency when you’re out in public. For example, figuring out different ways to evacuate a restaurant, should an active shooter situation develop. This is one behavior that doesn’t take too long to get ingrained once you start doing it.
In a very positive move for the gun-rights movement, the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) is set to present oral arguments in the lawsuit challenging Illinois’ ban on so-called “assault weapons.” Interestingly, in the case Barnett v. Raoul, rather than supporting the ban, the federal government intends to argue that the law violates the Second Amendment right to keep and bear arms.
Oral arguments in the case, being heard by the 7th Circuit Court of Appeals, are scheduled to begin on September 23.
Why The Ban Is Unconstitutional
In an amicus brief filed with the court in June, the government argued that the Illinois ban goes too far and completely ignores the directives set down by the U.S. Supreme Court in New York State Rifle & Pistol Association v. Bruen.
“Three years ago, the Supreme Court issued a landmark decision meant to break a habit developed by some States of treating the Second Amendment as ‘a second-class right, subject to an entirely different body of rules than the other’ constitutional rights,” the DOJ brief stated.
“Regrettably, not every State got the message. Just a few months after Bruen, Illinois outlawed some of the most commonly used rifles and magazines in America via a so-called ‘assault weapons’ ban. In doing so, Illinois violated the Supreme Court’s clear directive that States cannot prohibit arms that are ‘in common use’ by law-abiding citizens for lawful purposes.”
The brief also included an argument of why the DOJ Civil Rights Division should be able to take part in the oral arguments, a request the court later granted.
“This appeal concerns whether Illinois’s Protect Illinois Communities Act, which prohibits so-called ‘assault weapons,’ can withstand scrutiny under the Second Amendment, which protects Americans’ right to ‘keep and bear Arms,’” the filing states. “Because of the federal government’s interest in ‘protect[ing] the Second Amendment rights of all Americans,’ the United States filed a brief as amicus curiae supporting Plaintiffs-Appellees. The United States believes that its participation in oral argument will be helpful to the Court.”
Is Kash Patel On Board?
Interestingly, the oral arguments will begin less than a week after FBI Director Kash Patel testified before the powerful Senate Judiciary Committee that he believed a ban on so-called “assault weapons” could stop some killings. While he stopped short of endorsing legislation for such a ban, his statement seems to directly contradict the DOJ’s efforts in the Illinois case.
Ultimately, the Trump Administration will need to get all of its agency leaders on the same page concerning semi-auto firearms and the right to keep and bear arms. And the sooner the better.
Social media is great for some things. Keeping in touch with friends, reconnecting with people you’ve not seen in years, keeping tabs on your exes, all that fun stuff. The downside is that users tend to share information that’s demonstrably false or misleading. Don’t get me wrong, they have the best of intentions. But the end result is that some of this nonsense goes viral, leading to tons of people relying on it like it’s gospel.
Here are just three examples of what I’m talking about. There are many, many others floating around social media.
If You’re Lost or Need Help, Update Your Outgoing Message
This one cropped up a few years ago and, like the proverbial bad penny, it keeps coming back.
My sweet summer child, you need a cell signal in order to change your outgoing message. If you have a cell signal, then your priority should be contacting someone for help. Why wait for some rando to call your phone? I mean, most of us don’t even listen to the outgoing message anyway. We hear the message start, we hang up, and we send a text. Your best bet with this particular self-rescue approach is that the guy calling about your extended car warranty actually listens to the entire message and is moved to call the authorities.
A far better plan, if you can get a cell signal, is to text 911. Texting uses less battery power than calling. It’s also more likely to get through if the signal is sketchy.
Wasp Spray is Self-Defense in a Can
I tried to do a deep dive on the history of this one a while ago.
As best as I was able to determine, this got started back when it was common to fax jokes and such to one another. Sort of the precursor to sharing memes like we do today.
As the story goes, someone somewhere heard about another person who worked in a school who was told by a police officer to keep wasp spray in the school office in case there was some sort of violent encounter. This is like one of those classic Friend of a Friend (FOAF) stories, like the guy with the hook for a hand who preyed on teens making out in the woods.
Near as I can tell, the only reason wasp spray was singled out amongst all the other bug sprays is that it has a range the others lack.
While anything sprayed into an eyeball will cause momentary discomfort, pepper spray is far more effective against people than wasp spray. Plus, the container is smaller and easier to carry with you than a typical can of wasp spray.
Burn Crayons During a Power Outage
This one is true in a technical sense, but it’s still kinda dumb.
Here’s how this often plays out on social media. Someone will post this meme or something similar to it. Then, several people will comment, “Great! Next time I go to the store, I’m going to pick up a box of crayons to keep on hand for power outages.”
If you’re at a store that sells crayons, I’m betting they also sell actual candles. Those will burn cleaner and provide more light than crayons. On top of that, you won’t need to listen to your kids crying and screaming because you’re destroying their beloved Crayolas.
Just because you saw it on the internet doesn’t make it true. Use your head for more than just a hat rack and think it through before you click Share.
[Note — all of the images included here have spread throughout social media, and there is no practical way for me to credit properly to their originators.]
