The SIG Copperhead – Small and Venomous

By

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August 1, 2019

In some German/Swiss lab, a mad man whispered quietly…. Make it smaller. Clearly, he knew that small guns were in and big guns were out. While Duke Nukem would be disappointed a good portion of the gun community seems to be in love with short rifles, shotguns, and big pistols that want to be SMGs. Look at the rise of SBRs everywhere, or AR pistol braces bringing AR pistols to the mainstream. Hell, even the Army bought a compact SMG. Let’s not forget that the SMG wannabe crowd is also getting a little smaller. First, we had the CZ Micro Scorpion and now we have the SIG Copperhead.

The SIG Copperhed is the K model to the K model MPX. SIG introduced the 4.5-inch MPX as the K model and that mad scientist said to make it smaller. That gave us the new Copperhead, although that German/Swiss scientist was likely an American at SIG USA. Contrary to popular belief the Copperhead was not SIG’s entry into the Army SMG contest, but a product made for the civilian market.

What is the Copperhead?

The Copperhead is actually supposed to be the cheaper MPX model. It retails for $1,579.99 while the MPX K model with a brace goes for 1829.99. It’s also the smallest SMG wannabe currently on the market when you consider the brace. The SIG Copperhead has a 3.5-inch barrel with a fixed muzzle device. Also, the upper and handguard are monolithic to reduce length a hair more as well.

The Copperhead also features SIG’s new PCB brace. The pivoting Contour Brace can rotate left and right to make using the brace wrapped around your arm easier and more comfortable. This brace setup is a very short PDW style collapsing system. The bars fit flush across the upper receiver and the package is 14.5 inches long with the brace collapsed fully. The PCB is my favorite brace in terms of comfort and it allows me to shoot in multiple positions much easier than older braces.

The Copperhead also sports the Rattler grip, and if you aren’t familiar it’s a much slimmer and thinner grip designed to be snag-free. It’s quite thin, and has a slight awkward feel but nothing you’ll notice once you start slinging lead.

It comes with a single 20 round magazine and I will say 30 round magazines look goofy in it. They look too long for such a little gun. Lancer makes the magazines and they are very well made, but man are they expensive. I wish we could have gotten at least one more with this gun. The gun also doesn’t come with sights of any kind, and that’s a gripe too. $1,579.99 is a lot of money and a set of sights should be included.

The top optics rail does leave room for your own optic and I went with my often abused, but beloved Burris Fastfire 3.

When the Lead Meets the AR 500

I was quite excited to get some range time with this little fella and I hit the range with a bag full of Remington UMC 9mm and some ill intentions for paper and steel popper targets. The magazine loads easily and because it’s transparent it appears as if the magazine is only half loaded when it’s fully loaded. It’s odd when you keep loading because the magazine looks half full and realize it’s full.

Control-wise the SIG Copperhead mimics the AR 15. It’s completely ambidextrous and uses an AR-style charging handle as well. The brace can be pulled into action without the need to press a release. It’s well suited for concealment in a laptop bag.

Unlike most PCCs and SMG wannabes, the Copperhead is short-stroke gas piston system. The plus side is this allows the gun to be much smaller and lighter than blowback options. It does not require the heavy-duty bolt blowback guns have. This also decreases recoil since that bolt isn’t flying back and delivering more rearward momentum.

This makes the gun very pleasant and very controllable. The barrel has an attached flash hider that’s quite effective and likely necessary if you start throwing some 124 grain NATO loads through the gun.

The magazine well is rather wide and this makes funneling a magazine into the weapon easy breezy. It’s an intuitive setup and well laid out for quick and easy mag swaps. Better yet the ergonomics are excellent all around. They are all easy to reach and to control and they allow you to easily manipulate your weapon regardless of your positioning. Plus I guess it makes wrong handers happy.

Throwing Lead

Once I got the brace deployed and properly sighted I was ringing steel like I was beating a drum. Sure it’s only a 3.5-inch barrel, in a very compact package, but sight radius doesn’t matter when you have a red dot. If I wanted to punch a paper target in the head 20 times I damn sure could, at 25, 35, and 50 yards like someone was paying me to.

It’s a very accurate gun, and the lack of much recoil makes it very easy to control. If I open up to just hitting the torso of a target I can back off to a 100 yards and land shots in the chest area. The trigger is one of the best triggers I’ve run into on PCC style rifles and handguns. It’s crisp and light with a very short pull overall. You get a positive and short reset.

One of my favorite drills is snap drills. Hold the weapon at the low ready and engage with one round to a vital area as fast as you can. My Pocket Pal 2 acts as a timer. It’s a simple, but important drill. I started at 25 yards and aimed for under a second on chest shots. It took me a little practice, but it’s doable.

A Gun For All

The PCB is a hard plastic that comes together to conceal the velcro strap. This allows it to have a very clean look and snag-free design. It also makes it comfortable to shoulder or to use as a cheek rest. It’s a very short gun and I feel like a troll trying to shoulder it. I can, but it’s not as comfortable as a regular braced AR.

The gun eats brass cased ammo like nobody’s business and ammo is cheap enough that I haven’t put much steel-cased through. That being said it ate steel case too when I put it to the test. That terrible Winchester American Forged crap fed perfectly fine. It also fed a variety of JHPs without issue. These JHPs are a bit of a grab bag of random ammo I’ve collected over the years. They do include Ranger, Speer, and SIG ammo as well.

Is the Copperhead for You?

This is a teeny tiny gun, but for smaller people who may have issues with other weapons, this could be an answer to them. It’s very light and the small size would make it easy for petite people or even older folks who can’t handle heavier weapons.

At only 4.5 pounds it’s quite manageable. Add in the low recoil and you have a winner for home defense for smaller people. It’s designed to be concealed and compact so it may be a great weapon for road trips when you want something a little easier to shoot than a handgun.

For me, it’s a fun plinker. It’s a gun I could carry in a laptop case if I was inclined to do so. It’s a fun shooter and sometimes that’s all I need a gun to be. It’s more than a handgun, less than a rifle and fulfills a small niche for those needing the smallest defensive firearm that’s bigger and better than a pistol.

Governor Cuomo Signs More Gun Control for New York

By

Keith Finch

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July 31, 2019

Screen Shot 2019-07-31 at 12.58.35 PM — Via MyTwinTiers

More gun control… that should work.

Governor Andrew Cuomo this week signed more gun control into being for New York.

On Monday the governor signed an extension to the 3 day waiting period from 3 days to 30 days. Ostensibly this to give more time for the police to run background checks. A NICS check takes a few minutes, at most the system will kick back a result from an investigator in a few business days. Even adding a check of local systems this is not a overly long process.

The new 30 day delay is in place of the three day federal delay triggered when a check goes to further review by a NICS investigator. From personal experience I can recall one instance in four years where a check came back denied after the federal transfer, and low and behold there is a system in place for that too that gives local authorities name, address, etc. of the prohibited person.

But wait… there’s more!

Cuomo then went on to ban the manufacture, sale, transport and possession of firearms and major components of such weapons that are undetectable by a metal detector, including 3D printed guns.

“3D guns and improperly stored firearms pose an enormous risk to our children and today we’re addressing both dangers head-on to keep our families safe,” Governor Cuomo said. “These measures continue New York’s legacy of enacting the strongest gun laws in the nation by helping keep firearms out of the hands of children and by acknowledging and addressing technological advancements like 3D printed guns.”

That’s right Andrew, technology bad and I’m certain your law will help oh so much. I’m confident banning possession of such ‘dangerous’ items like plastic frames and receivers, especially without serial numbers, instead of addressing and criminalizing deadly behaviors is the way to go. Prohibition has such a stellar track record.

That’s not all folks!

New York has also increased criminal penalties for improperly storing a firearm in accordance to their rules. Accidental firearms deaths have long been lumped into the “gun violence” category despite accidents being well… accidents. Negligence is not an act violence, it is one of stupidity.

Despite it being, apparently a national problem of some scope, the CDC doesn’t even list preventing firearm injuries as a leading cause nor do they even list firearm deaths in unintentional child injury reporting. In one study graphic I found, unintentional firearms injury rated 8th among cause of death with 16 incidents in 2011 for 4-9 year olds.

The firearm unintentional death rate for children in the US is something that bares constant and continuing improvement upon but it is far from an epidemic. The rate of kids 0-12 accidently dying due to a firearm is .09/100,000. Age group 13-17 isn’t much higher at .15/100,000

Accidental firearm death only ranked 8th in one age bracket and didn’t make top 10 in any other.

On the scale of worrisome causes of death… I feel we can make more progress on other higher numbers.

New York once again making a mountain out of a molehill in the name of political points.

Keeping Guns from Kids

By

DRGO

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July 31, 2019

(from slate.com)

When you live alone and own a gun, you don’t worry about where it is. You could hide it in the cereal box, for all it matters—and the only thing to be concerned with is to make sure it can’t be found by a home invader. Every place is safe, as you keep it easily accessible to you.

On the other hand, when you have a family, the issue can take a different turn. Granted, you may be able to keep your spouse safe from danger—or even teach them how to use the gun—but when it comes to children, it’s not that easy.

Small children cannot handle guns, and out of curiosity, they will put themselves in danger—which could sometimes lead to a tragedy. This can be quite concerning, considering that over 1/3 of American children live in homes where there is at least one firearm.

So, how do you keep loved ones safe from your own guns? Whether you have a single handgun or an arsenal, how do you ensure that those guns do not end up in tiny little hands?

The Safest Way to Store a Gun

If you have a gun in your home, be sure you respect certain safety rules. There are other approaches, but for maximal security, these are three golden rules for storing a gun:

Keep it locked in its unloaded state. This can be in a safe, a cabinet, a gun vault, or even a storage case.
Keep the ammunition locked in a separate place from the gun—but close enough to access in the event of an emergency.
Keep the keys or combinations to the storage places either on you or hidden safely away from the reach of children.

If you can follow these three rules, there should never be issues concerning unmonitored gun tragedies. Ideally, you should buy one of the best fireproof gun safes you can, to ensure that it cannot be accessed by anyone who has no business there.

Why Should You Safely Store Your Gun?

The answer to this should be obvious, but too many people don’t think this matters. Believing accidents “won’t happen to me” is too easy and common. Children are curious—as you already knew from prying your kid away from the electric outlet for the tenth time. If they come across a loaded gun, not only that can they hurt themselves, but they can injure other people as well.

Plus, teens can be highly emotional, and can act impulsively. In the United States, guns are the leading method of suicide—and about 60% of shooting deaths in 2016 were teenage suicides.

This problem does not only apply to teenagers. People who are depressed, regardless of age, are more likely to commit suicide. If someone in your household is depressed or has had suicidal thoughts, please: secure all your firearms, or even remove them from your home.

Even if you do not have children, you still should be very careful. After all, you are going to receive guests at some point—and some of them might be children. Accidents happen when curious children roam around the house and stumble across a loaded gun. So secure your firearms whether you live alone in or not. Even if a burglar is the only other human to enter your home, it’s worth disappointing him by keeping your armory well hidden and locked up.

Keeping Kids Safe in Other Homes

Child safety is not only a concern in your own home. Be attentive about other’s homes as well. You could try to keep your child away from houses that have guns—but that’s unrealistic and you can’t know for sure anyway.

When your child visits friends or family, you can ask whether they have firearms and how they are secured. It might feel slightly awkward, but it should be understood because it is about your child’s safety.

Final Thoughts

The surest way to keep weapons safe from your less able loved ones is under lock and key. Children are unpredictable and creative. They will find anything anywhere at some point. Especially in that cereal box!

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—Jay Chambers is a Texas business owner, archer, shooter and survivalist. He believes in free speech, resiliency and self-sufficiency in an increasingly unpredictable world.

All DRGO articles by Jay Chambers

Armor Piercing Ammo

By

Keith Finch

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July 31, 2019

“Armor piercing ammo” is a phrase thrown about by the poorly informed with rabid abandon when the media types are looking to make something sound scarier.

‘Capable of firing armor piercing rounds!’ is one such misnomer. If an armor piercing round is made in “X” caliber or chambering and any firearm is in “X” caliber or chambering, then yes, it is “capable” of firing armor piercing rounds. But you need to have those rounds, and they are expensive. Also not nearly as useful as one might surmise from the fear spoken of in mass media. AP can punch through hardened steel. Cool. But unless you’re taking on something made of hardened steel it’s a probably a wasted expense.

The same with API, Armor Piercing Incendiary, a round which is designed to ignite whatever is behind the original hardened barrier. Fuel, ammunition, sensitive equipment, etc. All those items are the most likely targets of an API round. Not a guy with a plate carrier on.

Armor piercing ammo is meant for and is most effective against equipment. Personnel are a secondary target and aren’t that much more at risk from an AP round than a conventional one. Both ammunition types are lethal.

When the Media says ‘Armor Piercing’

They mean rifle ammo.

Any rifle ammo, except .22 lr, they like .22’s

They either lack understanding of personal body armor, or are projecting willfully misleading information. In either case its problematic towards developing an understanding of a round type that can defeat armor vs. one that is armor piercing by design.

Media reports that cite AP as a capability are referencing the fact that standard soft armor, rated level II or IIIA under current designations (likely redesignated P1 and P2 under new armor regulations), do not stop rifle rounds. They are rated for handgun rounds. Cops wear the far more mobile and less burdensome handgun rated armor because, statistically speaking, that’s the threat they are going to encounter by many orders of magnitude.

If a rifle threat is known or suspected, hard armor of level III or IV can be used in a supplemental vest, often known as a plate carrier. These plates protect a 10×12 (medium plate) space on the chest and back to lower the chance a rifle round hits the heart and lungs. Level IV plates are even rated to a certain degree against armor penetrating rounds (M2 AP 30-06) for a manufacturer stated number of strikes. “Multi-hit capable” is the usual nomenclature.

Understanding Armor and Armor Penetration

The concept of armor is nothing new, we’re talking millenia old. Weapon designed-> armor designed->weapon to defeat ->armor to beat weapon… and so on. Today’s iterations are centered on handgun, rifle, shrapnel, and knife threats. All dependant on the level of protection that makes sense vs. the mobility trade off and the threat environment.

There is always a weapon that will beat the armor or a way that the armor will be ineffective (IE: head shot) at stopping the threat. Equally there is a level of armor that, despite a threat, does not make sense to equip against due to the unlikely nature of the threat or the mobility decrease that comes with using the armor. We can look at how plate carriers changed during OEF/OIF/GWOT to see that the conclusion has become, in most circumstances, mobility is more important.

Defeating modern armor comes by combining a dense enough substance with enough speed to defeat the barrier. A technique we can trace back to the middle ages Bodkin arrow tip.

“Armor Penetrating” is relative.

AP or API is specifically an anti-vehicle/anti-material designate. The target is armored vehicles and materials.

Dependant upon the level of personal armor being worn a round may or may not be stopped. It will depend upon the rating of the armor. So a rifle round is not tailored to defeat pistol rated armor, but it will. That does not make the rifle round AP. If the round is designed from the ground up to defeat a level of armored threat it is AP. If in it’s design layout it can defeat a certain level of armor or protection then it is ‘capable of armor penetration’ but wasn’t designed to pierce armor as a principal design consideration.

Semantics? Perhaps in the general scale it does not matter if a design was purpose built to defeat a protection if it can do so, however from the point of “The Narrative” it matters highly.

When a round is being portrayed as a ‘cop killer’ bullet or hyper dangerous in some other manner, “weapon of mass destruction” is the favorite right now, it matters. When commercially long standing rounds, like 30-06, have power factors substantially higher than those calibers being maligned and possess the same “armor penetrating” capability of not being a handgun round it makes for too easy a narrational slope. Leading to the suggestion that the only way to be safe from “armor piercing ammo” is to ban all ammo… and guns.

Thanks to the InRange crew for the video on real AP and API.

Mossberg 500 Makeover

By

Dr LateBloomer

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July 31, 2019

BFFEDB30-723C-4201-AB55-8CDC23900F15 — Tah Daaaaaah!

Remember last month when I bought a pawnshop shotgun with the intent of turning it into a home defense/tactical gun?

Well, after much soaking and cleaning and parts replacing, she is ready for the range and hopefully ready to take a class!

This has been a really interesting project. I’ve had shotguns for six or eight years (mostly semiauto), but I’ve never tried to do the type of deep disassembly and cleaning that a used pump gun makeover required. It’s been an education and an exercise in compromise – balancing function, appearance, and budget.

The “Before” photo fresh from the pawn shop.

As the photos in the first article attested, this gun was DIRTY. Like, literally crumbs of crud falling out of it dirty. This was not a safe queen and was likely used hard for turkey or waterfowl or both. But the price I paid for it ($110 out-the-door) made it worth some effort at clean-up.

The trigger group, bolt, and other internals cleaned up very nicely. There was some wear, but no obvious rust, so that was a win.

The magazine tube required some compromise. I could hear the spring scraping around in there and wanted to get it out for inspection. However, I soon discovered that it wasn’t age/corrosion that kept me from getting the magazine tube off, it was the fact the Mossberg apparently uses/used some form of Loctite in the assembly of my 30-year old gun which necessitates special measures like a heat gun and strap wrenches for removal. The interwebs also warned that it was possible to damage the tube in the process of removal.

Though I had friends who generously offered tools and assistance, I opted to try just cleaning it out first. I used a 12 gauge bore mop soaked in Hoppes and ran it up inside the magazine a few time from the follower end and again with a smaller mop from the top end, down through the center of the spring, hoping to dissolve crud that might be clinging to the spring and magazine walls. After a few repetitions with wet and dry mops and big patches wrapped around the mops, I did the same procedure with gun oil.

It all moves and sounds much better now, so I’m leaving well enough alone. Feel free to tell me I’m wrong, I’m a learner after all. But this was a compromise, and I opted for good-enough function rather than risking damage. If it becomes a problem in the future then my hand will be forced and I’ll deal with it then.

My next big decision was whether to just repaint the existing stock and forend, or replace them with Magpul components. After some deliberation and budgeting I decided to spring for the Magpuls. I got a great deal on the stock on Amazon, and the forend came from Brownells – along with a mount for a flashlight.

The advantage to the Magpul stock is that it has spacers for adjusting the length of pull (an ongoing issue for me), and I also like the ergonomics of the grip. The installation was easy-peasy.

The advantage to the Magpul forend for me is that it allows me to attach a light. The original forend had no such ability. The Magpul additionally, is contoured such that there is a bit of a grip stop at the end. With my short arms I am unlikely to overreach and endanger my fingers, but a tactile endpoint is still good to have.

I tossed around the idea of a foregrip with an integral light, but it was pricey. I already own three Surefire flashlights so I opted for just a Magpul mount for one of my existing handheld lights. I’m not a Tammy Tactical, but a few of the classes I’ve looked at use a light, so I wanted to have something I could use for a class. Installation of the light mount was not so easy-peasy, but still accomplished by a non-expert, non-mechanically inclined pediatrician.

This gun came from the pawnshop with a 26-inch barrel, so I needed a tactical-length replacement. I found a Mossberg factory barrel in 18.5 inches with a matte finish at my local Sportsman’s Warehouse for about a hundred bucks. That price seemed about average and I avoided shipping costs by buying it locally.

Although I hadn’t originally planned to, I ended up replacing the slide assembly on this gun, too. While messing with trying to remove the original foregrip I realized how rattly and loose it all was. It may have been mechanically fine, but since I was replacing the forend anyway, I decided to go all new, since there is a lot of wear and tear on those pieces. If the pump mechanism goes bad in an emergency you’ve got a one shot gun, so I replaced it with Mossberg factory parts from MidwayUSA.

That jacked up my cost of the makeover even further, but I still came in under what it would have cost me to buy and equip a new tactical shotgun. I easily rationalized these expenses because I sold two handguns (that I didn’t like and rarely shot) to the same pawn shop from which I bought the Mossberg. That gave me over $300 more to play with without budgetary guilt. Gotta love guilt-free gun purchases!

I’m planning on getting a sling and a fiber optic sight for this project as well, but I’m still shopping around for those. If anybody has any suggestions, I’m happy to hear them.

After dropping a few F-bombs and questioning the virtuous parentage of a few of the parts – especially the trigger assembly – I finally managed complete reassembly. I ran some dummy rounds through my project to verify function and then took my new/old gun to the range for a test shoot.

I felt like my rounds while struggling to get the last of the assembly done.

Range testing is always a better measure of the build because farting around in your living room with dummy rounds can only tell you so much. The first thing that the range test of a box of birdshot and some 00 Buck taught me is that my Benellis – with their lovely recoil-reducing stocks – have heretofore sheltered me from the true recoil of a 12 gauge.

It was brisk. I could handle it, but I’m going to have to work on making sure I don’t develop a flinch. I’ll have to see if there is such a thing as lower recoil defensive shotgun ammo. I was just using what I had lying around leftover from 3-Gun for right now. Granted, I was blasting off six rounds at a time as fast as I could cycle the gun to make sure it worked well, but still. A multi-day class may be a bad idea without lower recoil ammo.

The other thing that range testing showed me is that I need to move the flashlight mount somewhere ELSE. I originally mounted it on the front bottom left side of the slide, thinking this would be easiest access. The purple and tender knuckle on my left hand that developed after the first 6 rounds slammed the flashlight into my hand proved that this location was not going to work. Suffice to say the flashlight and mount were removed post-haste before the testing continued.

Over all though, I am pleased. The gun cycled the thirty or so rounds I put through it flawlessly. The magazine fed smoothly and the extraction and ejection were fine. For a thirty year old gun, she’s still got it.

As you may have noticed from the photos, I decided not to refinish the receiver and magazine tube (at least not yet). I’m leaving the rattle can camo job that was done by the previous owner as a nod to the pawnshop origin of the gun. The FDE furniture blends quite well with it anyway, and I figure if anyone comments, then I have an opening to tell my make-over story.

I would wholeheartedly recommend a project like this to anyone. Though some may argue that it’s easier to just buy a new gun for what the parts cost me, I would reply that not only have I made this gun truly “mine” by this process, but that the associated education in the mechanics of the pump gun was priceless.

SBR EPISODE III: SAINT AND SAINT EDGE SHORT-BARRELED RIFLES

By

The Armory Life

-

July 30, 2019

In our SBR Episode I: Short Barreled Rifles – A Short Crash Course article, we outlined a brief history of rifle development and touched on the U.S. National Firearms Act (NFA) and NFA Firearms.

In SBR Episdode II: Short Barreled Rifles – Worth the Work, we discussed the pros and cons of an SBR and why we think it’s worth the investment – the process, wait, and cost involved to become a legal SBR owner.

And in this article, SBR Episode III, we will introduce you to the very cool specifics of the Springfield Armory Short-Barreled Rifles – the SAINT and the SAINT Edge.

SAINT SBR

We started with the wildly popular Springfield SAINT rifle with the free float handguard. We then reduced its barrel length from the unrestricted 16-inch length to 11.5 inches, applied the proper gas system “magic” and of course put on an appropriately fitted, shorter hand guard. The SAINT SBR also fires the same ammunition (as the original SAINT) with the same magazines, it’s just much more compact.

Shortening Specifics

Engineering an SBR is a little more involved than just cutting off 4.5 inches of barrel.

Removing approximately 1/3 of the barrel of a perfectly timed “machine” does require some tuning. Primarily a revision of the gas system – to optimize the rifle to function with a different port position in the barrel.

A lot of engineering talk could be included here by someone far smarter than I am, but the base design concern is with the different gas port pressures and the reduced dwell time of those pressures, both which are caused by locating the gas port closer to both the chamber and the muzzle.

But don’t worry, at Springfield we certainly know what we are doing!

We learned a lot about short-barreled gas systems when we developed the 7.5 inch-barreled SAINT pistol. While a little tricky to perfect, when it IS right, the reward is reliable, consistent function. #MissionAccomplished

Therefore when we (Springfield Armory) got into the SBR market, we already had a lot of knowledge, reliable data and current, valuable experience.

The end result with the SAINT SBR is reliability and durability, the same features you have come to expect from all of the models in the Springfield Armory product line.

The Proof Is In Your Hands

Read on!

“Illegal Rifle!” in Gilroy, CA

By

Keith Finch

-

July 30, 2019

sks — Stock SKS, an SKS has been listed as a possible rifle used in the shooting as "AK style." From descriptions, it is is an SKS, it was converted to acceptable a detachable magazine and probably more prohibited CA features. SKS's are prohibited if they have a detachable magazine.

The LA Times is reporting that the 19 year old shooter who killed 3, before being killed in a gunfight with the police at the Gilroy Garlic Festival, used a rifle. An illegal rifle to possess in California.

Originally stated to be a WASR-10, a lower cost AK variant, that description has since been updated to “an AK-47 variant” and a few sources have said SKS, which I believe given the sources of “AK variant”. Regardless of final clarity, the rifle was purchased legally in Nevada and then illegally brought to California. The shooter passed his NICS background check.

“That weapon could not be sold in California. That weapon cannot be imported into the state of California,” Becerra said in response to a question about the assault-style rifle used in the shooting.

Becerra added: “There is a very strong likelihood as we develop the evidence that the perpetrator in this particular case violated California law on top of the crimes of homicide and so forth, the crimes that we have that are meant to prevent individuals from carrying out this type of activity.” – via CNN

Pre-crime precognition isn’t a thing so… what’s to be done? California government officials have expressed sentiments along the lines of, ‘can’t defend themselves from the Second Amendment’… implying that constitutionally protected civil rights are to blame.

“I can’t put borders up … in a neighboring state where you can buy this damn stuff legally,” California Gov. Gavin Newsom said Monday morning, calling for action from Washington, DC. “I have no problem with the Second Amendment, you have a right to bear arms but not weapons of … mass destruction.”

Of course we should blame Nevada, the gun store there, the US Constitution, the NRA, who else… who else? “The shooter?”, someone would inquire from the back of the room. No, that’s preposterous! It was white supremacist rhetoric and Donald Trump! [/sarcasm]

The 19 year old shooter has been linked to a text, “Might is Right” by Ragnar Redbeard, believed to be Arthur Desmond, a late 19th century British born author, poet, and politician who espoused a dark bend of survivalist, darwinist, ‘kill-or be-killed’, the strong should rule the weak type mentality known as egoist anarchism. The text is also heavily anti-christian.

What’s it all mean?

It means that anti-2A politicians, media types, and groups are going to use the attack to further fuel their base for vaporware “common sense gun safety” legislation. It means the 3 who died and those that were wounded have become political ammo for further regulations in California and across the nation. But mostly it means making something illegal doesn’t stop it. Illegal never has, illegal never will.

Mass violence is not new. It is not unique to the United States. A killer did an illegal thing with an “illegal rifle.” Did that make the situation any better, California? The fact that it was double against the law?

No, it didn’t. But what did, ironically, were the people with guns. The officers who stopped the attack on a defenseless crowd by a lunatic with delusions of grandeur, they made things better. Perhaps most ironic, the shooter proved himself the weak one, by his own espoused ideologic theory he should have been culled.

Wish granted, asshole.

Meopta Optika HD Binoculars

By

Keith Finch

-

July 30, 2019

TAMPA, FL, July 30, 2019 – Meopta USA Sport Optics is pleased to announce its Optika HD binocular line is now shipping. Available in 8×42 and 10×42, these lightweight, rugged, magnesium-alloy binoculars are encased in a newly designed shock-proof, rubber-armored exterior for a modern look and feel. The advanced HD lenses, combined with phase-correction and dielectric coatings, deliver incredible brightness, superior color fidelity, edge-to-edge sharpness and increased contrast, allowing hunters to see better in low light.

Optika HD binoculars feature Meopta’s MeoShield anti-abrasion lens coatings and MeoDrop hydrophobic lens coatings which repel rain, dust, and grease from lens surfaces.

The twist-up eyecups on the Optika HD binoculars are metal with a soft rubber exterior, making them extremely durable and comfortable while eliminating the risk of breakage in the field. They are also designed for easy removal and cleaning since eyecups often collect dirt and debris in the field. Like all Meopta binoculars, the Optika HD series is nitrogen purged and fully sealed for fogproof and waterproof performance in the most demanding conditions.

As a special launch promotion, consumers will receive an instant $50 rebate on the purchase of these binoculars through December 31, 2019 bringing their cost to under $300. In 2020, retail pricing will be $339.95 for the Optika HD 8×42 and $349.95 for the 10×42 model.

Retail Pricing through December 31, 2019:

Meopta Optika HD 8×42 $289.95

Meopta Optika HD 10×42 $299.95

Optika HD Binocular Specifications:

Model:	8×42	10×42
Magnification:	8x	10x
Objective Lens (mm):	42mm	42mm
Field of View (ft/1000 yds):	393 ft.	315 ft.
Close Focus (ft):	8.2 ft.	9.8 ft.
Twilight Factor:	18.3	20.5
Interpupillary Distance (in):	2.2 in. – 2.9 in.	2.2 in. – 2.9 in.
Diopter System:	Right diopter ring	Right diopter ring
Dioptric Correction (D):	± 4	± 4
Height (in):	5.43 in.	5.43 in.
Width (in):	5.00 in.	5.00 in.
Depth (in):	2.17 in.	2.17 in.
Weight (oz):	22.9 oz	22.9 oz
Lens/Prism Coatings:	Fully multi-coated	Fully multi-coated
	Phase correction	Phase correction
	Dielectric	Dielectric
Hyrdophobic Coating:	yes	yes
Anti-scratch Coating:	yes	yes
Waterproof:	yes	yes
Nitrogen Purged:	yes	yes
Fogproof:	yes	yes
Shockproof:	yes	yes

About Meopta

Meopta has been producing high-end European optics for over 85 years. Meopta is a leading manufacturer & partner to many of the world’s finest optical brands. Meopta conceives, develops and manufactures precision optical and electro/optical systems for semiconductor, medical, aerospace and military industries as well as for consumer markets.

For more information regarding Meopta, please visit www.meoptasportsoptics.com.

Mass Attacks in Public Spaces

By

Keith Finch

-

July 30, 2019

MAPS (Mass Attacks in Public Spaces) is a report completed by the US Secret Service that studies the incidents of mass casualty violence inside the United States. The report for 2018 was recently brought to me attention via an opinion piece on The Hill, the report was published this month.

While the opinion columnist uses it to make an impassioned plea for gun control I wanted to look into the compiled data for myself. The considerations section at the end is especially worthy of note.

From MAPS – 2018

Considerations

Like the year before, 2018 saw incidents of mass violence impact the places where we work, learn, worship, or otherwise conduct our daily activities. Consistent with previous research from the Secret Service, these attacks were found to be motivated by a variety of goals, grievances, and ideologies. The attackers varied widely on demographic factors, and while there is no single profile that can be used to predict who will engage in targeted violence, focusing on a range of concerning behaviors while assessing threats can help promote early intervention with those rare individuals that pose such a risk. [emphasis added]

Mental health and mental wellness

Mental illness, alone, is not a risk factor for violence, and most violence is committed by individuals who are not mentally ill.

Two-thirds of the attackers in this study, however, had previously displayed symptoms indicative of mental health issues, including depression, paranoia, and delusions. Other attackers displayed behaviors that do not indicate the presence of a mental illness, but do show that the person was experiencing some sort of distress or an emotional struggle. These behaviors included displays of persistent anger, an inability to cope with stressful events, or increased isolation.

A multidisciplinary approach that promotes emotional and mental wellness is an important component of any community violence prevention model. For example, a robust employee assistance program (EAP) can help to promote mental wellness in the workplace, whether that involves facilitating mental health treatment or assisting with other personal problems, like substance abuse, financial struggles, or problems in a personal relationship.

The importance of reporting

Since three-quarters of the attackers had concerned the people around them, with most of them specifically eliciting concerns for safety, the public is encouraged to share concerns they may have regarding coworkers, classmates, family members, or neighbors.

Such reports could be made to workplace managers, school administrators, or law enforcement, as appropriate. While over-reporting is not the goal, a reasonable awareness of the warning signs that can precede an act of violence may prompt community members to share their concerns with someone who can help.

Systems can be developed to promote and facilitate such reporting, and people should be encouraged to trust their instincts, especially if they have concerns for someone’s safety. For example, several states have recently developed statewide reporting infrastructures that allow students and others to utilize a smartphone app to submit anonymous tips to a call center staffed by law enforcement. This type of program can facilitate not only a law enforcement response to reported threats, but also a community-level response to reports of bullying, suicidal ideation, self-harm, or depression.

“…Do Something”

Since 2010, the Department of Homeland Security has effectively promoted the “If You See Something, Say Something®” national campaign, originally developed by New York City’s Metropolitan Transportation Authority, which encourages the reporting of suspicious activity.

In many of these cases from 2018, members of the general public successfully performed their role in the “See Something, Say Something” process, by reporting their concerns to someone with a role in public safety. At that point, the responsibility is on the public safety professionals to “Do Something,” namely assessing the situation and managing as needed.

By adopting a multidisciplinary threat assessment approach, that standardizes the process for identifying, assessing, and managing individuals who may pose a risk of violence, law enforcement and others are taking steps to ensure that those individuals who have elicited concern do not “fall through the cracks.”

Law enforcement partnerships

While law enforcement has a key role to play in the prevention of community violence, intervening with individuals who may pose a risk is not the responsibility of law enforcement alone. Particularly in those instances where a concerning individual has not broken a law, the relationships between law enforcement and other community resources become paramount.

Law enforcement personnel are encouraged to continue developing close partnerships with the mental health community, local schools and school districts, houses of worship, social services, and other private and public community organizations. The mission of law enforcement in the United States is public service oriented, and that mission will be most effectively executed through multidisciplinary and collaborative community efforts.

Targeted violence has a profound and devastating impact on those directly involved and a far reaching emotional impact to those beyond. Because these acts are usually planned over a period of time, and the attackers often elicit concern from the people around them, there exists an opportunity to stop these incidents before they occur.

Threat assessment is one of the most effective practices for prevention. Many of the resources to support this process are already in place at the community level, but require leadership, collaboration, and information sharing to facilitate their effectiveness at preventing violence.

Threat Assessment

The Importance of Threat Assessment

“Threat assessment” refers to a proactive approach to violence prevention. It is an investigative model originally developed by the U.S. Secret Service to prevent assassinations, but has since been adapted to prevent all forms of targeted violence, regardless of motivation. This includes K-12 school shootings and acts of workplace violence. When implemented effectively, a threat assessment generally involves three key components: Identify -> Assess -> Manage

Research indicates that the majority of perpetrators of targeted violence elicit concern in others prior to the attack. We rely on those people who observe such concerns to identify the individual to law enforcement or to someone else with a public safety responsibility.

In educational settings or workplaces, concerns may be reported to a multidisciplinary threat assessment team that works in conjunction with law enforcement when needed. The responsible public safety entity is then tasked to assess the situation to determine how they can manage any risk of violence posed by the individual.

With a focus on early intervention, this systematic approach is an important component of any safety plan. It allows communities to respond appropriately to a broad range of situations, from those individuals who are displaying a low-level concerning behavior to those who may pose an immediate and imminent risk of violence.

What’s absent from the MAPS Considerations?

Gun Ban

It is never suggested that a public ban on any firearm type would be a useful step in reducing mass violence. It’s lack of inclusion suggests the strategy was found wanting and ineffective in the goal of preventing attacks. Were it an effective solution or a method of execution viable for impacting mass casualty events it would be included.

Magazine Capacity Ban

Like the gun ban, a capacity ban on magazines for firearms is not listed under the considerations for limiting mass casualty attacks. Again like the firearm ban, a public prohibition on magazines of above an arbitrarily picked number of rounds would not realistically prevent attacks or reduce casualties. Just as banning certain methods of injury while leaving others available would not suffice nor significantly alter outcomes, altering a firearms capacity wouldn’t influence method of injury enough to make mass casualty less likely in any viable way.

Red Flag Laws

Yes the considerations recommend reporting and intervention on a personal, professional, medical, or legal means as necessary but the key factor in the recommendation, as opposed to the legal framework of most ‘red flag’ legislation, is early intervention to help in place of just a confiscatory action. Red Flag legislation seems to have that goal in mind but crafting the framework to minimize abuse and protect the rights of persons who may be under suspicion (rightly or wrongly) is not high among the priorities of lawmakers.

“Red Flag” legislation, in brief, sounds good. On the surface it seems like a good plan. The devil is in the details, as the saying goes, and the lack of legal protections for the “flagged” can make the law, designed for safety, into a weapon too easily.

Final Thoughts

While public mass violence is a very open and therefore terrifying spectacle and steps must be taken to safeguard against it, it is not a cause for rash overreactions and drastic changes in law.

Mass violence accounted for 91 deaths and 107 injuries across the nation in 2018. By comparison, Chicago is sitting at 296 homicides right now, including an 8 victim shooting incident where 3 died. But because that was “city violence” associated with established criminal activity it doesn’t get the attention that an incident like Gilroy does.

There are things we can do. There are steps we can take. A ban isn’t among the effective ones.

CZ’s Micro Scorpion – PCC Perfection

By

Travis Pike

-

July 30, 2019

I like CZ for a lot of reasons. I like DA/SA hammer-fired guns for one, I like the affordable price, I like the designs they incorporate. Best of all I like the fact that they listen to their customers. The Scorpion was released a few years ago and the customization machine fired up. One popular mod was the Scorpion K models. These guns featured shorter barrels and handguards making them a compact Scorpion. CZ must’ve had their ears perked up because a few years later they premiered the Micro Scorpion EVO 3 S2. This replicated most of the Scorpion K model changes, but with few flairs. CZ showed it at 2018 and now it’s finally reached store shelves.

What’s Changed with the Micro Scorpion?

The CZ Micro Scorpion incorporates a few major changes to the original Scorpion pistol. First, you get the PDW brace that was made as a culminating effort between Manticore Arms, CZ USA, and SB Tactical. This is brace collapses down to a very small size overall and can be deployed with just a pull of the brace.

The next change was trimming the barrel from 7.71 inches to 4.12 inches and the barrel is topped with the NoOsprey faux suppressor from SilencerCo. This faux suppressor means there is plenty of room for adding an actual suppressor underneath the handguard. Speaking of, the handguard is a short M-Lok model similar to the models you find on the Scorpion rifles. Lastly, there are only two sling points versus the several for the standard Scorpion.

Deep Dive Into the Micro Scorpion

The Micro Scorpion is a 9mm, semi-automatic, blowback-operated pistol. Yep, it’s very PCC like, but legally, of course, it’s a pistol. It’s quite compact and measures only 16 inches with the brace fully collapsed. The brace has a single setting for length. The weapon is almost entirely ambidextrous. It features an ambidextrous safety, an ambidextrous magazine release, and you can swap charging handles from left to right.

There is also a bolt release accessible to righties. The control that collapses the brace is positioned in the center of the base for the brace. The Scorpion comes with two 20 round magazines, but 30 rounders are also available. These magazines are very affordable, often available for 20 bucks or less. On top of that Manticore Arms makes magazines, and soon Magpul will be releasing some.

The gun comes with a set of awesome sights. These sights feature an AR-style front point with 4 rear aperatures. The sights are all metal and very well made. They are easy to adjust and all-around very awesome for such a gun. Lastly, as we mentioned there are two QD sling points on the base of the brace.

The Micro Scorpion in Action

The Micro Scorpion is a hefty little gun that weighs 5.5 pounds. It looks like it should be lighter, but its a solid and dense gun. The charging handle is placed beside the barrel and is very HK like in its positioning. You can even lock the charging handle upwards and give it the ole’ HK slap. The pistol grip is very large, and you can actually adjust it to change the distance from the trigger. The standard position is fine for me.

Ergonomically the gun is extremely well done. Everything is easy to reach and manipulate. The only downside is that damn safety. Everyone has complained about the safety since the very first CZ Scorpion. The ambi safety digs into the trigger finger and it gets old fast. At this point, they should include a safety delete that allows owners the choose which side they want a safety lever.

The magazine release is perfect and can be used via the thumb when you grab the magazine, or by the trigger finger for a speed reload.

The CZ Micro Scorpion is quite short and very handy. Moving from target to target feels very natural. Moving through a home or close quarter’s environment is very easy and the short little gun is a CQB dream. Solid Snake would love it.

The barrel is short, as is the forend. The inclusion of a hand stop prevents your hand from drifting in front of the barrel and causing a little pain, and very little fun. With a gun this short holding it by the mag well is most comfortable to me.

Accuracy and Range

The barrel is short for a gun this big, and sure a Government 1911 has a longer barrel so what’s the point? Is there any advantage between this gun and a standard handgun?

Ballistically no, but in terms of how the gun handles and shoots there certainly is. With the brace in mind, it’s much easier to fire this gun at longer ranges. You can really reach out and touch a target with the Micro Scorpion easier than any handgun. You can peel someone’s wig at 50 yards with absolute ease. In fact out, to 100 yards you’ll still be hitting man-sized targets.

Not only that, but the Scorpion weighs a lot more than a pistol so recoil is nearly nil. It’s controllable and you can rapidly fire and still maintain excellent accuracy on target. It has tons of advantages over a standard handgun, this includes the speed of reloading and malfunction fixes.

The PDW Brace

The included brace is very comfortable wrapped around the arm. It tightens down easily enough and it gives you enough slack to move your arm back and forth for different positional shooting. It allows you to better balance the front-heavy weapon with a two-handed traditional grip.

If you choose to misuse the CZ Scorpion’s brace and place it against your shoulder you’ll find there is very little support. However, it’s a 9mm sub gun so you don’t need a lot of support to comfortably and accurately fire it.

Downsides

CZ needs to go back and really refine this trigger. It’s long and spongy. HBI makes an upgrade that cleans up the trigger very well, and CZ should make that stock on these guns. It costs 9 bucks and is an awesome improvement. The safety as I mentioned above gets annoying and can be fixed by purchasing a safety delete or via dremel tool.

There isn’t a lot I don’t like about this gun. It’s a blast to shoot and very easy to control. The small size and relatively lightweight makes it popular among my non-shooter friends. It’s got looks that kill and is dead nuts reliable.

If CZ made a few tweaks it’d be a 10/10 gun, but 9/10 ain’t so bad.

Gilroy, California – 3 Dead, 15 Wounded, Suspect Killed

By

Keith Finch

-

July 29, 2019

Gilroy-Picture-of-People-running-e1564381249516 — Image via CPRC

The Gilroy Garlic Festival in gun control heavy California was the scene of an armed attack last night when a gunman cut his way through a fence around the festival grounds and open fired.

5:41 p.m. local time a man said to have been wearing a green shirt and a bandana over his face open fired with what has been tentatively identified as a rifle.

“It appears as though they (the suspects) had come into the festival via the creek which borders a parking area and they used some sort of a tool to cut through the fence,” Smithee said. “That’s how they got into the festival area itself.” – Via CNN

Police recovered a firearm and rifle ammunition from the shooting scene, a law enforcement source told CNN.

The three people killed include a 6 year old boy attending the festival with his family.

Shooter & Motive

The identity of the suspect is known to police but has not been released at this time according to authorities. An accomplice of some sort is also a possibility and may be the reason for withholding the name while the investigation continues.

No motive for the attack has been released officially although there is a report the shooter shouted, “I’m just angry.” or something of the like.

The Situation

Gilroy is a small town of 58,000 and holds the Garlic Festival annually with an expected attendance of around 100,000. It’s a huge event for Gilroy and is a mainstay family gathering.

The police were able to respond quickly to the shooting, reports indicate somewhere between 1 and 5 minutes until officers had engaged the shooter. Multiple social media videos captured the fleeing crowd as shots rang out.

California, a state known and proud of its gun control policies as some of the most restrictive in the nation, is a non-permissive state for concealed carry. The concealed carry permit rate for Santa Clara County, where Gilroy resides, is 1:14,300 or 0.007%. The national average is 8.63% when you drop California and New York from the mix. No one was ready for an attack.

Political Response

President Trump has responded with praise for law enforcement and first responders, condolences and support for the victims, and a message of defiance towards those who would do evil in the world.

“We reaffirm our national will to answer violence with the courage, determination and resolve of one American family,” he said. “We will continue to work together as communities and as citizens to stop evil, prevent violence and protect the safety of all Americans.”

The usual suspects didn’t waste a moment, calling for more gun control and actions to prevent gun violence in our nation. Beto O’Rourke trotted out the 40,000 number, the one that continues to count suicide in the same column as murder. I’m sure you’ll see the tweets and hear the repeat cookie cutter laments for the President and Congress to “do something” next to a list of nonviable security nonsense.

They predictably don’t acknowledge they’re calling for more regulations in the one of the most regulation heavy states in the nation. Full of neutered firearms and unviable laws on firearms tech like microstamping, California is supposed to be the state where this can’t happen, right?

More as we know it.

Social Shotgun with Lee Weems

By

James Lu

-

July 29, 2019

Shotgun classes and by association teachers of the shotgun are becoming a bit of a relic. Something that everyone from police agency’s to civilians are disregarding as either unnecessary or difficult to teach. Fortunately, there are some people out there still teaching the “Gospel of the Gauge”. Lee Weems of First Person Safety is one of the standouts.

Lee has been an officer since 1999 and has served in several law enforcement roles, most recently Chief Deputy. He is a certified general topics and firearms instructor by the Georgia Peace Officer Standards and Training Council. His personal training resume includes Rangemaster, Shivworks with Craig Douglas, Ken Hackathorn as well as State and Federal firearms training.

Class started Saturday morning with a brief intro, some of Lee’s credentials and the days subject matter. Afterwards, Lee started with a brief history lesson on shotguns and its adoption as a defensive tool. He described the shotgun as a “snowflake.” No shotgun being exactly the same, and different from most other common firearms.

Lee was very comprehensive during this, for lack of a better term,”classroom” portion. Before anyone picked up a firearm we went over safety rules and a medical briefing.

Getting Started

Manipulation started with everyone receiving a number of “dummy rounds” that Lee provided, and we began drilling several administrative tasks specific to our individual shotguns. Lee went through general loading and unloading of the shotgun, then more specific loading and unloading depending on brand or type. It was at this point I gained a nice nugget of information on my Beretta 1301 and administrative unloading. I had been struggling with administrative unloading since I disengaged my shell dump with an Aridus Latch and Shroud, and I had not known there was another quicker and safer method.

After going over loading and unloading, Lee began to run us through some simulation fire drills. Pumps had an easier time with this drill since my semiautomatic required a round being fired to cycle. Lee had an answer for this, too. I had to run this drill by pulling the trigger would cycle action, and return to shooting position as if a round were fired. Once I had all shown a reasonable amount of proficiency, the live fire portion of the day started.

Rounds Down Range

Live fire began with working the same administrative drills as before, but this time with live ammunition. The first under pressure drill consisted of 4 shots, then an emergency reload and one additional shot. I ran this a number of times and then moved on to more complex drills. One of which was a load one, shoot one, load two (emergency reload, then one in the tube), shoot two, load three, shoot three.

One of the last of the drills we do was a version of “Rolling Thunder”. Everyone having to perform the previous drill one person at a time until the previous person completes their part. This added some stress as everyone was counting on everyone else.

Patterning

With manipulation drills over, it was time to pattern our shotguns with our specific buckshot loads. This is very important to a defensive shotgun as, because every shotgun will pattern differently. Knowing exactly how your personal shotgun patterns with your personal loads is paramount to accurate hits at distance. Patterning my shotgun was done at 7, 15, and 25 yards with Lee examining what my shotgun was doing at each. Patterning marked the end of the class.

Final Thoughts

In conclusion Lee’s take on the shotgun was very comprehensive and very enjoyable. His extensive knowledge experience with the shotgun was easy for me to see. I both hope and look forward to taking more classes with Lee in the future.

https://www.firstpersonsafety.com/

https://www.aridusindustries.com/

http://www.beretta.com/en-us/1301-tactical/

LPVO: Low Power Variable Optic

By

Keith Finch

-

July 26, 2019

The March F "Shorty" is highly representative of the direction LPVO's are moving. Mounted in a ScalarWorks ring originally designed for the Aimpoint PRO

It’s everywhere. Across every blog, YouTube channel, and newsletter. LPVO “El Pea Vee Oh” is yet another acronym in our acronym heavy hobby. The four letters describe an optic category that isn’t new. In fact, this theory started to emerge for rifles like the M16 and M4 in the mid 90’s and low power scopes were in common use on combat/sniper rifles in WWII.

While it is not a new theory, today is certainly its mainstream golden age.

The “first” LPVO might be considered the Schmidt & Bender Short Dot or Gen I CQB Short Dot, developed in response to the after action findings of Gothic Serpent. Better known for the book and movie Black Hawk Down, Gothic Serpent highlighted the limitations of both iron sights and red dot sights (also not “new” tech) for identifying targets at distances 100 yards and beyond amongst the chaos of an urban environment.

The S&B Gen I CQB SD came from the identified needs of shooters in SOCOM/SFOD and were tailored to those needs. Red dot CQB versatility, the ability to take longer shots on partially exposed threats in cover, and the clarity to positively ID threat/non-threats in that same environment.

Why did it take 25 years for the general population to catch up on LPVOs?

Market demands, legal obstacles, nobody knew, and the “Big Army” tech base.

The carbine LPVO was SOCOM’s baby and they only needed a few hundred. Those few hundred were built by a company whose primary market was high end hunting scopes. They didn’t need to throw the Short Dot into every hunting magazine and hope to sell a bunch commercially too.

Legally this was the era of the Clinton Crime Bill and the oh so epic a piece of nothing that was the Assault Weapon Ban. So with the AR15 all but neutered out of the market an optic for that same rifle wasn’t in high demand. No mass market demand, no mass market buy. In 2004 the ban sunset and the AR market began to wake up again.

Ok, but that was still 15 years ago… why no LPVO’s then?

Indeed. The LPVO had been around for a decade in a small circle of shooters who had asked for it, but the civilian market for the AR was very slowly reawakening. That market had been stymied for that decade where the Short Dot emerged and during that time three other optics came to be, and in far greater numbers. The Aimpoint RDS, the EOTech HWS, and the Trijicon ACOG. With the Army, Marines, and Special Forces taking on the missions of GWOT with those three (and lots of cool pictures too), LPVOs again didn’t see any heroic limelight.

Then Magpul dropped “The Art of the Tactical Carbine” around the end of 2008 and the private training market exploded. So did the market for anything and everything AR/M16/M4… except LPVO’s. Colt was still the gold standard of AR15’s and the smaller, now well known names, weren’t around. It was a different time. Hell, Bushmaster was a respected AR name.

Then in 2011 Leupold releases the MK8 CQBSS and the public consumption of the LPVO began in earnest. Thanks to the internet, Gun Owners Gen 2.0, video game exposure, and GWOT veterans entering the training and public sphere more and more.

The CQBSS also made it into the video game market as a rifle accessory for shooter games like Ghost Recon, Battlefield, Call of Duty, etc. Image via Amazon.com

That was still 8 years ago…

Yep, it was. LPVO’s were either old tech to the guys who had been using them since the 90’s, or are very new and very expensive tech to the guys and gals learning about them for the first time. The Leupold TS30-A2 Mark 4 MR/T 2.5-8×36 and NightForce NXS 2.5-10×24 had both come to light in conjunction with the Mk12 SPR/DMR, but those were not seen as carbine or service rifle optics. The variable optics were for Designated Marksman rifles and they were treated with kid gloves, seen as incredibly fragile.

Long(er), heavy(ier), “fragile”, regular scope rings were too low and kept the scope too far back for good eye relief, and the tactical optic trio were still the kings. For people wanting to spend “big money” or “smart money” on a tactical rifle optic LPVO’s still had ground to make up before for wide market acceptance would occur.

The Razor’s Edge

The most recognizable optic, the one that finally crossed all the right boxes, is the Vortex Razor HD Gen II. It was 1-6 power and that was cool. It was “tan” and that was really cool. It was used by SOCOM on M4’s and Mk18’s and that was really really cool!

And… It didn’t cost twice what your rifle did.

It was/is an LPVO with the “Operator” stamp in reasonable dollars distance from the tactical trio, especially the ACOG which was most comparable capability wise. It was still longer and heavier, by a factor of about two, than the trio but we had broken into commercially viable territory. With glowing recommendations on the Razor Gen II’s performance LPVO’s were beginning to lose their “fragile” and “unobtainable” descriptors.

The LPVO Today

SIG SAUER TANGO6 1-6×24 Riflescope Selected for US Army Squad Designated Marksman Rifle

The three major arms of the US Military conducting ground combat operations, SOCOM, the Army, and the Marines, have all solicited for or selected LPVO optics to enter their inventories starting in the next couple years. The Squad Common Optic (SCO) will replace the RCO (a TA31 ACOG) and SDO (a TA11 ACOG) in the hands of US Marines, for example. Indications are that, budget willing, the optic will go fleetwide starting with infantry/combat arms units.

The lessons brought home in the 90’s by the Delta guys and Rangers of Gothic Serpent have permeated the collective. Combined with steady continual increases in tech base capabilities and the mass information flow, evaluation, and exchange of ideas provided by the internet the LPVO has gained a hold in every market segment of the shooting community.

The LPVO Future

Now that the barriers of knowledge and price have crumbled away (you can find a Nikon 1-4 for $199, new) the only two remaining detractor considerations are.

Size
Weight

Those are rapidly vanishing too.

Pictured (and in the title image) is the newest glass I purchased from March Optics, the March F 1-8x24mm Shorty. At only 8.4″ long and 17.1oz the scope is among smallest on the market, especially in the 1-8x category.

Probably the most radical departure in design I’ve seen so far is the single ring mounting. Every other variable optic I’ve dealt with, unless it has an integral mount (Elcan, VCOG), used two rings.

The March design is such that it must use a single 30mm ring, and with a market base that supported the Aimpoint 30mm sights and their clone/derivatives, several excellent mount options exist. I grabbed up a ScalarWorks LEAP PRO and it’s working perfectly so far. But when I asked ScalarWorks and Geissele both if their mounts would support a variable scope they both responded, “We’ve never tried that…”

So ScalarWorks and I made an educated guess upon the evidence and said,

It’s designed for one ring
It’s only 6 oz heavier than the Aimpoint PRO
Screw it, let’s do it live… For Science!

Immediately, although not an issue on the SCAR its riding on, the mount placement eliminates a lot of the inflexibility of positioning scopes for eye relief on the top rails of AR-15s. The March F’s size and that small footprint on the rail lends itself greatly to being an exceptional SBR option. With the ScalarWorks LEAP it’s 19.6 oz total, quick detach, 1-8x, Front Focal Plane.

Smaller, lighter, more durable, more flexible in more roles, the LPVO tech base is probably the most fun to follow in the industry at present.

The Leupold Mark 4 3-9 compared to the March F 1-8. Old standard vs. newest tech.

Review on the March F to follow. But with the emerging feature sets of it, and scopes that will compete against it, for defense and action shooting sports roles (worlds that have become closely linked) I am ecstatic to keep following and testing this.

TAKE AIM: HOW TO ZERO IN AN AR-15

By

The Armory Life

-

July 26, 2019

One of my favorite things in this world is when I get a new gun. A very close second “good day” is when I buy a new optic for one of my rifles, because that means I get to mount it and zero the gun in.

Optic Options

When selecting an optic for an AR pattern rifle, I first decide what I will be using the rifle for (i.e., competition, plinking, hunting, or self- or home-defense). This “purpose” usually dictates which type of optic I put on the rifle.

The choice pretty much comes down to a variable-power scope or a red-dot optic of some type. Over the last few years, I have preferred and mounted small, one-power red dots or low-power variable scopes, such as a 1-4x or 1-6x.

(That specification, 1 to 4x/6x refers to the magnification of the scope, if you were wondering.)

A quick detour: I won’t go into the minutia of mounting an optic, as there are so many different types of mounts and rings on the market. I’ll just advise you to follow the manufacturer’s instructions. (And, yes, you should actually read the instructions first.)

A Great Day

When my FedEx driver recently delivered my SAINT rifle with the free-float handguard, I could not get it out of the box fast enough, because it’s an even better day when I get a Springfield Armory gun to test!

I must say that I am very impressed with the factory fit and finish. And though there are only a few enhancements as compared to the original SAINT, they are good ones. The most obvious additions are the free-float handguard and the A2-style front sight being replaced by much-preferred (IMO) low-profile, flip-up (front) dual-aperture sights.

(Stay tuned for more from me on this topic in a future article!)

Range Time

As with any new rifle, the first thing I did after installing the red-dot sight, and then disassembling and lubricating my new SAINT, was to take it out to my backyard (don’t be jealous, Rob) and shoot it.

Living off the grid and having a shooting range on my property makes it super easy and enjoyable to sight in/zero my guns. I’m pretty spoiled, and I love the fact that I can quickly set up and shoot targets at any distance as far as 200 yards. I sure don’t miss having to do this at public ranges.

So, after putting a few rounds through the rifle as a function check – ting, ting, ting, ting, ting, I then moved right into zeroing.

Read On

Byrna HD

By

248 Shooter

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July 25, 2019

Byrna HD Personal Security Device is a Launcher for OC & CS Pepper Balls. This is a Non-Lethal option for Self defense.

Byrna HD Features:

Gas-fired handheld personal security device in 7 colors
Shoots 68 cal chemical irritant rounds
Exterior construction made of glass-filled nylon
Fits comfortably within a side holster
Easily concealable
60 feet operational range
Small recoil, lightweight and easy to use
NO federal license to carry required