Mike over running the GarandThumb Youtube channel takes on the old tech vs modern tech data point.
We run lights, sights, lasers, short barrels, adjustable stocks, and all manner of gear on modern rifles. But can the old dogs still hunt? Does the grandfather M16A1 still have teeth?
As reported by The NewDaily:
Australians may be more at risk from gun crime than ever before with the country’s underground market for firearms ballooning in the past decade.
In a surprising find /sarc , Prohibition is not effective. A black market has boomed in the land down under for semi-automatic handguns, a prohibited item to the peaceful and law abiding.
Where there is a demand a supply will be generated. And if the only demand is criminal because the law blocks the lawful, only one class is going to be dipping into the generated supply then.
Previously unseen police statistics show that the number of pistol-related offences doubled in Victoria and rose by 300 per cent in New South Wales. At least two other states also saw a massive jump in firearms-related offences during the same period.
The statistics detail the types of firearms offences police have pursued in the courts in the past decade and show some concerning findings, including a massive 83 per cent increase in firearms offences in NSW between 2005/06 and 2014/15, and an even bigger jump in Victoria over the same period.
“The ban on semi-automatics created demand by criminals for other types of guns,” “The criminal’s gun of choice today is the semi-automatic pistol.”
Small concealable accessible weapons have been the criminal mainstay for eternity. Just because the island nation content has said “bad” hasn’t influenced criminal demand in the direction the law intended.
In short, Gun Control doesn’t prevent gun crimes. Gun control just keeps rehashing what is a crime since murder and violent action apparently wasn’t clear enough…
Seconds before the IDPA match was about to go hot in surrounding bays, AG & AG Founder Julianna Crowder turned to see two little kids playing on the top of the impact berm. Immediately, in a voice that she had never used in her life, she yelled, “GET OFF THE BERM, GET OFF THE BERM, GET OFF THE BERM!” The entire range came to a halt as people in every direction turned and looked at her, and in shock as they saw the kids slide down the dirt. When the RSO approached the two dads, they apologized and said, “We just turned our back for a minute.”
Hard stop.
Deep breath.
Safety check.
Parents know the rules of the range, so make sure that you share that information with your children. Set boundaries and ensure that standards are clear. No one should ever be on an impact berm. It is imperative that children understand locations where they can be, handle guns only when given permission, and wear hearing and eye protection at all times.
Family Safety Brief at the Range
Range safety briefs are for everyone. There are many examples of a range safety briefs: Range check-in (a short list of dos and don’ts or a long video with visual aids), before a training class, before a competition, etc. Somewhere in between the safety briefs that occur, you can create your own family safety briefing.
1. Make it age appropriate for children.
2. Set boundaries.
3. Don’t turn your back.
4. Always cover the safety rules.
5. Demonstrate gun safety and respect.
SOURCE ARTICLE: https://www.agirlandagun.org/family-safety-brief-at-the-range/
Tis the season for family gatherings, hunting trips, show-and-tell of new guns from holiday gift-giving. This is also a painful time for several of our AG & AG sisters.
Noah
The night before Thanksgiving in 2000, Kay Stauber was in the kitchen baking pies with her granddaughter. She answered the phone, and the voice on the line told her that son, Noah, had shot himself. Kay still carries so much pain from losing Noah. It was announced on social media so everyone seemed to know before she did. She was given three different stories on how the incident happened and has never had closure on his death.
Noah was 20 years old, a good young man with a big heart. He was not only Kay’s son, he was her best friend and protector. Because of Noah’s incident, Kay stayed away from firearms for years. In March 2017, she decided that “Noah would want his mom to be okay and not to fear guns because of what happened to him.” She joined A Girl & A Gun and has been moving forward and sharing her story.
Nicholas
Dawn Rodriguez is another mother in AG & AG with a constant ache in her heart. Her son Nicholas was also 20 years old when his life was cut short from a firearm accident. Like Kay, Dawn has never had closure on her son’s death and no one is really sure what happened. Nicholas was an avid marksman and very knowledgeable about firearms. He loved shooting and he loved spending time with his mom at the range.
Many of her friends and family criticized her for continuing to shoot after Nicholas’ accident. They challenged her, “When are you going to stop all of this gun sh*t?” Dawn replied that if Nicholas had died in a car accident, she wouldn’t stop driving. More importantly, Dawn feels close to Nicholas at the range. He had found AG & AG for her and encouraged her to join. She became a certified pistol instructor and now leads the Dallas chapter. She teaches gun safety and invites other women and families to have fun at the range. Through her journey, Dawn is able to welcome mothers, who have experienced a firearms loss, back to the range where they can express their feelings freely without judgement and find their paths forward.
Kids and adults fall victim to firearm accidents and too many mothers say, “I don’t really know what happened.” We mothers must hold our firearms community accountable to engage in training and education, and avoid complacency. Many of us became gun owners to protect our children; let us continue to protect them by reminding them to always practice the Safety Rules. Guns are fun, and new guns during the holidays are exciting, but remind your children — even your adult children — to be responsible.
SOURCE ARTICLE: https://www.agirlandagun.org/two-mothers-raise-awareness-for-accidental-gun-deaths/
CMMG is well known for not being afraid to take risks and innovative in the crowded AR 15 market. I first took notice of them when they produced the Mutant with its unique AR lower that accepted AK magazines. Since then I’ve loved the Anvil, the Banshee, and the Guard rifles, pistols, and SBRs. The new RipBrace is their first jump into the world of pistol braces. The RipBrace comes in two varieties, the standard, and CQB.
I went with the CQB because I wanted to shrink my baby AR as much as possible. The CQB is 1.25 inches shorter than the standard model when both are fully extended. The buffer tube is actually shorter than a standard carbine tube and the actual brace is trimmed back about as far as you possibly could.
At first glance, it looks like an SBA3, albeit a slightly shorter model. This makes sense since CMMG teamed up with SB Tactical to produce the RipBrace. The SBA3 is a well-made brace which I have previously reviewed and enjoyed immensely. Besides the size, the rear of the brace sports CMMG’s logo instead of SB Tactical’s.
The RipBrace features CMMG’s Fastback technology. They use this on their RipStock and the idea is that you can open the brace just by pulling it rearward. There is no need to hit the position adjustment device to deploy the brace or the stock with the RipStock. That’s not all, it comes with an indexing screw that the end user places on the buffer tube. When you pull the brace rearward to extend it the RipBrace locks at where you place that set screw.
This means everytime you deploy the brace it deploys at the exact same position every time. There is no locking tabs, and nothing to fiddle with. Grab it, extend it, and get going. The P3 in P3 Set screw stands for Personal Position Preset which describes what it does just perfectly.
I thought this was superbly cool and I really like it. The best of all is it works. It works exactly as advertised. With just a little pull it slams rearward and with the set screw in place, it always catches at the same position. I did this over and over last night, watching Get Shorty on Netflix, I did it until my elbow hurt. It never flinched, binded, or failed on me.
When the brace first hit the market there was a lot of people making comments on the price. Which was fair, it retails at $199.99. The SBA3 can be found on Average for right around $105. Where was all the extra value?
First off, CMMG sells a complete package. This is a brace and carbine tube, as well as CMMG’s MK3 carbine buffer, and buffer spring, as well as the castle nut and ambidextrous sling plate. Put together that’s about 50 bucks worth of stuff. The Fastback technology only adds about 45 bucks to the price.
To me that is acceptable, and I love the Fastback technology. It’s incredibly convenient. One of my main complaints with the original SBA3 was how hard it was to position in the positions between 1 and 5. Moving between those 5 positions was hard to do. It’s not hard with this system and the set screw.
The RipBrace obviously pretty easy to install, it’s no different than any other AR carbine buffer tube and brace. Once installed you find the correct setting with the P3 Set screw and you are good to go.
The RipBrace is a must have if you run your AR pistol as a PDW and defensive weapon. Size is a major factor when it comes to these weapons and the ability to rapidly deploy the brace gets the weapon ready quick, fast, and in a hurry.
The RipBrace is quite comfortable strapped around the arm and the ability to adjust the brace makes it easy to accustom everyone from petite shooters to guys my size. The design from SB Tactical is well suited for the AR pistol and is comfortable. The higher comb makes it easy to place your cheek on the brace to aim the weapon a bit better.
If you were to shoulder the brace you’ll find it comfortable, it’s not a stock though, so don’t expect it to be as comfortable as a Magpul UBR. The RipBrace is outfitted with a QD point for a sling which is an awesome attachment and pretty handy.
Overall the CMMG RipBrace is well made and the CQB model is perfect for a civilian PDW. The Fastback technology makes it quick and easy to deploy, and the shorter length makes it easy to conceal and stash in a bag. It’s perfect for those AR pistols that want to be as small as possible, without compromising comfort and useability.
The Trump administration is preparing to officially ban bump stocks on guns, a move that would put an end to the sale of attachments that allow semi-automatic rifles to fire faster and that would follow through on an order President Trump made this year to the Justice Department to regulate the devices. – NYT
The eight year assault on the second amendment that came to a crashing end is apparently not so ended.
“So we’re knocking out bump stocks,” the president said during a news conference, “I’ve told the N.R.A. I’ve told them: Bump stocks are gone.”
The devices garnered worldwide attention after the Las Vegas attack. Prior to that they were a gimmick of the firearms industry that turned money into noise faster. After the Mandalay Bay massacre the stocks were turned into nightmare fuel by the news media. In analytical reality the stocks probably saved lives, wild rapid unaimed shots into a moving crowd in place of aimed fire.
But we don’t want to address the realities. We want to name the bad thing and make it go away with law magic. When that doesn’t work we will do it again… and again… rights be damned we gotta do something!
Because this nation didn’t literally fight a war over taxes, California’s Marc Levine, Assemblyman, D-Greenbrae, has proposed a tax on all sales of semi-automatic firearms.
“The gun tax will support the kind of interventions that make gun violence less likely in the first place which is exactly what we need to do,”
The new tax revenue would be routed through the existing California Violence Intervention and Prevention Program, overseen by the Board of State and Community Corrections, which send grants to cities and community-based organizations.
The actual amount of the proposed tax on gun buyers will is up in the air but the number floating around in $25.
“And that amount per firearm sale will certainly be considered in the discussion with stakeholders to ultimately determine the appropriate tax for California,”
While the anticipated revenue is yet to be calculated, Will Shuck, Levine’s chief of staff, said it should be in the millions of dollars.
Millions out of the pockets of gun buyers already going through the onerous process of a california purchase for a neutered product. Of course the implication being people who buy guns are ultimately responsible for “gun” violence.
Yet more good ideas from the good idea fairies on the west coast… hah freaking zah.
In a world where an Instagram account with a ton of followers can make you a “firearm’s instructor” you may be asking, “Why can’t I do that?” I was in the same boat a few years ago. I spent a lot of time teaching a wide range of people machine guns during my time as a Marine and I always enjoyed it, so why not take my shot at the civilian side. Becoming an NRA instructor seemed like a simple enough idea, so I did it.
On the media side, I’ve had a lot of time to meet and work with dozens of awesome instructors from around the world. I do interviews, ask their opinions on products and a lot of the time the conversation drifts to instruction and instructors.
In speaking, and interviewing instructors I’ve found a pattern emerge, and through my own experience in teaching and taking classes I like to think I have a solid opinion on what makes a good firearm’s instructor.
There are a million reasons why you should be a firearm’s instructor, but I feel there are a few traits you need to have or develop to become a rock solid firearms instructor.
Here is a fun one that’s hard to develop if you don’t have it naturally. The ability to remain cool after showing someone the same thing a dozen times. I’ve had students who use a cross thumbs grip with an automatic handgun who just can’t seem to grasp not to do that.
I’ve corrected students ten times over only for them to cross their thumbs on the 11th shot. Does it get under my skin? Yep. Do I let that show? Nope. I stay calm, cool, and collected as I make the correction over and over.
Being able to stop, breathe, and understand where the student comes from is the key to being understanding. The first (and last) time I ever golfed I learned a huge lesson regarding being a student. Lord knows how many times I was corrected in stance, form, and how I gripped the club. It woke me up and taught me a lesson I’ve always held onto.
If you are teaching someone how to shoot a handgun, you should know how to shoot a handgun right? You can’t explain what you don’t know. You don’t need to be an ‘Operator’ to teach a basic pistol class, but you need to be able to handle a gun competently.
Maintaining this level of skill is a must. If you can’t demonstrate your skills to your students, you won’t be taken seriously, and you’ll be left feeling embarrassed.
As an instructor, you need to hold yourself at a higher level and keep your skills sharp. This also means being able to present and instruct competently. Public speaking skills are a must, as is the ability to perform under the watchful eye of others.
Being safety minded isn’t just about teaching the 4 Rules, but enforcing them in class. Safety is the only thing you shouldn’t have patience and understanding about. Safety is always paramount, and like skills, you need to set the example when it comes to safety. From the moment the class starts safety should be the number 1 priority. Do not just relay the four safety rules, actually teach them, explain them. I’ve found people learn a lot better when they understand the why behind a concept.
Also part of being safe is exercising the safety you teach without exception. During displays, examples, and other training situations apply the utmost degree of safety. Be the good example a student needs.
Firearms training and medical training have one big thing in common, the techniques, skills, and tactics are constantly changing. Sometime ago Travis Haley came out against the Magpul DVDs that made him a household name. He reasoned that they are seven years old and things have changed. A Firearm’s instructor should be a student. If you think you know it all, and your way is the only way, you’ve already failed.
Whenever I speak with professional firearm’s instructors this is the skill they always convey to me is the most critical for an instructor. Can you take a concept from the firearm’s world and apply it to a homemaker, or a plumber, or an accountant? As a firearm’s instructor, you’ll have to relay information in an understandable format to everyone. This can be difficult and is why its good to spend time in an almost apprentice like position with more capable instructors, and another reason why you should continue to take classes from a wide berth of instructors.
Being a firearm’s instructor isn’t for everyone. It can be frustrating, confusing, and has the potential to make you hate shooting. Regardless of how deep you want to go being an instructor can also be immensely rewarding, fun, and open up a variety of opportunities for you in the industry.
In my opinion, the best place to start is the NRA. Their courses are basic, but they do allow you to learn a bit about teaching and opens up an entire world of possibilities. If its a path you want to take I wish you luck, and hopefully, you’ll love it.
CBS Baltimore is reporting a possible active shooter at Walter Reed MMC in Maryland.
The report, seemingly confirmed from a tweet by Congressman Dutch Ruppersberger
I am currently at Walter Reed Medical in Bethesda where we’ve been told there is an active shooter. I am currently safe in a conference room w/ approx 40 others.
More info to follow.
An update from Department of Defense says it was just a drill, carry on.
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Editor’s Note: As was then and is now. Reposted with permission.
Sitting through last week’s GunMeggedon (the all-day marathon of hearings on proposed anti-gun bills) in the California Senate’s Public Safety Committee was enough to raise one’s blood pressure to dangerous levels. The day culminated for Dr. Wheeler and me in the hearing of SB 1006 (Firearm Violence Research Center, Senator Wolk). That experience was already summarized previously by Dr. Wheeler.
In her introductory remarks on April 19th, Senator Wolk said the University of California is “perfectly situated to do the research” she thirsts for. She did not say how and why the U.C. is “perfectly situated” to meet this goal.
Garen Wintemute (the self-described one-of-a-dozen-national “experts” in the field of pseudo-medical anti-gun agitprop who has just such an operation active smack dab in the middle of Wolk’s district) has eagerly hovered close to the witness table at every hearing this bill has had to date. His presence makes it obvious to anyone with more than a superficial understanding of the issue where this center is intended to be located and who is intended to run it. Even a large public institution like the UC would not waste time and resources building such an institution de novo if one is already in place.
That issue aside, let’s examine the arguments presented by the witnesses in support of the bill. In particular, two Sacramento area physicians who seem to have drunk the anti-gun Kool-Aid ladled out by Garen Wintemute. Their testimony consisted of the same modus operandi evident in all medical anti-gun crusaders’ acts: throw up a fistful of statistics like confetti over a gore parade. And use syllogisms. Lots of syllogisms. They’re like big, multisyllabic words. They make one sound smart. And right.
The first physician to testify was Dr. Kevin Jones, an E.R. physician who represented the California chapter of the American College of Emergency Physicians. He asserted that “physicians rely on research for evidence based care”. I’m all for evidence-based medical care. He led with the example of stroke research resulting in reduced mortality by way of prevention. He then segued to the argument that he needs the Firearm Violence Research Center to do “research that allows me to effectively treat” gunshot wounds like he needs stroke research to help him treat stroke patients.
But what does the reason that Johnny shot Mikey have to do with medical care or medical prevention?
A physician’s job is a clinical one: it is to stop the bleeding, mend the bones, close the wounds and do all the other things necessary to ensure the patient leaves the hospital alive. The events that happen during Johnny’s progress from a doe-eyed kindergartner to a 16 year old juvenile gang member who shoots Mikey are multifactorial and sociological. They are not medical.
Research guiding physicians to do those very clinical things I mentioned has been and continues to be conducted. It’s called trauma medicine. What has passed for objective research in the dubious field of public health gun research, however, has been advocacy research which proclaims banal findings such as: “gunshot wounds are among the most severe injuries a child can suffer”. It agitates for busybodies to strip away good people’s civil rights by attributing causality of multifactorial phenomena to the presence of a single object. Or, it is not research at all but public wringing of the hands that culminates with calling good people murderers if they use deadly force to defend their own lives (bibliography, bottom of page here).
Next to testify was Dr. Lindsey Harms, a pediatrics resident in the Sacramento area. She spoke on behalf of the American Academy of Pediatrics, which she identified as a co-sponsor of SB 1006.
Dr. Harms started her testimony asserting: “gun violence is a pediatric issue”.
No, it’s not. As I stated earlier violence, regardless of form or tools used is first and foremost a criminological problem and secondly a social one. Accidental shootings, which are not a medical issue, can be reduced but not entirely eliminated through education.
Harms then declared “gun violence is preventable”. This is an exercise in sophomoric sloganeering. Violence is inherent to the human condition. Firearms are just one tool employed by violent people. Does she think sharp object violence is preventable? What about blunt object violence? Fist violence?
She proceeded to the next predictable part of her testimony, the gore parade of injuries and wounds. This is just cheap emotional manipulation.
Yet, as she proclaimed that, in the U.S., firearms are the most lethal method of suicide for young people (they are, for all age groups) I wondered if she’d considered what are the most common (and just as lethal) methods of suicide in countries where firearms are not accessible, where the suicide rates are higher than that of the U.S. Because, after all, she ranks the U.S. against them. And she cares about the children. She says she does, because she says she wants to protect children. But the responsibility of protecting children rests with their parents and not idealistic budding physicians with a savior complex and nanny state impulses.
Dr. Harms and Dr. Jones both beat the same drum to the same hackneyed “we-need-research-and-data” beat. But what new data will hoplophobic advocacy researchers with an axe to grind conjure up that is not available through the FBI’s crime data? And why is prevention particularly more important in pediatrics and not in adults or geriatrics?
Invoking other fields’ strides in reducing preventable deaths, as Dr. Jones did, is an invalid comparison in this debate. Those advances were made by addressing medical issues or other single-factor non-medical issues. Preventing the tragedy of one innocent kid having the terrible misfortune of being shot in two separate drive-by shootings, or one kids from one gang shooting another kid from another gang are things we all care about and things we should endeavor to prevent. But we are not going to do that by treating wrongful homicides as if they were cholera, malaria or chlamydia. Neither a virus nor the gun made Johnny shoot Mikey.
Dr. Harms, in exhorting the committee to support SB 1006, stated: “The role of science is to guide us by objective data, especially where our personal bias might be misleading …. As a pediatrician, I want unbiased research. I want objective data…”
If Dr. Harms gets her way in the form of the Firearm Violence Research Center, she will get none of those things. All she will do is strip away the civil rights of countless good people. She’ll have done more harm than good.
—Arthur Z Przebinda, MD is an imaging
specialist in Southern California. He advocates for the Second Amendment in his state and nationally and since 2017 serves as DRGO’s Project Director.
All DRGO articles by Arthur Z. Przebinda, MD.
Readers may note that I have already reviewed the VooDoo Tactical Mini Tobago pack in the past. I love my gray-with-pink-stitching version – using it for day trips, day hikes, and as a travel carry on. It was also my EDC pack for SHOT 2018.
The fact is, that I love that pack so much that I decided to order the exact same model in a camo pattern for my hunting gear this fall. It arrived in time for one of my first crossbow expeditions of the year, and I wanted to give it a new review because I bought it for a completely different purpose.
Specs
-Durable pack cloth construction
-Measures 14” x 9” x 17.5” and has a volume of approx. 25 liters.-
-Padded shoulder straps with sternum strap for comfort.
-Grommeted drain holes
-Heavy duty zippers with paracord pulls
The outside of the Mini Tobago sports generous amounts of MOLLE webbing to attach whatever extras you may want. I may even sew-up some blaze orange panels to velcro onto the MOLLE for rifle buck season.
The pack is roomy, with many pockets, but compact enough that it doesn’t overwhelm my short-ish female frame. I also try to keep size under control because packs – just like purses – tend to accumulate way more crap than I actually need. If there is more room, more unnecessary “stuff” goes in.
I am no hunting “expert”, but I try to be prepared, so here is a pocket-by-pocket description of what this pack holds for me. Bear in mind that where I hunt is 2.5 hours from home, and a good walk from the car, so I can’t just run back to the house if I need something. I have to have it ON me.
On top is a sturdy carry handle. Once the pack is off my back, hefting it around on stand is usually done via the top handle. This handle is no wimpy afterthought.
The upper left side pocket contains “survival” gear like waterproof matches, a fire-starter, and compass. Granted it’s hard to get lost on the particular 100+ acres I hunt, but “better to have and not need…”
The upper right side pocket holds a small first aid kit.
The lower left and lower right side pockets will hold 16-ounce water bottles. This pack is hydration compatible, but I don’t have a bladder unit, and knowing me I’d be dragging the hose mouthpiece in the mud or something. I just re-use old Gatorade bottles. I’m cheap like that.
The bottom front zipper pocket contains deer gutting and dragging gear, including an extra knife. I’m trying to keep all the gloves and bags and such in that pocket so that I don’t even need to open that zipper unless I am successful in dropping a deer. The less stuff I have to paw through in the main compartment, the better.
The front top zipper pocket holds maps and an extra orange vest
The next pocket inward (including administrative panel) holds pens, rangefinder, Surefire flashlight, headlamp, granola bar, plastic bags for trash I find or accumulate, and a completely empty pocket.
The main compartment (with another administrative panel)- contains a blue tarp (for either dragging a deer or emergency shelter), space blanket, paracord, collapsible shooting stick (it does stick out the top a bit), camo duct tape, roll of “no trespassing” signs, small notepad, ziploc bag of license/tags, and a couple more empty pockets.
With all of that, there is plenty of leftover space for a soft lunch bag cooler (for on stand munchies) and room to stash an extra fleece layer in case I need to peel off when the sun comes up.
For those who are worried about encountering creatures that might shoot back, the Mini Tobago pack also has an armor panel pouch inside the main compartment (armor not included), and a zippered padded mesh butt-pad that “could” hold a kydex velcro-backed holster with a subcompact pistol – like my Glock 42. I will neither confirm nor deny that mine contains that pistol, just saying that it “could”, in case – you know – “reasons”.
If you have reasons of your own for wanting a sturdy, compact but roomy pack to hold all of your hunting extras while you are in the field, consider pointing yourself or your gift-buying-other to VooDoo Tactical this Christmas.
As a big fan of shotguns, you guys know I’m a huge fan of the Mossberg Shockwave style firearms. I own entirely too many of them, including ultrashort 10-inch models, the Remington Tac 14, the Mossberg Shockwave, the Shockwave 590M, but my favorite is my newest model, the Tac 14 Hardwood. I guess you can say this gun gave me wood.
First off in a world of high tech, impact resistant, space polymers the Tac 14 Hardwood has some beautiful wood furniture. Remington knocked out with the hardwood grip and pump. The rear grip is amazingly smooth and is the same size as the Raptor grip we all know and love from previous Shockwave and Tac 14 guns. The pump is a corncob model with some grip lines cut into it. The finish is also a matte blue, which stands in contrast to a regular Tac 14.
The entire package stands out compared to a Tac 14. The Tac 14 certainly has its charms with its black polymer furniture, and it’s Magpul SGA pump. The Tac 14 is undoubtedly the more modern choice. However when it comes down to being vain the Tac 14 Hardwood is gorgeous, it’s matte blue finish, and wood furniture stands well above the plastic and black oxide finish of the Tac 14.
That’s not where the differences end either. The Tac 14 Hardwood comes with two features that place it a step above the standard Tac 14. First, a plus one extension that makes the magazine tube flush with the end of the barrel. This gives you a total of 5 rounds in the tube and one in the chamber. Additionally, the Tac 14 Hardwood comes ready for a sling with a very interesting front sling keeper. The front sling keeper is a shield type that acts as a handguard as well as a sling keeper. Remington being the sweethearts they are included a sling reminiscent of the old GI web slings.
After that, you have a traditional bead sight, and everything is pretty standard Remington 870 Express.
After owning a number of Remington 870s and Mossberg 500s/590s, I do tend to prefer the Mossberg for a few reasons. However, in a head to head comparison of the Mossberg Shockwave versus the Tac 14 Hardwood model I’d take the Tac 14 Hardwood. The capacities now match, the Remington is heavier which helps with recoil, and comes sling ready.
My Shockwave didn’t come with a rear sling swivel, and I’m salty about that. Overall the Remington feels smoother with a smoother pump action, a better trigger, and smoother pump release.
A lot of people see these guns as range toys, and admittedly they are a ton of fun at the range. They are difficult to control and use effectively and when you do you get an immense feeling of satisfaction. While it’s not a gun for clays, it’s a blast to throw clays on the berm and try to light them up.
Recoil with birdshot is pleasant and hardly uncontrollable. When you move into buckshot, it becomes a little more a challenge to hold on to. Proper technique is undoubtedly needed. You need to extend your nonfiring hand forward and almost lock your arm. The rear hand should be pulling rearward on the gun, and you aim as if you would a stocked weapon. I typically aim right below the target and let it fly.
The feeling of putting a load of buckshot in the chest, or even better the head of a target, is hard to beat. From 15 yards it’s a devastating weapon that disperses a decently wide pattern with buckshot. Although rounds like the Federal Flight control loads will give you a lot more range. You can shoot easily out to 25 yards and beyond with the right skillset.
Remington has been hit hard with a lot of bad press due to reliability and QC concerns, but it does seem that they are trying to work past that. Both my Tac 14s have been reliable and functional without any issues. The finish on both looks great, and I’ve no problems with feeding, ejection or firing.
The Tac 14 Hardwood classes it up. The addition of wood doesn’t make tactical sense, but damn does it look and work nicely. Seeing as how I’m not protecting witnesses or clearing trenches I don’t necessarily need to be tactical.
This is the closest I’ll ever come to owning a Witness Protection 12 gauge without a tax stamp and a butt ton of money, and I’ll take it. The original 12.5-inch barrel Witpro guns were great, but whoever argued over 1.5 inches?
Remington really did this gun right, and compared to Mossberg’s competing Nightstick I thing the Tac 14 Hardwood is the winner.
Isn’t the 21st century wonderful? Unfortunately many parts of the firearms industry, especially where it meets the government, are in an antiquated state.
Buying an NFA item, anyone?
Well the good news out of Michigan is that their Concealed Pistol License renewal system has gone online. The paperwork heavy process has now simplified through the ground breaking concepts of email and the internet.
Now the process still involves manual paperwork as the State of Michigan will mail out a renewal notice with a PIN to start the online process.
https://cplrenewal.msp.state.mi.us/CPLOnline/#!/
The Michigan State Police (MSP) Concealed Pistol License (CPL) Unit began accepting CPL renewal applications by mail and through the online system on November 1, 2018. Those eligible to submit their CPL renewal application online will receive a renewal notice through the U.S. mail from the county clerk that issued their CPL containing a PIN. Once in receipt of the PIN, CPL applicants may proceed to www.michigan.gov/cplrenewal to submit their renewal application. CPL holders who receive renewal notices not containing a PIN are not eligible to renew online. However, you may submit a completed CPL renewal application, with payment, to the MSP CPL Unit, or renew in person at their county clerk’s office.
The system is active. If you have a PIN no more trip to the County Clerk.
Fall and winter welcome cold weather, holidays, parties, and guests! As you enter the holiday seasons, there are many areas of vulnerability that you need to consider. Here are safety tips to help you develop your comprehensive safety plan.
Before you have family and friends to your home, ensure that all of your firearms are properly secured. If you need resources, you can request cable-style gun locks and safety instructions from Project ChildSafe and they will send them to you free of charge.
Clear your walkways, staircase, and driveway of obstacles which could lead to guests injuring themselves on your property.
If, after your holiday meal or party, guests are too impaired to drive, have them eat and drink water or coffee to sober up before they leave. Another option is to let a trusted, sober friend or paid driver get them home. If you have an extra bed or couch, give them a safe place to sleep for the night.
Whether it is a ballet, citywide lighting display, or nativity reenactment, there are many great reasons for your family to participate in holiday outings. Crowds can be targeted by criminals and terrorists, so keep your guard up. Know the area and routes to take in an emergency. Don’t travel alone, and keep items such as mobile phones, purses, and electronics out of sight. Keep your head on a swivel.
When you enter your car, lock the doors right away, and then start your car. If you feel that you are being followed, call 911. Never pull over for a non-police vehicle. Be aware of your exact location so you can provide it to the 911 dispatcher.
Try to shop during daylight hours or park in well-lit areas. Do not leave anything of value visible through your car windows. Put these items in the glove compartment or the trunk or leave them at home. Take, Hide, and Lock. When shopping, do not make more than one trip to your car with purchases. Criminals can be observing you and could break into your car knowing to take your purchases.
If you shop online, make sure websites are secure and trustworthy. If packages are delivered and set in plain view, they are easy targets. Have neighbors watch for packages or check with your shipping company for alternative drop-off options.
Some people have been victimized by selling or purchasing an item on Craigslist and other online apps. Arrange to do these transactions in public places (e.g., Police Department) where you can immediately get assistance if there is a problem.
If you are giving or receiving a firearm as a gift, include training classes, too. Ensure that everyone who handles the firearm consistently follows the Rules of Gun Safety. If you don’t know how to use the gυn, don’t fiddle with it thinking you’ll figure it out. Ask your AG & AG Chapter Facilitator or another firearms instructor if there are upcoming classes that you can take. Having the right instruction will not only ensure the safety of yourself and those around you, but will give you greater success and enjoyment with the new gift.
Don’t invite food poisoning or fire to your holiday dinner. Federal guidelines state that your turkey is safe to eat when the innermost part of the thigh reaches 165 degrees. Check the turkey’s temperature by inserting the thermometer in three places: the thickest part of the breast, the innermost part of the thigh, and the innermost part of the wing.
Read labels carefully. See USDA recommended guidelines on turkey thawing and preparation.
Stay in the kitchen when you are cooking so you can keep an eye on the food. Make sure your smoke alarms are working. Ensure electric cords, knives, and stove-tops are out of reach of children.
Install deadbolt locks on your doors, which provides better security than chain locks. Instruct your children to not open the door if a stranger comes to your home soliciting.
Illuminate the interior and exterior of your home. Consider installing a residential alarm with camera systems if possible. Instead of displaying your holiday decor in a main window, try to obscure your holiday gifts from view from potential criminals.
Be cautious about putting the boxes that contained your recent purchases or gifts out on the curb for bulk trash pickup because the boxes will let thieves know what is in your house. Shred any paperwork with personal information, e.g., bank statements, credit card statements, medical records, etc., prior to discarding.
Know the laws for Use of Force and Related Weapon Laws of all the states you will visit. Websites like handgunlaw.us are extremely valuable or find an app that you trust and download it to your phone.
Know the airports, roadways, and rail stations you will be traveling through. If there are delays or closures, you may spend more time there than planned figuring out Plan B. Knowledge of what options are offered could save you time.
It’s a good time to review your family emergency plan, your universal action plan for your family that includes action words, safe words, and basic escape strategies for a variety of emergency scenarios.
Ask neighbors to keep an eye on your home if you’re away. Have them check for mail, newspapers and flyers. Consider placing a “hold” on mail and newspapers. Do not pre-announce your trip on Facebook or other social media. Delay posting pictures of your trip until you are actually home.
SOURCE ARTICLE: https://www.agirlandagun.org/holiday-safety-tips/
