City of Chicago Expands Lawsuit Against Glock

By

-

August 18, 2024

On July 22nd, the City of Chicago dropped its lawsuit against Glock. Yet a day later, it filed a new lawsuit, this time including two suburban gun stores in the mix. The lawsuit, filed by the City of Chicago, with the help of the Bloomberg-funded Everytown for Gun Safety, targets Glocks specifically because of the prevalence of Glocks illegally converted to fully automatic via a ‘switch.’

Remember that according to the NFA, making a machine gun requires a tax stamp and government approval. In 1986, the Hughes Amendment banned the new production of transferrable machine guns. While both laws are unconstitutional, they show that criminals don’t follow the law, even when the punishment is ten years in prison and a $250,000 fine.

Chicago and Glock Switches

The basis for the suit is that Glock intentionally sells firearms that are easy to convert to full automatic. Glocks aren’t any easier to convert to full auto than any other gun, but Glock ‘switches’ are prevalent, which allow the conversion. For a long time, these switches have been available online through outlets like Wish and Alibaba. Hell, I remember seeing them on Amazon years ago.

Glock does not produce these switches and has never produced total auto conversions. The Glock 18 is full auto but does not use an attached switch to do so. Imagine Chicago suing Ford because end users illegally modified it, and it no longer meets emission standards. Glock firearms are converted to machine guns, the same reason why we call all tissues Kleenex; it’s the most popular brand.

The original lawsuit was filed in March of this year. The original case claimed that 1,100 Glocks have been converted to machine guns and used in a wide variety of crimes. The lawsuit uses that data to sue Glock for financial damages and as a suit to ban the sale of Glocks in Chicago.

According to Mayor Brandon Johnson:

“The city of Chicago is encountering a deadly new frontier in the gun violence plaguing our communities because of the increase of fully automatic Glocks on our streets. Selling firearms that can so easily be converted into automatic weapons makes heinous acts even more deadly, so we are doing everything we can in collaboration with others committed to ending gun violence to hold Glock accountable for putting profits over public safety.”

The mayor claims they are doing everything they can to end gun violence, except arrest the criminals. Chicago swapped to a cashless bail system. More than once, a person released under this program has been charged with murder or attempted murder.

Chicago’s New Lawsuit

Chicago’s latest lawsuit names Glock and two gun dealers. The city accuses the dealers of being “the most irresponsible gun stores in the country.” According to the lawsuit, these dealers account for 13% of the guns used in crimes. It accuses Glock of selling the guns through irresponsible stores. The basis of this statement seems to be derived from the fact that these stores are Glock-authorized dealers.

According to the lawsuit, these suburban Chicago gun stores violate gun laws and look the other way during blatant illegal transactions. If so, why hasn’t law enforcement arrested the owners, and the ATF revoked their FFL? The ATF has been revoking FFLs at breakneck speed lately. Part of the suit even goes after full auto rentals legally offered by one of the businesses.

The lawsuit states that one of the stores lost its federal license in 2022 but was allowed to reopen with a new owner. That is true. The business had numerous failures to comply with Federal firearms law but was able to reopen.

The rest of the lawsuit talks about machine guns and military-grade firepower. It even mentions what the British faced in World War I. One section even digs into popular rap music, which mentions Glock switches. It’s interesting to see and seems a bit silly to mention, but hey, it’s their lawsuit to write.

Who to Sue

I believe I and every American have a right to own a machine gun if we so choose. The lawsuit is frivolous. Logically, it seems like they should be suing the people selling these switches if that was your actual goal. But that wouldn’t get the mayor those sweet gun control points and wouldn’t allow them to target the firearms industry.

Gunday Brunch 157: “The Perfect Zero?”

By

Keith Finch

-

August 18, 2024

Caleb is gone! Lost! Somewhere in the vast reaches of space. So I’m going to talk about rifle stuff again. Is there such a thing as the “perfect” zero?

YOUR CONCEALED CARRY GEAR IS PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT! Why Aren’t You Treating It As Such?

By

The Suited Shootist

-

August 17, 2024

There are testable performance standards for all sorts of protective equipment, from eye shields to body armor. So, why isn’t there more conversation about how to test your concealed carry gear to see if it’s actually suitable for the role? Look at your carry gear like you would any other piece of personal protective gear: eye protection, hard hat, steel-toed boots, etc.

Evaluating Your Personal Protection Gear

In order for them to actually fit the role appropriately, they have to meet a certain set of performance standards in the “worst-case scenario.”

Let’s use Eye Pro as an example:

It’s not considered “good” just because it stays on your face all day, looks good, and doesn’t pinch your nose. Good eye protection will stop shards of debris that are hurtling toward your face.

But for some reason, once the discussion shifts to holsters, performance suddenly takes a back seat to comfort, aesthetics, and cost.

The fact that it allows you to conveniently stuff a gun in your pants all day and have it stay in roughly the same place isn’t actually the primary function of the holster. The holster is there to support your weapon during A FIGHT!

So, it needs to be able to keep the gun in one spot during an entangled grapple but still allow you to establish a strong firing grip on the gun one-handed and deploy the firearm in the fight.

You don’t evaluate the performance of a Formula 1 car by doing 30 MPH in the parking lot.

Foreign ARs – A Market Bigger Than You’d Expect

By

Travis Pike

-

August 17, 2024

Apple Pie and Armalite are two things that are as American as it gets. AR stands for Armalite Rifle, but as many have pointed out, it might as well stand for America’s Rifle. It’s a massively successful American rifle series that’s served our country for decades and has been the dominant rifle amongst police and the average Joe. America produces plenty of foreign-designed guns, but do foreign countries produce the AR-15? You bet. Let’s take a peek at some of the foreign ARs floating around.

Germany’s Hera Arms 15th Series

Hera Arms isn’t an unknown entity in American arms. The company produces a variety of AR accessories, including a series of grips and stocks that you either love or hate. Hera is fresh off the Tomorrow War and producing a huge series of AR-15-type rifles. They all feature Hera Arms furniture, including the futuristic stock and forward grip set.

This series includes various lengths. They have rifles and carbines, which we would call SBRs. The Hera Arms 15th series has all the modern stuff you’d expect. We get a mix of six-position stocks, precision-oriented options, M-LOK rails, and Hera’s stuff. Outside of the 15th series, we have blowback-operated PCCs, AR-10s, and even straight-pull AR-type rifles. They all retail for more than 2,000 Euros, so don’t expect affordability.

Brazil’s Taurus T4

The Taurus T4 series made its way to the United States. The T4SA, in particular, sold for a seemingly very short period during the great AR rush of the 2010s. The main T4 series are fairly unremarkable foreign ARs. The T4 series directly copies the M4 style rifle with a front sight gas block, six-position stock, and quad rail.

Taurus also produces a shorty model with an 11.5-inch barrel in the same basic M4 style configuration. The Taurus T4S for American civilian sales features a free-floating rail and comes with a Keymod handguard. The Taurus T4 series even saw some American police sales as if there weren’t plenty of American options out there.

Chinese Norinco CQ

In classic Chinese fashion, the company Norinco copied the AR-15 design. It came to be in the 1980s and looks like a bizarro AR variant. The Chinese handguard and pistol grip look odd but are seemingly functional. The grip, in particular, looks like it came from a revolver. Legend has it that China acquired M16 copies from Vietnam and went to work creating their own AR.

Somewhere in the neighborhood of 500 CQ variants were imported into the United States before the Chinese faucet was cut off after they tried to sell weapons to gang bangers. The CQ series was sold in Canada, and the Chinese evolved the weapon to match the modern options with shorter barrels, collapsing stocks, optics-ready uppers, and more. These are still made and sold for export.

Colt Canada C7 and C8

One of the best foreign AR models comes from Diemaco/Colt Canada. The famed C7 and C8 series of rifles were always forward-thinking. The original C7 didn’t waste time with a burst feature; it used spacers to adjust the length of pull, and by 1995, it even had a flat-top upper with a Weaver rail.

Since then, the series has continued to evolve. The C7A2 introduced a rifle-length upper with a collapsing stock design. The C8 series introduced the carbine design for the series that remains successful. The Colt Canada C7 and C8 remain some of the most advanced ARs out there and arguably some of the most adaptable on the market. It’s surprising that the C7 and C8 series haven’t been imported to the United States.

Russian ADAR-2-15

The Russians saw us making our own AKs and said we can’t let that one stand! Thus, they produced their own AR-15, called the ADAR-2-15. It’s most famously in Escape from Tarkov, the I’m vegan equivalent of video games for gun guys. The Adar-2-15 achieves a distinctive look by using wood for the stock and forend.

Wood on ARs looks cool, but somehow the Russians made it pretty damn ugly with a bad impression of a Dragunov stock. This might be the ugliest of the foreign ARs. The rifle uses a flat top upper design but a fixed front sight gas block. It’s fairly standard, and even the markings are just lifted from American-made AR.

The World of Foreign ARs

The world of foreign ARs doesn’t end here. It’s been copied far and wide, including by countries you’d never expect, like Iran, Taiwan, and Hungary. The AR is almost as far spread as the AK series, but they typically tend to be a bit more refined. The AR isn’t just America’s Rifle; it’s the world’s rifle.

QUESTIONS ANSWERED PART 1: I Answer User Questions About Style, Concealed Carry, & Gear.

By

The Suited Shootist

-

August 16, 2024

I’ve put out a few different AMAs on various social media outlets. So, today, I take the opportunity to answer some of the questions about concealed carry, style, and gear.

What are my opinions on concealment-specific clothing alterations?
What are my preferred belts for concealed carry?
What’s a good starting point for people who want to learn more about developing and improving their style?
Do you currently carry at work?
How do you carry medical?

1 MOA All Day – Accuracy Expectations are Unrealistic

By

Travis Pike

-

August 16, 2024

“1 MOA All Day” is one phrase that makes many people’s skin crawl. I’m not a long-range shooter, so it doesn’t necessarily affect me the same way. However, I do see it as part of gun culture that leads to unrealistic accuracy expectations. I started looking into this when I saw a series of comments on a YouTube video about the weapon’s accuracy. The weapon achieved 2.5 MOA with Winchester M855 ammo.

That’s pretty good, and the shooter in the video stated as such. The comments would have you believe it’s atrocious. The number of people talking about how their AR can shoot 1 MOA all day woke me up to the phrase. In reality, I highly doubt the commenters could shoot 1 MOA all day with their ARs, especially with Winchester M855. I think we have some seriously unrealistic expectations from our rifles.

1 MOA seems to be the standard people expect, and it’s not entirely realistic.

1 MOA All Day- Right?

The United States military expects 4 MOA from an M4 rifle. That would rock the world of YouTube comments. It’s true that your base-level M4 lacks a free-floating barrel and is firing the cheapest US Contract ammo out there. Plus, government contract barrels aren’t exactly refined. When the military needed more accurate weapons, guns like the SPR/Mk 12 series were fielded with match-grade ammo.

Most guns aren’t capable of consistently hitting 1 MOA. Consistently is the keyword. Sure, you might shoot an occasional MOA group, but that’s far from the standard with most guns, especially mass-produced guns. When we shoot three shots and measure our group it’s not telling of any accuracy standard.

If we want consistent MOA, we should be shooting more than three rounds, and it should occur in the majority of your groups. No mulligans, no ‘I threw that one’ etc. If you shoot five rounds or ten rounds, it should still be 1 MOA.

The Reality of 1 MOA

To reliably and consistently shoot 1 MOA, you need three things:

A 1 MOA Rifle
1 MOA Ammo
1 MOA Shooter

Those are your necessities. You can help improve your accuracy potential with all sorts of accessories and techniques. Everything from a prone position to sling tension helps, but we can get into some really crazy stuff. Tripods, lead sleds, sandbags, and more can help eliminate human error, which is often the biggest error.

I’m a 1 MOA shooter….with a tripod. Seriously, I might score the occasional 1 MOA group with nothing more than a prone position, but to consistently do so, I often need a little help. I’m working on it, but that’s what I can do.

Most AR-15s and most affordable bolt action rifles aren’t 1 MOA guns. It’s massively impressive that most bare-bones ARs and mass-produced bolt actions are already accurate guns by most metrics. They might not be 1 MOA guns, but they are crazy accurate for their affordability. We live in an era as gun owners where an accurate rifle can be had for 600 dollars.

That accuracy might result in a 2 to 3 MOA gun, but that’s still way more than enough accuracy to hit a man-sized target at 500 yards. The idea of an inch at 100 yards doesn’t apply to most guns and most ammo. If you look at the ARFCOM 1 MOA All Day Challenge we see the type of rifles that achieve that level of accuracy.

They are high-end guns with high-end ammo. Some ammo is even hand-loaded by folks whose expertise level I don’t really understand. What you don’t see on the list of winners and those who met the challenge is your average AR or bolt gun.

Expecting Accuracy

Accuracy expectations have to be tailored to the gun. It isn’t easy to get superb accuracy from a gun with a long-stroke gas piston system. It’s not impossible to get MOA accuracy from an AR, but it’s not the standard. Realistic expectations regarding accuracy are best set before you start shopping. Getting 1 MOA gun and ammo is easy if you’re willing to pay for it, but being a good shooter takes a bit more practice.

PREVENTING LOST GEAR

By

Jim Cobb

-

August 15, 2024

Like anyone else, I can’t stand losing something. Spending time searching for a misplaced item means less time that’s available for fun. When it comes to outdoor adventures, it’s even more critical to keep track of your gear. If you’re three days down the trail, Amazon might find it hard to find you to deliver a replacement. There are a couple of easy-to-follow strategies that will help ensure that you don’t lose your gear. You want to return home with everything you had with you when you left.

Simple Steps to Ensure You Don’t Lose Your Gear

Pat Check

Uncle Bill was my dad’s best friend and my godfather. He loved to spend time out in the wilderness and he brought me along for some of his hikes. Through him, I learned a little about a lot of things, including tracking, foraging, and shelter building.

He also taught me the importance of checking pockets on a regular basis so you don’t lose your gear. After every break during our hike, we’d each do a quick pat check. Every pocket was touched to ensure what was supposed to be there was still present. If we were carrying a fixed blade on our belt, we made sure it was still safely sheathed. All exterior pack pockets were looked over, too.

This quick inspection ensured that we didn’t leave anything behind. And if something was found to be missing, it narrowed the search area. It’s such a simple thing, and it’s easy to develop the habit. On rare occasion, I have found that a lighter or something had fallen from a pocket. It only took a minute of hunting to find it again.

This strategy isn’t just for hiking and camping, either. One time, my wallet had fallen out of my pants pocket in a rest area stall during a road trip. Patting my pockets on my way out, I realized it was missing. Thankfully, I found it right away, rather than getting umpteen miles down the road and needing to backtrack.

Eye-Catching Colors

The most common colors for knives, pocket flashlights, and such are black, green, or coyote tan, right? While those are great if you’re looking for a “tactical” appearance, the reality is that those same colors add difficulty if you’re searching for something you set down or accidentally dropped.

Last year, my sons and I were toying around with a set of throwing knives in the backyard. They were the Onion Throwing Knives from CRKT. They’re black with a red paint spatter pattern. One of the throws went a little wild and missed the target. I’m not going to say who threw it, other than it wasn’t me. It took us two days and a borrowed metal detector to finally find it. It was nearly invisible against the ground, mostly hidden in the dirt and weeds.

The most common standout color is blaze orange. That’s what we find on hunting gear and such, right? While it works okay in that role, a better color for gear might be a brilliant blue. No matter what time of year it is, there’s pretty much nothing that color found in nature. A knife with a blaze orange handle could all but disappear among fall foliage on the ground. A blue handle, not so much.

If your chosen bits of equipment aren’t available in a bright color, you could always add a lanyard. Make one yourself from paracord or pick one up at a store. Add something that will help get your attention when it mysteriously walks away like every 10mm socket you’ve ever owned.

We spend a lot of money on our equipment. It makes sense to do what we can to make sure we don’t lose our gear so that it’s there when we need it.

The MP9 – That Time Ruger Sold a Submachine Gun

By

Travis Pike

-

August 15, 2024

If I say Ruger, what do you think? Ruger is a fairly diverse company. Some might picture their robust revolvers in a variety of calibers. Others may picture their affordable handgun lineups. Still, others might think of the slick and absolutely wonderful No. 1 rifle series, maybe their affordable AR series, or even something like the Mini 14. What I doubt many people picture is the Ruger MP9 submachine gun. Yes, at one point, Ruger wanted to get into the SMG market and did so with one of its most famed designers.

The Ruger MP9 – An Improved Uzi

It was the mid-1990s. Short carbines hadn’t wiped submachine guns off the international military and police table just yet. They were still a popular option for law enforcement and special operations use. Ruger decided to try to cash into that market and introduced the MP-9 into its catalogs in 1995.

The design is a bit older than the 1990s and tracks by the 1980s. Israeli firearms designer Uziel Gal looked to improve his design. The Uzi entered legendary status. Its compact design made it a favorite for various special operations forces, and it participated in numerous Israeli military campaigns. The United States Secret Service even accepted the weapon.

The Uzi was good but had some dated features. Namely, it fired from an open bolt. Open bolt designs are less reliable, safe, and accurate than closed bolt weapons. The MP5 established closed bolt superiority. In addition to closing the bolt, a number of changes were made to the Uzi to create the first prototypes. These were labeled the Model 201 guns.

A story relayed in Ruger and His Guns: A History of the Man, the Company & Their Firearms states that Bill Ruger sent two men to Canada to meet with Uziel. Bill Ruger wanted to get even deeper into the military and police market. There, they test-fired the weapons and reported back to Bill that they seemed well-made and easy to operate.

With that, Ruger purchased the design and the right to produce it.

Bill Ruger and the New Uzi

Bill Ruger decided there were further improvements they could make to the gun. The most noticeable was the use of polymer for the lower receiver. The use of Zytel reduced weight and likely cost. The MP9 also got a firing pin block and a bolt lock, as well as a magazine redesign for easier reloading. While the changes are notable, Uziel Gal’s design was still under the hood.

The MP9 used a straight blowback design with closed bolt operation. The fire selector is just like the traditional Uzi. The grip safety is done away with, but the gun still uses a top charging handle. Near the sights sits a small set of weaver rails, for what is anyone’s guess. They are too small for optics and would position an optic to be blocked by the charging handle.

In an odd move, the gun doesn’t use a Uzi magazine but a proprietary magazine based on the Steyer MPI89 mags.

The frame design is a radical departure from the standard Uzi. It features a small integrated foregrip and rear strut that acts as a rest for the folding stock. The stock folds downward, but not like a traditional under folder. The overall design is very compact.

The Failure of the Improved Uzi

Ruger didn’t sell many of the guns. Supposedly, they had to work hard to eliminate the meager initial production run and didn’t make more than that. The guns were relatively expensive and placed oddly on the market. For a bit more, one could buy a higher-end, roller-delayed MP5. Similarly, you could buy any number of direct blowback SMGs for a lot less.

Bill Ruger also wouldn’t sell dealer samples, so you had to buy the MP9 directly from Ruger. This likely didn’t help Ruger make any sales. Guns were never popular and are quite rare these days. The MP9 series faded away, and Ruger remained free from the submachine gun market after that.

Civilian sales weren’t possible due to the Hughes Amendment, and I doubt Bill Ruger would sell to the average Joe if he could. Semi-auto pistol variants weren’t exactly possible, either. It was in the midst of the Assault Weapon Ban. Fixed magazines didn’t seem practical, and the weapon weighed over 50 ounces.

The MP9 wasn’t meant to make it and that’s sad for a weapon of the Uzi lineage. If IMI/IWI owned the design I bet we’d have a braced version by now, but Ruger isn’t IWI.

XS Sights Introduces DXT2 PRO Series Night Sights

By

Keith Finch

-

August 14, 2024

Fort Worth, Texas (August 14, 2024) – XS^® Sights is pleased to introduce DXT2 PRO Series night sights for self-defense. This improved Big Dot line offers increased durability and corrosion resistance due to the upgraded tritium lamps and BlackNitride surface finish. The PRO Series is also the first XS Big Dot available with a green glow dot front sight which delivers high contrast in bright light while glowing extremely bright in low light.

The DXT2 PRO Series sights offer the same exceptional benefits of the original XS Big Dots. They have a large, easy-to-see tritium front sight with dual-illumination technology for high visibility in low light and a rear tritium stripe for fast and easy vertical alignment. The overall design and sheer size of the dot, at 0.188”, drive focus to the front sight for lightning-fast target acquisition.

“The DXT2 PRO Series sights are our most rugged night sights to date, and we’re excited to offer a green front sight for the first time in the Big Dot,” said Jeff King, Marketing Manager, XS Sights. “Green is a great option because it offers high contrast in both bright and low light, which is key because we know defensive situations are unpredictable and happen in a wide variety of lighting conditions.”

Made with American materials and CNC machined in Fort Worth, Texas, the DXT2 PRO Series is designed for defensive shooting and will help get you on target faster in high-stress situations.

Retail Price: $153.99

The DXT2 PRO Series is currently available in the following models:

Available Models

Glock 17, 19, 22, 23, 24, 26, 28, 27, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 38, 39, 45, & 47

Glock 20, 21, 29, 30, 30S, 37, 40, & 41

Glock 42, 43, 43X, & 48

About XS Sights

XS sights are backed by a Limited Lifetime Warranty. The company also offers a 12-year illumination warranty on all tritium products. For more information, visit www.xssights.com.

XS Sights is known for making the fastest sights in any light. For more than 25 years, the XS team has created some of the most innovative sights on the market today for pistols, rifles, and shotguns. Whether used for personal defense or hunting, these sights are designed and built to be the absolute best for their specific purpose. American Made. Texas Proud. 2A Strong.

Burris Veracity PH Riflescope

By

Athlon Series

-

August 14, 2024

Burris Veracity PH Riflescope Long Range Distance

The Burris Optics Veracity riflescope product family made its original debut not too long ago. Its biggest claim to fame, its “it” factor if you will, is its technologically advanced heads-up display (HUD) that provides the rifle shooter with real-time information about their distance to target and relevant wind holds, along with other details. Now, the optic line grows in 2024 with a shorter and lighter design, offering two new reticle designs and an improved optics system ED glass. Introducing the Burris Veracity PH riflescope.

The main idea behind the Burris Veracity PH is, of course, to facilitate longer-distance rifle shots. It does this by providing the necessary information at one’s fingertips—well, maybe in front of your eyeballs—with the HUD.

The system displays MOA clicks in either yards or meters. Redundant 1/4 MOA laser markings provide a non-digital backup. The riflescope also operates standalone from the BurrisConnect App as well. The optic features a 5X zoom system with bright, clear glass. It comes with side focus/parallax adjustment, Wind MOA FFP reticle, and zero turn stop adjustment on both windage and elevation turrets.

From Our Friends At Athlon Outdoors

“Revolutionary” gets thrown around pretty recklessly in media. We know, we do it too from time to time. When you’re a gun nerd, it’s hard to not get caught up in the new guns and gear from time to time. But we really should reserve the term for products that break new ground.

Well, we think the new Burris Veracity PH riflescope does just that. Because this optic blends a unique digital turret system with a built-in Heads-Up Display (HUD) unit, giving shooters an incredible access to ballistic data. And it does so while hitting a price point many shooters can likely afford.

For more information, please visit BurrisOptics.com.

American Tomahawk Company Scout Knife

By

Tim Stetzer

-

August 14, 2024

The American Tomahawk Company doesn’t just do tomahawks and axes. They also make knives. One of their latest is about to drop, and it’s a slick one. The Scout Knife will be available in mid-August, so let’s take a look at what’s coming.

ATC Scout Knife

ATC’s Scout knife is inspired by the classic American Bowie. It shares the up-swept, clip-point blade but is in a lot handier size. It’s designed to be a camp utility knife, but wouldn’t be out of place strapped to your plate carrier either. The Scout is right around nine and a half inches overall and weighs just under 10 ounces. It’s big enough for camp prep and splitting kindling but not so big that it can’t be used for finer tasks. ATC says it’ll work for food prep and making fuzz sticks, too.

The Scout knife has a 4 3/4 inch blade made from Nitro V stainless steel. It has a Rockwell hardness rating of 59-60, which should lead to excellent edge retention. The blade is a stout 3/16-inch thick to take the abuse a camp or field knife might encounter. It has a matte, tumbled finish that’s low-key and easy to maintain.

The handles on the Scout knife are made from black G10. They feature vertical texturing for a positive grip without being overly aggressive. According to ATC they’ll work in wet or dry conditions, and with or without gloves. The Scout ships with an ambidextrous kydex sheath that can be set up in a variety of carry methods.

I haven’t gotten this one in hand yet, but it’s the size and style that I typically prefer for a field knife. Knowing ATC’s build quality I’m sure the Scout knife is going to be solid performer. As always, it’s backed by ATC’s “post croak” warranty that covers the lifetime of the tool, not just the person using it.

Specifications

Overall Length: 9 5/8”
Blade Length: 4 3/4”
Blade Thickness: 3/16"
Weight: 9.9 ounces without sheath
Blade: Nitro-V (HRC 59-60)
Handles:  Black G10
Handle Fasteners:  Grade 5 Titanium
Sheath: Kydex
MSRP: $245.00 USD

For more information, check out AmericanTomahawk.com.

Interdynamics AB Made Some Real Weird Guns

By

Travis Pike

-

August 13, 2024

I’m a fan of historical weapons and a fan of weird weapons. Occasionally, there is a cross roads of historical and weird. Actually, that happens a lot. Weird guns rarely make it past the prototype stage, and that happened more than a time or two with a little company called Interdynamics AB. This Swedish company wasn’t shy about making weird and interesting firearms. Unsurprisingly the one gun that succeeded was a fairly standard one, and it only succeeded on the civilian market.

Who is Interdynamics AB

Interdynamics AB was a Swedish company that manufactured firearms from the late 1970s to seemingly the mid-1980s. Sadly, there isn’t much information about the company while it resided in Sweden. After it moved to the United States, things got a little lively, and the history became a little clearer.

One thing we do know is that George Kellgren worked as an engineer with Interdynamics AB while living in Sweden. George Kellgren is famously the owner of KelTec. Two of Interdynamics AB’s rifles were super weird, which makes sense. KelTec famously makes some of the weirdest guns on the market.

George Kellgren’s role in the development of the MKR and MKS assault rifles remains a mystery. However, given his current work with KelTec, it’s hard not to speculate that he had a significant influence on their design. We do know that he played a key role in the creation of their most successful firearm, the MP-9, and was instrumental in the company’s move to the United States.

The Interdynamic MKS

Interdynamic AB’s first weird rifle prototype was the MKS. It was created in 1979, as intermediate cartridges were becoming all the rage. The MKS utilized the 5.56 caliber round with a fairly conventional gas-operated design. Most sources list the rounds per minute as between 700 and 1,000. It’s tough to say if it’s variable or just poorly calculated.

Things got weird because it seemed like someone looked at the Uzi, said that’s a great idea, and took some cues from that. Mainly, they used the detachable magazine as the pistol grip. I’m sure everyone reading this has held an AR magazine and realized it’s not quite ergonomic to use as a grip. The end goal was to create a very small rifle, which they seemed to have accomplished.

The rifle also featured a folding stock. It folded to the side, and overall, it was extremely compact. Of all the ideas out there, this was certainly one of them. The rifle was tested in the Philippines according to the Small Arms of the World: A Basic Manual of Small Arms but was found to be uncomfortable—not much of a surprise. The weapon faded away, but Interdynamics wasn’t done with assault rifles.

The Interdynamics MKR

Interdynamics learned some lessons from the MKS when they began developing the MKR. Namely, they learned that you can make a short rifle without using the magazine as a pistol grip. The MKR was a more traditional bullpup, which feels odd to type as bullpups are anything but traditional.

The MKR came in two models, the normal of the two being the 5.56 model, which used a gas-operated design. The 5.56 variant used an early production polymer nylon magazine made by GAPCO. The second model used a super high-velocity 4.5x25mm round that fed from a rear-mounted, crescent-shaped magazine that held 50 cartridges. The 4.5 round was a rimfire cartridge with a solid copper bullet. The 4.5 model used direct blowback operation.

The MKR featured a top-mounted charging handle, a lever-style safety, and roughly AR-height sights. The MKR series didn’t exist outside of a few prototypes, and I won’t lie; I want Kellgren to bring back the crescent-shaped magazines with a 5.7x28mm option. I don’t think we’ll see that, but a man can dream.

The MP-9

The Swiss produced the Carl Gustaf M/45 for years, and it was an amazing submachine gun—one of the true greats. However, it was dated, and the Swiss wanted to replace it. George Kellgren designed the MP-9 for Interdynamics, and they entered it into the contest. The gun didn’t succeed in Sweden and didn’t replace the M/45.

The MP-9 featured a direct blowback system and open bolt operation. That’s standard and arguably even dated in 1983. However, the gun did make use of a polymer frame design which was new for the era. While we love polymer frames these days, they weren’t the standard in the early 80s. The weapon featured a sliding wire stock, a ventilated handguard, and a forward grip.

While the gun didn’t succeed in Sweden, it came to America. Kellgren started the American arm of Interdynamics and partnered with an American partner. The company produced the KG-9, which evolved into the infamous TEC-9.

The End of Interdynamics AB

There doesn’t seem to be much mention of Interdynamics AB on the internet these days. Kellgren sold the company to an American partner and started Grendel and, eventually, KelTec. Interdynamics and its wacky designs faded away, and we never saw another attempt to create a bullpup rifle with its magazine as its pistol grip.

STREAMLIGHT WEDGE

By

Jim Cobb

-

August 13, 2024

When it comes to EDC gear, a pocket flashlight is a must as far as I’m concerned. Sure, a cell phone might have a flashlight app or setting, but an actual flashlight beats that six ways to Sunday. Think about it, how many times have you left the house and realized you forgot to charge your phone? Would you want to rely on that minimal charge in a power outage? The light from a flashlight is much more focused than that from a cell phone, too.

Streamlight Wedge

I’ve been a fan of Streamlight for a long time. They’ve never let me down. The Wedge first came on the scene a few years back, and it immediately garnered a lot of attention. It has a thin, compact design that’s perfect for deep-pocket carry. It has two illumination modes: 300 lumens for everyday use and a 1,000-lumen momentary THRO^® (Temporarily Heightened Regulated Output) mode. The control is a simple rotating thumb switch on the side of the light.

New Colors

The Wedge was originally only available in black and coyote tan. I chose the latter, and while boring, it served me well. Recently, Streamlight decided to up their razzle-dazzle game and added red, purple, and blue colorways to the Wedge lineup. I went with blue because, well, I’m admittedly a sucker for blue gear. One reason is that blue doesn’t blend in with anything you’ll find on the ground in the outdoors. If I drop the Wedge, I’ll be able to find it easily.

The red and purple are quite striking as well, and any of these new colors will add some pop to the EDC loadout.

Streamlight Wedge Specs

The Wedge is 5.46 inches long and 1.0 inch high and it has a body made from anodized aluminum. It tips the scales at a modest 3.3 ounces. The light is IPX7-rated for waterproof operation up to one meter and is also impact-resistance tested for the same one meter.

A USB-C cord is included for charging the 1500 mAh lithium battery. At a full charge, the Streamlight Wedge has about a 3-hour runtime. Considering that most of us use a flashlight for just a few minutes at a time, this charge lasts longer than you might think.

A reversible pocket clip means you can carry it concealed on either side of your body. It’s slim and flat, and it rides somewhat similar to an OTF knife in your pocket.

I’ve owned a ton of different pocket flashlights over the years, with all sorts of bells and whistles. The Streamlight Wedge is truly a favorite. It’s simple and easy to operate, even under stress. It carries comfortably, it’s dependable, and it just plain works. With the new colors that are available, now it looks as great as it functions.

The Wedge has an MSRP of $173.49.

For more information, please visit Streamlight.com.

Rugged Suppressors Alaskan 360

By

Athlon Series

-

August 12, 2024

The Rugged Suppressors Alaskan 360 is a versatile multi-caliber suppressor that was created and rated to handle everything from the small 9mm Luger pistol caliber to the gargantuan .338 Lapua Magnum extreme long-range rifle cartridge. This means that with the right adapter and barrel mounts, the Rugged Suppressors Alaskan 360 can be used with a handgun, a sub gun, a PCC (pistol caliber carbine), and a bolt action precision or hunting rifle. As long as the diameter of the projectile you’re shooting is a fit, the Rugged Suppressors Alaskan 360 is good to go! Besides that, the Alaskan 360 suppressor is built from Grade 5 Titanium and is extremely lightweight for its size.

From Our Friends At Athlon Outdoors

“It goes from 9mm all the way up to .338 Lapua,” said Travis Taylor, Rugged Suppressors. “You can run it on your MP5 all day long, and then swap it over to your bolt gun and you’re good to go.”

The Alaskan 360 utilizes the Rugged Universal Mount (R.U.M.). The system delivers modularity, accommodating all Rugged rifle mounts, along with several industry standard variants. The Rugged mount utilizes a dual taper locking system, providing a concentric lockup, protecting threads from carbon build up, according to Rugged. Built from US Grade 5 Titanium, the full system, with can, tips the scales at a mere 11.8 ounces.

Rugged Suppressors Alaskan 360 Specifications

Rugged Suppressors Alaskan 360 Specifications:

Caliber: Rifle, up to .338 Lapua; Pistol or Subgun, up to 9mm (.35 caliber diameter)
Diameter: 1.6 inches
Overall Length: 7.5 inches (with R.U.M.); 6.6 inches (without R.U.M.)
Overall Weight: 11.8 ounces (with R.U.M.); 9.4 ounces (without R.U.M.)
At Ear dB: 130.1-140.9 dB (caliber dependent)
Baffles: 17-4 Stainless Steel
Body: 17-4 Stainless Steel
Mount: US Grade 5 Titanium
Finish: High Temp Cerakote
Front Cap: US Grade 5 Titanium
MSRP: $1,099

Please visit ruggedsuppressors.com to learn more.

Atypical Variants of the FN FAL

By

Travis Pike

-

August 12, 2024

The FN FAL, aka the right arm of the free world, aka the gun America should have picked over the M14, is one of the world’s most popular battle rifles. The FAL series served most of the Western democracies in the world and serves to this day with a variety of nations without the budget to acquire F35s. From the beginning, there have been a number of oddballs, from prototypes to war-fighting fielded FALs. Let’s examine some of these historically atypical FALs.

FN Universal Carbine

The FN Universal Carbine was the very first FAL. It was 1947, and the idea of the assault rifle was a hot commodity. The first caliber the FAL chambered was the 7.92x33mm Kurz round. This same round was famously designed for the STG 44. It’s worth noting it doesn’t seem like FN ever intended to chamber the gun in 7.92x33mm Kurz.

FN used the cartridge to make a functioning gun while waiting for the new NATO cartridge to rear its head. The concept of an assault rifle existed, but the Western forces were looking at full-powered rifle rounds. FN is a Belgian company, but the original Universal Carbine was produced in the U.K.

Belgian engineers who fled from the Nazi occupation worked at TSAF Enfield and built the weapon there. At first glance, it’s an uncanny valley version of the FAL, but you can see the gun’s origins clear as day.

The FAL .280 Experimental Automatic Carbine, Short Model

Another experimental prototype took the FAL and converted it to a bullpup. The British really loved this idea of bullpup rifles and experimented with them a ton before settling on the standard FAL. The bullpup variant looks almost nothing like a FAL. There is some resemblance in the receiver, but not much.

The engineers experimented with the British .280 caliber round. The Brits were throwing a lot of weight behind the cartridge. It is a 7x43mm round that’s a bit of a mutt. It’s not quite a full-powered rifle round and not quite an intermediate caliber. The Brits pushed hard for this round and experimented with it in a number of designs.

The FAL .280 Experimental Automatic Carbine Short Model was found to be unreliable and uncomfortable to shoot. Thus, the idea of a bullpup FAL was killed. However, the Brits still worked on developing the EM series of .280 caliber bullpups.

FN FAL SALVO Model

Speaking of the EM series, the EM designer Stefan Kenneth Janson came to America and worked for Olin-Winchester. In the 1950s, the US Military worked on Project SALVO, which aimed to provide a weapon that could fire multiple projectiles to increase hit probability. The SALVO series incorporated numerous ideas, including weapons with multiple barrels.

Stefan Janson developed a twin-barreled FN FAL rifle for the contest while working for Olin-Winchester. He grafted two FALs together. The guns had a custom-built receiver, and they shared a single gas system. Each barrel had its own magazine, and the gun held forty rounds total.

The SALVO FAL fired the 5.56 T56 Duplex Cartridges. These cartridges held two projectiles per case. One projectile weighed 35 grains, and the other weighed 41 grains. With two barrels firing duplex rounds, the weapon fired four rounds per trigger pull. The downside was intense recoil, which sidelined the gun.

Israeli FALO

For a very long time, the Israeli forces carried a hodgepodge of different firearms. This includes a mix of battle rifles from World War II and handguns from everywhere. It was a logistical nightmare. To standardize their weapons, they adopted the FN FAL and the Uzi. They ordered two FAL variants: a standard model and a heavy-barrel model.

The Heavy barrel model, known as the FALO, was utilized as a squad automatic support weapon. Outside of the heavy barrel, the gun featured a perforated metal sleeve around the barrel, a heat shield inside the wooden handguard, and a folding bipod. The gun integrated into the squad well, and it was noted to be efficient because of its ability to share magazines with the rest of the squad.

Israeli forces built their tactics around the support weapon. It proved to be fairly effective during the Suez Crisis. The FALO served until the early 1970s when Israelis moved away from the battle rifle and into the assault rifle. They remained in service with reserve forces and are likely still bouncing around some Israeli police armory.

The FN FAL – Beyond Successful

The FN FAL is the western AK. It’s spread far and wide amongst a wide variety of different countries. The FAL still functions quite well, even on modern battlefields. There are a lot worse guns to carry. Its success and widespread use guarantee that a few weird and atypical options will rear their ugly head.