The Primary Arms Optics PLxC FFP LPVO (Part 3)

By

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September 7, 2024

^{Continued from Part 2. Primary Arms PLxC LPVO shown on a different carbine mounted on a Primary Arms GLx 30mm 1.5″ mount.}

My Critiques Of the Primary Arms PLxC LPVO

Overall, I have a good impression of the Primary Arms PLxC, and I really like its build quality and attention to detail. The scope’s field of view at low power is quite generous, and the fact that Primary Arms Optics was able to compress the functionality of a larger full-size 34mm LPVO into a shorter and thinner 30mm body is quite impressive in of itself.

I like the quality of its optical glass and the way it transmits light. Chromatic aberration was minimal and not out of line with what I’ve seen with other—even more expensive—scopes. I also suspect that its “tight” eyebox and having to adjust the focus differently for shots with full magnification, as opposed to none, are part of the compromise of fitting all that glass into such a small package.

Twisting a focus ring and working on indexing the rifle and stock relative to the face more efficiently are not the end of the world. On top of that, the spinning magnification adjustment has a solid, quality feel to it.

In summary, the PLxC LPVO gets a solid thumbs up with regard to its physical qualities.

The Chevron

I really appreciate the effort and thought behind the ACSS Griffin Mil M8 reticle, which does its best to take advantage of the best attributes an LPVO brings to the table. However, I’m personally not crazy about the floating chevron used as the central aiming point. After trying out the chevron with an open mind, I found it wasn’t for me.

The central aiming chevron is approximately 1 mil tall and 2 mils wide while its body is roughly ½ mil thick. This doesn’t matter much when shooting at large targets at shorter distances with the magnification on its lowest settings. But I find that the chevron is a compromise for finer precision aiming, especially with its ½ mil thickness.

At ½ mil thick, 1 mil tall and 2 mils tall, I think the ACSS Griffin’s chevron is too chunky and obstructs the target more than I’d like it to. For example, using my carbine with a 100-yard zero and M193 ammunition, I took it to the Cornerstone LPVO class. I know that my come-up for 200 yards is around 0.31. Yet, while shooting off a barricade with a bag during that course, I routinely missed more shots at the 200-yard 8-inch steel gongs than I care to admit.

I kept “losing” the steel target within the ½ mil maw of the chevron without having a clear reference point. I’m of the opinion that the central aiming point on an optic like the PLxC should be no larger than 0.20 mil. Anything bigger runs the risk of obscuring specific points on a target in spite of the fact that LPVOs aren’t sniper scopes.

The Horseshoe Ring And Illumination

I think the horseshoe ring in the ACSS Griffin Mil M8 reticle is an element that shooters will either love or hate. Factors would depend on the shooter’s needs and style of shooting, along with whatever they’re trying to accomplish with the PLxC.

In a twist of irony, I thought I would end up disliking how thick the horseshoe ring is on 8x. However, after seeing for myself how handy it could be when shooting Steel Challenge targets quickly on 1x, and also taking some shots at steel targets placed further back, I wouldn’t hesitate to bring this optic to a 2-gun or 3-gun style match.

It is true that due to the first focal plane design of this PLxC variant, the horseshoe becomes quite prominent at full magnification. Measuring horizontally from outer edge to edge, the horseshoe ring is 10 mils wide. I estimated the thickness of its “line” to be approximately 0.75 mils wide.

There’s no doubt that some shooters will find the thicker line, along with its 10 mil wide span, to feel “busy” and with the potential to block or crowd out the field of view downrange. Ditto for the wind-shaped auto-ranging stadia.

The Horseshoe Ring is a Good Fit

After some internal deliberation, I finally decided on the horseshoe ring and its place in the ACSS Griffin Mil M8 reticle. It’s a good fit, especially in the context of this optic.

I’ll elaborate: the illumination on the highest setting is visible in daylight but it’s not daylight bright. And the lack of nuclear cherry-red brightness is probably the most common complaint I’ve seen about the Primary Arms PLxC.

Truthfully, the internal components necessary to illuminate a first focal plane reticle to those extremely bright levels are so much more expensive. My educated guess is that if Primary Arms had gone that route, chances are that the PLxC would actually be in a different and more expensive price bracket.

Michael Branson from Gideon Optics (whose resume includes Primary Arms, too) goes into some detail about this in the podcast he recorded with our friends at Big Tex Ordnance. Therefore, I think the placement of the horseshoe ring in such a manner that makes it clearly useful and visible at 1x helps bolster the daylight visible illumination while still remaining useful.

While the horseshoe’s 0.75 mil thick ring can potentially block the field of view downrange when fully magnified, in my experiences shooting past 275 yards, it wasn’t a concern for me.

With regards to the illumination issue, this could either make or break the optic, depending on the end-user and their specific needs. In my case, as a “regular guy” using the range during the weekends, the occasional carbine class, or at a match, the lack of daylight bright illumination isn’t a deal breaker.

I’m sure a patrol or SWAT officer employing an LPVO on his duty carbine might have different requirements and considerations as far as the brightness level and busy-ness of the optic’s reticle are concerned.

The Takeaway

Primary Arms Optics has staked its reputation on offering products that work quite well for the money—the “value proposition” as it goes. However, over the past few years, Primary Arms has also been ramping up its product development among its higher-end offerings, and this new crop of compact LPVOs is part of these efforts.

Even though one may not agree 100% with the execution of the PLxC LPVO, it’s evident that Primary Arms put a lot of thought into the design and development of the optic. Physically, it’s well-made and has a great size and weight, clear glass, and a fairly “strong” magnification level.

I think reticle design and implementation ought to be its own philosophical field or even art form. Again, I appreciate the ingenuity, thought, and effort put into the ACSS Griffin Mil M8 reticle. But perhaps the reticle is trying to be a “jack-of-all-trades-master-of-none.” I think paring down the chevron or using a different type of central aiming point would have gone a long way.

I’m not defending the lack of brightness on the first focal plane PLxC, but this most likely entailed keeping costs competitive, as I explained above. And keeping that in mind, I don’t think it takes away any of the other wonderful qualities exhibited by the PLxC.

It’s also worth mentioning that at the beginning of summer 2024, Primary Arms also launched a second focal plane version of the PLxC LPVO—one that uses the ACSS Nova Fiber Wire reticle and has that cherry-red daylight bright illumination.

Read Part 1 here…

Read Part 2 here…

Let’s Talk About Ballistic Dummies

By

Travis Pike

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September 7, 2024

You were introduced to ballistic dummies through GarandThumb and Admin Results, and I was introduced to ballistic dummies through Spike TV’s masterpiece, Deadliest Warrior. We are not the same.

Ballistic dummies, with their striking resemblance to human bodies, serve as captivating entertainment. Crafted from ballistic gel, they feature organs, bones, and more. Their 1 to 1 representation of a person’s size and shape, coupled with the viewer’s ability to detach from the potential gore, adds to their fun factor.

These dummies have made a big splash in the YouTube world, but if you were a teenage male in the early 2000s, you were likely exposed to these fellas through Deadliest Warrior. In my teenage mind, I assumed and was led to believe that ballistic dummies were the closest one-on-one you could get to a real person. When that Navy SEAL tanked a ballistic dummy with a blade, I thought that’s how it would really work.

Don’t get me wrong. It’s still entertaining to see the head honcho of Cold Steel, Lynn Thompson, decapitate a ballistic dummy with a tomahawk, but that’s all it is: entertaining.

The Truth About Ballistic Dummies

I’m not calling anyone out or trying to degrade anyone’s favorite form of entertainment. I haven’t seen any YouTuber try to claim a ballistic dummy is an accurate representation of a real person. If they have, I haven’t seen it. What I have seen is people who watch that content assume it’s an accurate representation of what a weapon can do.

Ballistic Dummies are not accurate representations of a person. These dummies are made from ballistic gel, and the bones are made from high-density resin. There isn’t flowing blood, muscles, or cartilage. They can’t represent a human body because they aren’t real human bodies. They are an approximation of a person, but they aren’t a one-for-one replica.

Ballistic gel is not a one-for-one replica of a person’s flesh. Grab a block, sink your fingers in, and rip it apart. It’s not as strong or dense as a human body. It is simply a repeatable testing mechanism that allows you to have a consistent medium.

The FBI began using ballistic gel to measure bullet penetration and expansion and established standards based on it. The standard for modern ammunition is at least 12 inches of penetration through ballistic gel.

That doesn’t mean the round will penetrate through twelve inches of human flesh. It means that if the projectile penetrates through 12 inches of ballistic gel, it can penetrate deep enough to reach the body’s vital parts from many angles.

Look At Ballistic Dummies

Take a look at the various ballistic dummies on the market. There isn’t 12 inches of ballistic gel between the dummy and its heart, lungs, and spine. If you were to shoot the dummy with XYZ round and it hit the heart, you might assume that the cartridge is good enough for defensive use. Maybe you see a .308 completely remove the head of a target and think, “Holy crap, that’s power!”

It’s easy to reach that conclusion, but it’s wrong. The gel isn’t thick enough between the outside and the vitals to reach valid conclusions regarding penetration. It can still be a repeatable testing medium, but we’d have to adjust the conclusions we reach when shooting ballistic dummies.

Lights, Camera, Action

Seeing a ballistic dummy reduced to nothing more than bloody parts and pieces is good entertainment. It’s a reactive target taken to an extreme level. That’s great, it’s fun, it’s entertaining, but it’s not a good replication of the human body and what happens when a human is shot, stabbed, or hit with a flamethrower.

START A PREPAREDNESS JOURNAL

By

Jim Cobb

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September 6, 2024

Whether you’re just starting out on your prepping journey or you’ve been at it a while, a preparedness journal is a great way to keep track of all manner of information and keep it right at your fingertips.

For something like this, I like to go old school and use spiral notebooks. The multi-subject kind is great because they’re already divided into sections. Even when it isn’t back-to-school season, they don’t cost a lot. You could also go with a binder and loose-leaf paper—if that works better for you.

Here are a few sections I’ve used in my own preparedness journal.

Packing Lists

No matter how often you go out on a trip, the odds are pretty good that you’ll forget something. That’s why we invented checklists. In your preparedness journal, you can devote a section to packing lists to help you remember everything you need. Have one list for day trips, another for overnights, that sort of thing. Add to the lists things you discover you need and eliminate the items you never use.

Goals/Plans

As you move along the preparedness path, you’ll no doubt have ideas you want to pursue later. Have a section in your journal where you can write notes on what you want to look up, learn about, or design at some point.

Maybe you see a new-to-you concept for raised bed gardening, and you want to research it. Or you want to remind yourself to restock the vehicle emergency kit before your road trip. Having a one-stop shop for notes like this means you’ll be able to find them again later.

Weather Tracking

One of the best ways to learn how to forecast the weather is by paying attention to what’s happened in the past. This doesn’t need to be any sort of meteorology doctoral thesis. You don’t need to run out and buy any special equipment, either. However, if you want to shell out for a high-end weather station, there are certainly worse ways to spend your money.

The idea here is simply to jot down notes with your observations about the weather. Over time, even if you’ve had zero training or education in the subject, you’ll start to connect some dots.

Purchases

You don’t need to use this preparedness journal to keep track of everything you buy. But many of us have hobbies that intersect with prepping, such as collecting knives or firearms. There’s a joke that’s been floating around forever about praying that upon your passing, your spouse doesn’t sell your collection for what you told them it cost. This can be a serious problem, though.

An avid knife collector I knew passed away, and his daughter was tasked with handling his extensive collection. She was fortunate that he had put a little note into each knife box with the date of purchase, price paid, where or from whom he bought it, and other information. After she’d selected the ones she wanted to keep, those notes went a long way toward setting accurate prices for the rest.

You could do the same in this section of your journal, even if you’re not a collector. Anything that’s a big-ticket item could be noted, such as a freeze-dryer or generator.

Journaling

This is a journal, right? This is where you can celebrate your successes and learn from your failures. What has been working, what hasn’t, and why. I think one of the coolest things about maintaining a preparedness journal is paging through to see the progress you make over time.

The Primary Arms Optics PLxC 1-8 FFP LPVO (Part 2)

By

P.E. Fitch

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September 6, 2024

Continued from Part 1

ACSS Griffin Mil M8 Reticle

At 1x Zoom

Primary Arms PLxC LPVO Reticle 1x — ACSS Griffin Mil M8 reticle at 1x. Image source: Primary Arms

The Primary Arms Optics ACSS Griffin Mil reticle is probably best described as a jack-of-all-trades multi-purpose reticle. And Because the PLxC is a first focal plane scope, the reticle will shrink or grow depending on the level of zoom adjustment. This means that shooters will naturally perceive and see the reticle differently at 1x magnification than they would at the full 8x magnification.

On its lowest setting, the ACSS Griffin reticle looks nearly like a traditional duplex crosshair, with very thick outer stadia lines that taper and then disappear leaving only a floating horseshoe-ring with a centrally placed aiming chevron.

At 8x Zoom

On the flip side, when adjusted to higher levels of magnification, the thick duplex crosshair lines disappear, and both the horseshoe ring and aiming chevron are greatly expanded. In fact, this chevron is the nucleus of the ACSS Griffin reticle. It measures 2-mils wide and floats over a milliradian-based grid while being enveloped by that outer “CQB” horseshoe ring.

Primary Arms PLxC LPVO Reticle 8x — Labeled view of ACSS Griffin Mil M8 Reticle at full 8x zoom. Image credit: Primary Arms

At 1-mil beneath the aiming tip of the chevron, the ACSS Griffin has a vertical stadia line that bisects a grid of points spaced out 1-mil apart. This vertical stadia line itself has its own markings spaced at ½ mil and 1-mil intervals that extend all the way down to 15 mils.

Distance Ranging with the ACSS Griffin Reticle

The ACSS Griffin reticle features some quick-and-dirty distance-ranging tricks. For example, at 300 meters, the 19-inch width of an IPSC/USPSA paper target will fit flush with the central aiming chevron. At 400 meters, the same common 19-inch wide target fits flush against the slightly wider horizontal line found 2 mils below, on the vertical stadia line.

Furthermore, the design team at Primary Arms Optics also incorporated a pair of symmetrical “ranging wings” to the left or right of the principal horseshoe. These lines are also vertical and can be used to range 170 cm tall targets from 300 to 600 meters. In essence, with its thick horseshoe ring, a regulated central vertical stadia line, the grid of 1×1-mil spaced dots, and these “ranging wings,” it’s evident that the ACSS Griffin Mil M8 reticle was created to fully take advantage of the versatility of a riflescope with this level of variable magnification.

Primary Arms even ships a separate booklet focusing on only this reticle with useful information and excellent diagrams. I briefly touched on this in Part 1, but PA even ships an exposed elevation turret knob for those who would like to shoot and dial as if they were using a traditional riflescope. I don’t think it’s necessary on any LPVO but I appreciate the thought and detail once again.

Shooting Experiences With the Primary Arms PLxC 1-8 LPVO

At the time of this writing, I’ve fired a few hundred rounds of 5.56 NATO ammunition along with scores of .22 LR cartridges with the aid of this LPVO. I can’t comment on what it’s like to jump out of a helicopter with the PLxC mounted on a SOPMOD Block II carbine, but its quality construction suggests that it would hold up just fine….with “regular-guy” use at the range, classes or matches anyway. This is all I can personally speak for anyway.

LPVO Vortex Primary Arms — Vortex Razor LPVO 1x POV with generous field of view. Image source: Sniper’s Hide member Trigger Monkey

At 1x Zoom

The product page on the Primary Arms website for the PLxC mentions the scope’s generous field of view when cranked down to 1x. I think it checks out. With an eye box that measures approximately 3.5 inches, looking through the PLxC at its lowest magnification setting feels similar to looking through the Vortex Razor LPVO series. At this magnification, one perceives the edge of the scope to be extremely thin and the eye mostly sees a generous field of view. I included a picture of the Vortex on the right to show what I’m talking about.

I’ve noticed that regardless of scope mount height, when using both eyes open, the shooter’s eyes have to sit squarely with the PLxC’s eyebox for a crisp and clear picture. Otherwise, one might find some slight scope shadow. I’ve found that the best way to prevent this is by staying focused on the target and simply bringing up the carbine to one’s face.

Running the Primary Arms PLxC

In addition to dry-fire around the house or the backyard, I’ve been taking this LPVO mounted to a Smith & Wesson M&P 15-22 (pictured in Part 1) to a Steel Challenge match and participated with it under the “rimfire rifle open” division.

Steel Challenge is all about shooting bigger, close-distance targets as quickly as possible. It was a good exercise to put this optic through. These are summer matches held in the evening, with the sun shifting over the horizon at twilight. With the uneven lighting I find that “duplex-esque” outer stadia lines do help to ensure that my reticle is properly aligned with the steel plates from the match.

In bright daylight, the ACSS Griffin’s horseshoe abets the shooter by granting them a good-sized “quick” targeting ring. This is why many shooters opt for these—especially on low-zoom magnified optics like LPVOs or prismatic sights—when shooting targets like IPSC/USPSA paper targets or A/C-zone steel plates.

I can definitely understand why the appeal is there, and in the case of Steel Challenge—well, a red dot is always going to be faster. However, I was able to hold my own using this LPVO, too.

Shooting Primary Arms PLxC LPVO Big Tex Ordnance — Shooting at distant targets downrange with the Primary Arms PLxC LPVO during the Cornerstone LPVO class.

Zoomed In At 8x

In the world of shooting, everything is about trade-offs and compromises, and shooting LPVOs adjusted to their higher magnifications is no exception. In short, LPVOs don’t mirror the exact functionality that standard riflescopes have. Instead, LPVOs are stuck with fixed parallax settings and tighter-than-normal eyeboxes at full magnification, among other things.

LPVOs aren’t precision riflescopes, but they certainly work better than red dots and magnifiers, especially on general-purpose carbines. This is why many others, including myself, consider LPVOs worth the hassle.

Proving Grounds

I’m extremely glad that in the previously mentioned Cornerstone Performance LPVO course, we students had ample chances to shoot at different size targets from barricades at distances of 275 yards plus. These are very healthy distances for general-purpose 5.56mm carbines shooting A/C-zone-sized targets. This afforded me the opportunity to spend some time shooting with the PLxC’s reticle at full magnification, mostly off bag and barricade.

One of the first things I had to do was readjust the diopter’s prescription and twist the focus ring to a different setting than how I had adjusted it for the best 1x view. While I haven’t reviewed every currently available LPVO ever made, this is the first scope that I’ve used extensively that needed its focus ring set differently at low and high magnifications for the clearest picture.

My educated guess is that it may have something to do with the manner in which the lenses are stacked inside the optic with respect to both the size and length of the optic. After adjusting the focus ring for the right prescription, I didn’t have too much trouble shooting at 8x magnification with a proper index off the carbine stock.

The Magpul STR (shown on the rifle below) is a heavy but comfortable stock. Its sloped surface allowed me to get comfortable while fully zoomed in. From a physical standpoint, I have no real complaints about this LPVO. However, I do have some critiques of the reticle, which I’ll cover in Part 3.

Review to be continued in Part 3…

Read Part 1 here…

Foxtrot Mike’s Mike-9 Goes Full Ambi

By

Tim Stetzer

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September 5, 2024

Foxtrot Mike just released two new fully ambidextrous versions of its Mike-9 9mm pistol and carbine. These are based upon the company’s proven Mike-9 platform but with updated controls for Southpaws.

The Ambi Mike’s

Foxtrot Mike (FM) has been making 9mm-based Mike-9 AR pistols and rifles for over six years now. The company has become popular with competition and sports shooters alike. I got to shoot one a few times over the summer after a buddy of mine picked up a carbine. It’s nicely made and well laid out—unlike his parts gun that we put together for him, which needed a lot of tweaking.

FM just announced the latest version of the Mike-9 series, which includes a 7-inch braced pistol and a 16-inch carbine. The new guns are fully ambidextrous and feature an ambi safety, bolt catch, and magazine catch. My buddy runs his carbine fine, but being a lefty, I’m betting he wishes he would have waited for one of these.

FM Products Mike-9 AMBI 7” Pistol with MFT Brace

First up is the Mike-9 Ambi 7″ 9mm Pistol. It’s a Glock magazine-compatible Pistol Caliber Carbine (PCC) built around a dedicated pistol mag lower receiver. It uses a monolithic style upper that FM makes possible with a proprietary interlock between the upper and handguard. It features a 7-inch barrel fitted with a Micro Blast Diffuser. The pistol has a direct blowback action with a buffer tube and comes with an MFT brace.

The Mike-9 has a patented bolt hold-open mechanism. It’s not made of sheet metal like most PCCs. FM says it’s reliable and durable—two things that aren’t necessarily true of other PCCs. I know I had to do a lot of tweaking on my first one to get it to work correctly. The Mike-9 Ambi is currently on sale for $594.15, which is 15% off of the regular price.

Mike-9 Pistol Specs:

Platform: Mike-9b
Caliber: 9mm
Operating System: Straight Blowback
Barrel Length: 7″
Barrel Twist: 1:10
Barrel Material: 41v50 Premium Match Grade 41v50 Barrel, Vacuum Stress Relieved, Melonite Coated With A Honed Chamber
Muzzle Device: Micro Blast Diffuser
Muzzle Thread: 1/2 X 36
Upper Receiver: Billet Aircraft Aluminum Type III Hard Black Anodizing
Lower Receiver: Billet Aircraft Aluminum Type III Hard Black Anodizing
Handguard: 5.75″ M-Lok Free Float Type III Hard Black Anodizing
Charging Handle: Rear Charging Handle Mil-Spec
Pistol Grip: Thril
Buffer: 6.5 Oz Heavy Buffer
Buffer Tube: Mil-Spec
Brace: MFT Brace
Trigger: Flat Face Mil-Spec
Safety Selector: FM – Products Ambidextrous
Length (Inches): 22″
Weight (Lbs): 5.1
MSRP: $594.15

FM Products Mike-9 Ambi 16” Rifle with Thril Furniture

The Mike-9 Ambi 16″ PCC 9mm rifle is again built around a dedicated Glock magazine lower. It uses a 16-inch barrel equipped with a four-port compensator. The upper and handguard are the same monolithic style as the pistol. It carries over the ambidextrous features and last-round bolt hold open, just like the pistol.

The FM rifle is basically the same build as the pistol, just with a longer barrel and handguard. It’s fitted with a Thril pistol grip and Thril collapsible buttstock instead of a brace. It currently sells for $713.15, which is again a 15% discount off the regular price.

Mike-9 PCC Rifle Specs:

Platform: Mike-9b
Caliber: 9mm
Operating System: Straight Blowback
Barrel Length: 16″
Barrel Twist: 1:10
Barrel Material: 41v50 Premium Match Grade 41v50 Barrel, Vacuum Stress Relieved, Melonite Coated With A Honed Chamber
Muzzle Device: 4-Port Compensator
Muzzle Thread: 1/2 X 36
Upper Receiver: Billet Aircraft Aluminum Type III Hard Black Anodizing
Lower Receiver: Billet Aircraft Aluminum Type III Hard Black Anodizing
Handguard: 15″ M-Lok Free Float Type III Hard Black Anodizing
Charging Handle: Rear Charging Handle Mil-Spec
Pistol Grip: Thril
Buffer: 6.5 Oz Heavy Buffer
Buffer Tube: Mil-Spec
Stock: Thril
Trigger: Flat Face Mil-Spec
Safety Selector: FM – Products Ambidextrous
Length (Inches): 31″
Weight (Lbs): 5.7
MSRP: $713.15

For more information, please visit Foxtrot Mike.

The Combatives Association And Its Summit

By

P.E. Fitch

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September 5, 2024

The Combatives Association And Combative Summit

The Combatives Association, a relatively new group in the firearms and self-defense training space, is a voluntary collection of passionate defensive-minded instructors. These instructors have a focus on the full spectrum of self-defense strategies beyond standard firearms training. This includes empty-handed techniques, social skills or other soft skills like the ability to read cues. This isn’t to say they don’t care about firearms because defensive gun handling and gun safety, as those facets of self-defense dovetail into that spectrum of self-defense as well.

Training with Combatives Association

Firearms have always been the great equalizer when it comes to potential self-defense scenarios. However, there’s more to knowing how to draw and fire a handgun in order to successfully navigate through a self-defense encounter and prevail–not only physically but legally and ethically, too.

More so, because the nuances of self-defense are often drastically different when the would-be assailants are quite literally “in one’s face” as opposed to some distance away.

All manner of fantastic defensive shooting courses are already available for law-abiding gun owners and self-defense defense practitioners to enroll in. However, the industry is arguably underserved in coursework and curriculum with a focus on extreme-close quarters defensive tactics (or other pertinent skills and knowledge that aren’t directly shooting-related but do tangentially apply).

The Combatives Association strives to bring a platform to its affiliated instructors to close these gaps in the industry. Likewise, they also help shine on lesser-known teachers who possess a legitimate body of work and experience throughout their careers.

What is the Combatives Association

The ranks of Combatives Association instructors are joined by industry luminaries such as Kelly McCann, Matt Larsen, and Craig Douglas, among others. John Valentine is a career US Military conventional-forces instructor in small-team tactics and units, as well as an accomplished martial artist and competitive shooter.

I first met Mr. Valentine in person some years ago during an ECQC course held outside of Austin, Texas. He is the self-described “Winston” to the Combatives Association’s “Continental [hotel]” to follow the metaphor from the John Wick Films. Winston was the point person who served as the connector and facilitator between the film’s characters.

The curriculum that Combatives Association instructors teach does include plenty of hand-to-hand and actual combatives material. However, the association’s purview also doesn’t limit itself to these “bare-handed” tactics either.

Working with items such as defensive blades or saps and jacks play a role, as do intellectual concepts like “verbal agility” and appropriate social communication or body language. If you’re familiar with Shivworks and Craig Douglas, his excellent ECQC course is a good sampling of what the Combatives Association is about. But to a deeper level of detail, nuance, and understanding.

The Combatives Summit

The Combatives Summit is the Combatives Association’s yearly convention-exhibition-seminar event. Like any other convention, this event is carried out with the intention of exposing students to a wide variety of relevant instructors under one roof during a weekend. There’s a mix of presenting instructors, like the ones mentioned above, along with special guests.

Honored guests and instructors will not only have the chance to offer training blocks, but the Combative Summits also include keynote speeches, presentations, and panel discussions. For example, well-known shooting instructor Matt Pranka of X-Ray Alpha LLC will be a guest of honor at this year’s Combatives Summit, where he will teach an instructional block on dry-firing.

One of the Combative Summit’s other goals is to provide a platform for lesser-known trainers with legitimate resumes and bodies of work and give them a chance to showcase their material.

The 2024 edition of the Combatives Summit is around the corner. It will be held at the American Top Team Jiu Jitsu Gym and Training facility in D’Iberville, Mississippi, on the weekend of September 20th. It lasts through the 22nd from 8 AM to 6 PM for all three days.

Combatives Summit 2023 Gallery

The Takeaway

John Valentine with another Combatives Summit participant in 2023.

Self-defense skills don’t exist in a vacuum. It can be easy to remain focused on equipment like firearms and ammunition while overlooking other aspects like social skills, verbal agility, unarmed combatives, etc. Truthfully, guns are merely one part of this comprehensive topic.

It helps to think of “self-defense” as a big tool bag that provides several types of tools in order to solve the problem. And even though firearms truly are the great equalizer, as I described them above, their use also comes with heavy legal consequences and ramifications.

Furthermore, not all potential self-defense situations require their use, either. This ties into the goals of the Combatives Association, which is to create a community and instructor network for the underserved aspects of defensive topics.

Even so, firearms aren’t discounted at this event, as indicated by Matt Pranka’s scheduled appearance at this year’s upcoming Combatives Summit.

In a conversation I had with Valentine, he expanded on this.

“At the aggregate level, the topics and curriculum enshrined by the Combatives Association discuss all the topics and circumstances before the ‘start signal’ that occurs in orthodox firearms training. There is a relationship between combatives and force-on-force training with firearms training not unlike the similar relationship that dry-firing has to live-fire shooting.”

Likewise, he adds, “It is also worth considering the after-actions that must be developed to mitigate damage and legal consequences [of a defensive use-of-force event].”

Final Thoughts

Though I haven’t had a chance to attend one of the Combative Association’s Summits yet, it does make a lot of sense for them to exist. After all, the shooting community already benefits from other “convention” type events like Rangemaster’s Tac-Con or the Shooter’s Symposium. So, a different event that focuses on non-firearms stuff with more depth sounds wonderful.

Combatives, after all, are everything that happens between harsh words and hollow-points.

All Photos used in this article, credits: Nick Delgadillo

EDC LAYERS

By

Jim Cobb

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September 4, 2024

EDC, or everyday carry for those not familiar with the lingo, refers to what you keep close at hand as you go about your day. For some, it has a very strict connotation in that it is limited to the gear you have literally on your body at all times. They take the “carry” part of EDC quite literally. And that’s okay, to each their own.

However, I look at it more broadly. I like EDC layers, at least three of them. Here’s how I break it down.

On Body EDC

This EDC layer consists of what you keep on your belt, in your pockets, or wear in some other fashion. For a lot of us, this includes things like a knife, pocket flashlight, defense weapon, wallet, and cell phone.

Some might add a few more items, such as a tourniquet, pocket pry bar, and/or a multi-tool, depending on their individual needs. And that right there is the crux of EDC layers—base your carry on what you truly need, or might need, throughout the day.

Some people like to add lucky coins, dice, or other fidgety items.

Off Body EDC

Many of us routinely use some sort of bag, satchel, or pack to carry work-related gear. This might include a laptop or tablet, files, and such. To me, it just makes sense to also keep additional EDC items in such a bag.

Some things that I typically keep in my EDC bag include:

Fully charged power bank
Small tool kit
Spare flashlight
Pill organizer with OTC meds (ibuprofen, pink bismuth tablets, antacids)
First aid kit
Lighter
Notepad and writing utensils
Tooth flossers

The author likes to use small pouches to keep gear organized in his EDC packs, such as this one for first aid from Tuff Possum Gear.

I may also toss in some small snacks, like crackers or hard candy. Just a little something for a quick pick-me-up during a long afternoon. The nice thing about this EDC layer is that it is infinitely customizable. Adjust it on a daily basis depending on what you have planned.

Vehicle EDC

While not everyone has a vehicle, those who do would do well to add this EDC layer to the overall gear loadout. As with the previous two layers, the gear should reflect your likely needs. That said, there are a few things that are common sense.

When I worked outside the home, I kept a small backpack in the trunk that contained a spare set of clothes. If I spilled something on my shirt, got dirty changing a tire, or whatever, I had something I could change into if needed.

I grew up in the upper Midwest. When you got your first car, which back then was likely just a beater with a heater, two things immediately went into the trunk. Your dad would give you a set of old jumper cables, and your mom would give you an old blanket or comforter. A few decades later, I still keep those items handy.

Here are a few other nice-to-haves in the vehicle EDC layer. Granted, this gets more into what we’d call a vehicle emergency kit, but there’s considerable overlap between EDC gear and emergency gear.

A set of spare clothes
Extra knit hat and winter gloves
Basic tool kit
Jump starter
Jug of potable water
Folding shovel

At the end of the day, don’t look at EDC as a checklist, where you absolutely must have certain items. Instead, look for items that will serve to make your life easier throughout the day. After all, that’s really what EDC is all about. Use the EDC layers concept to distribute your gear, so that it’s easier to carry everything you need.

India’s Awesome .32 ACP Pistols

By

Travis Pike

-

September 4, 2024

I’m a bit of a .32 ACP nut. If I see the words 7.65 Browning printed on anything, I’m going to check it out. My recent obsession has been spending more on ammo than ever before! I often lament the lack of new .32 ACP pistols in the United States, and I hope the cartridge makes a comeback. We have gotten two .32 ACP pistols this year from Beretta and Walther, but I won’t hold my breath. If you’re researching .32 ACP pistols, you’ll eventually find yourself on an Indian firearms forum eyeballing India’s .32 ACP pistols.

India is all about the .32 ACP for civilian use. Numerous gun laws restrict certain calibers. There are two classifications: PB, or Prohibited Bores, and NPB, Non-Prohibited Bores. From my rough understanding of Google Translated forums, calibers like .32 ACP, .380 ACP, and .22LR are non-prohibited bores.

It seems like .380 ACP is tough to get, as are 9mm and 7.62 TOK. However, .32 ACP and .32 S&W Long are widely available and have become the de facto calibers for Indian self-defense firearms. This has created a market for .32 ACP pistols, and I figured we could examine India’s .32 ACP pistols.

India’s .32 ACP Pistols – New, Old, and In Between

One thing you’ll notice right away is that most of these guns are clones of other guns. There isn’t a ton of new designs. There doesn’t need to be. The .32 ACP works well in blowback-operated and short recoil guns and has a proven track record. Even so, there are some very creative options on this list that I’m quite jealous of.

Webley Fox

The Webley Fox is pretty close to an original design, but it isn’t much different than any other blowback-operated pistol. What makes it different is the size; it’s not super small or compact. It has a 3.8-inch barrel and a height of 4.91 inches. This makes it just a hair smaller than a Glock 19. It houses a 13-round magazine in a metal frame.

The gun sticks to a hammer-fired design with what appears to be an ambidextrous manual safety. The Fox seems to be fairly close in function and design to a CZ 83 series. However, the maker brags it’s designed and built entirely in India. It’s certainly a unique-looking gun and an interesting .32 ACP. I also can’t find direct information on the price, but it seems to be one of the most expensive of India’s .32 ACP pistols. The closest estimate I can find is about $ 3,000.

Webley Ranger

Another Webley, Webley of India, of course. This time, they didn’t make an original design but rather used a 1911 layout. It’s not a true 1911, but a blowback-operated .32 ACP design. It doesn’t cling to the overall 1911 layout if you shrink it considerably. The gun has a 3.75-inch barrel and is quite small and thin. Like the classic M1911, we get an eight-round single-stack magazine.

It’s got the same manual safety and grip safety as a 1911, and a single-action only design. One odd choice was to equip the gun with a vent rib for some reason. It looks like a Hungarian Hi-Power or maybe a Llama 1911. It’s an odd choice, but it appears to be a neat little gun.

Astr Atal 32X

Most of India’s 32 ACP pistols aren’t original, but the Astr Atal 32X breaks that mold. This might be the most modern gun on this list. This is what happens when someone designs a SIG P365 in .32 ACP. The Astr Atal 32X features a machined allow frame, a short recoil system, and a striker-fired design. When Astr says the gun was first made and designed in India, it seems to be true.

They did take some inspiration from the P365. They even use the same marketing hook with 365 days mentioned. The Atal 32X also features a chassis system and the ability to swap grip modules, although it doesn’t seem like any other grip modules are available. The gun can hold 13 rounds in the magazine and appears very small and concealable. In American dollars, the price point is roughly $2,300.

Ashani Pistol

When people say it’s what’s on the inside that counts, they’re talking about the Ashani pistol because it’s the ugliest of India’s .32 ACP pistols. This gun copies the FN M1910/22 series of firearms but uglifies it with a massive, unsightly grip. They also added a hammer to the design, which is interesting enough.

It’s a bare-bones pistol that seems fairly cheap for India—about a grand in American dollars. There are several variants organized as Mk 1, Mk 2, and Mk 3. There are differences in the slide design and grip, but they are all simple blowback guns with single-stack magazines that hold between 8 and 10 rounds of .32 ACP.

Stallion S-32

The Stallion S-32 directly copies the Beretta 81 Cheetah series. This compact-sized .32 ACP features a double-stack magazine capable of holding 12 rounds of .32 ACP. It maintains the Beretta DA/SA design with a frame-mounted safety and exposed barrel. It’s all Beretta to its core. Like most of India’s .32 ACP pistols, it’s not an original design by any means, and that’s okay.

These are direct blowback guns, and their large size and wide grips make recoil a nothing burger. I can easily see why someone would copy this design. It works, is incredibly ergonomic, is very easy to shoot, and you get 12 rounds of ammo with the flush-fitting magazine. According to Stallion’s website, they also have a 15-round magazine that’s slightly extended. Stallion produces various finish and grip options for the gun, but I can’t seem to locate a price.

The Little .32 ACP

I’d be lying if I said I didn’t want a few of these guns. My number 1 choice would be the Stallion S-32, but the Webley Ranger and Astr Atal 32X would be welcome in my gun safe. India’s .32 ACP pistols are diverse and make for some fascinating designs. Sadly, we won’t see them in the States.

KERSHAW KNIVES LIVEWIRE

By

Jim Cobb

-

September 3, 2024

I’ve been a knife user and collector for over forty years and I’m still baffled as to how the Kershaw Knives Livewire was my first OTF (out the front) automatic knife. I mean, you’d think I’d have a fistful of OTF knives by now. Thinking back, I did pick up a cheap OTF a few years ago, but it was just a glorified gas station knife. The Livewire is the real deal.

The Kershaw brand isn’t new to me. I have a bunch of their knives, including several from their Launch series of autos. There’s not a dud in the bunch. When the Livewire debuted at the 2023 SHOT Show, I knew I had to get one. It was not only Kershaw’s first OTF, but it’s one that’s made entirely in the USA.

About five months ago, my wife and I were traveling through northeastern Wisconsin and stopped at DLT Trading. They had recently added a blue Livewire to their offerings, so I asked to see it. Well, it was love at first sight.

The cool thing about OTF models, including the Livewire, is that the blade can be opened and closed with one hand. No fumbling around trying to feel for a liner lock with your thumb and then pushing the blade closed with your thigh. Just SNICK open and SNICK closed. Simple, easy, and weirdly satisfying.

Kershaw Knives Livewire Features

Right off the bat, one thing I like about the Livewire is how safe it is. The sliding switch to release the blade takes a little effort, and it’s a long slide. There is virtually no risk of accidentally firing the blade. Not only that, if the working end of the handle is pressed against something, such as a box or a leg, and the switch is activated, the blade isn’t going to fully fire. It’ll move just the tiniest bit, and that’s it. You’ll have to pull the blade out manually at that point, then move the switch again to retract it.

The spear point blade is MagnaCut, and on this particular model, it has a Blackwash finish. This really meshes well with the blue aluminum handle. The handle has some eye-catching contouring, too. I have observed that the blue finish is already starting to wear away along the edges of the handle, though. It’s not a huge concern, but it’s definitely noticeable.

Closed, the Livewire measures 4.8 inches. The blade adds another 3.3 inches, giving you a total of 8.1 inches when opened. There’s a pocket clip that can be reversed for right- or left-hand carry.

The pocket clip can be swapped to either side of the handle to allow for right- or left-handed carry.

How Does It Perform?

I think a high-quality OTF like the Livewire might be a grown-up version of a fidget spinner. If it’s sitting within arm’s reach on my desk, I inevitably find myself firing it open and closed a few times. Given how many times on an average day I’ve done this, in addition to when I’ve actually used the knife, I’d ballpark it at about 1,000 cycles to date, and it’s still going strong.

That said, there is a little maintenance with the Kershaw Knives Livewire. From time to time, pocket lint might work its way inside and foul up the mechanism a bit. Fortunately, Kershaw put together a handy video on how to fix this. The whole process only takes a few minutes.

I’ve used the Livewire to open mail and packages, break down boxes, cut up veggies and fruit, and even snip loose threads from clothing. The point of the blade is needle-sharp, and the MagnaCut blade holds an edge quite well.

Being a knife reviewer has a lot of perks, but there is one major downfall. You don’t get the chance to carry your favorites as often as you’d like because you’re frequently evaluating other models. That’s the only thing that has prevented me from carrying the Livewire every single day since I bought it.

As it is, this is the sort of knife that you look for reasons to use because it’s just plain fun. And with a sub-$300 price point, it’s an amazing value.

For more information, please visit DLT Trading.

The Primary Arms Optics PLxC 1-8 FFP LPVO

By

P.E. Fitch

-

September 3, 2024

The relatively new Primary Arms PLxC 1-8 LPVO riflescope got my attention after the US Department of Energy (DOE) began fielding it, and they entered into a contract with Primary Arms. It’s not just that certain armed DOE agents carry out interesting missions, but this is one of the first major contracts between Primary Arms Optics itself and the US Government. Beyond that, this is one of the most premium scopes sold by Primary Arms Optics to date.

The PLxC’s spec sheet is quite impressive, especially in terms of size, length, and weight. Although it was originally released in 2023, I was fortunate to get my hands on one of these compact LPVOs starting back in May to evaluate. Since then, this LPVO became my principal sidekick while shooting AR-pattern rifles.

I even took it to Cornerstone Performance’s Two-Day LPVO carbine course to stretch its legs out to 300 yards. It has also been my trusty side-kick at local Steel Challenge matches, atop a .22 LR Smith & Wesson M&P 15-22 carbine for the Rimfire Rifle Open Division.

Primary Arms Optics PLxC 1-8 LPVO Overview

The Primary Arms Optics PLxC 1-8x LPVO is a compact, low-power variable optic that is currently offered with three different reticle choices: the ACSS Griffin or ACSS Raptor (first focal plane), or the ACSS Nova Fiber Wire (second focal plane). This optic is built around a standard 30mm main tube diameter to keep it smaller and lighter. I find this intriguing as most LPVOs built around higher magnification levels and first focal plane reticles tend to use thicker 34mm bodies.

Because the PLxC is part of Primary Arms Optics’ premium tier, these units are manufactured specifically in Japan, under more stringent specifications. However, customers do pay for this accordingly as these optics retail for $1499. Aside from reticle or focal plane options, these LPVOs are available in both anodized black and anodized flat dark earth.

I have hands-on experience with the first focal plane unit that uses the ACSS Griffin Mil M8 reticle (the same SKU that’s furnished to the Dept. Of Energy under their contract).

A Solid Construction

Looking over my PLxC, it was easy to see how well-made the scope is. The magnification adjustment has finely machined knurling throughout its circumference. An L-shaped throw lever sits firmly secured via two Torx screws to the adjustment ring. The lever isn’t too tall and rotates 180 degrees, from 1x to 8x. At low-end or high-end, this means that the lever sits at either 9 or 3 o’clock. The resistance when twisting on the magnification adjustment ring feels about right, with a reasonable amount of snug resistance.

The rest of the PLxC’s peripherals, such as the turrets, turret caps, or diopter (focus) adjustment ring, are well fitted and also properly snug without any undo looseness. The clicks when turning the turrets are tactile, and I also appreciate the small detail of placing an o-ring around each turret’s circumference. This both seals off the elements and keeps the turret caps snugly closed.

From a physical standpoint, the fit, finish, and manner in which the controls correspond with the optic definitely have an “upmarket” feel to them.

Adjusting the Brightness

The “third” turret, what would typically be the traditional side-focus adjustment knob on a larger riflescope, serves as both the cradle for the CR 2032 coin battery and the control switch to turn the illumination on and off. This optic has ten different levels of illumination brightness, and it’s set up in the typical way, where every other click turns the array off.

Turning the illumination on or off takes deliberate effort, but it’s not impossible either. I say this is a good thing because LPVOs tend to be battery drains (just the facts of life), and no one wants their battery to be inadvertently drained because the dial loosely moved into the “on” position.

In the box, Primary Arms also includes a 30mm sunshade, and for those who may find it useful, an exposed elevation turret knob. By default, the optic is set up with capped turrets, but swapping from capped to exposed only involves loosening three tiny 1.3mm Allen screws and a simple switch.

Whether capped or exposed, those same three screws also allow the shooter to index the elevation knob on the 0-marking. This scope does not have a zero-locking feature, but I never found that to matter with its use case.

PLxC Exterior, Size, And Dimensions

Primary Arms PLxC LPVO M&P 15-22 — Shooting the PLxC at 1x during a Steel Challenge challenge stage.

The most notable thing about the Primary Arms Optics 1-8x PLxC LPVO is how “efficient” it is in size. Amongst modern first focal plane LPVOs, it’s one of the lightest, shortest, and most compact 30mm LPVOs currently available. For perspective, its closest rival is the 30mm Nightforce NX8 1-8 first focal plane LPVO, which also shares similar overall dimensions.

Off the top of my head, the only thing that’s possibly shorter than the PA PLxC would be the Vortex UK SOF 1-10 AMG LPVO, but those are purely made of unobtanium.

The PLxC weighs around 17 ounces and measures only 9.28 inches, which isn’t all that common for an LPVO with 8x magnification. At 17 ounces, it even bests several prominent 1-6 LPVO models. Paired with a QD 1.93” height ADM mount, this scope and mount weigh a combined total of 25 and ½ ounces, according to my coffee scale.

PLxC Japanese ED Glass

Primary Arms Optics builds PLxC LPVOs with Japanese-made ED (extreme dispersion) glass. Besides the size and weight, I’d argue that this ED glass is also one of the PLxC’s best features.

Looking through the glass during varying scenarios, I find it to be bright, crisp, and clear, with the “feel” of a more expensive scope. While I could pick up on some chromatic aberration with the magnification fully cranked at 8x when pointing a rifle at further targets, the purple fringing from this phenomenon wasn’t unreasonable and not dissimilar to chromatic aberration I’ve seen on more expensive glass.

To be continued in Part 2…

GunfightersINC’s Kenai Speed Loader Pouch

By

Tim Stetzer

-

September 2, 2024

Revolvers are still popular carry guns, especially in the woods. However, carrying spare ammo for a revolver isn’t as easy as carrying a spare mag for an auto pistol. GunfightersINC has a solution, though, with its new Kenai Speed Loader Pouch.

The Kenai Speed Loader Pouch

GunfightersINC makes its popular Kenai Chest Holster for outdoorsmen and other folks who have been asking for a way to carry spare ammo. Gunfighters listened and designed a pouch that will work with a wide variety of speed loaders. The Kenai Speed Loader Pouch is designed to work with the Kenai Chest Holster. It can hold speed loaders ranging from 5-shot .38 Special up to .500 S&W Magnum models. It even fits speed loaders designed for the 3-inch Taurus Judge revolvers.

The Kenai pouch uses an elastic band and Velcro strap to accommodate a variety of speed loaders. It’s made to slip onto the horizontal straps on the Kenai Chest Holster, but I suspect it’ll work with other belts or straps as well.

GunfightersINC makes the Kenai Speed Loader Pouch here in the USA, with all US sourced materials. They’re available in Black, Wolf Grey, and Coyote Tan. MSRP is is a very reasonable $19.99.

For more information, please visit GunfightersINC.

The CZ P09 Nocturne is Everything I’ve Always Wanted

By

Travis Pike

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September 2, 2024

I understand the preference for partially cocked striker-fired guns. I get how one fairly light trigger pull that’s consistently good reigns supreme. Still, I like the DA/SA design. I like having a little extra weight for that first trigger pull just in case something gets in the trigger guard that’s not my finger. I like DA/SA guns; as you’d expect, I’m a CZ fan. CZ recently unveiled the new CZ PO9 Nocturne, and it’s everything I’ve ever wanted in a modern-duty pistol.

What I Love About the P09 is the combination of new and old. I’ve owned a PO9 for what has to be close to a decade now. These combine the benefits of a polymer frame with a hammer-fired DA/SA action. My PO9 hasn’t gotten a lot of love lately as I’ve transitioned to optically enhanced handguns. However, the Nocturne solves that problem.

The CZ PO9 Nocturne

Yep! Dots have made their way to the PO9 series. Honestly, I thought CZ had forgotten about the PO9 and its little brother, the PO7. The intro of the striker-fired P10 had put the polymer frame hammer-fired guns on the back burner in my mind. I’m genuinely surprised they revisited the PO9 and PO7 series.

CZ has eliminated the PO7 model number. Instead, they call both compact and full-sized guns the CZ PO9. The PO9C replaces the PO7, and the full-sized model is called the PO9F. It’s odd that they eliminated the model number, but oh well. We got a red dot!

Specifically, the guns have a Shield RMSc/Holosun K cut. There is no plate system. I honestly dislike plate systems and hate tolerance stacking. I’d also imagine that due to the CZ slide design, there isn’t a ton of room to cut for optics. The slides are very small compared to modern guns. A firing pin block has to be in there somewhere, so they can’t mill super deep. Smaller optics make sense.

Enhancing the Nocturne Ergonomics

The Nocturne series isn’t just optically enhanced guns. They’ve updated the grip texture to make it way more aggressive. It’s quite a bit different from the older P09 series. They also redesigned the slide lock, but it’s still a class leader compared to the micro slide stops on other guns.

The user can still choose between a safety and decocker design—not just choose, but swap on demand. One of the neat features of the old P series was the ability to swap from safety to decocker. The safety and decoder have been slightly modified to be more user-friendly. It’s still ambidextrous, but a slight shelf has been added to enhance these controls.

Finally, the slide has been adorned with deeper cuts. These deeper cuts allow for a better grip, which is needed on the ultra-small slides of the PO9 series guns. This makes it much easier to use and rack.

Keeping the Spirit of the PO9

The new CZ P09 Nocturne keeps everything I like about the PO9/PO7 series of guns. These guns mix modularity, DA/SA actions, and polymer frames to be a very modern DA/SA pistol. The 9mm chambering, 15 to 19-round magazines, and excellent ergonomics make it a very solid and modern handgun.

The Nocturne series has upgraded everything that made the PO9 a good gun. They leaned into its beneficial features without neutering the gun for mass appeal. I’m super excited about these guns, and as a PO9 fan, it’s been a long time coming.

The Nocturne series is coming soon, and the MSRP is only $549. According to CZ, you can also drop the slides on older models and have a fair bit of interchangeability between the old guns and the Nocturne models. I’m not sure if these guns will be huge sellers for CZ, but they’ve already sold me one.

For more information, please visit CZ-USA.com.

Fudds Unite – So Says Slate

By

Travis Pike

-

September 1, 2024

In an article called Fudds of America, Unite Myke Cole describes himself as a fudd. He wears the title proudly and later even confidently spouts a bit of fudd-lore when he talks about owning a Winchester SXP pump action shotgun because, and I quote, “I’d far rather scare someone off by loudly racking the slide than actually having to pull the trigger.” By offering the worst gun store advice he possibly could, he made himself a bonafide fudd.

This might be the first time Myke Cole has been honest about his resume. The man who once claimed to be a spy openly—and often—called his work as a private contractor for the government as “tours” to Iraq. On Twitter, he claimed to have ‘fought’ in Iraq, but contractors didn’t do a whole lot of fighting.

Even the Blackwater types weren’t used for offensive operations. His interviews about his service are cringeworthy, and he uses terms like mercenary and spy to describe himself, but he never digs into exactly what he did. It’s purposefully vague. (Pro tip: no one who is a spy calls themselves a spy.) I imagine if he was a skilled user of firearms and experienced in combat, he’d know the old “I’ll just rack the gun” advice is total bull.

It’s somewhat fitting that he defends Tim Walz, who once said, “We can make sure those weapons of war that I carried in war are only carried in war.” Tim Walz had never deployed to a warzone and left his unit, purposefully shorting his contract, before they deployed to Iraq.

It’s worth mentioning that Myke Cole did honorably serve with the Coast Guard reserve and was activated to aid in the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill and Hurricane Irene.

The World Of Fudds

Myke Cole’s article is all about how Civil Rights organizations like the NRA and FPC use the term fudd to deride gun owners who only own a few firearms. He calls people who use the term as residing on the 2A community’s fringe. He quickly mentions his service as if it gives him a greater right to intrude on the rights of American citizens.

He’s almost right. Admittedly, the term fudd was used to describe gun owners who only owned firearms oriented at hunting. He fails to mention it’s also a term used to describe guns themselves in a somewhat loving way. My Winchester Model 70 is my favorite fudd gun. It’s also never been used to describe people who only own one or two guns. You can own a million cheaply made Turkish shotguns and still be a fudd.

He ignores that the word has evolved or simply isn’t engrossed enough in the culture to realize fudd doesn’t just describe orange-clad hunters. The term evolved to make fun of people who pass on terrible and often unsafe advice. Advice like depending on the noise of a shotgun racking for home defense.

It’s also a term used to describe gun owners who say things like:

“I believe in the Second Amendment, but…” and go on to advocate for pre-crime, registration, and cosmetic feature-based restrictions.

His article is about Fudd’s uniting behind Harris and Walz. The main problem here is those people already are united behind Harris and Walz. They don’t believe in the 2nd Amendment.

Fudds and Walz

The fudd conversation started around Walz due to his rapid flip-flop on gun rights to align with the Democratic party. Walz once carried an A Grade with the NRA, but that quickly changed when the Democratic monolith went extreme on restricting American rights. Tim Walz has been touted as a gun guy with photos of him hunting and shooting with his blue receiver Beretta A400 Xcel shotgun.

Walz can advocate for stricter gun laws because, at the end of the day, background checks, permits, registration, and all the things he advocates for cost money. Walz has money. He hunts with a shotgun that costs over two grand. The man can afford to comply. Gun control is a form of classism.

Rich and connected people, like Tim Walz, will have their guns regardless. The first gun control law in pre-United States America was to restrict gun sales to Native Americans. From then til now, the main push behind gun control has been racism. Racism has also evolved into classism. You can’t have poor people armed, so you institute fees and paperwork to make it impossible for them to exercise their rights.

The fudds are fine with that. They have theirs. The gun community doesn’t need fudds, and we don’t want fudds.

My Beretta 92X Performance (Part 3)

By

P.E. Fitch

-

August 31, 2024

^{Continued from Part 2}

Accuracy Evaluation

Typically, most gun reviews include some accuracy evaluations where the gun is fired from a rest or at some distance. In my original review, I shared some NRA B-8 scores from targets I shot freestyle at 25 yards. The editor graciously allowed that due to some challenges with the venue where I shot. Suffice it to say, this was another reason I wanted to write a revised review: for the chance to actually bench and “chrono” the Beretta 92X Performance pistol—something I had never technically done before.

I grouped three different factory-loaded 9mm cartridges: the HOP Munitions 147-grain RN Poly match round, the Nosler 115-grain ASP JHP cartridge, and the Staccato Range 124-grain FMJ loads. For this re-evaluation, I fired 20 rounds of each factory load over my chronograph, dividing the 20 rounds into two groups of 10 rounds each.

Here’s the part where I confess to having the sights zeroed for 124-grain Speer Lawman at 5-yards. Due to their Italian service pistol heritage, Beretta 92s tend to do best with 124-grain ammunition, but this doesn’t preclude them from firing and cycling other weight bullets either.

In the case of the Beretta 92X Performance, the rear sight is fully adjustable for both windage and elevation, which makes it even easier to marry a load to the gun.

HOP Munitions 147-Grain RN Poly

There are some flyers in both groups that I’m not proud of, and that were my fault, but the mean radius still has something to say. Keep in mind that as a rule of thumb, slower-moving and heavier 9mm 147-grain bullets tend to print slightly wider groups. I’ve observed this in my own hand loads with varying powder charges, too. All 20 rounds fired and cycled cleanly without any stoppages.

Nosler 115-Grain ASP JHP

No complaints with the Nosler ASP 115-grain JHP rounds!

Staccato Range 124-Grain FMJ

And no complaints with the Staccato Range 124. It’s one of the most consistent general-purpose 9mm cartridges I’ve tested through almost every gun I’ve reviewed in 2024.

Shooting the Beretta 92X Performance

In addition to benching the pistol and shooting those rounds over the chronograph, I was glad to dust off the old girl and shoot a few drills just to remind myself what it feels like to shoot it. So, I did some Bill Drills and shot Gabe White’s Standards. I’ll be honest that I didn’t print the Bill Drills or GWS nearly anywhere I wanted to be, but I can hardly blame the gun for that. After all, while shooting, it wasn’t hard to clock .17 and .18 splits.

Recoil and recovery from each shot wasn’t hard, but my support-hand tension suffered, so many of my shots walked to the C-Zone. Compared to the past, I did walk away from that 80-round range session, wishing that the standard sights were roomier, with more space to allow light to pass between the rear sight notch.

Other than my lack of practice drawing and shooting the Beretta 92X Performance, I did again notice that I wasn’t crazy about the way the thumb safeties were profiled. They were useable but not ideal as the widest part should be set back.

Shooting the Beretta 92X Performance at a USPSA Match back when it was my “daily driver.”

Smooth Operator: The Beretta Locking Block

I briefly touched on the gun’s locking block in Part 1, but between its heavier steel-frame weight and the way this component works, it allows shooters to enjoy a very pleasant recoil impulse regardless of which load is being shot through the pistol. For perspective, this gun weighs 58 ounces with a loaded 18-round magazine and the LOK grips currently installed. All that mass “soaks” up the recoil wonderfully.

The HOP Munitions 147-grain Poly round is loaded to a gentler 900 FPS (factory specs) as it’s meant to be a soft-shooting action pistol competition load. It’s engineered that way in order to make minor power factor.

Because of its softer recoil impulse, most guns need a lighter recoil spring to efficiently cycle these. It was certainly true of two of my Walther PDPs and the Glock 17L. However, when I shot these rounds through the 92X Performance, they cycled just fine with the stock recoil spring! I suspect it’s because of the Beretta 92’s locking-block recoil system, which doesn’t need as much force to unlock. I’m positive that with my gun also being well worn-in is also helpful.

This observation with the gentler HOP Munition load is consistent with my experiences with the rest of my Beretta 92s, not just the 92X Performance. I recall shooting a match with my Wilson Combat Beretta Brigadier Tactical a few years ago at another match. That gun cycled my uber-soft 147-grain handloads with 3.3 grains of HP-38.

The 92’s Locking-Block

There’s something to be said about 92’s locking-block system and its reliability with a wide range of 9mm loads. I don’t want to go off-topic too much, but this is also why Beretta 92s lend themselves well as suppressor hosts. Lastly, it’s not hard for shooters to tune their Berettas; the recoil spring assemblies on Beretta 92s aren’t captured and it’s quite easy to find all manner of different weight springs from various brands.

The Takeaway

As a Beretta 92 fan, I was extremely enthusiastic in 2019 when these formerly rare-steel guns would now be easier to find and competitively priced. Before COVID and inflation assaulted people’s wallets, these guns could be had for a street price of $1200-$1300, new.

I’ve never been shy about expressing my displeasure that the 92X Performance was designed around the Vertec frame. It’s not that the Vertec is terrible per se, but as it’s designed, it causes standard-sized hands to feel very cramped as they grip the frame. To keep the profile, Beretta could have added more length to the bottom of the grip, as that would have increased space and prevented fingers from feeling cramped.

Instead of redesigning the frame that way, I think Beretta would have been best served by taking the original 92 Billennium frame and modernizing it to fit action pistol sports as they’re conducted today. Aside from that, they should have left the beavertail alone. On my personal gun, I’ve rectified the cramp-feeling Vertec grip by installing the LOK Grips Veloce wraparound grip set. This is the best way to restore the grip profile to the curvier original (and a great way of augmenting grip texture in general).

The Beretta 92’s Proven Track Record

The QC and reliability issues this pistol suffered through in the recent past are extremely lamentable. To this day, these guns aren’t as popular in action pistol sports as they could have been. I have no doubt a good portion of this is a downstream effect of that reputation. I’m sure it drove those competitors who were looking for an all-steel hammer-fired pistol to the CZ Shadow 2. However, in fairness, it is still the more affordable of the two and has a robust aftermarket, thanks in part to the CZ-75 family’s sporting pistol dynasty.

Aside from that, any QC issue isn’t an indictment of the Beretta 92 system and proven track record. Though I am biased, I can still perceive the Beretta magic shining through the 92X Performance. It’s no different than picking up a stock Beretta M9 or USGI 1911 and appreciating its inherent qualities that lead to higher-level performance.

Read Part 1 and Part 2 here.

Camp Rifles – Weird Gun Genres

By

Travis Pike

-

August 31, 2024

In today’s genre of weird gun genres, we’ll be talking about camp rifles. Camp rifles, camp carbines, and camp guns, in general, are both smaller and larger than most weird gun genres. Guns designed from the ground up to be camp rifles are few and far between, but rifles that make good camp guns are everywhere.

What Are Camp Rifles?

Camp rifles are guns you take camping, hiking, and beyond. It is a gun that’s easy to pack and pack out. It should be lightweight and fairly compact. You want to be able to pack it away and forget all about it until you need it. With that in mind, it should be tough and set up to be tough. Any accessories should match the tough profile of the gun while still keeping the weapon lightweight.

Camp guns don’t have a specific caliber. It depends on where you live and what you’ll use the camp rifle for. If it’s for defensive purposes and you live in bear country, you’ll have different requirements than someone who lives in South Florida and has to deal with Pythons at most. You need to make sure it’s capable of dealing with your threats, but you also probably want something cheap enough to plink with.

Shooting is fun and can be a big part of the camping experience. It might be huge for some if they don’t have a local range and live in a more urban area. They have the great outdoors and public land to go out and enjoy an afternoon of plinking. That means they should be cheap to shoot and enjoyable.

I’d avoid antiques and rarities due to the rough life camp rifles often live. They are prone to getting rusty, dirty, dropped, broken, etc. Don’t ruin something you can’t replace or warranty.

Notable Camp Rifles

Remember when I mentioned that this is both a broad and narrow category? I only know of one rifle ever advertised or proposed for camp use and it was known as the Marlin Camp Carbine. These predated the pistol caliber carbine explosion of the 2010s. The guns were produced from 1985 to 1999 in both 9mm and .45 ACP.

The guns were simple, blowback-operated magazine-fed guns with wood stocks. The 9mm variant used S&W 59 series magazines, and the .45 ACP variant used 1911 magazines. Their simple design allowed them to avoid the ‘Assault Weapons Ban’ of 1994. While simple, these guns are most definitely neat.

They were semi-auto rifles that weighed less than seven pounds and were 35.5 inches long. They meet the camp rifle definition well, especially in 1985. This thing was short and sweet for that era of rifles, although it’s fairly standard these days.

Modern Camp Rifles

Modern camp guns don’t even have to be rifles. The world of braced pistols makes for excellent camp rifles. An AR in 5.56 or 9mm makes a great camp rifle or camp gun in either a braced format or a standard rifle. You could build a fairly lightweight 5.56 rifle and have a great all-around camp rifle.

Guns like the Judge Home Defender could be a great camp gun even though its a handgun. You can use .45 Colt for most anything in a defensive encounter, and stuff like birdshot and buckshot can dispatch squirrels, snakes, rabbits, and beyond.

Guns as neat as the KelTec SUB 2000 make great camp carbines that follow the Camp Carbine’s route using pistol calibers. The SUB 2000 tends to be quite lightweight and folds nicely for easy storage. Oh, it’s cheap too!

Working The Camp

The Camp Gun can be whatever you really want it to be, but lightweight, reliable, easy-shooting guns tend to be best. Maybe a takedown Ruger 10/22 is the best design for you. The camp carbine is mostly a fun gun that should pull double duty for self-defense when you’re out in the wilderness, far from aid and far from society.