American 180 – The Rimfire Support Weapon

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September 14, 2023

How many times has a .22LR submachine gun ever been adopted by a state law enforcement agency? I’ll give you two guesses, but you’ll only need one. Literally one, only one agency ever adopted a 22LR SMG, and that seems reasonable.

Who needs a .22LR SMG? Well, apparently, the Utah Department of Corrections did. They adopted the American 180 SMG back in the days before cell phones. It’s also worth noting a Florida cop (Of course, Florida) once used an American 180 when pursuing a felon. The felon was quickly dissuaded by a burst from the American 180. The American 180 is a fascinating little weapon, and I’d guess most folks recognize it as that weird SMG from Fallout New Vegas.

Inside the American 180

This angry hive of wasps was a very odd gun all around. The American 180 is a .22LR (limited models made in .22 Short Magnum), select fire, open bolt only submachine gun. It fires from a top-mounted pan magazine that holds anywhere from 165 to 275 rounds, depending on its tiers. While only one American agency adopted the weapon they apparently saw use in South Africa, and the GIPN in France purchased two of them for whatever reason.

The weapon fired at a rate of 1,200 to 1,500 rounds per minute. It’s absurdly fast for a handheld weapon. A full-auto AKM fires at about 600 rounds per minute for comparison. The main selling point was that you had a lightweight, man-portable weapon that could fire very quickly without much recoil. The little .22LR round was less likely to over-penetrate barriers, so it was thought to be safer. At the same time, the user could fire a handful of rounds into a threat quickly and effectively.

It’s almost like a shotgun firing number four buckshot with a much longer effective range than any shotgun. A .22LR round certainly isn’t the best fighting round, but it’s capable of penetrating deep enough to shut a threat down. A handful of .22LR will shut someone down quite efficiently.

The Weird World of the American 180

The American 180 actually came from Austria. Weird, right? The original guns were imported from Austria and assembled in the United States. However, later on, they were built in the United States. The original company that marketed the gun was the American Arms International Corporation.

The 180 name came from the original capacity. The original three-tiered pan magazine held 180 rounds. Later on, the metal production models only held 177 rounds. The American 177 didn’t roll off the tongue in the same way.

Speaking of those magazines. The pan magazines held a lot of rounds and were powered by a spring-loaded wind-up design. The magazines took about 15 minutes to load. The standard three-tier 177-round magazine is the most common. There was also a five-tiered 275-round magazine.

After loading the magazine, the user had to load the spring motor, which, if done incorrectly, would spring out of the gun and unwind itself. When this happens, your spring motor will jam, which is not user-repairable. Removing the magazine with a loaded spring motor, the user had to move the spring motto’s brake lever to a specific position.

As you can see, this was not a simple system by any means.

The Numerous Variants

The standard model of the American 180 had an 18.5-inch barrel, but several barrel variants were produced. This includes a 16 and 14-inch model as well as the uber-short 9.5-inch model. The American 180’s stock could be easily removed, and with a 9.5-inch barrel, you had a very small and controllable SMG.

It bears mentioning that AAI sold the design to Ilarco, and then it was sold to Feather Industries, and finally to E&L Manufacturing. There are subtle changes between each gun, but most parts will work with each variant.

There was an Uncover Briefcase produced for the American 180. This allowed a stockless American 180 to be mounted and even fired from inside a briefcase. The weapon used an early laser sight.

There were also several experiments in which multiple American 180 SMGs were mounted together in dual and quad mounts. The quad mount model fit to an M122 tripod and offered about 7,000 RPM. A salesman once mounted two quad-mount American 180 SMGs to a prop plane with the intent of selling the idea to 3rd world countries.

There were also a number of closed-bolt, semi-auto-only variants produced for civilian sales, but they were never highly popular. The American 180 is certainly a fascinating SMG, and while it was never highly successful, it was certainly creative. I really want to shoot one and feel the power of an angry hive of bees.

POCKET CARRY EXPLAINED: How To, Tips & Tricks, Dos & Don’ts

By

The Suited Shootist

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September 14, 2023

I’ve been playing with pocket carry for a couple years, and last month in Dallas I had the opportunity to take Darryl Bolke’s mini-class on pocket revolvers.

Up to this point, I’d struggled making a j-frame work in a pants pocket. I even did an entire video on that very issue!

As with many concealment challenges, it boiled down to the fact that I wasn’t using the right holster for my needs. 🤦‍♂️ I was able to run the Mika pocket holsters during the class, and I was blown away by how well they concealed the gun.

I liked them so much that I immediately ordered them for both my KelTec P32 and my Smith & Wesson M&P 340. As you can see, the right holster makes all the difference for pocket carry. Do you run a pocket gun? Let me hear it down in the comments!!!

“NARP” Beretta is joining international AR-type manufacturers.

By

Keith Finch

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September 13, 2023

In my feed today from European Defense Review it appears that Beretta is moving on from its floundering (in shape at least, the rifles had a solid operating system) ARX series of rifles and carbines and moving toward the more universal AR-15/18 hybrids that are emerging as the dominant service weapon designs.

Of note, none of Europe seems to be in a hurry to move beyond 5.56 NATO the way the US NGSW program pushed. Europe, who are currently witnessing a near peer ground war, are sticking to 5.56. This makes me more curious than ever what a hybrid case 5.56 round that can safely push 90,000 or 100,000 PSI, instead of the brass limit of around 60,000 PSI of M855A1 EPR, could do with an EPR in the 77gr mass range.

What that means for the MCX SPEAR and the return to battle rifles, a discussion for later.

For now, we see the NARP.

If that acronym makes you laugh because you have also seen Rory McCann in something earlier than GoT, congratulations on being a person of culture. The New Assault Rifle Platform is new from Beretta but is far from new as a concept.

Looks like an MCX, 416, 433, ACR, MSBS Grot, Bren 2, SCAR, Carmel, KS1, M6IC, etc.

Of course it does, because those rifles work really well. They are variations on significantly improved Stoner designs which were already excellent in their initial production phases decades ago. We’ve added advances in material selection, production, and maintenance to the lines and the modern NATO and NATO adjacent world continues the commonality in arms. This design works.

According to the timeline, in 2024 Beretta will initiate low rate initial production deliveries and will start the design of the other family members, as the 5.56×45 mm assault rifle seen in Gardone Valtrompia is only the starting point of a family that will see the NARP be developed in many versions and variants, with six different length of barrels, 7 inch (178 mm), 11.5 inch (292 mm), 14.5 inch (368 mm), 16 inch (406 mm), 18 inch (457 mm) and finally 20 inch (508). The 7-inch barrel will be fitted only to the Close Quarter Battle (CQB) rifle using the 7.62×35 mm or .300 Blackout subsonic ammunition. The NATO 5.56×45 mm NARP family will consist of four versions, CQB (11.5 inch), Assault Rifle, AR in short (14,5 inch), Infantry Automatic Rifle (16 inch), and Squad Designated Marksman Rifle or S-DMR (18 inch). The calibre declined in the most numerous versions is the NATO 7.62×51 mm, with five different rifles; CQB (11. 5 inch), Battle Rifle (BR) with either 14.5 inch or 16 inch barrel, and Designated Marksman Rifle (DMR) available with 18 inch or 20 inch barrels. Three versions will be available chambered for the 6.5 mm Creedmoor or the 6.8 mm round, respectively BR (16 inch), DMR (18 inch) and Semi Automatic Sniper Rifle (20 inch), for a grand total of 16 different versions. -EDR Magazine

I’m happy to see the high amount of ancillary parts commonality with things like M-LOK, AR compatible grips, sling points, and stocks all making appearances since many companies have already done very good work on them. We’ve stopped reinventing the wheel just to do it “in house” and that I am glad to see.

U.S. Offerings? Unlikely but you never know, especially if a PD who likes Beretta buys them.

Desert Eagle – A Matter of Branding

By

Travis Pike

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September 13, 2023

Branding is always necessary for a company to succeed. Some branding is great, and some are not. I assure you whenever you say something like ‘my brand’ in reference to your 30-follower Instagram account, you just sound like a douchebag. Today, we are talking about good branding and how sometimes it can go a little far and even get a little confusing. The branding comes from a mix of Magnum Research and IWI. It all revolves around the Desert Eagle.

The Desert Eagle is an absolute legend. It’s a massive, magnum-powered pistol that has over 600 appearances in film and TV. This massive weapon stands out and is eye-catching. It doesn’t look like any standard all-black pistol, and if you need to harm a hero or a villain with something memorable, then a Desert Eagle will do it.

The Desert Eagle is a very successful pistol. Much like the AK, the Uzi, and M16, it’s a household name. Everyone knows the Desert Eagle. That is good branding. It’s also branding that can go a little too far. Magnum Research has taken the Desert Eagle branding to new levels. At this point, they have a flock of Eagles, and many can argue they’ve taken it too far or at least created some confusion with their branding.

Desert Eagle / Baby Eagle / Uzi Eagle

When Israel needed to produce a handgun, they turned to the CZ-75 series and effectively cloned the pistol in the form of the Jericho. The Jericho pistols are DA/SA guns that feed from a double-stack magazine. They primarily come in 9mm, but also .40 S&W and 45 ACP. The gun has been imported and produced in several variations. It’s also been imported and produced under several different names.

This includes simply calling it the Desert Eagle. I even have one with the name Desert Eagle inscribed on the slide. The Jericho certainly has some of the Desert Eagle looks with its distinctive slide. Calling two guns Desert Eagle didn’t work for long, and they later decided to combine two of their popular guns in one name. Thus, it became the Uzi Eagle.

Finally, seeing potential in the brand and wanting to clear the air, it became the Baby Eagle. The Baby Eagle is still imported by Magnum Research, and IWI produces the Jericho under its Jericho namesake.

Lone Eagle

With magnum in the name, the Magnum Research brand is all about big and powerful guns. The Lone Eagle is a bolt action handgun that fired rifle calibers. The gun was designed by a former alumnus of MAC and Cobray and was called the Ordnance Research SSP-91. It was designed for silhouette handgun shooting as well as handgun hunting.

The handgun fired calibers like .22 Hornet, .22/250 Rem, 7mm-08, .308 Winchester, and many more. The Lone Eagle certainly appealed to a very niche crowd of shooters and wasn’t a huge seller. It’s loud, and the recoil can be fairly nasty. Plus, the ultra-short barrels greatly affect the velocity of a rifle round.

Micro Eagle

The Micro Eagle wasn’t developed by Magnum Research, but you couldn’t tell. A look at the front of the gun and its shark-like appearance and front slide gives it that Desert Eagle look. Maybe that’s why Magnum Research was keen to pick it up. It’s a pocket-sized .380 ACP that uses a very interesting gas-assisted blowback system. This cuts reocil while keeping the gun small and compact.

The Micro Eagle is teeny tiny and fits in well with guns like the Ruger LCP. Unlike the LCP, it’s all metal and a bit of a brick. That also likely helps with recoil. The 14-ounce weight makes it heftier than most. Six shots of 380 ACP and a double-action trigger ensure it’s up there with most pocket pistols.

MR9 Eagle

The last in the Eagle family (for now) is the MR9 Eagle. Magnum Research and Walther teamed up to produce this P99 clone. There are two models produced, one being a standard 4-inch model and one with a slightly longer 4.5-inch barrel. The slide on the longer variant has the same upward curve and shark-like appearance of the Desert Eagle family and is one of the most unique P99 clones.

The MR9 Eagle is a great gun, and they were super affordable. Sadly, just like the P99, they were underrated and never sold very well. The MR9 Eagle is certainly a distinct and different pistol, and it is just another Eagle in the flock.

Taking Flight

The Desert Eagle series of handguns isn’t going anywhere anytime soon. It also seems like Magnum Research has taken a break from naming guns eagle as only the Desert Eagle and baby Eagle remain in their catalog. Here’s to good branding, even when it doesn’t always work out.

“No constitutional right, in my view, including my oath, is intended to be absolute.” – MLG

By

Keith Finch

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September 13, 2023

Have you ever ordered a blatantly unconstitutional act, from your position of elected power, in order to ‘stimulate a conversation’ over the epidemic of gun violence that you are just buzz wording into existence, while ignoring the fairly obvious pandemic associated root causes of the nationwide violence spike because some of those are highly inconvenient for your political party?

If you answered, “No.” then you are probably anyone and everyone except New Mexico’s governor, Michelle Lujan Grisham. Grisham is currently parading her political stunt for nation to see for an as yet undetermined reason. I am trying to see where this advances another concept or career path for her.

I can’t see it.

Her Attorney General doesn’t see it has gone on record has unwilling to defend it too.

This leads me to believe that perhaps, yes, she is just this stupid. She truly believes the words spilling out of her mouth and that should probably render her ineligible to hold office. You don’t understand how the machine works, you can’t drive it. We have forklift certifications and I’m increasingly in favor of a civics IQ test for elected officials. Like a 4473 question list where if you check one of the boxes wrong you are denied the opportunity to run for office.

New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham (Chancey Bush/Albuquerque Journal/Zuma Press/Newscom)

The governor’s “Public Health Emergency” covers cities and counties with over a 1% effective annual violent crime rate, 1,000+ incidents per 100,000 residents. That is Bernalillo County and Albuquerque. This, in this most dangerous of areas in the state, then suspends the constitutional right of self defense in public spaces with the governor’s acknowledgment that criminals will not abide by it.

“I welcome the debate and the fight about making New Mexicans safer.”

Again, this stunt is to prompt a debate. The governor is claiming that this attention grab is to start the conversation about making New Mexicans safer. What it appears to be accomplishing is simultaneously highlighting that the governor doesn’t know where the violence problems in her state are coming from or the limits of what she can do within the parameters of her office. It also looks to be chalking up some very easy wins for Pro-2A organizations and calling into question other governor’s efforts in their own states. New Mexico is not California and this lunacy won’t fly outside that rather odd space.

If she were hoping to fall on this grenade in order to flush “2A extremists” from their hiding places and bolster gun control positions… she is really bad at it. David Hogg thinks you are wrong, ma’am. David. Hogg.

If her goal is instead to make other positions look more reasonable and moderate, still a fail. I can neither see nor theorize any avenue where the burning of this political capital is buying anything. It makes the Dems in NM look silly and irritates that not insubstantial pool of moderates and conservatives within the state. Unlike California, New Mexico is only Blue by about 10 points (55% Dem vs 45% Rep). While guns are a polarizing issue they don’t affect everyone the way money does, so this may not cost them the state. It could be the proverbial straw that breaks the camel’s back too with other negative issues piling up. Democrat elites have soured their base while Republicans have failed to capitalize and pick up the discontented break aways.

Basically everyone thinks politicians suck more than usual right now.

I wonder how that fit into MLG’s calculus? What am I saying, I don’t know if anything fit into her calculus. This was a wild idea.

Are Concealed Carry Rotations Stupid?

By

Travis Pike

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September 12, 2023

Whenever I heard the term, “I’m going to put this one in the rotation.” I cringe a bit. Mostly because when someone talks about their concealed carry rotation, it’s essentially a stable of mediocre guns. A lot of times, a concealed carry rotation is used to carry a few different guns based on someone’s feelings.

What they feel like carrying as if a gun is a pair of shoes. You can most assuredly do that if you so choose. It’s your right as an American. However, I’ve been slowly changing my mind as I break out of my comfort zone of polymer frame compacts. However, there is certainly a tactical argument we can have on the merits of a concealed carry rotation.

The Argument For A Rotation

If your argument is because I want to, then you can end it here. That’s most certainly the only argument you need to make to me. That doesn’t mean there can’t be an argument for a carry rotation based on the needs of any given day. I have several different guns I carry fairly often, depending on what exactly is happening that day.

Note excellent fit finish and stitching on the Transit by DeSantis.

Right now, I have a Beretta 3032 in my pocket. It’s great for walking around the house, with formal wear, and in situations where I need deep concealment. My normal carry gun is my P365XL, and that’s what I carry the majority of the time. When I travel, I actually tend to carry a larger gun because I’m away from home quite a distance. This offers me a bigger light, more ammunition, and great capability for hotel defense and on-the-road defense.

Different situations require different guns for some folks. If I lived in a place with a real winter, I might change my gun based on the weather as well. I might want something that deals better penetration through thick coats than a subcompact 9mm firing 124-grain rounds.

The Argument Against a Rotation

The main problem people point out with a carry rotation is the extra training required to learn multiple guns. There is a pretty big use gap between my striker-fired P365XL and my DA/SA Beretta 3032. This requires some transitional training to get good with either weapon. Not to mention, the cost of multiple guns gets high. Not only guns but multiple holsters and ammo types.

Mastering one gun is easier and allows you to really excel and know your gun inside and out. One gun can go a long way, especially if it’s sized just right. It’s often tough to fight the perfect size. Many only want to carry a single gun and will likely aim for a Glock 19-sized firearm and as many holsters as necessary to carry it in any clothing option.

One gun helps you reach peak efficiency in terms of monetary value and training time. Having one gun for concealed carry can certainly be the smart way to go logistically.

Making It Make Sense

If your rotation is nothing but Glock 19 or SIG P365-sized firearms, I can’t say I understand it. However, carrying multiple guns for multiple scenarios speaks a lot to me. I also get why one would only want to carry a single gun. I felt the exact way for quite some time, rarely veering from my Walther PPS until the SIG P365 came out anyway. While it’s always a personal choice, it should make sense to you and make sense tactically.

Michigan Concealed Carry Reaches 10.79% of Eligible Adults

By

Keith Finch

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September 12, 2023

Michigan is an interesting state, it is decidedly swing politically with the more conservative rural areas clashing voter wise with the urbanized greater Detroit area and overall fairly liberal, in the classic sense, gun laws.

Even with the Governor trying to institute further gun control, as it plays well to her base and makes her AG happy, the state continues to increase its active concealed carry role. Currently just under 11% of the eligible adult population of the state has a concealed pistol license.

The end of summer family vacations over the past month has led to an increase in people taking CPL classes and license applications. As a result, Michigan reached a new all-time high of 813,645 total current concealed pistol license holders as of September 1, 2023. We project continued monthly increases through the end of the year. This month’s full report from the Michigan State Police can be read HERE. – MCRGO September 2023 CPL Report

As political argument continue over the authority of the state to regulate or deny the carry of arms, the popularity of the practice continues to grow. The pandemic violent crime spike was very real and people continue to react by protecting themselves since the state repeatedly and consistently proves inept in that regard.

New Mexico Governor Suspends the Constitution for 30 Days

By

Keith Finch

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September 12, 2023

230910165528-01-new-mexico-gov-gun-restriction-090823 — Via CNN

Yeah.. that is not going to go how you think it will, Governor.

For those who haven’t heard yet, the New Mexico Governor, Michelle Grisham, issued a 30-day ban Friday on the open and concealed carry of firearms on public or state property within Albuquerque. This stay of a constitutionally protected and affirmed right was ostensibly under the Governor’s authority as a “health crisis”.

So criminality is a medical issue and we have 30 days to flatten the murder and violence curve.

Yeah…

That isn’t going to work. She knows it too and has admitted that she does not expect criminals to abide by the order. So what in the wide wide world of sports does she expect from this.

To see how bad this hot take and decision is let’s take a look at who has come out against it.

Yes, that David Hogg. The one who has made his fame advocating for gun control since Broward County’s school resource deputy left his classmates to die (and then was not held to account for that either). Even he has openly declared that this gun control idea is a terrible one and that you can’t just do that. The Governor has assured everyone that she, like, totally can, concealed carry and open carry are like her jurisdiction or whatever, don’t worry about it.

Except, once again, they are not. Nor should they be her purview to suspend, especially under the absurd notion of a “health” emergency. If criminality is a health concern than literally anything can be declared a health concern and a suspension issued by the governor at their whim.

Think about that one. Think about it deeply and consider it. They can’t stop a minor annoyance and yet claim the power and efficacy to curb violence by declaration? In what world? You can take punitive action after an act but people retain the freedom to act in some capacity at all times, even imprisoned persons have agency.

But go off Governor, I guess. Good luck in court, I look forward to your loss. Further erosion of government trust is fine, right? We’re out of expectation to take our elected officials seriously at this point.

22 – 9/11/01 – 9/11/23

By

Keith Finch

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September 11, 2023

Screenshot-2023-09-07-at-12.41.02-PM — Photo of the 24th MEU Memorial for Sgt. Nicole Gee, 1 of 13 of the final US KIA in Afghanistan during the HKIA evacuation. Via Northern Provisions on IG. Nothing quite captures the anger, pain, and disappointment of the end of the Afghan campaign quite the same...

It has been 22 years since I, with all of my classmates, were summoned into a middle school gymnasium. In a scene mirrored in some manner across the world we sat, confused, and everyone tense as I had ever seen. We were in a small Michigan town and our normally cheery school principal told us, without most of us really knowing what any of it meant, that two planes had struck the World Trade Center in New York.

It has been 22 years since I came home to my father openly weeping while watching the TV. It has been 22 years since I saw the replayed footage for weeks on end of 2,996 people dying.

It has been 22 years since my naïve concept of a “mostly peaceful” 21st Century was torn from my young mind, and realization that violence would need to be met with violence like in every century before took its place. The 20th Century’s lessons didn’t stick well, apparently. Humanity is a stubborn lot…

“Not another Vietnam.”

That is what we were promised. By four presidents, we were promised this would not be another meek and burnt out disaster. Yet two years ago, HKIA proved that whole thing a lie. It’s pretty clear now that we can’t figure out how to leave a fight, not when politicians who have their image to look after are involved. We probably should have wrapped up Afghanistan when we shot Bin Laden, but we didn’t. Instead we wasted time propping up a government that was literally getting rolled up as we left with a full decade more of training, money, and support. Now Afghanistan is back to its Taliban lead war torn mountainous self, with a bunch of US weapons. Our entrenchment was just another chapter.

In the 22 years we fought, we invaded, we killed, many died, more were injured. ISIS even managed to get by and blow the Abbey Gate, killing our 13 and hundreds of Afghans hoping for a spot in the evacuation.

We likely have worse than another Vietnam in some ways, truth be told. Vietnam today is increasingly capitalist and an emerging economy. Still socialist and with plenty of problems, it is nonetheless on a fairly positive trajectory as the world’s 15th most populous nation.

We will not see that in Afghanistan. We will likely not see that in the conflict zones of the Middle East or Africa. What did we stay so long for? We’d already hit back, hard…

Growing up at war

My teen formative years saw us take Afghanistan and Iraq… and then not stop fighting after “winning” them. In a timeframe longer than it took to defeat Nazi Germany and Imperial Japan we were still fighting very determined insurgencies.

I’m personally not of the mindset that crushing Saddam, for any reason, was a bad call. But the sketchy nature of the WMD alleged threat vs reality of aging soviet hardware probably being swapped between them and Libya wasn’t great. Neither was the haphazard and terrible way we tried to rebuild Iraq without Baathists, who were literally the whole governing infrastructure because that was a requirement.

I joined that war, one that was allegedly won, in 2007, 6 years and 8 days after it started. Shockingly for joining the infantry and being told, “Here’s the rotation,” I spent my entire contract in the ‘about to be rotated into combat’ part of the military. I would learn later this was an early symptom of today’s glaring problems.

Indecisive and risk averse politicians and military leaders continued to rot and stagnate a military that was continuously ‘kinda deployed’ to ‘sorta war’ where small angry groups would shoot or mortar or IED the coalition on less and less frequent occasion.

Back to Eastern Europe

Today we have a brutal ground war in Europe and a truly troubling amount apathy and disinterest from a world that could very shortly be dragged with no choice to that front. Especially here in the states.

We’ve spent decades pretending that this couldn’t or wouldn’t happen again and walked ourselves into a position of not caring because the political animals both nationally and internationally have so damaged the social trust. The years of the Global War on Terror saw the erosion of social trust like I never dreamed possible, within and without. The military has a historic human resources crisis that they are struggling to manage because GWOT troops are telling people about their real experiences. Going to war isn’t really high on the problem list it turns out. Its the mythical “support system” that doesn’t err on the side of the troops and consistently keeps their lives so hellish that suicide far outpaced combat deaths.

It would be one thing if life were tough but the organization had troops’ backs, as promised, but event, after event, after event proves they do not. Certain leaders do but if that isn’t the case the org will let them rot. They will, like any bureaucracy, protect themselves first. The evidence has became too much for people to keep ignoring.

That isn’t to say the military could not be, isn’t, or cannot be again, a good career path. But the reputation of service has suffered on multiple fronts. We have a government now seemingly solely interested in winning the next popularity contest and doing as little as possible in order to accomplish that for either Red Team or Blue Team. It seems that anything beneficial they actually manage is just a happy accident of them doing the bare minimum things they think their constituents want.

What now?

Despite my bleak few paragraphs above I think this post-9/11 world holds promise, so much promise.

Millennial humor is special breed of dark, as a different war and the information age told us that nobody has a quarter of the clue they were pretending to have. Not the government, not the businesses, not the churches, not anyone. The common refrain is that we have no mid-life crisis on deck since life has just been a rolling crisis.

And in a funny way, that is okay. Because if people who came cluelessly through before us did the best they could and made it, we can too. We’re just more aware of how fragile a lot of the world is. There are still some significant blind spots in that arena, especially when it comes to the first world thinking types who take too many things for granted that are precariously fragile.

We have weak men and women creating some hard times right now. But I feel that the next breed of the strong could be smarter and better than we’ve ever seen before. What we must avoid are the charlatans and the pseudo-strong personalities who promise us our brand of utopia for a cheap seat in power. We must restore trust in our institutions while removing blind faith. We must breed a practiced mentality in our nation and our allies who once again aspire to the nearly unconscious competence of both war and peace.

It’s not how I thought things would go, on nearly any step of the way, but it is far from all bad that we are here.

These are the lives we have.

The lives stolen from many this day 22 years ago, and then stolen in the days since cannot be replaced. They are gone and this is our world to build.

Let’s keep doing something with that. Let’s keep making it a place that those we miss would like to live with us in.

Never forget. Keep moving forward.

Gunday Brunch 117: 1975 Gunfighter loadout

By

Keith Finch

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September 10, 2023

It’s 1975. You’re a badass cop/guard/armored car robber. What’s your loadout?

Armored Threats – Bad Guys and Body Armor

By

Travis Pike

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September 9, 2023

The widespread acceptance and commonality of body armor have allowed the average Joe to equip themselves to defend themselves. On the flip side, body armor use amongst criminals has only grown in the last few years. There is a loud crowd on the internet that will proclaim your chances of meeting an armored threat are small, and it’s not a realistic concern. In reality, if you are a law-abiding person, it’s highly unlikely you’ll ever end up in a violent situation. If we are willing to prepare for the unlikely, it seems perfectly reasonable to prepare for armored threats.

There are plenty of examples of armored threats being violent and criminal. It’s wise we don’t forget the potential of modern armor and prepare to defeat violent criminals who choose to wear it.

Examples of Armored Threats

Brink’s Robbery – You’d think most armored threats are modern, but if we step back to 1981, we see members of the Weather Underground and Black Liberation Army knock off an armored car. They wore body armor and carried rifles in their assault. They killed one guard and two police officers.

Tyler Courthouse Shootout – In 2005, a man waited in ambush to attack his estranged wife and son. He killed the woman and wounded his own son. He wore armor, and several police officers engaged the man but were wounded and retreated. A concealed carrier attempted to intervene but was unfortunately killed. An officer with a rifle finally showed up and ended the threat.

Dallas Shootings – A lone gunman enraged with the police utilized rifle to rifle and ambush police. These police were wearing soft armor only at the behest of government officials. Five officers were killed, nine officers were wounded, as were two civilians. An EOD robot armed with a pound of C4 ended the man’s rampage.

These are three quick examples, but there are many more. The Sutherland Springs shooter, the shooter in Buffalo, and many more wore body armor when they conducted their crimes. Google the term, the suspect wore body armor, and you’ll see a number of lower-profile events that involved the criminal use of body armor.

How Does That Affect You?

The most important thing you can do is remember that armored threats exist. It happens, and you should be prepared for it. If you’re aware of this possibility, then you’ve taken a step in the right direction. The next step is to train.

What do you train for? I recommend the same thing we all train for. You want to be able to hit a target, specifically a small target, with relative ease and efficiency. Being able to hit a small target quickly and easily helps you strike the smaller vital zone of armored threats. Namely the head of the target.

Practicing the classic failure-to-stop drill can be a great way to deal with armored threats. Regardless of the type of armor, two shots to the body will make anyone pause. A quick transition to a headshot down the threat in most situations.

There is also the pelvic shot. Pelvic shots with rifles and shotguns can be absolutely brutal. It makes it pretty tough to fight. In a home defense scenario, a pelvic shot also provides a safer angle of fire in case there is an issue with an unsafe backstop. With a handgun, it’s less likely to do a ton of damage, but if that’s your shot, a bullet anywhere is better than hesitation.

Finally, don’t get wrapped up in the old two shots, and it’s over philosophy. That’s a very silly way to do things. Be prepared to keep shooting until the threat stops being a threat. Armored threats are rare, but they exist, and with armor getting cheaper and more accessible, it might be a more realistic threat than you imagine.

FIRED FOR CARRYING: Follow-Up Response to Comments

By

The Suited Shootist

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September 9, 2023

I try to avoid “reaction” or response videos, but there seem to be a few common threads that regularly pop up in the comments that I felt were worth addressing:

Savage 1911

By

V. Caldwell

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September 8, 2023

I have quite a few favorite individual handguns and a number of favorite types as well. I really enjoy a good single action revolver, a double action Smith & Wesson, and a quality 1911. I despise cheap imitations and guns that are not reliable. No shortage of those! Folks love to love the 1911 and then some love to hate the pistol. Some had a bad experience with a cheap pistol other just don’t quite apply themselves to the piece. That’s fine there are plenty of good quality handguns available and you don’t need a 1911 if you don’t care to train with the piece and maintain it as well. I would never issue the 1911 to a modern institution but regard it today as a personal handgun for those willing to take an immersion class in the pistol.

When Savage introduced a 1911 almost a year ago, I was pretty interested in what they would do with it. Turns out they abandoned the race to the bottom in price and elected to offer a quality pistol at a fair but far from cheap price point. The offerings include both 9mm and .45 caliber pistols, a two-tone version, and stainless and Melonite coated black guns. I think that for longevity service and corrosion resistance a stainless steel pistol is best. Just the same I grabbed the first pistol in the tri county area that became available a blue .45 caliber version. It suits me well. The pistol features a unique slide treatment to give the pistol identity as a Savage. Unlike the original SIG offering which also featured a distinctive slide the Savage fits standard holsters. The slide features a mostly ornamental cut between the sights. The barrel is nicely fitted and slides into battery nicely as the slide is racked. I found the barrel bushing tight, I used a bushing wrench the first time I disassembled the pistol. It loosened with use. The recoil assembly isn’t a FLGR. The assembly is a standard recoil spring and guide to a point. The recoil spring is a new item for a 1911 a spring within a spring type. Since the pistol is reliable and functions with a wide range of ammunition I would say Savage made a wise choice. The sights are excellent hands down a great choice for a combat gun. They are Novak Lo Mount. The front sight features a highly visible tritium dot while the rear sight features a bar. This bar dot pattern offer good accuracy in fast shooting day or night.

The pistol features both front and rear cocking serrations that work as well as any other. My pistol is a rail gun there is also a standard dust cover version. I suppose this is a good feature but as I said the first gun in town. Let’s some at the Savage spec sheet a moment and check off some items. The pistol features forged not cast frame and slide. A 5.0-inch stainless steel barrel. The pistol is a Government Model with five-inch barrel and steel spring. Dual recoil spring system with GI-style guide rod and fitted barrel bushing. The ejection port has been lowered and scalloped. Nitride-coated titanium firing pin for reliable, long-lasting performance. This is a Series 70 type pistol without a drop safety or firing pin block. Novak Mega Dot sights and an absence of MIM or cast parts. An ambidextrous slide lock safety. VZ G10 Grips facilitate a firm grip even with wet bloody or sweaty hands. The 9mm offers 11 rounds total the .45 nine. I am hoping the pistol will be available and less expensive than at first blush but an average price near $1499 seems likely. However- I found a stainless steel model at Cheaperthandirt.com for $1281 and a stainless pistol without rail for $1221 so the pistol is getting traction. If you have an FFL like mine with a good relationship with his distributor (he pays bills on time) maybe you will find one at a fair price.

Savage Handguns | Cheaper Than Dirt

That’s the necessary nuts and bolts of can you actually find the gun? Yes, you can. Moving forward the front strap isn’t checkered, which it probably should be but I fired the pistol just fine. The slide lock safety locks in place smartly and the trigger is smooth. Smooth enough for some very good shooting. The trigger began as a smooth enough action with minimal take up and a sharp reset. With the RCBS trigger gauge the trigger broke 5.6 pounds for an average of ten pulls. The pistol is supplied with two magazines. A word to the wise- if you bet your life on a 1911 good magazines begin with MecGar. McCormick is good and Wilson Combat my favorite. Cobra mags are great and the super tough D&L Sports are good magazines. I trash canned the number two Savage magazine not a happy moment. I am glad it wasn’t the gun at fault causing short cycles.

Note case cannelure and good quality manufacture of Winchester hardball ammunition.

Most of the ammunition fired in the initial test was Winchester 230 grain FMJ. During the first World War Winchester was given a military contract for ammunition. The allowed number of primer failures was one in one hundred thousand unheard of at the time. Winchester met that standard and is even better today. While modern expanding bullet ammunition is good there is no more reliable loading in the handgun world than a 230 grain FMJ .45 ACP with primer seal and a cannelured case. This cannelure prevents the bullet from being pressed backward during the feed cycle. I fired 50 rounds of this load and also 50 rounds of standard Winchester 230 grain ball. A sacrifice really because I don’t know when it can be replaced! The pistol stays on target and offers excellent hit probability. Draw, put the Mega Dot on target, and you have a hit. The majority of ammunition as expended from five to ten yards. This pistol is all 1911 in its speed to an accurate first shot. Recoil impulse is muted compared to most steel frame 1911 handguns. The piece runs flawless- once I ditched a junk magazine.

Note the Savage pistol’s unique slide treatment.

Firing for accuracy may not be as important as combat accuracy but tells us something about the pistols fitting and quality. I broke out a box of 1911 loads from Winchester. One of the least heralded loads is this 230 grain JHP at 840 fps. Basically, a heavier version of the Silvertip this load expands well. Winchester offered this load with a standard copper jacket- the 1911 is flash plated like the 185 grain Silvertip- and that load also expands very well. I moved into a solid bench rest firing position and touched off five shots at 15 yards. The result was a 1.2-inch group. I also fired the 230 grain FMJ G.I. load and this load at 856 fps went into 1.5 inch. I also fired the Winchester USA Ready 200 grain Defense. This is among the best designed and predictably effective load available in .45 ACP. A 200-grain bullet a 1021 fps must be respected. Five shots in 1.65 inch for that one. A few weeks into the test I had the chance to bench rest the pistol at a long 25 yards. I used a shooting rest firing over the range bag. This time I had the Winchester 185 grain Silvertip. At 980 fps is a controllable loading noted for good expansion. It is not particularly revered for accuracy potential. A flash plated aluminum jacket running down a copper washed bore has something to do with this accuracy potential I am certain. Just the same a 2.9-inch group at 75 feet is respectable. I could have adjusted the elevation as the rear sight is screw adjustable, however, I am probably going to deploy 230 grain loads. The Silvertip fired two and one-half inch low. Five shots went into 3.00 inches. Moving to 230 grain FMJ loads five shots cut a 2.2-inch group. That is very good for a quality 1911. I sacrificed a few of my handload using a 185-grain button nose SWC at 1050 fps. Five shots went into 1.9 inch. That was enough concentration and keeping a vise like grip on the pistol. This piece will shoot. During the evaluation there were no failures to feed chamber fire or eject attributable to the pistol. The Savage 1911 should have a bright future.

FIRED FOR CARRYING AT WORK

By

The Suited Shootist

-

September 8, 2023

Online people are quick to profess “concealed means concealed” and “I don’t care what the rules say, unless there’s a metal detector I’m carrying my gun!”

Anytime you bring up the possible consequences of being discovered, they’re quick to say “well I’d rather be unemployed than dead!” or “I’ll just get a new job!”.

I really didn’t want to make this video, but I felt that I had to, because nobody talks about these types of negative outcomes. There’s no first hand account to hold up as an example of the things that can go wrong. Since people are so quick to dismiss theoretical situations, I feel obligated to share my story.

Once you watch this you’ll understand why those flippant responses are so rage-inducing for me. My hope is that people learn from my experience, and have a better appreciation for everything they’re putting on the line if they choose to ignore the rules. I’m not about to tell anyone what to do. I merely present this as a cautionary tale, so that people can make the most educated decision possible. Everyone is so eager to prepare for the worst case situation that they completely ignore the much more probably, and almost equally severe consequences of situations in between.

Sorry for the lack of background. I was filming this with natural light, and once this ball got rolling there wasn’t any stopping it. As you’d imagine, I didn’t really care to relive these events more than once, so this is the first and only cut.

Blasting Away With the Streamlight Wedge

By

Travis Pike

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September 7, 2023

I reviewed the Wedge a couple of years ago, and it’s been my go-to EDC light since then. It’s small, flat, easy to carry, and disappears with ease into my pocket. It’s also clearly a long-lasting, durable design. With that said, I’m pretty spoiled by weapon lights. My P365 wears a TLR 7 SUB, and I’ve got a Surefire XSC in case it fails. With that said, I’ve taken to carrying smaller guns, like a little Beretta Tomcat. No rail, so there is no light, so I’ve had to revert to my Wedge for PID purposes. Additionally, I recently acquired a Taurus 856, and it’s likely to become my carry revolver.

I’ve since hit the range and practiced with a number of flashlights. Including some that are much more powerful than the Wedge. I figured might as well amp up the lumens and candela if I’m only carrying one light. Yet, I keep coming back to the well that is the Streamlight Wedge. The same design that makes it easy to carry makes it easy to shoot with.

The Wedge offers up to 1,000 lumens backed by 3,000 candela in its optional THRO mode. That’s not a ton of light, but it’s enough to reach out in a dark alley or parking lot and easily identify a threat. While more is better, I do feel it’s adequate for concealed carry.

Shooting With the Wedge

The Wedge offers a very flat profile that makes it easy to fit into your hand while gripping your firearm. In practice, this allowed me to have a more natural grip over the gun and light at the same time. A more natural grip ensures I have a better grip over the gun, and a better grip means more control. As an amateur revolver shooter, I need all the help I can get.

I used the Wedge alongside traditional techniques like the Harries grip and found I had way better results with the Streamlight. I’ve done a lot of dry fire practice, and my 856 wears a red dot. It’s easy to see imperfections in your grip with a red dot, and I saw a lot less of those imperfections with the Wedge than with other lights and grips.

In live fire, it certainly resulted in greater accuracy and more control. I’m still a stock standard amateur with revolvers, but I didn’t see a ton of difference between my accuracy with or without the light. To me, this means the light isn’t interrupting my ability to get projectiles on target.

How to Shoot With the Wedge

I assume a fairly standard grip with my dominant hand. With this established, I use my support hand to bring the Wedge to sit between the thumb and middle finger of my dominant hand. This allows me to naturally bring my hands together. This grip style doesn’t create a massive gap between my two hands.

The light itself is pinned in place, and my offhand thumb can activate the light. One issue I ran into when first trying this technique is that the thumb that activates the light was in line with the gap between the cylinder and barrel. This will create quite the sting. I found an easy cure and flipped the light over. The activation button faces the ground now. The trigger finger of my non-dominant hand activates the light.

The Wedge has some grooves in it that are for hand-holding. This places the light fairly far back anyway and typically gets you well out of the line of cylinder gap. However, with the button facing down, there is no digit directly in line with the cylinder blast. Even if the finger was near the gap, the aluminum body of the light offers some protection.

Blasting Away

If I’m going to carry a smaller, more easy to carry gun, I best make up for the capabilities it doesn’t have. The same goes for a revolver. Practicing with alight was just one small step in improving proficiency and ensuring I wasn’t sacrificing any capability. I just so happened to find that with little guns, the little light worked well. The Wedge makes shooting with a small gun or revolver a breeze.