The Continental Congress authorized the raising of two battalions of Marines. In the 248 years since, the United States Marines have served as a special and conventional mission force capable of rapid world wide deployment. Their official specialization is amphibious infantry in conjunction with US Naval forces and able to project the will and might of the United States wherever they can be landed.
In modern context, this turns every carrier battle group with a MEU attached to it into one of the most powerful independent military forces on the planet. A MEU backed by a carrier strike group is capable of air, land, and sea dominance anywhere in the world.
Happy Birthday Marines. Especially to the CENTCOM group who did not get to have their traditional birthday celebration due to the world being in a… spicy state at the moment.
In the last decade or so, if you heard the term Bushmaster, you’d likely relate it to some very subpar rifles put out by the ‘Freedom Group.’ Freedom Group, owned by Cerberus Capital Management, was the same death-dealing group that killed AAC, Remington, H&R, Marlin, and a few more. Prior to Freedom Group, Bushmaster was a fairly respected name in the world of AR rifles. They’ve been around for decades, but the first Bushmaster wasn’t an AR. It was known as the Bushmaster Assault Rifle.
Before Bushmaster was called Bushmaster, it was called Gwinn Firearms. Mack Gwinn Jr. founded Gwin Firearms after returning home from Vietnam. Gwinn was the real deal, and he served in the Special Forces as a captain.
He had some extensive knowledge of the Stoner 63 system and was a fan. When he came home and started his company, he designed the first Bushmaster Assault Rifle. It bears mentioning the Bushmaster Assault Rifle was not an assault rifle but simply carried that designation as a moniker. The Bushmaster Assault rifle would be produced by both Gwinn and later owners who changed the company name to Bushmaster.
Inside and Outside of the Bushmaster Assault Rifle
Gwinn saw that the future of firearms was rifles like the AR and AK series. This meant mixing modern materials like polymer and aluminum in the mix. Gwinn originally used cast aluminum, and later on, Bushmaster would use stamped sheet metal for the upper. Regardless of who was in charge, the flowers were made from aluminum.
The Bushmaster Assault Rifle was modern for the era. It mixed the controls of the AR-15 with the long-stroke gas piston system of the AK-47.
The rifle utilizes an AR safety and magazine release as well as an AR fire control group. It used AR-15 magazines as well. The sights functioned much like AR sights of the era but were not stacked on a carry handle. The barrel was 18 inches long and topped with a birdcage-style flash suppressor. These days, that sounds long, but in this era, the 20-inch barrel was standard. It was basically an M1 carbine-length barrel on a 5.56 rifle.
Rock Island Auction
The Bushmaster Assault Rifle came in a couple of variants. Early models came with plain wood furniture. Later models have black painted wood. Another model featured a simplistic metal folding stock. A magnet held the folded stock closed.
The rifle has a reciprocating charging handle that, much like the AK, is connected to a long-stroke gas piston system that sits above the barrel and receiver. It sits on the left side of most Bushmaster Assault rifles. There are some variances depending on who owns the company and the design. When Gwinn owned the design, the charging handles were on the top of the gun.
The Long Stroke Piston Of It
Gwinn had used the Stoner 63 in Vietnam and was seemingly a fan of the design, which is what likely encouraged him to utilize the long-stroke gas piston system. Mixing in AR-like controls makes sense logistically since they were available to the average Joe.
It’s not like the Stoner 63 was on the shelves of Western Auto. Plus, the M16’s controls were super ergonomic for the era. Keep in mind most guns in this era were still using World War 2 like ergonomics, like the AK and M14.
Rock Island Auction
Another good reason to stick to the long-stroke gas piston system was that direct impingement and the M16 didn’t have a great reputation in this era. The DOD mucked up the release of the M16 so badly that it took decades of fighting the GWOT to change people’s minds on the reliability of the platform.
The guns didn’t have a great reputation for reliability anyway. They weren’t known to be problem-free mass-produced rifles. They tended to have a fairly poor reputation. However, they did tend to shoot nicely and were fairly accurate guns all around. Bushmaster tried to market the weapon, and at this time, Colt owned the rights to the AR-15, so it was seen as an alternative.
However, once the AR015 design package lost its protections, Bushmaster pivoted towards the AR-15 and away from the Bushmaster Assault Rifle. Being a small company makes it tough to produce a new firearm design, and the Bushmaster Assault Rifle is evidence of that.
It’s really important to approach information with a little skepticism and a critical mind. Just because someone did XYZ job doesn’t necessarily mean they have the expertise to comment on a given subject. Over the last 6 months or so, I’ve seen an uptick of folks with impressive resumes putting out bad information on several subjects related to the defensive world. It’s troubling because a lot of folks will take their commentary as an endorsement, without doing any deeper research of their own. In most of these instances, I choose to chalk it up to knowledge bias: They’re so accomplished that stuff seems easy or obvious to them that might be more difficult for us “regular earth people”. You spend enough time around enough highly capable people, and it’s easy to get an inflated view of what base-level abilities are. Defensive driving & correcting a skid are probably a lot easier for Mario Andretti than it is for you or me. Unfortunately, there are those out there that appear to be trying to capitalize on their backgrounds for their own gain, and aren’t interested in the quality of the info they’re putting out as long as it turns into more sales. Thankfully, they’re easy to spot. Regardless of who your chosen experts are, it still bears asking “why do they have this opinion?”. If their explanation stops at “Because I was X”, that’s just a fancy way of saying “because I said so”, which is an unacceptable answer in my opinion. If someone takes exception to being challenged (provided you’re not being a dick about it), that is probably a clue. Please be selective about who gets your money, as well as your intellectual and emotional resources. We are in the golden age of good information that’s readily accessible. We owe it to ourselves to create a non-permissive environment for derp and myth.
So you’ve found yourself in a state that bans certain weapons due to their cosmetic features. Oof, that sucks. You might be feeling boxed in when it comes to your firearm’s selection. It seems like your choices are fairly limited by your ban state. You have pump-action shotguns and handguns with neutered capacities. That sucks, so today, we have a few suggestions that defy the norm and will give you at least a few extra options you might not have considered.
As of this writing, most states that have assault weapons bans have magazine capacity bans, so this also creates a situation where we still have to deal with ten rounds or so. With that in mind, let’s look at a few alternatives that take us beyond pump shotguns and handguns.
The Henry Homesteader or Ruger PC Carbine
A 9mm carbine in a traditional layout is an easy option for most ban states. The Henry Homesteader is essentially featureless and comes with a five and ten-round magazine. The Ruger PC Carbine is another PCC that does have a few options that are featureless, namely the original models of the carbine because the tactical models are too scary for ban states.
Either one of these guns is a great option for close-range home defense. While they both fire pistol rounds, they are rifles and offer you the stability and precision of a rifle platform. Both guns are light and fairly short and fire the very common 9mm round.
Obtaining ten-round magazines isn’t tough for either platform. Both have modular mag wells, and you can swap to Glock mags, which are likely the easiest 10-rounders to find.
The Foxtrot Mike Ranch Rifle
Foxtrot Mike is now producing an AR-15 lower receiver that’s similar to the old FightLite SCR lower. It does seem like the Ranch Rifle lower is easier to obtain than the SCR these days. The Ranch Rifle gives the AR-15 lower a more traditional, pistol grip-free rifle design that doesn’t look like an abomination.
(Foxtrot Mike)
The Foxtrot Mike Ranch Rifle lower allows you to skip most of the silly ban requirements. You might need to use an unthreaded barrel or a brake instead of a flash hider, depending on the state. The Ranch Rifle uses a Magpul SGA stock that makes it super ergonomic and easy to handle.
Toss on a 5.56 upper, and you have an ergonomic, lightweight, and very effective platform. Inside the home, 5.56 is tough to beat, and since the AR is so common, you can find all manner of parts and pieces for it.
The Mini 14
The classic Mini 14, the gun subject to many accurate memes comparing AR-15s and Mini 14s and stating how they are very similar, but one is banned, and the other is not. It’s true. Both are lightweight, semi-auto rifles that chamber the 5.56 caliber round, although some Mini 14s are chambered for the .223 Remington. The Mini 14 is also a magazine-fed rifle with low recoil and easy handling.
Ruger makes several models, and while the tactical variants and the collapsing stock models will likely be a no-go, the standard models with wood or even polymer stocks are featureless under most bans. This makes them an excellent AR alternative for home defense.
The 5.56/.223 Remington variants are likely the best choice, but the Mini 30 model in 7.62×39 or the .300 Blackout option will serve you well. Make your memes a reality.
Henry Big Boy X Series
In case you want to root and toot, then a lever gun isn’t a bad home defense option. Lever guns are manually operated, and the vast majority do not take removable magazines. Guns like the Henry Big Boy X are modernized for the defensive role and throw powerful, hard-hitting rounds like the .357 Magnum, .44 Magnum, and .45 Colt.
A rail and a couple of M-LOK slots make adding accessories easy. The rifles are tapped and ready for an optic and rails. Lever actions aren’t as fast as semi-autos, but with practice, they can be pretty darn fast. The close-range rounds they far tend to be good options for defensive use, especially with the right projectile.
Henry is well known for making quality guns, and the Big Boy X series is a step up from wood and octagonal barrels into the modern era. Plus, you get to play tactical cowboy!
SRM 1216
I know so far we’ve had nothing but rifles but consider a shotgun. A shotgun that holds 16 rounds in a detachable magazine but isn’t hit with ban state laws. That detachable magazine is technically four magazines, specifically four tubes that rotate to feed the gun. That’s the SRM 1216.
Obviously the SBS versions are a no go, but the main model is ready to rock (SRM ARMS)
This semi-auto shotgun is a roller-delayed shotgun. The shotgun is remarkably underrated and one beast of a weapon. It can be converted for left or right-handed use and is shorter than most shotguns due to a bullpup-like format. It’s more Uzi-like than a traditional bullpup.
It’s slick and easy to use, with excellent ergonomics. Adding lights and optics isn’t a challenge, and the gun looks too cool to be so effective. It’s an American design, and American built. Shotguns are very capable defensive firearms, and this one doesn’t slack in ammunition capacity. At the same time, it’s still ban state friendly.
Ban Ban States
Ever since the original AWB, the idea behind banning guns by cosmetic features has been the modus operandi for the anti-civil rights crowd. Luckily, the pro-gun side seems to be winning, and hopefully, articles like this become relics of a dark time. Until then, there is no reason to put your family and home at risk. Protect yourselves, practice your rights as much as you can, and, as always, keep fighting.
When most people think of “cosplay” they’ll think of the folks that get dressed up for the Renaissance Festival or a comic book convention. The truth is that cosplay is way more common than that. For some folks their cosplay is insisting on a full duty loadout, even though they work a white collar office job. For others it’s that they say their pocket knife is a defensive tool, even if they’ve done 0 edged weapons training. For others still it’s something entirely different, and they go full ham trying to elevate their style by immediately jumping to jackets & ties in bold colors & patterns. The common thread among all of these is a desire to immediately rush out and buy a solution without the requisite level of thought & analysis. Mission drives the gear train, and METT-TC is a thing.
Even though it’s getting a little cold for camping right now, planning for what foods you would take on such a trip can be good preparation for a potential bug-out situation. Dealing with cooking for one person while camping can be a challenge, but with a little planning and imagination you can have healthy single-serve meals which don’t cost and arm and a leg and don’t cause food waste.
Cooking Methods
I have done very little campfire cooking on my jaunts, mostly because it can be a pain to mess with and most designated campgrounds here in the east don’t want you to bring your own wood due to risk of transporting pests such as Spotted Lanternfly . At eight bucks or more per bundle, buying firewood on-site can get expensive fast – if it’s even available or there isn’t a burn ban.
I have therefore mostly defaulted to cooking on a portable camp stove with bottled fuel for the sake of convenience. A positive trade-off is that you get a lot of BTU’s for the space it takes up, and there is no “fire-building” to eat up time if you are in a hurry or it’s raining or you are really, really hungry. For me, a single burner butane stove works well for car camping. I’m not cooking breakfast for a family of five or a troop of scouts, and simple one-pot meals are my go-to. I also personally prefer the stability of a low, flat burner surface rather that balancing a pan up on a small diameter backpacking stove. But that’s just me. I tried the candle stove on my adventures, and although it does work, it is much slower than butane so I will save it for a back-up if I’m out of fuel.
Preparing Food Ahead of Time
Actual food-wise, campfire cooking usually involves fresh ingredients and a cooler for meat, eggs, etc. On the other end of the spectrum, freeze-dried backpacking type meals are very convenient although they often lose something in the flavor and texture department. They are also $uper Expen$ive and you still need a way to boil water.
The happy medium for me is using my home-dehydrated foods and a few canned goods. I don’t need a big cooler as this stuff is shelf stable. But I do need to make sure I have sufficient water to rehydrate my meals. It’s all good practice for a potential bug-out in case of emergency.
Yes, they make 12-volt fridges to plug into your car, and I have seen YouTubers with a power station large enough to run electric hot plates and coffeemakers (generating heat takes A LOT of power) but that level of power station is hugely expensive and very heavy. Whereas a butane burner costs about 30 bucks. I run a budget operation at this point.
But back to the food. Because I go camping on a budget I try to eat from my existing shelf stash without investing in specialty food items. I also supplement with some commercial shelf stable items. I’m talking cheap small serving things like single serve Spam, chicken Vienna sausages, some Knorr packaged rice mixes, and even a couple Hormel microwave bowls. It’s good practice to test out your food plan for SHTF or bug-out/evacuation scenarios. I’ve tried out a few different kinds of meals at this point, and these are things that have worked for me so far in cooking for a single person.
-Divide up pre-packaged rice mixes into serving size ziploc bags and adjust the water added accordingly. Write that volume on the bag so it’s there when you need to use it. This saves making more than you can eat and having to keep leftovers cool.
Divide up pre-packed mixes into servings.
-Home-can some meats in individual servings. I have found that canning turkey and venison in wide-mouth half-pint jars makes a nice single serving for me to take camping. Or you can use commercially canned meats – they are just more expensive.
Rice mix with home-canned turkey added.
-Dollar store carries single slice packets of Spam. It’s more expensive that way, but I also then don’t have leftovers that I need to keep cool.
-Dollar store carries mini cans of tuna salad and ham salad for lunches. Also more expensive, but also no leftovers. I HATE wasting food and these things are trade-offs in an emergency.
-Dollar store has small shelf-stable packets of Velveeta (no refrigeration) which are great for quick Mac n cheese or nachos or a Tex-mex rice bowl.
-Minute Rice saves stove fuel and can be pre-measured out in a ziploc for a single serving. Again, write the volume of water needed on the bag.
-Adding home dehydrated shredded or powdered veggies can boost the nutrition of that minute rice. Add a little extra water to take those into account.
-Home dehydrated hash browns can also be pre-measured and mixed with other dried veggies ( like peppers and onions) for breakfast hash.
Shredded potatoes with onions and peppers make great breakfast food.
-Spice mixes (like taco seasoning or powdered bullion) can be pre-measured and put in a pill bottle for one small batch.
-Consider individual packets of soy sauce and condiments to save cooler space. I made “salad dressing” out of a packet of malt vinegar from a fast food joint, combined with a packet of duck sauce from another joint and a squirt of olive oil I had along for cooking, shook it up in a pill bottle and it was delicious!
Garden veggies in the summer with “free” salad dressing.
Take these suggestions and use your imagination this winter for ways to utilize your home-dehydrated and shelf stable food stash to make portable simple meals for camping or emergencies.
Coming into the beginning of summer, I had a problem. I had started taking workouts more seriously and doing dedicated programs rather than just kind of winging it and changing my program every four weeks when I got bored. I outworked my dad-approved New Balances, and I needed new shoes. I need supportive shoes, tough shoes, and shoes with a good grip. Little did I know that my solution would come from a cargo pant enthusiast’s favorite source, 5.11 Tactical. The 5.11 Maxgrip Trainers were a solution to my problem.
I had a few problems, well, more specific problems. Namely, my feet hurt. I got hit with plantar fasciitis. Too many miles too fast resulted in near-constant pain in my left foot. I started with exercises and stretches but was also advised to change my shoes, so I did. Second, I run off-road and do lots of jumps on tires, and beyond. I would find myself slipping and needing more grip texture.
When I stumbled across the Maxgrip Trainers, I figured, why not? Trainers aren’t running shoes, but I don’t run that much compared to people who actually run. 5.11 Tactical was happy to send them for this review.
Breaking in the Maxgrip Trainers
The Maxgrip Trainers are tight-fitting at first. They aren’t necessarily sized small, but they don’t leave much, if any, slack. That’s not a bad thing. This helps prevent blisters and hotspots. The front of the shoes features a reinforced toe. It’s not metal but polymer, and for off-road running, that seemed great to me. Kicking rocks, literally, is a real pain.
On first wear, that polymer toe was not the best feature. When I did lunges, I felt it dig into and rub. After running two miles, the toe started to impact my actual toes. It was a bit discomforting, but preservation proved to be a good quality. The pain went away as I wore the shoes and broke them in. I’ve never had to break trainers in, but the Maxgrip can certainly use it. They loosened up a hair, making them easier to slip on.
Hitting the Pavement
Not pavement exactly, but a limestone road. I kept the slow increase of my miles, and my plantar fascitis slowly went away. I’m not saying the Maxgrip trainers cured me; that was likely the stretches and exercises, but the pain never came back. I kept up the exercises, but they weren’t doing much before I swapped shoes.
The shoes worked well on the limestone road. They provide a good deal of support, which a man my size needs. They don’t slack or give, and the thick soles prevent me from feeling the rocks, pebbles, and other crap beneath my feet as I rune. That front reinforced toe provides some significant protection, and it’s protection I appreciate.
Beyond running, they became my shoes for HIIT and lifting. The grip on the bottom is intense, and when doing box jumps and jump rope, the traction prevents slippage. That’s critical when you’re jumping up and down on a giant tractor tire. The Maxgrip name certainly lives up to its name.
Comfort and Beyond
The Maxgrip trainers are plenty comfortable. They have a good deal of support and a great insole. I typically toss the insoles and replace them, but I’m getting the 5.11 insoles around. The Maxgrip Trainers are solid shoes for high-intensity fitness. While they aren’t runners, they work fine for basic road work and sprints. When it comes to lifting and functional fitness, they are solid, high-quality shoes that dig deep and grip hard. Check them out here.
If you are curious about barrel twist rates and what they mean in the grand scheme of what you look for your firearm to be able to accomplish, hit play and let 9-Hole take it away.
If you don’t have 10 minutes right now, come back to the video later and read on below.
Rifling
For those newer in the space, rifling is the swirling cuts you see in the steel as you look down the barrel. The terminology gets as deep as anything else in the firearm sphere but for our sake here we will keep it incredibly simple.
Rifling is there to spin the bullet so that it stabilizes in flight, think of a proper spin on a thrown football.
Rifling does this by interacting with the bullet jacket, the outer surface of the bullet is a little thicker than the inner diameter of the barrel. When pressure from the powder pushes the bullet down the barrel the rifling starts it spinning.
The spinning results in greater stability once it leaves the barrel and therefore greater accuracy.
Rifle Twist Rate
In the US you will usually see the twist rate posted as 1:7 or 1:10. Variations exist like 1 in 7 and 1/7 but they all in denote that the rifling completes one full revolution in the span of 7, 10, 12 inches. In most other nations they will use millimeters for twist and barrel length both. So a 16 inch, 1:7 twist barrel would be a 406mm, 1 in 177mm twist barrel.
Twist Rate to Bullet Weight
Bullets have a fixed diameter, they will be exactly as wide as needed to go down the barrel. The bullet will also have an ideal weight, based on the length and shape. That weight is what will work ideally with the rifle twist to stabilize the bullet during flight.
The rule of thumb is the heavier, and therefore longer, the bullet the faster/shorter the twist rate should generally be. That is an oversimplification but it isn’t an egregious one.
So heavier 5.56/.223 should use 1:7 or 1:8 instead of 1:9 or 1:12 and heavier .308 benefits from 1:10 while lighter can use 1:12. These are again generalizations and real world performance is real world performance.
Mag Extensions, particularly Ergonomic Base Pads (EBP), are critical for those looking to improve their Glock’s capacity without compromising performance. These enhancements are essential in scenarios where reloading speed is key, such as competitive shooting or other more serious shooting scenarios.
Balancing The Pros and The Cons of Mag Extensions
The primary goal of a mag extension is to add ammunition without hindering the pistol’s handling. The best extensions offer additional rounds while preserving the firearm’s balance and ease of use, ensuring that the modification is beneficial, not burdensome.
Ergonomics and Concealability
Ergonomics play a significant role in the effectiveness of a magazine extension. It should offer a secure grip and integrate well with the shooter’s hand, all while maintaining the firearm’s concealability. The right design will feel like a natural part of the pistol, even with the larger mag size.
Mag extensions like EBP are designed to optimize a Glock’s performance while aligning with the shooter’s preferences and needs. Choosing the right magazine extension, though, involves a thoughtful assessment of capacity and ergonomic design. You should always ensure anything you add to your kit enhances the shooting experience efficiently and comfortably.
An intelligent choice requires considering several factors:
Ergonomic Grip vs. Concealability: The extension should provide a better grip without detracting from the weapon’s concealability.
Model Compatibility: Check that the extension is suitable for various Glock models for versatility.
Build Quality: Opt for materials that promise durability without unnecessary bulk.
Reloading Performance: Look for designs that ensure swift and reliable magazine changes, especially under duress.
Enter The GripForce EBP
The GripForce EBP offers Glock enthusiasts a blend of functional enhancements and practical advantages. GripForce EBP offers Glock owners a combination of available enhancements and practical benefits.
The GripForce increases the magazine capacity by five additional rounds, which can be a significant factor for users requiring more ammunition. The design of the GripForce EBP includes an ergonomic grip surface, which aims to improve the user’s hold and comfort during use.
Capacity and Convenience
The magazine extension increases the capacity without adding excessive bulk to the firearm, allowing more rounds to be carried discreetly.
Ease of installation is a primary feature of the GripForce EBP, as it is designed to be attached without needing specialized tools or professional gunsmithing. The durability is also one of the major selling points; it also comes with a non-reflective finish, which some users might find suitable. This combination of increased capacity, ergonomic design, and accessible installation positions the GripForce EBP as a significant upgrade for the Glock platform. Certainly, it is a solid option to consider!
Upgrading Your Glock Mag Extensions
Magazine extensions have become an essential consideration for Glock owners seeking additional ammunition capacity beyond what the standard magazine offers. When contemplating such upgrades, it is important to assess how they will affect the firearm’s balance, grip, and ease of carrying, ensuring that the handling qualities of the Glock are maintained or enhanced.
Compatibility is also a key factor; it is vital to ensure that the extension is specifically designed to fit your Glock model to avoid any potential fitting issues. Moreover, the build quality cannot be overlooked—the materials and construction must be robust enough to withstand the demands of regular use without compromising the structural integrity of the weapon.
For those in the market for a magazine extension, a thorough approach is recommended. This includes researching and potentially testing various models to ensure the chosen extension enhances the Glock’s performance without compromising its design.
Welcome back to part 2 of Caleb’s interview with Melody Lauer of Citizen’s Defense Research! In this episode they take an even deeper dive into CCW tips for parents. If you’d like to train with Melody, you can! Just search for “Citizens Defense Research Eventbrite” on google
This headline and variations of it are common out of Maine, as more information about the shooter’s actions leading up to his attacks on the bowling alley and bar where he killed 18 people and wounded 13 others severely with gunfire, is torn apart and examined.
Card, the shooter, was a career length Army reservist of Staff NCO (E-7, Sergeant First Class) rank and some manner of shooting instructor. He made threats against a Reserve or National Guard station in September. The Center followed up with police who then attempted to find Card… for about 2 weeks. They stopped when they couldn’t find him.
This was the nightmare scenario that pro-gun advocates dread. One of “our own” (at least on paper to anti-2A types) going rogue and causing a mass causality event. But the more we learn the more this looks like yet another failure of the authorities, perhaps an unavoidable one, to do the things they continue to promise the public they can do. But they cannot, it is physically and digitally impossible to do.
Card then shot 31 people.
Background Check
Robert Card was, until that attack, a citizen “in good standing” and probably owned several firearms as an instructor. Even with threats leveled against the Saco, Maine military instillation, the specifics of which I do not know but prompted the notice from Maine Army National Guard, none of that changes the prior clearance to purchase or the otherwise professional background of the man.
A background check, no matter how universal you want to pretend it is, would not be able to prevent this. The checks were already done and passed.
He was also recently denied a silencer transfer at the point of sale. I do not know if he answered the 4473 or the Form 4 as prohibited, but one of them terminated the process. There is, however, no follow up on prohibited transfers that do not happen, there just isn’t. It is far too common an event and usually amounts to nothing. NICS false positive rates are absurdly high, especially for initial denials. Improper record keeping accounts for a dramatic percentage of the denials. Mistakes on paperwork account for another massive chunk. But in the end, Card did not get the silencer due to the gun shop employee actions.
In Card’s attempted silencer purchase it was his own answer on the form that denied him the transfer at the point of sale. Not a background check, no governmental authority checked for his mental health institutionalization, he volunteered that information. The background check system certainly “didn’t work” to stop him from the governmental end.
Side note: Anyone claiming that the silencer purchase would have made things tremendously worse is a moron, unworthy of giving an opinion on the subject. A “silenced” 5.56 rifle shot at short distance, indoors, is still uncomfortably loud and getting shot at at interior distances is hard to mistake.
Gun Free Zones
Both the bowling alley and the bar were gun free zones. That fact did nothing to prevent the attack. It was ignored as easily as a speed limit sign. It is just a written rule. People ignore written rules all the time. Unless the premises has an enforcement mechanism that rule is effectively a polite suggestion. Nothing more.
Red Flag Law
I’ve seen it written a few places that Maine doesn’t have a “Red Flag Law” and that this is what failed to prevent the tragedy. They have a colloquially titled “Yellow Flag Law” which seems to function exactly the same.
Let’s break this down.
Card was treated for something at a mental facility for a two week period during the summer. This seems to have been involuntary, but no confirmation. If it was involuntary he became a prohibited possessor federally at that time. This does not mean any action was initiated by the authorities to remove firearms, merely that he was now required to answer ‘yes’ like he did on his silencer application to the mental health question.
When he leveled the shooting threat against the Maine National Guard station, this behavior was acted upon by the police. That is how a red flag law works. Concerning behavior, reported behavior, court backed law enforcement action to attempt intervention.
But the police never made contact with Card, after two weeks the attempts were shelved and the case was closed as incomplete, no contact with suspect, and so forth, as much as the police had for information on their attempts.
That is the hard limit of an ERPO or any other preventative. They require the resources and interaction to enforce. It is in all other respects just the polite suggestion of society.
Will gun laws change?
There is certainly a current push for both “Universal Background Checks” which are the most likely effort to be put in place, and an assault weapon ban. But with an assault weapon ban on life support in California, the oldest version of the law in the nation, that avenue is most likely political grand standing and base appeasement, not the concerted efforts for a legislative push. The government is also rather hit and miss on its message of arming civilians as it pushes arms to Ukraine, which definitely armed civilians, and Israel, who was warned not to arm civilians with its delivered armaments.
Into that quagmire we are most likely to see much harrumphing and beating of chests, but little to endanger democrat reelection efforts needing to be ramped up next year in a dicey economy and with unpopularity and strife points across many spaces.
And each one of those could easily take a lifetime to master. We all know black belts and GMs that are still working to improve. That being said, it is very easy to get caught up in the pursuit of all of this that we manage to forget exactly what it is that we’re working so hard to protect:
Our lives, livelihoods, and well-being. It’s possible to spend so much time refining these skills that the rest of life gets neglected and falls by the wayside. There are some folks who choose to live their lives around the gun, and refuse to go anywhere they’re not allowed to carry (or risk the legal consequences of carrying where prohibited).
Then there are those who go the Travis Bickle route, hardening themselves for what they are certain is an imminent battle. For me personally, I choose to live as fulfilling a life as possible. I enjoy good food and drink, the arts, and travel.
My study of predators, violent criminal actors, and defense craft are there to supplement this lifestyle, and make sure that I’m able to have the broadest and most varied range of experiences possible.
It’s an easy trap to get caught in, and it’s not discussed much. I just wanted to highlight this pitfall so that more people are aware that it’s out there. Ultimately it’s your life. Live it how you choose. But I do think it’s worth asking the question whether or not you’re spending more time training than you actually do living.
I recently got to team up with the guys at Defender Tactical to help design a sighting system and optics mount for shotguns. To be clear, they did the vast majority of the work. I pitched an idea. They did the manufacturing, prototyping, and testing. I had input here and there with my ideas, but they really put in the work to develop the mount and perfect it. It’s called the CoSight, and it’s recently released to the world.
Who Is Defender Tactical?
Defender Tactical are the shotgun guys. They make shotgun accessories for a few different guns, and they have a good focus on the Mossberg 500 series firearms. One of their most popular accessories is an insert that allows you to use any length of shell in your shotgun, from 3-inch magnums to 1.75-inch mini shells. They also make a HighBall sight for Mossberg shotguns and a rear safety that doubles as a rear sight.
They are making some really cool stuff that’s innovative. Defender Tactical is a small company, and they are doing some really novel stuff for shotguns. They were a natural partner for the CoSight.
What’s the CoSight
The CoSight is an idea that implements both optics and iron sights onto a shotgun. I was searching around forever, trying to find a modern version of the rifle sights that companies like Ithaca used to put on their Deer Slayer shotguns. It seems rare these days, and I really like the speed and precision offered by those sights.
I wanted open sights on a shotgun, but I also recognized that red dots rule. Why not have both? The CoSight offers just that. The ability to have both a good, low-profile optics mount and a set of backup iron sights offers you a very capable option.
The CoSight has sight mounts for both front and rear Glock sights. It admittedly doesn’t offer you a very long sight radius, but it’s also a backup sight. Your red dot is doing most of the action. One of the benefits of a short radius is speed, and this is a fast way to get the gun on target. It’s quick and easy to align and, therefore, easy to get accurate lead on target.
With Ghost ring sights a suppressor height sight aligns perfectly.
Using the front sight is optional. If you have a Mossberg with ghost ring sights and have a rifle-style front sight, then you can just use a Glock rear sight. You’ll need a suppressor height .394 height rear sight. It aligns perfectly with the Mossberg front sight and gives you that long-eye relief you might want for accurate shotgun engagements.
Does it Work
I might be a bit biased, but yes, yes, it works very well. The open sights are quick and easy to get behind, which means you’re on target faster. You can cowitness right through the optic with most open emitter optics. Enclosed emitters may require a higher sight. For example, the 509T requires a taller rear sight.
With a Shockwave and just the CoSight irons, I put slugs on steel at 50 yards. I’d say that’s pretty dang accurate. With a Mossberg 590A1 and the longer sight radius, hitting targets at 100 yards with slugs was in the realm of possibility. (A rest helped a ton.)
Up close, I was getting sub-second snap drills with buckshot in the A-zone. That’s fast, and that’s just with the iron sights. I left the dot off. The dot adds a little more oomph, but we know dots work. I wanted to test the iron sight capability.
To be clear, I don’t receive any cut of the sales of the CoSight. My work amounted to some emails and text messages. I like the product. Obviously, there is a bias, but there isn’t a financial one. You can check it out here.
How do we move wood from one spot to another? Such as from the outside woodstack to inside for the woodstove? Many will say “just load up your arms” but there are other options that will make your life a lot easier. These options are called log carriers, a long bag that allows you to stack firewood and carry it away with two hands.
Below are some things to look for when choosing a log carrier and comparisons of a few specific carriers. Hint: A log carrier from amazon isn’t worth the savings of a few bucks.
The Material
Many higher quality log carriers are made with waxed canvas. Focus on the stitching such as the addition of cross-stitching and reinforced stitching.
The Shape and Design
Log carriers will come in multiple sizes and shapes. Size will go by inches and ounces.The two things to focus on are the side of the carriers and the handles. Some carriers will have walled sides. This helps with ensuring that the wood doesn’t slide out from the side and onto the ground (ask me how I know). The handles are important in the fact that you may want the option of either a strap connecting the handles together or even a strap connecting the bag together. This will also help in carrying the wood without any falling out.
Design additions such as a small pocket on the outside are always nice to throw extra tools in as well.
On the left is the Amazon log carrier, on the right is the white duck outdoors carrier. Notice how much skinnier the amazon carrier is. Also notice how much more material surrounds the logs on the white duck carrier vs the amazon.
The Price
If you’re paying over 60 bucks for a log carrier, you’re paying too much. High quality carriers that aren’t small are averaging around 40-50 dollars. While log carriers are still a buy once cry once for quality kind of deal, it shouldn’t break the bank.
Options
Below is a comparison between an outdoors company making a log carrier, and a random carrier from Amazon. While White Duck Outdoors is a very trusted and high quality outdoors company, focus on the features that the log carriers have and not have rather than just the company.
LARGE LOG CAPACITY – 38” long X 18” wide, with 6.5” handles, large enough to carry a fair amount of logs, firewood and kindlings. Side-open design allows to carry logs of any length
HEAVY CANVAS MATERIAL – Made of heavy duty 16oz waxed cotton canvas, the log hauler is tear resistant, waterproof and it cleans off easily
PRACTICAL AND SECURE – Reinforced stitching handles and a canvas protection pad with snap lock for easy grip; a metal loop closure with a strap on top to secure the load for safe carrying
This is the amazon carrier. The 16oz size was not large enough for a good amount of wood nor did the open sides of the carrier hold the wood inside the carrier.
Personal Experience
After using both the Amazon Tenn Well Firewood Carrier and the White Duck Outdoors carrier, I will never go back to the amazon one as my main carrier. I will keep it as extra in case I have more hands and help to grab wood, but the White Duck Outdoors blew it out of the water. The amazon carrier caused me to drop wood all of the time due to it sliding out which made me fill the carrier less. In one trip with the white duck carrier I can haul the same amount of wood as I could in two trips with the amazon carrier just due to those walls. I also like having the handle velcro option to close the bag instead of the ringlet strap that the amazon carrier has. If I could have one thing different about the white duck carrier though it would be to add a small pocket on the outside as some of their other carriers have.
These are more options from WhiteDuckOutdoors. Notice the small pockets or top strap on some of the carriers.
It’s no secret that I love shotguns. They are my favorite weapons and offer a powerful, versatile option. They excel at what we consider pistol ranges, and if you want to put a threat down with a single shot, a shotgun is your best go-to. Shotguns are close-range weapons, but slugs can extend that range and deliver one solid projectile on target. Most people load buckshot, but when they meet a slug problem, they are likely to swap buckshot for slugs using a slug select drill.
A slug select drill allows you to swap to that long-range target taker quickly and efficiently. There is an argument that it’s one of those skills we train for extremely niche situations. I’ve even people ask to be shown any documented evidence of a slug select drill ever being required. Up until a few days ago, I would have nothing to show, but I recently watched a video from a body cam from the LASD. They were responding to an active shooter, and the deputy rolled out with a Remington 870.
His side saddle carried slugs, and he very slowly did a slug select drill where he seemed to potentially empty more than the rounds necessary and take a lot of time to get the slug into play. With that in mind, what’s the actual procedure of a slug select drill, and why would anyone ever use one?
The Why Behind Slug Select Drills
The first and most obvious answer is range. Slugs enhance a shotgun’s range out to about 100 yards with a smooth bore, bead-sighted shotgun. That’s a good bit more than the 50-yard or so range we get with buckshot. Other than range, we get greater accountability. Buckshot spreads as it travels and at longer ranges, that’s eight to nine pellets spreadly rapidly, and they are liable to go a foot in either direction of the target at 50 yards. A slug increases accountability.
Slugs also penetrate very deeply and decisively. This makes them handy for large and dangerous game. If you run into an angry bear or upset elk, then a slug is a great choice for a decisive put-down. While dangerous game is an issue, so are engine blocks for police forces. A proper 12-gauge slug can chew through one. That’s a valuable trait of slugs in the world of intermediate-caliber rifles.
That same punching-through power can deal with barriers without the slug diverting too badly. Glass windows, doors, and the like are butter, and a slug is a hot knife. Slug select drills to make it easy to get a solid ounce or so or lead in your gun and on target quickly and efficiently.
The Universal Slug Select Drill
There are lots of great instructors out there to teach you this drill, and you should seek out a qualified shotgun instructor to really learn the best way to do a slug-select drill for your gun. However, there is a fairly basic way to do a slug select with most shotguns.
Assume the gun is cruiser loaded with a full magazine tube. Rack a round of buckshot into the chamber. Thread a slug into the tube. Rack the gun again, ejecting your buckshot and now loading the slug. That’s it. You now have a slug on tap. You can load a second slug into the tube just in case you need two.
Beretta and Benelli options
Beretta, Benelli, and many foreign semi-auto shotguns have a shell release button. You can manually trip the button and have to load a round from the tube to the chamber. When you fire the weapon, this will also release a round onto the shell lifter. The good news is for a slug select drill on a Benelli or Beretta semi-auto, the shooter simply needs to pull the charging handle rearward.
This ejects the live round and allows the shooter to directly load a slug into the chamber of the gun and fire it. It’s quite nice and very easy to do. Benelli’s SuperNova even has a magazine cut-off button in the pump, which makes slug-select drills really easy with a pump gun.
Slug Select Drills
Like everything, you have to practice and become proficient. It takes some serious practice to become quick and proficient at the task, but it’s worth working at if you want to master the shotgun. Sometimes, you just have to slug it out.
