Leupold Announces Best-in-Class BX-4 Range HD Rangefinding Binocular

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August 8, 2023

BEAVERTON, Ore. — Leupold & Stevens, Inc., provider of the world’s most rugged, lightweight, and clear sport optics, is pleased to announce the release of its BX-4 Range HD TBR/W rangefinding binocular.

When speed is paramount, there’s no substitute for a rangefinding binocular. The BX-4 Range HD TBR/W 10x42mm fuses Leupold’s DNA engine and ballistics software with the optical performance diehard hunters and shooters demand. “

The BX-4 Range HD combines the industry’s fastest ranging solution with Leupold’s unparalleled optical performance,” said Product Line Manager Eric Overstreet. “It’s easy to use, it’s incredibly fast, and it offers a clearer display than anything else in its price class.”

A true hybrid of tech and optical performance, the BX-4 Range HD combines Leupold’s DNA laser engine and ballistics software with the company’s award-winning BX-4 binocular, allowing hunters and shooters to spot and range targets at the same time without wasting valuable seconds switching between gear. Its high contrast red OLED display delivers visible readouts in any light, and its edge-to-edge resolution makes glassing sessions easy on the eyes.

The BX-4 Range HD is built around Leupold’s Elite Optical System. It delivers excellent dawn-to-dusk light transmission for a bright image when it matters most, elite-level glare reduction in harsh light, and the resolution and clarity diehard hunters and shooters demand. Compare it to other rangefinding binoculars in its class, and you’ll notice a significant difference, especially in low light.

Looking for a ballistic solution that promises something as simple as range, dial, shoot? Leupold’s True Ballistic Range/Wind (TBR/W) technology takes precision to the next level by offering 25 selectable ballistics groups that account for your preferred cartridge, helping you dial in the exact range of your target. Using the rifleman’s rule on an angled 600-yard shot could result in a 10-15- inch margin of error when compared to the dead-on accuracy of Leupold’s TBR/W. And with TBR/W’s 10-mph wind holds, you’ll have all the information you need to experience more first-shot hits. Combine that accuracy with Leupold’s Custom Dial System and you’ll be on target in seconds. The BX-4 Range HD ranges reflective targets at 2,600 yards, trees at 1,600 yards and deer-sized game at 1,100 yards.

“Hunters and shooters have been asking us to develop a rangefinding binocular for years,” said Tim Lesser, Vice President of Product Development and Marketing for Leupold & Stevens, Inc. “We weren’t going to come to market until we had the product that Leupold consumers both demand and require. The BX-4 Range HD is that product. Its rangefinding solution and optical performance are the best in its class, hands down.”

Further, it is ambidextrous. Left-handed consumers can access the easy-to-use menu and configure the unit to be operated with the left hand. The BX-4 Range HD delivers superior ruggedness and is tested for extreme climates. It is waterproof and fogproof.

For more information on Leupold products, please visit us at Leupold.com.

Join the discussion on Facebook at Facebook.com/LeupoldOptics, on Twitter at
Twitter.com/LeupoldOptics, or on Instagram at Instagram.com/LeupoldOptics.

Founded in Oregon more than a century ago, Leupold & Stevens, Inc. is a fifth-generation, family-owned company that designs, machines,and assembles its riflescopes, mounting systems, tactical/Gold Ring spotting scopes, and performance eyewear in the USA. The product lines include rifle, handgun, and spotting scopes; binoculars; rangefinders; mounting systems; and optical tools, accessories, and pro gear.

Leupold & Stevens, Inc., P.O. Box 688, Beaverton, OR 97075-0688, U.S.A.
Phone: (800) LEUPOLD or (503) 526-1400 • Fax: (503) 352-7621 • www.leupold.com

The Craziest Guns From Cobray

By

Travis Pike

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August 8, 2023

If Cobray was around today, they would be the ultimate meme gun company. They were rebellious before being rebellious was cool in the gun industry. When the Hughes Amendment was going into action, they worked around the clock to produce MAC machine guns to give a little more supply to the struggling market. Cobray is a company that went through a lot of names and a bit of legal trouble here and there, mostly regarding taxes and divorces. They were known as SWD and Leinad at times.

They made a diverse group of guns. In fact, I can’t seem to find a fuel catalog of the crazy guns they produced. It seems like every now and then, something no one has ever seen or was barely ever seen pops up with the Cobray, Leinad, or SWD name attached to it. My goal in life is to one day start a Cobray museum with all these oddities, and these are the first five I want!

The Craziest Guns From Cobray

Cobray DS410

We’ll start you guys off light. Most of you probably know Cobray made a .410/45 Colt Derringer. Those are silly but not unusual per se. Did you know that Cobray took that same derringer and turned it into a full-size double-barrel shotgun? Imagine those Cobray derringers with 18-inch barrels, smoothbore this time, of course.

Cobray also added a rear stock to the gun, specifically a Zytel stock. Cobray famously used Zytel in tons of their guns. The stock was also an under-folding design that had a few spaces for some extra .410 shells. What was most impressive was the fact it weighed less than a couple of pounds. I would love to see a more modern, better-built variant of the DS410 as a survival shotgun. Maybe Bond will make a giant version of their .410 derringer.

The Terminator

Here is another shotgun that Cobray designed. The Terminator is certainly a name. This is a single-shot 12 gauge that is an absurd half-zip gun. The Terminator is an open-bolt design with a rather unusual operating system. The barrel and breach actually slam rearward against a fixed firing pin to fire the gun. Not only was this silly, but it increased felt recoil by the action of slamming forward.

Overall it looks like it came from a dystopian future film. It has a collapsing stock described as painful but does make it a compact 22 inches long when the stock is collapsed. A perforated handguard gives you that TEC-9 vibe as well. It’s been described as the worst shotgun ever. I really hope I get the opportunity to own one.

The Ladies’ Home Companion

In an odd move in the 1990s, the Brady Campaign lobbied Lloyd Bentsen, the Treasury Secretary, to declare the Street Sweeper and Striker destructive devices under the NFA. Cobray produced the Street Sweeper, and this action killed its production. However, Cobray produced a handgun with a similar design to the Street Sweeper known as the Ladies Home Companion. This was a .45-70 and .410 caliber handgun.

It was advertised as a defensive firearm. It lacked a stock and was essentially a large-format pistol. The Ladies Home Companion wasn’t banned but wasn’t popular either. It’s a rather absurd firearm and not very effective, but I can’t help but want one.

Pocket Pal

The Pocket Pal is a truly cool weapon. It’s a revolver, kind of, that has two barrels and comes with two cylinders. Users would have to swap the cylinders on damnd and could change the caliber. The cylinder completely enclosed the pistol, and it was a double-action-only setup that looked more like a small automatic than a revolver.

Users opened the top and dropped either a three-shot .380 ACP cylinder in or a five-shot .22LR cylinder. It was fairly clever, and again would be neat to see a new variant from a more reputable company reach production. Although, I’d want something a little more than three rounds of .380 ACP.

The Pepperbox

Pepperboxes are nothing new. They were a bit of an in-between from single-shot handguns to revolvers. Cobray brought them back in a way that only Cobray could. They made two of them. One of them was a five-shot, single-action-only pepperbox that chambered .45 Colt and .410. The five-round shooter is built on the derringer frame with an absurdly small grip.

A less common version of the Cobray Pepperbox is a ten-shot .22 Magnum pepperbox that’s also built on the derringer frame. There is some cleverness to the design. Each barrel has its own front and rear sights, and while silly, it’s likely a lot easier to shoot than the .45 Colt and .410 pepperbox.

Cobray Strikes

Cobray was too bright of a star that was too pure for this world. The Cobray series of handguns, shotguns, and other oddities are certainly interesting. Cobray didn’t make good guns, but they made unique ones. Sadly, Cobray is no longer around, and we can’t enjoy their craziness. Imagine the stuff they’d produce today? Bumpstocks? Forced Reset Triggers? 80% lower jigs?

Gunday Brunch 112: The Bear Necessities of Life

By

Keith Finch

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August 6, 2023

If you don’t immediately start singing the song, you’re too young for this episode. Today the boys are talking about the basic essential guns: what are the four guns every gun owner should start with?

Real World Testing – Ukrainian Small Arms

By

Keith Finch

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August 4, 2023

While the video is two minutes of things you might already know about the FN SCAR series, if you are familiar with the rifles even on a macro level, the interesting thing we are seeing is these rifle perform in a sustained armed conflict. We have a middling but contained near peer conflict that is showcasing combined arms and testing modern small arms in a real way. We are seeing less out of Russia than we have been recently but we are seeing a lot of rifles in Ukrainian hands kitted in various ways that seem familiar to us.

Yep, those are nuts.

ARs, AKs, SCARs, Bren2s, Tavors, MS Grot, and just about any modern and near modern rifle has been shipped and equipped to Ukrainian ground troops with accessories to aid the fight. Now I’ve seen a few slick rifles too here and there, and there are certainly cases where that really isn’t a problem for the vehicle crew or troops using them as their primaries are the mechanized whatever so optics should go to infantry.

But it’s an interesting space as we see modern rifles beside slick ones that wouldn’t be considered up to date. These rifles are being used effectively both kitted and slick as long as the troops know what they’re doing. A good rifle is but a small part of the fighting equation when the fight gets beyond the individual level. Knowing your rifle is important, knowing your role in your team and squad is important, knowing it all makes and keeps you an effective fighting asset in the larger conflict.

Thinking about this on a local level for a moment. Got a good rifle and gear? Check, cool.

Know how to use them? Took some classes and did a little 2-gun or 3-gun on the regular? Awesome.

How well do you know your neighbors? How well can you take your individual and team knowledge and turn those neighbors into a cohesive community unit, one that can provide for and defend their little slice of space while havoc reigns elsewhere. Can you get them set up into an ad hoc emergency team for aid and care, protection, food and water, etc. for a mid-term or long term emergency. Weather or riot doesn’t matter nearly as much as the ability to take whatever combination of problems arise and start solving them for your group.

Low Profile Travel Guns – A Prudent Idea

By

Travis Pike

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August 4, 2023

I’m about to embark on a rather long road trip across the country. It’s not necessarily desirable, but a must-have. Without sharing too many details, my end destination is not a very good place, it has high crime, high population density, and I’ll be there for several days. Knowing the area’s problems and the danger of being an out-of-towner, I’m not going unarmed. I’m bringing a good concealed-carry firearm as well as a travel gun. I commonly bring a long gun on long trips just in case, but I’ve changed the nature of the firearm I bring along. These days I pack a low profile travel gun.

I can’t remember where I heard the idea from or from who I heard it, but it stuck with me. If you know, let us know, and I’ll gladly give credit. The idea is that when traveling, especially on long trips, a good long gun is quite valuable to have. However, depending on where you’re going, the long gun you pack might vary.

Obviously, we comply with the law, and we know certain states have feelings about ARs, standard capacity magazines, and all that anti-gun BS. That certainly forces you into using something a little lower profile than your average modern rifle. However, what if it’s not the law you’re dealing with but a perception?

The Low Profile Travel Gun

Put yourself in the shoes of a police officer. You might not be personally anti-gun. Hell, you might be pro-gun or have never really thought in depth about it. You run across an out-of-state driver packing an AR-15, loaded mags, and all the gadgets and gizmos you could ever want. It certainly looks suspicious. You’re not breaking the law and will likely drive away without issue, but it doesn’t mean you might not get held up about it.

On the flip side, let’s say you have to use your weapon in a defensive situation, far from home. Imagine the potential blowback. Look at how the Rittenhouse situation turned out. There were certainly a host of issues to address, but the fact he carried an AR wrongly described as an assault rifle was the subject of much gnashing of teeth.

Modern weaponry, covered in all that scary black furniture and rails, might draw the wrong kind of attention. A low profile travel gun can still be a capable tool, but it defies perception. You and I likely recognize that most gun control is essentially about cosmetics, and we want to defy those cosmetics.

What’s the Low Profile Travel Gun Look Like?

In my mind, the best low profile travel gun looks like a sporting gun. Some people picture an old man carrying in the deer stand every fall. Wood certainly helps, as does the lack of vertical pistol grips, rials, and whatnot.

Lever guns are certainly an excellent choice, as are some pump and semi-auto shotguns. My preferred model is a Winchester 1300 Deer Slug gun. It’s a smooth-bore shotgun with a 22-inch barrel and rifle sights positioned on the barrel. It holds five rounds of 2.75-inch shells, and that’s often more than enough for defensive work. Another great choice would be the Mossberg 940 Pro-Turkey guns with their semi-auto actions and red dot-ready configurations.

A Henry lever gun in .357 Magnum or even .44 Magnum would be a solid choice. They tend to be lighter, and the cowboy association certainly makes them fairly low profile for the environment.

I would avoid guns that might be somewhat easy to misunderstand. The Mossberg Shockwave, for example, appears to many to be a sawn-off shotgun due to its ultrashort barrel. We know it’s not a shotgun, but not everyone might. The same might go for anything with a brace. The ATF can’t make laws, but if you have one, it might be you hung up.

Travel Onwards

This whole thing might seem silly to some and potentially a bit paranoia-like to others. It might even irk some readers. However, I like to travel, and I like to keep things somewhat low profile. A sporting shotgun is still a powerful and capable tool, even if it looks like Grandpa’s deer slayer. If I’m staying overnight in an environment I don’t know, in an Airbnb, I’m not just relying on my P365 in case something goes bump in the night.

Driving with out-of-state tags is a great way to get some unwanted attention, and I want to avoid that attention if my trunk gets opened, or lord forbid I have to use my firearm defensively. That’s just like, my opinion, man.

Gun laws suck at… well… existing

By

Keith Finch

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August 3, 2023

Concealed carry insurance is up — Photo Credit: Getty Images/iStockphoto

San Jose’s gun law leaves officers unclear on enforcement approach

Look, my opinions and commentary stray from ‘journalism’ in the strictest sense pretty often. This is my blog space. I’m the head of publication. It is my prerogative to go on a bit of a rant about things that get under my skin here and there between sending the normal stream of content, happenings, reviews, and so forth.

This is one of those things.

San Jose, like many US jurisdictions are doing, passed another bullshit feel good law that the cops don’t know what to do with. This isn’t the low hanging take of “AlL GuN LawS R INfRingmenTz!” it is the legitimate problem of most of the nonsense ‘do something’ measures that are passed by councils and legislatures in the veneer of violence prevention.

The rules are titled and meant to evoke the feeling of safety and efficacy instead of being effective, or making the community safer, or being written in a way to help law enforcement make them work at all.

The rule in question?

The Gun Harm Reduction Ordinance

This piece of genius requires, requires it demands spuriously, that gun insurance be held and a sin tax of $25 a year to support an ‘unspecified nonprofit’ to support victims of “gun harm” in the community. It demands this from ‘good’ gun owners, obviously. They won’t say the part out loud where the people paying aren’t remotely contributing to the problem enough to matter. The Gun Harm Reduction Ordinance is going to be, somehow, enabling an inspection of gun owners for holding insurance. I’m certain that this will finally get all the violence under control. The public ownership is just under insured and needs to pay a little more money…

What utter crap.

What incognitive bullshit.

What a perfect nothing burger of nonsense to waste police time, resources, and put some extra money in the pockets of an insurance company for no benefit. It’s not like they’re going to be paying out that often. So you just tax and fee a person who probably wasn’t a problem, to generate no payout from the insurance company because they weren’t the problem so no payout, to maybe tap into the charity pile of money, that will be paying their staff with a bunch of that money, who were still not part of the problem.

Brilliant.

I’m certain the as-of-yet unidentified charitable organization will be entirely above board and have consistent oversight by the governing body of San Jose. No reason to worry at all.

Again, how is this supposed to work? Not even ‘reduce crime’ or ‘gun violence in the community’… just… work?

Pay $59.23 a month, and $25 a year to “charity”, for insurance as a responsible gun owner in case the police ask for your proof of insurance and then… what? Does the insurance pay out if your gun gets stolen and used in a crime? Wouldn’t that create another avenue for insurance fraud? What are the criteria for pay out? Does the owner get compensated for the lost firearm and the victim get a payout? Why would this matter if the lawful owner is the one that commits the violent crime? If it does payout if the owner commits a crime, a terrible plan, would we just require all criminals to carry crime insurance? That seems like a swell plan.

Really top notch and well reasoned problem solving here. Insure the criminals against their crimes. Certainly feels like they’re just calling all gun owners, estimated at up to 60% of US adults now, criminals… but I’m sure that’s coincidence for the grounded and well meaning lordship of San Jose.

So back to the original question. How good is a law the cops can’t figure out how to enforce? How good is that law if LEOs are left scratching their heads at how to check insurance paperwork instead of preventative measures the community?

The Revenant Corps IMP – A G10 Slasher

By

Travis Pike

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August 3, 2023

A little while back, we reviewed a Sharpie with a G10 stabby tip for discreet self-defense. A little company called Revenant Corps created and appreciated our review. Enough so they sent me a few more knives to take for a spin. One is known as the IMP, and IMP stands for Impale Maim and Puncture, which describes this shiv quite well. Specifically, it’s the IMP with a hook, and the hook is at the bottom of the grip for aided retention.

Much like the Sharpie, the IMP is made entirely from G10. This makes it undetectable when it comes to dealing with metal detectors. This doesn’t mean breaking the law because that’s a great way to find yourself behind some very metal bars, for a very long time, possibly with a very high fine. That being said, there are plenty of places that might have metal detectors and have no force of law regarding carrying weapons. G10 is great for that.

It’s also super lightweight, making it lighter to carry than a metal weapon. With a fixed blade sticker, the IMP is lighter and easier to tote when carried daily. G10 is quite tough and makes a good stabber, and while it can slice, it’s really all about the sticking and impalement.

Breaking Down the IMP

The handle of the IMP is just long enough to fill your hand and be entirely enclosed by your hand. The IMP’s handle is wrapped with hemp twine and done so quite tightly. That hemp is then epoxied and hardened. It forms a dense material that adds texture to the IMP. It’s rough and sticking, which helps ensure the blade doesn’t move in your hand. Even with wet or sweaty hands, the IMP stays put.

This model has the hook, and there is a nonhook version as well. The hook makes it easy to draw from a sheath and helps retain the weapon when doing something like an ice pick grip. The hook is fairly handy but does add some slight bulk. Not a big deal in my usage. I do prefer the hook, especially when it comes time to draw the knife.

The sheath system is also nonmetallic and made from rigid polymer. The sheath has a pocket hook and a status line. It can be worn tight to the body, and the static line makes it really easy to mount it wherever you want it along your belt line. The really lightweight nature of the G10 knife ensures it doesn’t rotate, even though it’s fairly long.

If you pocket carry the IMP, you have a hook to catch on your pocket as you draw the knife. Alternatively, you can tie the static line to your belt and allow it to pull the sheath off as it leaves your pocket. The only problem there is when you draw, you have to pull the sheathed knife out quite far before the blade is ready for professional poking.

The IMP In Action

The blade of the IMP is an odd shape. I’m not exactly sure how to describe it. The blade is somewhat triangular-shaped. The design gives the IMP a more rigid design that allows it to be quite durable and more capable of penetrating when used. The blade itself is quite pointy, and while it has a rudimentary slashing edge, it’s certainly more for shiv work than cutting an apple open.

In fact, while most knives offer a more versatile tool-like design, the IMP is just for stabbing things. It’s a self-defense tool, something to give you an edge. Or, rather, a point. Drawing the IMP can be done very quickly from a multitude of positions. Grabbing it and stabbing with it takes no time at all.

The handle is naturally ergonomic. As mentioned, the hook helps with retention. The grip is small and grippy. Plus, there is a natural index point near the tip of the blade. It locks in tight and won’t slip your grip when stabbing and poking. The IMP is little but mean and acts as a great last-ditch tool for self-defense. Plus, your local freedom-hating venue can’t do much to prevent G10 from being carried IWB as you move and groove.

FPC’s Release On 5th Circuit Decision

By

Keith Finch

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August 2, 2023

Firearms formerly known as pistols with their much less dangerous and totally way less concealable rifle counterpart. [/sarc]

NEW ORLEANS, LA (August 1, 2023) – Today, Firearms Policy Coalition (FPC) and FPC Action Foundation (FPCAF) announced that the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals has ruled in Mock v. Garland, finding that FPC and FPCAF are likely to win on the merits of their lawsuit challenging ATF’s pistol brace rule. The Fifth Circuit also remanded the lawsuit back to the district court with instructions to reconsider the other preliminary injunction factors within 60 days. The opinion can be viewed at FPCLegal.org.

“The ATF incorrectly maintains that the Final Rule is merely interpretive, not legislative, and thus not subject to the logical-outgrowth test,” writes Judge Smith in the Court’s opinion. “The Final Rule affects individual rights, speaks with the force of law, and significantly implicates private interests. Thus, it is legislative in character. Then, because the Final Rule bears almost no resemblance in manner or kind to the Proposed Rule, the Final Rule fails the logical-outgrowth test and violates the APA.”

The Court goes on to state: “To ensure relative stability, we MAINTAIN the preliminary injunction pending appeal that the motions panel issued on May 23, 2023, as clarified by this merits panel on May 26, 2023. This court’s injunction will expire 60 days from the date of this decision, or once the district court rules on a preliminary injunction, whichever occurs first. We direct the district court to rule within 60 days.”

“Said in its simplest terms, the Fifth Circuit just indicated that the Plaintiffs–Firearms Policy Coalition, Maxim Defense, and FPC’s individual members–are likely to defeat ATF’s pistol brace rule when the merits of this case are finally heard,” said Cody J. Wisniewski, FPCAF’s General Counsel and FPC’s counsel in this case. “This is a huge win for peaceable gun owners across the nation, a huge win for FPC’s members, and yet another massive defeat for ATF and this administration’s gun control agenda.”

Individuals who would like to Join the FPC Grassroots Army and support important pro-rights lawsuits and programs can sign up at JoinFPC.org. Individuals and organizations wanting to support charitable efforts in support of the restoration of Second Amendment and other natural rights can also make a tax-deductible donation to the FPC Action Foundation. For more on FPC’s lawsuits and other pro-Second Amendment initiatives, visit FPCLegal.org and follow FPC on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, YouTube.

Firearms Policy Coalition (firearmspolicy.org), a 501(c)4 nonprofit organization, exists to create a world of maximal human liberty, defend constitutional rights, advance individual liberty, and restore freedom. FPC’s efforts are focused on the Right to Keep and Bear Arms and adjacent issues including freedom of speech, due process, unlawful searches and seizures, separation of powers, asset forfeitures, privacy, encryption, and limited government. The FPC team are next-generation advocates working to achieve the Organization’s strategic objectives through litigation, research, scholarly publications, amicus briefing, legislative and regulatory action, grassroots activism, education, outreach, and other programs.

5th Circuit Hands ATF Another L – Pistol Braces

By

Keith Finch

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August 2, 2023

From Reuters,

A U.S. regulation restricting ownership of gun accessories known as pistol braces is likely illegal, a federal appeals court ruled Tuesday, a victory for a gun rights group challenging the rule.

A 2-1 panel of the New Orleans-based 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals found that U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives finalized the rule in January without giving the public a meaningful chance to comment on it. That made it invalid under the federal Administrative Procedure Act, the panel found.

Based perhaps on the ATFs own haste to publish the rule, which if you’ll recall the put up for comment and then withdrew early when it got savagely panned by commentary, the published rule that went into effect back in January and added just over 200,000 SBRs to the NFA Registrar out of an estimated 5,000,000 to 15,000,000 is probably illegal.

Even before considering the arguments under the 2A and ADA, or any other avenue of legal attack the brace rule was wide open for, the ATF may have run afoul by simply not opening a second comment period on the revised rule.

Bump stocks, frames, and braces oh my. ATF rule making, at the behest of the administrations, to appease emoting demanding moms and mayors continues their string of well earned losses.

It is increasingly evident that gun control ‘wins’ are nothing more than courts not wanting to conflict with their local rule makers when they can easily just let it be decided by a higher court and it isn’t their problem anymore.

The court did not immediately block enforcement of the rule, instead sending the case back to U.S. District Judge Reed O’Connor in Fort Worth, Texas. O’Connor will have to decide whether to issue an order blocking enforcement while the case goes forward, and if so, whether that order will apply nationwide or only to the plaintiffs in the case.

Bloke on the Range and 9-Hole take the rifle that should’ve been the M14 to the range.

By

Keith Finch

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August 1, 2023

I’m going to continue the dismantling of M14 mythos a bit more from Sunday.

I am also going to acknowledge that we probably, given our national pension for weirdness and choices, would’ve ended up with an inch pattern FAL instead of metric… because America.

That wouldn’t have been the end of the world by any means, the Brits did well with their L1A1s but it was funny to hear of ground forces picking up the Argentinian metric ones with the giggle switches during the Falkland Islands campaign.

Anyway, the FAL should have been the NATO service weapon. The M14 and G3 were spawned out of weird politicking more than practicality if you look at the history of both. But the FAL remains in a more competitive state of operative obsolescence than the M14 does, which I will happily declare to be truly obsolete.

I don’t want this to get too into the weeds on the M14 since I’m sharing a FAL video, however the control scheme on the 14/M1A is what pushes it over the brink for me. It just cannot be run as efficiently as any other 20th or 21st Century fighting rifle it is competing against. It’s stacking inefficiencies and problematic accuracy maintenance ultimately shelf it. It isn’t that it doesn’t work, or doesn’t shoot, or falls apart like a budget build AR that never saw a torque wrench, it just remains the worst of the best of the mid 20th century battle rifles and we need to stop carrying water for it just because it was nostalgically adequate.

The Marshall – Montana Knife Company

By

Travis Pike

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August 1, 2023

I love small American businesses. The American dream is only a dream if you sit around thinking about it. Businesses like Montana Knife Company seize the American Dream and make it a reality. In the world of knives, guns, and tactical gear, the way an American company succeeds is by making products better than the competition. Montana Knife Company, of MKC for short, recently sent me their Marshall fieldcraft knife, and it’s easy to see why they’ve been successful.

Who Is Montana Knife Company

Montana Knife Company, or MKC, is predictably located in Montana and helmed by Josh Smith, a master bladesmith who grew up in Montana. Reading the guy’s resume might make you feel bad for yourself. He started making knives at 11, and by 15, he became the youngest person ever to pass the Journeyman blade smith test at Blade Show. At 19, he became the youngest Master Smith.

Needless to say, the guy knows his craft. He makes a variety of knives aimed at outdoor use, culinary use, and skinning game. These are ruggedly made handcrafted knives. A glance at his website shows he can barely keep knives in stock, and demand is certainly high amongst serious outdoor’s folks.

What’s the Marshall

The Marshall Bushcraft Knife is named after the Bob Marshall Wilderness area in Montana. This bushcraft blade is the biggest, widest, and thickest knife produced by the Montana Knife Company. It’s a big boy that’s 12 ⅝ inches long, with a blade length of 7 ⅝ inches. The Marshall has a thick .170 spine, but the knife isn’t overly weighty at 9.8 ounces.

The Marshall features a clip-point tip and a massive belly. The blade is made from 52100 carbon steel. I’m not familiar with this steel, but a quick Duck, Duck, Go search later.

I learned that 52100 was steel invented in 1905 for bearings. The steel turns out to be a pretty solid compromise of edge retention, sharpness, and toughness. It’s carbon steel, so it does require some maintenance and can rust if ignored or the finish fails.

The blade is parkerized for a tough finish. The grips are flat-sided G10 panels which have become the standard for serious-use knives. The handle has a finger guard and groove that adds a layer of protection and control to the knife.

I have a burgeoning interest in bushcraft, so the Marshall was right up my alley.

The Marshall In Action

I plan to hit a bushcraft class eventually, but work has been a bit nuts for me. Until then, I happen to live in the middle of nowhere and have plenty of space to reach out and chop stuff. With the Marshall in hand, I hit the field…err…the woods by my house anyway.

What do knives do? They cut, so I got to cutting. This includes boxes from Midway and Brownells, as well as a jug full of water that was just fun to slice. The Marshall comes out of the box crazy sharp. Holy crap, is it a sharp knife. It takes nothing more than the weight of the blade to cut through paper.

It cut through boxes, rope, plastic, and a bevy of vines and small limbs with ease. I took it chopping and cleared out a small patch of stubborn brush. It’s no machete, but it has a similar design to that of a bowie knife. This allows it to chop rather efficiently and slam and cut as it’s swung.

At the same time, the Marshall can be fairly easy to control. It slices easily, and the finger groove makes it pretty easy to control the knife back and forth. You can easily peel an onion or orange.

The big spine is perfectly flat and offers 90-degree angles. It’s perfect for batoning, and I was able to split small logs with the knife and another heavier log with ease. It sliced through fairly easily and would make a nice pile of firewood, given a chance. The 90-degree angles also make it handy for striking flint rods to create fire.

Gripping the Marshall

The Marshall’s G10 grip is hand-filling and rounded. It’s not overly textured, so it won’t cause pain or hotspots. It’s textured enough for a nonslip grip for normal working tasks. The Marshall grip design keeps the knife from twisting in the hand while working, which means you can safely do hard work without worrying about losing control of your very sharp knife. It’s a smart design and keeps things easy and comfy for long-term work.

The Sheath

The Marshall comes with a modern polymer sheath with a fairly modular design. You can choose to wear it vertically or horizontally. The clip can be adjusted for height and can be reversed for left or right-handed use. I adjusted the retention easily, and overall, it’s a rock-solid sheath design.

Big Nice, Big Potential

The Marshall is a big knife, and it might not qualify as a Bowie knife, buts it’s pretty close. The Marshall offers a dynamic design that lends itself well to versatility and comfort. It’s a working bushcraft knife that mixes modern design with traditional features that have always worked. Montana Knife Company makes an outstanding knife, and I don’t doubt the rest of their catalog is just as well made. Check them out here.

Executive Branch asks Judicial to do the Legislature’s job… still

By

Keith Finch

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July 31, 2023

The Biden Administration asked SCOTUS to hold the ATF’s Frame & Receiver Rule in place and the motion was granted. This was not an unexpected decision after the 5th circuit vacated the rule but it is still one that keeps the rule in place while the courts sort it out instead of suspending it the way we would prefer.

The case is still likely to result in a victory, like that with bump stocks and other regulatory decisions that should rightly have been legislation, but in the meantime 80% type firearms without serial numbers are still off the table.

Despite the written definitions in legislation, not subsequent ATF interpretation, the ATF said ‘well not legally but yes’ when it came to what they then in the same rule titled Privately Made Firearms or PMFs.

The PMF has been demonized as a “growing menace” to law enforcement, becoming the new boogieman that will out gun our brave LEOs. But even if we disregard the fact that PMFs are functionally identical to serialized firearms and therefore, at most, match parity with LEOs who have a sidearm and patrol rifle, we then have to contend with the fact that by the ATF’s own records only 37,980 PMFs we recovered in the last 5 years we have reported data on (2017-2021). True that 19,273 were recovered just in 2021 and that is way up from 2017, but if we compare it to the ‘threat’ posed by Glock alone (255,055 guns in the same time period) it begins to look silly.

Oh, serial numbers still aren’t magical crime preventing GPS devices… they’re just numbers.

So the rule has a vacating stay until August 4th and will remain in effect while DoJ and ATF scramble to defend what is logistically indefensible. There is no world where this change shouldn’t have been handled by the legislature. This is stacking up to be another in a continuing lineup of regulatory agencies going to far in their scope of work, often because it is politically inconvenient for Congress to do their jobs.

Who Is Wiley Clapp?

By

Travis Pike

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July 31, 2023

Who is Wiley Clapp? I’ve seen the name attached to Ruger revolvers and Colt Commanders. I had no idea who or what a Wiley Clapp was. This isn’t meant to be any form of disrespect, there are lots of things I don’t know, but I do like learning. I wanted to uncover who Wiley Clapp is. Why is his name attached to a certain handguns?

Wiley Clapp – The Man

It turns out Wiley Clapp was pretty instrumental in the gun world. He was a very prolific gun writer. I seemed to have just missed him and most of his work as I got into guns and gun magazines. Wiley Clapp wrote for and, as of 2022, still writes for Shooting Illustrated. After learning a bit about the man, I’m sad to have missed his work as I grew up. Shooting Illustrated wasn’t stocked at the local grocery store I got my magazines.

Wiley Clapp has been a gun writer for decades now. Beyond writing for magazines, he has written numerous firearms books, including being a coauthor of numerous publications. This includes guides on Concealed Carry, Law Enforcement Tactics, and the Gun Digest Book of 9mm Handguns. I’m reading the latter, and Mr. Clapp is a quick witt and master wordsmith. His portion on the origin of 9mm and its naming convention is informative and charming, and witty.

That’s not something I would expect from a history lesson on ammunition. The man could make a reloading manual interesting to read.

Outside of talking the talk, Mr. Clapp walked the walk in numerous ways. We are essentially working backward through his career. Writing was a big part of it, but he did more than write. He competed in numerous shooting sports, including NRA Outdoor and Gallery, Police Combat, and Internationa Silhouette.

Wiley was, without a doubt, a man who knew his guns. He possesses an encyclopedia-like knowledge of firearms, but he seemed most interested in handguns.

A Life of Service

Outside of being a gun writer, which is clearly a very important job in society, Wiley Clapp lived a life of service. He graduated from the Virginia Military Institute and became an officer in the United States Marine Corps. Wiley was assigned to the 3rd Battalion, Seventh Marine Regiment. He became a platoon commander and led an infantry platoon in Vietnam. He even voluntarily extended his tour of duty and became the company commander of an infantry platoon.

After leaving the Marine Corps, Wiley Clapp became a police officer with the Orange County Sheriff’s Department. He served in law enforcement for 17 years before retiring. From there, he became a gun writer and expert whose name is scribbled on several guns.

The Guns of Wiley Clapp

Throughout a lifetime of shooting firearms, writing about firearms, and carrying one in uniform, the man learned a thing or two, as we’d all imagine. He writes that he grew up in California. He remarks it was at a time when you could still shoot a .22 in the orange groves. It’s not unusual for gun companies to consult with those knowledgeable. Well, at least for good gun companies to do so.

What’s interesting is that Wiley is consistent in terms of his opinions on guns. That’s certainly helped shape the Wiley Clapp editions of articular handguns. In reading Mr. Clapp’s work, you’ll come across several mentions of different guns and configurations.

In the Gun Digest Book of the 9mm, he compares the .38 Super to the 9mm. He mentions he owns a 9mm M1911, which he seems to be favorable of. It’s no surprise he worked with Colt to produce an M1911 Commander-sized handgun in 9mm. In his book Handguns ’89, he speaks favorably of the Ruger SP101 and GP100, and Ruger sells a Wiley Clapp model of the GP100 that’s quite popular.

Now, if you are like me and weren’t sure what Wiley Clapp meant when it was attached to a particular model of firearm, you’re a bit more educated on why. Wiley Clapp was a Marine, a dedicated police officer, and gun writer with an encyclopedic amount of knowledge on firearms. Seems like the perfect person to have some input on firearms.

Gunday Brunch 111: We hate the M14 and you should too

By

Keith Finch

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July 30, 2023

Guys let’s be honest. The M14 was the worst 308 battle rifle and the only reason people still love it is because they don’t know anything about shooting.

Three Things You Should Never Do To A New Shooter

By

Travis Pike

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July 29, 2023

Getting new gun owners to the range is a public service and a means to preserve our rights. Court battles, giving money to gun rights orgs, and demonstrations all help, but creating new shooters is the easiest way to preserve rights and improve public safety in regard to firearms. Sadly, some parts of the gun community do this in the dumbest way possible. I’m leaving out an expletive, but you should know it’s that dumb. There are three behaviors and habits I think we should ditch to ensure we are doing our best for every new shooter we take to the range.

Using Guns They Can’t Handle

I bet a lot of us were victims of this. Friends, dads, uncles, and whoever else thinks it’s hilarious to hand an inexperienced shooter a harsh recoiling weapon and to watch them get hurt. They might say its to just ‘make them jump’ or hide it by saying ‘it treats them respect’, no. No training, no preparation for the recoil, just hand them the gun and sit back and laugh. This is not only dumb but dangerous.

A young lady lost her life when some idiots handed her a magnum-powered revolver. The recoil spun the gun backward towards her head, and she pulled the trigger again by accident as the gun twisted in her hands, killing herself.

That’s an extreme example but a real one. Handing someone a powerful rifle, handgun, or shotgun before they are ready for it is dumb, and whoever does it is dumb. It turns people away from shooting and makes the shooting community look like jerks. Causing a new shooter pain and embarrassment is a surefire way to keep them away from the range and leave a bad taste for gun owners in their mouth.

Having Tough Shooting Standards

Let’s be clear. All shooters should face and deal with tough standards when it comes to dealing with safety. Safety is always our number one priority, and that should be established immediately and enforced regularly. That’s not what I mean when I say tough standards. I love teaching firearms, and I commonly teach a fairly basic safety course in my community. Kids and adults both attend, and I’ve noticed an odd trend.

I hear stories about how someone else tried to teach them, and they couldn’t hit the broad side of a barn! They were everywhere. They hated it, etc. I’ve also seen adults putting pressure on their kids in these safety classes during the live fire portion that I tactfully put an end to. People get this crazy idea that new shooters should be able to hit small targets with ease and can’t seem to understand why a new shooter can’t do that.

This creates frustration in new shooters. When I teach new shooters, I use a great big target devoid of numbers and scores. Just try to hit the big piece of paper. New shooters should be relaxed and safe, not trying to hit B8 targets at fifteen yards with a 9mm.

Showing Off Your Skills

There is a big difference between demonstrating a method, technique, etc., and just showing off. When you take a new shooter to the range, the focus should be on their ability to shoot. This seems to be most common when one person is teaching their significant other how to shoot. The natural inclination to show off a bit comes into play.

This photo is not a direct example. This is a good shot at an event. But it looks close to what a range chud will do to impress instead of instruct while they’re at a square range at 10 yards. Seen it. Many have.

Ignore it. Make the day about them, give them the attention and the range time. Make it something that’s not about you and the gun. Typically when I teach the basics, there is not much shooting I need to do. I can show a lot of the basics of grip, stance, etc., with a blue gun before we step up to the firing line. At the firing line, I may fire a round or two to show how it comes together and what one can achieve, but that’s it. Demo, then get them shooting.

After that, coach, inspire, educate, etc. Bring the non-gun to the firing line. That way, you don’t have to pass the gun back and forth, and it’s always in their hands. A new shooter not only doesn’t care about your Bill drill time, but they also don’t even know what that is.

Make a New Shooter

Protest, write your representatives, send money to gun organizations, and take a new shooter to the range. That’s how you preserve the second amendment and the freedom we hold so dear. A properly instructed new shooter is a safe shooter and a potential freedom defender. That’s a valuable resource, so don’t waste it being dumb.