40 caliber has been on a slow decline for a while now. In this episode, Caleb takes a brief look at what he thinks the future of 40 is. It’s not bright if you love the caliber.
The sound of incoming fire
Garand Thumb and company posted some incoming fire informational here the other week.
Camera’s do a notoriously poor job of catching and conveying sound in that range then translating it for a viewer, and Hollywood does its best to give the viewer what they expect to hear not what is accurate. In video creative the director has and creative team need to give the audience something to interact with and take information from, this may mean using an inaccurate sound in order to convey accurate storytelling information.
PCS League – A New Competition Is On the Horizon
I hadn’t heard of PCS League until it swung into my local competition shooting scene. Many of the USPSA clubs in the tri-state area have moved to PCS League, or PCSL for short. I had no idea what the heck PCSL was, so I fired up my Google machine and started searching. I’m pretty sure it’s not the Pacific Championship Series. The other PCS League is the Practical Competition Shooting League.
What’s the PCS League?
The PCS League was created by Max Leograndis, a multi-national championship. The idea seems to create a league that revolves around the use of practical guns in competition. The divisions include a two-gun division, as well as handgun and PCC divisions. The League seems to be taking off quite fast, with new shooters enjoying the simplicity of the matches and rules.
I looked through the rules regarding firearms in the PCS League and was surprised by how simple the rules are. There is The Competition Division, which is as close to open as this League gets. We have Practical Irons and Practical Optics, and they are currently working on an Actual Carry Pistol division. The Divisions are refreshingly simple.
Sometimes, reading the USPSA and IDPA divisions gets quite complicated. You can use optics and a light, but you can’t use a magazine that’s a particular length unless it’s the third full moon of the year and it’s the second Tuesday. Maybe I’m exaggerating, but it’s tiresome to try and keep up with the very specific divisions. Remember when IDPA created specific rules to ban the P220 in the CD division after Ernest Langdon cleaned house? Lord forbid a gun outside of a 1911 win.
PCS League provides simple-to-read and simple-to-understand rules for your firearms. It’s easy to understand with a quick and initial read. The focus of these rules seems mostly to keep the guns practical. The whole purpose of the League is to present a competitive league that focuses on practical firearms.
A New Target for a New League
One of the notable changes was the creation of a new target. This new target features your typical A, C, and D zone as well as a K zone. The K zone is the headshot target. If I’m reading the rules right, a shooter can land one K-zone shot and kill the target or two body shots in the A, C, or D zone.
The PCS League isn’t crazy large like the other clubs and seems to be more adaptive and less set in its ways. Remember how long it took some of these older organizations to adopt optics-ready handguns? PCS League seems to be more willing to adapt as long as the change is practical.
I haven’t shot PCS League yet, but the less restrictive nature seems to make it easier to approach than USPSA and similar old-fashioned clubs. PCS League promises to provide a more straightforward competitive environment. Straightforward is good because it has the ability to attract new shooters who are turned off by the more entrenched shooting leagues. It seems like PCS League has the ability to go far!
Revenant Corps Grackle
Revenant Corps is the G10 knife-making madmen with a number of interesting, nonmetallic designs. They make everything from specialized Sharpies to G10 knives and even a small G10 Axe. Most of their weapons are built around the idea of low-profile, concealed carry options. The Imp and their G10 pointy Sharpie likely being their more famous options. One of my favorites is known as the Grackle.
If you’re not familiar with the term, a grackle is a type of bird. Its diet consists of just about everything it can eat. It’s sort of a greedy, always-eating animal that hunts bugs, frogs, and even fish. The Grackle as a knife is a small, easily concealed fixed blade option made entirely from G10. The sheath is also nonmetallic.
The Grackle – Inside and Out
The blade design of the Grackle is interesting. It’s heavily upswept with a broad belly. This provides a large cutting edge, which is uncommon on knives designed more or less for stabbing rather than slashing. G10 isn’t commonly known for being sharp, but the Grackle is different. It has a decently sharp slashing edge that would cause some serious discomfort to anyone who happens to catch a slash.
The point of the blade is most certainly a good sticker. It’s quite pokey, and the blade features a hefty amount of reinforcement that gives it a 3D-type look on the blade. It’s thick enough to take the beating and resist breaking when jammed against some bad guy’s ribs.
The blade of the Grackle is surprisingly rough and tough. It’s a competent tool for self-defense and would allow you to strike first, strike hard, and apply an appropriate amount of mercy.
The Handle And Sheath
The Grackle has several variants. Mine is the Great Tailed Grackle. It features a Tsukomaki and ray skin handle that Revenant Corps epoxied for durability. It’s a very nice texture that’s not rough on the hands but stays locked into place. It doesn’t want to slide or scoot, and it’s aided by a slight curve in the handle and a fatter rear portion. This serves to prevent slippage, and it does quite well.
The Grackle’s handle is longer than its blade, but at 5.5 inches, it’s easily concealable. The sheath aids in concealment in a few ways. It’s not your typical belt loop design. Instead, it has a retention line and a hook. It fits behind the belt with the hook attached to the bottom of the belt. The cordage secures the entire setup to you. It’s low profile but easy to carry in nearly any position. Drawing is smooth, and sheathing should be done carefully to avoid getting poked.
Slash, Stab, Escape
These types of weapons are designed as a last resort tool. It’s not a weapon you necessarily win a fight with, but it’s a weapon you can end a fight. It allows you to create distance, resist, and hopefully escape or access your concealed carry firearm. G10 keeps the knife ultra-light but provides enough strength and durability to deal damage. You can check it out here.
Taurus USA Launches new Taurus Optics Ready Option Judge
October 2023, Bainbridge GA – When Taurus USA launched the first ever optics ready defensive revolvers, the 856 and 605 Taurus Optics Ready Option (T.O.R.O.) revolvers, consumers loved them. Now, Taurus launches the first extension to the T.O.R.O. revolver line: The Judge T.O.R.O. The most popular multi-caliber revolver on the market is now optics ready.
The Judge T.O.R.O. is available in four different models, all of which feature a 3 inch barrel, smooth double action trigger, and a fiber optic front sight if you don’t want to use the included optics plate. The four available models will be a stainless or matte black model with a cylinder that accepts 2.5 inch 410 shotshells, and stainless and matte black models that accept 3 inch 410 shotshells. The standard Judge T.O.R.O. and Magnum Judge T.O.R.O. optics plate accepts sights that fit the Holosun K-series or Shield RMSc footprints.
“What’s better than a Judge? A Judge with a dot on it,” said Caleb Giddings, General Manager of Marketing for Taurus USA. “The Judge is without a doubt our most popular revolver, and adding a red dot to it just enhances its capabilities.”
The new Taurus Judge T.O.R.O. is shipping now, and MSRP will start at $615.99.
For more information on the Taurus Judge family of firearms, visit: https://www.taurususa.com/revolvers/taurus-judge
About Taurus:
Taurus Holdings, Inc. (“Taurus”) and its subsidiaries continues to evolve and produce revolutionary new products. In addition, new standards for quality and efficiency help deliver reliable and affordable guns to the market. Taurus is based in Bainbridge, Georgia. Taurus is owned by Taurus Armas, S.A. which is a publicly traded company based in Brazil. Taurus Armas S.A. manufactures a wide variety of consumer and industrial products that are distributed worldwide.
For additional information, visit www.taurususa.com.
STREAMLIGHT® LAUNCHES PROTAC® RAIL MOUNT HL-X PRO
EAGLEVILLE, PA, October 19, 2023 – Streamlight® Inc., a leading provider of high-performance lighting tools, introduced the ProTac® Rail Mount HL-X Pro gun-mounted light, providing up to 1,000 lumens, 50,000 candela, and an extreme beam reach of 447 meters. The new light features an innovative Jack-Cap™ tail cap switch that offers both push-button or remote pressure switch operation, and also offers battery versatility, allowing users to choose between two different battery types.
The lightweight, low-profile ProTac Rail Mount HL-X Pro features a rugged, integrated rail clamp designed to rapidly and securely attach to rifles, carbines and sub-machine guns with a MIL-STD 1913 (Picatinny) or, by using the included M-LOK® mount, to M-LOK or M-LOK compatible rail systems. It is powered by either two 3-volt CR123 lithium batteries or one Streamlight rechargeable SL-B26® lithium-ion rechargeable battery pack. This multi-fuel option allows for use of primary disposable batteries if the rechargeable cell is out of power.
“This newest addition to the ProTac family of weapon-mounted lights is the ‘whole package,’” said Streamlight President and Chief Executive Officer Ray Sharrah. “It not only functions as a high lumen light, but with its 50,000 candela and long beam reach, it also puts more light on a target at a distance. This makes it a powerful tactical tool for law enforcement professionals, military personnel and other first responders as they perform room clearing, search operations and other maneuvers under low-light conditions. Its innovative tail cap switch provides switch redundancy, offering both a push-button switch and a port for a remote pressure switch. And users can choose between rechargeable and disposable batteries, depending on preference or availability.”
The new light mounts to a broad range of weapons safely and securely by means of a one-handed, snap-on and tighten interface that permits users to keep their hands away from the gun muzzle. The light’s multi-function, push-button tail switch offers momentary and latching constant on operation; the optional remote switch is available in momentary only and momentary/latching versions. Both allow for one-handed operation of the light’s momentary, constant on or strobe modes. The light is also TEN-TAP® programmable to allow for selection of three different programs: high/strobe (factory default), high only, or low/high.
The ProTac Rail Mount HL-X Pro uses the latest in power LED technology for extreme brightness. When using the SL-B26 battery pack, the light delivers 1,000 lumens, 50,000 candela and a 447-meter beam distance on high. On low, it provides 60 lumens, 3,100 candela, and a beam distance of 111 meters.
When using CR123A batteries, the new light runs for up to 1.25 hours on high and 21 hours on low. With an SL-B26 battery pack inserted, the light’s run time is up to 1.75 hours on high and 24 hours on low. The run time for the strobe feature is up to 3.5 hours depending on the type of battery used.
The new light is fabricated from 6000 series machined aircraft aluminum with Type II MIL-Spec anodized finish. It measures 5.43 inches in length and weighs 6.6 ounces with two CR123 batteries and 7.2 ounces with the SL-B26 rechargeable battery pack. When using the standard push-button switch, it is IP67-rated for waterproof operation to one meter for 30 minutes, and is IP54-rated for water-resistant operation with the remote pressure switch installed. Extensively live-fire tested, the light is impact-resistance tested to two meters.
The ProTac Rail Mount HL-X Pro is available as a Light Only or as a System, which includes a remote pressure switch, Jack-Cap tail switch, remote retaining clips, double-sided tape, zip ties and a M-LOK® mount.
It has an MSRP that ranges from $210.00 to $266.00 depending on the configuration and includes Streamlight’s Limited Lifetime Warranty.
About Streamlight
Based in Eagleville, PA, Streamlight, Inc. is marking 50 years of manufacturing high-quality, durable flashlights designed to serve the specialized needs of professionals and consumers alike. Since 1973, the company has designed, manufactured and marketed high-performance flashlights, and today offers a broad array of lights, lanterns, weapon light/laser sighting devices, and scene lighting solutions for professional law enforcement, military, firefighting, industrial, automotive, and outdoor applications. Streamlight is an ISO 9001:2015 certified company. For additional information, please call 800-523-7488, visit streamlight.com or connect with us on facebook.com/streamlight; twitter.com/Streamlight; instagram.com/streamlightinc; linkedin.com/company/streamlight-inc./; and youtube.com/streamlighttv.
BREAKING: California Assault Weapon Ban Ruled Unconstitutional, State Has 10 Days to Appeal
Firearm Policy Coalition is posting that the US District Court has found the the California AWB to be unconstitutional and will be vacated. The state of California has 10 days to file their expected appeal, but the foundation is falling. Magazines and regular firearms are likely soon to be back on the available list for every law abiding person nationwide.
FPC WINS!!!
The District Court in our Miller v. Bonta “Assault Weapon” Ban Lawsuit has STRUCK DOWN the ban, deeming it UNCONSTITUTIONAL!
However, there will be no freedom week, YET, as the judge has put his order on hold to give California 10 days to appeal.
Stay tuned as we process the full opinion.
We look forward to the incoming tears of unfathomable sadness from Gavin Newsom and the anti-rights narcissists nationwide.
You can find the opinion at AssaultWeaponLawsuit.com.
Tree ID Class For Foragers
Recently I had the pleasure of attending an outdoor workshop that was extremely interesting and useful, so I’m here to tell you about it.
The name of the workshop/class was “Tree Identification for Foragers”, presented by Adam Haritan of Learn Your Land. And the workshop was hosted by Erik Kulick of True North Wilderness Survival School.
Anyone who has read my scribbling here at GAT knows that I am interested in food growing, food preservation, and also food foraging. With foraging thus far I have learned a bit on my own, and a bit by osmosis from my forestry-major daughter. This workshop was my first formal instruction on the topic. I use the term “formal” loosely because the workshop was very open to questions and inquiry and was not at all a stiff classroom environment. It was nonetheless very valuable to me.
The location for this outdoor workshop was a 600+ acre park in suburban Pittsburgh called Hartwood Acres. Many of those acres are wooded, which provided many examples of the trees that we learned about during the day.
The focus of the workshop was not “just” tree identification, but how this identification can tell you so much more about the soil, landscape, and ecology of the land in which it is growing. It was a sort of “holistic” approach which I found very interesting.
During the four hour workshop I took almost nine pages of notes in my “field notebook” that I purchased at Ollie’s the day before the class. (Yes, I’m cheap.) I’ll have to go back through those notes to type out complete sentences and connect info that I strung together with arrows, and clarify some spelling and things that I sort of scribbled as I walked. I would have taken more notes, but I also wanted to examine the specimens, taste them, take photos, and listen more closely, and it was challenging to juggle all of it at once.
One of the first things we learned was the framework to use to be able to identify trees. I think the first he mentioned was having a basic idea of what grows in your area. That way you don’t have to plow through hundreds of things in the guidebook that couldn’t even be a possibility based upon your location. Then we learned about leaf branching arrangements (opposite vs alternate vs whorl) and leaf structure (simple vs compound), which informed a flow sheet approach for identifying the tree you are interested in. That was just the first trickle from the fire hose of information which followed.
There were several highlights of the day for me, one of which was the introduction and sampling of “Nannyberry”. This was something I’d never heard of before in 60 years of living in the East. I found a nursery online that carries them and I may have to have a couple for my yard as they are native and I don’t yet have any late fall berries for my attempt at a multi-season foodscape. Nannyberry is also listed as fairly deer resistant, which I definitely need. Though they have a large pit, Nannyberries are sweet and taste a bit like raisins. I’m going to have to keep an eye out for them in the wild as well.
But the biggest highlight was seeing not just one, but two surviving American Chestnut trees in Hartwood Acres! As you may or may not know, American Chestnut has been all but wiped out in the last hundred years by a fungal pathogen which arrived from Asia in the early 1900’s. It used to be a key species in America for not only hardwood harvest, but also abundant nut production for both human and wildlife consumption. Many old barns have huge main beams that are American Chestnut. Its niche has since been supplanted by oak and hickory, but neither are as prolific nut producers as American Chestnut was historically.
There were multiple other learning experiences throughout the day. One such learning experience came when I stabbed a finger on the spines of a Spanish chestnut husk. Thereafter I used a stick to get at the nut while protecting my digits (d’oh!). I also learned how to tell the difference between a toxic, inedible horse chestnut or “buckeye” and an edible “sweet chestnut”. According to Adam, the edible varieties have a starburst pattern on the nut, and the inedible types do not.
Additionally I learned that Hawthorn fruits look like rose hips. Hawthorn is technically a type of apple and apples are in the rose family. So that explains that – who knew? I also learned there was such a thing as “Pignut Hickory”, which was historically made into a nut milk by native tribes and settlers.
I cannot recommend this class enough for those who are interested in learning more about the trees and landscape around them. I hope at some point there might be a “Level 2” to this course. In the meantime I need to keep working on and polishing my skills!
For those with long memories, True North was where I had planned to take a Basic Land Nav course last year, but then didn’t feel well and had to cancel. So now that I am retired, that class is back on my agenda for the coming year.
Learn Your Land offers an online “Trees in All Seasons” course which I also plan to sign up for in the coming months.
If you are interested in learning more about the outdoors and/or survival, taking some instruction from either of these organizations would be well worth your while.
My personal learning curve continues!
Pennsylvania’s MPOETC Quals Rule
The Municipal Police Officers’ Education and Training Commission, or the MPOETC, is the organization in Pennsylvania that creates and oversees the training required for law enforcement in Pennsylvania. This includes the firearms quals the police must pass. I’ve looked at tons of police officer qualification shoots, and the MPOETC always stands out as having the best firearm quals out there. Their handgun, rifle, and shotgun quals are tough to beat.
With that in mind, why don’t I share the MPOETC quals I love so much with you? You might not be a police officer, but the quals present you with a unique training opportunity. If you want to go to the range with a plan, these quals provide you with several types of drills and challenges that will spice up your training routine. As far as police quals go, these can be a real challenge and are worth a spin.
The MPOETC Daylight Patrol Rifle Qual
The MPOETC Patrol rifle qual is more or less designed around an AR-15. It’s the most common patrol rifle. However, you can get away with using any of the semi-auto rifles with a detachable magazine. You’ll need at least two magazines and 50 rounds of ammo. A shot timer is also required because each qual has a time limit and accuracy standard.
The range goes out to 100 yards, so you’ll need at least that much range. Part of the qual involves an instructor yelling headshot, so if you have a friend, they can help make the qual all the better.
The MPOETC Shotgun Qual
Most police shotgun quals are at the bottom of the barrel. The MPOETC stands out as one of the best. It involves both slugs and buckshot phases. The qual requires a repeating shotgun, be it a pump or semi-auto. Shooters will need five slugs and eight rounds of 00 buckshot.
You’ll need up to 50 yards of range and a barricade to use as cover. Pay close attention to the condition of the shotgun during a stage.
The MPOETC Handgun Qual
The handgun qual is probably the most relevant for most people. It’s designed for a duty rig and gun, but why not shoot it concealed for more of a challenge? The qual requires a handgun, two magazines, and sixty rounds of ammunition. You’ll need something to act as cover as well. The qual goes as far as 25 yards, so you’ll break out of that seven-yard mindset. Don’t forget a holster and shot timer.
Why Are These Quals So Good?
First, they challenge real-world firearm handling skills. They make use of cover, range beyond the norm, and challenge the shooter in a variety of ways. They have tight times and good accuracy standards. They all use the TQ-21 target, but you can obviously use your own and make it work. These are not checking a box quals like the State of Texas’ shotgun qual. These will be challenging, and if it’s challenging, it’s fun. These quals will help you build skills shoot straighter and faster at the same time.
What’s not to love?
PCC’d Handguns, a good idea? Well, depends…
Mike Jones, THE Garand Thumb, did a video on the SEAL adopted Flux Raider P320 variant. Cool video, watch it when you have a 30 minute break to enjoy.
But my discussion here isn’t about the Raider, per se, it is about the concept of turning a sidearm into a PCC.
Are there advantages?
Absolutely.
When done correctly, with a special attention paid to the goal(s) of the firearm, it is a light, compact, and highly viable personal protective option. But let’s dispel some ideas I’ve seen floated around about this concept and get into why.
Conversion on Demand
Toss the idea of turning your sidearm into a carbine under stress. Get rid of it. It’s gone, done, burn it in the dumpster fires of mount dumb. The PCC’d pistol is now a carbine, if you want a sidearm you need another pistol.
If you need a gun, the last thing you want to be doing is taking a functional gun and making it non-functional in order to turn it into an unzeroed carbine. Use the pistol you have in working condition and may the odds be ever in your favor.
I don’t know how many places I have seen the idea of stripping your working firearm down and throwing it into a chassis like some kind of tactical transformer game where it now gains a +2 stat boost, but that isn’t how these things work in real life. If your pistol is in a chassis and zeroed, it stays in the chassis. We’ll get to chassis’ in a minute too. Not all are created equal.
Treat the chassis’d pistol like a separate carbine, it is no longer the carry gun you once had.
Chassis
Your.
Chassis.
Must.
Hold.
Zero.
The easiest way to assure this is use one that uses the sights on the slide, like the Flux Raider. Another is if it uses just the fire control/lower of the pistol and locks it into an independent upper that is part of the chassis.
If the chassis locks around the whole complete pistol but isn’t using the pistol sights, red flag. Hard stop. Pause.
Your sights must have a fixed relationship with your barrel and firing mechanism. Full stop. End of discussion. If your sights do not have a fixed relationship with the barrel and firing mechanism, like in the RONI where its attached to the polymer light rail and can flex independently, then that chassis is at best a toy. It should not be used for serious purpose as you can significantly disrupt the barrel’s relationship with the sights and hit something you didn’t intend.
We’re talking magnitudes more deflection than you get off of pressing on an M4 barrel against a VTAC barricade, several inches in either direction at 25 yards. Say goodbye to that “hostage” shot.
“Keith, lasers stay zeroed on the rail.”
Yes, because you aren’t grabbing the laser. You aren’t putting pressure onto the gun and into your shoulder with substantial leverage and mechanical advantage via the laser. You are doing that with these types of chassis systems.
Just say no, with the exception of just for fun.
Should you invest in a converted PCC?
Maybe.
The good ones have very significant size and weight advantages, being just a bit more real estate intensive than their duty pistol counterparts. They also feed from the same magazines giving you both ammunition and magazine compatibility with your sidearm (potentially). They are going to fit in some of the smallest bags for carry and even a few holsters if your situation and use case allow for them.
The downside is you are limiting (potentially) the amount of other advantages a carbine can give you in ancillary gear and handling characteristics. That may not matter, the possession of a shoulder fired solution with a red dot and a light might be all the extra edge that you need. However the magazine compatible options like Glock pattern ARs or the APC9 Pro also offer a strong hybrid of the capabilities of the converted pistol PCC with the additional ancillary and functional advantages of the carbines.
So, do those advantages and limitations fit your use need?
1903 Was a Great Year For Guns
Man, 1903 was a crazy year. The Teddy Bear was invented that year. Some guys electrocuted an elephant in New York City, the Wright brothers took flight, and it was a damn fine year for guns. I’ve gotten into old guns recently. Call me bored with M-LOK and polymer frames. I just noticed the year 1903 constantly came up and decided to look at what made 1903 such an interesting year for firearms.
Notable Firearms of 1903
Plenty of firearms wear the 1903 moniker, and I’m guessing it’s easy to guess which guns made the list. The most obvious being the Springfield M1903, which served the United States from 1903 til 1949. This rifle was very much a product of its time, and its time meant a bolt action design, heavy wooden furniture, and a long bayonet. It was a rifle, a club, and a spear in different instances.
Another of the more popular weapons produced in 1903 was the M1903 Pocket Hammerless. This John browning design produced for Colt chambered the little .32 ACP and provided a direct blowback semi-auto pistol for concealed carry. It was an instant hit, served with numerous police forces, and was a General Officer’s pistol.
There was a not-as-popular Colt Pocket Hammer 1903, which was John Browning’s first short recoil handgun and chambered the forgotten .38 ACP. This gun would go on to become the COlt M1911, which needs no introduction. The 1903 Pocket Hammer was the compact variant in a family of .38 ACP guns that included the M1900 and M1902 Sporting.
John Browning also invented the FN M1903 for the Belgians. This is a semi-auto pistol firing the 9mm Browning Long. It was similar to the Colt M1903 but larger and more capable. It became a service pistol with the Russian Empire, the Ottoman Empire, the Swedes, and many more.
Finally, Winchester produced the Model 1903, which was the first successful commercially offered semi-auto rifle. It was a .22 Winchester Automatic, which is a rimfire round, and it used a simple blowback action. The rifle used a tubular magazine and was designed by T.C. Johnson.
Why 1903?
Isn’t that the magic question? These firearms were all fairly successful and innovative and even impacted modern gun design to this day. Some answers are easy. The Springfield M1903 was a .30-06 rifle produced in the wake of the Spanish-American War. The Spanish used the Mausers, which outclassed American Krags. America needed to keep up and built the M1903. The United States would later pay a small sum for every rifle produced to Mauser. At least until World War 1 started.
What about all the semi-auto firearms? It’s worth noting that 1903 was right dead in the middle of the Technological Revolution. This period is also known as the Second Industrial Revolution. It would culminate in World War 1, where tanks and machine guns left millions of European boys dead on bloody battlefields.
The early 1900s were one of massive industrial expansion. Mass production as we know it now was just starting to arrive. While it still took talented, skilled workers to produce firearms, the time it took was being cut drastically. The first semi-auto handgun was created in 1893, and a mere decade later, they’d rule the market.
Firearm technology was quickly evolving with the rise of autoloaders. They were becoming easier to produce, and in 1900, Browning invented the first automatic pistol with a slide. Automatic loaders seemed to be the future, and plenty of companies were willing to put money behind them.
We mentioned Browning, and it’s worth noting that while he was working, he was always innovating. He was responsible for three of the famed 1903 pistols, which were all autoloaders.
The Next Revolution?
These days, every modern handgun and rifle seems to have fairly standard construction. We know what works. In 1903, they were more or less figuring that out. Guns like the Pocket Hammerless and the FN M1903 shaped the way handguns look and function to this day. The Winchester rifle wasn’t much different than any other semi-auto .22 rifle. It’s fascinating how much has changed but also how much it’s stayed the same.
Weapon Integrated Lights – The Past and Maybe the Future?
The integration of accessories into firearms has always fascinated me. It tickles that cyberpunk itch I have with firearms. Certain accessories integrate better than others, and lights are seemingly one of the more popular choices for weapon integration. We typically add lights to handguards and rails, but what about building them into the rifle? True integration of light and firearm. Integrating a weapon light isn’t a new idea. In fact, it’s kind of an old idea we’ve gotten away from.
The OGs of Integrated Lights
Surefire was one of the first when they were still Laser Products Corporation. It wasn’t a light necessarily, but a laser that was integrated into the tube of a Remington 870. When Surefire became Surefire, they continued to integrate weapon lights and accessories. They built the integrated shotgun pumps that really defined weapon lights for pump shotguns.
They went on to design handguards for the MP5 that integrated a weapon light and followed up with the M4 handguard that did the same. This was before Picatinny Rails and certainly well before M-LOK became the star of the show. These systems used built-in buttons and allowed the user to control the lights in a rather ingenious way.
With the rise of M-LOK and rails, most of these faded away. Shotguns are one of the few platforms that still commonly use integrated lights. The main problem with these older lights was a lack of customization. You could change their orientation or place the button right where you want it. This poses a problem because we are a people who right like to customize and control the crap we stick on our guns.
Modern Integrated Lights
I’m using modern to describe any light system from 2010 til now or so. We’ve seen a few rail systems integrate lights. The Merklight X Series handguards integrated 8 LEDs into a handguard and apparently had 740 lumens of power, but I’m betting the candela and range were rather low. Another option was the Luma Shark, which offered 1,150 lumens of light from two integrated lights that sat on the bottom of the M-LOK handguard.
One of the more impressive examples of integration comes from the Taurus Curve. I know what you’re thinking, but I’ll give credit when it’s due. The Curve was the first time I ever saw a handgun with a light built into the frame. Sure, it was dimmer than the light on my keychain, but it was a step forward.
The only successful integrated weapon lights still come from shotguns. This includes the TL Racker, the Surefire DSF series, and the oft-forgotten Steiner Mk7. Due to the specific needs of a pump shotgun, these lights excel at their role and are widely fielded.
What the Future Could Hold
I don’t think weapon lights integrated into rifles will gain any real acceptance anytime soon. People like being able to place their lights in a way that better interacts with the other gear on their rifle rails. Shotguns are covered, and I really think the future of integrated weapon lights comes in the form of handguns.
The Curve had it right. With handguns, we have one place to stick the light, and it’s under the barrel. With handguns like the P320 and the Echelon using these removable fire control groups and chassis, the advent of a grip with a built-in light can’t be too far off. The smart idea would be to use interchangeable switches and replaceable heads that match something like the Surefire X300 series.
It could save bulk and weight from a fairly bulky combination. SIG has done a laser grip module for the P320, so someone is thinking about it. It would be interesting to see the integration and how big or small lights could be with integration, and potentially other avenues or battery integration. As long as the current standard for power can be met, I’d love to see light integration become an option with particular frames and designs. Hopefully, we don’t have to wait too long on the future.
Mike looks through the AEMS
Holosun has been absolutely nailing it on optics for the last couple years. So much so that they’ve crowded their catalog and are unfortunately competing with their own backdated list of products.
This is inevitable as technology and the market progresses, just look at how many variants of Geissele AR handguard that are out there or the fact that BCM is still trying to liquidate Keymod rails on uppers as their MCMR and quads continue to dominate sales.
One of the newer offerings is the AEMS, it is joining a strong performing field of “micro” long gun dots which offer sealed and purged emitters with fairly small footprints. This sight was so well received Reptilia made a mount for it.
This MRO, T2, CompM5, and AEMS suite of options offers us a strong feature set list from all in a variety of prices.
Personally I feel the AEMS brings most of Holosun’s strengths with it. Super clean LED emitter, simple and robust control suite. It also brings some features people, like and some do not, in the battery compartment. You need the little tool to swap batteries, it isn’t ‘field expedient’ in the way other caps are. But largely this is fine as battery life is long, the tools are inexpensive and plentiful and easy to keep in small tool kits.
So yeah, AEMS for carbines and shotguns. Full send.
Ruger 10/22 A Great All Around Rifle
Everyone needs a good .22 rifle. For tactical training, small game hunting, and target shooting a good quality .22 is a must. Many press the .22 into defense use. More often than not the .22 rifle will serve well in that niche. I don’t recommend a rimfire for defense use and I hope you have something more powerful you have mastered. But you aren’t naked before the enemy either. Another role is pure relaxation. All of us can afford a good .22 and a bunch of ammunition to burn off without a clear purpose. I have been an instructor at several levels and there is nothing wrong with making brass for the hell of it as long as you know the difference in making brass and training.
When the subject of the Ruger 10/22 comes up it seems everyone in the group owns one. I find the Ruger 10/22 among the most reliable .22 Long Rifle firearms ever designed and built. It is a great plinker, trainer, small game and pest gun, and one of most versatile firearms any of us will ever own. The ten round rotary magazine is among the most reliable magazines ever designed. The Ruger X magazine in 15, 20 and 25 round versions provides an even greater edge. A drawback to reliable function in any .22 Long Rifle is the cartridge design- which is about 150 yards old. The .22 rimfire features a heel based bullet. This is a bullet that tapers into a heel at the base. This base is press fitted into the cartridge case. Centerfire cartridges and the .22 Magnum use a crimp to hold the bullet in place. Fairly often the bullet is dislodged and twisted during the feed cycle. The .22’s rimfire ignition is more prone to misfire than centerfire ammunition. I have gone as much as 2,000 cartridges in the 10/22 without a tie up quite a record. I have gone through a 500 round brick and experienced a half dozen failures to fire. Modern production seems more reliable.
The Ruger 10/22 is a simple blowback operated rifle. Maintenance is simple enough and there are ton of aftermarket accessories available including stocks, custom triggers, sights, optics, and barrels. A .22 is very effective on small game up to racoon and even bobcat size given good shot placement. In my time as a peace officer there were a number of incidents I was familiar with involving .22 caliber firearm. I don’t recall a single one shot stop with any .22 handgun. A single shot seemed the norm with the rifle, although in once case a burglar was peppered with 16 shots before he went down. None were good hits. I recall an incident in which a female defender peppered a fellow who had shot her husband during a break in, severely wounding him, and she also wounded another robber with her Ruger Standard Model .22. Both crooks were able to flee the scene. The secret is shot placement. While the .22 caliber rifle has greater velocity and penetration than a handgun it is also much easier to get hits with. The three points of contact with both arms and the cheek add up to easy accuracy and good handling. The .22 caliber rifle is a reasonable choice for personal defense for those on a strict budget. Quite a few of us own a rifle for small game hunting. It isn’t unreasonable to press this rifle into service for personal defense. After all we will have a great deal of familiarity with the rifle. And that may prove superior to the larger caliber rifle we have hardly fired.
All firearms have tradeoffs in handling, accuracy, and reliability. The 10 22 rifle has virtually no drawbacks save the caliber- and then the rifle wasn’t designed for home defense but small game and target shooting. The 10 22 is a semi automatic firing a shot with each pull of the trigger. It offers an instant second shot. Ten rounds is a lot of shots in a home defense situation but the rifle may also be deployed with a 25 round magazine. After years of dealing with poor quality aftermarket magazines the Ruger X magazine is reliable. The Ruger 10/22 is light and handy but its 16 inch barrel provides plenty of velocity. Like all long guns kept at home ready loaded for emergency the rifle should never be chamber loaded. Keep the chamber empty over a loaded magazine. It only takes a second to rack the bolt and make the rifle ready. Practice safely unloading the rifle as well. Remove the magazine and work the bolt to unload the rifle. The rifle is semi automatic, remarkably easy to handle well, reliable, and not very powerful. I keep repeating the not very powerful comment but it is something to remember. Fire as accurately as possible in practice and be prepared to fire multiple shots. Hopefully hunting and recreation will be the only chore the rifle is put to. We have taken time to run ballistic testing on the 9mm, .223, .357, .45 ACP and other calibers. Few consider the ballistics of the .22 rifle. Lets examine a few tests in water.
.22 Long Rifle load testing
| Load Velocity from Ruger 10/22 | Penetration | Expansion |
| Fiocchi 38 grain HP | 1199 fps | 16.5 in. .30 |
| CCI Mini Mag 40 gr. | 1208 fps | 18 in. .32 |
| CCI Velocitor 40 gr. | 1355 fps | 20 in. .35 |
| CCI Stinger 32 grain | 1478 fps | 13 in. .30 |
Accuracy is important. Most 10/22 rifles in stock form will group three shots into two inches at 50 yards with a mid grade optic and good ammunition. Adding a heavy barrel helps. The Ruger target grade 10/22 with middle weight barrel is even more accurate. I own several 10/22 rifles and a Gator edition is my wife’s only rifle. You must have one of these rifles!
The Cure to Male Loneliness Is Shooting Competitively
There has been a lot of talk about male loneliness as of late. As men become more atomized, it becomes an interesting subject of discussion. Men are less likely to have a group of friends to rely on, are more likely to work longer hours, and generally have less success in their love lives than ever before. One in five men admits to having no close friends, and this conversation society is having culminated with an article from the New York Times called, “Is the Cure to Male Loneliness Out On the Pickleball Court?” Maybe its shooting competitively.
Alongside the awkward title was a hilarious illustration of a man crying while watching another group of men play pickleball. It’s launched a sea of memes, with my favorite being “Is the Cure to Male Loneliness Hunting Cryptids with the Boys?” You might be wondering why a gun website is talking about male loneliness, but if you read the title, my premise is pretty obvious.
Is the Cure to Male Loneliness Shooting Competitively?
Shooting sports is a fantastic way to get out there, make new friends, and have fun. The shooting community as a whole is very accepting of new shooters, and it’s an open community in most cases. It’s easy to come in as a complete newb and find people willing to teach you how things are done.
It might seem odd to suggest shooting sports as a way to combat male loneliness. Isn’t it loud and difficult to make friends? Not really. Most people use a set of electric ear protection, and when you aren’t shooting, you are typically a little ways off the line. There is plenty of time to chat and ask questions and generally get to know the squad you’re assigned to.
While physical fitness is an important aspect of anything, it’s not necessarily required for shooting sports. You’ll shoot better with a lower resting heart rate, but you can compete in most shooting sports as an out-of-shape slob. Getting involved in bush league sports can be difficult for someone out of shape. It’s certainly tough to feel adequate and to have fun if you are dragging your team down.
With shooting sports, that’s not really a problem. Sure, some are team-based, but those are fairly uncommon. You’ll be working for yourself, and you can’t drag a team down.
Addressing the Core Causes Of Male Loneliness
Men aren’t making friends, and the cure isn’t just to make more friends. We have to address the root cause of male loneliness and why they aren’t making friends. While competitive shooting sports can’t address every aspect of why men can’t make friends, they can address some.
When people smarter than I dug into why men feel lonely and why they can’t make friends easily, there were a few common causes. One was feelings of inferiority. Not being good at something and getting better at that thing is a great way to build confidence. You might suck at first when shooting competitively, but you’ll now know what you need to practice, and you’ll see your skills improve.
Another big factor is a feeling of inadequate masculinity. Shooting competitively is not a strict male hobby, although men do outnumber women by a fair bit in the sport. I also don’t want to alienate female competitive shooters of women in the firearm industry by any means. However, shooting sports are often tied to your ability to shoot, which is tied to your ability to protect.
Protecting one’s family is a masculine trait and a man’s ability to protect himself, his loved ones, his community, and beyond. Being good at shooting can certainly help a man feel he is masculine.
To the Range
Shooting competitively will make you want to shoot more, train more, and spend time outdoors and with people. It’s fun, engaging, and provides a thrill we don’t get when we are connected to a screen. While shooting competitively can help aid in relieving male loneliness, it’s not the only thing to consider. You might need therapy or, a support group, and other forms of help. Boys, don’t be afraid to open up. Also, hydrate and moisturize!