The Brownie – Mossberg’s First Gun

By

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June 29, 2023

When you first hear the words O.F. Mossberg what do you think? I’m betting it’s a shotgun, a 500 or 590 series pump action shotgun. Maybe the new 940 Pro series. Mossberg is a shotgun company, like S&W is a revolver company. It’s not entirely true, but that’s what they are known for. They certainly aren’t known for handguns, which is odd since their first gun produced was a handgun. Specifically, a little pistol was known as the Brownie.

All About The Brownie

The Brownie is an odd and interesting pistol that first premiered in 1920 and was produced in 1932. The Brownie wasn’t a revolver or a semi-auto but an oddball four-barrel pistol more in the realm of a pepperbox or advanced derringer design. It’s a .22LR handgun with a DAO trigger. The design uses an internal hammer and a rotating firing pin. Mossberg described it as semi-automatic, and by the strictest definitions, it is. It does fire one round per pull of the trigger.

The barrels opened via a latch at the rear. This allowed you to load and unload the gun. Mossberg included a small piece of metal to extract the empties that were stored in the side of the gun. These are often lost, but I still have mine. The sights are very simple, a front sight and a groove, and that’s it.

Oscar Mossberg and his sons began producing the little guns and eventually produced 30,000 of the Brownie.

Marketing the Brownie

The Mossberg Brownie was marketed to trappers and hunters. It was offered a pint-size piece of firepower that held four rounds. It’s a remarkably small gun. The barrels are 2.5 inches long, and the overall length is 4.5 inches. The gun weighs only 10 ounces. It was super small. The little gun offered itself up as a compact firearm, with Mossberg claiming it could be concealed in the palm of your hand.

What was really attractive was the five-dollar price point. If we adjust for inflation, that’s about 75 dollars and some change. Not bad, even by today’s standards. It’s quite simple and was much cheaper than other small repeating firearms of the era. The Brownie was about 20 bucks cheaper than a Colt Vest Pocket, which is considerable savings.

Shooting the Little Fella

I purchased my Brownie for 80 bucks, and it was a great get. To keep the gun safe, considering it’s almost 100 years old, I don’t use anything of the normal velocity. Instead, I used primer-only loads like the Colibri and CB Cap loads. These ensure safety and don’t inhibit the function of the pistol.

It’s quite fun to shoot. The trigger is surprisingly smooth and light for a DAO trigger. Accuracy isn’t spectacular since the sight is more of a good suggestion than a proper sighting system. None of the barrels align with it, so it’s a bit off for every shot. For killing game in traps, this wasn’t a big concern.

The recoil is nil, and the only moving external control is the hammer. No safeties, no slides, and nothing rotating externally. It’s so simple and honestly fun to shoot. It’s a bit silly, but still a uniquely cool pistol. While it might have been designed for hunters and trappers, it wouldn’t have been a terrible concealed weapon for the era. It was quite affordable, and affordability can go a long way.

Mossberg recently got back into the pistol game with their various modern subcompacts, but the Brownie is the gun that got it all started. It’s what founded Mossberg and helped turn them into America’s oldest family-owned company. Not too bad for such an odd pistol.

Springfield Operator: Best 1911 for the Money?

By

BullShooters

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June 28, 2023

For over 20 years the American firearms juggernaut, Springfield Armory, has produced some of the best 1911s available for the money. In between the straight mass-produced guns with no hand finishing and the full fledged custom 1911s costing three times as much, Springfield’s mid-priced 1911s are more than just work horses, but accurate and stylish machines that shooters can count on for drilling 10 rings or carry–if you are the bold type that carries a two-pound gun on your hip.

Nothing Unequivocal About the Snub .357

By

V. Caldwell

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June 28, 2023

For close quarters use the short barrel revolver is a great option.

I am sometimes surprised at the lengths that many go to in order to be poorly armed. Second quality firearms have always existed in greater quantity than good firearms but some find way to make an art of a race to the bottom line. It is good to choose a quality handgun and protect your own hide. This is in opposition to those who look to the government for their safety and bleat like sheep at every emergency. Choosing the handgun isn’t easy and demands lots of thought. In many situations a snub nose revolver works best.

Load, close the cylinder, aim and fire. Simple as that. Some shooters are directed toward a handgun that doesn’t fit their skill level. A 9mm compact isn’t for everyone. Beginning and experienced shooters alike often choose the revolver. They are well armed if they practice. Those who do not practice are in the poor position of deploying a deadly weapon they cannot use well. While the .38 Special is a respectable caliber the .357 Magnum offer greater wound potential. While the slow burning powder used in the Magnum doesn’t generate as much velocity in a two and one half to three inch tube the increase over a .38 Special is respectable. The advantages of the revolver make the short barrel Magnum an attractive choice. Reliability is one advantage.

The Model 19 short barrel Magnum is a great all around revolver.

A further advantage of the revolver is that the revolver can be placed against an opponent’s body and fired repeatedly as a contact weapon. The automatic pistol would jam after the first shot, tying up with blood or clothing material blown into the slide. An automatic may also short cycle due to a less than perfect grip. With a full size grip but a short barrel the user has good leverage against a gun grab attempt.

Power Curve

The Magnum operates at some 40,000 copper units of pressure compared to 18,000 for the .38 Special, and 20,000 for the .38 Special +P. This gives the magnum a great advantage in power, and the ability to use heavier bullets than the .38 Special. .357 Magnum revolvers are nearly as compact as the snubnose .38, but with a heavier frame and a heavy barrel, offer a good platform for the magnum cartridge. I have often regarded the lightest .357 revolvers as simply nice heavy barrel .38s. With a heavier barrel and good sights and a hand filling grip these handguns take away the sometimes sharp recoil of a lightweight .38. Medium frame snub nose .357 revolvers are docile with .38s and manageable with Magnum ammunition.

Be certain to get your practice in with your handgun!

With a mechanical advantage in reliability the ability to use the weapon with a less than perfect grip and the ability to fire with the handgun pressed into an opponents body the snub nose .38 is a credible choice for personal defense while the Magnum is even better- for those who practice! The Magnum loses velocity when fired in a two- to three-inch barreled compact revolver, but it remains far more powerful than the snubnose .38 Special as the accompanying table shows. Just the same- the Buffalo Bore 158 grain lead hollow point is a counterpoint to the short barrel Magnum and gets the tired old .38 off its knees! Recoil of J frame five shot Magnum revolvers is sharp. The revolver must be held firmly for control. There is a sharp jolt not to be underestimated. The person deploying this revolver must engage in practice and use the proper techniques to master this revolver. As for practice- twenty rounds of .38 for every Magnum is a good standard.

Another advantage of the revolver is superb accuracy. The Smith and Wesson Model 19 I often carry has been in service for four decades. A combination of excellent high visibility sights and a smooth trigger make for fine accuracy. Most quality ammunition will cut a 1.5 inch group at 25 yards. However this 2.5 inch barrel revolver has once fired a three inch 50 yard group at 50 yards, from a solid benchrest and the MTM K Zone firing rest. Ammunition was the Black Hills Ammunition 148 grain .38 Special wadcutter. Firing a 2.5 inch barrel revolver even a very good one for accuracy at 50 yards is something of a stunt but the Smith & Wesson Model 19 was up to the task. Modern Smith & Wesson revolvers actually have superior barrel throat fit and tighter tolerances although I don’t like the mix of an action lock and MIM parts. What most of what is needed in personal defense the hardy revolver is a good choice.

Accuracy is good for those who practice.

Results in Smith&Wesson 640.38 Special

Hornady 110 grain Critical Defense: 949 fps
Fiocchi 125 EXTREMA: 909 fps
Speer 135 grain Gold Dot Short Barrel: 844 fps
Winchester 158 grain LSWCHP +P: 829 fps
Buffalo Bore 158 grain lead SWC hollow point: 1,014 fps

( A good choice for short barrel Magnum revolvers) .357 Magnum

Remington 110 grain JHP: 1290 fps
Remington 125 grain JHP: 1190 fps

Stout recoil!

Hornady 125 grain Critical Defense: 1177 fps
Winchester 145 grain Silvertip: 1039 fps
PMC 158 grain JSP: 990 fps

The Pocket Shot

By

Travis Pike

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June 27, 2023

Fun fact about me, remember that 1998 Dennis the Menace movie? My mom took me to audition for that as a seven-year-old. Alas, my life was not meant for Hollywood, but it was made for mischief. Even as a kid, I thought slingshots were so much fun. Now as an adult, I still think slingshots are fun. There is something about the ability to turn nearly anything into a fast-moving projectile I enjoy. Imagine my surprise when browsing Walmart, and I came across something called the Pocket Shot on clearance for a mere five bucks.

The Pocket Shot labels itself the future of slingshots, and for the price of a cup of coffee in 2023, I snagged it. The Pocket Shot is a small elastic-looking balloon secured to an orange plastic ring. Pocket Shot is a good name because it fits into your pocket with absolute ease.

How the Pocket Shot Works

The idea is simple. The elastic balloon portion is where you drop your ammo of choice. Drop one in and then grab it from behind and pull it rearward. Let it go, and your ammo of choice flies outward. It’s simple, and the Pocket Shot can be pulled to the rear quite far. The further you pull it back, the further and faster your ammo flies.

Ammo can be the official Pocket Shot ammo or your typical ball bearings. Personally, acorns and small rocks are the most cost-effective for me, and I let plenty of them fly. A front portion threads onto the Pocket Shot to secure the whole setup. This does allow you to carry extra ammo while it’s stored in the pocket.

The whole idea is pretty simple, but is it really the evolution of the slingshot?

Does The Pocket Shot Work?

The idea is simple and does make the slingshot smaller and more compact. I grabbed some plastic slingshot ammo from Daisy to try the thing out. Although, I also shot my fair share of acorns at oak trees. With the purpose-made ammo in hand, I let it fly.

The Pocket Shot can throw these things quite far; in fact, it flew across my yard way further than I thought, and I resigned that round to lose. With a B8 up, I practiced my accuracy. I consistently shot the thing low when I aimed instinctively, so I had to adjust, and I could hit the black most of the time at seven yards or so. It’s pretty tough to aim the Pocket Shot, harder than a slingshot, for sure.

With my son’s slingshot, I can hit a Coke bottle at ten yards consistently and keep it dancing. I can’t do that with the Pocket Shot. Although to be fair, I’ve been a menace with a slingshot since I was tiny, the Pocket Shot is brand new. Also, I don’t think I can launch cherry bombs with the pocket shot.

The Pocket Shot does launch those little balls fast and hard. I was chipping away at a cinder block with it. I also had an old dresser I needed to take to the dump that quickly became a target. In the tradition of mag dumping into trash, I threw some pellets at it. Those fast-moving balls left deep indents, and they are made from plastic. I don’t doubt I could kill the small game with this thing.

The Modular Design

It bears mentioning that the Pocket Shot is dearly modular. The company has tons of models and variations. There are even various additions to make it more sling-shot-like. Hell, you can even launch short arrows from this thing. I’m not sure if I want to spend a hundred bucks for the arrow setup, but it is tempting.

The Pocket Shot is the AR-15 of the slingshot world, apparently. They typically run for 20 bucks. While I got a great deal, I’ve definitely had 20 bucks worth of fun. I also bought two more for my kiddos because they were five bucks. If you want something cheaper than guns to shoot, give it a peek.

Bizon – That Other Weird Magazine SMG

By

Keith Finch

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June 26, 2023

The PP-19 Bizon and the FN P90 came from a theory and generation of submachine guns that emphasized maximum capacity and minimum space. The ergonomics of a smooth reload didn’t make the list of considerations. The reloads were able to be done and that was pretty much that. That compares in ill favor to what we have nowadays where the reload ergonomics are absolutely a major part of our control scheme designs.

So Garand Thumbs gun video on the PP-19 complete, why did we delve down this high capacity slow reload line of design?

Simple, we were gambling. Balancing is really the proper term, we were balancing the likelihood we shot through an entire magazine while still in contact with an active threat and therefore requiring a reload with the troops and missions these little guns excelled at. The P90 has 66% more ammunition on deck than the MP5 or AR-15. The PP-19 Bizon, in its native 9×18, has 113% more (64 rounds) and the type of fight these guns were meant for was the one magazine engagement and the well supplemented gunfight.

One Magazine Engagement

What is that?

You already know actually, at least one version. The home defense shoot is nearly universally a one magazine engagement. Even against multiple attackers a single standard capacity magazine is going to resolve the fight with the assailants stopped or fleeing. Prolonged gunfights are a true superminority outside the purview of organizations in conflict.

The P90 and Bizon are excellent examples of relying on an over standard capacity to carry the fact that the reload, if necessary, can be done administratively/tactically between fighting sequences as opposed to in the middle of a gunfight. Even in professional PSD type work (the Secret Service likes the 50 round P90 comparatively to the 15-20-30-32 round 9mm guns like the UZI and MP5.

Well Supplemented Gunfight

Here we get back to the fact that the PDW is meant more for vehicle crews in one of its principally designed rolls, therefore the folks using these high capacity yet slower to reload weapons have supplemental protection in many cases.

They’re in something with a much bigger gun.

Armed and armored vehicle, helicopter, APC, whatever it happens to be they can roll with the support of a much bigger gun and the little PDW fills in the gaps.

High Capacity Today

With Magpul and a few others releasing high reliability high capacity magazines for 5.56 and 7.62 carbines, the niche of guns like the Bizon and P90 has narrowed even further. Instead of relying on a PDW style gun with an overcharged magazine to make certain you don’t run out of on rounds when that would be highly inconvenient, the reliable drum magazines give that same capability with full power rifle rounds. The trade off, as there is always a trade off, is weight.

The D60 and D50 make guns heavy. No weigh around it [/pun]. But if its a staged gun instead of a carried gun, that is very manageable. A carbine being carried by a vehicle, or stored in a quick access static space like a locker or bedside, helps manage that transport of that additional weight. It is only every picked up when in actual use to shoot, where the extra capacity is most likely going to benefit the user.

The Compact PDW types then get slotted into the roll of high capacity yet “easy” to carry still. The P90 and Bizon would still both sit reasonably comfortably beneath an arm in a shoulder rig where a PDW sized AR with a D60 or Surefire would not. They also store into very small spaces reasonably well with a magazine in place, something that a traditional carbine again does not do well.

So these guns still have a roll and are still very cool, but for many rolls there are simply better fits.

The Empire Tactical Brass Knuckles

By

Travis Pike

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June 26, 2023

Brass knuckles are neat weapons. In the modern age, they aren’t exactly great for carrying. Knives, guns, batons, and pepper spray are often a much better defensive choice. However, they occupy this neat historical genre of weapons. They’ve been around since the Roman Coliseum and were used by everyone from Abe Lincoln’s bodyguards to Marines from Belleau Wood to Fallujah. If you want a nice set of knuckles for your own, look no further than Empire Tactical.

Most of the time, if you start shopping for brass knuckles, you’ll end up finding the cheapest pot metal junk out there. The stuff that occupies the tables of gun shows and flea markets. It’s made in China and has about as much brass as my leather boots. Empire Tactical is a small American company that produces a number of cool weapons, patches, and morale gear.

The Empire Tactical Brass Knuckles

Amongst all of this sits real brass knuckles. Not just metal knuckle dusters, but knuckles made of real brass that weigh a solid pound! These knuckles have a built-in beer bottle opener. I guess because they need a reason to exist outside of being knuckles. I honestly get it. I’m never going to carry this as a defensive weapon, so they might as well serve some purpose.

As a beer bottle opener, they certainly start a conversation. They are huge and hefty, and man, they’d suck to get hit with. This kind of weight with the right punch won’t just hurt someone, but could easily kill them, if not at the very least concuss them.

They are expertly machined too. They aren’t the crude flea market knuckles, but they are almost artistic in their design and shape. It’s clearly something someone took time to design and perfect into the manliest addition to my cutlery drawer imaginable.

As a Weapon

I’ve already mentioned I won’t use them as a weapon. The downsides and legality make them inefficient and impractical. Would I really carry around a pound of brass versus a gun? Bot hare lethal force and bot hare weapons, and in most places, a gun is legal to carry, but knuckle dusters are not.

Although, if I ever wanted to, they would be an awesome choice all around. Not awesome as in better than a gun, or pepper spray, or a baton, but awesome in the realm of knuckle dusters. They might just be a conversation piece, but if spun into action, they would deliver. They aren’t a replica for replicas’ sake but real weapons that should be treated as such.

The downside is that they are pretty big. I have big hands, and they feel a little large, even for me. Smaller hands might feel a bit overwhelmed and uncomfortable. Also, not knowing how to use them can hurt you more than the bad guy. It really changes how you punch and your form. Do it wrong, and it’s a broken finger in the future.

Buffalo Bore Outdoorsman Loads

By

V. Caldwell

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June 23, 2023

The K frame .357 Magnum revolver such as this Smith & Wesson Model 19 is ideal for .38 Special Outdoorsman use.

Buffalo Bore ammunition offers a wide range of quality ammunition in both rifle and handgun calibers. Most make the most of a caliber. Some get the weaker calibers off their knees in a real way. The .32 ACP, .32 Smith & Wesson Long, .38 Smit & Wesson, .32 H&R Magnum and .380 ACP are among the calibers Buffalo Bore has given special attention to. Buffalo Bore also offers medium power/medium recoil loads for use in lightweight revolvers in .357 Magnum caliber. They are the only maker offering full power .44 Special and .45 Colt loads suitable for personal defense.

Tim Sundles, the owner, has extensive outdoors experience. He has taken the largest North American and African game and knows what it takes to create a load useful for defense against animals. Among the most useful are ethe Outdoorsman loads. This line offers shooters an option once available only to handloaders. The shooter taking his 9mm or .38 into the wild may need a bullet with greater penetration in order to be useful against the big cats, feral dogs and even bears. A non Magnum handgun caliber is hard pressed to penetrate a large animal’s body. But a hard cast bullet at sufficient velocity will penetrate the skull. Some of the loads have been used for the intended purpose and proven effective. When a small-bore proves surprisingly effective, it is most often because of penetration. In one case a bear was killed with body shots and a hard cast 9mm load from Buffalo Bore. While fast opening hollow points may be OK for personal defense when a big bore fails, it is because it has failed to penetrate adequately. These loads are proven.

The .32 H & R Magnum is notoriously underloaded with most factory loads using a 85 grain JHP at about 1,000 fps from a four inch barrel. Buffalo Bore’s 130 grain hard cast bullet at 1150 fps. I have fired this load in Ruger revolvers with excellent accuracy potential. This is a respectable loading in a typically underloaded cartridge. Then there is the .38 S & W cartridge. Please don’t fire old hinged frame break top revolvers! The solid frame Smith & Wesson I and K frame revolvers are as strong as most .38 Special handguns. I have fired this load in my old Terrier revolver with good results. A 125 grain flat nose bullet at 1050 fps gets the superbly accurate short .38 off its knees. Most factory 146 grain loads break about 600 fps in the Terrier. MagTech loads are safe in most old break tops as they clock 515 fps. If you have a Smith & Wesson Military & Police revolver in good condition, an I frame five shot Terrier, or a Colt chambered in this caliber, the Buffalo Bore load may get it back into service for defense.

Most .380 ACP ammunition use a 95 grain FMJ bullet at a true 950 fps. 90 grain hollowpoints may break 1,000 fps. Penetration is a concern. Buffalo Bore’s hard cast 100 grain bullet tops 1,060 fps in my Colt 1903. Since Buffalo Bore uses lead bullets that create less friction and pressure, they are able to create greater velocity with a heavier bullet.

This is a hard-hitting bullet that gets the short .380 into different category of penetration. Accuracy is superb in the right handgun.

Most don’t consider the 9mm an outdoors handguns. But ten many of us have more than one gun. Shooters who own a 9mm may wish to load deep penetrating loading for animal defense in the wild.

A full-metal jacketed bullet may offer good penetration, but these bullets famously create very little tissue damage, slipping through with little effect. The Buffalo Bore 147 grain hard cast flat point breaks 1,060 fps in most 9mm handguns. Accuracy is excellent and there are no excess pressure signs. Take a look at Buffalo Bore’s bear autopsy video. No the man didn’t go hunting bear with a 9mm but was threatened by a bear. Straight shooting and deep penetration did the business.

This brings us to the most useful and most used of the Buffalo Bore loads and my personal favorites. I own several .38 Special revolvers, not to mention the .357, which accepts all .38 Special ammunition. Few modern shooters realize how powerful and useful the .38 Special really is. In a heavy revolver, the .38 Special may be more useful than the .357 Magnum. It may be loaded into a useful caliber for outdoors use but with less recoil and muzzle blast than the .357 Magnum.

Buffalo Bore offers two powerful lead bullet loads for the .38 Special. I would not use them in a light Rossi, Taurus, or other foreign revolver. The guns wont blow up the small parts take a beating. They are best in a J or K frame Magnum revolver- which are best regarded as nice .38s! The 158 grain lead hollow point is perhaps the best .38 Special defense load possible. For many years a standard .38 Special handload using a cast hollowpoint at 1100 to 1200 fps was a standard and very effective defense load. In four inch barrel revolvers the Buffalo Bore load breaks 1125 to 1150 fps. This is a stout load! I have fired it in my S&W Model 60, which has large Hogue grips. Velocity is 1040 fps. This is a heavy load that makes the most of the .38 Special.

The author is impressed with the 9mm Outdoorsman’s performance.

The .38 Special Outdoorsman uses a hard cast Keith type SWC. This bullet has a long nose sharp shoulders and a lot of weight outside the cartridge case. This allows greater powder capacity and less pressure. This load is usually about 20 fps faster than the hollow point loading. This is the single most accurate factory .38 Special load I have tested. Only the most experienced handloader will equal this load’s accuracy. These .38 Special loads get the .38 into a different role and a different power level.

The final load is a superbly accurate long range load that I have enjoyed firing in my Ruger GP 100 revolvers. A 180 grain bullet offers excellent stability, accuracy and penetration. In a four inch barrel GP 100 the Buffalo Bore 180 grain load breaks 1336 fps. This offers a high degree of protection against dangerous animals. The .45 ACP and .45 Colt outdoors loads are also interesting. I have loaded quite a few heavy .45 ACP loads for use in bowling pin shoots. Buffalo Bore offers a 255 grain load at a strong 950 fps. Recoil is there. I fire this load only in Government Model steel frame revolvers. For a measure of authority in the wild this is a credible loading.

This is a small sampling of Buffalo Bore’s loads. I recommend this make without reservation.

Noir, the MiniSCAR, and Super Short 5.56 SBRs

By

Keith Finch

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June 23, 2023

Colion Noir’s take on the ‘Smol’est SCAR, the SCAR 15P, is about what I expected it to be. He likes it. Shocking, I know.

I like it too.

I think the PDW 5.56 is incredibly niche but I still like them. You’ve lost a lot of gas (literally and figuratively) on 5.56 guns after you’re dropping under that proverbial 10.3″ barrel of the original MK18. I still have two, and 8.5″ and a 9.5″ that are exceptionally fun guns to run. I would, as a fan of the SCAR series, do exactly as Colion did and SBR it and add the classic ugg boot stock the way he did. I’d throw a good dot on top that I could fit a QD magnifier behind and call it good.

I wouldn’t shy away from a fixed magnification solution either to be honest.

My XCR-L 9.5″ 5.56×45, folds up nicely as a truck/travel carbine.

Super Short

When I’m talking ‘super short’, I’m using the 10.3″ MK18 as the divider. As we’ve delved further down the rabbit hole of 5.56 and what it can do for us, there was a point we dug too greedily and to deep. We ended up in an era of very short 5.56 guns for no reason beyond their shortness and… they didn’t work great in most instances.

Now there are several out there, properly tuned up PDW types, that work phenomenally if we’re discounting the fractional ballistic performance at range. But they’re PDWs, they’re meant to fight close and hit harder than the 9mm can and be ammo compatible with their more conventional carbine brethren.

We’ve since eased it back and we’re settled in on this barrel range of about 11-14.5 inches being the sweet spot. Sure, this makes them NFA items. But were it not for the NFA the standard would undoubtedly have developed as 14.5″ as the standard, copied from the M4, from 2004 onward. The 16″ would likely not have held the commercial dominance that it does and those looking for personal protective and home defense guns would be where we, in thought process at least, are now with ~13″ guns.

This still leaves the super shorties. The true small guns like the Rattler 5.5″, the LWRC PSD 8.5″, and my pictured XCR-L 9.5″ there.

What are they for?

In short (pun assuredly intended) they exist to supplement conventional carbines in the same way that a subcompact handgun like a G43, Masada Slim, or P365 exist to compliment their duty pistol siblings. They are conditionally more useful. But the difference is that with handguns, the conditions the small one is more useable and useful aligns very naturally with every day carry and the conveniences the small handgun bring to that task. We find the larger handgun the more difficult tool to manage in general for that. With carbines, the opposite is the day-to-day reality. If the carbine is involved the concepts of needing it so small, mobile, or concealable as to make the conventionally sized guns undesirable is extremely unlikely. The goal shifted, usually, from covert comfortable convenience with the handgun to just small enough for efficient overt movement and strong terminal effects against the target.

Most of the time if the rifles are out hiding the rifles is not a goal at all. Especially in LE and citizen defense situations, the rifle itself is an additional demand for immediate de-escalation from the threat and barring that circumstance a very effective solution against the threat. Handguns get you out of gunfights, rifles win gunfights. But for the few instances that concealment still is a goal, these PDWs bring 5.56 as portably and as effectively as can be balanced.

In this space I also still highly recommend folks look at PCC/SMG guns in pistol calibers unless the performance, even so reduced, and noise profile of the 5.56 in these short guns is still a necessary part of the system. It could be and for many use cases it is. It is one of the reasons I really like my XCR-L. The receiver and barrel combination with the folding stock gets it small, but I still have 9.5″ of barrel, putting me in good carbine company with guns like the G36C.

Super shorty carbines have their roles, mostly professional.

“Truck Gun”

This is still a concept most people apply improperly as they think to build a gun to leave in the vehicle. That is a bad idea. The idea of the truck gun is one you can operate while you too are in and around your vehicle, its the chance to bring the bigger stick to the fight if time and opportunity allow. It does not replace your carried handgun as your immediate emergency lethal response to a threat and circumstances that put you in or near your vehicle may also afford you the opportunity to use the vehicle as the defense and evasion tool rather than the firearm.

The ‘truck gun’ is extremely niche for us (Rando McCitizen) in that manner, we aren’t running the gun in any professional capacity like area security, VIP protection/PSD, low profile police work, limited transport capacity work like a motorcycle cop, or in any other professional setting where the super compact nature of the weapon fits our job. We usually just want a more capable gun (when it is in the hands) for our commute to supplement the more accessible and comfortable carry gun.

And because we think its cool.

The 9th Pellet Flyer – Get Out There

By

Travis Pike

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June 22, 2023

More is better, especially when it comes to shotguns. The strength of the scattergun is its ability to throw multiple projectiles with one pull of the trigger. Our goal with a shotgun is to throw as much lead as possible per trigger pull while balancing shot size for adequate penetration, shell size for ammo capacity, and recoil for control. That often leads to a 2.75-inch shell holding nine pellets. But what if I told you that isn’t the best option due to something called the 9th pellet flyer?

What Is The 9th Pellet Flyer?

The 9th pellet flyer is a random occurrence of one pellet separating from the rest of the pellets and ending up several inches away from the rest of the pattern. The distance can be as far as 6 inches, in my experience.

When you start choosing defensive buckshot, you have to test and pattern your ammo. The 9th pellet is that random pellet that separates itself from the rest and can skew a pattern’s dimensions. It’s worth mentioning that it doesn’t always happen, and you can shoot ten rounds of the same buckshot and never see it, but then, that 11th round will give you an odd, off-pattern flyer.

It kills averages and has made nine pellet loads of buckshot unpopular with shotgun enthusiasts.

What’s The Big Deal

We pattern our buckshot loads so we know where the pellets are going. We want to know what the pattern looks like at specific ranges and what it’s doing so we can be best prepared for our engagement. When I pattern my chosen buckshot load at 15 yards, I want to consistently perform the exact same way. Same spread. Predictable area of effect.

The problem with the 9th pellet flyer is that it creates a random, inconsistent flyer that makes it difficult to fully predict what your pellets will do. The 9th pellet could be completely off target, flying haphazardly, and could randomly strike an innocent person by not staying where the rest are.

Why Does it Happen

The general consensus is that it has to do with how the pellets are stacked. You are shoving a lot of pellets inside a small plastic hull. The 9th pellet often sits on top of the other eight pellets and does so in an odd way. When the shotgun gun fires, the other eight pellets smash into it, causing it to deform, and that is why many theorize it flies oddly.

It’s also likely why it doesn’t always happen. It’s more or less bad luck and potentially bad shell design. Not all buckshots are equal and cheaper buckshots with unplated lead pellets commonly throw the flyer, at least more so than the good stuff from name-brand companies.

How Can You Prevent It

The best way to prevent the 9th pellet flyer is to use 8-pellet buckshot. That tends to be the favorite of most serious defensive shotgun users. It’s the most popular Flitecontrol load for a reason. In general, nine-pellet Flitecontrol works better than most, and while I have never seen it personally, I have heard that it does happen even with that particular load.

The optimum defensive buckshot load seems to be an 8-pellet, 2.75-inch load, loaded between 1150 fps and 1250 fps. Prevent that 9th pellet flyer by just not having a 9th pellet.

This Stinks – Gassing Garand Thumb

By

Keith Finch

-

June 22, 2023

Testing cheapo knock-off gas masks from China and other sketchy locations.

What could go wrong?

Mike’s tears tell us the story.

Seriously though readers and watchers, buying the cheapest solution to emergency equipment is nearly universally a bad idea. Those products exist to make you feel like you’re prepared for X, Y, or Z event. Investing in a quality solution that fits your use case, and the training to use it, is better money spent 10 out of 10 times.

Invest in a single quality handgun, maybe a dedicated carry gun too, a single quality rifle, the supporting equipment for them, and the training to use them. Do that with emergency medical, with weather emergencies, power loss, and for riot conditions as your local situation warrants. Have all that in process and then you can grab as many extras, backups, and whatever you want just because you want them. That “essentials” list is already a sizeable investment of time and money, even if you’re frugal with your purchases.

The Hidden Book Safe – How To

By

Travis Pike

-

June 21, 2023

I’m pretty sure hidden compartments in books were an invention of pop culture, but I’m betting more than one of us has wanted one. I know so because companies sell them prebuilt. I wasn’t keen on coughing up 18 bucks for a book safe that is clearly not a book. Instead, I’d figure I’d make my own hidden book safe and finally put those expensive college books to good use.

Making Your Own Hidden Book Safe

First, we need a thick book, a boring book too, one not likely to draw eyes and investigation. An aforementioned college textbook is perfect for that. It needs to be thicker than you think too. A small gun is tough to conceal, so bigger is better. Besides the book, you’ll need the following:

Exacto Knife
Glue (I used school glue)
Small Paint Brush
Ruler
Scissors
Pen
Wax or News Paper

Now it’s time for arts and crafts with guns!

Step 1 – Grab The Glue

I made the mistake of cutting before I started gluing, and it was a pain. So let’s glue first. Take your wax or new paper or whatever medium to have. Open the book up to the first hundred pages and place the wax paper over the first hundred pages. Now do the same for the last hundred pages. The paper protects the pages from the glue.

Between the first and last 100 pages, we will carve our compartment. Use the paintbrush to apply glue to the compartment pages. Be generous with it. Once it’s all glued, take a break and let it dry.

Step 2 – Outline the Compartment

Measure an inch from all sides of the book. An inch from the top, bottom, middle, and outside. Using your ruler and pen, outline a box within those measurements. This ensures there is plenty of book left to hold up whatever weight you decide to hide.

Step 3- Start Cutting

I went through two Eaxcto blades and spent a good hour cutting. What I would do differently now is use a drill and bit and create four holes. One in each corner. It would have made life easier. This is the longest part of the hidden book safe project. Just keep cutting within your outline. It takes forever.

Step 4 – Glue Again

My hidden book safe will hide a KelTec P3AT and a spare magazine. The gun is quite thin and just barely fits, and I am tired of cutting. Once it fits, use your glue to glue the inside of the compartment pages together.

Let it dry once more. If you choose, you can use some paper glued in the compartment for a cleaner look. I used pieces of black construction paper to make it look a little cleaner.

Bonus Step – Cut More

I found the book wouldn’t close well because of the cuts closest to the middle of the book. The paper bent upwards naturally. In this case, I used my Exacto and carved a little hump downwards. This allowed the book to close flat without issue. It might not happen with everyone, but it’s worth noting.

The Hidden Book Safe

It’s not too hard. In fact, my kids enjoyed it enough that we made a few more for them. Obviously, they didn’t have guns to hide. Just costume jewelry and holographic Pokemon cards. The project is simple and cheap but does consume some time. It’s certainly a fun way to spend a few hours getting your spy on. (Although, to be safe, the book is locked in my closet, which requires a passcode to access, so it’s super spy.)

Rangers gonna Ranger – even in the Forgotten Ruin

By

David Reeder

-

June 21, 2023

WarGate Books has sent out a release announcing the latest in their Forgotten Ruin series of novels. Because of the unique way they phrased things, we’ll just let you read it in their words in its entirety.

Scroll on down and we’ll give you a few excerpts.

Something to know before you get started: Amazon’s marketing department is now shadow-banning indie authors with “violent content” on the cover (guns, swords, combat, etc.: more on that here). Big-name authors like Jack Carr haven’t been impacted yet (that we’re aware of), but individual writers and small publishing houses very much have been. They cannot run ads on Amazon Marketing Solutions on affected novels, and some books are no longer searchable by the author’s name. You can’t find them unless you know the specific title of the individual book. Sound familiar?

Now on to the release.

SGT. THOR and MJÖLNIR ROCK THE RUIN

For Immediate Release

Area 51, God Only Knows When

Bring it in, take a knee. WarGate Books is proud to announce Sgt. Thor’s imminent raid on the Ruin, Sua Sponte solo style.

This won’t matter to you if you prefer anemic military science fiction, effete protagonists, lackluster action, or peace. If, however, you appreciate a side of carnage to go with your violence of action, then you’re going to want to read on.

BLUF: An indie book company with a stable-full of combat veteran writers and best-selling authors is launching a new book line. You should back them on Kickstarter.

Who is Sgt. Thor? He’s what would happen if Conan completed Ranger School, got tabbed and scrolled, and carried a .50 AMR named Mjölnir on his adventures. He’s the guy who changed his name and his religious affiliation so he could grow a beard, then went full Viking. You know, the former surfer with the Glock 17, matched tomahawks, and Thor Score: The Regimental high score for stacking monstrous bodies.

What is the Ruin? It’s an ancient, murderous future. It’s four hundred generations from now, the wreck of a world Ruined by a nano-plague. It’s a place stalked by hideous creatures and haunted by fiends. It’s the place a company of Rangers with attachments and augments find themselves going shock and awesome on a series of HVTs straight out of a Tolkien novel or D&D campaign.

What about WarGate Books? They’re this world’s source for the acclaimed Galaxy’s Edge, The Lost, Warlord¸ Splashdown, and of course Forgotten Ruin series of novels. They have entirely reimagined military science fiction.

Excerpt from the Forgotten Ruin series…

The skeletal rider heaved the flaming pieces of the devastated shield off into the grass. And at the same moment the Dark Rider uttered its first words as it bore down on us, deathly pale gray horse heaving as it pushed its way up the last of the slope.

“Now,” it hissed across a vast canyon that separated the real and surreal. Its voice like that of a drowning ghost in a graveyard well past midnight. “Now you all die, mortals!”

As the rider reached the top of the hill, kicked at the terror-struck horse, and pounded directly at Sergeant Thor, the sniper reversed the Barrett and used it like a club to knock the Dark Rider from the passing horse with one terrific swipe. The dark Jackpot commander HVT groaned like some great giant as it fell backwards off its mount, rolling as it went, its great gray still-burning grave shroud flying in the night like the flag of death eternal. Yet it landed on its ancient leather black boots caked with mud. Terrible sword out and ready to cut as its wielder rose slightly into the air, levitating off the ground right in front of us, dying flames crawling across its body.

Thor scrambled away, pulling a magazine off his chest carrier and getting it into the massive Mjölnir as he turned and raised it to fire.

Anspach, Jason; Cole, Nick. Hit & Fade (Forgotten Ruin series book 2)

Rangers gonna Ranger, whether they’re killing bad guys in dirty manjams or orcs in rusted armor.

“The Ranger tab is just a leadership school. The scroll is a way of life.” Sgt. Thor

Contact WarGate: press@wargatebooks(.)com

Visit WarGate Books: wargatebooks(.)com

Forgotten Ruin Books Online: amazon(.)com/dp/B08X1VSRRF

“Justice” for Me but Not for Thee

By

Dr LateBloomer

-

June 21, 2023

Dear Federal Agent who Monitors my Feed: Don’t worry, it’s just powdered sugar.

The Associated Press has just reported that Hunter Biden has been formally charged with failure to pay taxes and also charged with illegal firearms possession.

The AP reports,

“As part of the agreement, made public Tuesday, Hunter Biden will plead guilty to misdemeanor tax offenses and is expected to reach an agreement with prosecutors on the felony charge of illegally possessing a firearm as a drug user. It is somewhat unusual to resolve a federal criminal case at the same time the charges are filed in court, though it is not totally unheard of.”

Entire article here.

That’s right fellow citizens and 2A supporters, the drug-head crook who happens to be the son of the sitting president gets to, “reach an agreement with [federal] prosecutors on the felony charge,” AND he gets to quietly sweep it all under the rug on the same day he was charged.

Show of hands how many of you think you would get the same treatment on a federal firearms charge? Anybody? Bueller? Okay, now show of hands how many of you think this has absolutely nothing to do with a certain demented cabbage in the Oval Office, a crooked Justice Department, and a presidential campaign?

Yeah, “Equal Justice Under Law” … or something…

Joe Biden Serious About Gun Crime and Gun Violence as Hunter Skates on Obvious Gun Felonies

By

Keith Finch

-

June 20, 2023

Hunter Biden boards Air Force One in Syracuse, New York — Hunter Biden, son of U.S. President Joe Biden, boards Air Force One at Hancock Field Air National Guard Base in Syracuse, New York, U.S., February 4, 2023. REUTERS/Elizabeth Frantz Via CNN

CNN is reporting that Hunter Biden will be pleading guilty to two tax related misdemeanors and will be taking a Pretrial Diversion Agreement on the felony gun charge of possession of a firearm by a person who is an unlawful user of or addicted to a controlled substance (and lying on a Form 4473, but that wasn’t charged).

As if you needed more proof that the President should not be taken seriously when it comes to firearms than his spurious claims that braces are capable of changing a firearms caliber and making it larger, here we have concrete proof that the DoJ, because of the adminstration, does not give a shit. You can commit an obvious felony, gather the proof of it yourself, have that proof discovered in your possession and verified, and you will be given the lightest possible sentencing over it from this tough on gun violence administration. Because they didn’t mean ‘actual’ crimes, they meant theoretical fear mongering crimes. They meant vague armed boogeymen because they certainly won’t keep actual violent felons locked up and away from firearms.

But dammit we need an assault weapon ban! We can take them, this super serious administration, seriously on that part, right? Right? Literally nothing criminally could or should be taken seriously out of the left’s cadre of activist prosecutors, from local to national levels, and this softball from the DoJ cements it.

“But Keith, you don’t believe that simple possession and use of substances should be a felony.”

You are correct. I do not. Just as I don’t believe possessing a gun with a less than a 16″ barrel and a stock should be a felony (unless you pay the tax) or is demonstrably more dangerous than a gun with a 16″ or longer barrel. I believe that the NFA is as demonstrably valueless as Hunter Biden is demonstrably a felon under the law. But the DoJ is tossing this softball.

Why?

Simple, I think they want to set themselves up as seeming more legitimate as they press the charges against Donald Trump. Regardless of how deserved the charges are or are not against Trump, the obvious optics are that the DoJ, which is Biden helmed at the moment, is attacking their immediate political rival. This will give them some evidence that they will prosecute their own team too, even the President’s own demonstrably felonious son is subject to the law a little bit. They couldn’t let obvious multi-time criminal Hunter Biden, who sank himself, sit there uncharged and then press full court against the bombastic Trump. That would be a step too far on hypocrisy.

So Hunter was sacrificed, given the barest bones of a conviction, and it will be used as a defense that the Biden DoJ will prosecute their own too. Which good for them. For what it’s worth, which certainly isn’t much, this more just confirms that most felonies shouldn’t be felonies if prosecuting them is this worthless.

ELFX – EOTech Testing MRDS Spaces

By

Keith Finch

-

June 20, 2023

Aaron Cowan over at Sage Dynamics has some of the most extensive information available on the topic of pistol optics and their durability in a realistic duty sense.

Not every optic is meant to be an M&P rated item, yes that is more than just a Smith & Wesson trademark. They are all not meant for the military, the police, serious competitive events, training, or hard use ccw gun. They aren’t and they do not have to be. I don’t need an RMR on a 10/22 that mostly exists for my kid to enjoy range time or for a task no more serious than controlling damaging critters.

Thus enter the EOTech EFLX.

Now EOTech is a well known and well respected duty optic brand. The HWS line has served and continues to serve as an excellent optical series in the reflex sight category. Their magnifiers are exceptional glass quality. Their LPVO and high power rifle optics in the VUDU line have all seen well respected success.

Their VUDU 1-8x SFP is one of my favorite LPVOs, arguably my favorite SFP one. However, their initial 1-6 offering left a lot to be desired in its design. I feel like, and Aaron’s report here supports that belief, the EFLX is going to be another proof of concept optic where a follow on variant solves many of the deficiencies of the first version.

Does that mean you should avoid buying an EFLX? Maybe. You can arguably get a dot with better performance under harsh handling conditions for similar spend, so why wouldn’t you. However if you want it just because [reason] and its limits are not detrimental to what you are trying to do with it, then pick it up now. If you want to wait or buy something more suited to your task, then do so.