Glock 42 First Range Trip Thoughts

Today I took the Glock 42 out to the range for a quick session, although I wasn't able to get video due to the wind being strong enough to blow the tripod over I was able to get some decent trigger time. 

One of the biggest things I have been hearing from people is how Glock screwed up by making it a .380 and also making it the size it is (too big) for a .380, while I personally would have prefered it in a 9mm single stack the .380 is still a decent round.

Let me start off with this, for those who complain that it is too large for a .380 handgun there is a point of diminishing returns when it comes to the size of a handgun. When you get so small like the Ruger LCP or the Kahr .380, you get to a point that the gun is no longer comfortable to shoot, and when a gun becomes uncomfortable to shoot you don't train with it. 

In my opinion the Glock 42 is the exact size that it needs to be, it disappears when I carry it appendix IWB and I myself hardly realize it's there. Sure it is a little big to be a pocket pistol, but I have to wonder if it would be practical to draw from your pocket anyways. 

I think the fact that Glock made it the size they did is great, as I said before it is very comfortable to both carry and shoot. I am confident I would have no issue taking a class with it (as long as I could find enough mags). 

This range trip I ran 107 rounds of ammo through it, 7 were PDX1 Self Defense rounds, 50 were PPU 95gr FMJ, and 50 were Remington 95gr FMJ. There were no issues with feeding or firing, the only issue I ran into was the slide not locking back on empty. While it wouldn't lock back on empty with both hands it would lock back with one hand, so I'm thinking it's an issue with hand placement and I will need to work on that.

The 42 was an absolute pleasure to shoot and I was fairly accurate with it also. With the gun being the size it is, it will take me another trip to get it zeroed in. I am looking forward to running quite a few hundred rounds through this gun, and hopefully this next trip out I can actually get some video. 

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Thoughts on the R.I.P. Updated Version

There are updated sections to this post, I pulled the original to rewrite a few items and discuss the round with a few others who I respect in the community.

So yesterday I log into Facebook and I see this new snake oil round called the R.I.P. (seriously?) and then I log into Instagram and it is all over the place there too, and I just keep shaking my head and saying that the round is a really bad idea. I even went as far as to watch the videos and check out the website to see what the craze was all about. While I hold my opinion as to how the round will work, or wether it will be efficient or not I do have very mixed feelings about it.

While the round may have awesome penetration and act like a hole saw, it will also draw the attention of an overzealous prosecutor who will use it against you. Let that sink in for a second. In the event that you ever had to use this round in self defense there is always the chance that you can be taken to trial, and in that trial a prosecutor is going to use everything in their power to make you look like you are a killer, who for all intents and purposes was set out to kill. Never mind the fact that those of us who carry do so for self defense and the only time we would use our guns would be in a life or death situation, the prosecutor wants to win. 

Also with the marketing of "the last round you will ever need" and calling the round the "Radically Invasive Penetration" round are just over the top. Marketing is marketing, but as I have said many times before, you can market the crap out of something and if it is a poor performer it was all for not. There have been plenty of things I have bought because they don't do marketing gimmicks, instead they have proven results. This is my opinion, and while some will disagree I hold to this.

Updated:

While there are no previous cases that show a person involved in a self defense shoot being charged because of the bullet that they used, Tim from Military Arms Channel made a very good point when he posted "the manufacturers have marketed it in such a way that I believe it presents a potential legal liability in civil court should I ever be involved in a self defense shooting." He is referring to the fact that the injured or deceased attacker's family could possibly take you to court.

Some of the other things that I have noticed as I have watched the video a few more times are that there is no proof that the rounds they are reliably firing off in the full auto guns are the R.I.P. they never show you the magazine filled with the round, and one of the other issues is that the ballistics gel they are using in the video doesn't seem to be the same density as many of the other ballistic gel videos I have seen (however this is just an observation).

There are just too many questions, on top of what I feel is an extremely gimmicky release video. Will I get my hands on some to try out on ballistics gel? Of course. Will I ever carry it? Nope, no way, I just see too many problems with it legally in the event I ever have to use it. 

For now I will try and keep my bias set aside on this round, I do want to get my hands on a couple boxes just to take it out and use it in ballistics gel to see just how well it holds up to their claims. I also want to see if it truly does function flawlessly in different guns as has been claimed. 

2 New Builds for 2014

With the release of 2 new limited edition lowers by Aero Precision I decided it was time to work on some new builds this year. For me the fun is in the planning and building, while taking the finished build out to the range is the reward. There has always been something about planning out a build, purchasing the parts, and bringing everything together into a complete rifle.

One of them will be an AR Pistol build, which will be going on the Ghost Gun lower. I am looking at going with a 10.5" barrel setup, and hopefully running it with a piston system. The pistol buffer will be the PWS Enhanced Pistol Buffer tube, which I have heard great things about. The muzzle device will likely be a Lantac Dragon or a Compensator from S.W.O.R.D. Intl. Still working to figure out which pistol grip, trigger, sights, etc will be going onto this build. The plan is to eventually SBR the pistol.

The other will be a rifle build, the base of the rifle will be the PewPewPew lower. Since I ordered it with the matched upper receiver it will be a complete build from the ground up. The barrel will be a 14.5" .223Wylde from ODIN Works, I have been hearing nothing but awesome things about these barrels and cannot wait to get my hands on one. The hand guard will most likely be from Fortis, since I am looking at getting my hands on a piston kit from Adams Arms and the Fortis rails both look awesome and work well with the AA Piston Kit. This rifle will be using the Hiperfire 24C trigger, along with the Umbrella Corp pistol grip, and a few other upgrades that I will list as the build planning goes on.

If anyone can think of any parts or items that should go on either of these builds post them below in the comments and I will take them into consideration, after all I don't know about everything that is on the market and enjoy learning about new stuff.

These are 2 projects that I am really looking forward to writing about, and sharing video as they progress. So make sure to subscribe to the email list to receive updates whenever they are posted.

Pre Range Thoughts: Glock 42

As many of you know I was like many others when Glock announced they would be releasing a new sub compact handgun, there had been hopes that they would release it in 9mm at first and then over time add .40 and .45 to the mix. Instead Glock released the 42 in .380ACP, and at first everyone was against the idea that it should be released in this caliber. I didn't totally agree with the fact that it was going to be a .380ACP, partly because it is a harder round to find as of late and when I had seen it in stock it was priced higher than the 9mm.

When we headed to the Media Day at the Range during SHOT Show I was still very skeptical of the 42. I knew that it being a Glock it would function like a Glock and there should be no issue there, but there was just that question of why make it in .380? Once at the Glock booth I took a few moments to take a good look at the 41 and 42, they both looked good but I was still on the fence. I watched a few other people head up to the table to shoot them, and each time the person shooting would look a bit surprised with a few of them looking unimpressed. It seemed like for the most part everyone enjoyed both of the new Glocks.

When it was finally our turn to head up and shoot them I was looking forward to handling both of the guns. The first one I picked up to fire was the 42, and my first impression was "this thing is tiny" but it was also surprisingly comfortable in my hand for a .380ACP. There have been a few other pocket pistols that I have owned and every single one of them that was a .380 ended up being sold about 2 range trips in due to various reasons (crappy trigger, uncomfortable, too small, etc..) but the Glock 42 was different. Shooting with the 42 was completely different than what I was used to with any of the other sub compact .380ACP's but it was only for 5 rounds since that was all they gave us, and while I was very happy with the way it shot...it was only 5 rounds.....but they were enough to convince me that I wanted to pick one up for more range time with it.

So I went ahead and asked my FFL to set one aside for me so I could pick it up and run as much ammo through it as I possibly can and see just how much I really do like this new baby Glock. When I picked it up this past weekend I had forgotten just how small it is, but even though it is small it is still very easy to hold. The biggest surprise (which isn't really a surprise) was the fact that when I tossed it into the Tuff Products adjustable holster and carried it, it disappeared in concealment. It was almost impossible to tell that I was carrying it, and it was very comfortable to wear the rest of the day.

When I got it home I set it next to my 19 that I carry all the time (except at work) and did some size comparison so I could put the pictures up here. It is surprising how small the gun, while at the same time being comfortable to hold (and in my limited experience, shoot). I am looking forward to running hundreds of rounds through the gun and seeing just how Glock it actually is.

Make sure to join the emailing list so you can receive updates on the Glock 42, also follow me on Instagram for more pictures @Spartan_TC

Tikka T3: Worth the investment

Tikka T3 is not one of the two big brands or models you hear much about at the range, but maybe it should be.  The Tikka brand is manufactured by Sako in Finland, and imported by the parent company Beretta. Sako has a great reputation for producing highly accurate rifles such as the TRG, and while the Tikka is not anywhere near the price of the TRG they did not skimp on quality where it counts.  The Tikka T3 is available in several different models ranging from a basic hunting rifle configuration to their TAC model.  Each model is available in multiple calibers, and several of them are offered in left-handed versions.  All models come with Tikka's 3 shot group sub MOA guarantee.

When I was looking for a .308 caliber rifle I had only a few requirements: 1. It had to fit my budget of $500-$700 2. It had to be left-handed (yes, we lefties can shoot too) 3. It had to be accurate out of the box.  With my budget I could not afford to take a brand new rifle to the gunsmith for accurizing.  Now I know that most modern rifles are more capable than most us can shoot, but I'm picky.  After a lot of research and a couple visits to the local gun store I purchased a Tikka T3 Lite Stainless Steel model.

I have been shooting the T3 since 2007 and I can vouch for the sub MOA 3 shot group capabilities.  I have been able to repeat that consistently with cheap factory ammo.  With reloads I have been able to shoot 4 shot groupings that are all within half and inch or less.  Out of the box the T3 does not disappoint.  I have shot Remington 700s, Savage model 10s, Weatherby Vanguards, Winchester model 70's, Mausers, and Ruger model 77s to name a few and none of them have triggers or actions as smooth as the T3.

Now if you know me, you know I am a sucker for a sweet trigger.  The T3's trigger is just that. It is adjustable from four pounds down to two pounds. Out of the box my rifle was at about three pounds. I haven't felt the need to adjust it from the factory settings, but it is easily done by removing the barreled action from the stock and adjusting the set screw on the trigger.

The other thing that really sold me on the T3 was how smooth the action is.  The bolt lifts slides and locks like it's on ball bearings. When inspecting the bolt, action, and specifically the races it is apparent that Sako takes their quality control seriously as there are no tool marks or chatter from the tooling used in the machining processes. Some of the other rifles that I have used, including my Savage, feel gritty in comparison because of sloppy or hasty machining. Tikka uses a long action for all calibers and simply changes the bolt stop to differentiate long and short actions. This makes it easy to re-barrel and change calibers later on.

Sako is know for is their high quality barrels; the barrel on the T3 is a good example of this. The T3 lite in .308 caliber comes with a light hunting profile 22-7/16" long barrel with a 1:11 rate of twist.  This barrel is great for hunting, but due to its light profile it does not make the best target barrel passed 3-4 rounds.  The reason for this is that the barrel heats up quite a bit after the third round and you begin to get point of impact shifts resulting in the forth shot typically being a flyer 1/4 to 3/8 of an inch outside the first three shots.  Again, if you are hunting this isn't much of a concern; if you need to make more than three shots while hunting you have bigger problems than a point of impact shift. All Tikka models have a free floated barrel, which is pretty standard anymore.

There are a few areas where I feel the T3 falls flat though, the most noticeable of which is the stock.  The synthetic stock that comes with rifle must have been where the cost savings came from during production.  Granted it is made to be light weight so that it is easily carried afield, but it flexes somewhat and the comb height is just too low to get the proper check weld (at least it is for me).  The butt pad is something you will want to replace quickly.  The toe of the factory butt pad is rather hard and sharp and when shooting prone it tends to dig in.  I picked up a Limbsaver butt pad and the difference was amazing.  The last thing that I really don't like about the T3 is the plastic mags.  I'm all on board with polymer mags, but these are not great.  The T3 comes with one three round mag, and expect to pay $65-80 for another one in either three or five round capacity.  With that said, none of these things are deal breakers. The Tikka is still a great rifle and stocks are easily changed...for a price.  Manners,  McMillan, and MDI all make excellent stocks/chassis for the Tikka.  CDI also makes new bottom metal that accepts ACIS mags.

I haven't upgraded much on my T3 yet.  I added an EGW 0 MOA rail,  Burris scope rings, and for now a Burris Full Field II scope.  The bipod is a CAA 6-9", but I am planning I replacing it with an Atlas when I replace my stock.  When I first purchased the T3 there were very few companies making parts for them. That is not the case anymore, with the popularity of the T3 growing more companies are making parts for them.  If you are looking for a rifle in the price range of a Remington 700 SPS or a Savage model 10 that will probably out perform them out of the box, I would highly recommend you give the Tikka T3 a look. They sure are fun to shoot!

Phillip Kopper

KNS Precision GoPro mount

In the last couple hours in the last room on the last day of SHOT show we were walking around and found KNS Precision. They make many items such as anti rotation pins and many other AR15 accessories; but what caught my eye was their point-of-view go pro mounts that mount directly to a picatinny rail.

  Facing the shooter 

 I have seen similar products via Instagram and YouTube but this one is by far the most slimline. Whether you want to mount facing the shooter or the target, you can do so. These are excellent for 1st first person 3 gun competitions or to see your facial reaction to your shots. I would love to pick one up for some POV hunting videos, similar to those that Dustin Ellerman did with his helicopter hog hunt down in Texas. Im hoping to snag one before deer season rolls around again so I can document my success (or failures).

Windham Weaponry Booth SHOT Show 2014

While I did not get to talk with any of the reps from Windham Weaponry I did have the opportunity to check out a few of the items that they brought with for the show.

One of the first things I noticed when walking up to their booth were the wood furniture AR's, they stood out among everything because they were different. Every other AR I saw during the show essentially looked like the other, but these were different.

While they are only a prototype I hope that Windham will release them onto the market at some point because they are awesome.

The other rifle that caught my eye was their new AR-10 SRC (Sights Ready Carbine), while there are many AR-10's out on the market there aren't many in the lower price ranges that are decent quality. After checking out their AR-10 I thought it felt sturdy while still being light (7.5lbs without mag or optic), and although there are a number of pieces I would end up changing, it is just right at the MSRP of $1413.

I had some pictures with it, unfortunately they were lost when the computer did it's own thing. So here is the spec sheet from Windham Weaponry.

I am looking forward to getting some time with the SRC .308 once I have my hands on it, since my experience with the WW AR-15 was so good. This is one company that is building affordable AR's that are great quality, and I look forward to seeing what else they bring out in the future.

Desert Tech Booth SHOT Show 2014

As many of you know it was announced earlier this month that Desert Tech turned down a rather large contract that would have supplied rifles to Pakistan, instead of compromising their beliefs they stood firm and did not take the money. If you didn't like what Desert Tech was doing before you should really like them now, I know this move made me like them even more.

With that said, I was excited when I received the email that they would be debuting the MDR (Micro Dynamic Rifle) during SHOT Show. With the success of the Tavor it was only a matter of time before more companies dove into the bull pup market, and with the MDR Desert Tech came out swinging.

While the MDR's that they had at the show were prototypes and the actual rifles will not release until 2015, you got a very good idea of just how balanced the MDR will be. Since it is fully ambidextrous, and the controls are the "same" as the M-4/AR-15 platform it felt very natural to shoulder the rifle and manipulate the controls.

One of the other great things about the MDR was the fact that it will be adaptable to multiple different calibers by switching out the barrel, bolt, and mag well. The current plan is to release it as a .308 and 5.56 at first and then offer options such as 7.62x39, .300BLK, and 6.8 SPC, and as I said before the greatest part about that is they will only require changing out parts and not the complete rifle.

Overall I am extremely excited to see the finished product of the MDR, and hopefully get my hands on one at some point. As much as I enjoyed shooting the Tavor I did not like how the controls were all rearward and took some thinking to manipulate them correctly. Having the controls setup the way they are on the MDR would only require training yourself to bring the magazine to the rear to load it.

Gallow Tech Boot SHOT Show 2014

So over the past 10+ months I have talked with Brent from Gallow Tech a few times via email, and he did a great job of leaking the smallest amounts of information as possible. When I stopped by the booth I had a very vague idea as to what he was releasing.

When I stepped into his booth and saw the panels and mounts I was truly impressed with craftsmanship and quality. While a storage idea is nothing new, the way the Gallow Tech system makes it work and look is quite different than many of the other options I have seen out there.

The panels are powder coated tan, and are made of 16 gauge steel which feels extremely sturdy and and should stand up very well to long term use. When it comes to choosing a setup for your guns, mags, and other gear the options seem to be limitless. There are vertical and horizontal rifle options, handgun racks, and magazine shelves, as I said before the options seem to be limitless.





There will be much more to come on the Gallow Tech storage system after I pick out my setup and get it mounted on the wall. I will be doing a pre installation, during installation, and after installation video so you can all see how the system works all together. So make sure sign up for our email listing to stay up to date on all of the reviews we will be doing over the next few months.

Shot Show from a green horn

Let's start with media day at the range. We took a bus out to the Boulder city pistol and rifle club range from the sands convention center. Upon arrival I didn't think the range was all the big....boy was I wrong! We kept driving down the dirt road and more and more tents kept popping up. Eventually we unloaded from the bus and walked. After we got our media passes we entered about 1/2 between both ends. We decided to start on the far end with TacCon and got to shoot their 3MR trigger (There will be more on that from me in a later post). As much as I wanted to go to every tent, we just couldn't. Between the amount of people waiting in line and the sheer number of companies, we knew we had to hit the ones you guys wanted to see. We have lots of video from what we got at the range which you can find on our YouTube channel. After hours of walking and shooting the latest and greatest, we were beat.

        Eric from the YouTube channel     IraqVeteran8888

                   Gunny sighting!

           Shooting the new Glock 41

As for the main convention, all I could say is WOW. I had heard stories from friends and local companies about the pure size of the show. I wasn't necessarily skeptical but at the same time I didn't quite believe them when they said how massive it actually was. Walking into the front doors of the Sands convention center I was already in shock. The lobby itself was bigger than any convention I had been to back home. 

            1 of many lobby entrances

Once we made our way to the floor, well, let's just say my jaw stubbed my toe. The amount of guns and gear in that single (and utterly gargantuan) room was mind blowing. I didn't know which way to turn. Had I not known about the SHOTShow app I would have been in survival mode because I'd be lost in some part of the building. Even with that app and after I thought I knew where everything was; on our last day in the convention center we found a huge room I never even knew existed. I was like a kid in a candy store. After walking for miles on day one my whole lower body ached like no other. We skipped around on the first and second floor on that day. 

             Kat from Adams Arms

The remainder of our time at Shot show we prioritized and met up with as many companies as we could that we could potentially work with in the future; A lot of which I was unfamiliar with. Luckily Travis knew what was up and helped me out a ton. We talked to and interview SWORD international, Legion firearms, tuff products, AM-TAC, and Gallow Tech just to name a few that we talked with. By the end of everyday I was ready to just collapse. I never thought I would walk so much in such a short period of time. Overall I think we walked a good 30 miles during the entire trip. 

                 Colion Noir and Lane

    Tavis and I at the Tuff products booth

My favorite booths were all on the first floor and off in the side rooms on both floors. A majority of which were somewhat smaller companies that were genuine when you talked to them. We also got to meet many of our sponsors for our giveaways we have done. It was excellent to know the people who make the magic happen.

    Desert tech MDR (my favorite rifle  of the show) 

Stay tuned for more reviews and follow ups from Shot show. There is too much to cover in one review. 

-ShipLane 

    Glenn Fleming previously of Sons of     Guns. 

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CMC Triggers Booth SHOT Show 2014

So I have been in contact with CMC Triggers on and off for the past few months but have not had the opportunity to try out or see one of their triggers in person, until last week. I had been hearing nothing but great things about their triggers from a number of people who's opinion I respect, so I have been looking forward to getting my hands on one at some point.

When I met with CMC Triggers at their booth it was awesome to find out that it is a family run business, and everyone in the family is very heavily involved.

They had a Lantac lower with their trigger installed so I was able to get a feel for how the trigger works and feels, and now I am looking forward to getting one installed in my rifle and getting some time at the range with it.

If there is one thing I respect very highly it is when a company makes you feel like you have known them for a long time and take the time to make you feel welcome at their booth. CMC was awesome to hang out with after the show at dinner one night also.

Looking forward to working with them here in the near future also.

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Diamondhead Booth SHOT Show 2014

Before I left for SHOT there had been a few suggestions (both from the page and some friends) to check out the Diamondhead booth. Everyone wanted information on the new D-45 offset sights, and a few people asked about the new polymer sights that are being offered.

I had just happened to see the Diamondhead D-45 sights on one of the Adams Arms AR-15's while at their booth and I was intrigued by them, and I made sure that we stopped at Diamonhead after that.

The D-45 sights are a very unique build compared to some of the other offset sights I have owned before. Instead of being a solid mount, they are spring loaded and can handle being bumped because they will just move back and then go right back into position. I would really like to pick up a set to use on my rifle once I swap it over to a magnified scope.

(When stowed the sights sit as low as any other folding sight)

The other sights that I was interested in were the polymer sights that they are offering. Unlike some of the other polymer flip up sights I have seen on the market these are built solid and have one ver cool feature on them. You can "charge" the sights up with your flashlight which then gives you a very bright set of night sights, I was surprised at just how bright they were when the booth rep showed me.

Wether we are able to work a deal with getting a set of each sent to us for review or we have to pick some up to review, there will be something up about them at some point this year.

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Adams Arms Booth at SHOT Show 2014

One of the first booths that we stopped at was Adams Arms, where we had the opportunity to talk shop with Kat. She is extremely knowledgeable and she can shoot too, as has been proven by some of the Instagram videos I have seen.

We also had the opportunity to check out the Kryptek patterned rifles that they brought with them, drooled a bit over them, and were impressed at just how clean the pattern was done on the rifles.

This is one company that I am hoping to work with this year to get up some reviews and information about their products for you all to see.

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Post SHOT Show 2014 Thoughts

When I was told that SHOT Show was huge and I would literally not see everything before it was over I really didn't believe it. I am now a believer that there is literally no way to see every single booth and have time to talk to all of them, but really there is no need to because not all of the booths are offering the firearms or gear that I typically review.

Media day was a crazy place to be, but at the same time it was awesome because I was able to get some time behind some newer firearm such as the Glock 41, Glock 42, S.W.O.R.D. Intl SBR AR-15, and ADCOR AR-15. Having time to talk with the representatives from each company and sometimes the owners helps to give a lot of background information that may not always be readily available. 

If I were to narrow it down to 2 things that I was impressed the most with it would have to be the Glock 42 and the S.W.O.R.D Intl SBR (also 16" setup).

The Glock 42 was something that I went in wanting to hate it because I thought it was the most ridiculous thing that Glock would bring out a single stack .380 while everyone else has been pumping out single stack 9mm's. Yet when I finally got my hands on it and felt how well it is made, how balanced it is, and how easy it is to fire and be on steel I was impressed. After talking with a few of the other guys and gals who were out there at Media day I am pretty sure we all came to the conclusion that Glock may have decided to release the .380 before the 9mm version because if they had gone in the reverse order of that no one would buy the .380 version. Either way it was a pleasant surprise and something I am looking forward to getting more range time with and doing further reviews with.

The S.W.O.R.D. Intl SBR and 16" AR-15's were both very interesting rifles to shoot. They are both piston systems, with S.W.O.R.D.'s compensator installed on them along with a few other great upgrades. The result was an extremely smooth shooting rifle that pretty well eliminated muzzle flip and walk. Getting on target and staying on target was a dream, every shot was a hit.

On the SHOT Show floor(s) I was completely overwhelmed from the beginning. The second I stepped into the Sands Expo Center I realized just how large the show was, it took over an hour to figure out where a majority of the companies were at and how to navigate the city that is SHOT Show.

Plenty of time was spent talking with some of the newer companies, gawking and drooling over many of the new rifles that are being released this year. Such as the Sig Sauer P556XI, Rock River Arms LAR-47, and the Gallow Technologies Weapons Storage system. There were literally so many cool things to see that I quickly felt overwhelmed and realized that there needed to be a system to the madness and writing down the companies I wanted/needed to see was the best bet.

                                                        (Rock River Arms LAR-47)

                                                              (SAR Arms 9mm SBR)

I talked with a lot of companies, some who I have been working with over the past year and others that I just met this past week during SHOT Show. Everyone that I talked to was genuine and a great contributor to the industry. There were many items that were interesting and that peaked my interest, and there were other things that I could not figure out why they were there.

Overall I was completely overwhelmed from day 1 and did not get nearly as much done as I had hoped to, however once I got my bearings and gained some speed I was able to meet many companies that will be working with us throughout this year.

Just to name a few of the companies:
S.W.O.R.D. International
Offhand Gear
SAR Arms
ODIN Works
Primary Weapons Systems
and quite a few more.

I am really looking forward to bringing as much new information to everyone, and introducing many new items.

Make sure to stay tuned in the upcoming weeks as new items start to roll in and new initial thoughts posts go up.

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1 Year Anniversary Giveaway Update

Tonight the giveaway will end for the 1 Lower and the items that were going with it. However the Complete Rifle, Armor, Carrier, and other swag will not be given away.

I hate to change it up like this but seriously I set a goal and we are 5,495 likes away from that goal. This prize pack is too large to give away for only gaining 2,000 likes since it was started.

Stay tuned for the instructions on how the Grand Prize will be given away.

This package will include a Multicam Plate Carrier and (2) AR500Armor.com Curved Level III Plates, there will also be a COMPLETE AR-15 built by Argyle Armoring with parts donated by S.W.A.T. Firearms, Rainier Arms, JoeBobOutfitters.com, ODIN Works, Chase Tactical, SpartanTC Reviews, Unique-ARs.com, and a few other awesome companies, along with a T-Shirt, patches, and stickers.

Ghost Guns and Background Checks for Ammo?

It's no secret that California is one of the most anti-gun states in the union. In the past year the state legislature has waged war on the second amendment, the likes of which I have not seen in my lifetime.  At one point in the 2013 legislative session there were nearly 50 gun control bills moving through Sacramento.  With the start of 2014 the antigunners have wasted no time picking up where they left off.

Two proposed bills authored by the same senator, Kevin de Leon (D), seek to further infringe upon the rights of law abiding gun owners while doing absolutely nothing to prevent crime, surprise. The first (yet to be proposed) is to require background checks in order to purchase ammunition.  The second (passed out of senate safety committiee) is a bill that would require home gun builders to apply to the DOJ for a serial number, and register before printing a firearm, or completing a lower receiver.  In addition, it would require the builder to allow the ATF to inspect the shop where the work is completed.  Hello ATF, yes, let me move the car so you can access the garage more efficiently.

The first piece of legislation is an obvious move in this state.  Liberal politicians have been trying to pass similar legislation forcing background checks on ammunition purchases for a few years now.  This could provide the state government with information not only about who you are, but what you own as well.  Convenient, since they recently passed long gun registration for all purchases made after January 2014. This new bill would allow them access to information on what caliber firearms you purchased prior to the registration law. While it's not clear yet whether they will ask you to elaborate on what firearm you are purchasing ammunition for, any information given to this state government about what firearms you own is too much information. As de Leon claims, "The ammunition is the fuel that feeds the violence. The gun itself, the hand gun or long gun or the high-powered weapon is the delivery device. The gas, the fuel, is the ammunition, and no one knows who buys it." So much for personal accountability, let's blame the inanimate objects as usual.

The second piece of legislation, which is already a bill headed to the senate floor seeks to outlaw "ghost guns." That's right, he's made up a term to scare the low information voter crowd.  What he describes as a "ghost gun" is a printed firearm, or an 80% receiver that can be finished legally by a person at home.  Undetectable, unserialized, home built, firearms used in possibly one crime nationally are now front and center in the People's Republic of Kommifirnia as public enemy number one.  But remember, it's for your safety... Wait no, no it's really not.  Remember the recently inacted long gun registration law?  Well they realized that the printed firearms and 80% complete receivers were still not covered under their registration scheme.  Not to mention with this bill they get the added bonus of surprise home inspections by the ATF.

If the legislation the senator de Leon is attempting to shackle law abiding citizens with comes to pass, coupled with the new long gun registration and existing handgun registration, the liberals will have effectively achieved 100% registration of all firearms in the state... for your safety of course.  Remember folks, it's about control, not safety.  Registration always leads to confiscation in the end.  It's a fact backed by plenty of historical examples.  Where did my country, and my constitutionally enumerated rights go? 

Behind enemy lines,

Phillip Kopper

For your viewing pleasure, here is a link to a video of senator de Leon's most recent dog and pony show warning you of "ghost guns."  BOO!

http://thegunwire.com/blog/youtube-video-calif-sen-kevin-de-leon-talks-about-his-new-gun-control-bill-sb-808/


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SAR Arms SAR-109T

This was an interesting little SBR that I ran into today at SHOT. It is a scaled down AR lower to properly fit a 9mm magazine into, so there is no need for an adapter. I will admit it is a little odd to see it, but the concept is pretty cool and once 9mm is back in stock it will be a lot of fun to take to the range.

This model is a Class 3 model since it is considered an SBR, however they are bringing out a 16" barreled version of it in the near future.

I am looking forward to working with this company here in the near future and getting my hands onto one of the SBR and the 16" version of the rifle.