KSL Utah Open Carry Law Poll

Link to KSL Utah open carry article with poll.  Poll is about 1/3 of the way down.

Should a law be passed to avoid criminal charges for lawful carrying?

Boy Defends Mom With BB Gun

Merry Christmas, everyone!

A Cristmas Story is going to start playing in about 10 minutes, and I'm sure Home Alone is on one channel or another soon too.  I'm just not sure which is more relevant.

Boy defends mom from intruder with BB gun.

Tuning 5.45mm AR-15 Mags

So far, every C Products and ASC 5.45mm magazine that I've tried has caused jams, straight out of the packaging.  Every one.  Things are okay if I don’t load more than about a dozen rounds, but when I load 20 or 25, I’ll get plenty of stoppages.  Whenever I remember to check, the stoppages have all come when feeding from the right side of the magazine.

This is the typical 5.45mm feed jam. Looks like bolt-over-base.

If you load 5 or 6 rounds (look at both feed lips), you’ll see that the feed lips are holding the case along the full length.  When you get to around 20 rounds in the magazine, you’ll start to see that the lips of the magazine are really only holding the case near the rim.  The left-side feed lips are usually pretty good, but the right-side feed lips have all left the front end of the cases of the rounds without much support.  There seemed to be a logical connection.

You need to be prepared to finish manufacturing the magazine tubes.  In a somewhat rare fashion, I decided that this particular job was better to handle with some finesse, rather than brute force.  Another Spike’s 5.45mm upper owner said he fixed the magazines with a hammer.  I decided to make another magazine lip tool, and I bend the feedlips. . . carefully.  At first, I was just bending the lips to hold the cases of the rounds better when loaded to capacity.  This resulted in about a 50% success rate.  Some of the newly tuned magazines ran fine.  Some still jammed as if I hadn’t done anything.  Some of the magazines would feed up until the 2nd to last round, and then jam.

The problem seems to be related to the angle that the bullets were presented.  With the magazines that worked, the tips of the bullets were only a few millimeters above the front edge of the magazine.  The ones that continued to jam, as if I hadn’t done anything, had the bullets sitting higher.  The ones that didn’t jam until the 2nd to last round, I had bent the feed lips too far, and the tip of the bullet was almost even with the front edge of the magazine.

The modified magazines hold the 5.45mm ammo at the same angle as my D&H aluminum U.S.G.I.-type 5.56mm magazines.  Yeah, I guess maybe I should have checked this earlier.

See how the tip of the bullet in the unmodified mag points skyward.  "There's your problem!"

New strategy.  Take one of the magazines that works, and fix the others to match it.  This seems to be working well.  I think maybe I got this figured out.

Low-Power Variable Scope vs. Red Dot

Living Room Carpet Photo.  Sorry.  At least you can't see my Crocs in the bottom edge. ;)

The Millet DMS-1 is a pretty good scope, however, a low-power variable scope will never be quite as fast as a red dot at less than 25 yards.  I don’t think it’s a function of the quality of the lenses.  The DMS-1 seems to be really clear to me.  It’s just the nature of telescopic devices.

When you’re looking through the eyepiece, the image that you see is the image that the objective lens “sees” more than a foot out in front of your eye.  The image is translated through the lenses, and then through the couple inches that make up the eye relief.

With a red dot, except for maybe a little bit of tinting because of lens coatings, and a little bit of color in the glass, you can actually see the same image through both eyes.  This is very intuitive.  With a low-power variable scope, even if the scope isn’t magnifying the target, you’re still not seeing the same image with both eyes.

When you’re looking through the low-power scope, and one eye is seeing. . . what it usually sees, and the other eye is seeing an image that’s actually more than a foot in front of your face it’s disorienting.  It’s really disorienting if you’re moving, or tracking a moving target.

I was actually a little bit surprised to find that it’s a little easier to hit index cards out to 25 yards with a red dot with no magnification.  I’d have thought that there’d be enough precision required that magnification would help.  Nope.  Put dot on target, squeeze trigger is all you need to do.  Even I can do that offhand.

Now, those index cards get harder to hit when you get out to 50 yards.  With a steady position, or some support, I can still hit the cards consistently at 50.  A 4 MOA dot covers 2 inches at 50 yards.  It’s getting hard just to put the dot on the card.  With the DMS, I can encircle the card with the reticle and I can zoom in a bit, and still get hits from a sitting position without too much difficulty.

At 75 yards that dot is about the same width as the card, and I pretty much need a bench rest to hit that sucker with a 4 MOA red dot.  Turning the DMS up to 4X, I can still nail the card pretty much all the time from a sitting position.  From prone or a good supported position the index cards don’t stand a chance with the DMS on 4X.

At 100 yards, I can hit paper plates almost 100% from various offhand positions at 100 yards, with the red dot, but I can’t hardly see the index card (20/40 vision), and the dot would almost completely cover the whole index card.  Maybe half the rounds will hit an index card taped in the middle of the paper plate.  I can’t do much better with a benchrest, maybe 75% hit the index card.

At 100 yards though, I’ve shot 10-round groups approaching 1” with the DMS at 4X.  The scope is definitely better for real precision.

Why am I going to so much trouble to hit those damn cards?  They’re cheap, and are a pretty good representation of the brain of someone who’s looking, and shooting, at you.  If your opposition is smart, then all you’ll be able to see of them is the top half of their head.  The head of a USPSA target is about 6” square, with a brain box about 2 x 4”.  The head of the IDPA target is just a 6” square.  An index card is a pretty good ½ size approximation of the “A Zone” of the USPSA target (6 x 10”).

There is an alternative to a low-power variable scope.  You can run a red dot sight with a magnifier.  Most of the magnifiers are 3X, but I’ve also seen 4X and 5X magnifiers.  With a detachable magnifier mount or ring that allows you to flip the magnifier over to the side, you get the close-range speed of a red dot with most of the precision of a low-power scope. 

The drawback of running a red dot and a magnifier is cost.  A half-decent low-power variable scope with a quick detach mount will run maybe $350-400.  The Aimpoint Pro package of a red dot sight and basic mount runs $400, and I’m not sure if you can fit a magnifier mount in between that Aimpoint mount and a back-up-iron-sight (BUIS).  The less expensive but still decent quality magnifiers run $150-200, and only come with screw-clamp rings.  The Larue Pivot mount is the only one I can really recommend, aside from the one that comes with the $500 EOTECH magnifier package, and the Larue mount runs $150.  To fit an Aimpoint-type red dot, magnifier, and BUIS all on a flat-top AR-15 upper, I think you kind of need a cantilever mount for the red dot.  The Larue QD cantilever that I have my Aimpoint M2 in runs $165, but you can get by with the Primary Arms cantilever mount for $25.

I would have thought that the red dot/magnifier combo would weigh more than a low-power variable scope, but that doesn’t seem to be the case.  I weighed up some stuff, expecting the scope to come out lighter.

• DMS-1 in American Defense Recon-X 30mm mount – 1 pound 9.6 oz.
• Aimpoint M2 in Larue LT129 cantilever mount – 11.3 oz.
• Vortex 3X magnifier in Larue LT649 Pivot mount – 12.2 oz.
• Aimpoint, Vortex 3x, and Larue mounts all together – 1 pound 7.5 oz.

If you are running something other than an AR-15, SCAR, or ACR, you’re going to have some trouble running a red dot and a magnifier.  I haven’t seen any low-mount flip-to-side magnifier mounts, and the AR-15 mounts will be sort of silly high on an AK variant, HK, M1A, or FAL.  You can still use the AR mounts, but you’ll have to add a cheekpiece to your stock in order to get any kind of cheekweld.

I prefer to run a red dot/magnifier combination for an all-round carbine.  I can’t quite get the same long-range accuracy this way, because the 4 MOA dots of my Aimpoints cover more of the target than the small dot or crosshairs of a scope.  If I ever needed to do any fighting around here, it would mostly be inside of 100 yards though.  If I really needed to shed some weight, I could remove the magnifier from the rifle, and just put it back on as needed.

Millet DMS-1 Scope Review

I’ve been surprised by the accuracy I’ve gotten out of the DMS-1.  With handloads, I’ve gotten a bunch of 1 1/8” ten-shot groups from a free-floated LMT M4 16”, even with the 6 pound stock trigger.  It may actually do better, but the barrel might not be able to do any better than that.  I wouldn’t have thought that you could do even that at 100 yards with just 4X.

Does the 1 MOA dot hold back bullseye accuracy?  Maybe not.

At least to my eye, the glass is very clear, without much distortion.  I was a little bit afraid that the scope would not be too bright, with the small objective lens, but it is actually very bright.  It holds a zero well too.  Compared to the red dot magnifiers, the eye relief is pretty good – I don’t get bumped in the glasses as much.  The spare battery compartment in the turret cap is a nice touch.  The reticle is useful without being as cluttered as some ranging reticles. 

At least in daylight, the scope works fine without battery power.  The reticle is quite visible without illumination until dusk really sets in.  With the illumination, you can stretch your shooting out even after it gets dark. . . as long as you can still make out the target.  The illumination knob goes all the way around, so you can go straight from 0 to 11.  Yes, the DMS-1 actually goes up to 11!

A spare battery is stored in one of the adjustment knob caps.  1 click of the knob moves P.O.I. 1/2" at 100 yards.

Negative points?  At 18 ounces, it’s heavier than some comparable scopes - the Trijicon Accupoint 1-4x24 30mm scope only weighs 14.4 ounces.  If you want a bright reticle, like a red dot sight, in bright daylight, you will be disappointed, because the reticle will still just appear to be black.  The lens covers that came with the scope fell apart quickly (although the Butler Creek lens covers didn’t make it much longer).  With the magnification ring set at 1X, the scope actually seems to make objects appear smaller than with the naked eye – I seem to get true 1x with the magnification ring set at about 1.25X.  Makes me wonder what 4X really is.

I like the scope. . . for what it is.  Certainly, for the price, it is fantastic.  I’d just rather have an Aimpoint and a 3x magnifier.  You can read about the why of that in this article.

DSG Arms Thanksgiving Sale

Use promotion code "NOVMAGPUL" to get 5% off Magpul products.

Free shipping on orders over $25.  No promotion code required.

Offers good until midnight on Cyber Monday.

Updates On Some Things

I've updated, and edited my AR-15 Magazines Article.

I'm pretty much done with shooting matches until spring, so I've been enjoying shooting without the sole purpose of preparing for a match, which is nice.  It's always fun to go shooting, but now it's entirely for leisure, which is a little bit different.

I've also been restocking the ammo cans.

The primer trays piling up in my living room trash can

I think I've pretty much figured out how to get the 5.45mm AR-15 magazines running properly.  I may still have a few stubborn magazines, but at least I've gotten a few to work properly several times, and I think I've found solutions to the two distinctly different issues.  None of them worked properly when I got them.  I'll post a 5.45mm AR magazine FAQ when I get the text typed up, and maybe add a few pictures or illustrations.

The 1911 is doing well.  I've only had the one stoppage, that was almost certainly due to using a standard recoil spring with a wimpy load.  Although I never did get the tension on the coil-spring powered Aftec extractor tuned to the book spec, I can't complain about the performance.  Mostly I use 8 and 10-round Power Mags, but I mix in a 7-round Colt magazine, and an 8 round Wolff magazine occasionally.

My Kahr PM9 is still going strong.  Great little 9mm pocket pistol.  I've just got the one bad magazine, but the other 3 are fine.

My Gen.3 Glock 19 has been having stove-pipe jams with everything but defense ammo.  I've changed out a couple springs, and I'll see what happens on Monday.  The Gen.3 G17 is a little bit picky about the power factor of ammo, but isn't as picky as the 19.

I pretty much ran out my supply of .38 Special factory ammo, so I got set up to reload the wheelguns, and I've been working up loads.  Although reloading can sometimes be a bit of a chore, more often than not I do enjoy it.  I've actually shot more thirty-eights in the last few months than I've fired over the last couple years, probably.

Midway Coupon Codes From GlockTalk

From GlockTalk for Midway:

To receive your Savings:
1.  Add regular price, in-stock products to your cart totaling:
    $100 or more - Use Promotion Code 11331177
    $200 or more - Use Promotion Code 21331177
    $300 or more - Use Promotion Code 31331177
    $500 or more - Use Promotion Code 51331177

2.  Enter the promotion code into the box titled, "Promotion Code" on the shopping cart page.
3.  See the discount applied on the Confirmation page near the end of the checkout.

Offer expires at 11:59 p.m. CT on November 21, 2011. Hurry!

Special Reminders & Exclusions:
•  Each code can only be used once. One code per order.
•  Sale, clearance, out-of-stock, Nightforce and FNH products do not count towards the total.
•  Gift certificates do not count towards the total.
•  Can only be used on midwayusa.com. No phone, fax or mail orders please.
•  Cannot be used with any other promotion code, or combined with Dealer, Birthday or Special pricing.

Online Poll: Concealed Carry

Here's an article called Time For Citizens To Arm Themselves, about Sheriff Chuck Wright of Spartanburg County S.C..  Part way through the article is a poll.

How do you feel about concealed weapons?

• I already carry one

• I am going to get a CWP

• I wouldn't carry a weapon

The good sheriff really isn't pulling any punches.  I guess he ended the "on record" interview with, "I think I better stop before I get sanctioned."

I wonder if he'd consider moving up to Delaware County, PA.  I'd probably vote for him.

Holder Knew About Fast and Furious in March?

In what Rush Limbaugh called a "random act of journalism," John King of CNN discovered, and reported, that not only did Holder get memos about Fast And Furious in October 2010, he must have been asked, by Obama, whether he knew about it back in March.

You can find the video here, on RealClearPolitics.


So, let me work out the timeline here:

March 2010 - On CNN Espanol, Obama states:

Eric Holder has -- the attorney general has been very clear that he knew nothing about this. We had assigned an I.G., inspector general, to investigate it.

October 2010 - Lanny Breuer, Holder's deputy, chief of the Criminal Division, sends Holder a memo stating that prosecutors are ready to issue indictments for the Fast and Furious operation.

July 2010 - Director of the National Drug Intelligence Center, Michael Walther, sends Holder a memo that the straw buyers observed during the Fast And Furious program:

. . . are responsible for the purchase of 1,500 firearms that were then supplied to the Mexican drug trafficking cartels.

May 3, 2011 - When asked by Congressman Issa, in front of the House Judiciary Committee, Holder claims that he:

. . . probably heard about Fast And Furious for the first time over the last few weeks.

Earlier this week, House Oversight and Government Reform Committee Chairman Rep. Darrell Issa (R-California) subpoenaed the Justice Department to supply all documents and communications between Holder, his deputies, and the White House, regarding the Fast And Furious gun-running operation.

Although I tend to be pessimistic, I'm thinking that, in light of recent events, the chances of Obama getting re-elected are getting pretty slim.  If it comes out that the administration and the BATFE deliberately supplied firearms to the Mexican cartels, then NOBODY'S going to be happy about that.

Holder and the Fast And Furious Memos

I was hearing earlier today that U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder was sent memos about the ATF's Fast And Furious program back in July 2010.  I've just heard a little while ago, from CNN (on in the break room), that the Fast And Furious memos to Holder started back in October 2010.  This isn't looking good for Holder, given that when he told the House Judiciary Committee, in early May, that he had, "probably heard about Fast And Furious for the first time over the last few weeks."

Glocks - Unsupported Chambers - 9mm and .45ACP vs. .40S&W

I want to address this, because there are misconceptions, and it keeps coming up on forums, at gunshop counters, in the aisles at gun shows, and at shooting matches.

It's widely known that the chambers of Glock .40S&W barrels are not fully supported, and that part of the cartridge case will bulge where it's not supported by the barrel.  This is actually true.  Depending on who you ask, this could be a problem for reloaders.  Not all reloaders agree that .40S&W Glocked brass is the problem that so many claim it is though.  I don't have a .40 Glock, or any other .40 for that matter, so I can't tell you from experience.

The Glock .45ACP barrels also have chambers that aren't fully supported.  I do see some bulging, but the Lee dies iron that right out.  I've fired Glocked-brass reloads through a Kart Match barrel and a Kimber barrel without a problem, and they all drop in and fall out of the EGW gage block.  I know I've got .45ACP brass that I've fired through my Glock 21 at least 6 times, and I've never had a .45ACP case fail yet.

I can tell you for sure that the chambers of 9mm Glock pistols are as supported as you're ever going to get for a 9mm autoloader.  No bulged brass, no problems.  I run Glocked 9mm brass through Lee dies, and then run the ammo through Kahr, KKM Match, RRA, Smith & Wesson, or Beretta barrels.  I don't even use the Lee Factory Crimp Dies for pistol rounds that re-resize rounds.  I've probably got brass that's been fired through my factory-stock Glock nines 6 times, and I may reload this brass a few more times before I lose it.  The only brass I've ever cracked was nickel plated Federal, and that let go after 2 or 3 loadings.

If you're still concerned, and you've got any Glocked-brass that you want to sell dirt cheap, let me know.

Attero Arms AK Mount - $75, Co-Witness with Micro Red Dot

Picture "borrowed" from Attero Website - Hey, it's free advertising.

Hey, this is kind of neat.  For about $75, you get new iron sights with white dots, and a mount to fit a micro red dot.

Direct link to Attero Arms & Accessories products page.

There's two models.  The one pictured above is the "Alpha" model, and it fits the Burris Fastfire sights, Trijicon RMR, and other sights with the Doctor pattern mounting holes.  The Bravo model fits Aimpoint Micros and the Primary Arms Micro Dot.

Looking forward to hearing some range reports.

Aimpoint Micro T-1s Under $500

Midway is running a sale on the Aimpoint Micro T-1.  $499.99 without any mount, which won't be a problem for those that are going to buy a high mount for an AR anyway.  Use coupon code "182011" to get the sale price.

SWFA is running almost the same deal @ $498.95.

VLTOR AK Stock Tubes Available

I see that Midway and Carolina Shooter Supply have the VLTOR AR collapsible stock adapters for stamped AK rifles in stock.  These have been sold out everywhere pretty much since 2008.  Just thought that's I'd let everyone know.

I've gone for ACE stock adapters, because I want to add folder hinges at some point when I find the money.

Brownells Free Shipping Coupon Code

Use coupon code "DGM" at Brownells.com to get free ground shipping on orders over $150, "for a limited time."

Just a note, in case you haven't heard: Brownells now sells ammo.

Archangel Sparta - Ruger Mini Stock

Screenshot from Archangel Video

Archangel Sparta Promotional Video

I think this is kind of cool, except for the now-superfluous Ruger front sight sitting out there on the barrel.  A Bushmaster ACR-type stock for Ruger Mini rifles.  Seems the stocks fit both Mini-14s and Mini-30s.  Has a one-size-fits-some grip - like the ACRs.  Has a cheekpiece adjustable for height - like the ACRs.  The stocks have integrated sling QD swivel sockets, like an enhanced ACR (the basic models don't have sockets forward of the magwell).  The length of pull is adjustable, like most AR carbine stocks.  The stock does not fold.

I'm told that the scope rail is aluminum, not polymer.  The flip-up sights will probably be included, and I'd bet money that they're ProMag sights, because Archangel is a division of ProMag.

The Sparta stocks have not been released for sale yet.  Rumor has it, that they're working on getting the stocks to be a universal fit, but Ruger has changed the design of the Minis over the last few decades, and that's causing some issues.


On a somewhat related note; the Archangel Marauder stocks that convert Ruger 10/22s into a G36 look-alike have started shipping, but they seem to be sold out everywhere.  The Midway price is $160 or $170, and I'm sort of thinking of buying one before HK sues and issues a cease and desist order.  A little bit cheesy, and the stock probably ruins the accuracy of the rifle a bit, because the scope rail on the stock isn't bolted directly to the top of the receiver or the barrel.  It is, however, cheaper than an airsoft G36, and I've already got a 10/22 to drop into it.  Hmm.

S&W Model 329 Safety Recall

Performance Center Model 329 Revolvers Safety Recall Information

This safety recall notice applies to the limited edition model 329 revolver manufactured at the Smith & Wesson performance center. This safety recall notice applies to 270 revolvers manufactured at the performance center bearing serial numbers - ranging from BVA0004 to BVA0210 and DEW0001 to DEW0099.

It has been determined that damage to the frame may have occurred during assembly of the single piece barrel. As a result, there exists the possibility that the revolver may rupture during firing, causing a failure of the firearm and creating a risk of personal injury.

You should immediately stop using the revolver and return it to Smith & Wesson. Upon return Smith & Wesson will issue a refund or a credit towards the purchase of a replacement firearm.To determine if your revolver is subject to this safety recall notice, please check the serial number. The serial number is displayed on the frame of the revolver and is visible with the cylinder open. See the diagram below:

Please note that this safety recall notice does not apply to the model 329 PD. The model 329 PD is designed with a two-piece barrel. Because of this and other design, manufacture and assembly differences that exist between the model 329 PD and the limited edition model 329 manufactured at the performance center, the safety and performance concerns that led to this recall do not affect the model 329 PD. You should return your revolver only if it is a model 329 with a serial number in the range specified above.

Please contact Smith & Wesson directly at 1-800-331-0852 to arrange for the return of your firearm.

Again, the above was copied from the official S&W Website. Specifically from the Model 329 Recall Page.

S&W Performance Center 460 Safety Recall

SAFETY RECALL NOTICE

PRODUCT:  Smith & Wesson's Performance Center Model 460 Revolvers

DESCRIPTION OF THE HAZARD:  Smith & Wesson has received four (4) reports of barrel failures involving its Performance Center Model 460 revolvers. These barrels were manufactured by an outside supplier. Our investigation has revealed that the quality of steel in some of these barrels did not meet the performance requirements for these firearms and may have contributed to failure of the barrel.

You should stop using the revolver and return it immediately to Smith & Wesson so that your barrel can be inspected and replaced, if necessary.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PRODUCT INVOLVED:  This recall applies to Performance Center Model 460 revolvers shipped by the Smith & Wesson Performance Center prior to September 18, 2006. This recall does NOT apply to Smith & Wesson standard production Model 460 revolvers. The affected revolvers can be identified by the following Serial Number Range:

EBD0001 - EBD0524
EBF0002 - EBF0251
LHZ0000 - LHZ0511
LLL0000 - LLL0702
LRR0001 - LRR0552
MMM0001 - MMM1809
XMC0001 - XMC0109

To determine if your firearm is part of this recall, please check your serial number which can be found on the yoke of your firearm as indicated below. Each Performance Center Model 460 will have the words "Performance Center" engraved on the barrel as indicated below:

REMEDY/ACTION TO BE TAKEN: When the revolver is returned to Smith & Wesson, we will inspect and test each barrel to verify that it meets specification. If the barrel fails to meet specification, a new one will be provided and installed for you free of charge.

We have already begun the corrective action process on Performance Center Model 460 revolvers. To determine whether your revolver has been inspected, please do the following:

• Keep the firearm pointed in a safe direction;
• Open the cylinder and verify that the firearm is unloaded; and
• Look for a "punch dot" in the yoke opening, just above the serial number, as shown below.

CONSUMER CONTACT: Please contact Smith & Wesson directly at 1-800-331-0852 ext. 2905, or through our web site at www.smith-wesson.com to arrange for the return of your revolver. All work will be done free of charge.

The above was copied from the offical S&W website, specifically the Performance Center 460 recall page.

EAA Witness Pistol Safety Recall

The following is a cut and paste from the EAA Corp. News page.

If you own an EAA Witness style semi-automatic pistol bearing a serial number between AE00000 to AE70000, please read this Notice.

Owners of the above designated Witness pistols should immediately field strip the pistol and send the slide assembly to European American Armory Corp., 411 Hawk Street, Rockledge, Florida 32955.  Upon receipt, European American Armory Corp. will replace the original firing pin with an upgraded firing pin for your pistol.

Please follow the instructions and warnings in the Owners’ Manual and do not disassemble your pistol beyond a field strip.  Any disassembly beyond a field strip should only be performed by a qualified gunsmith.  In particular, the firing pin should never be removed by you.  If the firing pin is removed, it must be re-installed correctly by a qualified gunsmith or the EAA Corp. service center.  If the firing pin is installed incorrectly in an upside down position, it may adversely affect the operation of your pistol and its safeties.  If your pistol is not operating properly, discontinue using it and take it to a qualified gunsmith or send it to the European American Armory Corp. service center immediately.

Thank you for your attention to this Notice.  Please call European American Armory Corp. at (800) 536-4442 if you have any questions regarding this Notice.

There's also a link to an online feedback form.

The Good and Bad of the Last Few Months

GOOD:  I was able to snag a Spike's Tactical 5.45x39mm AR upper from AIM Surplus.
BAD:  There's only one company making 5.45mm AR mags, and they're not too good at it.  All the C Products mags that I've tried, right out of the bag, don't work very well.
GOOD:  A little Teflon dry-lube goes a long way toward making the mags work.  Tweaking the feedlips to actually hold the rounds in the magazine seems to help a lot too.  I got 3 mags to work all the way through, with 25 rounds.  The one that was causing a stoppage every 2 or 3 rounds, all the way through the magazine, didn't give me any more trouble.  Things are looking better now.
BAD:  The 4th, and last, magazine that I had with me caused another trademark bolt-over-base malfunction.  I cleared the jam, reinserted the round, and it did the same thing again.  Like a flyer opening up a nice tight group, there's always gotta be one that screws things up.
GOOD:  From a decent, supported position (not bench rest), and practical sights, the upper will keep the shots on an index card at 100 yards with cheap Russian surplus and Silver Bear commercial ammo.  This is on par with M193 from my free-floated M4 upper, and the Spikes 5.45mm still has the plastic handguards and the delta ring and all.

BAD:  Last time I took the Bushmaster ACR out to the indoor range, I fired a shot, and immediately knew that something wasn't right.  I grabbed the charging handle, and pulled it, and the empty shell flipped out.  I discovered that I didn't have the gas plug in the rifle.
GOOD:  I brought the Tantal along, with the new scope mount, and I had enough loaded mags to keep me busy for an hour.
GOOD:  I found the gas plug for the ACR sitting on the bench at home.  Yeah, I'm a dumbass.  Go ahead and laugh, I deserve it.

BAD: When I took my folding stock 10/22 out to the rifle range last weekend, I was getting a lot of stove-pipe and failure-to-eject malfunctions.  That was weird.  I've had my 10/22s squared away for a while.  When I looked it over today, I discovered that the hook had broken off the extractor.  Yeah, that'll do it.
GOOD:  Surprisingly, about half of the shells popped out under the power of the burning powder, so I still got some shooting done.
GOOD:  New 10/22 extractors cost all of $2.50, and I have the tools and knowledge to tune them.  I can borrow one from the other 10/22 anyway.
GOOD:  The 10/22 seems to feed the blunt-nose Winchester 555 hollow points okay, and it shoots 'em good enough to hit the plates, so at least I've got one rimfire that'll work with the damn things.

BAD:  When I went to run some drills with my airsoft Glock, I tried to fill the magazine with gas, and the gas leaked right back out through the bottom of the mag.
GOOD:  Fortunately, the engineers at Marui in Tokyo did a decent job of creating a simple magazine, that's fairly easy to understand and work on.  I took the bottom off the mag, smeared some silicone oil on the seal and o-ring, put it back together, and tightened the gas valve a fraction of a turn.  The magazine started holding gas again, so I was able to work on drawing from a holster, and shooting on the move.

That's more good that bad.  I think I'll count that as an overall win, eh?

AIM Surplus - 10% Off Coupon Code

Coupon Code: july4th
Gets you 10% off accessories and magazines.  Expires July 4th, today.  Sorry, better late than never, eh?

"New" PA Governor Signs "Castle Doctrine" Bill Into Law

Many of you in other states are probably thinking, "Welcome to the 21st century," but this has been a long fight for gun owners in PA, against previous governor "Fast Eddie" Rendell and embedded democrat state politicians.  The bill was stalled for months by a state congressman who wouldn't bring it up for a vote, and some other political horseplay.  Once finally brought to a vote, it didn't meet very much opposition.  PA voted in a lot of Republicans in 2010, including Governor Corbett.  The bill was passed to Corbett on the 22nd, after passing through PA Senate, and he signed on the 28th.

For PA residents, "Castle Doctrine" law goes into effect on August 27, 2011.

TWS Gen.II AK Scope Mount

I finally got the Gen. II TWS scope mount and peep sight that I ordered from Dallas Shooting Supplies a few days after Christmas.  Harummph!!  It came in about the 20th of May.  I'm not exactly sure, because I wasn't home and they didn't supply a tracking number.  I believe that I got the latest version with the "spacer" for the .308 Saiga rifles.  My intention was to mount it on my Interarms Tantal (Polish AK-74, more or less, with some unique differences).

How Does It Work?
The TWS Gen. II scope mount is a railed dust cover.  Wait a minute, don't start groaning just yet, this one's pretty clever, and seems to work really well! 

The cover is held in place in front by a hinge pin that passes through the front of the mount, and the holes where the pin for the rear sight used to reside.  That pin fits tight too.  The tab that the hinge pin goes through is attached to the dust cover with two socket head screws.  The overall length of the TWS mount, from rear sight bracket to stock trunnion, can be adjusted with these two screws in order to help make the mount fit individual rifles.

A tab, bent in on the right side of the cover works as a spring to maintain the lateral alignment of the rail.

Top: Right, rear corner of TWS dust cover mount.  Bottom: Inside, rear of railed TWS dust cover.

An angled surface on the bottom edge of the take-down button supplied with the rail interacts with the cover, like a wedge, to hold the cover tight against the stock trunnion.  Recoil only helps to snug the mount down tighter.

Crude attempt to show the angle of the button on the TWS guide rod.

The TWS dust cover mount is held tight to the receiver every which way.  The barrel is press-fit and pinned into the barrel trunnion, which is firmly riveted to the receiver.  The rear sight and optic mounted on TWS mount should stay aligned with the barrel.

Compatibility

The TWS mount will fit most stamped and milled 5.45mm, 7.62x39mm, 7.62x51mm (Saiga), and .223Rem AK variants.  It will not fit Yugo's, because their dust covers are half an inch shorter than most AKs.  It will not fit Saiga shotguns, because the shotguns have different barrel trunnions and rear sights.

It doesn't attach to the tang of stock trunnion, so it will work with AK pistols, underfolders, and rifles with side-folding stocks.

I believe there are plans for a Yugo version.

Return-To-Zero
The TWS mount is supposed to hold a zero, and return to zero even after you flip it up and lock it back down, through the simple machine elements described above.  For the most part, it does.  After sighting in, I flipped the mount/dust cover up, and unseated the take-down button/recoil spring guide, and then I buttoned everything back up again and vigorously racked the bolt carrier a few times.  I did this return-to-zero test a couple of times.  The first 2 or three shots would go a little bit to the right before the recoiling bolt carrier fully seated the take-down button/recoil spring guide against the rear of the dust cover/mount.  After those first few rounds, the bullets would start going through into 10-ring again.  At 12 paces the difference was maybe half an inch for the 1st round.  I can live with that.

This testing was done without fitting the recoil spring guide to the stock trunnion.  Return-to-zero may be better now that it’s fitted -- more on this when I get to installation.

First Impressions
Initial inspection was very positive.  I was happy to see that the font size of the engraving was not as large as on some of the prototype and beta-test mounts.  I also was a little surprised at how nice the mount looked.  I wasn't sure exactly what I'd get from a small company.  The mount looks very nice, and there's no machining marks on the outside of the unit.  Every other slot in the rail has a number machined (maybe laser engraved?) on it.  I'm very pleased. 

Please note that my Interarms Tantal has a grey finish.  Keep that in mind as you look at the picture of the mount on my rifle.  The grey rifle finish is the oddball, not the finish on the TWS mount.  I actually really like the grey/black two-tone look. . . I just need Duracoat the silver Aimpoint.

Installation
The mount didn't come with any instructions.  Having read through the ak47.net forum thread, and seen a YouTube video on how to remove an AK rear sight, I knew what I had to do.  That TWS Gen. II Scope Mount thread currently stands at 69 pages, and it's still going.  The mount should come with an instruction sheet, it's not a simple drop-in/bolt-on installation.  I was able to get the mount installed in 25-30 minutes, with a lot of that time spent fighting to get the hinge pin installed against the sight spring pressure.  Like I said, the pin fits tightly, and forcing everything into place took some real effort.  Removing the rear sight from my rifle was not as easy as shown in the video either, so that took maybe 3-5 minutes, instead of about 2 seconds as shown.  Getting the recoil spring removed from the Tantal take-down button/recoil spring guide, and reinstalled on the button/guide supplied with the mount was easier than I had expected, but remember, there were no instructions included, and I was working on prior knowledge from reading 50+ pages of forum posts.  Without knowing what to do, it would have taken a whole lot longer.

I did get the mount installed on the Tantal without cutting or filing anything.  It should be noted however, that fitting the TWS recoil spring guide may be necessary or even required in some cases.  The Gen.II mount worked pretty well on my rifle with no modification, but I don’t think stoning/filing the bottom of the TWS recoil spring guide hurts anything, and I’ll feel better knowing that there’s nothing to keep the mount from locking down snug.

Stock TWS spring guide.  Note that both screws are showing.

Romanian Spring Guide.  See how far back it goes?

TWS spring guide with the bottom filed/stoned down some. Note only one screw fully exposed now.

Co-Witness
The rail sits very low, allowing some micro red dot sights to co-witness with the iron sights if you get the TWS peep sight.  With a real Aimpoint Micro, the iron sights show in the lower 1/4 of the tube.  Heights of the tubes of the Aimpoint micro clones often sit higher up and may not allow co-witnessing with the iron sights.  By all accounts the Bushnell TRS-25 micro red dot sight will co-witness, and runs $75-90 some places.  The Primary Arms Gen.7 Red Dot, with the non-removable mount, may also co-witness, but the TRS-25 seems to be more common on the TWS Gen.II Mount.  The Primary Arms Micros that I have, have the detachable mounts, and the bottom of the tube and dot emitter block the iron sights.

Putting the rail on top of the dust cover gets the rail very nearly as low as on an Ultimak Scout Mount.  It is lower than the other Beryl-type rails made by Kreb's ($300!?!?), DPH Arms, UTG, or Red Star Arms.

Balance
The TWS rail doesn't add any more weight up front, like a 3 or 4 rail handguard.  Think about it.  Almost all the weight of an AK is forward of the pistol grip.  There's a lot of steel hanging out there already.

Atxjax on the Glocktalk forum weighed everything, and found that the TWS mount only adds 1.04 ounces over the weight of standard steel rear sight and dust cover, 3.46 ounces with an Aimpoint R1.

Cleaning/Clearing Stoppages
The mount/dust cover flips up, hinged off of what used to be the rear sight block, the rear sight now being mounted on the rail on top of the TWS dust cover.  No tools are required to release the cover, and lift it up, although the bullet tip of a cartridge, a pen, or a similar object can be used to push in the button of the recoil spring guide.  If junk gets in behind the bolt carrier, you just push in the take-down button on the guide rod, and flip up the rail.  The mount doesn't hinder cleaning or maintenance as much as a side-mount, except the taller ones.  You can still remove the gas tube for cleaning, and remove the handguard, unlike the Ultimak scout mount, which clamps onto the barrel and blocks the lever that releases the lower handguard.

Live Fire
I got the Tantal out to sight in.  The first trip to the range was mostly uneventful.  I had to move the front sight a bit to the right to align with the TWS peep sight, but that's fine with me, because the front sight had been most of the way to the left, over toward the protecting wing of the front sight base.  Elevation was almost spot on.  The tip of the front sight is nearly at the top of the protective wings of the front sight base for a 100 yard zero, but I was able to get the sights lined up for both 25 and 100 yard zeros (only one at a time, obviously, with just one aperture).

For the 2nd outing, I took my Polish AK-74 up north to indoor range for some rapid fire.  Everything was fine, up until the last round of the last magazine I had with me.  The bolt carrier stayed to the rear, which is weird, because AKs don’t normally have anything to hold them open after the last round.  I didn't really think too much of it at the time.  I tapped the charging handle, the bolt carrier slammed home, I dropped the hammer, and cased the rifle and cleaned up.

When I popped the cover open to clean the rifle at home, I found the “spacer” laying loose in behind the trigger.  Half of the pin that was holding the spacer onto the recoil spring guide was rattling around in the receiver.  I’m not sure where the other half of the pin went.  Fell out, I guess.  The top of the spacer had made some contact with the inside of the dust cover, removing some finish, but I don’t think any structural damage was done.  If you scroll up, and look at the picture of the inside of the dust cover, you'll see two silver marks just forward of the square slot in the rear of the cover.  Those silver marks were made by the tabs at the top of the spacer.

Oops!  That's not supposed to happen.

I tried to get the spacer back onto the recoil spring guide, to show you what it's supposed to look like.  However, the spacer must have been bent out of shape after getting beaten by the bolt carrier, and it no longer fits.  You can see pictures of the assembled spring guide and the Saiga .308 spacer and guide rod on page 63 of the AK47.net thread, as posted by Rafaga (Nelson of TWS).

I wasn’t crazy about the idea of a metal spacer in there anyway.  I pulled the Blackjack recoil buffer out of my WASR-10, which didn’t need it anyway, and put it on the TWS guide rod.  The buffer is that blue thing you see in the picture with the cover flipped up.  Nelson of TWS is offering to send out solid recoil spring guides without the spacer.  I think I’ll take him up on that offer.  I’m afraid the whole spacer thing is giving him a bit of a headache.

There is another small matter of peening at the rear of the ejection port.  I'm told that it's from ejecting casings hitting the dust cover on the way out, and I guess this must be true.  I don't think it'll be an issue, but it's something I'm going to keep an eye on.  Nelson at TWS says that that part of the dust cover work hardens, and the peening stops after a certain round count.

Sorry, I couldn't get a better picture.  Camera doesn't do close-ups very well.

Heat Transfer
I put 5 magazines through my Tantal with the TWS mount over the course of an hour.  Although there was some heat transfer into the mount through the rear sight block, very little of the heat transferred into the Aimpoint through the rear sight block.  I had a glove on my support hand, afraid of getting burnt by the metal up front, but the red dot sight stayed more or less at room temperature.

I did the same thing with my WASR with the Ultimak Scout mount, and after five magazines, the mount of the Primary Arms red dot was starting to get quite warm.  The Primary Arms sight held up to the heat, but I when I went to clean the rifle, I noticed that the sight was loose on the mount.  I think the heat from the gas tube mount melted the threadlocker I put on the screw that holds it on the rail.
'
Conclusion
A little too early for me to say yet, but the TWS Gen. II mount definitely shows great promise.  I'm looking forward to putting more rounds though the "new" Tantal, and really shaking down the new TWS mount.  I like my "new" modernized Tantal.

EDIT, 11/19/11:  I e-mailed TWS, and they said to send in the recoil spring guide rod and spacer, and they'd send me the standard no-spacer model.  So that's what I did.  I haven't gotten to shoot with it yet though.

UPDATE, 12/10/11:  All is well.  I didn't even have to adjust the sights.

How To Make a Magazine Lip Tool

I wanted a 5.45x39mm AR upper, to shoot some of that inexpensive Russian surplus ammo.  Scored a Spike's mid-length 5.45mm upper from AIM Surplus when they had some in stock.  I've come to find out though, that many of the C Products 5.45mm AR mags are crap.  Most of them work all right, if you load them half way.  However, if I load them with more than 20 rounds, and I got lots of feed failures.

Without getting too deep into the issues with the 5.45mm mags, I'll tell you that the feed lips were part of the problem.  I've been down this road before.

I guess it was back when the only pistol I had was a Ruger Mk.II, that a bullseye shooter told me how to make a mag lip tool from a carriage bolt to keep the Mk.II from jamming bullets into the bottom of the feedramp.

Brownell's sells a tool to adjust AR magazine feedlips for about $13, but a carriage bolt only costs about 60 cents.  It's just a matter of shaping the bolt into a tool.

I'm 90% certain that I made the tool for the Ruger Mk.II tool from a 1/4" bolt.  For the AR magazine tool, I bought a 5/16" bolt.  I could have gone a couple sizes larger, but it gets the job done.  I you have access to key stock, use that, and save yourself a few steps, but the carriage bolts you can pick up at most hardware stores for less than a buck.

5/16" Carriage Bolt, with the head annealed

You've got to cut the flange off the bolt, leaving you with the square. . . lug, at the head of the bolt.  Then you cut a notch in the "lug" to slip over the offending magazine lip and bend into the right shape.  That's about it, really.  If you've got a torch available, annealing and case hardening are optional extra steps.  The annealing helps keep you from chewing up your cutting tools.  Case hardening will help make the tool last longer.

Carriage bolt with the flange hacked off, and the "lug" filed square(ish)
 

"lug" notched to make the tool
 

 Large one for AR-15, small one for .22 Pistol

Tool used for bending feedlips into shape

Zombie Defense Bug Out Gun?

Found an . . . interesting/funny article on the American Rifleman website.  The official title is, "Bug Out Bag: Your One Survival Gun."  Basically, it's about picking a weapon for a zombie apocalypse.  Although I don't really have such a firearm (though I'd only have to swap a barrel), I can't really argue the logic put forth.

It's kind of a shame they don't print this kind of thing in the magazine.  There's no hard and fast rule that we can't have a sense of humor.


I need to go watch Zombieland again now.  Talk to you later.

AR15 Lube Points

Been a while, eh?  I've been busy moving, and then doing taxes.

Anyway, I've come upon this thread on the weaponevolution.com forum with some handy graphics showing the points to lubricate the parts of AR-15/M-16 pattern rifles.  The information is available in the M-16 field manuals, which are available for free download from several websites, but the information is displayed very simply in the graphics in the thread, and you don't have to read several pages of dry field manual text to get the same information.

MP5-Look Parts Kit For GSG-522

A German Sports Guns spokesman talked about these kits shortly after the HK lawsuit, but this is the first time I've seen these parts for sale.  CDNN Investments has the parts available to make your GSG-522 look like an HK MP5.  At $19.99, I think the price is really reasonable.

Direct link to the GSG-522 to GSG-5 parts kit @ CDNN.

Although I think some of the changes made to create the GSG-522 were genuine improvements, there's no reason you couldn't mix and match parts.

Winchester Ranger .223Rem Ammo Recall

It would seem that some Winchester Ranger ammo blew up some AR patrol rifles at a carbine class, which kicked off the recall.

Link To Recall Info At The Official Winchester Website

3/1/2011

Olin Corporation, through its Winchester Division, is recalling six (6) lots of its RANGER® 223 Remington 64 Grain Power-Point® (PP) centerfire rifle ammunition (Symbol Number RA223R2).

Lot Numbers (last four characters): DK01, DK11, DK21, DK31, DK41, and DK51

Through extensive evaluation Winchester has determined the above lots of RANGER® Law Enforcement ammunition may contain incorrect propellant. Incorrect propellant in this ammunition may cause firearm damage, rendering the firearm inoperable, and subject the shooter or bystanders to a risk of serious personal injury when fired.

DO NOT USE WINCHESTER® RANGER® 223 REMINGTON 64 GRAIN POWER-POINT® AMMUNITION THAT HAS A LOT NUMBER ENDING IN DK01, DK11, DK21, DK31, DK41 or DK51. The ammunition Lot Number is ink stamped inside the right tuck flap of the 20-round carton, as indicated here:

To determine if your ammunition is subject to this notice, review the Lot Number. If the last four characters of the Lot Number are DK01, DK11, DK21, DK31, DK41 or DK51 immediately discontinue use and contact Winchester toll-free at 866-423-5224 to arrange for replacement ammunition and free UPS pick-up of the recalled ammunition.

This notice applies only to RANGER® 223 Remington 64 Grain Power-Point® centerfire rifle ammunition with lot numbers ending in DK01, DK11, DK21, DK31, DK41, and DK51. Other Symbol Numbers or Lot Numbers are not subject to this recall.

If you have any questions concerning this RANGER® Law Enforcement ammunition recall please call toll-free 866-423-5224, write to Winchester (600 Powder Mill Road, East Alton, IL 62024 Attn: RA223R2 Recall), or visit our website at www.winchester.com.

Letter To A Mugger on Craig's List

I got this in my e-mail.  Not sure if it's entirely real, but it's an interesting story anyway.

-------------------------------------


This my friend is what the 2nd amendment is all about.......bmpr

AN ACTUAL CRAIG'S LIST PERSONALS AD

To the Guy Who Tried to Mug Me in Downtown  Savannah  night before last. Date: 2009-05-27, 1 :43 am.  E.S.T. I was the guy wearing the black Burberry jacket that you demanded that I hand over, shortly after you pulled the knife on me and my girlfriend, threatening our lives. You also asked for my girlfriend's purse and earrings. I can only hope that you somehow come across this rather important message.

First, I'd like to apologize for your embarrassment; I didn't expect you to actually crap in your pants when I drew my pistol after you took my jacket.. The evening was not that cold, and I was wearing the jacket for a reason.. My girlfriend had just bought me that Kimber Model 1911 .45 ACP pistol for my birthday, and we had picked up a shoulder holster for it that very evening. Obviously you agree that it is a very intimidating weapon when pointed at your head ... Isn't it?!

I know it probably wasn't fun walking back to wherever you'd come from with that brown sludge in your pants. I'm sure it was even worse walking bare-footed since I made you leave your shoes, cell phone, and wallet with me. [That prevented you from calling or running to your buddies to come help mug us again]. After I called your mother or "Momma" as you had her listed in your cell, I explained the entire episode of what you'd done. Then I went and filled up my gas tank as well as those of four other people in the gas station, -- on your credit card. The guy with the big motor home took 150 gallons and was extremely grateful!

I gave your shoes to a homeless guy outside Vinnie Van Go Go's, along with all the cash in your wallet. [That made his day!] I then threw your wallet into the big pink "pimp mobile" that was parked at the curb .... After I broke the windshield and side window and keyed the entire driver's side of the car Later, I called a bunch of phone sex numbers from your cell phone. Ma Bell just now shut down the line, although I only used the phone for a little over a day now, so what 's going on with that?

Earlier, I managed to get in two threatening phone calls to the DA's office and one to the FBI, while mentioning President Obama as my possible target. The FBI guy seemed really intense and we had a nice long chat (I guess while he traced your number etc.). ;In a way, perhaps I should apologize for not killing you ... But I feel this type of retribution is a far more appropriate punishment for your threatened crime. I wish you well as you try to sort through some of these rather immediate pressing issues, and can only hope that you have the opportunity to reflect upon, and perhaps reconsider, the career path you've chosen to pursue in life.. Remember, next time you might not be so lucky.

Have a good day!
Thoughtfully yours,
evin C

Great Jeff Cooper Quote: "The Rifle Is A Weapon"

In doing a little research on gun registration (you'll find out why shortly, I still need to dot some t's and cross some eyes), I found this quote from Jeff Cooper.  Although I didn't always agree with Mr. Cooper, I find this very eloquent.

The rifle is a weapon. Let there be no mistake about that. It is a tool of power, and thus dependent completely upon the moral stature of its user. It is equally useful in securing meat for the table, destroying group enemies on the battlefield, and resisting tyranny. In fact, it is the only means of resisting tyranny, since a citizenry armed with rifles simply cannot be tyrannized

Crosman MAR177 AR-15 PCP Pellet Rifle

I had actually meant to do a short article on the Anshutz AR-type air rifle, but just never got around to it.

Word has just gotten to me that Crosman was showing a new AR-type PCP air rifle at the SHOT show.  They've dubbed it MAR177; the MAR bit standing for Modular Adaptive Rifle, and the 177 obviously refers to the caliber.  It's actually not a complete rifle, but an upper to fit to your AR-15 lower.  For the sake of simplicity, I will refer to the MAR177 + your lower as an air rifle.

The Crosman MAR177 is a Pre-Charged Pneumatic (PCP) air rifle, like my Marauder, and appears to use a similar magazine (but 8-shot, rather than 10-shot like the Marauder).  You'd fill the air cylinder with a high-pressure hand pump or SCUBA tank.  You can see the pellet magazine above what would be the ejection port.

I can see these being bought by CMP/DCM shooters looking to practice indoors, or maybe just looking to shoot cheaper ammo.  The upper can be placed on your match lower, so that you get the same trigger pull.  Not sure yet if you can put like a modified A2/A4 handguard on it yet.  They are saying that it will put 10 rounds into a 9mm circle at 10 meters.  The barrel is made by Lothar Walther, the same barrel they use for their Challenger PCP rifles, actually.  The MAR177 meets the requirements for use in National Match Air Rifle competitions.

The velocity figure stated in the press release is 600 feet per second.  I would imagine that is with match pellets that weight less than 8gr.  Whether you can tune the rifle to shoot faster, is currently unknown, but the Crosman Challenger match rifle requires gunsmithing to get to magnum air rifle velocities.  The air cylinder can be filled to pressures up to 3000psi, and should get 120 shots per fill at 600fps.

I'm almost certain that the upper is some kind of single-shot bolt action.  I'll try to find out a little more from people who actually fondled it at the SHOT show.

Retail price is expected to be in the $800-900 range, and they are shooting (no pun intended) for a release date sometime this summer.


Crosman MAR177 Press Release

Help Counter Bloomberg's Gun Control Truck

New York mayor Bloomberg and his gun ban group Mayors Against Illegal Guns (all guns really, not just illegal ones) are funding a truck billboard with a clock to track the number of deaths due to gun violence since the Arizona shooting.  Naturally, there's no mention of deaths prevented by firearms.

Over the next 2 months, the Bloomberg/MAIG truck is traveling across the country, stopping in major cities.

Bloomberg and MAIG are pushing for:

• NYC type gun laws requiring a background check for gun purchases that can take more than 6 months
• A ban on most semi-automatics
• Implement laws that will make gun shows too cumbersome and invasive to be profitable

An anti-gun campaign has compiled a online petition, with over 250,000 signatures to try to urge Obama and congress to impose these laws on the country.


The 2nd Amendment Foundation and Citizens for the Right to Keep and Bear Arms (CCRKBA) have teamed up to counter the Bloomberg billboard truck with their own billboard truck.

 

The SAF/CCRKBA truck will follow the Bloomberg/MAIG truck, and try to counter the lies of the gun-ban lobby.  They do need help funding the truck and the traveling, however.

Normally, I wouldn't bother you all with fundraising missions, but I truly believe that this one is worth it.  Please help SAF and CCRKA fund this important counter-attack!!  I think this is one of the better ideas to come out of the gun rights lobby in a long time.


CCRKBA article about the billboard truck

US News & World Report Hi-Cap Mag Poll

http://www.usnews.com/opinion/articles/2011/02/11/Should-congress-ban-high-capacity-ammo-clips

Should Congress Ban High-Capacity Ammo Clips?

Yes or no question

Once again, they've phrased the question in such a way that it makes them sound like imbiciles.

Tapco Maybe Interested in Making 5.45x39mm AR Mags

A Tapco rep on AR15.com is saying they may be interested in making 5.45mm Russian magazines for the AR-15 platform if there's enough interest.  Drop an e-mail to customerservice@tapco.com to show your support, if you're interested.

Link To Thread on AR15.com

CProducts is the only company currently making 5.45x39mm AR mags, and there's a rumor that they are in trouble.  There's been a lot of complaints about the CProducts magazines not always working so well anyway.  Magpul apparently not too interested in 5.45mm mags, and Lancer has said no.

Alex Robinson Comments Re: The XCR Rifles and Customer Service

I was reading The Firearm Blog post on the 7.62x51NATO XCR, and there was a comment left with a link to this post on the XCR Forum from Alex Robinson, the man behind Robinson Armament Company.

"The fact is that almost every 'new' rifle out there is based on someone else's work.   The XCR is not.  It is truly unique.   Yes, it borrows some concepts from other rifles, but each part had to be designed without copying anything else to get the result we wanted.   In short, Robinson Armament dared to challenge the establishment with a very different rifle.

Robinson Armament's efforts should have been embraced.  However, from the beginning, we have (sic, sentence structure) nothing but crap on the internet.  I distinctly remember posts on AR-15.com shortly after I announced the XCR.  The post (sic) were that it was "Vaporware".  Other posts exclaimed that it would never be built or never work as promised.  Such posts made it very difficult to get the XCR off the ground and made people very skeptical of the new XCR.

Other posts exclaimed that we were going out of business.  It seem (sic) that the whole rifle world was against us.  I have often wondered why so much negativity for a new weapon platforms (sic)?  It is as though people really don't want any new platforms.   Thee (sic) people claim to want the best but all they do is whine.  It is no wonder to me that others don't venture out with new designs - they are shot down before they begin."


"First, when you call for service, be polite.  If you are not polite to my staff, I guaranty you will have a pleasant experience.  Remember the old saying, 'You can attract more files (sic) with honey that (sic) with vinegar.'  If you call with an attitude, my staff has been instructed to put you on the back burner.  If you are nice and polite, you will get quicker service."


"Second, please read the manual carefully.  I know it's boring but there's important information there.  Many people do not understand that you need to set the gas correctly for function and durability.  It's really quite simple - put it on the setting that throws the brass 8 to 15 feet from the rifle for any given ammo.  Do not just leave the gas system on the highest setting,  If you do, for some ammo it will kick like hell, throw your brass 40 feet, give you trigger slap, and damage your recoil buffer (a cheap part).

Third, please send us the following information:

Name, Address, Email and Cell number;
Serial Number;
Signed Copy of your warranty Registration found in the last pages of the Operator's Manual; and
A complete description of the problem, BE BRIEF.  If you write and essay about your vast knowledge of firearms base (sic) on your long time relationship with your AR-15, we won't read it.

We will authorize the return to us of part or all of your firearm.  WE DO NOT PAY FOR SHIPPING TO US.

Fourth, if you post a bunch of whiny petty negative stuff here or anywhere, I guaranty very slow service.  I have made that a policy.  Yes, we've made lots of mistakes with service but that is behind us."


"We appreciate those who stand by and support us.  They are true patriots.  We have to question the motives of those who continue to tear us down on this forum.  They cannot stop us. Their petty feeble minds are easily exposed.  The XCR will gain momentum until it covers the whole earth.  There is no other platform like it and it is the best."

Yikes!!!

Although I think the Robinson XCR is a great design, I had serious concerns about parts availability, and customer service.  I decided that buying an XCR was a risk that I didn't want to take.  I had no idea that the customer service situation was as bad as this.