AIM Surplus - Russian AK-47 Magazines - $19.95, 10 for $17.95 each

AIM Surplus Russian AK-47 magazines
7.62x39mm, unissued condition
$19.95 each
$17.95 each if you buy 10 or more

I haven't seen steel Com-bloc magazines this inexpensive since December.  For unissued magazines, and Russian ones at that, this is a pretty good deal.

New IDPA Rulebook in the Works

Proposed 2013 IDPA Rulebook - Adobe PDF file
(If that doesn't work, go to IDPA.com, click the "Compete" tab, and then the "Rules" tab.)

ShootingUSA Podcast on IDPA rule changes with IDPA Executive Driector Joyce Wilson.

Looks like they are allowing Stainless Steel guide rods for Glocks, but still not allowing grip texturing or grip reduction for Stock Service Pistol division.  I understand that it could be considered an "enhancement," but I don't really appreciate disallowing modifications required to fit a grip to a shooter with small hands.

The custom "mid-length" magazine release in my Glock 19 is still not allowed in Stock Service Pistol division, but the extended one used for the 34, 35, 20, and 21 pistols is allowed.  I modified a competition part to make it smaller, snag-free, and more appropriate for an actual defense pistol.

I guess they aren't allowing the Gen1/Gen2/Gen3 recoil spring assemblies for Gen4 Glocks, because "Slide inserts to accommodate a different recoil assembly design" are specifically disallowed.  If you intend to run minor loads, and a Gen4 Glock you may need something like the Glockmeister Stainless Steel Gen4 Guide Rod assembly with a reduced-power recoil spring.  There may be other options, but that was the first thing that I could find.

The proposed 2013 rulebook still does not specify that plastic grip plugs are legal for SSP, if they protrude from the butt, like the Scherer slug plugs that I always use for carry guns.  You can get away with them in some matches, but not for others (click that slug plug link, I explain why).

Springfield XD pistols will be allowed in Stock Service Pistol division, not forced into Enhanced Service Pistol division.

There is a change to the rules regarding reloading behind cover:

All reloads must be performed behind cover; however, a shooter, who runs the firearm empty while in the open, may initiate an Emergency Reload while advancing to the next position of cover. The shooter must continue moving while performing the Emergency Reload and may not engage any remaining targets until behind cover, if cover is available.

WooHoo!  The 2005 Rulebook specified that all reloads must be performed behind cover.  I never understood the logic of not reloading, should you find yourself standing in the open with a completely empty pistol.  Cover is good, but stages are sometimes set-up so that you must start the course of fire standing (or sitting) out in the open.  I didn't expect that 3 second penalty having not completely mentally devoured the rulebook.  It seemed like the most prudent thing to do.


Until the new rulebook is officially approved, matches will continue to be run under the 2005 Rulebook.

Cerakote After 4 Weeks

My first attempt at refinishing was with Lauer Durabake.  You can read the review, if you like, but to make the long story short, is that it's basically very expensive spray paint, with the added inconvenience that you need to bake it.

Next, I tried Lauer Duracoat.  It fared better, but still isn't great.  I took an old belt buckle, with the nickel plating worn off, and sprayed it with flat black Duracoat, per the instructions.  By the end of a week, it was showing wear.  At the end of a month, about half of the Duracoat had worn off.  What didn't wear off, was no longer matte black, it was more like satin black.

The Duracoat seems to work well on Parkerized steel, but it could be that any old dye would work just as well.  The Duracoat applied to raw metal is not what I'd call a miracle finish though, and mixing it for application is no fun.

The Durakote color needs to be mixed in a 12 to 1 ratio with hardener.  Thinner is optional.  If you were spraying a riflestock or something large, this maybe not such a big deal, but if you are spraying small parts, it really gets to be a pain in the butt.  The method that I used for measuring out the color and hardener was to use a disposable dropper, and count the drips.  Yes, it was very tedious.

Cerakote is becoming quite popular now.  Colt is using it on their 1911 rail guns.  GA Precision uses it on their custom rifles.  The Canik CZ75-based pistols are offered with Cerakote finishes.

Not satisfied with the handguard that came with a Tapco Flat Dark Earth SKS stock (the rail is kind of useless and annoying), I wanted to use more traditionally-shaped Choate handguard, but it was black, and didn't match.  Although the oven-cure Cerakote is supposed to be a little more durable, I could not use it on the plastic handguard.  The air-cure Cerakote is also rated to higher temperatures than the oven-cure Cerakote, and the oven-cure Cerakote is a two-part mix like the Duracoat.

Since the Flat Dark Earth is a tan sand color, and I live in Pennsylvania, where there's no desert that I know of, so I decided to respray the whole Tapco stock.  Since there's not much green here from about October to April, I decided on Coyote Brown, sometimes called Coyote Tan.  Air-dry Cerakote is offered in a color called Coyote Tan.

The plate carrier is a Tactical Assault Gear Shellback Banshee, "Coyote Tan."  The little snap-close pouch is U.S. military surplus, Olive Drab.  Next to that mil-surp pouch is the SKS handguard that I sprayed with "Coyote Tan" Cerakote, and it pretty much stands out like a sore thumb.  The Cerakote is a lighter color than the nylon.  The mag pouches are HSGI, "Coyote Brown."

Condor Hydration Carrier, "Coyote Tan," with the "Coyote Tan" Cerakote SKS handguard sitting on top of it.  The Coyote Cerakote doesn't really match any of the nylon gear.  The Coyote Cerakote is a sort of weird color that seems a little unnatural.  It doesn't match tree bark, and I've never seen sand that color.  I don't have an actual coyote to compare it to.

The air-cure Cerakote dries to the touch pretty quickly.  You will need an airbrush, Preval sprayer, or air compressor and spray gun to apply it.  I used a Testors Aztek airbrush kit.  You will also need some kind of degreaser (I used KG-3), and some sandpaper (I used 220 grit) to give metal parts some "tooth" for the finish to grab on to.  I didn't sand the plastic handguard, it had a fairly rough finish already, I just cleaned it.

To test out the Cerakote, I resprayed the belt buckle.

Day 0

Day 0, Different Angle

After a 8 days, the resprayed belt buckle is showing very little wear.  The only spot showing significant wear is the spot where the tongue bears against the buckle.  The leather of the belt is not wearing the Cerakote, which bodes well for holster-carried pistols.

After 2 weeks, there is a new little scratch, but otherwise still holding up very well.

I see now that the wear that I saw at 2 weeks was all from metal-to-metal contact.  Not sure why the finish has now worn off the tip of the tongue or the bottom corner of the buckle.  It's possible that I didn't get these spots very well coated.  I don't see any wear from the leather belt at all.  The Cerakote is kicking the Duracoat's ass, and is pretty easy to apply.  It's not as good as melonite or hard chrome, but you can't do either of those in your garage at home, and neither can be easily touched up.

Cerakote is expensive compared to garden variety spray paint, but is a lot more durable, and extremely heat resistant.  Price some factory auto paint, and there's not really that much difference, price-wise   Although you can buy Parkerizing kits, most don't come with the stainless steel tank required for application, and it only works for steel.  I think Cerakote is worth it.

Gun Channels on YouTube

I've been hitting YouTube a lot for information lately.  Although I don't know that video is necessarily the best way to disseminate all forms of information, people seem to like getting on camera, and it has become the "new media."

I'm going to try to give you a sampling what I think might be the best of the YouTube gun channels, although I'm still sort of new to it, so I don't want to give the impression that this is "the definitive list."

AK Operators Union - If you like the "Evil Black Rifles," and/or torture tests, these are your guys.

Forgotten Weapons - Mostly covers old and odd firearms, and how they work.  Usually revolves mostly around military firearms, but sometimes sporting guns.

TheYankeeMarshall - A lot of Right-To-Bear-Arms videos, laced with midget prostitute jokes.  Sometimes he does videos about revolvers and pistols too.  (EDIT:  Nevermind.  TYM is a fool, and not even the good kind)

The Nutnfancy Project - I have mixed feelings on this one.  He gets in some of the hottest new stuff - IMI Tavor, Kel-Tec KSG and PMR-30.  The UTAS-15 shotgun review was pretty good.  However, I get bored with the shooting videos.  Watching someone shoot at steel target off in the distance that you can't even see is kind of pointless.  TheYankeeMarshal cracked a joke about how he's not going to be doing 40 minute videos, in full battle-rattle, about a $12 knife, and I immediately knew exactly what he was talking about.  He did 5 videos, ranging from about 40 minutes to over an hour on building first aid kits.  Probably one of the most popular gun channels on YouTube though.

MrColionNoir - Kind of the opposite of Nutnfancy.  He seems to accomplish more in two and a half minutes than Nutnfancy does in 45.  A lot of Right-To-Bear-Arms videos, which has a lot to do with why he got picked up by NRA News.  He's also done videos on the Saiga-12 shotgun, after-action-reports on training classes, and other good gunnie stuff.  Calls himself an "urban gun enthusiast."

Regis Giles (a.k.a. Girls Just Wanna Have Guns) - The female MrColionNoir?  (EDIT: 6/25/16 - Has been very little activity on this channel)

TFB TV - YouTube channel for The Firearm Blog, which you should be familiar with.

TheFirearmGuy - He makes videos about some odd and unusual guns like the Mossberg 930 and Taurus PT-22.  He also does some Right-To-Bear-Arms videos.

Military Arms Channel - Sturmgewehre reviews a lot of the hot new Black Rifle stuff.  He's a Kalashnikov rifle guy, but does a lot of AR-15 and pistol videos too.

Mrgunsngear - Prolific reviewer of black rifles and pistols.  Another Kalashnikov rifle guy.

Hickock45 -  He goes to his spot in the woods to shoot steel targets and bust 2 Liter soda bottles, cinder blocks, and clay pots.  Guns range from new stuff, to surplus guns, with an occasional retired police revolver thrown in here and there.

John Lott - Author of More Guns, Less Crime.  You may have seen him on TV.

RURdy4it (Are You Ready for It) - Get the news on gun legislation.

Sootch00 - Sometimes reviews guns and gear.  Sometimes talks about guns laws, prepping, ammo shortages and magazine prices, and other things relevant to shooters.

The Gun Collective - A news show.

MattV2099 - I've posted on some of his videos on how to make bump-fire stocks.  If you like watching videos of soda, Justin Beiber standees, saltines, and hams getting shot up, this is your guy.  He's also done a lot of crazy Glock torture test videos.

CarniK Con - I would argue this is the funniest gun channel on YouTube.  Um, try to imagine if Uncle Rico from Napoleon Dynamite did Magpul Dynamics type training videos.  It's kind of like that.  (EDIT: 6/25/16 - Quit YouTube?)

Dynamic Pie Concepts - Hasn't been active, but there are some funny videos on the channel if you're just bored.

fxhummel1 - Songs about other gun channels, gun laws, gun range dummies, fanboys, and tacticool fools. (EDIT: 6/25/16 - Now Jordan Winkler channel.  He's now working for James Yeager's Tactical Response training company.  Does more gun and shooting videos, and hardly any music anymore.)


My YouTube Favorites playlist

My RKBA playlist

If you think there are any glaring oversights, or if I screwed up any links, go ahead and post a comment.