The Opposite of No-Glare

Lone Wolf Advertisement, image saved from a gun blog

BLING!!

I've seen a lot of 1911 pistols, where the back of slide, ejector, extractor, rear sight, front sight, and the top of slide are serrated to prevent glare. . . and then there's this.  Lone Wolf Distributors is taking the opposite approach, and is Titanium Nitride plating Glock slides.  The cost for refinishing a slide is $105.  You can get them to do sights for you too, if you want.

Sights too!!

Titanium Nitride coating does actually make sense for some firearm parts, and offers many of same benefits of Nickel Boron coating, as made famous by FailZero.  However, and it's a big however, Titanium Nitride coating a pistol slide and/or sights, is probably not a good idea, unless perhaps you are a drug dealer, and you surround yourself with a dozen well-armed thugs at all times.

Sorry, LWD, for beating up on you, but this is kind of goofy, at best.

Skymall, Repurposed Ammo Can - $110 :)

"Is that. . . ?  It is!  $110!?!  They've got balls, I'll give em that."

Skymall.com - "Repurposed Ammo Can"

So, I'm guessing they bought a pallet of .30cal ammo cans for maybe $3 or $4 each, and sent them out for cleaning and powder coat for a couple bucks each, and then marked them up another $100.

Sorry, I'm trying to finish off my Christmas shopping, and I just had to share.

Some Cool SKS Stuff

Stumbled upon the SKS magazine adapters from www.sksmagadapter.com (go figure).  They sell a few interesting items, but I think the 5th Generation magazine adapter is the most impressive.

The magazine adapters just bolt onto the bottom of the SKS action.  With the magazine adapters, you hack the duckbill off the front of the Tapco 20-round magazines.  The 5th generation allows the modified magazines to drop free when you press the trigger-shaped catch, if your bolt is modified so that it doesn't retain the magazine by the feed lips.  The magazines go straight in, with no rock-n-lock.

This video does a good job of showing how the 5th generation adapter works.

Unaltered SKS bolt doesn't allow Tactical mag changes, or magazines to drop free

The 3rd generation magazine adapter allows for trimming the duckbill off the front of the Tapco magazines, but the adapter is really just a front lip for holding in the front of the magazine.

3rd Generation Mag Adapter

For use with stock rifles and the 3rd generation mag adapters, they also have an extended magazine catch.  It's hard to tell from the photo, but the catch is sitting right in front of the trigger guard.

The mag release is pretty expensive though, at $58 (shipped).  They will send you $7 through PayPal if you send them your stock SKS mag catch though.  The 5th generation mag adapter works out cheaper than the 3rd generation adapter and extended mag catch.

They say this stuff will work with ALL SKS rifles, regardless of which country they're from.

I think there will be an SKS rifle build in my future.  I'm thinking a 16" barrel (or maybe a 14.7" barrel with permanent attached flash-hider/brake), 5th generation mag adapter, folding stock, scout scope base. . .  Sounds like a lot of money to put into a $300 rifle, but have you priced AKs lately?

Chiappa Rhino 4" - Damn That's Ugly!!

I was interested in reading about the Chiappa Rhinos, with their low bore axis and innovative design, but the initial offerings were all snubbies with fixed sights, and I've already got a couple of those.  What I was waiting for was one with a 4" barrel and adjustable sights.  Well, they are out now in that configuration, but I don't think I could bring myself to buy one.  They're just too ugly.

I've looked at Ruger GP100s in gunshops and at gun shows, but they just don't look quite right with that push button cylinder release.  Not nearly as ugly as the Rhino, but nonetheless aesthetically unacceptable.

Do looks matter with firearms?  Normally, I'd say no, but this would be a BBQ gun and range toy.  I'm not sure that I could settle for anything less than a Smith & Wesson 586 or 686.

Eagle Grips Kirinite Grips

 

Here's something different for ya.  Eagle grips is making these sort of pearl and marble lookin' grips out of something called Kirinite.  They have them in a variety of colors for 1911s and J-Frame Smith & Wesson revolvers, and just in blue and pink for Ruger Mk.II and Mk.III pistols.  Now, they are expensive, but damn (!), they are pretty!

You can check them out at the Eagle Grips website.  I expect that you'll find them at other vendors pretty soon.

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.

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.

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

Lone Wolf Glock Frame Available. . . Finally

Lone Wolf Timberwolf Frame

A while back, a couple years ago maybe, I reported that Lone Wolf Distributors was working on an aftermarket frame for Glock pistols, having already made a variety of slides for Glocks.  Well they've finally released the frame for sale, which they call the Timberwolf.  The frame is a serialized part, and needs to be transferred by a licensed dealer, like any firearm bought online, obviously.  Lone Wolf has posted information on what you need to do to order and pick up the frame on the website (EDIT: Actually, I wasn't able to open the PDF file linked).

The Timberwolf frame features:

• Two interchangable backstraps
• Rounded trigger guard
• Extended "beavertail"
• Round magazine catch button
• "Improved" checkering and "rail system"
• "Higher grip angle," which I imagine means that you can get the web of your shooting hand up higher on the grip

Included with the Timberwolf frame:

• Round mag catch
• SF trigger housing
• Two grip backstraps

The frame fits 3rd Gen. large frame 9mm/.40S&W/.357SIG Glocks, i.e. models 17, 17L, 22, 24, 31, 34, 35, and 37.

They have it listed at $199.99, which I don't think is too bad really, considering that Glock will not sell you just a frame, without the side and barrel and all the rest of the pistol.  May be something to look into if you like Glocks, but your hands are too small for the Glock grip frame.  From the thread on GlockTalk, it sounds like they will be releasing compact frames, and large 10mm/.45ACP frames sometime in the future.

Archangel G36 Conversion Kit For Ruger 10/22

Marauder Stock Ad From Guns Magazine

The ProMag/Archangel guys have another interesting Ruger 10/22 stock.  Obviously, it converts a 10/22 action into an HK G36 look-alike.  

I don't know a whole lot about this yet.  The ad was in the new issues of Guns and American Handgunner magazine that I just got in the mail a few days ago.  There's no links to the kit on the Archangel website, although it is listed at $200 on the ProMag website (no pictures or info).  I haven't been able to find much information on the kit, and only one SHOT show picture.

The stock kit is listed at $155.97 on the Sportsman's Depot webstore, but the kits haven't been released yet.

A few handy enthusiasts have been cramming 10/22 actions into the plastic bodies of airsoft G36s for a few years.  I remember a YouTube video showing how it's done.  Someone's finally stepped up to produce a drop-in stock to do the same thing.  I hope that the G36 pattern magazine is high-capacity, single-column magazine to feed the 10/22 action, and not just a huge prosthetic to cover a 10-round Ruger rotary mag.  I also hope that the scope mount on the kit stock is somehow firmly attached to the 10/22 receiver inside, so these things have a chance at being resonably accurate.

Kel-Tec SU-16/SU-22 Pistol Grip and AR Stock Adapter

I guess I'm a couple or few years late on this, but I didn't find out until recently.  The Kel-Tec rifles don't get a whole lot of attention.

Kel-Tec is selling pistol grip lowers and AR-15 stock adapters for SU-16 and SU-22 rifles.  Link to pistol grip lower and AR stock adapter in Kel-Tec store - currently $94.40.  Also available with collapsible CAR-15/XM177 stock for $129.  The pistol grip compromises the ability of the rifles to fold into a compact little package, but it makes the rifles a little more egonomic, and a little less goofy looking.

Why do I even care?  The SU-16 rifles are quite lightweight (about 5 pounds with the origional stock), and have a long-stroke piston operating system (sort of similar to an SKS or AK-47).  With the right ACE stock adapters (they seem to be having website problems at the moment), you could put a side-folding stock on, which you can't do with 99% of AR-15 rifles.  The SU-16 rifles are also relatively inexpensive.  I can definately see how this might be an attractive solution to some people looking for an "evil black rifle."

You can find some more information on the pistol grip/stock conversion kit in this KTOG.org forum thread where I got the picture I posted above.  I'm sure if you did a search on the forum, you could find more threads.

World.guns.ru SU-16 information - in case you want to brush up on the Kel-Tec rifles

Pistol and "Bullet" Shaped Ice Cube Trays?

I was surfing through the Amazon.com gift guide when I found this in the "Someone With Everything" category, along with cookie cutters that make it look like someone's taken a bite already, and a coffee mug with brass knuckles as the handle.

Just thought it was interesting, with images of firearms are showing up in fashion and other pop culture items.

If you're really interested in buying, here's the link to the pistol-shaped ice trays on Amazon.

EDIT:  You can also get ice trays to make ice ammo.

They appear to be modeled after 7.62x39mm rounds, and the ad for the ice trays says "AK Bullet."

Galco's KingTuk IWB Holster

There's one more holster-maker doing a variation on the Tucker Answer/Crossbreed Super-Tuck IWB holster type.  Galco calls their holster the KingTuk.  You can read more about the Galco KingTuk on the Galco website.

Direct Link to KingTuk holster page

The KingTuk is available for many popular handguns (Glock, 1911, Sig, XD, Kahr, S&W wheelies and M&P), and oddly Charter Arms and Taurus revolvers.

Personally, I'm using the Crossbreed Super-Tuck, however I'm on my 2nd one, and this one is cracked too.  If I were going to buy one today, I would order a Minotaur Spartan.  However, the Galco should be available to fondle, and possibly try out at gun shops and gun shows, whereas the Tucker, Crossbreed, and Minotaur holsters you'd most likely have to mail order.  There's definately something to be said for instant gratification, and getting to hold the product in your hands before you buy.

Hoppe's No. 9 Air Freshener

It's been joked about by gun writers long enough that's it has become real.

Hoppe's recently rolled out a new air freshener that smells like their No. 9 solvent.

I'm not creative enough to make this up folks.  This is for real.

Now, how much longer do I have to wait for cologne with the WD40 scent?

.223 Remington to .22 Pellet Conversion

Here's something I haven't seen before.  The Sportsman's Guide has a .223 Remington to .22 pellet conversion shell.  It looks like a brass shell casing, but you put a 209 shotshell primer in one end, and a .22 pellet in the other, turning your .223 Remington rifle into a pellet gun.

Pretty neat.

Tapco U.S.-Made SKS Bolt

I just discovered this item in the Midway Gunsmithing catalog.  Tapco is making, or at least contracting, replacement SKS bolts.  The bolts are cut so that detachable magazines can be removed with the bolt in battery, which you can't do with origional equipment bolts.  The bolt also has a spring-loaded firing pin to prevent slam fires.  Even better, the bolt is made in the U.S., and counts as a compliance part if you need that, due to a "non-sporting" configuration.

Although my Chinese SKS is a pre-ban, I'd like to get one for use with the detachable Tapco mags, and for the spring-loaded firing pin.  I'll probably pick one up from Midway at some point in the future.  Cutting away the ridges for removing magazines isn't that hard, but I don't want to modify the Chinese bolt, because the rifle is worth decent money in ulaltered condition.  New communist bolts are nearly as expensive from Numrich.

EDIT: Er, on second thought, the reviews on the Midway product page are not completely good.  The price of a Chinese SKS bolt seems to have gone down significantly since the last time I checked also.

PMag Coupler = 50 or 60 Round AR-15 Magazine

California Competition Works has developed a PMag coupler.  It's made of anodized 6061 aluminum.  You remove the baseplates and lockplates from your two Magpul AR-15 magazine and connect them together with the coupler, using the 30-coil magazine spring included with the coupler.  You can use two 30-round magazines (which would be bloody long), or you can use a 30-round magazine and a 20-round magazine.

Although a little on the expensive side, it would definately make for a fun outing with an AR, and it would probably be good for 3-Gun matches.

EDIT, 7/20/2010: I've just remembered that 11 round magazines aren't legal in California, much less 50 or 60 round mags.  I wonder how they do their engineering and T&E.  Drive to Nevada?

also edittedd for speelng

Promag/Archangel 10/22 Target Stock

I only have a little bit of information on this one from Guns Magazine. I can't find any information on it elsewhere, and it's not available for sale yet. The butt is adjustable for length of pull in eight steps, and is made of polymer. It's cool looking, and I expect the price to be quite reasonable, which is typical of ProMag products.

UPDATE, 1/17/11:  Available from Sportsman's Depot for $96.66

ARES 22RCU - Ruger Mk.II/Mk.II Carbine Conversion

I was browsing the American Rifleman website, when I discovered this article on the ARES 22RCU.

Ares Defense Systems has created a carbine conversion kit for Ruger Mk.I, Mk.II, Mk.II, and 22/45 pistols, which they call the 22RCU. It is full-on politically incorrect with a vented railed handguard and collapsible wire stock. The conversion kit isn't available yet, but Ares says that it is "coming soon."

You may be familiar with Ares if you've heard about their Shrike Belt-fed upper for the AR-15/M-16 or their AR-15 piston conversion kit.

EDIT: GunPundit found it at SHOT Show '09. You can find his blog post about it, with a better picture here. The retail price he was told would be $299.

H.E.R.A. Arms Glock Stock/Carbine Conversion

H.E.R.A. Arms Website

A company in Germany has made a Glock carbine conversion, that encases the pistol's slide, so that you don't get smashed in the face. It attaches via the light rail on newer production Glock frames.

It looks like the carbine conversion kit works with G17, G19, G22, G23, G31, or G32. Doesn't say anything about the longer slide models though.

They are working on 16" barrels, so that you don't have to register your pistol as a Short Barreled Rifle (SBR) with the ATF. The registration isn't so bad, but getting the approval may take longer than 6 months right now if you are having it registered to you as an individual rather than registered to your trust/corporation/LLC.

H.E.R.A. is also making magazine clamps, HK USC to UMP conversion kits, and AR-15 stock and pistol-grip adapters for HK SL8 rifles.

It seems that Spike's Tactical will either be importing or selling the H.E.R.A. carbine conversion kits.