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.