Yo Dawg, I Heard You Like Mags...

Something that I missed when I lived in MA was the joy of loading full capacity magazines. Now that I live in America, where full capacity - and even high capacity! - magazines are fine, there's the little matter of loading them. I've got my Maglula for loading my double-stack pistol magazines, but what about those new 30- and 40-round AR-15 magazines?

Fear not. We have the answer.

Caldwell AR-15 Mag Charger

It looks dirt-simple: Load the rounds in the included tray. Take the tray and load all 50 rounds into the charger. Insert AR mag - 10-, 20-, 30-, 40- round mags are fine, as are drums - until it clicks. Depress plunger to load 5 rounds into magazine. Repeat as needed.

It will be brought to the Seventh Annual Northeast Bloggershoot, where I certainly hope that not only it get a good workout, but it will prove itself to work fine. MSRP is listed as $90, but it's available through Cabela's, Midway, Brownells and others with prices as low as mid-$60s. If you do a lot of shooting, this is a trivial investment to save your poor thumbs...

Thought this might be of interest, and we'll be trying it out at the shoot!

That is all.

When Good Things Happen To Good People.

Linoge has the skinny.

Here's the TL/DR version: Dennis is making holsters for the NCIS franchise, that much is not a secret. However, he's scored another big hit with this:

(Screencap courtesy of Linoge)

That's the brand-spankin' new Valkyrie holster, which is a first for Dennis - it's a paddle holster, which is exciting news for fans of the breed. Your humble host also happens to have received one of these lovely holsters, to be revealed later at the payin' gig (which I will link here as soon as it's up, no worries).

It's great to see Dennis' awesome holsters finally getting the air time they deserve!

That is all.

Freedom Takes Many Forms...

Sometimes, it takes the form of pieces of plastic and metal.

This arrived at the house Saturday. I ordered them from Brownells last week, pretty much just because I could. It was funny, really. I entered the order, got the "we received your order" auto-e-mail from Brownells, and didn't think too much about it. The next day, I got a "there's a problem with your order" e-mail - the address they had in the system linked to my account was in MA, so these naturally tripped the "we can't ship this to you" message.

I sent a message to the contact person explaining that I had moved; within a half hour she had e-mailed me back, apologized for the delay (!!!), and changed my address in the system. Less than 15 minutes later the order was processed, and within the hour I got a notice that it had shipped. That's service right there, folks; but I digress.

Anyways, this order showed up Saturday, and I couldn't resist showing off. I took the picture above, "TwitFacetagrammed" it (that's TheBoy's term for it), and was was amused by the reaction. My MA compatriots were jealous (and happy for me); still others were congratulatory. The response that struck me came from Tamara, who commented that she had to read it a few times to see what was about (I posted the picture with the tagline "Because I can!").

Don't even get me started on how silly this is. How I was excited that I was not prohibited from purchasing a legal item any more. How these items look exactly like items I owned in Massachusetts, but only because they were over a certain age. My good friend Weer'd penned it perfectly when he called it the "Numbers game" - a ten round magazine is okay, but an eleven round magazine isn't; a twenty year old magazine is okay, but a nineteen year old one isn't.

Now that I am no longer subject to the insane laws of Massachusetts, something as simple as a new standard capacity magazine (AR-15s routinely ship with 30-round magazines from the factory, so they are standard capacity. The 10-round magazines sold to ban states like MA are diminished capacity...) is an emblem of my newly found freedom. Next up, I think I might put a collapsible stock on my Bushmaster. Or maybe even a bayonet lug...

Enjoy what freedoms you have, folks...

That is all.

Aw, Geez, I Hope It's Enough...

So, I'm looking at gun safes, because after the unholy hell I went through with this move, I'm thinking that it's going to be a LOOOONG time before I move again. It's time to buy a *real* gun safe, not just the stamped metal cabinets that have been used thus far. I may have found the safe for the G. armory:

Cannon Armory Series 54. Five feet tall. Four feet wide. Two and a half feet deep. Capacity of 80 firearms. Fireproof rated for 30 minutes. Built-in outlet and USB port. I like this safe. One of the things I like most is the EMP locking mechanism. It has a keypad for rapid access to the safe, but it also has a standard tumbler in case of power outage or other disruption.

Now, I understand that when they say "80 guns", they're talking about 80 single shot .22LR rifles. Generally speaking, the rating is good for about half of what they claim when you factor in things like bull barrels, optics, and other accessories. Given the guns that I own currently, this safe should be good for, well, okay, maybe a month or so before I outgrow it...

Anyone have any experience with Cannon safes? I'm looking to shell out a not-inconsequential amount of money for this safe, and reviews of Cannon safes are mixed. I wonder if the problem is that Cannon sells a line of "box store" safes along with their direct line? Something tells me that the $600 safe from CostCo and the safe above are about as comparable as a Cadillac CTS and a Chevy Aveo...

Thoughts/suggestions/comments welcome!

That is all.

You Know What Makes A Great Christmas Present?

Dragon Leatherworks swag, that's what. Just got an email from Dennis; he's on the mend from his surgery and is healing well, if slowly. He's actually listening to Doctor's orders and is taking it easy, which means no holster orders in the immediate future. There are, however, t-shirts and other DL swag available at the online store if you'd still like to support Dennis.

I think we all want to see him back to full capacity - best wishes, Dennis!

That is all.

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Well Lookie Here!

With all the excitement of the past few weeks, I haven't had a chance to post about something that showed up a little while ago:

That's the Redfield Battlezone Tac-22 rifle scope specifically designed for the .22LR cartridge. It's a variable power scope ranging from 2-7X, which is a significant step up from the standard 4X Tasco scopes that are on most of my .22LR rifles! As I mentioned in the Counterstrike review over at Shooting Illustrated, I was very impressed by the quality of the Redfield scope. A quick look at the Battlezone reveals the same attention to detail, with features like resettable adjustment markings and water/fog/shockproof case that are normally found in scopes much pricier than the Battlezone.

Now, to get this out in the field before the move!

That is all.

My Reputation Precedes Me...

Heh. Got this in an e-mail from Scribbler:

There's allegedly a Remington 870 under all that. Key word: allegedly. From Scribbler:

Seen in the wild at a Fort Worth gun show. Aepilotjim, Daniels and I figured you of all people would appreciate this.
Yes the entire booth was like that.

If you look real close there's an AR-15 carry handle in addition to what appears to be the AR-15 collapsible stock. Rails everywhere, forend pistol grip, and 6 (SIX!) Ka-Bar pistol bayonets. Obviously the company that put this together has discriminating tastes in firearm accessories. And a tactical wheelbarrow...

Speaking thereof, Scribbler, you forgot to tell me the company name...

That is all.

Just Good People...

Gotta give a shout out to the good folks at Brownells. As you might recall, I recently acquired a "pre-ban" AR-15 lower that was built into a rifle:

Well, the upper that I purchased didn't come with a bayonet lug. And if there's one thing folks know, I love me some bayonets. So, a quick call to my friends at Brownells, and voila!

They were kind enough to send a YHM front sight gas block - with bayonet lug! Wally installed it for me, we fit the upper to the lower, and an evil AR-15 was born. I'm still waiting for someone to explain why the lower being over a certain age makes an upper less deadly with a bayonet or a flash hider. I suspect I'll be waiting for a while. But I do want to thank Brownells for making my bayonet wishes and EBR dreams come true!

Thanks to the good folks at Brownells, I can haz bayonet!

That is all.

Ask And Ye Shall Receive...

So, in yesterday's review of the SIG SAUER P238, commenter Joshua asks:

You've covered the bases pretty well for everything I would ask though can we get a picture of it in pocket?

Well, sure!

Here's the back pocket:

And the front:

See what I mean about it just disappearing? The P238 is so small and light that there's just no reason to carry it anywhere but in a pocket. Although if you did have a quality inside the waistband holster for it, it's thin and light enough that it would conceal under pretty much anything short of a tube top.

And no, you're not getting a picture of that...

That is all.

I Can Haz PMag?

Why yes! Yes I can!

See? 100% MA-legal and MA AWB compliant 10 round PMags. Thanks to Larry Weeks at Brownells for the kind gift of this and, as he put it, "enough to give you 30 rounds":

Heh. Thanks Larry. While I will admit it's not a single 30-rounder - that would be a felony - it was awfully nice of the good folks at Brownells to send three of the brand new Magpul 10 round magazines. When I opened up the package to liberate the one 10-rounder, something struck me:

This is the first new AR-15 magazine I own.

All the other AR-15 magazines I own are 19+ year old pre-ban magazines. I have 20 rounders. I have 30 rounders. I think I have one or two 40 rounders, even. But all of them are 19 years old at the very youngest. This is the first time I've ever gotten to open a package and use a magazine for the very first time. I don't have to replace the follower - because it's new! I don't have to put in a new spring - because it's new! I can go to the range and not worry about failures to feed due to old magazines!

Someday - someday - I will have a new 30 rounder... or maybe even the new 40 round Pmag!

That is all.

Holster That Heater!

Good: Getting an e-mail telling you that your holster is in the mail on its way to you.

Better: You didn't order a holster.

Best: It's one of these sweet jobs from Michael's Custom Holsters:

In Houston during the NRA convention, Michael let me try out Jennifer's rig for the M&P compact. I wore it around for a good while and was absolutely gobsmacked at how easy it made carrying the M&P IWB. I guess I shouldn't have been surprised - Michael's Executive II for the S&W J-frame is my favorite IWB holster for the small revolver.

Anyhoo, he re-upped another year's worth of ad space over on the right ----> (go click, please!), and in exchange the above holster showed up in my mailbox.

It's for the M&P:

Front

Rear

And because Michael knows me and is just that awesome, it even accommodates the full size M&P:

.45 ACP goodness!

Yes, that's a full sized Smith & Wesson M&P45 - with a Crimson Trace Grip Laser - in that holster.

I fully intend to put this holster through its paces. I also fully expect this holster to not only meet my expectations, but to leave them in their wake like a canoe behind a cigarette boat. Okay, I think I need more coffee to make better analogies, but you get the point. Michael does really great work, he really does. He knows his stuff, he's got the talent, and I'm proud to have his ad on my sidebar.

I realized something, too, about those ads. Mark from Rimfire Designs is the only person whose business has an ad on the sidebar that I don't personally know. I'm hoping that one of my trips out west will remedy that. Mark and I have chatted quite a bit via e-mail (and I owe him a picture or two of a set of grips - mea culpa, Mark!), so I consider him someone I know IRL, but he's the only person with an ad I haven't actually met. Caleb/Dan, Ron, Michael, Robb, Wally and Dennis are all folks I've met in meatspace... Pretty neat, actually.

Watch this space for some super secret news regarding the leathersmith behind this fine holster, too...

That is all.

SUPER COMBO!

So, I think I mentioned, one of the coolest things I saw at SHOT Show this year was Redfield's new COUNTERSTRIKE red/green dot scope with built-in laser. One thing led to another, I talked to some people, some promises were made, souls mortgaged, and look at what showed up on Friday:

Red/green dot *and* laser!

I don't want to give too much away (this is going into a professional-type review, believe it or not!), but I did want to give a quick sneak peak:

Oh, I think I'm going to like this...

It's going on the newly-flat-topped Bushmaster AR-15, and I think I'll sight it in at 50 yards. Even my tired old eyes can see out to 50 yards without needing magnification, and since I already have a dedicated (and kick-ass) long distance AR, I figure it couldn't hurt to have an "inside" as well as "outside" version.

Full review to come later at the NRA's excellent Shooting Illustrated.

That is all.

For My TN Peeps...

Dragon Leatherworks will be opening a brick and mortar store.

Yes, we're growing again! We've outgrown our present location, so the decision was made to go full-on brick-and-mortar!

A storefront has been selected here in Oak Ridge, Tennessee, and we've begun sprucing up the new location. It will have 500 square feet dedicated strictly to retail space, which will showcase our holsters and gunbelts. We'll also be adding a fashion concealed carry option for our female shooters, beginning with a hand-laced hip bag designed to carry pistols of the Makarov design or smaller, with a larger full-size gunpurse to follow right after the new Year.

They're going to have a full-on FFL and will be officially in the gun biz some time next month (depending on how long it takes the ATF to finish transfering the permit). If you're in the area and thinking about a new blastomatic, swing in and talk to Dennis. They're trying to break into the business and could use your support. Plus, you get a chance to see some of the kickass holsters Dennis makes live and direct (and yay! for impulse buys!).

Help a good guy out, see awesome holsters, and maybe walk out with a new heater - how can you possibly go wrong?

That is all.

Sometimes, You Get To Be The Guy That Has All The Luck...

So, yesterday I get home from a rough day in the salt mines (hey, those pencils don't push themselves!) and I find a large box sitting on the counter for me. Now, there's a few outstanding online orders I'm waiting on, but none of them were expected right now - two were recently placed, and the third is from Brownells, who are absolutely awesome about letting you know when backorders are shipping.

Well, it turned out to be a care package from the good folks at LaserLyte:

Here's where I'd like to say that I played it cool, making key mental notes about how to fit different reviews into my schedule, how to go about securing access to a NAA Black Widow, getting around to talking to Smith & Wesson about getting one of the Shields for T&E, etc. The reality was more that when I opened the box I spent about five minutes going "ohboyohboyohboyohboyohboy"...

I've posted about wanting to try out the Trigger Tyme pistol before - it looks like a great way to safely practice drawing from a holster and firing. It should also be a great teaching aid for a new shooter - they can practice grip, stance, and pulling the trigger without having to be on the firing line. They included the LT-Pro that works with the Trigger Tyme, and a set of the Reaction Tyme targets to test it out on. Very nice training aids indeed - I love the LTS Target and use it frequently.

There's a Training Cartridge in .223 for some AR-15 training, and a sleeve for .308 (and other calibers) for dual-purpose. A Shotgun Trainer and a Tri-Rail round out the longarm goodies, and three additional lasers round out the goodie box: a NAA-Venom and S&W Shield pistol-mounted lasers as well as the picatinny mount Center Mass laser. I am going to be busy busy busy with all these new lasers!

Thanks again to the good folks at LaserLyte for the "care package"!

That is all.

More New Gear!

Another neat piece of kit I picked up at the NRA Convention was this innovative new sling:

That's a Slogan Outdoors synthetic rubber sling. The elasticity of the rubber itself is part of the ingenious retention system, which allows the sling to hold a rifle in place whilst hiking through the elements in search of prey. It's made in the USA, very reasonably priced (MSRP runs right around $40 for most models; some are a little more, some a little less), and they're guaranteed for life.

The good folks at Slogan were kind enough to run a quick demo for us on the sling:



You had better believe this is going on the Conspirator should there be prairie dog hunting in the future. This iteration is a standard sling configuration - two swivel swing attachment points - but they also have a tactical version available. There's also a version for the bowhunters, and Michael has one that he'll be reviewing. It's a great looking product, a solid concept, and I'm looking forward to trying this one out both in the field and on the range.

Full report to follow!

That is all.

New Gear!

Picked up a couple of items that I'll be testing in the coming weeks and months at the NRA convention. The first item you might notice from the rotating ads in the right sidebar:

That's a VersaCarry for a 3.5" barrel semi-automatic handgun - just perfect for the Smith & Wesson M&P 9mm compact or the Ruger SR9 compact. I had the presence of mind to grab a quick video from the helpful folks at VersaCarry; this is Justin explaining the system:



Now, when I saw the concept of the VersaCarry, I was a bit skeptical. I'm really not a fan of the trigger being exposed, and I'm not sure how I feel about the gun being supported by the barrel. It should be fine; the trigger is exposed on the inside near the body, so as long as care is taken during holstering, it should be fine.

And another item announced later in the week!

That is all.

Oooh. Daddy LIKE.

Got a presser from Redfield about a new scope:

Redfield® BattleZone™ TAC.22™ 2-7x 34mm Riflescope

BEAVERTON, Ore. — Redfield® introduces the latest model in their line of tactical optics, the Battlezone™ Tac.22™ 2-7x34mm riflescope.

Designed for .22 Long Rifle firearms, the Battlezone Tac.22 comes with two elevation adjustment dials. The first is marked in ¼ MOA increments, and the second is a Bullet Drop Compensation (BDC) dial calibrated to the .22LR, shooting a 36-grain hollowpoint at 1,260 feet per second. The BDC dial is marked from 50 to 150 yards.

The Battlezone Tac.22 features the Tac-MOA™ reticle, which matches the ¼ MOA adjustment dials. Stadia lines on the horizontal and vertical crosshairs are set at two minute of angle increments, allowing for fast windage and bullet drop adjustments as well as range estimation. Parallax is set at a rimfire-friendly 75 yards. 

Boy, howdy, but that'd work all kinds of sweet on my 10/22. I think I need to put the folks at Redfield near the top of the "must see" list in Houston, because I need to take a long look at this. Something like this would be absolutely perfect perched atop Freedom rifle as a rimfire scope out to 75 - 100 yards, now that I think about it. What a great way to introduce a new shooter to long(ish) range shooting.

2-7X is a very sweet range for a rimfire scope. It'll do well out to 200 yards, which is really the outer limit of where a .22LR round can reliably hit IMHO. From 75 - 100 yards it'll help the shooter tremendously, especially with the built-in Bullet Drop Compensator. And it doesn't hurt that it's specifically calibrated for the Federal bulk .22LR, either.

I'll have to take a long look at the TAC.22 in Houston, that's for sure...

That is all.

End of an Era...

Magpul stops making gun magazines in Colorado

BOULDER, Colo. – A Colorado gun accessories manufacturer that vowed to leave the state because of a new gun control law says it is now making some items out-of-state.

Erie-based Magpul revealed the move in a Facebook posting late Monday in response to a customer question. The posting said PMAG magazines, which can hold 10 to 30 rounds, are being made outside of Colorado for the first time. Sights are also being made elsewhere.

Coloradoans can look to Governor Hickenlooper to find out where the tax revenue formerly generated in Colorado by Magpul's presence will come from now that they are actually leaving. The jobs that formerly had be filled by Colorado residents will now be filled by residents of other states - whether they're Colorado people who relocated or residents of the new state remains to be seen. And then there's the secondary considerations, like the suppliers local to Magpul who may or may not have contracts in the future because of the relocation.

Actions have consequences. Hickenlooper's poorly-conceived and hastily enacted bill won't do a thing to stop spree shooters nor deter criminals; the only people who will be affected by his rush-to-action will be the good, honest people of Colorado. And folks who might have considered Colorado as a tourist destination, too - especially for sportsmen who might wish to avail themselves of the hunting.

You see, I wouldn't bring pretty much any magazine into the state of Colorado now. Here's the text from the bill that worries me:

The bill prohibits the sale, transfer, or possession of an ammunition feeding device that is capable of accepting, or that can be readily converted to accept, more than 10 rounds of ammunition or more than 5 shotgun shells (large-capacity magazine).

Emphasis mine. Got that? If your magazine can be converted to accept more than 10 rounds (I believe they increased it to 15 after that version was drafted), you're in violation of the law. Does your magazine have a removable floorplate? Congratulations! You're a criminal now! It's up to the prosecution to determine whether the magazine was made before or after the date of implementation - so you can cool your heels in a Colorado jail while they decide how to prove that. No thanks, I'll pass.

Here's hoping that Magpul's departure wakes some people in Colorado up to the idea that actions have consequences...

That is all.

Another dispatch from...

(image courtesy of Robb Allen)

It's Like Chocolate and Peanut Butter!

Got a press release from Aimpoint yesterday announcing a sweet new pairing:

Products from Aimpoint® and Leupold® chosen for ECOS-O optics program

CHANTILLY, VA - Aimpoint, the originator and world leader in electronic red dot sighting technology, has been awarded an $8.7 million, five-year IDIQ contract by the U.S. Navy Surface Warfare Center - Crane Division for supply of sights and mounts for the Enhanced Combat Optical Sight – Optimized (ECOS-O) program. The ECOS-O integrated system combines the battle proven Aimpoint Micro T-1 sight with the Leupold® Mark 6® 3-18x44mm riflescope. This combination of optics allows operators to utilize the non-magnified red dot sight both as a primary optic, as well as a fast way to acquire targets for long range identification and engagement using the magnified Leupold scope.

Hmmm. Aimpoint red dot sight combined with a Leupold magnified optic. I have three words for that: SIGN. ME. UP. Leupold provided a Mark AR 4-12X scope for my Conspirator target & varmint AR-15, and I have absolutely nothing but the highest praise for Leupold optics. At 200 yards, the scope is crystal clear, stable, and rock-solid reliable - it really did make hitting an 18" steel gong just too easy. It has held zero after three separate outings now; being trucked all over England to different rifle ranges, etc. I can't recommend Leupold optics more strongly, I really can't.

(picture from press release)

I haven't had any direct experience with the fine products available from Aimpoint (not that I'm hinting or anything - oh, wait, yes I am!), but their products come highly recommended by people I trust. Plus, yeah, HELLO? ACOG??? The pairing of Aimpoint and Leupold is only slightly less awesome than a shark with a laser on its head. Slightly. And the fact that it's going to help our soldiers and sailors kill more terrorists? That is the icing on the awesomecake, folks.

Looking forward to seeing how this shakes out in real world testing.

That is all.

MArooned Product Review Follow-up: Dragon Leatherworks Belt

Okay, we're rapidly coming up on a third of a year with the kick-ass belt I got from Dragon Leatherworks. I have been wearing the crap out of this thing, and I'll tell you, it just keeps looking as good as when I first got it. It's been around my waist for ~ 10 - 12 hours a day 7 days a week for a while now - I think I'd already broken my first 5.11 belt by this point. My initial review was two months ago, only a month or so after getting the belt, and I've had a lot more time to wear it and see how it held up.

Oh, yeah, there's also the fact that I wore this belt to the Fundamentals of Combat Focus Shooting class I took courtesy of Down Range Firearms Training last month. I strapped on the Dragon Leatherworks belt at 7 in the morning with all this gear:

and didn't take it off for over 12 hours. I weighed it - over three and a half pounds of gear there. Doesn't seem like much until you strap it to your waist and run all over hell and creation for the better part of an entire day.

When they say that the right belt makes all the difference, that's not hyperbole. The Dragon Leatherworks belt held all that gear (well, minus the coffee mug, but I did have at least double that amount of coffee in me) all day long. Not only that, it actually made it comfortable. A Kydex OWB holster with a Smith & Wesson M&P and three Comp-Tac mag holsters, each with a fully loaded magazine - all day, all over the place. The belt made it easy, and that's no small feat.

I can't imagine taking a course like this with any other belt - thanks, Dennis!

That is all.