Savvy Sniper Tac 1-2 Sling

Another product review!

So it's pretty well agreed that a sling is essential to nearly any long gun, especially a defensive gun.  We've come a long way since the days of a simple two-point strap good for keeping your hands free and the muzzle out of the dirt, but not much else.  There was a brief upswing of the three point, and I rocked the excellent Spec-Ops Mamba in Afghanistan, a very comfortable and versatile rig.
But now days all the cool kids are running single point slings, especially on the M4 style platform.  The three point sling has the disadvantage of being a straight up pain if you ever need to switch from right to left handed, something pretty common in todays urban environment.
For a bit I ran the Magpul MS2, in conjunction with the ASAP plate on my midlength carbine.  The MS2 is one of a handful of single point slings that have a secondary clip that allows you to quickly switch from a single point to a two point.  The advantage being that a single point is ideal for a dynamic and up-close style of shooting where switching hands and transitioning to a sidearm is common, and a two point is much better at keeping the gun out of your way if you're doing something requiring two hands, and if used correctly, helps stabilize your rifle for longer range engagements.
The Magpul sling has a beefy alligator type clip to accomplish the transition at lightning speed, and of course the "Magpul" logo makes the kool-aid taste better.  But the webbing they chose to use is the same type of tubular webbing used in the climbing world, which is insanely strong, but very flexible.  I found that it wasn't quite up to spreading the weight of my beefy midlength rifle across my body.  The webbing has a tendency to want to fold in half and cut into the top of my shoulder, not to mention rolling and tangling up the quick adjustment system, and there is no stretch in the material, making this even worse when running.
Right around the time the MS2 was being introduced, Shotgun News ran an article about some new AR, I think it was something in 6.8mm, I don't remember, but the guy reviewing the gun was singing the accolades of the Savvy Sniper Tac 1-2 Sling.  What really caught my eye was the inclusion of a bungee section, much like my beloved Mamba, yet had the cool single-point/two-point abilities like the MS2. Plus free shipping!
Price is comparable to the MS2, but the Savvy Sniper has the bonus cool points of being handmade by some very cool people in Ohio, and I'm a sucker for the "custom" feel and coolness of that kind of thing.  So I sent an ordered up one for myself and one of my shooting buddies who was looking for a good sling for his M&P15.
Savvy Sniper is a smaller company, and orders are placed through email, and payment by an old fashioned check sent through the mail.  Some people don't like that extra bit of work, but it just kind of added to the whole "custom" feel of things for me.  Shipping time was pretty good for a made-to-order product too.

Handmade goodness-

Construction is top-notch.  Good strong stitching, quality materials and components like H&K clips and Fastex buckles. (various attachment options are available too)  I went with H&K clips, but now I see they have MASH hooks... I'll have to place another order soon...



The webbing is also Mil-spec webbing just like the MS2, but a much stiffer brand.  The quick adjustment system is also much simpler, and doesn't get fouled up nearly as often as the MS2's (which has been regulated to camera duty.  It really is a fantastic strap for a bulky digital SLR and an active photographer.)
The sling hooks up easily and securely, and the Fastex buckles are there for quick escape if need be.  In the single point config there's plenty of material to fit over a vest.  I actually run it with the non-quick adjust section tightened nearly all the way, and the quick adjust section pulled tight if I'm not wearing my vest, or let out a bit if I am (I like the gun riding high and close.) There's plenty of sling to transition from left to right hands tangle-free with the ASAP plate (so far the best sling plate I've ever used.)

And switched to the two point it's easy to slide the rifle out of the way onto your back if need be (a great asset for those in theater) or for a bit more comfortable carry during lengthy patrols (it just seems to carry better and keeps the rifle from bouncing around, but is still in the low ready.)

My only real complaint is that the d-ring the transition hook grabs onto tends to turn and end up side-ways.  It doesn't impair function, but it's a little annoying.  However it looks like they have a new sling that addresses this, and a couple other things (like the adjustment section just kind of dangling.)  I think I may need to upgrade...

Overall, a great sling, and an outstanding alternative to the often hard to find MS2.

Kydex Part V

Comparisons and Thoughts

(Final installment of the plasticy-holster reviews)

This part should kinda wrap things up for the most part.  I've kind of alluded to some comparisons throughout, but I wanted to sum them all up into one post.
Retention:
The Serpa Level 2 is by far the most secure feeling of the three.  Of course it is expected, being the only holster with an active retention system.  The Raven Concealment Systems Phantom is probably the least secure, but it is arguably intended for concealed carry (it is right there in the name after all) and holds the gun plenty well enough for that task.  However if I were going to OC in a more crowded environment, I would use the Serpa.  The Fobus lands right in the middle, securing the gun more than well enough for movement and generally carry purposes, but I'd be leery of trusting it in the event of a gun grab.
Coverage:
The Raven rig definitely covers the most amount of gun, yet still allows for a good hold when drawing.  Between the sweat shield and custom molded fit, this one will keep your gun from getting banged up the most, and the bottom is pretty well closed, with a drain opening directly under the light, which should help keep crud from getting into the muzzle.  The Fobus covers the least, depending on the gun, but I would prefer a bit of protection for the front sight, no matter how tough they are.  The Serpa gets the middle spot here, good coverage down to the muzzle, however it is wide open at the bottom.  It does have the "speed cut," exposing the chamber area, but still covers the ejection port.  I could do without, but it's not a deal breaker.
Comfort:
The Serpa takes the top in this one, with the Fobus a close second.  While I do appreciate the minimalist approach to the paddle concept from the guys at Raven Concealment, the hooks could be a bit more rounded on the wearer's side.  The Blackhawk setup is nicely rounded, customizable for belt width, solid yet flexible enough to keep from poking you.  It also spreads the weight of the gun out across your belt more.

The Serpa's paddle is nearly twice the width of the Fobus.

The Phantom spreads the weight out even more, there is definitely no feeling of the gun pulling your pants off, even with a full 15 round mag and attached light.

The Phantom is also the highest riding of the three, the Serpa holding the gun the lowest.

All three of them hold the gun in nice and tight to the wearer's body, although I'd like to see how a Raven made holster would feel with the 1911 for comparison (eventually...)

Summary:
All three of the holsters are great rigs, especially considering the prices.  The Fobus beats the snot out of comparably priced cloth holsters, and looks 5,843 times better.  The Blackhawk! Serpa is a steal for a durable, all around, secure holster, and is a king of versatility with both paddle and belt attachments included in the package.  The Raven Concealment Systems Phantom's quality is fantastic, and the "custom" fit and feel makes the little extra price and current wait well worth it, especially for some of the harder to find models, and is pretty much the only choice worth even considering if you run a light.
All three have their strengths (Fobus = value; Serpa = security; Phantom = light compatibility & custom feel); and all have some weaknesses (Fobus = extra finish wear; Serpa = potential mechanical failure; Phantom = low retention).
What I can say is buy any of the three with confidence.  You won't be let down.

Part II - Fobus Holster and Mag Holder
Part III - Blackhawk! Serpa Holster and Mag Holder
Part IV - Raven Concealment Systems Phantom Holster and Mag Holder

Crazy...

So it may not be the gun's fault?  Britain's Prime Minister warns against "knee jerk" legislation in regards to yesterday's shooting.

"You can't legislate to stop a switch flicking in someone's head and for this dreadful sort of action to take place," 

Natural Camo

So after climbing activities were done for the day, I ducked into camp to say hi to the Ranger and whatnot, and we were standing by the trading post talking for a bit, right next to this table:

We were standing there chatting for the better part of ten minutes before anybody noticed the little guy under the bench.

I think he was annoyed that we were cutting into his nap time.

Invite them to a peace meeting,

and they bomb it.  Just incase you forgot what we're up against.

I'm not at all surprised.

Climbing Tomorrow

I'll be heading up to camp early in the morning to help whip the newest batch of climbing directors into shape and expose them to some real climbing on honest to God granite.
Needless to say, probably not a whole lot of bloggin' tomorrow.

MHV - take 2

A few days back I mentioned that Monster Hunter Vendetta is up for pre-order on the old Amazon.

But if you just can't wait, you can get an Advanced Reader's Copy from Baen.  It's a bit pricier, but if you want to be the first one on the block to read it, here's your chance.
I'm going to continue my internal debate... I do really want to read it, but I can't stand doing extensive reading on  something electronic.  Even if I have to read online papers for class I tend to print them out to read on paper.  I don't know why, but that's just how I am.  But more MHI................

Holster Reviews...

Are now "Award Winning" Kydex-type holster reviews.  Apparently nobody else entered, so I won by default. Still pretty cool though.

Please shoot me App?

Say Uncle brings us one of the dumbest ideas I've seen this week.

Never Forget

Do enjoy your family and grills, but never forget what today is about.

Kydex Part IV

Raven Concealment Systems
(yet another installment of my kydex reviews)
One of the deciding factors when I decided to buy my Sig was the fact that it came with night sights and an accessory rail, so a white light was easy to add.  This here's a fightin' gun! (I've done some low/no light force on force without these, and needless to say, I'm convinced you need them on a carry gun, but that's another post for another time.)

Of course the sights are always there, but when you need the light, there's probably not going to be time to clip it on the rail and tighten up the screw.  It's a huge benefit to have the light already attached to the gun as soon as you clear leather, er, plastic. So the search ensued to locate a holster maker that had a system that would accept my particular light/pistol combo.  As I mentioned in the Blackhawk! review, there's not too many makers out there offering SigPro holsters, let alone a SP2022 with a Streamlight TLR-1 attached.
Then I picked up the Magpul Dynamics "Art of the Tactical Carbine" series of DVDs, which feature a few of the offerings (primarily Kydex AR mag holders) from Raven Concealment Systems, available through The Malabar Front.  I went over to their online shop, poked around a little, and found that they do in fact offer a SP2022 option for their Phantom Light Compatible Holster line, and they're customizable for a pretty good number of light options.
I ordered up a Tan one for my particular combo, plus their "paddle attachment," and sat back and waited.  And waited.  Apparently after "The Art of the Dynamic Handgun" everybody and their dog was ordering Raven holsters.  While I waited, I also inquired as to getting a mag pouch, since I didn't see the SP2022 as an option, and they responded with an address to send in a mag to get a holder molded up and sent out with my holster.
After about 50 days or so, my stuff finally came in.  Not bad really for a currently heavily overworked custom kydex maker.

Both items consist of nicely molded Kydex halves either chemically glued or welded together, and reenforced with rivets.  The rivets also work as attachment points for the various belt options(and boy are there plenty of options!) Their tan is a little darker than Blackhawk's tan, closer to "coyote."
The back of the holster is cut with a nice high sweat shield, and there is a rough pebbled texture over the entire outside of both, and a nice smooth interior.  The exterior finish should keep most scuffs and scratches from showing, although I haven't managed to cause any on mine yet, although there is a smudge of blue paint on the holster(right by the light switch area) that I need to take a brush to... sometimes I'm clumsy and bounce into the wall carrying my laundry back upstairs.

Both came standard with belt loops, and I ordered the "paddle" hooks for the holster.  Completely blanked on the hooks for the mag holder though, so now I'm doing the waiting thing again.  While not a true paddle, the hooks attach at the top and have a nub(for lack of a better term) that catches the bottom of your belt.  Overall the holster is nice and wide, and the hooks stick out from the side even more, spreading the weight out quite well.  Occasionally they do dig into my side a little though, something a more traditional rounded paddle seldom does.  They do accomplish the mission of keep the holster on your body when you draw, yet being easily removable without taking off your belt.  The hooks also make this the highest riding of the three examples, which I guess could help in concealment, and it does snuggle in nice and tight.

The downside however is that it is easily the least secure feeling of any of the holsters, as far as retention goes.  There is no real form of retention for the gun aside from the fit of the holster and gravity, and there is no tension adjustment.  It hasn't been a problem for me yet, and the Magpul guys are quite often running around doing quite "dynamic" movements and don't have their guns falling out that I've seen, so for now it's just a "would be nice" but not necessary change I guess, but I wouldn't mind an unobtrusive screw on there somewhere to tighten things up a little.
Conversely, the mag holder is the most secure I've had other than a full flap pouch.  There's a little dimple pressed into the kydex on the back side that catches in the mag catch hole.  Oddly enough the first time I reloaded from this pouch on the range it was possibly the smoothest and quickest reload I have done on a pistol. No doubt that "custom" mojo rubbing off.  I guess what I'm getting at is that while being very secure, this setup does not hinder your mag draw, so long as you use a sharp and deliberate pull.

Overall, it's a decent rig, and the number of attachment options definitely make it worth looking into.  I'd also highly suggest it if you're running a light (and if you're gun has a rail and you're not, you should really think about it).  Of course there's also the added cool points of having what is currently the hottest holster in the market and making people jealous at the range.
Their custom services are also fantastic, if you want a kydex holder for just about anything, they can do it (guns, mags, knives, flashlights, batteries, etc...)

Next up will be some more in-depth comparisons between the setups.

Part II - Fobus Holster and Mag Holder
Part III - Blackhawk! Serpa Holster and Mag Holder
Part V - Conclussions

Mexican Pirates...

Looks like they're acting up in some lakes along the Texas boarder.  I wonder if you can get a pintle mount that goes in the sockets they have on fishing boats for the seats...

MHV

Monster Hunter Vendetta is available for pre-order on Amazon.  Coolness.

If you haven't read the first one, you're really missing out.

GPS is getting an upgrade.

Starting with new satellites with better clocks.  Accurate clocks are pretty important for the whole GPS thing to work, and improving their accuracy will significantly cut down on systematic errors, greatly increasing precision.  The article does mention that the new satellites will triple the available signal, but not if that is due to more satellites in the constellation.  I'm assuming that since they're slowly swapping them out one at a time that your current receiver should be able to pick up the new satellites.  I'd guess that once enough of the new ones are up that you'd need a new receiver to take full advantage of the new signals.  Sounds like it's going to take about 10 years to complete the upgrade though.

Of course all the articles I can find just keep rambling on about how the financial world relays on GPS... Seems Wall Street likes the insanely accurate clocks.  Makes sense I guess, I just never heard of that use for them, we tend to concentrate on the geographic aspects of the system in all my classes.

Combine this with the supposed GPS logging of "doorsteps" during the current census (I don't think they're actually doing doorsteps, just a much more accurate log of street addresses) you can either put on your tinfoil, or revel in the fact that the Garmin or TomTom in your car will actually be able to tell you where a house is, instead of getting you within a couple blocks (it's not that the GPS is off, it's the current database.  They just kind of arbitrarily distribute the numbers along the street since nobody's actually taken the time to collect the data till now.)

Anyway, I'ma done geeking for now.

I want one...

Lego Zombie.  All official and everything.

If you're ever in Stevens Point...

Mr. Kuo, I'll gladly buy you a beer.

(H/T Say Uncle)

Kydex Part III

Blackhawk! Serpa



(Another installment of Fred's wonderful Kydex reviews)

So when I bought my SigPro 2022, I found that Fobus didn't make a holster for it.  So instead of feeling sad, I used that as an excuse to get one of those high speed Serpa active retention holsters.  I had to get it straight from Blackhawk! since the SP2022 apparently isn't too common.
The SP2022 holster was only available in black (what is this? 1998??) although some of the more common gun options are also available in tan, like the 1911:

The Serpa line of holsters are actually made out of a carbon fiber composite, not kydex, so the material is a bit thicker, but holds it's shape pretty well, and is quite tough.
The holster comes with both belt and paddle attachments that screw on to the back and are adjustable for cant:

As I mentioned with the Fobus review, I'm a fan of the slight butt forward cant, so it's adjusted accordingly.  It can be rotated even further forward, which would be beneficial if you spend a lot of time in the car.  (Again, Wisconsin, so that's not really a worry for me...)  The paddle has three claws to grab onto your belt, two on the holster side that are adjustable for belt width, and one on the inside as a backup in the even that the outside ones pop off or something (hasn't happened to me yet.)  It's also nice and wide along the belt, spreading out the weight of the gun nicely.  I'd say is the most comfortable paddle I've used to date, and with the thinness of the 1911 it's almost easy to forget it's there.

As noted, the Serpa is an active retention holster, there's a little claw deally that grabs onto the front of the trigger guard, and a button that needs to be depressed in order to draw.

The button is right where your index finger rests when you grab the holstered gun in a good firing grip, and aids in indexing it along the frame as you draw.  It takes a little getting used to, but as with all things gun, practice plenty and it becomes a non-issue.  There is no need to push the button when you reholster either.
The holster also extends the full length of the gun, protecting the front sight, and has a "speed cutout" around the chamber area, allowing you to begin to rotate the muzzle forward just a little sooner (at least in theory) but the only real benefit I've found with that is that I can see and feel the loaded chamber indicator on my Sig without drawing the gun.  The holster also has a nice wide sight track, so there's some room for fancy big dot sights or whatever.
After a bit of range time my draw is just as fast from this one as it is from the Fobus, with the added benefit of  a retention system.
There is a screw just forward of the trigger area allowing for some adjustment of the passive retention, however a chief complaint of the Serpa is that they do tend to "loosen up" over time, letting the gun kind of rattle around in the holster.  It hasn't been too much of an issue with the 1911, but I did add some chunks of the fuzzy side of some stick on Velcro to the Sig's holster to tighten things up a little.  It hasn't effected the draw, and has stopped most, if not all, of the rattling I was experiencing.

The mag pouch, on the other hand, is by far one of the most mediocre of products I've used.  Like the holster it can be either belt mounted, or there is a clip you can screw on to give it paddle-like abilities.

The problem is that the clip snuggles down between the belt loops, so when on your belt it feels kind of wobbly and prone to rotation.  Although it does feature a tension adjustment screw between the mags, something the Fobus lacks.  It does hold the mags inside well, and I'm sure would be fine if purely belt mounted, but I don't like standing in the parking lot before class taking my belt off so I can leave the mags in the car, or worse, be seen putting the holder back on afterwards and have to talk to the campus police because of some stupid freshman's panic. (stranger things have happened on this very campus)  I think it would benefit from a similar belt/paddle system as the holster rather than an integrated belt mount with belt clip seemingly added as an afterthought.  For that reason alone I still just use the Fobus mag holder when I'm rocking the 1911.

So to sum things up, I've easily got more "miles" on the Serpa system than any other kydex, and have suggested it to anyone who's asked my opinion about it (and quite a few have.)  For a bit more you get adjustable cant, active retention, and possibly even color options, what's not to like?


Part II - Fobus
Part IV - Raven Concealment Systems
Part V - Conclussions

'Nother gun cup.

Breda found another one.  I need to actually pick up some of these for some giggles or if I ever get and office job... (shudder!)

Golf Meme

It's been making it's way around the gun blogoshpere lately, so I may as well jump in.  The Firearm Blog linked an article from the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, and being a semi-local paper (same state at least...) I figured I'd jump on that.

It's more about the "First Shots" clinics that National Shooting Sports Foundation set up a few years ago, but in the middle of the article they do break out some numbers:

According to a study conducted by Responsive Management, 34.4 million Americans went target shooting in 2009.

For comparison, 28.6 million Americans golfed (a minimum of one round) in 2008, according to the National Golf Foundation.

 Yup, more people are target shooting than playing golf. Yet:

And unlike golf, shooting carries a negative stigma in much of mainstream America.

Oh well, little bit of work to do yet I guess.  But it looks like the program's headed in the right direction.

According to the NSSF, more than half (56% for handgun, 53% for shotgun) of the program's participants are first-time shooters.

Nationally, about 45% of attendees are female.

The leading reasons for attending the programs are to learn skills for target shooting and personal protection, tied at 68%.

Forty-three percent have subsequently purchased shooting-related equipment.

And nearly all (93% for handgun, 86% for shotgun) participants said they are likely to continue shooting.

Especially that second one, a widely noted trend I sure hope continues. (especially since a girlfriend that shoots is way up on the list of wants...)

Modern Marvels

Coffee.

Cool, I'ma watch.

Kydex Part II

Fobus Holster and Mag Holder

(part of my Kydex-type review series)
My first foray into kydex, er plastic, just like many out there I'd expect.  Fobus pretty much defined the plastic gun holder genre.  Made of injection molded plastic, their stuff is affordable ($20 neighborhood) and is very durable.  The standard setup comes in either paddle or belt loop variety, and uses simple passive retention.  The holster is molded to the contours of the gun, and has primarily grips the front of the trigger guard.  It has a slight forward cant, which I like (some may not).  There is an adjustable roto version available for a bit more.  Overall it has an even matte finish, and only comes in black as far as I know.

The paddle is pretty comfortable, and is secure, although it could be a little shorter.  It's textured on the front, and has a thin rubber coating on the inside to keep it from moving around.

The holster snuggles up to your body pretty well, and carries the gun pretty well.

The draw is smooth, the inside is mostly slick(more on that in a second) and has a nice wide sight track, and reholstering is not much of a problem, the inside half of the holster is slightly flared at the top helping to funnel the gun into the holster.  The holster grips the gun pretty well when it's inside, it's difficult to actually pull the gun out if the holster's not on your belt, and it tends to bind up if the gun is not pulled straight out, aiding in retention.  The mag holder could be a little tighter for my tastes for the single stacks though (no experience with their double stack holders.)

The downsides of it are of course the lack of any active retention (may or may not be a big deal for you) and, at least on the 1911 holster, due to the "one size fits as much as possible" way they're made, the front end of the gun, including the front sight, is exposed on a full size 5" barreled 1911 since the holster's made for 4" or 5" guns.  Fobus holsters are also known to mar the finish on some guns, like my Kimber for example:

It turns out the model number is molded on the inside of both halves of the holster.  I don't know if Fobus has gotten around to doing anything about it, seeing as it's a pretty well known problem in the gun community, but I picked mine up three or four years ago.  I also have one for my Walther P22, but the finish on that gun is holding up just fine.

Overall, I'm not disappointed with the Fobus goods.  They're fantastic for their price, and make great range holsters if nothing else, let alone as a spare just incase your primary holster goes down for whatever reason.


Part III - Blackhawk! Serpa
Part IV - Raven Concealment Systems
Part V - Conclussions

Kydex Comparisons and Reviews!

Part I
Well, Kydex like... equal parts plastic, carbon fiber, and kydex to be specific.  Anyway, They are just around the corner.  I just shot a bunch of picks, and will be shortly putting up some reviews and comparisons of the three big name kydex holsters and pouches I've used over the last few years.

I'm gonna cover the standard Fobus, Blackhawk! Serpa, and Raven Concealment options, as well as mag holders from the same.

I'm not going to get much into the concealment aspects of them however, since I live in the great state of Wisconsin and that sort of thing is forbidden and I don't have any experience dealing with it.  However I have used all three for open carry as well as range time.

You'll possibly notice that all the options are sporting the paddle option available for each maker, something also due to my location, since I am frequently removing the holster to go to class or other places I can't carry. I'll be going over the ups and downs of each makers paddle design.

Kydex vs. Leather
Of course one of the biggest thing that comes up when looking at a kydex rig is why should I go with kydex and not leather?
It's a pretty good question.  Leather has traditionally been the top holster material, being very rugged, yet good looking.  A properly fitted leather holster will snuggly support and protect your gun wonderfully.  Plus they look great.
What's the downside? Well made leather holsters are expensive.  There's a lot of work involved in making a nice leather rig, soaking and forming, shaping and tooling, gluing and sewing... a good leather holster that fits your gun nicely is going to be essentially a custom job.
Leather also needs to be cared for.  It can get dried out and crack, or being an organic material, can start to rot.  It needs to be moisturized and cleaned, and it's not suggested you leave anything steel in it for any extended period of time, as that moisture can lead to rust.

Kydex(and it's similar synthetic brethren), on the other hand, is much easier to work with, and generally cheaper in it's raw form than leather.
Kydex is also incredibly durable.  I've scrapped mine along stuff that would have put quite an  ugly scratch in some leather, and only lead to some paint transfer on the plastic.  It also holds it's form, regardless of weather there's a gun in it.  His can aid in reholstering, especially in an inside the waistband setup.
Kydex is also much more stable than leather.  It's not going to dry out and crack, or get too wet and start to rot and degrade.  If you leave it out in the sun too long the UV radiation can start to break it down, but same goes for leather (see earlier mention of cracking...)
The downside of course, is that leather just looks so much better, and some kydex has a tendency to mar the finish on some guns, something leather is much less likely to do.
I kind of think of Kydex as the working man of the holster world, it's tough, and great at it's job, but lacking in the style department.

I wouldn't say one is necessarily better than the other, they both have their strengths and weaknesses.

Part II - Fobus Holster and Mag Holder
Part III - Blackhawk! Serpa Holster and Mag Holder
Part IV - Raven Concealment Systems Phantom Holster and Mag Holder
Part V - Conclussions

Looking for a Chest Rig

Looking for a very simple chest rig to hold 4 AR mags and 2 double stack pistol mags, not really much else.  I've got a full out tactical load bearing vest with all sorts of crap on it, but I want something more streamlined for range use and whatnot, and of course within the means of a generally broke-ish college student.

Any suggestions?  Oh, and Multi-cam would be teh cool these days.  Most of my stuff is tan of some sort, and that's so last year.

Libertarianism

Say Uncle has some good points on it.

You meet someone, discuss Libertarianism with them and they’re all cool with the end the drug war and lower taxes stuff. But when you tell them that you’d end Social Security and Medicare, that you’d let gay dudes get married, people should own machine guns, and let the banks run amok, then you lose them. People like the cool parts of Libertarianism but not that other icky stuff that goes with it.

 Kinda sucks that people just don't want to take the time to actually figure out what it really is.

Shotty

My arm looks huge!

USP Thoughts and Impressions

Dan picked up an H&K USP 9mm for a good price brand new, so he was willing to overcome the whole "you suck and we hate you" thing and buy it.  He almost didn't because of that, but he likes how it feels anyway, and they are pretty decent in quality, so more power to him.

I'll admit, it's a decent looking gun.

Look, Tupperware!

Overall, the fit and finish is quite nice, as you'd expect from something with H&K stamped on it, and it fit both of our slightly over-sized hands pretty well.  It came with fixed sharp three dot sights, and handles and points pretty well.  We didn't really do much accuracy testing, just a roughly kill zone sized target at up to 25 yards. (it was an impromptu evening range trip primarily to just blow of some steam... pretty well accomplished aside from the poor AR bolt...) Boils down to if it were a goblin, it would have been hurting.

Down to my opinions on it.  I'm pretty meh.  The checkering on the front strap is a bit too course and sharp for my likes (it's cut, er molded, at like 8 lpi...). The front strap has to be my biggest complaint.  It sure provides a pretty aggressive grip, but just holding the gun hurt my fingers to the point of distraction. The grip is also much boxier than my Sig, and the muzzle flip is pretty snappy, more so than my Sig even without the light.  (My only major complaint about the Sig.)  On the other hand, Dan has been a revolver guy up till this point, so he didn't really notice the flip at all.

No malfunctions were experienced in the 100 or so rounds shot through it, where my (albeit much much dirtier) Sig had 2 stovepipes in the same amount of rounds.  She needs a good scrubbing.

Another down side is the proprietary H&K rail, something Sig went away from by the time they got around to the Pro2022 series in favor of a 1913 standard rail.  I'll never fully understand why some makers insist on their own system when there's a fantastic industry standard out there... and I'm not at all surprised H&K is one of them.

Warm and Fuzzy II

80 year old kills armed intruder early this morning in Chicago.
And of course being Chicago, there's the possibility of the elderly vet being charged with possession of a handgun.  Thankfully:

A high-profile Chicago attorney has already stepped forward offering to represent the man pro bono if he faces charges for possessing a weapon.

"Self-defense isn't just a right, it's a duty," said attorney Joel Brodsky. "If this man is prosecuted for saving his own life it's not just a travesty, it's justice turned inside out." 

Warm and Fuzzy

A piece of scum gets what he deserves.  Complete with a post beating mugshot.

The fight soon moved outside, where Nguyen's mother continued to batter the attacker's face with the shotgun. To, the mother, kept up her barrage until the man gave up and neighbors came helped keep him on the ground until deputies arrived. 

And in Alabama, some more victims double it. (More pictures!)

The victims noticed that Taylor’s gun had no magazine in it and so was unloaded, Barnett said. They then decided to fight back, he said.

I love the inclusion of the pictures.  Hopefully some more stupid pieces of crap decide to not take the chance to end up looking like them after reading about it.

(h/t Say Uncle)

The Debate That Won't Go Away.

Fox News on the "M4 Debate," complete with a "fact box" "comparing" the M4 and AK.  Of course throughout the article they mention that the M4 is far more accurate, and that the AK is not the threat that they're worrying about at extended ranges.  But I guess comparing the M4 to the AK makes for a better read or something.  Of course they've also gotta make me cringe in the first paragraph:

The AK-47 uses a larger bullet, which leads to more kickback upon firing.

At least they didn't follow that up with how big the "clips" are...

The article also links to an Army Times article on the issue, which brings up the issue with barrel length and it's effects on the 5.56 ballistics.

“Unfortunately weapon engineers shortened the M16’s barrel to irrational lengths,” Fackler said. “It was meant for a 20-inch barrel. What they’ve done by cutting the barrel to 14.5 inches is that they’ve lost a lot of velocity.”

Something I've been saying for years.  I think the Marines are on the right track with their M16A4s and heavier bullets.

For a more amusing read though, The Firearm Blog brings us yet another article from Fox (really, is this like this weeks "mess with the interns" subject? How many articles do you need?) that seems to have been "researched" by said interns in a drunken haze.  Fox's "military analyst" brings us this gem:

Scales said the U.S. military simply needs to engineer a better weapon – he said the M8, a weapon that was under development before being halted several years ago, could be revived and improved for Afghanistan.

You mean that XM8 abortion of a rifle that fires the same 5.56x45 round out of a whopping 12.5" barrel in the basic configuration?  I think Fox needs to reconsider asking Mr. Scales for his opinions on small arms.

 I think this is one of those issues, that no matter what they decide on for a solution, there's still going to be an interweb full of Keyboard Generals tearing into the decision.  7.62 will have too much recoil, 5.56 is only making .22cal holes, if they pick 6.8 everyone will scream they should have gone with the 6.5... etc.

I'm going to wait and see how much effect the XM25 has over there before I really put too much thought into it.

Flash

It's a little blurred (it was getting dark out) but the timing was too good to pass up.