Dear Reader,
What would you like to see me review?
Please email HelpHalHelpYou@gmx.com to let me know.
Or, as always, you are welcome to leave a comment below.
Thank you,
Hal
26 February, 2017
07 February, 2016
Hang the Cold Steel Trench Hawk From Your BELT!
Who else bought a Cold Steel Trench Hawk and then you got it and unboxed it and said "Great, now what do I do, just walk through the woods with this thing in my hand all day?" That's exactly how I felt for a very long time. Here's a picture of how the hawk ships from Cold Steel. It has a great sheath to protect you from all the sharp edges and spikes, but there is no belt loop provided. The rear spike is protected and the front cutting edge is enclosed, but if you want to get the hawk out of the sheath, you have to hold the hawk with one hand, and unsnap and remove the sheath with the other hand. So on the one hand, I feel like this sheath is ingenious in how it manages to make a double-edge tomahawk safe to carry through the bush, but then on the other hand I feel like the sheath is useless, since I can't attach it to my belt or deploy the hawk with one hand.
I kept feeling like there must be some way to get this thing to hang from my belt so that I could easily access the tomahawk. At the very least, I wanted to be able to hang in from a pack somehow. The idea of having to pack my tomahawk away inside my back just didn't seem like a very practical option 100% of the time.
A search of the web yielded few results, but I did find a couple Trench Hawk owners out there who had modified their sheaths. The 2 biggest influences on my design were both found on YouTube, and I'll post links to their videos at the end of the page.
Long story short, I was looking for something simpler. Everyone was putting belt loops on their sheath, but they were having to drill holes in the sheath, and add hardware like nuts, bolts, washers, etc. I wanted something that would not add moving pieces or alter the existing sheath.
Here's what I came up with:
If you're reading this page, you probably are a big fan of paracord, just like me. 550 cord is just about the best rope you could have for any given situation, especially if you have size and weight concerns in a back-country pack. But we already know that so I'll cut to the chase.
I thought "Hey, since the sheath comes with these holes in it that happen to fit 550 cord, why not just get creative with that and make some belt loops?" So I started with 2 very long pieces of paracord and put a loop through 2 of the holes on the front of the sheath by the cutting edge. I then started knotting them together just as you would make a bracelet out of paracord or hemp. Here's the overview image:
You can see where I started with one cord in the front hole and one cord in the hole behind it. At first I was just knotting one piece of cord, but when I reached the second hole, I started making the bracelet knot. Here's a view of what I'm talking about:
From there you need to stop when you get to where you need the belt loops. You will make each belt loop out of two pieces of 550 cord. You can see here how the main cords wrap around the belt loop cords and secure them quite tightly (same belt loop seen from both sides):
Here's a videos of a brief explanation of the construction, and then I show you how easy it is to deploy the hawk when you need it.
You can also see this video, it was a lot of help to me when I was trying to figure out how I would make my own belt carry system for the Trench Hawk.
https://youtu.be/F3Bnt6c5jFk
I kept feeling like there must be some way to get this thing to hang from my belt so that I could easily access the tomahawk. At the very least, I wanted to be able to hang in from a pack somehow. The idea of having to pack my tomahawk away inside my back just didn't seem like a very practical option 100% of the time. A search of the web yielded few results, but I did find a couple Trench Hawk owners out there who had modified their sheaths. The 2 biggest influences on my design were both found on YouTube, and I'll post links to their videos at the end of the page.
Long story short, I was looking for something simpler. Everyone was putting belt loops on their sheath, but they were having to drill holes in the sheath, and add hardware like nuts, bolts, washers, etc. I wanted something that would not add moving pieces or alter the existing sheath.
Here's what I came up with:
If you're reading this page, you probably are a big fan of paracord, just like me. 550 cord is just about the best rope you could have for any given situation, especially if you have size and weight concerns in a back-country pack. But we already know that so I'll cut to the chase.
I thought "Hey, since the sheath comes with these holes in it that happen to fit 550 cord, why not just get creative with that and make some belt loops?" So I started with 2 very long pieces of paracord and put a loop through 2 of the holes on the front of the sheath by the cutting edge. I then started knotting them together just as you would make a bracelet out of paracord or hemp. Here's the overview image:
You can see where I started with one cord in the front hole and one cord in the hole behind it. At first I was just knotting one piece of cord, but when I reached the second hole, I started making the bracelet knot. Here's a view of what I'm talking about:
From there you need to stop when you get to where you need the belt loops. You will make each belt loop out of two pieces of 550 cord. You can see here how the main cords wrap around the belt loop cords and secure them quite tightly (same belt loop seen from both sides):
Here's a videos of a brief explanation of the construction, and then I show you how easy it is to deploy the hawk when you need it.
You can also see this video, it was a lot of help to me when I was trying to figure out how I would make my own belt carry system for the Trench Hawk.
https://youtu.be/F3Bnt6c5jFk
04 August, 2014
"Hey, That Was Cool How You Made a Second Drawstring for Your Dive Knife, How'd You Do That?"
"Hey, That Was Cool How You Made a Second Drawstring for Your Dive Knife, How'd You Do That?"
If you remember my last post about outfitting a knife for saltwater use, this was the last image:
It's a final view of my extra drawstring method for keeping your knife at your side, where it belongs, rather than down in Davy Jones' Locker somewhere. "Why tie?" you might ask. Well, I had a nice knife, also by Cold Steel, that came with a clip-on sheath. It survived maybe 8 trips to the surf before it was eventually sucked off of my person. I didn't even feel it go. If there's one thing you can say with certainty about the sea, it's that she is utterly relentless and will strip you of anything not securely lashed down. After having lost a set of keys and a knife, I've found the best method of keeping something from being sucked out of my pockets is to securely lash it to my shorts with para cord. Please also keep in mind that even this does not equal 100% retention, and you should periodically check your knots to make sure everything is shored up tight.
Well, I've had a few people ask how I did that drawstring thing, or "how the heck could I do that?". As someone who tends to fix clothes when possible, rather than throwing them out, I have a VERY BASIC knowledge of how clothes are put together (emphasis on the "VERY BASIC"). So here are the basics about how board shorts are typically put together:
All we're really worried about is the drawstring area for the purposes of this post. I don't care what your preferences are on pockets or materials, that is outside our scope here.
The two main types of drawstrings are:
1) Full: an "all the way around the waist," one-piece drawstring. (Bigger folks should probably try to stick with these so they stay up better)
2) False: it looks like a regular drawstring, but it's really just two pieces in front that are meant to hold the front opening closed, it does not really cinch your waist in any kind of way. If your belly is pretty flat, then this should really not be much of a drawback for you unless you get caught in some rather strong currents. The shorts above are of the false drawstring variety and I left "flat belly" territory about 5 years ago, though I am not what you'd call overweight. Even though it has the false drawstring, it still has seams that leave a channel where you can put a drawstring.
Now I'll show you a little bit about how I added an extra drawstring to a full drawstring short.
I always start with any holes that are already available and then try to cut holes with a very minimalist approach, so on this pair I started with the holes that the existing drawstring was using. I had to cut 2 holes in the inside back of the short so I could jump over an existing seam that is there, and then 2 holes on the exterior so my own drawstring could exit where I wanted it to. See below.
Here is what it looks like with the sheath tied on:
And here is a side view:
The real fun is getting your drawstring through this small channel. Your mileage may vary, but I tend to use a chopstick to work it through in spots where it gets tough. Those super-long toothpick things for making kebabs on the grill also work nicely, and you can bury the point in the leading tip of your drawstring to really get through some tricky areas. Otherwise I just use my fingers.
So far I am using a half-overhand knot on top of the sheath, then the same underneath, then a double-knotted bow underneath like you would on a pair of shoes.
At first I checked my knot quite frequently, but at this point I just put it on once, tie it tight and don't really look back.
That is the gist of it. Please comment to let me know if there's something I didn't explain fully, or something you'd like to see specific step by step pics of. Does anybody need to see how I keep my keys?
As always,
Thanks for reading.
Gun Guy out.
If you remember my last post about outfitting a knife for saltwater use, this was the last image:
It's a final view of my extra drawstring method for keeping your knife at your side, where it belongs, rather than down in Davy Jones' Locker somewhere. "Why tie?" you might ask. Well, I had a nice knife, also by Cold Steel, that came with a clip-on sheath. It survived maybe 8 trips to the surf before it was eventually sucked off of my person. I didn't even feel it go. If there's one thing you can say with certainty about the sea, it's that she is utterly relentless and will strip you of anything not securely lashed down. After having lost a set of keys and a knife, I've found the best method of keeping something from being sucked out of my pockets is to securely lash it to my shorts with para cord. Please also keep in mind that even this does not equal 100% retention, and you should periodically check your knots to make sure everything is shored up tight.
Well, I've had a few people ask how I did that drawstring thing, or "how the heck could I do that?". As someone who tends to fix clothes when possible, rather than throwing them out, I have a VERY BASIC knowledge of how clothes are put together (emphasis on the "VERY BASIC"). So here are the basics about how board shorts are typically put together:
All we're really worried about is the drawstring area for the purposes of this post. I don't care what your preferences are on pockets or materials, that is outside our scope here.
The two main types of drawstrings are:
1) Full: an "all the way around the waist," one-piece drawstring. (Bigger folks should probably try to stick with these so they stay up better)
2) False: it looks like a regular drawstring, but it's really just two pieces in front that are meant to hold the front opening closed, it does not really cinch your waist in any kind of way. If your belly is pretty flat, then this should really not be much of a drawback for you unless you get caught in some rather strong currents. The shorts above are of the false drawstring variety and I left "flat belly" territory about 5 years ago, though I am not what you'd call overweight. Even though it has the false drawstring, it still has seams that leave a channel where you can put a drawstring.
Now I'll show you a little bit about how I added an extra drawstring to a full drawstring short.
I always start with any holes that are already available and then try to cut holes with a very minimalist approach, so on this pair I started with the holes that the existing drawstring was using. I had to cut 2 holes in the inside back of the short so I could jump over an existing seam that is there, and then 2 holes on the exterior so my own drawstring could exit where I wanted it to. See below.
Here is what it looks like with the sheath tied on:
And here is a side view:
The real fun is getting your drawstring through this small channel. Your mileage may vary, but I tend to use a chopstick to work it through in spots where it gets tough. Those super-long toothpick things for making kebabs on the grill also work nicely, and you can bury the point in the leading tip of your drawstring to really get through some tricky areas. Otherwise I just use my fingers.
So far I am using a half-overhand knot on top of the sheath, then the same underneath, then a double-knotted bow underneath like you would on a pair of shoes.
At first I checked my knot quite frequently, but at this point I just put it on once, tie it tight and don't really look back.
That is the gist of it. Please comment to let me know if there's something I didn't explain fully, or something you'd like to see specific step by step pics of. Does anybody need to see how I keep my keys?
As always,
Thanks for reading.
Gun Guy out.
27 July, 2014
Outfitting the Cold Steel Double Agent II for Saltwater Use
Anyone who knows me already knows I'm a die-hard Cold Steel fan. Yes, there may be better knives out there, but they are likely to cost you 4 times what you'd pay for a very similar blade from CS. I've had a lot of different knives over the years, having grown up on a farm and carried knives for various tasks my entire life. All my experience tells me that Cold Steel is the most knife you can get for your dollar.
I have been snorkeling on vacations for a couple years now and we recently moved to a place where I can enjoy this pastime whenever I want. I did go out and buy a dedicated scuba knife, but it's a little cumbersome for just snorkeling around and the sheath attaches by means of some rather uncomfortable rubber straps which would probably be more comfortable over a wetsuit, which I don't generally use. This all led me back to Cold Steel, who unfortunately does not produce any kind of dedicated scuba or dive knife. So now I'm off into the land of custom and modification, trying to figure out how to get a stainless steel knife to hold up in saltwater conditions (not really an easy task, given the highly-corrosive properties of saltwater).
Here's the original:
The following is a breakdown of what I have found so far, and I'm sure this knowledge will be revised and updated much over time. As always, PLEASE COMMENT if you have something to add, "To Keep and Bear" always welcomes help and diverging opinions.
Salt and Sand, General Info:
1) If you haven't figured this out yet, just leave your folding knife at home. You don't want sand in there and it's a royal pain to take apart and properly rinse, dry and oil the internal workings of most folders. Just leave your folder at home or in your car, do not take it to the beach.
2) Any fixed blade knife you get is likely to have a handle. Handles are not generally designed to be water tight. Salt water will get inside and stay there, never really drying, and constantly corroding the tang of your knife. If left this way, one day you will be left with a decent blade and a rusted-off handle. This is fatal for a knife, there's no real coming back from it.
3) Stainless steel is not ideal for saltwater applications. For the sake of corrosion resistance, you would really want to use some type of titanium alloy, but these are not common knife making materials, and they are expensive if and when you can find them. You can make stainless work by taking some precautions, outlined below, but you really need to be meticulous with your care and maintenance.
"So what do I do to keep my knife from hopelessly rusting? All I want to do is take it out snorkeling or scuba diving, and have a little something to cut myself out if I happen to become entangled in something?" Well, my answer will depend on the knife you're using, but here's what I did with my Double Agent II:
First, I had to remove the handle, which took quite a bit of work and some nail pullers. This handle is not meant to come off, so remove at your own personal risk. Make sure you are well-acquainted with whatever tool you choose to use.
Next, oil the heck out of it, preferably with some good gun oil.
Now you need a handle. The lanyard hole in this one is the perfect place for me to start, I simply slip a loop through and make a secure knot.
Tightly wrap the handle all the way up. On this particular model, make sure you only GO THROUGH THE FRONT FINGER LOOP ONCE or your sheath will not close properly.
Then go back a second time over the handle. About half way down, you should check and make sure the catch on your sheath still engages. If it doesn't, then undo it some and and do it again, making sure to only go through the front finger loop once.
When you get back to the lanyard loop, just open up your slip knot a little bit, slip your loose end through the loop and then tighten everything back down. Leave yourself a couple inches hanging off the end, that way if you wrap your handle a little differently next time, you should still have enough para cord to get the job done.
Finally, I took a piece of para cord and added a second drawstring to the waist of my board shorts. This allows me to have something on my strong side to tie the sheath to. I have had this rig out to sea about a half dozen times now and the knife still holds.
Now for the maintenance and upkeep part.
When you get home from the sea, take your knife out of the sheath, take the para cord wrap off completely, and rinse everything thoroughly with fresh water: the knife, the cord and don't forget to rinse the sheath, too.
Dry everything off, set the sheath off to one side and let it drip dry overnight. Heavily oil your knife all over, and hang the para cord wrap somewhere out of the reach of children and pets, as it is a strangulation hazard. In the morning after everything is dry, just re-wrap your blade, make sure the sheath catch still engages properly, and you're ready to go. Try to leave as much oil on the knife as you can while you wrap it. If you do this right, your knife theoretically has much less direct contact with the saltwater as it is encased in a film of oil. Typically at the end of the day when I unwrap my handle, there is still a good coat of oil on the metal.
So there you have it: the ToKeepAndBear Maritime Double Agent II Modification. For those interested in purchasing Cold Steel products, I suggest the following sites:
http://www.coldsteel.com/
http://www.ltspecpro.com/
Lastly, I felt like I should add on here that I would recommend the full-serrated version for cutting yourself out of nets and lines or what have you. I'm using the plain edged version just because I already had one and later adapted it to this use. If I were doing it over I would definitely get the full-serrated version for this application.
I have been snorkeling on vacations for a couple years now and we recently moved to a place where I can enjoy this pastime whenever I want. I did go out and buy a dedicated scuba knife, but it's a little cumbersome for just snorkeling around and the sheath attaches by means of some rather uncomfortable rubber straps which would probably be more comfortable over a wetsuit, which I don't generally use. This all led me back to Cold Steel, who unfortunately does not produce any kind of dedicated scuba or dive knife. So now I'm off into the land of custom and modification, trying to figure out how to get a stainless steel knife to hold up in saltwater conditions (not really an easy task, given the highly-corrosive properties of saltwater).
Here's the original:
The following is a breakdown of what I have found so far, and I'm sure this knowledge will be revised and updated much over time. As always, PLEASE COMMENT if you have something to add, "To Keep and Bear" always welcomes help and diverging opinions.
Salt and Sand, General Info:
1) If you haven't figured this out yet, just leave your folding knife at home. You don't want sand in there and it's a royal pain to take apart and properly rinse, dry and oil the internal workings of most folders. Just leave your folder at home or in your car, do not take it to the beach.
2) Any fixed blade knife you get is likely to have a handle. Handles are not generally designed to be water tight. Salt water will get inside and stay there, never really drying, and constantly corroding the tang of your knife. If left this way, one day you will be left with a decent blade and a rusted-off handle. This is fatal for a knife, there's no real coming back from it.
3) Stainless steel is not ideal for saltwater applications. For the sake of corrosion resistance, you would really want to use some type of titanium alloy, but these are not common knife making materials, and they are expensive if and when you can find them. You can make stainless work by taking some precautions, outlined below, but you really need to be meticulous with your care and maintenance.
"So what do I do to keep my knife from hopelessly rusting? All I want to do is take it out snorkeling or scuba diving, and have a little something to cut myself out if I happen to become entangled in something?" Well, my answer will depend on the knife you're using, but here's what I did with my Double Agent II:
First, I had to remove the handle, which took quite a bit of work and some nail pullers. This handle is not meant to come off, so remove at your own personal risk. Make sure you are well-acquainted with whatever tool you choose to use.
Next, oil the heck out of it, preferably with some good gun oil.
Now you need a handle. The lanyard hole in this one is the perfect place for me to start, I simply slip a loop through and make a secure knot.
Tightly wrap the handle all the way up. On this particular model, make sure you only GO THROUGH THE FRONT FINGER LOOP ONCE or your sheath will not close properly.
Then go back a second time over the handle. About half way down, you should check and make sure the catch on your sheath still engages. If it doesn't, then undo it some and and do it again, making sure to only go through the front finger loop once.
When you get back to the lanyard loop, just open up your slip knot a little bit, slip your loose end through the loop and then tighten everything back down. Leave yourself a couple inches hanging off the end, that way if you wrap your handle a little differently next time, you should still have enough para cord to get the job done.
Now for the maintenance and upkeep part.
When you get home from the sea, take your knife out of the sheath, take the para cord wrap off completely, and rinse everything thoroughly with fresh water: the knife, the cord and don't forget to rinse the sheath, too.
Dry everything off, set the sheath off to one side and let it drip dry overnight. Heavily oil your knife all over, and hang the para cord wrap somewhere out of the reach of children and pets, as it is a strangulation hazard. In the morning after everything is dry, just re-wrap your blade, make sure the sheath catch still engages properly, and you're ready to go. Try to leave as much oil on the knife as you can while you wrap it. If you do this right, your knife theoretically has much less direct contact with the saltwater as it is encased in a film of oil. Typically at the end of the day when I unwrap my handle, there is still a good coat of oil on the metal.
So there you have it: the ToKeepAndBear Maritime Double Agent II Modification. For those interested in purchasing Cold Steel products, I suggest the following sites:
http://www.coldsteel.com/
http://www.ltspecpro.com/
Lastly, I felt like I should add on here that I would recommend the full-serrated version for cutting yourself out of nets and lines or what have you. I'm using the plain edged version just because I already had one and later adapted it to this use. If I were doing it over I would definitely get the full-serrated version for this application.
01 April, 2013
Lunch at a Counter! - NOT Gun Related (not even a little bit)
Dearest readers,
A friend of mine is having a fund-raiser to get himself a wheelchair that he can't afford. He has a job and pays his own bills, and rather than asking the government to give him some of your tax money for his chair, he is asking the community if they can help.
I respect this, and this is how I wish things were done.
Please visit his fund-raising site, and please, I understand times are hard, so if you can't donate, just give him a share of Facebook.
Thanks ahead of time.
Here's the link:
A friend of mine is having a fund-raiser to get himself a wheelchair that he can't afford. He has a job and pays his own bills, and rather than asking the government to give him some of your tax money for his chair, he is asking the community if they can help.
I respect this, and this is how I wish things were done.
Please visit his fund-raising site, and please, I understand times are hard, so if you can't donate, just give him a share of Facebook.
Thanks ahead of time.
Here's the link:
Lunch at a Counter!
Just to followup (very late I know): Jim raised the money through this campaign and our help in a matter of about 48 hours.
17 March, 2013
Housekeeping: A Few Quick Notes
Amazon:
I am an Amazon Affiliate which means I make a (small) commission when you purchase something by using the Amazon links on this page. It does not increase the price you pay by one single penny, it only puts a few pennies in my pocket. I only make the commission if you click the link directly from this blog and then purchase said item. All Amazon links on this page are set up that way.
I can tell you that the reason I promote Amazon so heavily is not for the money (I think I've had one commission to date). It's actually because I use the heck out of this site. Let's face it, shooting is not the most main-stream activity in this country anymore, as sad as it is to say. And then within the sub-set of Americans who are shooters, those of us who are into tactical gear and learning better self-defense and concealed carry techniques are a minority still. My LSG (Local Gun Store) might have a tac vest on the rack, but it won't be of the same quality as the Condor vest I bought from Amazon. I pay a little shipping, yes, but really the prices are reasonable. You won't find me buying candles or shoes or something I can get locally from here, but for the specialty stuff, Amazon can really be a life saver. Does your LSG carry Level III ballistic plates? I doubt it.
I can tell you that the reason I promote Amazon so heavily is not for the money (I think I've had one commission to date). It's actually because I use the heck out of this site. Let's face it, shooting is not the most main-stream activity in this country anymore, as sad as it is to say. And then within the sub-set of Americans who are shooters, those of us who are into tactical gear and learning better self-defense and concealed carry techniques are a minority still. My LSG (Local Gun Store) might have a tac vest on the rack, but it won't be of the same quality as the Condor vest I bought from Amazon. I pay a little shipping, yes, but really the prices are reasonable. You won't find me buying candles or shoes or something I can get locally from here, but for the specialty stuff, Amazon can really be a life saver. Does your LSG carry Level III ballistic plates? I doubt it.
LuckyGunner:
Same as above, really. Click link here, go there and buy stuff = I get a little commission.
Subscriptions:
There is a little blank at the right side of the page that says "Follow this page by email!". I know that sometimes I don't post very frequently, so a good way to be aware of new posts here is by submitting your email address in that blank. It's a time-saver, really.
Comments:
I don't get enough of them. At least not nearly as many as I'd like. Most of my comments have been from people I already know in the "real" world, outside of the blogosphere.
Are you at a coffee shop in Berlin reading this right now? Are you in a mortar-riddled air base outside Kandahar? Please! Comment! I want to hear from you all.
I'm even open to requests of what kinds of articles my audience might like in the future.
More Articles to Come:
I recently gained access to some new shooting friends and a new shooting area on private property owned by one of said friends.
(Sorry about the crop.
No photo release for the minor.)
Here is a list of upcoming articles:
AR-15 Gets a Light
Setting up and Using a Condor MOLLE Vest (multi-part article)
New Boot Knife Setup
(Possibly) Night Work with my AR and M&P
Readers, please stay tuned. I plan to make this an eventful spring and summer 2013.
And as always, wherever you are, thank you for reading.
-Gun Guy out.
19 August, 2012
Federal Gun Ban
Friends, most of us are likely old enough to remember the Clinton era assault on weapons that were mis-labelled as "assault weapons". Do you remember going to gun shows and seeing those cool 30 round magazines for your AR-15 and not being able to buy them because they were "law enforcement and military only"? Do you remember not having a flash suppressor because that magically made your AR a blood-thirsty killer? I do. I remember many of these things. I also remember that the "pre-ban" magazines that were still available to civilians kept climbing in price. I do not blame the distributors, because I would charge what the market will bear, just like anyone else would. I blame the federal government and a simple piece of federal legislation that was signed into effect with the stroke of one leftist pen.
Imagine if your 30-rnd PMAG had to have been manufactured before a certain date or you would not be able to buy it? Friends, right now they are selling for $22, give or take a buck or two. Imagine if you were paying $66 for the same 30-rnd. magazine, and that is if you were lucky enough to find one. I hope this country never takes another step in that direction, trampling on our rights, but I don't trust the government, and I don't think we have a good reason to, given their record. In the last few weeks I have purchased 4 PMAGS by Magpul. I went to the website like I normally do, but I could not purchase them there. The website said that demand is at "crisis levels" and they are only delivering to distributors. That is why I put up this post. Several distributors are on Amazon, so you can still get these magazines pretty easily online. I'm posting the links for your convenience, as well as my own: if you click my link I do receive a small percentage, so thank you in advance.
As for you pistol mags, I'm still looking for a good supplier. I carry a S&W M&P .40c as many of you know, and magazines are fairly pricey from the manufacturer. I have yet to find any on Amazon. As soon as I secure a good supply I will let you know. The Clinton-era bans limited capacity to 10 rnds, so my compact would be safe, but if you have an M&P full-size of any caliber, you should seriously be looking for extra magazines right now.
Imagine if your 30-rnd PMAG had to have been manufactured before a certain date or you would not be able to buy it? Friends, right now they are selling for $22, give or take a buck or two. Imagine if you were paying $66 for the same 30-rnd. magazine, and that is if you were lucky enough to find one. I hope this country never takes another step in that direction, trampling on our rights, but I don't trust the government, and I don't think we have a good reason to, given their record. In the last few weeks I have purchased 4 PMAGS by Magpul. I went to the website like I normally do, but I could not purchase them there. The website said that demand is at "crisis levels" and they are only delivering to distributors. That is why I put up this post. Several distributors are on Amazon, so you can still get these magazines pretty easily online. I'm posting the links for your convenience, as well as my own: if you click my link I do receive a small percentage, so thank you in advance.
 |
| PMAG |
 |
| Ranger Plate |
Are you feelin' Lucky? I am.
Have you ever tried an online ammo retailer? I just finally got a chance to try LuckyGunner.com and I have to say their service and product are second to none. I won' pull any punches: they are an affiliate of this blog, but I do purchase ammo from them.
I try to support my local gun stores as much as the next guy, but I think we've all had a sad experience or two trying to find ammo. It's hard for a small shop to keep all the calibers stocked, when you think of the huge diversity of ammo available. I remember one day when I went to pick up some .40 caliber hollow points and there were none. Things like this happen at the big box shops, too, especially when something is new or popular. Enough complaining, now let me tell you the bright side of the alternative.
Everything you see at LuckyGunner is in stock. Your order will ship today or the next business day. You can expect to see variety (Do they stock 458 Lott at your local store, for example?). And I encourage you price shop them. Even their by-the-box prices are going to beat your local store's prices, and if you want to stock up on a lot of 500 to 1,000 rnds., you will be happy here.
My wife and I recently took a trip to the range with some .40 cal. PMC that got from LuckyGunner, and we had a blast. First we sorted everything out and loaded up.
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Then we sat down and got to work. Frankly, at this range, I'm just happy to keep it on the paper when I'm using my little M&Pc. The PMCs I got from LuckyGunner were exactly the quality you'd expect and every one went bang the first time like I hoped. It's just good therapy to send small projectiles down-range at high speeds.
All in all it was a great day and much fun had by all. We broke plenty of paper and even had some fun with one of those orange reactive targets that hops when you hit it. Now I'm saving up for something bigger, like a 1,000 brick of 9mm for the wife's M&P full-size.
I try to support my local gun stores as much as the next guy, but I think we've all had a sad experience or two trying to find ammo. It's hard for a small shop to keep all the calibers stocked, when you think of the huge diversity of ammo available. I remember one day when I went to pick up some .40 caliber hollow points and there were none. Things like this happen at the big box shops, too, especially when something is new or popular. Enough complaining, now let me tell you the bright side of the alternative.
Everything you see at LuckyGunner is in stock. Your order will ship today or the next business day. You can expect to see variety (Do they stock 458 Lott at your local store, for example?). And I encourage you price shop them. Even their by-the-box prices are going to beat your local store's prices, and if you want to stock up on a lot of 500 to 1,000 rnds., you will be happy here.
My wife and I recently took a trip to the range with some .40 cal. PMC that got from LuckyGunner, and we had a blast. First we sorted everything out and loaded up.
.JPG)
Then we sat down and got to work. Frankly, at this range, I'm just happy to keep it on the paper when I'm using my little M&Pc. The PMCs I got from LuckyGunner were exactly the quality you'd expect and every one went bang the first time like I hoped. It's just good therapy to send small projectiles down-range at high speeds.
All in all it was a great day and much fun had by all. We broke plenty of paper and even had some fun with one of those orange reactive targets that hops when you hit it. Now I'm saving up for something bigger, like a 1,000 brick of 9mm for the wife's M&P full-size.
31 July, 2012
Crossbreed SuperTuck Deluxe: Beauty to This Beholder
Foreword: Crossbreed Holsters has not endorsed or funded me, this review or this blog in any way. My only relationship with them is as a customer.
I can't say that I was ever dissatisfied with my previous EDC (Every Day Carry) holster, and I don't remember precisely why I began the search for a new one. I think it was a consequence of the hottest summer the Midwest has seen in recent memory and the perspiration it brought about. Anybody who's ever gone for a walk on a balmy summer afternoon with an In Waist Band (IWB) holster knows the amount of moisture that can collect on your weapon. Additionally, many of the semi-sharp edges that may not have bothered you in the dryness of winter will soon start to chafe your skin under more humid conditions. As you may remember, my EDC pistol is a Smith & Wesson M&P compact in .40 caliber. This pistol has sharp cocking serrations at the rear which stick up above the top of many holsters and they can really hurt if you're walking and sweating. So began my search for a superior concealable holster.
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| Crossbreed SuperTuck |
I've seen the Crossbreed SuperTuck advertised in all the gun magazines, but that isn't always the best endorsement, so I continued my research on it. A quick search of the net reveals an extremely high satisfaction rating, both with the holster and the company that makes it. I also recall a wise old CCW instructor who showed me a SuperTuck during my CCW class. His recommendation alone warrants the SuperTuck a closer look. At the time I did not have a budget for another holster and I thought the SuperTuck was way too ugly for me to ever own, so I put it aside and did not look back for a long time. If there's one thing I've learned in life it's this: listen to the old folks, they just might know something. This was one of those times when that lesson proved valuable.
I found the Crossbreed website extremely easy to navigate and the SuperTuck a highly customizable product. They have a selection of clips available for the SuperTuck depending on your given application: the most concealable option fastens the clips to the inside of your belt by means of hook and loop, the second most concealable option has a small lip that wraps the bottom edge of your belt for retention, and the presumably least concealable clip is the standard SteelClip, a simple clip that wraps over the top of the pant and over the top of the belt, causing the weight of the pistol to rest on your belt rather than your pants. I went with the over-the-belt option, but additional clips can be purchased separately and swapped back and forth with a simple Phillips-head screwdriver (the "plus screwdriver" for non-technical folks). You can purchase the SuperTuck in black cowhide or natural horsehide, with or without a combat cut, left- or right-handed.
Before you can hit the "Place Order" button on the Crossbreed website you will see a warning that these products are handmade to order and may take 4 to 6 weeks to arrive. I received mine in a mere 9 business days.
I chose horsehide due to it's denser grain and higher moisture resistance since this is intended to be a summer holster, and I chose to forgo the combat cut in the hopes that this would leave more leather between me and the pistol. Both of these hopes have been fulfilled by the final product I received.
My first test was trying the holster around the house and I did need to adjust the position of the steel belt
clips on order to get just the right cant and depth. I can say this without reservation: the SuperTuck is made for adjustment. Each clip has a possible 4 positions to which they may be independently adjusted. You can cant this thing backwards, if that's what you're really looking for. I found I like just a little more cant forward than the kydex was set to already, so my Supertuck is riding in the first hole from the top on the front and the second hole on the back. Once I got that out of the way I was ready to hit the street.
My first real surprise came while out about town. I realized half-way through a marital shopping marathon of searching for the perfect something-or-other (was it a top? a pair of shoes?) that I had completely forgotten I was carrying a pistol. I stopped in the middle of the store and pondered, with an expression that must have projected serenity and calm, whether or not I could sense the pistol on my hip. I found that yes, there was a slight weight on my strong side and if I shifted my weight from foot to foot I could feel it. Other than that my only signal was a slight pressure on my side, but it could have been a firm pillow just as easily as a steel and polymer pistol. For the next couple of weeks I tested out my SuperTuck in the rather laid-back environment of suburban St. Louis. The only possible negative I noticed is that the leather portion of the holster did creak if I moved in certain ways. It was not annoying, it only happened intermittently, and the website forewarns of this possibility during the break-in period.
My next trial for the SuperTuck involved sand, water and muck in abundance. Destination: the Missouri River, about 25 miles south of St. Charles. To get to my favorite little fishing hole I park at a public access to the river and walk approximately a half-mile along the bank through rocks, sand and Missouri bottom land gumbo. I'm usually there by sunup so heat is not an issue, but lately the nightly low temperatures have been in the 80s. By the time I reached my fishing hole I was warm, and by the time I was ready to leave for home I was dripping in sweat. With most IWB holsters, the left side of my pistol would be soaked as thoroughly as my clothes, but not so with the SuperTuck. To my amazement, I could detect no moisture anywhere on the pistol except for the lower portion of the grip which extends past the horsehide. In fact, the sweat only had a positive effect: the holster no longer squeaks.
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| Crossbreed Gun Belt |
18 June, 2012
Long Break
Have been on a long break, barely keeping my skills up. I am learning the art of bass fishing and it is consuming quite a bit of my free time and resources.
17 January, 2012
Looking for Material to Review
I would love to get my hands on a Chiappa Rhino to review. Anybody around St. Louis, Missouri feel like meeting me at a range? I'm sure I have something you'd like to shoot, so we can trade, and I'll bring ammo for both.
Anybody in St. Louis have any other interesting firearm? I'd love to give it a shoot and post.
Thanks.
Gun Guy Out
Anybody in St. Louis have any other interesting firearm? I'd love to give it a shoot and post.
Thanks.
Gun Guy Out
22 July, 2011
Cold Steel Recon 1 Et. All
This blog tends to be mostly about guns and accessories, but the fact remains that gun people tend to be knife people, so this won't be too far out for a tangent.
I am a die-hard fan of Cold Steel knives, and just about anything else they produce, such as OC spray, throwing stars, walking sticks, spears, even the bokken they make out of polypropylene. You see, I used to have to satisfy my cutlery needs with whatever was available at the local big box store because it was all I could realistically afford. Once I got into Cold Steel knives, it opened up a whole new world of affordable, high-quality knives that have remained by my side constantly for several years.
My constant companion is the Recon 1 with a tanto point and half-serrated blade. Sadly, I lost my first one after about 7 or 8 years, but promptly replaced it with the updated model they currently sell. I would challenge anyone to find a better folding knife for that price. Really, if you think you have one, post on the comments here and I'll gladly check it out. The Recon 1 in any form has the most solid locking mechanism of any folder I've ever owned or fondled; as soon as it locks into place you would swear you were holding a fixed-blade knife. Another feature I treasure on the Recon 1, which it shares with many other Cold Steel knives, is the placement of the pocket clip. It affixes to the very rear of the handle, hanging the knife hinge-down in your pocket. If you think about it, this allows the user to deploy the knife more rapidly, without having to transition grips after taking it out of the pocket. Most folders hang in the pocket hinge-up, which requires the knife to be flipped in the hand before it can be deployed. I should also mention that the steel on the Recon 1 holds an edge through an incredible amount of use and even abuse.
In the field I always carry my Kukri or Kukri machete. It's amazing how well the machete version hacks and cuts, even though it is considerably less costly than the full-blown Kukri. I do admit a certain fondness for the regular Kukri. It swings like a machete and cuts like a hatchet.
Another great blade to carry in the great outdoors in the Finn Bear. If you look around, one can be had for about $15 and they are rock solid. It is nothing but a steel blade and a polypropylene handle, so there's really nothing to go wrong. My father and I put them through their paces
harvesting Boletus mushrooms in the Colorado Rockies, digging through dirt and stones to extract them. The Finn Bear is great to have around for rough, dirty tasks that you know are abuse of a knife. They are tough, cheap, and clean up easily. I keep one in my glove box in case I get surprised with an unexpected fishing trip. They are great for cutting the heads off of fish or scraping scales, but are not thin enough to cut fillets.
I could go on and on about all the Cold Steel products I've bought and tried. I have never once been disappointed by a Cold Steel product. I've never received anything from them that had any defect whatsoever, or had to be returned for any reason. Some of their blades can be pricey, and I've never tried a lot of their really top-end stuff. One day when I can afford it I will buy a Hatamoto. Sadly, I just saw that they have been discontinued, so maybe somebody can make me a nice deal on a used one.
Now, to very briefly rant:
COLD STEEL, PLEASE LISTEN:
I really want one of your AK-47 knives. They look a lot like an improved Recon 1. I especially like the bone-breaker strike point on the hilt. The only reason I do not already own this knife is because you do not offer it with a half-serrated blade. I am just an old farm boy and I can't carry a folding knife unless it has serrations. So please, either add a bone-breaker to the hilt of your Recon 1, or offer an AK-47 with a half-serrated blade. Either way, it would be a great excuse for me to buy some more of your awesome knives.
PS
If you want discount prices, Cold Steel sells certain products on their Special Projects page. Same quality, straight from the manufacturer, just less money.
25 June, 2011
Monster Hunters International - In Stores Now
You might think this is a bit of a deviation from my normal themes, but please bear with me.
The author, Larry Correia, is a gun guy, and that comes out in his novels. The first novel of his that I read was actually on a thread over at TheHighRoad.Org. The thread is called "Welcome Back, Mr. Nightcrawler" if you want to search for that over on THR. This later turned into a novel (Dead Six, in the link at left). He is one helluva good writer and you can tell he knows guns when you read his stuff. He also does Three Gun competition. Very cool guy, as well as super-nice the few times I've corresponded with him. I consider him salt-of-the-earth.
Link to his blog:
http://larrycorreia.wordpress.com/
Now for the unabashed attempt to make a couple of pennies from Amazon.com. If you're going to buy one of his novels, and I highly recommend them, I hope you click on the links below or the links in this post.
Thanks, and happy reading!
Edit: I just thought I should mention, for those of you who don't think werewolf books are cool. The Monster Hunter series does involve monsters like vampires and such. They shoot them, it's pretty cool. If that doesn't strike your fancy, you will still like Dead Six. In a nutshell, it's about some covert-ops type guys who hunt terrorists for a living. You will not be able to put it down, I guarantee.
The author, Larry Correia, is a gun guy, and that comes out in his novels. The first novel of his that I read was actually on a thread over at TheHighRoad.Org. The thread is called "Welcome Back, Mr. Nightcrawler" if you want to search for that over on THR. This later turned into a novel (Dead Six, in the link at left). He is one helluva good writer and you can tell he knows guns when you read his stuff. He also does Three Gun competition. Very cool guy, as well as super-nice the few times I've corresponded with him. I consider him salt-of-the-earth.
Link to his blog:
http://larrycorreia.wordpress.com/
Now for the unabashed attempt to make a couple of pennies from Amazon.com. If you're going to buy one of his novels, and I highly recommend them, I hope you click on the links below or the links in this post.
Thanks, and happy reading!
Edit: I just thought I should mention, for those of you who don't think werewolf books are cool. The Monster Hunter series does involve monsters like vampires and such. They shoot them, it's pretty cool. If that doesn't strike your fancy, you will still like Dead Six. In a nutshell, it's about some covert-ops type guys who hunt terrorists for a living. You will not be able to put it down, I guarantee.
22 June, 2011
Bed Side Holsters?
Has anyone actually used one of these? I typically just shove a holstered pistol between the mattresses, pointed in a safe direction, and take it with me in the morning. A family member of mine has decided they need something a little more dignified than that method and I've just never used any of this equipment.
Please, if you've used one of these Holster Mate deals, add a comment there at the bottom and let me know how you like it. Thanks!
It looks like the way to go is to buy the bracket here and then just hang the holster of your choice on there and you're in business. It does appear that you either need a holster that clips over the top of the bracket, or you need some sort of belt or strap to wrap around the bracket if your holster has no clip.
This version comes complete with affixed Yaqui-style holster. The possible downsides: You can't take the holster with you, it stays on the bracket. Sometimes if I hear a bump in the night, I'll take pistol and holster.
Additionally, if the holster wears out at some point, you're looking at a lot of DIY work to attach another one, or simply purchasing another bracket. I think I'd go with the plain bracket and just put whatever holster I want on there. KISS, right?
I would, however, carefully consider the placement of this bracket. I know some fool somewhere has hung one facing the inside of the bedroom where it invites someone to shoot you while you're sleeping. Please, if you use one of these, place it carefully, preferably between the bed and the wall.
(A couple of inexpensive holsters below)
15 June, 2011
Excuses, Excuses
I just wanted to take a moment to let my readers know why I dropped off the face of the planet for a while.
We recently moved to the country and have been busy with that. Also, I have been involved in several time-consuming side projects.
I have not forgotten about the blog, I've just taken a short-term break. Expect more posts around mid- to late-August 2011.
Thanks for your patience, and please visit our new affiliate, LuckyGunner.com. They are a great source to keep your favorite weapons fed at reasonable prices.
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