BTW, that's a Glock 23 with M3 light and yes, to my NJ readers, those are evil .40 hollow points...
Going to my second Appleseed, September 25 - 26, 2o1o in Gibsonberg, Ohio (same place as last time, good folks, great range)...if anyone would like to join me here is a link to the page to order tickets....and, oh yes...THE M1 IS GOING TO ROAR!!
M1 CARBINES SOLD OUT. The CMP is now sold out of
M1 carbines except for the few we will still be selling on our auction program. At this time, we have no reason to expect to receive more.
M1 CARBINE STRIPPED BARRELED RECEIVERS. We are now offering for sale M1 stripped carbine barreled receivers. The several hundred we have available are the residue of our carbine inspection and repair operations of the past several years. Item number R017BRZ, Price is $125 each plus $12.95 S&H each. For more information, please see the carbine page at http://www.thecmp.org/m1carbine.htm. Choice of manufacturer is luck of the draw.
It shall be mine...oh yes...it SHALL be mine...
A few days ago I posted about my decision to keep my LCP and add a Crimson Trace laser over buying a new S&W Bodyguard .380. Well, today the UPS guy dropped a package off on my doorstep with a Crimson Trace LG-431 laser grip for my LCP in it. I bought it from an outfit in Iowa called Trophy’s Tactical that I found on the web with the lowest shipped price available. At first I was a bit concerned as they had no feedback about their service, but they have a larger parent unit called Trophy Outdoor that had some positive reviews so I threw some cash at them for the unit. I got an immediate email for the purchase but nothing following up for the shipping info. I emailed today to get a tracking number and had a response in a few hours. Low and behold the package was scheduled for delivery today. Awesome!
Anyway here are a few pics… (I apologize for how washed out the quality is on them).
The box from Crimson Trace, just a nice cardboard box, yeah!
Inside you have an owners manual, installation manual, warranty card, decal, the laser unit itself, a battery, mounting screws, 2 Allen wrenches and some cleaning swabs for the lens. 
Installation is a snap following the simple instructions.
The unit fully installed, total install time…about 2 minutes and that was taking my time..
Although I can no longer use my Fobus or Don Humme holsters, this Uncle Mikes pocket holster (that I normally use anyway) still fits the pistol even with the CT unit installed. It is a bit snug but it still draws fine and the extra space taken up by the CT unit actually keeps it the holster better, win!
OK, so now I need to “lollypop” the unit by adjusting the laser beam using the included Allen wrench to where the dot sits on top of the pistol sights at a given range to roughly put the impact at the point of aim at that distance. A future trip to the range will have to be used to verify this adjustment. I will also fire a box after I have it zeroed and see how well it keeps its POA with recoil. If needed I will adjust it back and add a drop of locktite (weakest) to the adjustment screws and see if that keeps zero. I do not anticipate any issues though, from what I have read online.
More info to come….
Just hanging out...they guy behind me has a Kimber .22 conversion kit for his Kimber, might need to try one of those out...
Smith &Wesson unveiled a new .380 pocket pistol this year at the SHOT show designed and squarely aimed to compete with the Ruger LCP. The LCP is clearly the current sales leader in the .380 class with over 80,000 sold last year alone. S&W has a long and storied past in providing defensive firearms for law enforcement, military and civilian shooters for over a hundred years and obviously could not stand the thought of missing out on this segment of the industry, which has been eating at the sales of its J-frame revolvers as of lately.
|
| S&W Bodyguard .380 | Ruger LCP |
| Caliber | .380 ACP | .380 ACP |
| Capacity | 6+1 | 6+1 |
| Length | 5.25" | 5.16" |
| Height | 4.10" | 3.60" |
| Width | 0.75" | 0.82" |
| Weight | 11.85 oz. | 9.40 oz. |
| Barrel | 2.75" | 2.75" |
| Safety | manual | none |
| Sights | drift adj. rear, dove tailed | fixed, integral |
| Laser | Insight Technologies built into frame | Crimson Trace available option ($200) |
| MSRP: | $575 | $364 |
| Actual as of 08/10 | $499 | $299 |
I was shooting at the top triangle on the target. First 3 rounds are the lower group that I used a 6 O'clock hold on the triangle and then went to a center hold for the last 3. Not bad for a pistol "lacking proper sights" as some have claimed.
Craftsman: (def.) (Merriam-Webster Online)
1 : a worker who practices a trade or handicraft
2 : one who creates or performs with skill or dexterity especially in the manual arts
Let’s face it, we don’t carry our pistols out in public like in a Hollywood action movie walking or running down the street sweeping every civilian passerby with the muzzle as we chase after nuclear terrorists. Unless you have unhealthy and dangerous habits you’re like the other 99.9% of us and carry your weapon in some type of holster arrangement in order for it to be ready in case you need it (the entire purpose of carrying a CCW in the first place, right?). Luckily for the masses you have a vast array of choices when it comes to picking a holster for your carry needs when it comes to things such as style, material, finish, construction and hardware. I am not going to lie to you and tell you that the holster I have from Adams Holsters is the one absolute accessory you need to go and buy right now for your pistol, I could tell you that but I won’t. The truth is that for the majority of us almost any holster out there will fulfill the basic purpose of a holster as stated above..
..however….
If you want a holster of exceptional quality made by hand by someone who truly cares about his product and making sure that you’re totally satisfied with your purchase…
Then I can definitely under those conditions recommend that you take a look at one of the custom, hand made products that Luke makes and markets out of his small, mobile operation for people who know that carrying a weapon comfortably and with some style is only slightly less important than having one with you in the first place!!
Luke has only been making his hand made creations for a few years now, and in that short time has developed a solid product made with quality material that he sells at competitive prices via his online store. He used to hand stitch all of his holsters (the reason hand stitching is preferred is explained on his website here) but increased demand and orders has forced him to go to machine stitching to save time and now hand stitching is a (well worth it) premium option on his products. Not that machine stitching is bad mind you, especially when you consider that you just don’t walk into a JoAnn Fabrics location and pick up a machine to stitch leather. The machines used for this purpose are special built and the story behind how Luke came about his and the reverse engineering he had to do to get it running is available over at the forums at We The Armed, where Adams Holsters is one of their primary sponsors. Adams Holsters even has its own forum area for you to talk to Luke and others about his holsters.
MINE!!
As I stated above, all of Luke’s holsters are hand made with the majority made to order. The process is time consuming to get the level of quality that he strives for so when ordering allow for a good bit of time to receive it (Luke will generally give you a fairly accurate turn around time when you place your order and update you if that changes at any time). The the wait is worth it. Luke told me on the phone one day that he strives to make a product that he as a customer would not only have trust in but also be proud to be seen wearing. I should also mention that he and his wife live on the road in an RV traveling across the country both enjoying life and selling his wares so be sure to find out where he is located (generally Texas or Michigan with a few stops here and there) when your order gets close to completion and maybe you can even pick it up in person and meet the man himself. Communication is another thing you get with his products. If you have a question or need to make a change in your order, email or call Luke and he will get back to you quickly via email or a phone call. That is a level of service that some of the bigger manufacturers just won’t offer you.
Luke also offers a discount to active military and Law Enforcement officials so be sure to take advantage of the savings if you are either.
The Texas IWB holster, get it with the shape and all?…anyway, a fine product made in America by an American for other gun toting Americans, WIN! My new G19 is securely tucked in it here.
OK, lets talk about my holster. The model I have is called the “Texas” holster (due to its shape roughly approximating the Lone Star State’s shape) with kydex clips. Its his basic bread & butter IWB holster and he sells a lot of them. There are a few basic colors to choose from but since this one would be holding a Glock inside of my pants I opted for basic black with plain leather. There are various special leathers that you can order your holster either entirely made from or used to add optional trim pieces to it. One of the more curious pieces is the “Ostraphant” holster (that’s it up at the top of this post, it his crossroads OWB model) he made for another Buckeye shooter who lives about a hour North of my location. I still have got to get up there to see this thing. An obvious mixture of ostrich and elephant, the pictures of it are quite striking. My own holster features the full hand stitching process (I was one of the last to get it free before it became an option…win!) which not only offers the advantages that hand stitching provides but also adds some character to it. It features basic kydex clips which can be upgraded to adjustable ones or leather keepers and a sweat shield to protect the metal part of the pistol from my sweaty flanks in the summer heat. While wearing a full rig like this one took a bit to get used to, other than the texture on the grip of my now sold G23 RTF2 rubbing me raw, the holster carries very well. The dual clips help distribute the weight of the pistol well and the leather conforms to your body helping the pistol not only blend into your shape but also sit comfortably on your hip. It does need some adjusting to get used to an all day holster when I am used to my Versaclip kydex rig I have previously used. While the kydex sleeve is easy to slip on and off it does not give to your body and needs adjusting as you shift in your car seat or while sitting down in order to not dig into your side. There is much less of that with the Texas holster. While I don’t forget I have 30+ ounces of loaded weapon on me, it does help it carry quite a bit better and more comfortably throughout the day.
A full sweat shield protects the weapon from the salts in sweat that can damage finishes over time.
Close up detail of the hand stitching Luke does as an upgrade on his holsters. Notice how tight the stitching is he does by hand, when I say “craftsman” I mean it. I would totally screw this up if I had to try and duplicate it. Hand stitching will add a few bucks and some time to your order, but is well worth it.
So a quick recap, you need a holster. Sure, you can go order a leather holster from Galco, DeSantis or any of those other larger companies and pay a bit more to pick it up in a store or in a week or so in the mail and it will work fine. On the other hand you could save a bit of cash and order a Adams Holster model of your choice and get a quality product made to your specifications by a skilled craftsman (see I worked that opening line in the post..somehow) who cares not only about your satisfaction but also about his product that you will wear with his mark on it. Again, in my opinion its worth the time to do business with Luke Adams and get a product that is made here in the US (not in some sweatshop somewhere) by hand by an American who supports gun rights and is somebody you can trust.
As always I am in no way, shape or form associated with Adam’s Holsters professionally and my opinions here are not for any financial gain from his company. But when you find some cool guy out to make a living doing what he likes to do, doing it well and being an all around stand up guy…well you just got to pass it on.
Click on the Adams Holster logo below to be taken to his sight to view his current offerings and for the latest pricing and availability info and be sure to visit We The Armed and check out the posts in his section to see what others already know about his work.
Just thinking about the G19 that I just picked up and how many times I have filled out a BATF form to purchase one over the past few years since I started this hobby/obsession with firearms. It dawned on me that I have gone through A LOT of weapons in that time. Some I got rid of because they didn't work for me, some because they didn't fit a role or purpose uniquely that wasn't better performed by another firearm, some (like the G23) because I have wanted to simplify the contents and logistics of my gun safe, and some I got rid of just to get something new to shoot and review. For whatever reason there may be, I have spent a lot of time getting rid of and purchasing new firearms. I usually make nothing on the sale of these as I don't really want to get in a position where I would be required to report income. I have walked away from some transactions when I felt something wasn't right and am happy to say that the vast majority of people I have dealt with have either been active or retired LEO with ID or CCW holders with ID or FFL holding dealers at some gun shows.
Taking time off to give a bit back, and having a great time doing it!
The vet we took out on Brandon's boat was Denis Oliverio, a Marine Tank Platoon Leader who was shot in the left arm back in 2005 while engaged with insurgents in Iraq. The round that hit his arm did extensive damage and 5 years later and after many surgeries he still does not have full use of it. Despite this and some PTSD issues he manages to hold down a job helping engineer and design a replacement helo for the aging Sea King fleet used by the US Navy and Marines as well as work with the WWP to get the word out to the public about their mission. When talking to him I knew he was the "real deal" when he told me that his biggest worry after his injury wasn't for himself, but of how his Marines would be looked after and their welfare with him gone. That is how a good leader thinks and anyone that can operate at that level when their arm is nearly severed has got the ship pointed in the right direction to reclaim their life. Most of all, he was a great guy to hang with for a few hours. In typical military fashion there were plenty of fart and penis jokes to go around. You can click on his photo to the left to read his story from the WWP web site.
Denis at the front of the boat and Brandon in the middle on his phone
hey, I even caught a nice bass! 
hey, there's that Glock knife again!
9mm performance...not too shabby...
Did you know Glock made knives? They do, and pretty darn nice ones if I may say so. I went shopping today (more on my big purchase later but lets just say that this item compliments it nicely..) and one of the “accessories” I bought was this Glock model 78 knife. I had read somewhere a review or testimonial some soldier had posted about how his Glock knife had been invaluable over in the sandbox and had opened MRE’s and ammo crates, cut holes in walls, gutted insurgents, saved him from both both sniper fire and IED’s and generally had been a bad assed piece of equipment. I’m not planning on going back over that way ever again so for my purposes it was a pure impulse buy because I thought it might be cool to do a quick review and post some pics of it….
Anyway, the knives were developed in cooperation with the Austrian military and are issued to various military entities throughout the world. The style is not revolutionary or anything, just a basic fixed blade clip point knife that closely resembles the famous Ka-Bar knives used by Marines since WW2 but with a slightly thinner blade profile. The blade itself is made with steel hardened to a RHC of 55 and topped by a polymer handle made from the same material used in their pistols. It uses a simple but effective guard for the blade that keeps your fingers from slipping onto “the ouchy parts” without being obtrusive. The blade is 6.5” long and the overall length is 11.5” with a weight of 7.13 ounces. It comes with a matching polymer sheath that can be worn either on the right or left side of a wearer’s belt and includes both a locking clip for the knife as well as a clip to attach to belts and such . Colors range from basic black, to OD green or Desert Sand, like the one I bought.
The knife feels good in the hand and seems to be very well made. The blade seems thick enough to handle some serious use. The edge was not razor sharp but more than adequate for most tasks I would think. The model 78 below has a straight spine, while the other model, the model 81, incorporates a saw tooth edge on the spine. The only fault I could really find with the knife is that the latch to retain the knife in the sheath requires quite a bit of force to disengage from the hilt of the knife to remove. This is good in that you are probably not going to have this come out of the sheath when not needed. Of course this is bad because the knife may not come out of the sheath exactly when it is needed…
The price was an affordable $28.99 today and that is about average from what I could tell from online pricing.
Overall, a pretty darn good knife for the money if you need one, or if you’re like me and just want one…
Each knife is made in Austria
The sheath showing the retaining mechanism for the blade on the left and the belt clip on the right.
Wow, totally forgot that this poll was still sitting at the top of the page! Got to remember to watch it next time. Well, the much vaunted and talked about ACR has been out on the market for a while and its selling much like any other $2,000 rifle does I guess. The articles on the web and in print about it have cooled off as other items have come into being, but it is still a very identifiable rifle on the scene today and at the forefront of rifle design going into the 21st century...
I have talked at one point or another on here about how much I like to use Slipstream Lube on my weapons. Made by Crusader Weaponry out in Utah, it has pretty much lived up to the hype the company puts out on it in my book. My weapons run without issues with it so far and are much quieter when moving parts meet each other. The "magic" of the lube rests in the use of nano particles as the primary lubricant suspended in a carrier oil to help it along. The supplier of the carrier oil they have been using suddenly went off the market and replaced it with a product much higher in price. Joe and George said "screw that" and found another carrier that works just as well and costs much less.
..people love that PT845...
Watched this movie on Netflix the other night for the umpteenth time in my life, it is amazing how well this move has stood up against time, 25 years later the technology and feel of the picture is holding up well even with modern CGI and technology to compare it against. Most of the computers they show are old monochrome displays as were most computers back in the mid 1980's when this movie was made, but the look is still believable today and the story keeps your mind focused on it and not the details like monochrome displays. What I especially like in the movie is the depiction and use of Colonial Marines. Yes, some of their actions and bravado are way over the top, but it is a Hollywood movie for crying out loud. That overly macho crap is how the industry makes you believe that they are "real" soldiers and does not really reflect on how most military personnel conduct themselves. Its funny how some of the stuff portrayed in the film as it pertains to the military has actually come more or less to fruition in real life...
"Vampires in sunlight? blasphemous!!"
When I was crossing the border into Canada, they asked if I had any firearms with me. I said, "Well, what do you need?"
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