Category: News Stories/Events/Opinion

I won't make you click on the link, though. Also, if you want to know how much your M4 weighs with an M203 or a cut down Remington 870 attached to it, click here.

The bottom line: In a 5-4 decision, the Supreme Court incorporated the Second Amendment - in other words, found that it applies to state and local governments as well as the federal government. The full decision can be read here. My favorite quotes from Justice Stevens' dissenting opinion, followed by my translation: "...a rule limiting the federal constitutional right to keep and bear arms to the home would be less intrusive on state prerogatives and easier to administer." Translation: It's too difficult to protect this right. Additionally, the Framers got… Read More

For most people, the following test will be as interesting for the methods used as it is for the conclusions that were reached. Understanding Extractor Lift Alternate link to presentation This presentation was initially shown in May of 2003; the "other comments" page would seem to be especially prescient in light of all the "improvements" that have been made to the AR platform in the years since. Some I fully support, such as midlength gas systems (especially for 16" barrels), while others (such as poorly engineered "piston conversions") I do… Read More

Here's a great PowerPoint presentation on how effective 5.56mm ammunition is from a military standpoint. I say it's great because I agree with a lot of what it has to say, but it really does have some good info, whether you are a proponent of 5.56 or not. I'll let the presentation do the talking. "Is there a problem with the lethality of the 5.56mm NATO caliber?" One of the most interesting parts of the file is page 21, which lists muzzle velocities at various barrel lengths, from 8.3" to… Read More

Feel free, however, to stand a few feet away from the border with them. The enormity of the vital task entrusted to (perhaps foisted upon would be more descriptive) an inadequate number of Border Patrol agents is not truly apparent until you're standing on the border. I thanked all of the agents I encountered today. Without exception, every agent was very polite and professional. The "big fence" becomes a series of welded-together "vehicle barriers", which gives way to a simple barbed wire fence a few miles later. This is what… Read More

As I reported back in January, the USMC is looking to replace the ungainly fixed stock on the M16A4 with a collapsible stock, and one of the options is the Vltor A5 stock assembly. They did some testing, but apparently the results aren't approved for release yet. The A5 "done good", though. I think that's safe to say. (rest of the post removed for above reasons)

It's taken several millenia, but Vltor finally has a web store, located at www.vltorstore.com/, and you can order items directly from them online. They have a great law enforcement/military discount, too, so be sure to take advantage of that if you're eligible. Don't forget that Bravo Company has the original Modstock on sale for $50, and Rainier Arms has the new IMod for $95 (cheaper if you're LE/Mil).

Because I'm seething with rage at the moment, I won't write very much, other than that fake tourniquets, manufactured in China, are apparently finding their way into the hands of American servicemen overseas. These fake tourniquets cannot be used to control bleeding and have reportedly contributed to at least one fatality. They are intended to be indistinguishable (to the casual observer) from real CAT tourniquets currently in use. A PDF file of the differences between the two tourniquets can be found here. Please forward it to anyone you know who… Read More

In this helmet cam video, we see a team of Dutch Marines fastrope from a helicopter and retake a container ship that had been boarded by Somali pirates. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IcqZKBJMNhI How could I not post this video, since my blog title means "Firearm" in Dutch? Beyond that, though, it's pretty neat to watch. The pirates, facing real resistance from highly trained forces, quickly surrender. The crew, having locked themselves in a "safe room", emerged after the ship was retaken, unharmed. The ship apparently had good "passive" anti-piracy countermeasures, but lacked armed… Read More

I'm going to deviate from the subject I normally cover on this blog and discuss current events. As pretty much everyone knows by now, the governor of Arizona recently signed legislation relating to illegal immigration. There has been loud and, at times, violent opposition to the law. Some of the strongest voices against the law come from Mexico - in fact, the Mexican government has condemned the law and issued a travel advisory informing its citizens about it. Perhaps misinformed would be the proper term, but that's another topic for… Read More