I enjoy teaching folks how to shoot, but in my experience, women make the best students. Besides being a welcome change from the grumpy old men I normally encounter at the range, women approach firearms differently than men. Even though a guy may have no hands-on firearms experience, he’s probably seen action movies or gangster [...]
Entries from October 2009
October 22, 2009
Osprey Defense Scuba Test: Questionable Methods
Okay, if you’ve read some of my other posts, you’ll know that I’m not the biggest fan of piston/op-rod conversions. But hey, if you’ve got a suppressed full auto rifle, you’re getting closer to the zone of performance where the benefits outweigh the drawbacks. Some folks may have seen the HK416 OTB test, where it [...]
October 21, 2009
Spike TV’s Not So Deadliest Warrior
I’ve only got a little time here, but I wanted to debunk a portion of this show. I’ve never watched an episode on TV, but was shown a link to this episode as “proof” that the AK-47 is more reliable than the AR-15. The important stuff starts at around 27:45 or so. Well, there are [...]
October 21, 2009
How to Maintain Firearms Proficiency on a Budget
This article is intended for shooters who, like me, can’t afford to shoot as much ammunition as they would like, or as much as they need in order to stay proficient. The answer isn’t exactly a secret, but I thought I’d talk about it anyway. .22 Long Rifle ammunition has been in short supply over the [...]
October 21, 2009
The Failed Promise of the “Piston” AR-15 Conversion
A few years ago, piston/op-rod conversions for AR-15s were all the rage. We were bombarded with propaganda about how unreliable the standard AR-15 was. We were led to believe that our rifles, which had worked just fine for years, were suddenly obsolete with the introduction of a spigot, op rod, and other parts to replace [...]
October 20, 2009
Personal Defense – More Than Just a Firearm
I’m a big proponent of concealed carry. I carry everywhere that I legally can. However, I’m not of the opinion that simply carrying a gun means that I’m “covered”, that I’m “safe”. Yes, Rule 1 of a gunfight is “Bring a gun”. However, my personal defense philosophy is based on the concept of avoiding, or [...]
October 19, 2009
AR-15 – Build or Buy?
This is an often-asked question on various forums. Should you piece together an AR-15 from individual components, or should you buy one off the shelf? The answer really depends on budget and needs. If you’re on an extreme budget, you should be able to piece together a rifle for less than the cost of buying [...]
October 19, 2009
Bravo Company USA “BCMGUNFIGHTER” Charging Handle
Bravo Company USA is a well-respected manufacturer of AR-15 components and rifles, as well as a major stocking dealer for companies like Vltor and LaRue Tactical. Their upper receiver groups have achieved high regard in professional circles because of consistently high quality and attention to detail. For several years, Bravo uppers were not available, due [...]
