Paranoia?

Lately I've been wondering how much "the man" pays attention to our type of blog. Usually I'm the "on edge, paranoid one" one in the family, but just the other night my wife said something made even me sit back.  To be honest, she doesn't know about my little blog(that I'm aware of-if so-I love you baby), but does know that I read the prepper blogs a lot and post often. With that in mind she said,"maybe you should be careful about what you post on the blogs." "Why"' I asked. She really couldn't give me one, just more of a feeling. So...damn. When the wife, who shares my belief about the future but takes it less ominously, says be careful...well...I start to think. Not sure what, but it makes me sit back and take inventory. I'm going to think more on it, but I'll say one thing. I know what I believe in. I believe in my God, my family, my flag and all it stands for. Anything other than that is just chaff. If someone doesn't like that, well, they can jam it sideways. I hate to get up on my soapbox, but there it is. So, we'll talk more on this on down the road. Y'all have a good 'un.

Hmmmm...

This is a video of our dear leader telling fibs. According to the Snopes entry, he could have meant his grandfather. You be the judge.





Whatever...Y'all have a good 'un.

To you and yours...

I just wanted to take this time to wish all of you the very Merriest of Christmases. I have a wonderful wife and children for whom I am deeply thankful. They are my heart. I am also thankful for the wonderful friends out there in the ether. I feel lucky to have made friends with a like-minded community that believe in God and country. So...from a simple hillbilly to you, God Bless you all, and to all a good night.

Ammo review...

Well, as advertised, I'm lucky enough to do an ammo review for the folks at bulkammo.com. Their rep, Steve, contacted me and asked that I review some of their .223. My disappointing hunting trip was made a little better as I walked in the door and saw a box from the nice folks including two boxes of 55 grain Fiocchi. The ammo seems to be of high quality and is packed in plastic sleeves as opposed to the usual bulk ammo jammed in a box. Maybe the folks at Fiocchi actually care about their ammo making it to the shooter in good shape. We'll definitely give it a try. Up until this point I've only used Fiocchi's shotgun shells, but I'm looking forward to trying their other offerings. So far it's been a good experience. With Christmas upon us it may be a week or two until I can get to the range, with no rain, and try this stuff out. Y'all hang with me and I'll get it to you as soon as possible. It's good to be back. Y'all have a good Christmas eve eve.

PS-those reindeer better not leave any suprises in my yard-I may test the ammo on them...

Coming soon...

Just a quick note today. I'm back from the woods, with minimal success, and have the pleasure of letting you know that  there is a cool review coming soon. I was contacted by some folks to try out a product and give my thoughts on it. So....as soon as we can get Santa here and the children all happy we'll get it done. I'll pass on some more info tonight or tommorrow. Take care and be good; the fat man is watching.

Blasting mode...

Headed to the woods. Y'all keep it together and wish me luck in busting a big 'un. See you soon.

New weekly cool doodad...

This week's cool item is not neccesarily in the realm of "sexy" to your hardcore prepper, but definitely fits a "being prepared at home" niche. It is the Eco-i-lite.

These lights are a six bulb, rechargeable emergency light. They come in a two pack and charge by induction(no contact points) in their respective holders. These chargers plug into the wall and act as a night light as well(they can be set for on/off/auto). The grounded plugs on the charger/nightlight also rotate in case the plugs in your house happen to be upside down; a cool and handy feature for sure. The lights simply set in the bases and will automatically turn on upon power loss. This is also a handy little feature, because as we all know, when the lights go out is when we need to find the flashlight...in the dark. Kinda ironic, huh? They also have a two setting switch; on and strobe/flash. As an emergency worker I can tell you that this is an extremely useful feature. All my family members that own a set have been instructed to turn a light to the flash mode and grenade it into the yard in the event we have dialed 911. I can tell you from personal experience that this act could be a life saver during a serious medical emergency. Many people have no idea how hard it is to read, or even see, their house numbers at night. Some neighborhoods have no rhyme nor reason to their numbering system at all. A super bright LED flashing in the front yard would be just the ticket to help the rescuers find you or your loved ones. No matter what setting they are on, once returned to the base they reset and are ready to go again. As soon as they are lifted from the base they turn on, ready to light they way.

I've had my set for over a year now with no problems. They have been very handy during several power outages this year and I recommend them highly. The kids like the nightlight feature and they are just bright enough to light the floor without being too much. As far as batteries, they are sealed lithium and so far have lasted up to a few hours at a time(rated at nine hours). I am unsure as to the batteries' rated  lifespan. Mine came from Costco, but can be found on Amazon , etc. My in-laws and parents both have a set and to be honest it makes me feel a little better knowing they will have some emergency lighting when the need arises. So to be clear-I haven't been paid, nor am connected, to the company. I just happened to find some cool lights that I think are very useful. Let me know if you have any questions. Y'all have a good 'un.

I am John Galt...

I just watched the movie, Atlas Shrugged: Part I. I was very impressed and think that this movie really hits home with our current US and global situations. Be advised, this is not an action flick, but a thinking one. It also is an independent production, but a very well produced one. As the Director states, I don't think any big studios wanted to make it due to the political comparisons. As I watched I couldn't help but compare  the characters to our current pack of politicians and greedy self-interested folk, myself. Watch the trailer and give it a rent. It will make you ready to see Part II. Y'all have a good 'un. Oh...by the way, I am John Galt.

Sorry to new folk...

Hey folks! If you have joined in the past week or so, and I haven't welcomed you, then Howdy! I am showing more followers on my dashboard than on my page, but for whatever reason I can't see them. I've tried reloading the gadget and everything. I also posted the problem the the blogger masters; waiting for an answer. So, if anyone has any suggestions- I'm open. Y'all have a blessed Sunday.

Good job, NAVY!

Why do we vote for the stance of the candidate?

As I woke up this morning, listening to the youngins carrying on about something or another, I had a thought. Why is it that we vote for the candidate because of their "stance" on various topics, or how they lean-left or right? I don't understand. Why don't we check the box for the person that will do as we tell them to. Think about it. My Senator is supposed to be a voting extension of his district. He should vote exactly as the majority of his constituents tell him. Every time. Period. I shouldn't have to call my Congressman's office and hope that the idiot, jackwagon of a latte sippin' staffer tells him about how I feel about an issue and pray to God above that he votes the way we want him to. I would think it would be automatic. "How do y'all want me to vote on House Bill #xxxx?" We email, text, and call with our desired outcome and VOILA', the majority wins.

But no. I have to vote for some idiot that may or may not have slept with his cousin's wife's sheep and paid for his penthouse with lobbyist money while texting pictures of his new butt tattoo to Larry Sandusky. But...he is the best of the bunch. I have to vote for him because he supposedly leans the direction I would prefer him to vote; BUT, not on all my favorite issues. I guess I'll have to be happy with two out of three or four out of five-if I'm lucky; we may not starve, but will be standing in line for soup while handing over our guns and first born. The only thing I may be getting is the fact that he is not that other crazy sumbxxtch who wants to go ahead and sign us over to the Chinese and UN. Maybe I'm a simpleton, but does this make sense? Have I had some sort of small seizure/stroke in my sleep, or was it just one too many High Lifes down the old hatch? I'm not totally sure to be honest. I can say one thing. The first crazy politician that tells me, while swearing on a stack of Bibles, that he will vote exactly as the majority of his District desires, no matter his own personal feelings, will get the big tamale. I will donate every spare bit of money from my measley check and savings to get this guy elected. I HATE politics and people knocking on my door on Saturday while campaigning, but I sure as hell will be the first one to start ringing doorbells at the crack of dawn for that guy. Yep. He'd be the man. But, sad to say, that will never happen. So here we go; election time is a-comin' again. This should be a real hoot. Think on it some. Am I really just losing it? You tell me. Y'all have a good 'un.

Deadwood Stove update...

Just as an update to the cool doodad of the week, Modernsurvivalonline.com has Deadwood Stove as a new sponsor. Go to his site and get the 10% off code if you're interested in getting one. I wish they'd send me one to try. I reckon they're afraid us country folk may try to cook possum on it. Hmm. Y'all have a good 'un.

Mr. Stoner's reliability problem?

I found this article a while back and thought I'd pass it on for all the anti-AR15/M4 folk. I know from reading that an AK can shoot with a handful of gravel in the action, but this story goes a long way to vindicate Mr. Stoner's little ol' gun. I hopefully will have some of this Slip 2000 soon and will let you know how it works out. As an update to the article(copied from the Slip 2000 website), this weapon has supposedly passed the 40,000 round mark. Y'all enjoy the article and have a good 'un.

click image to enlarge click image to enlarge click image to enlarge click image to enlarge click image to enlarge click image to enlarge click image to enlarge click image to enlarge click image to enlarge S.W.A.T. MAGAZINE FILTHY 14 Bravo Company Carbine Goes 31,165 Rounds By Patrick A. Rogers page 55 - October 2010 THE M16 WAS FIRST PROMOTED AS A GUN THAT NEEDED NO MAINTENANCE. While that statement proved false, a number of factors, including propellant powder and a lack of cleaning supplies and training, led to failures on the battlefield that are still being ballyhooed by muckrakers and the unknowing. They ignore the fact that the M16 is the most accurate and efficient rifle ever used by the military. However, it is no more a perfect weapon system than the Glock, 1911, M1 rifle or any other rifle, airframe, ship or person. Much of the noise related to this comes from unrealistic expectations such as the “one shot, one kill” nonsense that used to permeate military training, as well as poor discipline and tactics. Expending six magazines at the cyclic rate when the enemy is 400 meters away and then complaining that your carbine overheated may make headlines, but is also a sign of poor training and leadership. Additionally, not all ARs are the same. Military weapons are held to a standard and factory Quality Control and outside Quality Assurance mean that problems are minimized. Aftermarket makers may hold themselves to that same standard or even exceed it…or they can ignore it and substitute below-standard parts. The latter means that some parts may not meet the mil specification for a number of reasons. This may mean Magnetic Particle Inspection and pressure testing of the bolt and barrel have not been performed or the type of steel used for the barrel and bolt carrier group (BCG) is not up to spec. For the average shooter, this may not be an issue. In fact, it may be smart marketing for some makers, as the average AR owner shoots their guns little, if at all. From my perspective, I don’t aspire to mediocrity. I shoot a lot and stand behind students who are also shooting all day. I prefer to have weapons built to or exceeding the standard, but also understand that not all users have the same needs or requirements. But neither do I—not for one New York minute—believe that all ARs are the same. At my company, E.A.G. Tactical, we are fortunate in that manufacturers regularly provide us with guns in order to see how they perform after a reasonable period of evaluation by students at our classes. While we have written about some for S.W.A.T. Magazine (LMT, S&W, M&P, LWRCI and Colt 6940), others have never seen the pages of this magazine. Caveat. As we are not carrying these guns for real, we spend little time doing any preventive maintenance. We know that a properly maintained AR will function well. Our purpose here is to see how well the guns will function when left dirty but well lubed. I don’t suggest that you try this at home, especially if you are carrying these guns professionally. While we used to see a wide variety of guns at class, the quality control of some makes is lacking. Apparently students have been reading the after-action reports on Lightfighter.net and Alumni.net, as we have started to see a swing toward those guns built to (or exceeding) the spec. The net result has been fewer busted guns and more time to better conduct training. BRAVO COMPANY Bravo Company USA is a relative newcomer, having entered the market in 2003. Bravo Company MFG was born in 2005 and started producing complete uppers at that time. Bravo Company USA produced a very small number of lowers in 2007, and Bravo Company MFG has been producing lowers since 2008. At this time Bravo Company does not sell complete guns, but several of their dealers do. Paul Buffoni, the owner of Bravo Company, has built an extremely successful business based on providing quality products with excellent customer service. We have run a number of Bravo Company guns over the past five years. While most were unremarkable in their boring reliability, one has stood out, both for the longevity of the evaluation period as well as the number of rounds put downrange. FILTHY 14 As of this writing, EAG students have 31,165 rounds downrange through Filthy 14. During this evaluation period, it was cleaned once (as in one time), at 26,245 rounds. The end result is that Rack #14 was—and remains—filthy. It is filthy because it has been shot at class. Only at class. Every round that has gone down that barrel has been fired at class, with an average of approximately 1,300 rounds every three days. It has been lubed generously with Slip 2000 Enhanced Weapons Lube (EWL). The combination of carbon and lube create (wait for it)…filth. It is so dirty that, while sitting in the rifle rack, it is almost a biohazard. The filth oozes out and contaminates other carbines adjacent to it. But it is still shooting—and shooting well. Rack #14 is a 16-inch Bravo Company Mid Length Carbine—mid length meaning that the gas system is two inches longer than the standard carbine gas system. This permits the use of a nine-inch rail with the standard front sight base. Use of a clamp on the front sight will permit a longer rail to be used. The longer rail is necessary to accommodate some shooting styles, as well as to provide additional rail estate for the various white lights and IR lasers required to kill bad guys at night. Subjectively, the mid length system has a softer recoil impulse. The lower receiver is a Bravo Company USA M4A1, one of very few in circulation. It has a TangoDown BG-16 Pistol Grip. An LMT Sloping Cheekweld Stock (aka the Crane Stock) rides on the milspec receiver extension, as does a TangoDown PR-4 Sling Mount. The upper is a BCM item, with a milspec 16.1”, 1:7 twist barrel. The barrel steel is chrome moly vanadium (CMV) and certified under milspec Mil-B-11595E. The BCM bolt is machined from milspec Carpenter 158® gun quality steel, heat-treated per milspec, and then shot peened per Mil-S-13165. Once completed, each bolt is fired with a high-pressure test (HPT) cartridge and then magnetic particle inspected (MPI) in accordance with ASTM E1444. The handguard is a LaRue 15-9, the nine-inch model to allow full use of the available rail estate. We have a TangoDown BGV-MK46K Stubby Vertical Foregrip. We use TangoDown BP-4 Rail Panels. The primary sight is an Aimpoint T1 in a LaRue 660 Mount. The T1 is still on the same set of batteries, and it has never been shut off. The back-up sight is the Magpul MBUS and the sling is the Viking Tactics VTAC. This is a normal configuration for our guns, although stocks (Magpul CTR, Vltor I-Mod), BUIS (Troy), and day optic (Aimpoint M4s) may be substituted. IN SERVICE We received the carbine in late 2008 and put #14 into service shortly thereafter. At Brady, Texas, in March 2009, it suffered a malfunction, which was reduced with Immediate Action. The bolt was wiped down at 6,450 rounds. At Prairie du Chien, Wisconsin, in May 2009, it had several failures to extract, and the extractor spring was replaced at 13,010 rounds. This is far beyond the normal extractor spring life under these conditions. At Wamego, Kansas, in June 2009, two bolt lugs broke at 16,400 rounds. We replaced the BCG. Considering the firing schedule, this is within normal parameters. At Columbus, Ohio, in November 2009, we had several failures to extract at 24,450 rounds. The shooter gave it a field cleaning and replaced the extractor and extractor spring. At 28,905 rounds, we finally cleaned Filthy 14. As part of our year-end maintenance schedule, we inspect and replace parts as necessary. Filthy 14 looked like the inside of the crankcase of Uncle Ed’s ’49 Packard. It was disgusting to look at and contaminated everything near it, somewhat like the toner cartridges for old printers. I plopped it into a parts washer filled with Slip 725 parts cleaner, and 20 minutes later it was clean. Mostly clean, anyway. We have never used a bore brush in the barrel of this gun. We did run a patch down the barrel twice, but that was all. At 50 yards it still shoots two-inch groups, and we understand that it might not at 100 yards and beyond, but we are happy with the fact that, even at 50 yards, the gun is capable of tighter groups than most of the people running it. We have never used a chamber brush in this gun either. We were often told that this was an absolute must. Sure… At the last class in Casa Grande, Arizona, at approximately 30,000 rounds, we had several failures to extract. We replaced the extractor spring and wiped down the BCG. By the time you read this, we’ll likely have another 3,000 to 4,000 rounds through Filthy 14. At that point we’ll probably retire it. We’ll reuse the LaRue rail, the sights and, after rebuilding the lower, replace that old and well-worn mid length upper with something else. Fourteen will continue, but just not as Filthy 14. WHY WE DID IT What was the point of this 15-month exercise? We know than an AR built to the spec will run more reliably for a longer period of time than a hobby gun. We have run a number of guns to over 15,000 rounds without cleaning—or malfunctions—as long as they were kept well lubricated. And because we have over 20 Bravo Company guns in the armory, we also understand that the quality of one is not an accident. My background of belonging to a tribe where weapons cleaning approached Jesuit-like fanaticism caused me to once believe that the AR must be spotlessly, white-glove clean in order for it to run. We know that is patently false, and in fact the overzealous cleaning regimen—clean for three days in a row, use of scrapers on the BCG, attaching chamber and bore brushes to drills, etc.—is harmful to the guns. We know that not all ARs are the same, and only a fool believes that “parts are parts.” If you want something that is visually similar to what the military uses, buy just about anything and you’ll be satisfied. But if you are going to use it for real, buy something that is made to the spec. Have realistic expectations. No gun—or car, plane, hibachi or person—lasts forever. Recently a customer sent an upper back to Bravo Company complaining that the gas tube was bent. It sure was. It was bent because the owner apparently fired 600 rounds downrange in full auto, causing the gas tube to melt into the barrel. If you want to be stupid, buy a lesser quality gun and save yourself some money. Again, let me repeat the caveat. If you are carrying a gun for real, you need to be looking at it every 5,000 rounds or so. But if your cleaning takes more than 10 to 15 minutes, you are wasting your time on nonsense. At a carbine class in Colorado last year, one-third of the carbines used (eight of 24) were Bravo Company guns. The fact that the Pueblo West classes are populated in large part by professionals means that this may be a clue. CONCLUSIONS The fact that Filthy 14 ran so long and well can be attributed to the following: First is the design of the gun. Cpl. Eugene Stoner knew what he was doing. Second is the quality of this particular gun from Bravo Company. Paul Buffoni knows what he is doing. Third is the fact that we used Slip 2000 EWL which, based on past evaluations, keeps guns running long after other lubes have rolled craps. It kept the gun lubricated and made it easier for those rare times when we did clean it. Greg Conner knows what he is doing. Finally we had a great group of volunteers who took the time to aid us in this evaluation. Bravo Zulu, guys! (Pat Rogers is a retired Chief Warrant Officer of Marines and a retired NYPD Sergeant. Pat is the owner of E.A.G. Inc., which provides services to various governmental organizations. He can be reached at eag@10-8consulting.com) return