Terminal Ballistics

More updates to follow

2009-02-05T16:54:00.000-08:00

The bloggosphere has been lamenting my lack of involvement recently, but no more!

With a deployment coming up in the next few weeks I will probably have a lot more time to blog.

Rejoice, Intarwubs!

Children and gun safety

2008-08-08T11:27:00.000-07:00

My sincerest condolences go out to the family of Anthony Brastad. It is always a tragedy when a child dies, and doubly so under such circumstances.

For all of us, this terrible event has illuminated a problem that is always present in an armed society: children and guns.

Cornered Cat has some excellent advice on the subject that all gun-owning parents would do well to take to heart.

Fight Cancer with an AR-15!

2008-08-06T09:05:00.000-07:00

FBMG has come up with a novel way to raise funds for breast cancer research. They are raffling off this beautiful pink rifle:Tickets are $5 each, and all proceeds go to the to the breast cancer research effort at the American Cancer Society.

Suppressor Law in MN

2008-07-24T14:51:00.000-07:00

As a firearms enthusiast and resident of the great state of Minnesota, I believe it is past time we reconsider our state's stance on the use of firearm suppressors. Current law stands as such(view full law):

Subd. 1a. Felony crimes; silencers prohibited; reckless discharge. (a) Except as otherwise provided in subdivision 1h, whoever does any of the following is guilty of a felony and may be sentenced as provided in paragraph (b):
(1) sells or has in possession any device designed to silence or muffle the discharge of a firearm;

...

Subd. 1h. Silencers; authorized for law enforcement and wildlife control purposes. (a)
Notwithstanding subdivision 1a, paragraph (a), clause (1), licensed peace officers may use devices designed to silence or muffle the discharge of a firearm for tactical emergency response operations. Tactical emergency response operations include execution of high risk search and arrest warrants, incidents of terrorism, hostage rescue, and any other tactical deployments involving high risk circumstances. The chief law enforcement officer of a law enforcement agency that has the need to
use silencing devices must establish and enforce a written policy governing the use of the devices.
(b) Notwithstanding subdivision 1a, paragraph (a), clause (1), until July 1, 2011, an
enforcement officer, as defined in section 97A.015, subdivision 18, a wildlife area manager, an employee designated under section 84.0835, or a person acting under contract with the commissioner of natural resources, at specific times and locations that are authorized by the commissioner of natural resources may use devices designed to silence or muffle the discharge of a firearm for wildlife control operations that require stealth. If the commissioner determines that the use of silencing devices is necessary under this paragraph, the commissioner must:
(1) establish and enforce a written policy governing the use, possession, and transportation of the devices;
(2) limit the number of the silencing devices maintained by the Department of Natural Resources to no more than ten; and
(3) keep direct custody and control of the devices when the devices are not specifically authorized for use.
Subd. 2. Exceptions. Nothing in this section prohibits the possession of the articles
mentioned by museums or collectors of art or for other lawful purposes of public exhibition.

Silencers, suppressors, mufflers or whatever you want to call them are legal to own and operate in 36 of the 50 states with the appropriate tax stamps and forms from the BATFE.

Keep in mind that Minnesota law allows for the possession of destructive devices (grenades, launchers, AT-4s, etc.), short-barreled shotguns, and short-barreled rifles.

Suppressors are the only NFA items that Minnesotans are not allowed to own.

Also keep in mind that there has never in United States history been a prosecuted crime committed with a lawfully-owned suppressor.

Suppressors have many benefits, such as lowering noise pollution from gun ranges, increasing the effectiveness of firearm safety courses by allowing the instructors to communicate with students without yelling to be heard, and allowing night-time varmint hunters to hunt coyotes without waking the neighbors.

Hollywood has done a tremendous job of exaggerating the effectiveness of suppressors. We've all seen the movie where the bad guys are running around with silenced machine guns, shooting at the good guy with every shot whisper-quiet.

The truth is that suppressors are much less effective than movies lead us to believe, bringing a painful report down to a level where enthusiasts can fire without ear protection.

The shooting starts around 2:50.

No, no one absolutely needs a suppressor. But then again, no one needs a Corvette or a pool in their backyard. The ability to possess something should not be dictated by need in a capitalist democracy such as ours.

A joyous day for America's citizenry.

2008-06-26T21:01:00.000-07:00

Today the Supreme Court of the United States decided in a 5-to-4 ruling that the 2nd Amendment was an individual right.

Link

Go to the firing range and celebrate.

Correction: All 9 of the judges agreed upon the 'individual rights' interpretation.

What Heller is most notable for is its complete and unanimous rejection of the “collective rights” interpretation that for nearly seventy years held sway with pundits, academics, and—most significantly—lower courts.

Link.

Re: What the gun industry can learn from scuba divers

2008-04-28T13:14:00.000-07:00

WARNING: This article has required reading.

--------------------

While I applaud Mr. Gudmundsson's ingenuity in finding a middle ground in the gun debate, there are a few flaws in his logic. A SCUBA certification costs between $250 and $350 to the applicant. If this same fee were applied to a gun owner licensing process it would put the possibility of armed self-defense out of reach for many lower-income citizens, the same citizens who are the most likely to need to use a firearm in self-defense.

Additionally this system, like most gun control laws, would only regulate those willing to operate within it's strictures. Illegally acquired guns would still get into the hands of criminals and ammunition would become available to these people by demand through the black market.

The other purported benefit of this system would be the training that armed citizens would receive and have to maintain to retain their 'license'. I cannot speak for all gun owners, but I do know that everyone I know who owns a firearm periodically goes to shooting ranges to test and improve their skill-at-arms.

In the end, it seems to me that Mr. Gudmundsson's idea, like many 'middle ground' plans, would do little to stop criminals from acquiring firearms, while placing additional hurdles between honest citizens and the hope of armed self-defense.

Excellent fisking, gentlemen.

2008-04-23T11:34:00.000-07:00

Only one day after ABC News posted this story about American civilian firearms finding their way into the hands of the Mexican drug cartels, Rick Moran and Confederate Yankee find that refuting the 'facts' in this story by a major media outlet is all too easy.

Random Gun Pron

2008-04-21T01:01:00.000-07:00

Adblock

... Hehe... shoot him in the toodles.

Pimp My Issue Weapon, Episode 1

2008-04-18T10:08:00.000-07:00

For various reasons I was thinking about how generally crappy the National Guard's issue M-16 A2's were, and wondering just how much I could get away with in the way of modifying my issued weapon.M16A2

I think my best bet is to get an A4 upper for my A2. This way it would still look like an issue weapon, but not the one I was issued.

M16A4

As you can see, the only difference between the two is a removable carry handle on a flat-top upper. Some A4s, referred to by the Army as M16A4 MWS, come issued with a Knight's Armament Company's(KAC) M5 Rail Adapter System. (RAS).

Marine firing M16A4 MWS with ACOG optic.

Another major problem with the A2 (and A4) is the trigger. Due to the mechanical requirements of the 3-round burst, the trigger has one of the worst pulls available. Any A4s that the Army converts into Squad Designated Marksman Rifles (SMDRs) the trigger pack is pulled out and replaced with a KAC 2-stage match grade trigger capable of only semi-automatic fire.

But I dare not alter the function of the weapon. That's just asking for deep trouble.

This is spam, too.

2007-11-05T00:00:00.000-08:00

You know how on YouTube videos you can mark other people's comments as spam?

Some days I wish I could do that to the whole internet.

Also: read xkcd.

250 Rounds of Awesome!

2007-08-14T15:40:00.000-07:00

I took my newest toy to the range today, and was very impressed. A .40 S&W Steyr M40-A1 handgun, it was everything I could hope for and more.

This being my first handgun, I approached the purchase with trepidation. I wanted something accurate, reliable, and in a good caliber. Low weight and good looks wouldn't hurt either. Also weighing in: I wanted something that my friends didn't already have, so I would have something to show off at the range.

I considered several different brands including Springfield Armory (too common), H&K (too expensive) and Glock (the 'I'll have the chicken' of handguns) until I found the Steyr M-A1 series (just right). And at $395 + MN sales tax for a new-in-box handgun, it was a heck of a buy as well considering that MSRP is $589. Yes, I know MSRP is always really high, but it was still a heck of a deal.

Let me state first that I have not, as of yet, done any accuracy testing on this handgun. All I have tested is function and feel(i.e. how the gun fits and moves in my hands). So far, it works flawlessly, and is only a little too big for my girly hands, corrected easily by shifting my hands slightly during magazine release.

During the course of the day I fired 200 Winchester 165 grain FMJ and 50 180 grain FMJ .40 S&W, all flawlessly. There were no jams of any kind. I was especially impressed by this because I have heard of many guns having a 'break-in period' where jams are commonplace while parts and springs wear in.

Draws were smooth and snag-free from Prometheus's UTG Tactical Thigh Holster, and point-shooting and aimed shots were very successful with the Trapezoid sights.

Groupings to follow.

Boo

Fidragon Handle Bipod review

2007-06-08T15:53:00.000-07:00

The Grip-Pod vertical forward grip from Grip-Pod Systems has received rave reviews since it's introduction into the defense community, and deservedly so. After getting the attention of the military, it won a military contract, beating out other bipod systems that weighed far more in the areas of size and durability. The Grip-Pod can even withstand the weight of a 250lb man standing on top of an M-16 while the legs are deployed. A truly amazing product.

And one which, at $150 I can not afford. While searching ARFCOM I came across this thread, illustrating a way to make a Chinese knock-off of the G.P. more durable using Bushmaster parts. I followed up on this and decided to check out the product for myself.

I ordered from Airsplat.com and in a few days the package arrived in the mail.

Opening the box with the biggest, meanest knife possible. Just because.

The shipping package was too large for the item inside, and the rest of the box was filled with crumpled brown packaging paper. The bipod was intact inside it's packaging, with only a few small cosmetic marks on the black surface.

Very minor surface tarnishing.

The Fidragon ST06 Standing Bipod is 6 1/2" tall, stowed, and 8 3/4" tall deployed, with a full extension of 10 inches before the legs snap out. It comes in matte black and an Flat Dark Earth-like brown. I chose the black, the better to match Evil Black Rifles! It is deployed by pressing a large, textured button on the top of the grip.

The button in question.

The Handle Bipod fully deployed.

The Handle Bipod attaches via a standard Picatinny interface, and is held firmly in place by the twist knob on the side. It is significantly larger than a Knight's Armament Co. vertical forward grip, and has a very solid feel in your hand. Also, the matte black finish is very non-reflective.

A size comparison between the Fidragon HB and a Knight's VFG.

After testing the mechanism a few times, a problem developed. The legs would snap out, but would not return all the way into the grip, and refused to lock into the 'stowed' position. It seems that the spring sometimes binds up on it's guides and halts the upward movement of the legs when they are being stowed. The problem has re-appeared very rarely, and always corrected itself.

It is made of sturdily constructed of a polymer material that seems more than sufficient for any abuse I might throw it's way (firing range, airsoft games), though I sincerely doubt that this Fidragon version is anywhere near as sturdy as the G.P.S. Grip-Pod. Were I deployed overseas again, or just looking to have the very best on my weapon, I would spring for the Grip-Pod Systems version in a heartbeat, and be much more confident in it's performance.

EDIT: After over-tightening the knob on the mounting bracket, it now spins loose on it's threads. I will be ordering a new knob and bolt from Bushmaster and performing the aforementioned mod.

EDIT 2: Here's a video I found of the opening action. I hope it helps to illustrate the mechanism.

More rambling than usual

2007-06-05T16:48:00.001-07:00

Let me make my stance clear. I like space. I would like to visit it one day. Maybe float around naked for a bit.

Beyond my personal interests, I firmly believe that Humankind's future is among the stars. Limitless planets, resources and possibilities await us, if only we would grasp them. Our first steps into space were tenuous, like a toddler cautiously but intently putting one foot in front of the other. We learned to walk, then decided we did not want to anymore.

I will now stop pushing this bad analogy into your unwilling brain. I'm nice like that.

For me, never. White Knight and SpaceShipOne caught my interest briefly, as did the other X-Prize contestants.

The idea of Virgin Galactic holds promise, if used correctly. Currently the only published plans are for delivering the rich eccentrics briefly into micro-gravity, then back to earth. If this were branched out into sub-orbital hops around the world it would become more than a mere amusement ride. The Concorde SST, the fastest commercial production aircraft yet, could travel the distance from New York to Paris in 3.5 hours. A Sub-orbital flight between New York and Tokyo cruising at Mach 22 would take less than half an hour. Sounds exciting, doesn't it?

It does to me.

2007-05-03T16:01:00.001-07:00

This person may very well be delusional. Since the International Herald-Tribune has no comment section or other forms of public discussion which in which the opinions of their writers can be lauded or ridiculed as appropriate, I will do so here.

I do this not just for me, but for the benefit of the author of this article so that he/she might learn the error of his/her ways and repent. But mostly for me.

Let us fisk:

By now, the logic is almost automatic. A shooter takes innocent lives, and someone says that if the victims had been armed, this wouldn't have happened. The only solution to a gun in the wrong hands, it seems, is a gun in the hands of everyone.

That's the state of the debate over gun control in the United States today. The National Rifle Association and the gun lobby have silenced every legislature in this country.

With the exception of the numerous cities, counties and states that have enacted their own gun control laws. Like California, New York, and Chicago.

Instead of stricter laws, tighter controls and better background checks, the gun lobby proposes more guns. And what the gun lobby proposes, lawmakers deliver.

Like the National Firearms Act or the Assault Weapons Ban. The gun lobby wanted them, and the lawmakers... oh wait.

Seung-Hui Cho bought his guns illegally, though with the appearance of legality. He slipped through a loophole, through a disconnect between the way Virginia defines a disqualifying mental incapacity and the way the federal government does. After the fact, the loophole is self-evident, and it's tempting to believe that now political leaders will work harder to keep people who are dangers to themselves from becoming dangers to others by buying guns. But the laws are as fragile and imperfect as they are because that is how the gun lobby wants them - and it is paying good money to keep them that way.

Darn straight they are. When you're fighting a PR war with the Brady Campaign, the Violence Prevention Center, the Million Mom March, the Joyce Campaign and hundreds of other well-funded anti-gun groups you need to spend good money just to hold your ground.

Those gun advocates who believe that the Second Amendment confers the right to carry a gun in public are quick to point out that they are law-abiding, decent citizens trying to protect themselves and their families in a world gone mad. But, of course, the guns can't tell the difference. Arming more people would be a recipe for disaster.

Like in New Orleans, where citizens defended their families and communities from looters and criminals. Or the countless times every year that homeowners defend themselves from thugs and worse who break into their homes during the night. THOSE are disasters. But only for the bad guys.

True safety lies in the civility of society, in laws that protect all of our rights...

Civilized societies are all well and good, but for one problem. All human societies must, at some level, involve humans. Human beings, with all their strengths and flaws, tolerance and hatred. Can anyone imagine a set of laws or a feasible system of enforcing them that will govern and safeguard everyone? That will unjustly oppress no one?

...and in having law-enforcement officers who are trained in the use of deadly force, then authorized to apply it in rationally defined situations.

The police are not everywhere. They can not protect everyone. They have caught many murderers, but few of them during the crime. Taking a homicidal criminal off the streets is no small matter, but it is of little comfort to the victim or their families.

It is the gun lobby's efforts to weaken the gun laws that makes a tragedy like the one at Virginia Tech possible.

Utterly wrong. It was the one young man's choice to indiscriminately murder and wound his classmates that made the Virginia Tech tragedy possible.

Firearms have taken root in every country on Earth, and guns will continue to play a major role in human history for the foreseeable future. Even if Americans passed laws that made it completely illegal for citizens to own them, if criminals want firearms, they will find ways to get them. They certainly always have.

Virginia Tech Tragedy

2007-04-18T11:22:00.001-07:00

A few days ago (April 16th) I was shocked by two things. The first being the shootings on the Virginia Tech campus.

The second was my reaction. Initially I was overwhelmed by anger. How DARE this a**hole kill so many innocents! Why didn't anyone stop him? Then came the shocking part, hard on anger's heels. I thought 'The gun-banners are going to use this as ammunition'.

I know that they will, but what disturbs me is that the thought came so quickly. It seemed to cheapen the loss that the victim's families must be feeling right now. So I forced myself to look beyond my own interests and mourn for the victims. I thought of how their families and friends must feel now. I tried to imagine how the students that shared classes with them will feel when they look at the empty chairs and remember who sat there, the empty lectern and remember who stood there. I mourn for all of them.

Then anger made a comeback.

Virgina, like my home state of Minnesota, allows trained and licensed citizens to carry a concealed firearm for self-defense and the defense of others. The Administration of Virgina Tech, however, has made it policy that anyone with a firearm in their possession will be expelled, license or not. Obviously the shooter did not consider being expelled a sufficient deterrent to his actions.

I don't know for a fact that allowing concealed carry permit holders to carry one campus would have averted this tragedy. No one knows for sure. Maybe the students would have been too frightened to expose themselves to danger. Maybe they would have been afraid of missing the shooter and hitting someone else.

Maybe they would have ended that a**hole's life before he could do the same to more innocent students.

EDIT: Apparently the Westboro Baptist Church announced it's plans to protest at the funerals of the victims mere hours after the shootings. You may remember this group as the fun-loving bunch that protested the funerals of Matthew Shepard and soldiers that have died in the Global War on Terror.

Unfortunately for these rapscallions, Virginia has a little something to say about their plans:

In 2006, in response to protests at the funerals of dead U.S. soldiers, Virginia enacted a law that added funerals and memorial services to the state’s disorderly conduct statute. Other states have adopted similar measures to allow police to keep WBC protesters out of earshot.
-CBS News

And so, with any luck this mischievous bunch will find themselves spending a well-deserved night in jail shortly after arriving at the funeral's location.