My friend Brad at Challenge Targets is giving away one of his neatest targets, a stake clanger. As the picture below shows, it’s very simple and robust. Takes about a minute to assemble, and only a few seconds to install at the range.
When hit, it wavers for a while, providing visual feedback along with the loud clang. Great for extended range rifle practice. Here’s how it looks when in use:
Peter Grant’s new book Take the Star Road is now available at Amazon. I read it when it was being edited and re-read it again when making the cover design. I recommend it, especially if you like the style of early Heinlein. The book is far more about people and culture than it is about future technologies, which is how it should be. 1984 would have been less interesting if Orwell described the specification and maintenance details of the telly screen in greater detail. Much of the plot came from the author’s extensive adventures in rough and scary parts of the world.
Let’s say you are using a 1-6x scope set to 6x when you suddenly need to make a precise shot much closer. One way to do that is to turn the rifle 45* (or some lesser angle if you have an appropriate mount) and use a red dot or backup iron sights.
Just like this. Also works if the main optic gets damaged.
The pair was watching the graduation ceremony at Vanderbilt Law School. The man’s niece — little girl’s mother — got her diploma.
This boy, at the show with his grandfather, was excited about an aftermarket stock for his 10-22 that was a perfect fit.
The girl, at Savage Arms booth with her mother and older sister, was trying out a Stevens 512 over/under 12ga shotgun.
The next generation was very much in evidence, and acquitted themselves very well.
No muzzle rise even while the bolt is still moving forward to chamber the next round.
AK with Primary Arms micro red dot on an Ultimak rail, US Palm magazine.
It’s nice to work with people who understand their own products.
Muffs are MSA Pro-X, same as what I use at home. Looking into switching to Tactical Hearing Protection fitted plugs, like Chris Cheng. Got a molding of my ears done at the NRA show.
Full report would take more time than I have, so I will start with a few photos.
Chris Cheng with IWI Tavor and Primary Arms light and soon to be released red dot.
The same rifle with a rather nice 6x BDC scope.
А если их словом обидеть, невежливостью оскорбить
То лучше бы некультурному на свете и вовсе не жить
В руке недрожащей Люгер выдаст громкий отказ
И в голове непутёвой зажмурится третий глаз
А коли гость тот усопший привёл с собою друзей
То в магазине хватит свинца и для них, поверь
Жестом широким девушка хулиганов благословит
К ногам её в землю сырую улечься их убедит
Barrett REC7 (6.8mm) with Vortex 1-4x scope. The shooter is an Army Captain, a veteran of the Afghan campaign.
While I prefer to carry full-sized sidearms, sometimes something slim and relatively light is more appropriate. For the longest time, I used a pouch made by a good friend. Made to my specifications back when I had little understanding of how things worked, it positions cartridges facing to the rear. After a decade with it, I finally turned to the more conventionally designed mag pouches, a double Galco model. On the plus side, it’s very comfortable, holds two magazines and snaps on and off the belt easily. On the minus side, it left little room for my cell phone pouch.
So I am trying out a couple of single Comp-Tac pouches. The paddle model has adjustable tension and so works well for several different mags. When working with many items on a belt, it’s nice not to have to re-thread everything just to add one more.
The tuckable pouch is a new favorite of mine. Not only does it hold a magazine comfortably and protects it from sweat, but the way it is offset from the clip allows putting the cell phone pouch right over it. The phone doesn’t interfere with getting the magazine out but obscured the clip neatly. As a result, it offers excellent concealment. In some environments that is important.
If you know of one for sale for under $300 in good shape, please let me know.
(UPDATE: Found one, thanks for the lead!)
Further update: The body I got had a broken sensor for switching between viewfinder and the rear LCD. I am sending it back. So leads on others, hopefully in better shape, would still be appreciated.
.410 shotguns fill a certain niche. In this case, low recoil, light weight and good balance permitting one-handed operation are important, as is the reduced report volume.
My home studio works great for product photography and portraits, but it’s too small for groups of people. The dome ceiling limits where I can place lights, and the overall length makes separating foreground lighting from the background difficult. So I am looking for studio space.
It doesn’t have to be a real studio, just a room at least 6 yards by 5 or larger, with the ceiling no less than 9ft high, preferably higher. I won’t have to apply any permanent modifications, the backdrop would be two stands with a roll of seamless paper. Ideally, the walls would be either a neutral tone, white, black or gray. Does need to have electrical power outlets. It also needs to have some climate control to be usable year round. And it has to be somewhere near Hermitage. An unused commercial storefront or a warehouse would work well.
Any leads, suggestions or advice on this would be appreciated. Full time access would be preferred, but I can also deal with bringing lights and stands with me and setting up fresh every time as needed.
Barrett .416 fills in a slightly different tactical niche from the .50BMG variant. The rifles differ mostly in the barrel and the magazine, being able to use the same bolts and receivers.
Flat trajectory and integrated ballistic computer give this combination a good hit probability to pretty long ranges.
Reduced recoil also allows firing the gun from a greater variety of positions.
This illustrates the utility of short, handy PIV variant. With the scope set at 3.5x, off-hand snapshots are possible. That would be rather harder with the longer bull barrels typical of longer military sniper rifles. At typical police sniper ranges under 100 yards (departments report average range under 70 yards), the ballistic differences are minor, while handling advantages add up. With 1:10 twist rate, the barrel is optimized for heavier bullets that penetrate barriers well. It also works better with sound suppressors.
For more deliberate fire, a bipod or a sandbag would be preferable, but sitting position can be steady enough in many cases.
Sarah’s sidearm is a Steyr M9-A1 in a Sideguard holster.
Other details: A-tacs, MSA active hearing protection.
