Far too late, many dollars short.

Was doing some random Youtube browsing before sleep time and stumbled across this video from Yeager. I'm not sure how I feel about him overall, but I've definitely gotten useful info from his Youtube Channel in more than one case, including this one. The point is, I've been lazy (discouraged?) with the EDG project and his suggestions here I feel have (I think) reinvigorated me somewhat. Had some issues with recorded videos and ended up losing a lot of camera time, and it frustrated me quite a bit. Expect to see videos occurring again in the coming month, going to do my darndest to dedicate a few bucks to a new digital camera and a tripod, and I WILL get back to a regular output of videos : ].

Thanks for being interested in just an Everyday guy's opinions and thoughts!

$633 budget AR build.

Quick followup to my last post. I believe that most every household in America should own a semi-automatic, magazine fed, standard capacity (20+ rds) rifle. The Founding Fathers envisioned a militia of citizens prepared to rise up out of their homes to defend the nation should the need arise (against threats foreign or domestic, but that's a different discussion), and it's tough to do that without relatively modern firearm technology. (Side note: ARs and AKs really aren't even modern... designed in 1957 and 1946/47 respectively. Wouldn't call a 65 year old car or computer "modern" would we?)

A friend asked about the "cheapest AR I can build" so that he, as the head of his household, could join the ranks of rifle owning private citizens. Now... we want it to run, but within reason I put together a second list to try and cut out some additional cost. There are a couple of places I'll still be recommending a very small cost increase for some upgrade or another, but still wanted to give the lower cost choice as an option.

Completed Upper: $415 Del-Ton 16" Discovered that Del-Ton sells their uppers directly for slightly less and with free shipping, so I'll be getting my upper there now. The one I'm suggesting for my friend has a 16" barrel again, but a mid-length gas system and an M4 profile barrel since weight is not as much a concern as for Mrs. EDG's build. Stuck with the Del-Ton upper over some possibly cheaper choices because they are known for being well-functioning and accurate for the cost.

Thoughts on the EDG's first AR-15 (build).

Sure, you could go all medieval on it like this guy and build your own "Assault Weapon" from a gardening tool (which is frickin' awesome by the way), but let's be honest, when it comes to putting together a modern, self-loading rifle, the AR-15 platform takes the cake. Now, while starting a little earlier in the process and building from an 80% lower receiver is something I am interested in doing at some point, it makes a ton of sense for a first time AR owner to build from a stripped lower.

So, about a week, maybe 2 weeks ago I started thinking through the possibility of doing just that...

The love/hate I have with Ruger.

I love Ruger, you know that? I also hate Ruger... Of course, many people have heard of the compromises that Bill Ruger suggested and advocated many times, resulting in legislation directly opposed to the desires of the responsible gun owner. That's not the issue at hand for me. It was unfortunate, it wasn't good, we should take it as a lesson on compromise, but we can't go back in time and it doesn't affect how I feel about Sturm, Ruger & Co. now. However, I really feel like Ruger could be 2 separate companies, a good one and a crappy one.

New FBI pistol. What's it to you?

The FBI has released a notice that they will begin testing and evaluation for a new service pistol beginning in the first quarter of 2015. Without repeating everything listed in the official notice of pre-solicitation, basically, they will be entertaining bids for 9mm pistols in both a "Service Size" of 4.5 - 5.5" barrel length holding 15+ rounds and a compact/mid size 3.75 - 4.25" barreled pistol holding 13+. They also are requiring a red training pistol with a resetting trigger and a blue Simunitions training pistol. Now, how is this interesting to the everyday gun owner?

Pistols suck really really bad...

Below is a still shot from the .45 ACP 230gr HST vs 220gr +P Critical Duty test we ran as one of our first 10% gel tests. The wound trail, specifically out of the HST (bottom left star pattern), is VERY solid for a pistol round. We still need to run tests on some other self defense loads out of the EDG pistols (definitely interested in looking at a .45 Golden Saber after our 9mm comparo...), but after seeing results from 8 different premium self defense pistol rounds, I think I have a decent grasp on it.

And I have to say, pistols are sooo baaaad...

Pick on someone your own size...

Politically conservative women seem to be the favorite target amongst internet crazies these days. Look, I understand, most of those who get harassed know what they are getting into when they start their Facebook/Twitter or whatever, but since when do men people (don't deserve the first term) feel like they have the right to not just disagree with, not just pick on, but severely threaten and berate these girls on social media? If they started ripping on me, whatever,

Fight back!

 

Pictured: Not a victim (Massad Ayoob[Massad Ayoob Group] & Julianna[A Girl and a Gun])

"Baltimore City police are investigating two assaults and robberies that happened within 24 hours of each other in Canton...

Is a Zero Tolerance policy bigotry?

Are "Zero Tolerance" policies at a school bigotry?

Reference.com calls bigotry "stubborn and complete intolerance of any creed, belief, or opinion that differs from one's own." Merriam-Webster.com says a bigot is "one who regards or treats the members of a group with hatred and intolerance." That sounds very much like a zero tolerance policy to me... Bigotry is not just related to race or gender. It is a term that can be applied to anything. Imagine if we got politicians to start admitting their bigotry towards guns of all kinds? Toy or real? Addressed it like every other method of bigotry? Get the ridiculous "politically correct" thing to work for us?

Read this story if you want to know what I'm coming at this from. The level of "stubborn and complete intolerance of any...opinion that differs from one's own" and treating someone from another group with intolerance is remarkable. I don't see how you can be the level of stupid displayed in this story and still have a stamp of approval as an educator.

At BEST, Zero Tolerance policies in school are shear laziness. A conscious, pre-determined decision to NOT think through each situation as it comes to you in leadership? That's the worst sort of training you could give to children. What if a judge did that? Pre-determined how he was going to deal with each case based on what the accusation was, without taking into account the surrounding circumstances. Yeah, we'd all want him fired...

A compatible ammo rifle/pistol combo?

This thought originally came from Michael Bane while he was discussing the carrying of defensive arms in a non-permissive state. The idea being, what would the ideal pistol/rifle battery be for vehicle carry if you were in a state that disallowed guns that help over 10 rounds. His initial thought and what he ended up settling on was a mag-fed Browning BLR lever gun in .223 to go along with a .357 mag revolver. Mr. Bane did however, discuss on his podcast the possibility of both a .357 or .44 mag only set of guns.

To me... it's just cool. What gun person HASN'T thought about purchasing a .44 Magnum revolver at some point (come on now, we all know about Dirty Harry and his Model 29). So with the thought that a .44 revolver is already in play, it just seems like a very fun idea to get a lever action rifle in the same caliber.