Archive for November, 2008
Browning Shotgun Rebates: Time Is Running Out
Posted by: | CommentsBrowning has been offering rebates on two lines of their shotguns: the Gold and the BPS. Both of these rebate offers end on November 30, 2008.
Browning is offering a rebate of $75 on any BPS gun and $100 on any Gold gun. The BPS line features a wide range of shotguns in gauges 10, 12, 16, 20,and 28 and .410. The Gold line features a higher-end long gun in 10, 12, and 20 gauges.
I know a lot of people have been out buying firearms, especially those that might be affected by a new “Assault Weapons” ban. This has been driving up prices, so taking advantage of one of these rebates may help bring that new sporting gunback into your budget.
Smith and Wesson M&P Continues to Increase Law Enforcement Marketshare
Posted by: | CommentsSmith and Wesson continues to sell significant numbers of M&P pistols and rifles to law enforcement.
Most recently, Smith and Wesson announced M&P15 (the S&W AR-15) sales to the Chicago Police Department and the Minnesota State Patrol. 275 M&P15 rifles were shipped to CPD and another 90 went out to MSP.
Smith also announced they shipped 7500 M&P9 pistols to the US military for distribution to the Iraqi military and security forces. One wonders if this exposure to the M&P will influence the military’s future decisions regarding replacement of the M9 pistol.
Hornady FTX Bullets Available to Reloaders
Posted by: | CommentsHornady has announced they will be selling their FTX bullets as components for handloading. The FTX bullets feature a patented polymer tip that have been effective in rejuvenating the lever gun market with the LEVERevolution line of ammunition. Additionally, the FTX bullets are now being loaded in Hornady’s new Critical Defense line of ammunition.
FTX, also known as “Flex Tip, bullets will be intially be available in sizes between 30 and 50 caliber, with a total of seven offerings.
Hornady Critical Defense Ammunition: “Purpose Built for Concealed Carry Guns”
Posted by: | CommentsHornady has recently announced a new line of ammunition: Critical Defense. The Critical Defense line of ammo is specially designed for small, compact firearms frequently carried concealed for self-defense.
The Critical Defense ammunition features a hollow point bullet the same “Flex Tip” polymer tip that Hornady uses in the LEVERevolution line of ammunition. The tip prevents the hollowpoint from being plugged with clothing and helps ensure expansion. Because of the Flex Tip technology, Hornady claims to achieve “100% reliable expansion every single time.”
The new Hornady ammo is not designed to meet the FBI test protocols used by some law enforcement agencies when choosing ammunition. Rather, Critical Defense ammunition is designed to operate in small, concealed carry guns against clothed attackers–not through steel and glass as required by the FBI testing.
According to Hornady:
- Unaffected by thick and heavy clothing, including denim and leather.
- FTX™ bullet delivers superior controlled expansion and large, deep wound cavities over a wide range of velocities.
- Clean burning and stable propellants reduce recoil in lightweight handguns, and perform consistently in all temperatures.
- Minimal muzzle flash protects night vision.
- Feeds reliably in pistols.
- Shiny silver nickel plating prevents corrosion, and is easily visible in low light situations.
- Bullets are custom designed for individual loads.
- The most effective, consistent, and reliable self-defense ammunition available today!
Critical Defense ammunition is being introduced in 9mm, .380 ACP, standard pressure .38 Special, and .38 Special +P. Ammunition is starting to ship and should be on the shelves by the end of the month.
The Hornady ads and literature feature the Ruger LCP, so I don’t know if this was the purpose-built ammunition for the LCP that Michael Bane refered to in his podcast.
.327 Federal Magnum A Viable Self Defense Caliber?
Posted by: | CommentsEver since Ruger and Federal introduced the .327 Federal Magnum in November of 2007, I have been intrigued by the potential of this caliber. Granted, any new firearm caliber has a serious uphill battle to be accepted by the general shooting public. But, the .32 has been around and used for self defense since the 1800′s. Let’s be honest…the .32 has never been known as a “man-stopper,” but is has had a small portion of the firearms market. Could the .327 Federal Magnum make the .32 a serious self-defense caliber?
After Ruger’s introduction of the SP101 chambered for the new cartridge, Charter Arms released the Patriot series of revolvers chambered for the .327 Federal Magnum. In the Jan/Feb 2009 issue of American Handgunner, John Taffin tested the Patriot and gave his opinions on the gun and caliber. Out of the 2.2″ barrel on the Patriot, the 115 grain Speer Gold Dot was smoking along at about 1230 fps for more than 385 foot-pounds of energy. The milder-recoiling 85 grain Federal JHP was in the 1220′s with more than 280 ft-lbs of energy.
Those are respectable numbers for a self defense firearm, especially when you conside they are coming out of a 2.2″ barrel. In a short carbine, I imagine the .327 could be a fantastic small game gun.
To my knowledge, no one has been forced to use a .327 Federal Magnum in a self-defense shooting. Without a stack of positive results from “the street,” I’m hesitant to reccommend this caliber. However, if you prefer a .32 caliber firearm, the .327 is a vast improvement over the .32 H&R Magnum and its predecessors. With speeds in the 1200′s, the bullet will expand after striking, unlike the bullets out of the weaker .32′s.
An Open Letter to the RNC
Posted by: | CommentsFor more than two years, I have been trying to communicate with the Republican National Committee. I have felt that the RNC has abandoned a great many of the conservative ideals that I once thought they espoused. I have pressed them to reign in spending, lower taxes, eliminate government programs, and to protect my right to keep and bear arms. However, my calls have gone enreturned and my letters unanswered.
This year I was faced with a decision: vote for Bob Barr, the Libertarian candidate who closely mirrored my views or vote for McCain becuase he had the best chance of beating Obama. It was not an easy decision. Barr, the only presidential candidate who holds a concealed carry permit, was clearly the best choice for gun rights, but he did not stand any chance of winning. McCain, though not 100% on the right side of gun rights arguments, certainly had a chance against Obama. And, I think we all know where Obama stands on guns.
So in the end, I held my nose and voted for McCain. Frankly, if Palin had not been on the ticket, McCain still may not have gotten my vote.
Well, as soon as McCain loses, his staff starts leaking all sorts of crap about Palin. At no point has McCain or the RNC considered that McCain did not win because McCain was a poor choice…or that McCain ran a awful campaign. Nope…they started dragging Palin through the mud.
So, I got an e-mail from Rick Davis, the McCain campaign manager thanking me for my support during the election. I fired off a response. Like all of my prior attempts to contact the RNC, this has gone unanswered.
So, in an effort to air my grievances, here is an open letter to Rick Davis, the McCain campaign, and the RNC:
_____________________________
Dear Mr. Davis:
I don’t imagine that you will read or respond to this e-mail, because no one in the RNC has bothered to respond to any of the letters that I and other Republicans have sent over the past four years.
I am not proud to have supported or voted for John McCain. I am not proud to have sent money to his campaign. I am not proud to be associated with the Republican party.
Like many Republicans, I am conservative. Unfortunately, John McCain and the RNC leadership are not.
Conservatives believe in smaller government, elimination of welfare programs, the rights of the individuals, and a free market. Since President Bush took office, Republicans have spent money like a drunken sailor in port. Social welfare programs have expanded. Freedoms have been lost in a vain attempt at government provided security. President Bush has done more to discredit the conservative movement than any Democrat could hope to.
Republicans, thirsting for a true conservative, are given John McCain as their nominee. McCain is no better than Bush. McCain is no conservative and he is not a leader we so desperately need.
When John McCain failed, his campaign staff blamed Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin. Not only is this totally classless, it demonstrates the disconnect between the McCain campaign with the voters. I, and many other Republicans like me, decided to vote for McCain because Palin was on the ticket. Palin is an honest citizen and conservative. Palin is someone we trust to cut through the crap and level with us. Your campaign’s vicious attacks on Palin prove to me that my gut instinct about you was correct.
Be advised: the Republican party needs to be cleaned out. If the RNC is to survive, it needs to be truly conservative and responsive to the people it claims to represent.
Respectfully,
A Former Republican
_____________________________
How about this: the Nugent/Palin ticket? I’m all in.
Taurus Offers Rebates on 1911 and 24/7 OSS Pistols
Posted by: | CommentsTaurus International is offering rebates on the purchase of new Taurus handguns. Between now and December 31, 2008, purchasing a Taurus 1911 will get you a $75 rebate and a Taurus 24/7 OSS pistol will net you $50 back. Considering how aggressively Taurus has priced these guns, these rebates are very nice indeed.
Full details are available from Taurus here.
The Survival Podcast
Posted by: | CommentsHi. My name is Richard and I am a podcast addict.
Two years ago, my wife bought me an iPod and I discovered podcasts. Gun podcasts to start with, followed by tech and humor podcasts. Then I discovered Glenn Beck’s show is available as a podcast. I could find almost anything I wanted as a podcast. Recently I discovered The Survival Podcast.
The Survival Podcast is not strictly a firearms podcast. However, the podcast does cover a lot of topics of concern to gun owners and has frequent shows about firearms.
The concept of the Survival Podcast is “Helping you live the life you want if times get tough, or even if they don’t.” To that end, topics on independent living through getting rid of debt, alternative energy, understanding the economy, gardening, hunting, firearms, and emergency preparedness are all covered.
Unlike some surivalist-types that are hunkered down in a bunker waiting for “the big one,” the podcaster, Jack, is a real guy with a real job who has set out to provide a better life for his family by becoming more independent and taking responsibility for their safety and survival.
The podcast is published almost every weekday, as it is recorded in the car during a long commute. There is background noise, but it is not awful. Jack is very animated and keeps listeners engaged. Frankly, some of the topics he has covered I never would have listened to if it had not been for his style and mannerisms drawing me into the conversation.
The Survival Podcast also has a very active forums section that is really worth checking out. There are a lot of great ideas and conversations going on.
The Survival Podcast is completely free and worth checking out.
A-10 Video
Posted by: | CommentsWhile a little out of the scope of the normal content of this site, I found a very intense video of an A-10 combat mission over at The Firearm Blog that I think you might like.
The video is declassified footage from Operation Enduring Freedom in which two A-10 pilots are providing close air support to troops who are taking hostile fire from (at least) two locations.
During the past few days, there has been a firestorm of questions and panic on the Internet forums regarding the US government banning all Wolf ammo from being imported into the United States. A lot of the information thrown out there is incorrect. To make it perfectly clear:
The US government ban on Rosoboronexport does not apply to the consumer importation of Wolf-branded ammunition.
Here is what is going on…
On August 4, 2006, the U.S. Department of State announced sanctions against Rosoboronexport, because the Russian government, who controls Rosoboronexport, violated the Iran Nonproliferation Act of 2000. In December 2006, the ban was confirmed and extended two years. The ban prohibited the United States government, not its citizens, from doing business with Rosoboronexport.
On October 23, 2008, the U.S. government announced a new two-year ban that prohibits itself from doing business with Rosoboronexport. This ban relates to Russia selling anti-air missles to Iran, presumably to defend against air-raids on the Iranian nuclear programs. The new ban is, in effect, simply an extension of the old ban that is set to expire in December 2008. Again, this ban only prohibits agencies of the U.S. government from doing business with Rosoboronexport.
Wolf-branded ammunition made for military purposes is exported by Rosoboronexport. This is the only Wolf branded ammunition that Rosoboronexport deals with. All other Wolf ammunition is not exported by Rosoboronexport.
So, unless you are (1) looking to buy Wolf ammo as an agency of the United States, and (2) wanting to buy the military ammunition exported by Rosoboronexport, this ban does not directly affect you.
I have also read that the ban applies to all Wolf-branded ammunition from the Tula arsenal. Not true according to the Wolf PR folks at the Tula Cartridge Works. After conversing with the people actually at Tula (their English is better than my Russian), they confirmed that only military manufactured ammo (regardless of which factory) is affected by the Rosoboronexport ban. The Wolf staff said the civilian ammunition made at Tula is unaffected.
Indirectly, the ban may affect you because a lot of people: read a post at one of the forums, thought the sky was falling, and ran out to buy up all of the Wolf ammo they could find. This certainly cannot help ammo prices.
One last thought… the executive branch can place a large variety of import bans in place that DO affect the supply of foreign made ammunition and firearms. These bans do not go before Congress and can be made at any time without any real “due process.” So, if you have a firearm that depends on imported ammunition or uses imported magazines, I humbly suggest stocking up prior to January 20, 2009.
Here is more information:
Russia Criticizes US Sanctions on Arms Trader from the Washington Times
Rosoboronexport Views U.S. Sanctions As “Unfair Competition” from iStockAnalyst
Rosoboronexport from Wikipedia
Ammunition Price Increases: Bad and Getting Worse
Posted by: | CommentsBack in March, I wrote about the soaring costs of ammunition. Later the same month, I let everyone know about the pending price increases by ATK, the parent company of Speer, Federal, and CCI. Now that a few more months have passed, I thought some of you would be interested in seeing how much prices have increased since the first half of 2008.
As you can see, price increases continue at a staggering rate. The prices were all taken from a major vendor’s monthly catalog and I used cartridges that I could locate in all three catalogs for the comparison.
Now, think about this. Ammunition prices are driven by two factors: scarcity and demand. With President-elect Obama coming to power in about two months, I guarantee that demand for ammunition is going up. This will increase prices, as will the shortages experienced by your dealers because of the demand.
I hope you already have the ammunition you need. If not, keep an eye out for deals, but I imagine they will be few and far between.
Wolf .223 Ammunition for Long Term Storage
Posted by: | CommentsFor a variety of reasons (like possible bans and wild price increases), a lot of people are interested in stocking up on ammunition and methods of storing ammo for a long period of time. You can conquer both tasks by finding good mil-surp ammo already stored in “spam cans.” Mil-surp ammo is normally packaged for long term storage, so buying some that is still in the original military packaging is a good idea.
I got an e-mail from J&G Sales saying they have Wolf .223 ammo in Russian-style spam cans in stock and ready to ship at $145/500 round can. These are non-corrosive, steel cased, 55 grain FMJ cartridges. J&G is not a sponsor and I don’t make a dime off any of their sales. This seemed like a good deal for anyone looking for long term storage .223 ammo, so I figured I would pass it along.
