Month: November 2009

Categories
General Information

Thanksgiving

Here in the United States, we take one day off every year to pause and reflect on those things which we are thankful for.

I am thankful for my family: my wife, children, and parents. Each of them has made me a better person by setting examples and inspiring me to be more than I am today.

I am thankful for my country.  Here I am free to pursue my dreams, worship God in my own way, and to live my life free of fear.  No other country in the world has done more to foster freedom and liberty in the world than the United States.

I am thankful for the men and women who willingly stand up and walk into harm’s way to protect the citizens of my country.  Whether you carry a M4 in the rugged mountains of Afghanistan, stand watch on an aircraft carrier, or drive a patrol car through the cities and counties of our own country, each of you stands up every day and goes where others will not, to defend our fellow citizens, asking only one question: If not me, then who?

I am especially thankful for Marcus Luttrell and all of the servicemen in our country’s elite fighting units who are called upon far too frequently to walk into battle, to do the impossible missions that are asked of them.  These soldiers, sailors, Marines, and airmen willingly suffer more, mentally and physically, than we have a right to ask of them.  Yet, they refuse to stop or quit because their countrymen still need them.

I am thankful for the medical technology, and a free and competitive market that has given it to us.  Our current health system helped my father beat cancer more than 20 years ago, and it is helping my mother beat it today.  Our health system saved the life of my wife and our daughter, when she was giving birth and complications arose.  Under a socialized form of health care, I would be without these people, and as such I am very thankful for the men and women of the United States who have stood up to fight against the current health care bills in the US Congress.

Lastly, I am thankful for you, dear reader.  You have chosen to spend some small part of your day to visit, read, comment, and support my sponsors.  Without you, I would not be able to do this.

Thank you.

Categories
Ammunition

New Ammo from Winchester

new ammo from winchester

As 2009 begins to close, Winchester Ammunition announced a wide range of new loads for 2010.  These new loads will be shown at the SHOT Show in January, and will be released to the public shortly thereafter.  We will be at the show and will bring you additional information as we can from the good folks at Winchester.

.338 Win Mag  E-Tip

Winchester Ammunition is expanding the E-Tip line of hunting loads with the addition of the .338 Win Mag.  The .338 Win Mag will feature a 200 grain E-Tip bullet.  Velocities have not yet been released by Winchester.  Expect to see this cartridge on your dealer’s shelves in June of 2010.  (Ed. update – As of 2013, this load is no longer listed on the Winchester Ammunition website.)

Winchester new ammo12 Gauge PDX12 Slug/OO Shell

In one of the more interesting offerings for 2010, Winchester Ammunition is introducing a 12 gauge cartridge that contains a one ounce rifled slug with three plated 00-buck pellets loaded on top of it.  The slug features Winchester’s Power Point technology.  The 2 3/4″ shell is a reduced recoil load and is due out in March of 2010.

I don’t know if the three 00 pellets add any additional stopping power to the full ounce slug, but I know I would not want to be on the receiving end of it.

.380 ACP PDX1 Ammo

Expanding the Supreme Elite Bonded PDX1 line of ammunition, Winchester added a .380 ACP load for 2010.  Due in February of 2010, the new .380 load features a bonded 95 grain JHP.  The round is rated at 1000 fps at the muzzle, which is typical for this caliber.  Hopefully, Winchester will make enough of this ammo to meet demand in 2010!

Continue reading “New Ammo from Winchester”
Categories
Ammunition

New Hornady Rifle Loads: 7.62×39 and 6.5 Grendel

Hornady 357 Mag LeverEvolutionHornady Manufacturing announced two new rifle loads ahead of the 2010 SHOT Show.  One load is for the popular Soviet 7.62×39 cartridge found in AK-47, SKS and other rifles.  The second load is in 6.5 Grendel, a medium power load designed to give AR-15 shooters power similar to that of the 7.62×39.

Hornady 7.62×39 V-MAX

hornady_762_vmax

Hornady announced a new load for the 7.62×39 cartridge.  The new load in Hornady’s Custom line is a steel-cased, Berdan primed round topped with a 123 grain V-MAX bullet.  Muzzle velocity is rated at 2350 fps, which puts energy at 1508 ft-lbs.

Continue reading “New Hornady Rifle Loads: 7.62×39 and 6.5 Grendel”
Categories
Ammunition

Hornady Expands Critical Defense Line of Ammunition

Hornady announced three new loads in the Critical Defense line of ammunition:  .357 Magnum, .40 S&W, and .45 ACP.  Refer to the chart for specific loading information:

hornady_cd_011

Claiming to be the “pinnacle in self defense ammunition,” Hornady lists the following benefits of the Critical Defense line of ammunition:

  • 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 cannelured and crimped to avoid bullet setback.
  • Bullets are custom designed for individual loads.
  • The most effective, consistent, and reliable self-defense ammunition available today.

Update

The Critical Defense line of ammunition has proved to be a solid performer, and the line has expanded even more to include such calibers as the 9×18 Makarov and the .22 WMR.  The performance of the FTX bullets that Hornady loads in these rounds is excellent across a wide range of velocities and the loads are very reliable in many different firearms.  Without a doubt, this line of ammunition is a real winner for the company.

Since the original introduction of these rounds, Hornady has also started a parallel line of ammo products called the Critical Duty line.  The Critical Duty line of ammunition is designed for greater penetration and is marketed to law enforcement agencies.  It meets all of the FBI testing protocols and offers the same reliable expansion and performance that people have come to expect from Hornady and the Critical Defense line.  These rounds are all exceptional performers and do very well for anyone looking to defend themselves from a violent assault or attack on their person or on their family.  Two thumbs up, so to speak.

Categories
Optics and Sighting Systems

Crimson Trace to Launch New Products at 2010 SHOT Show

crimsontrace_charterarmsIt would appear that Crimson Trace is preparing to launch several new products at the 2010 SHOT Show.  Michael Bane teased to this in his podcast, Down Range Radio, last week.

In addition to the Lasergrips introduced with new guns (as they did with the Ruger LCR at the 2009 SHOT Show), I think we may see green lasers from Crimson Trace.  A number of CT competitors, including Viridian and LaserMax, have been capitalizing on their green laser products.

If you have not used a green laser-equipped gun before, you may not recognize what a significant difference this is.  I have used various red laser products before, including Crimson Trace.  Frankly, I was never impressed by their capability in daylight or indoor lighting conditions.  In bright daylight, I found them to be completely unusable.  Green lasers, however, are different.

I’ve had the chance to play with various green lasers, and have found them to be much more visible in all lighting conditions.  I can easily see and use a green laser in full daylight.  The difference between green and red is profound.

Don’t be surprised to see Crimson Trace introduce a green laser product at the 2010 SHOT Show.  Blue and purple lasers are probably not terribly likely to be seen.  A green laser, though, is a possibility.

Update

There were no green lasers from Crimson Trace – just more red lasers.  It took Crimson Trace a couple of more years to bring out a viable green laser product for the consumers.  They were not the first to market with a green colored laser, but they did bring out a high-quality line of green lasers.

The 2010 SHOT Show was a good one for Crimson Trace, and for everyone in the shooting industry.  The show was held in Las Vegas, and it looks like it will stay in Vegas for a while.