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Red Magazines for the Holiday Season?

There is a popular joke that comes up every year around the holidays:

There are only two kinds of people in this world: those that believe Die Hard is a Christmas movie and those that are wrong.*

Die Hard is a great action movie based on a Christmas party that gets crashed by Professor Snape and his squeeze cocker. But beyond this movie, there is a strong association between the holidays and shooting for many families. From putting food on the table for the Christmas dinner to giving your child his or her first rifle, the shooting and hunting sports are closely related to the holidays.

So, to get your shooting in the Christmas spirit this year, Lancer Systems is offering a festive version of its Advanced Warfighter Magazine (L5AWM). The newÂ L5AWM has a translucent red body that really stands out.

Just because these are a fun color doesn’t mean they aren’t a serious magazine. The redÂ L5AWM gets all of the same features that the standard Advanced Warfighter Magazine gets including the steel feed lips, non-tilt follower, stainless steel spring and relatively thin body.

I’ve got a few Lancer Systems magazines and have been pleased by their performance. They have worked in a wide range of AR-style rifles and pistols that I have shot, and I would feel comfortable relying on them for serious use.

According to Lancer Systems, the redÂ L5AWM is only available through GunMagWarehouse and can be purchased by clicking here. It looks like these are selling for less than $20 as I write this.

Full disclosure – I have written for GunMagWarehouse in the past, but do not currently have any financial interest in the company.

*Actually, it’s not a joke. Die Hard really is a Christmas movie.Â

Smith & Wesson Holdings to Change Names

by: Richard Johnson Leave a Comment

Smith & Wesson Holding Corporation called a special stockholder meeting in a move to change its name to American Outdoor Brands Corporation. The meeting is scheduled for December 13.

Mossberg Now Selling AOWs

by: Richard Johnson 2 Comments

O.F. Mossberg & Sons is the latest manufacturer to jump into the deep end of the pool with NFA weapons. We’ve seen other major companies like Ruger start selling suppressors, and now Mossberg is offering 12 gauge AOWs.

Smith & Wesson Buys Crimson Trace for $95 Million in Cash

by: Richard Johnson Leave a Comment

Smith & Wesson has been buying up smaller companies that complement its own firearms product line. The latest acquisition is laser powerhouse Crimson Trace.

Harris Publications Closing Down

by: Richard Johnson 19 Comments

Prolific gun magazine publisher, Harris Publications, announced to its staff today that it is closing down effective April 29, 2016. This move will eliminate 16 different shooting and firearms related periodicals and annuals.

Among the magazines shuttered:

Combat Handguns,
Guns & Weapons for Law Enforcement,
Pocket Pistols,
Survivor’s Edge,
Tactical Weapons, and
Special Weapons for Military & Police.

News Documentary on Active Shooter Response

by: Richard Johnson 7 Comments

Fighting back against a spree killer (often incorrectlyÂ called an ‘active shooter’) is something that many in the mainstream media has unconscionably railed against. From anti-gun opinion pieces disguised as news articles to videos showing the poor performance of armed citizens in contrived situations, much of the old media has been wrongly beating the idea that you cannot fight back into the brains of viewers.

Tonight, however, there will be a different look at the situation.Â For the Record, an investigative journalismÂ television program, takes on actively resisting a mass murderer.

For the Record is an hour long television news programÂ that does in-depth investigations into various topics. I’ve seen some of its work on Islamic extremism, the Fort Hood shooting, the 2008 financial crisis, drug cartel violence and BMA land grabs. While much of the information they provide is unsettling, I have always found it to be accurate and apolitical. So, I am looking forward to watching this show tonight.

The above video is a preview clip with Rob Pincus, the owner of I.C.E. TrainingÂ and developer of the Combat Focus Shooting techniques. In addition to operating a successful self-defense firearms school, Pincus is an author and frequent guest on news programs. He is extremely knowledgable on the defensive use of force including how the body alarm response plays into the encounter. Pincus is also one of the driving forces behind the new PD10 pistols from Avidity Arms.

Below is a video teaser from For the Record on the episode:

For what it is worth, I have taken a Combat Focus ShootingÂ classÂ taught byÂ Deryck Poole of Echo-5 Training. Poole, an instructor affiliated with I.C.E. Training, provided top notch training and offered great insight into the shooting system. Whether you train with Pincus or one of his affiliated instructors, the courses are worth taking.

The show also highlights Endeavor Defense and Fitness in Hilliard, OH. In fact, Endeavor Fitness seems to have been the inspiration for the program, as For the Record did a short piece on them last December. Based on that video, it looks like these guys are offering some solid advice on how to respond if confronted with a nightmare scenario in a gun free environment.

I recommend taking the time to watch the show. Though I’ve not yet seen it, I am confident in the ability of both Pincus and For the Record to deliver informative and engaging content that is worth my time.

The Blaze is a multi-mediaÂ network that started online and is now carried on a number of cable and satellite providers such as Verizon FIOS and the DISH Network. Additionally, the network is available as a streaming service (with apps for Roku, Apple TV and Amazon’s FireTV in addition to your computer and phone/tablet.) The streaming service is a subscription, but you can join for only $1 for 30 days and then cancel if you just want to watch this show. (Note: I’m not an affiliate of The Blaze, and I don’t make a dime if you choose to subscribe to its service. I am, however, a subscriber myself.)