Blog

  • Update to the Basic Gunshot Wound Kit

    A while back I put up a post on what’s needed for a basic gunshot wound kit. That post came about because of my strong belief that folks who shoot regularly need to have one of these in their range bag, as well as the training on how to use them. My kit includes the very basics and was could fit in a quart-sized ziplock bag.

    One of the things in the kit is the Hyfin Chest Seal. The seals I bought expired in August So I ordered new ones.

    They’ve changed, slightly:

    Old on top, new on bottom.
    Old on top, new on bottom.

    The new ones are a little larger than the old ones. The first thought I had was that I ordered a different size, but they have the same National Serial Number:

    NSN:6515-01-532-8019
    NSN:6515-01-532-8019

    Now, I’m sure there is a really good reason for the size change. The guys who make these know a whole lot more about it than I do so I don’t want this to come across as a complaint. But it does present a problem for me:
    IMG_3704

    IMG_3705

    The new seals don’t fit in a quart-sized ziplock bag.

    Again, not a complaint, but I did want to put this FYI out there for anyone who built their kits using my post.

    Update to the update:

    I contacted the manufacturer and asked them if folding/creasing the seals will damage them, and why they made them larger. The response I got was:

    1 – The Chest can be folded and creased without adverse effect in performance or quality.
    2- More surface area coverage was desired by our customers according to feedback that we have received.

    So that settles that. Now go ponder what the implications of #2 are…

  • Snowpocalypse

    image

    Earlier in the week, we had forecasts of a half inch of snow for today. Then one inch.  Then maybe a dusting. Then one and a half to two inches! Then three to four!

    Schools announced closures for Tuesday. Grocery stores were raided. My business trip was canceled.

    And this morning the forecast changed to “a light dusting.”

  • Blood in the streets!

    What happens when you have record gun sales, record new handgun permits, and fewer restrictions on where folks can carry?

    How about the lowest number of murders ever recorded in a single year?

    They have screaming. We have facts.

  • Update on the Bersa Thunder 9 Pro

    Just a quick update.  I’ve been having problems with my Bersa Thunder 9 Pro failing to extract since I bought it.  After some research, I guessed it was the extractor (which apparently did have a bad run a while back).  I called Bersa up,* told them what was going on, and they sent me a new one.

    At which point the new extractor sat on my shelf for several months…

    Yesterday morning, I finally decided to attack the problem.  What I feared was going to be a difficult task turned out to be “remove slide, drift out one pin, replace extractor.”

    Conveniently, I was set to meet up with Wizard and a couple other folks at the range yesterday afternoon.  I’m happy to report that I ran a box of ammo through it without issue instead of having to clear jams on a regular basis.

    I’m now debating if I want to use it for my next IDPA match or my Beretta Px4.

    *This was also the same time I ordered a new slide catch for my Thunder 380.  After a few thousand rounds through it, the catch had rounded off to the point that the slide wouldn’t lock back.

  • Tactical Dog’s thoughts on Christmas

    SRSLY YOU GUYZ?

    Lilwizard gets all this stuff, and I get a ball and a bone?

  • Overheard in the house

    me: Huh… Kalashnikov died yesterday

    Naienko: No!

    me: He was 94

    Nainko: but… ballet!

    me: …um… Mikhail Kalashnikov … inventor of the AK-47?

    Naienko: … oh

    Naienko: Who was I thinking of?

  • The Grinch has been arrested

    This was posted on the front page of our local NBC affiliate.

    Kudos to them and the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office, because that’s adorable.

  • Merry Christmas from Chuck Norris

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WkRwxp_vXfA&feature=youtube_gdata_player

  • Gun Porn: QD Scope and Outback II-D suppressor on the 10/22 Takedown Tactical

    Last week I showed off my new toy and had a decision to make about mounting my optics. Regular readers know that I bought a BSA Sweet .22 mounted in a PEPR QD a while back for my M&P15-22, but it didn’t quite work out. I also have a Nikon P-223 3×32 BDC Carbine in some $20 QD rings*

    IMG_3693

    What I decided to do was take the cheapo QD rings off the P-223 scope and put them on the Sweet .22. Then I bought some Burris XTR Rings for the P-223 on Farmdad’s recommendation. More on that later, as I’m playing musical gun parts with pretty much all my rifles right now.

    So here’s what I ended up with:
    IMG_3696

    And here’s what it looks like all broken down:
    IMG_3699

    My next step is figuring out a way to put a bipod on it. I have this one, which came with a mounting plate for the rifle stock, but since apparently this stock is hollow I’m not sure how that’s all going to work out. This replacement barrel band gives me mixed feelings, and there’s a reviewer who says it doesn’t work with the takedown model.

    One more thing of note: The threading on the 10/22 is a wee bit too long for the Gemtech Outback II-D…
    IMG_3695

    Gemtech’s specs say that the internal threading on the Outback II-D is 0.400″ so I’ll need to use a spacer in order to avoid damaging the first baffle.

    *despite what the description says, those are Weaver rings, not Picatinny.