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Updated: 1 week 15 hours ago

Book Review: Castigo Cay by Matt Bracken

Fri, 11/15/2013 - 20:00

 

A woman lay on a bed in a small house in the woods. An old woman, her sight is gone, she can no longer walk, she can not hear well, her world has shrunk to this small house and a few of her children and friends. She is 97 years old. She hurts, her bones ache, she’s tired and yet, her mind is clear. For a time she lived in the Caribbean, rode in fast boats, knew heroes, defeat, and victory. This woman is my mother, and she knew some of the joy of life again as I read Matt Bracken’s dystopic action thriller, Castigo Cay . . .

For a week this spring, I read to her when she was awake and I was able. My sister and I took care of her as she can no longer care for herself. She was captivated by Castigo Cay, enthralled by the

Has Texas Rep. Louie Gomert Lost his Mind?

Fri, 11/15/2013 - 19:00

In the course of discussing Obamacare’s [alleged] provision of a double secret “officer corps,” Texas Rep. Louie Gomert wonders (darkly) about Uncle Sam’s decision to stockpile ammo, including hollow points. And then he asserts “most ranges don’t let you use hollow-points; they’re too destructive of the target.” Gomert goes on to assert—rightly—that America’s “not supposed to have a secret security force.” (*cough* NSA *cough*) Or any of the hidden activities of any of the fed’s alphabet soup of law enforcement agencies. (*cough* Fast and Furious *cough*) Of course, none of that is as worrying as, say, New York’s SAFE Act. That’s the thing about conspiracy theories: it’s the conspiracy right in front of you that you need to worry about. Still, extremism in defense of liberty is no vice. Right? [h/t DrVino]

Weekend Photo Caption Contest

Fri, 11/15/2013 - 18:00

Dick Metcalf “Talks Reality” On Tom Gresham’s Gun Talk

Fri, 11/15/2013 - 17:00

You read his piece. You heard the outcry. You read his response. Now hear it right from the horse’s mouth. About the only interview former Guns & Ammo technical editor Dick Metcalf has granted is this one with Tom Gresham on Gun Talk Radio. Listen for yourself above and let slip the dogs of righteous retribution below.

Aaron Spuler’s November Gun Giveaway List

Fri, 11/15/2013 - 16:00

As always, thanks to Aaron of The Weapons Blog for compiling this thing. Go forth and enter.

Handguns

FNS-40 Contest Entry: Is This What You Meant, Natalie?

Fri, 11/15/2013 - 15:00

By DrVino

This past weekend, I took a newbie shooting. He’s a nice, young member of the tribe and had expressed an interest in shooting so I took him along to one of the public ranges in the mountains near L.A. Everybody who shoots with some frequency comes to the public range with their guns in cases, supplies in boxes and target frames (rented or home-built). People who own a gun and want to “shoot it once or so”, stand out a mile away. So, immediately, when two guys (one short, shaved head, tattoos, baggy clothing and the other taller, more muscular with more tasteful arm tattoos and one of those buzzed-on-the-sides-long-and-heavily-gelled-on-top hairdos that I associate with guys who race their tricked out Acuras for pink slips) walked up in between lane breaks, they stuck out like sore thumbs . . .

These guys walked up with an uncased AR with an Eotech and no sling. The guy whose gun it appeared to be held it by the pistol grip the way you hold a bucket: dangling from

BREAKING: Detroit Homeowner To Be Charged In McBride Shooting

Fri, 11/15/2013 - 14:37

Theodore Wafer, 54, is to be charged with 2nd-degree murder, manslaughter, and a firearm charge for shooting 19 year-old Renisha McBride in the face with a shotgun on November 2nd, prosecutors announced today. Wafer is expected to turn himself in today to formally answer the charges. This case has drawn accusations of racial profiling, along with inevitable (but utterly baseless) comparisons to the Trayvon Martin case. ‘Stand Your Ground’ and ‘Castle Doctrine’ laws will play no part in this case at all . . .

Not every bump in the night is an intruder bent on mayhem and murder. Sometimes that person ringing your doorbell at 3:00 a.m. really did run out of gas or really does need you to call an ambulance. Renisha McBride’s family says the 19 year-old was disoriented from an earlier car crash when she knocked on the door of an unnamed Detroit homeowner on November 2nd.

She certainly was disoriented. The Wayne County coroner releas

Property Rights and Armed Self Defense

Fri, 11/15/2013 - 14:00

By Clay Moultrie

The recent story of two students at Gonzaga University has renewed debate withing the gun owning community of how property rights relate the the 2nd Amendment. I’d like to share a few thoughts and observations and would like your input. Property rights are a fundamental right. Most of us would agree that when someone is in our home, they are expected to respect us and our property. If a threatening stranger tried to enter my home with a firearm, I wouldn’t allow it. If a guest tried to view objectionable content in my home (things covered under the 1st Amendment, but that I or my family found offensive), I would not allow it. While those individuals have a Constitutional right to possess a firearm and view that material, my property r

FNS-40 Contest Entry: Confessions of a Concealed Carry Noob

Fri, 11/15/2013 - 13:00

 

By Paul White

I’m new to the concealed carry world; in fact I’m still waiting for my license to get back. It should arrive in late December–a great Christmas gift! So I’m not some experienced hand at this. I’ve been attacked when I was much younger, but I’ve never been shot at. I’ve never been in law enforcement or the military. I’m not some grizzled old guy that’s going to tell you to carry a full sized 1911 with 2 spare mags and a compact 45 as a back up because nothing else is big enough, or to carry a gun that has a capacity of at least 12+1 because that’s the minimum bullets you need, or that you have to carry XYZ type of gun. I don’t have the standing to be able to do that . . .

What I am going to do is enumerate some things I realized while shopping for a concealed weapon, and working out carry options.

1) Decide roughly what yo

Which Gun Would You Grab: Benelli M2 or Suppressed Walther P22?

Fri, 11/15/2013 - 12:00

By Michael Holderer

The scenario: a major disaster has hit your region of the country. There’s been significant infrastructure damage in your area and surrounding states. You estimate things won’t get better for 30-60 days. Supplies of food, water and fuel are at critical levels. Emergency broadcasts are reporting some incidents of civil unrest nearby. Police are tied down taking care of their own families and dealing with only the highest priority incidents.  If you had to make a choice between a Benelli M2 shotgun with 50 shells or a suppressed Walther P22 with 200 rounds…which gun would you grab?

 

FNS-40 Contest Update: Video is Go!

Fri, 11/15/2013 - 11:00

TTAG Central Command received a question yesterday about our content contest. Reader J. Howard asked if a video submission would qualify as a valid entry to win the coveted FNS-40 Long Slide that’s up for grabs. Although I initially answered in the affirmative, after consultation with the Dear Leader, we came to the conclusion that videos are really a whole ‘nother beast unto themselves. So thanks to the unending generosity of the people at FNH USA, we’re branching off into a second contest. That’s right, in addition to the current written word competition, we’re starting a second category just for moving pictures. Talkies even! And since video production takes

BREAKING: Jason Schauble Fired as CEO of TrackingPoint

Fri, 11/15/2013 - 10:18

Jason Schauble just recently took the reigns of fledgling TrackingPoint, the media mavens who started shipping their “almost like cheating” super high-tech rifle only a couple months back, and now it looks like he may have been given the boot. Sources close to TTAG have informed us that Jason has been fired from his position, and the announcement was made at an all hands meeting just now within TrackingPoint. We have confirmed this change through an independent second source as well. There’s no word as of yet as to the reason for the shake-up, since from the outside the company appeared to be doing extremely well.

Ask Foghorn: What’s TTAG’s Relationship Like with Gun Companies?

Fri, 11/15/2013 - 10:00

 

Reader Shea writes:

Nick, I have a real love/hate relationship with your gun reviews.  On one hand I love that you are not afraid to be honest regarding how you feel about any particular weapon.  You are so quick to call out a gun for what it is and even more importantly what it isn’t.  That being said I have fallen in love with several guns in the past due to their reviews in other publications only to have my dreams of obtaining the perfect piece for a given application squashed due to your brutal honesty of how the manufacturer of said firearm has fallen short. My question for you is about the nature of your relationship with the manufacturers. . .

Do they like you, or do they hate you?  Gun makers spend millions of marketing dollars getting the photos of their newest offerings in front of gun buyers around the country.  The writers at the gun mags seem

Duracoat Firearms Finish Finally Finished So You Can Finish Your Firearm

Fri, 11/15/2013 - 09:00

Paul Markel [via ammoland.com] writes:

It seems a bit ironic that a product that is soon to take over the custom gun finishing world would bear such a simple, if not benign, moniker. The name “DuraCoat Aerosol Can” doesn’t exactly make you jump out of your chair and sprint to your nearest gun dealer. Nonetheless, the brand new DuraCoat Aerosol spray can is an idea that is going to set the gun and accessory refinishing world on fire in the very near future. For those unfamiliar with the DuraCoat product, let me quote from their website . . .

“DuraCoat is a two part chemical coating. Unlike other firearm finishes, DuraCoat was created specifically for firearms. Other firearm finishes are “spin-off’s” from other industries. Also, DuraCoat is permanent. With normal use, a firearm f

Quote of the Day: Sen. Schumer Thinks Life in Plastic’s Not So Fantastic

Fri, 11/15/2013 - 08:00

“We are actively exploring all options to pass legislation that will eliminate the problem.” – Senator Charles Schumer, Undetectable guns a law enforcement challenge [via chron.com] [h/t M.R.]

Daily Digest: Done In By The Delivery Guy Edition

Thu, 11/14/2013 - 21:00


OK, so this is an arsenal… From Prince George, BC: RCMP officers (and others) seized a large quantity of guns and ammunition from a home after CBSA officers noticed a pair of suspicious packages coming to that address from Germany. The packages were inspected and were found to contain the lower receiver for a Colt-M16A1 and a trigger assembly and selector switch for the M16A1. At the residence, police located more than 31,000 rounds of ammunition, three handguns (two of which were loaded), seven rifles, a fully automatic M16, a fully automatic AK47, two morning stars (spiked metal balls on a chain and stick), two shotguns, five 100-round capacity drum magazines, 50 assault rifle magazines, and four bulletproof vests.

If you’re in the vicinity of STH 186 near Vesper, Wisconsin this evening, you may want to be on the lookout for an AR-15 on the lam. It seems a Wood County Deputy was replacing the rifle in his

Women Tool Up in Indy After Crime Spree – WWSWD?

Thu, 11/14/2013 - 20:00

According to nbcnews.com, something’s been afoot in The Circle City. “Investigators now say another woman was sexually assaulted during a recent home invasion, adding to the growing list of victims during the crimes. Thursday, police and prosecutors will announce new charges against the ten people arrested for the neighborhood crime spree.” Good thing they caught them, no? Despite the fact that the local 5-0 nabbed one group of malefactors, some local residents have decided they don’t want to be at the mercy of their successors . . .

But already, more women are taking action to protect themselves and their families.

Becky Bartone ne

New Show from Top Shot’s Jake Zweig: “Dude, You’re Screwed!”

Thu, 11/14/2013 - 19:00

Jake filled me in on the details months ago during a range trip, but since the cat is now out of the bag I guess it’s fair game now. Jake Zweig, best known for his stint on Top Shot (where he walked out, claiming the competition was rigged), has landed himself a new TV show on Discovery Channel. The premise is that he and his group of buddies will blindfold each other and drop them into extreme survival situations where they will need to reach civilization in 100 hours — all while the rest of the team watches and critiques the adventure. There’s apparently a firearms tie-in as well . . .

According to Jake, the show was intended to feature tons of survival gear as well as jaunts through unforgiving territory — including firearms. And apparently firearms will feature in the show’s survival portions as well. It should be interesting to see a Discovery program

FNS-40 Entry: Thinking About Who Gets to Decide

Thu, 11/14/2013 - 18:00

By Logan Parenteau

As many of you have probably experienced, it’s been a long and hard road for our rights, especially in the aftermath of Newtown. Many of the people we either assumed or knew to be on the side of the Second Amendment suddenly had the opinion of “well I support the 2A, but maybe there oughta be a law”.  We’ve all heard the same tired arguments and maybe even attempted to combat the Fear, Uncertainty, and Doubt that seems to be such a hallmark of our day and age. Here is one short tale about teaching one young mind to think for himself. About dispelling the Fear, Uncertainty, and Doubt that surrounds the simple machines of metal, wood, and plastic that we choose to include in our lives . . .

Not long after that horrific event perpetrated by a very disturbed mind, I had the opportunity to have a discussion with my lady friend’s oldest offspring. I had

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