Kimber K6

This is definitely an interesting twist. Kimber, the 1911-obsessed gun company, has decided to enter the revolver market. The K6 was introduced at the SHOT Show a few weeks ago and now has been the talk of most gun publications.

This compact package weighs in around 23 ounces unloaded, has a 2-inch barrel, and is available in .357 Magnum (of course, it will also shoot .38 Special). The K6 also has several grip configurations. 

This pistol is definitely for those who enjoy the "air-weight" line of guns and don't mind dealing with some heavy recoil. While I can appreciate what Kimber is doing with the K6, I still have a hard time thinking that it's worth the $900 MSRP. There are many revolvers with the same level of quality that are $200 - $300 less than the Kimber. Before I jump to any more conclusions, I need to see one for myself, and preferably shoot it.

SHOT Show Update

I apologize for not "live-streaming" the SHOT Show like I intended. There ended up being way too many products for me to be as thorough as I wanted to be. So after I'm done gathering more information, I'll be posting a product summary of the most anticipated products. I'll also be introducing something that has also been needed... PICTURES!!! But I'm not going to leave you hanging, here's a quick summary of something that was introduced at the SHOT Show that will make any AR person drool.

The Smith and Wesson Sport 15 has been a solid and reliable weapon for someone that is new to the AR platform. Even someone who is an experienced AR shooter knows not to disrespect the S&W Sport 15. At a price point around $700, it's very tempting. And now, it's getting even better!

Introducing the M&P Sport II. This new rifle has all the features of the original AR, but now has a forward-assist and a dust cover. Not sure if it has optics out-of-the-box but it at least comes optics-ready. But that's not the best part! By far the best part about this particular rifle is that it costs EXACTLY the same as the first generation M&P Sport. This gun received some pretty major upgrades and it can be yours for the same price. Do you need any more convincing?

P.S. - I am reviewing my notes and will be writing about the hot items from SHOT. Check back soon for more updates.

*UPDATE: There seem to be a lot of people selling the first-gen model of this gun at great prices! If you don't care too much about these new features, grab a first generation Sport 15 while you can! Prices won't be much better than they are right now.

Executive Action on Guns

Executive action should never be taken to undo rights set forth by the Founding Fathers and the Constitution of the United States of America. This action would break any oath the president swore before taking office. It was intended that if any president were to break their oath of office, that they be removed from their position.

... something to think about.

I don't know what Obama has in store for us over the next week, but we better be prepared for anything.

Am I Ready to Carry?

So, with everything that has been going on lately with terrorist shootings and possible political restrictions on firearms, have you been thinking about obtaining a carry permit and carrying a pistol for the first time? If so,  that's great! Having guns in the hands of knowledgeable law-abiding citizens is always a good thing. Here's a short check list of things you should know before you carry:

• Obtain a gun specifically for concealed carry. Lots of manufacturers advertise that their gun is is the "best of both worlds," or "two guns in one."  This means they can be used for accurate distance shooting at the range AND small enough for concealed carry. I don't like that. It's a "jack of all trades, master of none" scenario. You are better off purchasing a handgun that excels and is fantastic at being a concealed gun rather than getting one that is only okay at being both. Choose the weapon for the job at hand. Plus, buying a gun for a specific purpose only opens up the door for you to purchase another gun for ANOTHER purpose later ;)

• Take a class on situational defense. This will not only teach you the best ways to carry your gun, but how and when you should use it if it ever came to that. This will also help you know what kind of accessories (laser, light etc.) you should equip your pistol with. There's no point in carrying if you don't have the confidence or skills to defend yourself if the time comes.

• Don't be persuaded to buy something you don't love. I can't stress this enough. Go and hold everything you can and do as much research on a pistol as you can. If it meets all of your criteria, get that gun. Don't be persuaded at the last minute to purchase something you didn't have your mind set on. For example, you have your mind set on a S&W Bodyguard .380 semi auto pistol and you walk in to your local gun shop. You ask to see the gun that you've held numerous times and spent hours researching. You've seen reviews and videos and so far, every feature you want on a CC gun is on the S&W. But when you ask to see it one last time before purchasing, the sales associate says "Take a look at this Glock 43 instead, it's much better." and hands you that one. It doesn't feel near as comfortable and lacks a couple of the things you love about the Bodyguard. But now you're doubting your original decision and take the side of the store clerk because "He knows best." Now you have a gun that you're not excited about. It's not as comfortable, you don't like the sights as much, and you hate the trigger. But the man said 'it was the best'... DON'T DO THIS. Don't ever doubt yourself if you've done the research. If there's a gun that you want and you've taken the steps to research it, buy that gun! You'll be happy you did.

• *Note: The Glock 43 is a fine pistol that has had nothing but great reviews. This is a fictional example made to emphasize a point.

• There are places that don't want you to carry a firearm on their property. I will ask that you obey their request if the sign is posted for everyone to see. However, if a sign is not out in the open, don't ever ask a person inside that store if it's okay to carry your firearm there. The default answer will most likely be 'no.' Most of the time your concealed gun will be concealed, but in the off-chance that an employee does see your pistol and they ask you to leave or remove it, be cooperative. While it's unfortunate that you won't be able to defend yourself in this location, you can at least show that person that law-abiding gun owners and friendly and cooperative.

• Know the carry laws of your state and all the states that you may travel to. People are getting arrested left and right because they have a permit from one state the the neighboring state will not acknowledge. Take precautions.

• Practice with that weapon.

I hope everyone has a wonderful holiday season. But more than anything, I want everyone to have a safe holiday season. Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to all! 

The Gun Laws that Won't Work... At All!

In reaction to, sadly, another incident that occurred in California last week, I thought I would post about some issues that will most likely be a hot topic very soon. I have already written about some of the gun control legislation that could work, but here are some of the things that have been proven completely ineffective at controlling gun violence.

1. Ban on standard capacity magazines. I refuse to call them "high-capacity" because most guns have over a 10-round magazine that come as standard. Having a "low-capacity" magazine of only 10 rounds does absolutely NOTHING to prevent accidents like this happening. It is purely a feel good law to make people feel like the government is taking action. The only thing this law does is prevent law abiding citizens from being able to defend themselves more effectively. Plus, this only proves the point that criminals have no intention of obeying laws in the first place.
2. More gun-free zones. It has been proven time and time again that gun-free zones are magnets for horrible crimes. People want "common sense" gun laws, so why is this so difficult for people to believe that criminals flock to these places where it is easier to commit a crime? No guns = no resistance. It is the exact same reason why mass shootings don't happen in places where people could fight back. Robbers (at least the smart ones) don't attempt to steal from a home with armed residents inside.
3. Assault weapon ban. "Assault weapons" are already banned in California. So the recent shooters did what any criminal would do, they BROKE THE LAW. I'm not saying we should all walk around armed with an M4, but its goes to show that the laws that are currently in place do nothing to stop crazy people from doing crazy things.
4. Gun Confiscation. Despite what the New York Times says, this is the worst possible solution. Explanation is not needed.

Laws that have remained untested:

1. Expanded background checks. President Obama mentioned this when he addressed the nation after the attack in San Bernardino. While I don't mind expanding the background checks, Obama spoke about preventing people that are on the "watch" or "no-fly" list from purchasing a firearm. While this sounds good in theory, there are many people that have been put on this list without their knowing, or accidentally, and there is NO way to remove yourself from it. You can't even look your name up to find if you've been put on the list. There have been senators that have been put on this list and to this day, we don't know how it happened. Until we can get this process sorted, expanded background checks via this method won't do us much good. 

What does this mean?

It means that we need to do our best to make sure that everyone knows that this was an act of terror caused by terrorists. It was not caused by the guns they used. It's an injustice to those that were lost if we blame the tools more than those who committed these atrocities. As horrifying as these acts were, we should learn from this experience and adapt. California has all of the laws that gun control advocates want, and it did not matter. 

My recommendation to my readers would be to purchase a firearm that you feel comfortable using. It could be a shotgun, pistol, rifle of any caliber. Go once a month to the range nearest you and practice loading, unloading, and handling the weapon. If you don't know where to start, sign up for a firearms introduction class. At home, make sure you have a safe place to store it so that you can retrieve it fast but also keep it safely away from those whom you don't want to have access to it. If you were on the fence about buying a firearm for any reason, now is a better time than any to take action.

Remington 700

Once in a while, a weapon comes along and changes the course of history. The AK-47, M1 Garand, Beretta 92, and the Remington 700. This rifle has had just as much influence on gun culture as any of the firearms listed beforehand. It's the worlds most popular hunting rifle, it is one of the most dependable target shooters, and it protects the lives of our soldiers overseas. The 700 is not only a "jack of all trades," It's a master of them.

The Remington 700 can be as basic or as nice as you want it to be. You want a rifle that can take a beating while maintaining its reliability? Get a synthetic stock with blued or stainless barrel. Do you want to have a gun that looks at home on the top of a stone fireplace in your log cabin? Get an engraved walnut stock. Do you want a gun that looks like a military veteran's wet dream? Make it tactical! Whatever you choose to do with this gun, it will never let you down. the 700 comes in more variations than I can count, and all of them will put a smile on your face.

Having had experience with several bolt-action rifles in the past, I know what to expect from a hunting rifle. And I have to admit, when I held a 700 for the first time, I couldn't really see what all the fuss was about. Especially when holding one with a synthetic stock. Yeah, it was nice, the bolt was smooth, and it seemed like it was an overall solid weapon. But once I took that first shot, it all became clear.

The particular rifle that I used was a Remington 700 SPS - synthetic stock with blued barrel that is chambered in .270 Remington.

After firing that first round and ejecting the casing, it was clear that this wasn't just any ordinary bolt-action rifle, this was a weapon that was built with a purpose. The recoil (while not that intense with a .270 to begin with) did not even register when I pulled the trigger. It had very little kick, allowing my scope to be easily realigned with my target. The bolt itself had a nice, crisp throw that allowed me to chamber a new round without any hesitation or stoppage. If I had to sum up this rifle in one word, it would be "tight." Every piece on the rifle seems to be made up of very high-quality materials. The best part was, this particular 700 wasn't the fancy/high-end one. After about 5 shots, I was sold on the Remington.

However, no weapon is without it's flaws. there were a couple things that I would have changed. The magazine of the .270 model only holds 3 rounds. There is, of course, no +1 with this internal magazine design. This isn't a huge issue, being that 3 rounds is the maximum you can have when hunting in the U.S. anyway. The other small issue is the bolt throw itself. I loved the feel of the throw, but the handle comes VERY close to the scope. I know that this will vary depending on what scope you have, but if the scope on this rifle had a larger eyepiece, I could easily see the handle scraping on the side of the scope when ejecting and chambering a round. But those are my only gripes about the Remington 700 after the time I had with it. As far as negatives, these were pretty insignificant.

If I were to get a 700, I think I would try to get one with a dark wooden finish and stainless barrel. If I'm ever need to get my rifle in an area where it might get a little battered, I've got my reliable 770. Overall I was extremely happy with the way the Remington 700 felt and shot.

I'm Not Gone

Hello to all who may be reading this. I have not forgotten about this blog! I have just been busy lately with work and some other projects. Once everything has settled down a little, I'll get right back to writing about what I love.

In the meantime, please be patient. I'll be back before you know it!