 Anyone who digs leverguns will be salivating over Ruger's new Marlin Trapper in 45-70. Not only is this arguably America's most venerable cartridge but a 16" barrel is the golden mean for a carbine for all seasons and eventualities. I know people love their black rifles but lever action rifles make me weak at the knees. Personally I don't need 30 rounds for anything nor can I afford to shoot that much of the currently overpriced ammunition available in local gun stores. Shooting for me is about pleasure: a lazy summer afternoon at the range with friends, a few tin cans, a box of bullets and a little competitiveness compelling the worst shot to spring for a round of beers later on. Maybe it's my age, but I don't need to imagine stressful combat scenarios and race to engage multiple silhouette targets to prove my tactical aptitude. Besides, in any such real-life scenario I'd probably opt for evasion, ducking and diving to get to cover rather than risk catching stray lead. No. Shooting for me is catharsis. Breathing deep. Making the best shot I can. Slow and steady. And this is where the Marlin leverguns shine especially now Sturm Ruger has introduced their cold-hammer forged barrels with ballard rifling and Skinner sights. Their improved manufacturing processes aim to create tight tolerances, resulting in a reliable, attractive longarm. Multi-layered quality control procedures, including daily function and accuracy audits plus multiple inspections, have resulted in a high-quality product. However, all these improvements come at a price - nevertheless if you were to take a previous generation Remington built Marlin for $700 and customize it as per the specs on the above-pictured Ruger-built Trapper, you'd end up at a comparable cost, so in fact it's a good deal considering you save yourself the headache of finding a competent gunsmith and all the time he'll assuredly take to complete the work. The issue will undoubtedly be availability: levergun fans are fond of Trapper length rifles so I'm certain you'll be hard-pushed to find this puppy at your local FFL anytime soon. Meantime, click here for some drool time: WEBSITE.
 Charter Arms exclusively manufacturers revolvers, in the United States, and has been doing so for decades. Douglas McClenahan, a young gun designer who had previously worked for Colt, High Standard, and Sturm, Ruger founded Charter Arms in 1964 to produce handguns. His first pistol was a five-shot revolver called the "Undercover" chambered for .38SPL - they still make it, and it's excellent. McClenahan's innovation was to avoid using the side plate designed by other revolver makers: he innovated a one-piece frame, giving his revolver the requisite strength to safely shoot high-powered loads. McClenahan simultaneously reduced the number of moving parts used in the lockwork and created the transfer bar safety preventing the hammer from contacting the floating firing pin unless the trigger was pulled all the way back. This revolutionized the SA/DA revolver and this inbuilt safety design has been emulated by all other manufacturers since. In my opinion the lockwork is superior to other manufacturers' designs in that when you are decocking a Charter Arms revolver there's no snag when you let out the trigger to activate the transfer bar - it's smooth and confidence inspiring.
The latest edition to their extensive lineup is the above-pictured 6-shot Boxer in 38 Special. The snubnose revolver is one of the most tried and proven platforms and the 38SPL is a stellar round - this is a handgun that can be stowed loaded and forgotten about until needed, even if years should pass in the interim. Semi-auto pistols are not so forgiving: you have to give them weekly attention, make certain they're oiled and that the magazines are switched out so the springs don't compress and fail you during battery. If you are the type of gun owner who simply wants the peace of mind without the headaches of range membership, carry permits, maintenance checks etc, a Charter Arms revolver is the way to go. Just take it out after you buy it and run a box of ammo through it to make sure it runs flawlessly, then clean it and stow it where you need it. Manufacturers are turning out such voluminous numbers of firearms to keep up with the demand that there are always faulty units that enter customers' hands, irrespective of marque or ticket price. Charter Arms are renowned for their customer service so even if one of their excellent revolvers fails to meet your expectations, they'll take it back and repair it pronto. You can see the new Boxer here on their WEBSITE.  There might be no handgun more gorgeous than the Colt 1873 SAA and the quality clones produced over the decades. In that light, Pietta is a leading contender with a range of iterations on the theme and - in my opinion - excelling with the 1873 Gunfighter 357MAG/38SPL pictured above. (It also comes in 45LC for those who prefer that caliber.) Based in Gussago, Italy, Pietta has been a family-owned and operated company for more than 50 years. Italy's interest in firearms of the wild west was spawned by Sergio Leone's A Fistful of Dollars starring Clint Eastwood, and the company made replicas for that franchise and the subsequent years of spagetti westerns spawning the genre. They are revered for producing the finest in western replica pistols, shotguns and single-action rifles, a variety of black powder firearms, and now modern-day firearms. With it's 4" barrel, glistening blued finish and black rubber checked grips (better than wood), the Pietta 1873 Gunfighter is one handsome iron. Pietta's rate among the favorites for those in the Cowboy shooting sports because of their proximity to the original yet with the added safety of a transfer bar which allows you to load a full cylinder and prevents fatalities if you drop your revolver. A local man here died a few years back after dropping his Colt SAA clone: the revolver fell on it's hammer and he was shot in the head, killing him instantly. This could not happen with the Pietta clones thanks to that transfer bar safety which is in my opinion the only worthy update of this outstanding design by Sam Colt. If you haven't browsed the Pietta website, or didn't know they had a USA based facility, they are well worth looking at. The MSRP for this pistol is $540 but you can find them on Gunbroker for as low as $465 - that is a fraction of what an original Colt would cost and less than half the cost of Ruger's Vaquero which is not an 1873 clone at all. Drool over the WEBSITE here.
 Ruger Vaqueros are truly beautiful revolvers and this new Talo exclusive is no exception with it's understated color case hardened frame and ivory-esque birdshead grips. But holy smokes what's happened to the MSRP on Vequeros over the past couple of years?! My last purchase of a birdshead model was in the $550 range but they are now almost double them dollars, putting them out of reach for most newbies looking to getting back into the old school irons. It's a shame. These are the types of pistols that won the West and shaped our country but it's now cheaper to buy the polymer and AR platform rifles that are becoming so antisocial. Firearm manufacturers should be encouraging new shooters to learn the ropes on the safer lever action rifles and single action revolvers before picking up firearms that require buckets of scarce ammo, increased practice and earned expertise. (But don't worry, you can still get a new-in-box Pietta Gunfighter for around half the price and they are more or as highly rated as their Ruger counterparts.) Check out this new Ruger here on their WEBSITE.
 For fans of the cowboy shooting arts, Pyramid Air now has a customization tool that allows you to match your Colt SAA (or clone of) with a BB version. At last you can practice in your basement or backyard with a doppelganger of your favorite iron without bothering the neighbors! The customization tool doesn't allow for every color possibility but you get three useful barrel lengths (3.5", 5.5" and 7.5") and two hammer styles for standard-cocking or fanning (pictured above). For those who aren't familiar with these BB revolvers, they utilize a brass cartridge with a pre-loaded BB so the look and feel is very authentic. These Colt-licensed SAA BB revolvers have been highly rated for several years now, and this customization tool really increases their viability as a practice piece by allowing for hours upon hours of hands-on shooting experience for a just couple of pennies a shot if you do the math on a CO2 cartridge - with ammo prices being what they are, we can always use a little financial help in pursuing our beloved shooting sports. Go HERE to build your own.
 Everyone is raving about Sig's new P322 in 22LR! It was completely designed and built at their New Hampshire facility and comes loaded with premium features: aluminum slide on a polymer frame, two 20-round magazines (plus a mag loader), fiber optic iron-sights, a threaded barrel with 1/2x28 adapter, a robust hammer-fire mechanism, interchangeable trigger shoes and an optic-ready removable rear sight plate so you can easily add a ROMEOZero red dot optic without the use of adapter plates. Ambidextrous controls ice the cake and make it ideally suited for north and south paws alike. Though some will balk at the manual safety, in an increasingly litigating world you never know when that might save your butt. Personally I like safeties.
Though the P322 is a handsome bugger, I'm of the school that thinks 22LR pistols should be scaled to the diminutive size of the round to make them truly useful as ultra-discreet carry weapons - think Ruger Bearcat, the Rossi Princess, the Budischowski TP 70, the Walther TPH, the Beretta 21A and a handful of other gems of engineering. If I was going to carry a polymer pistol of this P322 size, it would be a 45ACP - so when I see full size 22LR pistols like this I only think of long afternoons of inexpensive shooting fun at the range, not EDC. Folks say full size 22LR pistols make excellent trainers for their centerfire counterparts but I can't entirely agree: I think we should train with what we carry, period. But I'm also not one to sniff at the potency of the 22LR. I've shot it all my life and seen it's capabilities in the field. It's a dastardly little round that's all too often derided by the caliber snobs. When I hear someone at the range pooh pooh the 22LR as inadequate for self defense I jokingly tell them go stand over there with an apple on their head - of course nervous laughter always ensues. 22LR should never be mistaken for or regarded as having BB potency, it's a deadly and amply proven cartridge. My only reservation with it for self defense is issues with reliability in semi-autos chambered for it...but by all accounts the new P322 from Sig has that in spades so this may truly be a game changer! The golden mean for 22LR semi-autos is to produce revolver-dependability in a high capacity pistol utilizing easy load magazines that feed 100% of the time. If Sig has genuinely done that then the P322 is a premium candidate for EDC. Check it out on their WEBSITE. MSRP (or, Minimum Advertised Price) is $399 but expect higher in this binge market.  No wonder they're always sold out - sporting the full works of desirable customizations there's probably no bigger bang for your buck on the American handgun market! This from the PSA WEBSITE:
The Palmetto Dagger is feature-rich even in its standard form, yet also provides a framework for further customization, as it is highly compatible with many aftermarket offerings. The new Extreme Carry Cuts offer smoother edges to the rear and front of the slide to help with faster drawing without snagging the user's holster. The slide is also finished with a Gray Cerakote coating and RMR footprint for compatibility with RMR style reflex sights. A black cover plate is also included. The PSA Dagger SW1 Slide features optics cut positioned behind the front and rear sight offering the perfect co-witness sight picture. The milled windows on the left and right sides of the slide create an enhanced look and feel, to the already distinguished design of the PSA Dagger, while also reducing the overall weight of your pistol. Made from high-quality stainless steel and advanced polymers, this threaded pistol lives up to today's highest expectations while maintaining the unmatched Palmetto State Armory value. Chambered in 9x19mm, the Palmetto Dagger is fed from a supplied PMAG 15 GL9 (15-Round) magazine and operated by a smooth single-action striker-fired trigger mechanism. Ships in Palmetto State Armory Soft Pistol Case.   Threaded barrel coming mid 2022 Keystone's miniature .22lr version of the classic Mosin-Nagant 9130 Rifle (used by the Russians in WWII) has been available since 2018. The first batch of 500 came in their own green wooden crate to replicate their original form of packaging and transport. The Mini Mosin has a 20″ barrel, precision-machined to ensure the durability and accuracy that is normally reserved for the “big guns”. The action is based on the proven, safe, single-shot Crickett design and has a straight-handled bolt, just like the original Mosin Nagant.
This Mini Mosin appears to be a 50% scaled-down replica and is chambered in America’s favorite round (.22lr). Now kids can shoot their own version of Mom and Dad’s cool military firearms...or, as I suspect, collectors will have grabbed most of them up just for the novelty factor. Allegedly they have all the accuracy of the Keystone Cricketts which have been so popular with young shooters. With the first 500 long sold, this is a continuation of the line and it is the first in a series of “Mini Mil-Surp” WWII rifles Keystone will produce over the coming years: the next two models to be released are the Mini Carbine Mosin M38 and the Mini Springfield 1903. Due to the current conflict perhaps they'll bring out the Springfield 1903 next to remain aligned with popular sentiments? Anyway, the new Mini Carbine Mosin M38 will apparently be available around the middle of 2022 and will feature a 16.125″ threaded barrel with thread protector. These sweet little rifles are available online now. $479 is the MSRP but online prices seem to average $100 less. Here's the page on the Keystone WEBSITE.  Springfield Armory releases a full-size version of it's successful Hellcat compact and sub-compact series pistols. With 15 rounds and more grip to get a hold of, the PRO gives fans of the platform something closer akin to a duty pistol. This from their WEBSITE:
Combining the performance of a larger handgun with class-leading concealability and capacity, the new Hellcat® Pro is a compact pistol chambered in 9mm that offers 15+1 capacity in a smaller footprint than any other gun in its class. Optics ready and equipped with a versatile accessory rail and hammer forged barrel, this exceptional everyday carry pistol delivers the perfect balance. The Hellcat® Pro packs in an impressive 15 + 1 capacity with the flush-fitting magazine while maintaining its ergonomic, slim profile. The result is a pistol that carries more capacity in a smaller footprint than any other gun in its class. Designed to offer the best of both worlds, the Hellcat Pro delivers full-size performance in a concealable, EDC-ready package. The slim-line grip feels superb in hand, increasing contact and control, while the additional mass in the slide and barrel translates into reduced muzzle flip and faster follow-up shots. Designed with the use of red dot optics in mind, the Hellcat® Pro features an OSP™ (Optical Sight Pistol) configuration. The slide is milled with the Springfield Micro™ footprint, designed to accept the smallest, most popular micro red dots on the market. Ensuring you can mount the light or laser of your choice on the Hellcat® Pro, the pistol features a versatile Picatinny rail on the dustcover portion of the frame. This longer section of rail provides users the flexibility to deploy a wide range of accessories. The ability to quickly locate your front sight is crucial for fast and accurate shot placement. The Hellcat® Pro features a high visibility tritium & luminescent front sight paired with a Tactical Rack U-Dot™ rear sight for intuitive and easy target acquisition in all lighting conditions. Ensuring maximum control over the pistol, the Hellcat® Pro features a custom pressure activated grip texture on the frame with a pattern of staggered pyramid shapes. The taller pyramids have a flattened top to ensure comfort in the waistband and minimal wear on clothing. The shorter pyramids come to a point and lock into your hand when the pistol is firmly engaged. The Hellcat Pro is built on the rock-solid foundation of the highly respected Hellcat micro 9mm, the recipient of numerous accolades and awards. Carry with confidence knowing the Hellcat platform is one of the most awarded EDC pistols of all time. Comes with 3.7" hammer-forged barrel, front and top slide serrations, reversible mag release, loaded chamber indicator, Melonite finsh and two 15-round mags.  The all-metal M712 is not only a faithful reproduction of the Broom Handle Mauser but it's unusual for it's lack of plastic. Most modern air weapons incorporate an excessive amount of the stuff and though modern polymers are sturdy, they don't have the feel of die-cast zinc alloys. The pistol comes with a switch that allows you to select standard semi-auto or full-auto and the latter is extremely rapid. The Schnellfeuer (German for fast or rapid fire) pistol was produced from 1932 to 1936 and the Umarex Legends M712 incorporates that same full-auto feature into this impressive reproduction of the original - believe me when I say you’ll blow through an 18-round magazine in a matter of seconds!
The M712 houses a CO2 capsule in the magazine, and has a blowback action that captures the complex mechanics of the original pistol. The M712 guarantees to bring a grin to your face every time you pull that full-auto trigger so make sure you buy plenty of ammo and set up a target with a carpet backdrop to catch the BB’s. In my opinion this pistol makes a great preemptive home defense weapon for people who aren’t keen on splattering their home with the blood of an intruder only to find it was a drunk neighbor entering the wrong home, or an unarmed teenager from down the block. A neighbor of mine (a Vietnam veteran and pretty jumpy) once told me he almost shot his son one night when he heard the door open in the wee small hours. His son had been partying in the neighborhood and was too drunk to drive home. I remember my veteran friend was pretty shaken up about it and laughed nervously as he chewed on his signature cigar. Granted there are ever-increasing reasons to be armed in case we are home-invaded, but if we have a minute to assess a situation it may be worth blasting an intruder with painful 350fps-BB’s and telling them to leave your home while you’re still able to hear their response. A 9MM pistol in your pajama pocket will allow you to follow up with a real bullet if the situation demands but remember you’ll be deaf, flash-blind and disorientated after you pull that trigger. Home invasions were actually pretty rare but sadly we’re seeing an uptick - I think we are entering an era where we’re all going to be a little more on edge and a little less secure and with the gun sales over these past two years it’s evident people are taking their security more seriously. But are they really conscious of what happens after a fatal shooting? Even justified, against an intruder, in their own home? There have been plenty of stories over the years of people defending themselves (often kids) with BB guns and bows-and-arrows so never doubt the efficacy of less lethal options. And as far as that goes, this is a really good first-strike-no-remorse utensil. Visit the Umarex WEBSITE for details.
We just discovered this nifty little gadget for 22LR shooters who wish to keep 5 rounds immediately on hand. I could see this being extremely useful for single shot rifles like the Traditions Crackshot, the Rossi Matched Pair, the Keystone Crickett and the Savage Rascal. This from the MCE WEBSITE: Because you can never be too prepared or carry too much ammo. Proudly designed, engineered and manufactured in USA. 3D printed from temperature-resistant ABS plastic. Guaranteed not to rust corrode or melt under heavy use. Designed specifically for .22 LR Rimfire ammo. Includes black mounting hardware (2 nuts & 2 bolts).
 The Savage 64 was designed by Hubert Cooey and first introduced on the market in 1964 (the same year as the Ruger 10/22). It has since become a legend. It's unusual among semiauto 22s - and semi-automatic rifles in general - in that it comes in a true southpaw version featuring a left-handed safety, charging handle and ejection port. The 64 is a workhorse rimfire popular with plinkers and budget target shooters, and now the new 64 Precision is built with Savage's Precision Series upgrades: it houses a semi-automatic action in a glass-filled polymer chassis (black or FDE) with M-LOK slots and an AR-compatible grip interface for ergonomic customization. The steel receiver is fitted with a 1913 picatinny rail so you can add optics of your choice. The 16.5" bull barrel has a threaded muzzle for adding brakes and suppressors. It has a detachable magazine (10-rnd or 20-rnd option) and the whole rifle weighs in at at a mere 5.46lbs. Most amazingly you get all that for an unbeatable $299 MSRP. View here on the Savage WEBSITE.
 The gorgeous heirloom Browning SA-22 is renowned for it’s elegance and accuracy but since it’s release in 1914 it has resisted the inclination to modernize. Until now. The SA-22 Challenge has taken what I always considered the downfall of the original takedown model and remedied it. The original takedown rifle assembles and disassembles via a barrel-nut that affixes the barrel to the receiver, however, over the course of a few dozen shots this could work lose and impact accuracy, especially if you had a scope attached. Because the scope would stay with the receiver, as the barrel-nut loosened the barrel could move off true, and even a millimeter would effect zero. This new SA-22 Challenge remedies the problem by securing the barrel to the receiver therefore this rifle is obviously not a takedown but an accurized iteration intended for competition. The bull barrel is 1/2 x 28 threaded at the muzzle so a silencer can be added, plus it comes with a thread protector and a muzzle brake. And that’s pretty much where the modernization ends. But I’d like to see an extended bolt lever (possibly knurled and concave to accommodate a gloved finger) and sling swivel studs so the rifle can be carried on your back as you go about your hunting day. What’s lovely about the takedown SA-22 is the walnut furniture and svelte contours and thankfully those faculties remain on the Challenge: the receiver is a mere 1” wide by 1.5” high and the barrel is just under an inch in diameter making the rifle barely more cumbersome to carry than a broom handle. It always feels like a shame to put a scope on this rifle as it detracts from it’s grace but the lack of iron sights on the Challenge makes it somewhat of an imperative. The original takedown model has been made by Miroku in Japan since the 70’s and I assume it’s the case with the new Challenge though I can’t find anything on the Browning website to verify that. Take a drool here on the Browning WEBSITE.
 The CNC'd steel mount from Turnbull Restoration is designed for Winchester 92 and 94 barrel radiuses and uses the rear sight dovetail slot to attach to your rifle. This VIDEO depicts Turnbull Restoration’s Steve Lester as he takes you through the quick and easy process of installing the mount. Turnbull was not able to answer whether the mount fits the Rossi M92 but my guess is it would, possibly with a little tuning of the threaded dovetail "filler" provided with the mount. To purchase the mount visit their WEBSITE purchase page. To install the sight mount you will need:
  The Gemtech MIST 22-V is an exciting new silencer designed for use on the SW22 Victory pistol. The MIST 22-V replaces the standard Victory barrel with an intrinsically suppressed barrel designed to provide whisper-quiet suppression in a compact package. The rifled portion of the barrel is only 3" in length meaning every round, regardless of listed fps, will leave the muzzle sub-sonically (unless factory listed velocity is 1,600 fps or more). Gemtech's patented stainless steel G-CORE design is durable, easy to clean, and relatively lightweight. A 3" barrel won't provide the same accuracy as a 10" barrel for instance, but for short ranges this promises to be a (quiet) blast. One primary advantage of an intrinsically suppressed barrel over a regular suppressor threaded onto a barrel is this unit provides a front sight giving you an improved sight radius. Overall length of the unit is 8.95" and $490 MSRP is a good price for a suppressor/barrel combo considering the cost of these items individually, i.e. the Gemtech GM-22 will set you back $399 and a threaded barrel from Volquartsen will set you back $278 totaling almost $700 for a longer 11" overall setup. This from the Gemtech WEBSITE.
 Over the years I've bought a range of rifle scopes from different manufacturers and paid a spectrum of prices. With normal wear and tear, and over time, many end up having issues holding zero, or losing reticle alignment, or suffering loss of clarity regardless of the brand name. Indeed some were quite pricey and usually problems occurred after the expiration of warranties, naturally.
Due to the occurrences of the last two years I've focused much of my range time on my rimfires with ammo being more affordable and available than the rarely-in-stock and vastly-overpriced centerfire cartridges. With a good bolt action rimfire rifle I can spend all afternoon dissipating my worldly stresses by picking off tennis balls scattered across my 1-acre back lawn. A few Dunlop mini orange squash balls thrown-in allow me to dial down and really hit those diminutive targets. Tennis and squash balls are easy to see and react nicely to 22LR rounds by leaping in the air to denote a hit. The lead round leaves a small black dot of residue as it passes through but does not tear the ball apart. Eventually the balls will begin to lose their integrity and none would be much use on the court after a few sessions, but they still offer months of plinking practice. And all this with a $10 rimfire scope. My local Walmart sells 4 x 15 Tasco's for $9.99 and these have served me very well. I've had a couple that didn't hold up but I've got three that have, beautifully, holding zero shot after shot. Their narrow 3/4" tubes (unique to Tasco) look sleek on a rifle and if the rifle has a picatinny rail I simply bend off the attached 11mm scope rings with a pair of pliers and put on a pair of 22mm mounts. If you only have scope rings for 1" diameter tubes you can adapt the smaller diameter Tasco by buying a foot of 3/4"ID fuel tubing at the hardware store: cut off two short sections, split it lengthways and wrap it around the scope tube before setting the scope into the 1" rings. Born with acute colorblindness I've always found bright light troublesome, and have always worn sunglasses. Some were very expensive. But after sitting on several pairs of high end shades and discovering they break just as easily as the Foster Grants you find at your pharmacy, I used working man's logic and have happily settled on the cheaper ones. I'm thankful we live in an era where we have those options. And so I've learned the same of rimfire scopes: with a total of five $10 scopes purchased, I'm still further ahead in the game than if I'd bought a single $300 rimfire scope which I'd be overly precious about. I really don't waste any time worrying about my Tasco's. If I break one, I'm not too bothered whereas if I break an expensive scope, I'm cussing mad and out a chunk of change. And if I break 25 more Tasco scopes over the next decade then I've only just spent the same amount of money as a $300 fancy brand optic. I also have a theory about rimfire scopes: I feel manufacturers (regardless of name) do not build-in ruggedness and durability the same way as they do for their centerfire scopes. This makes no sense to me because any rifle, regardless of caliber, can be dropped, bumped and jostled in the back of your truck causing damage to your optic, but makers only make allowances for the recoil the scope must endure. I've seen spring pellet guns disassemble a rimfire scope in short order so maybe logic would dictate that scopes intended for air rifles would be more robust? Furthermore, when a buyer finds a scope they love they'll often transfer it to another centerfire rifle, or buy another for their other weapons, but rimfire scopes always seem to come with a manufacturer's warning that it's not intended for larger caliber counterparts. Why? Because the companies know they won't hold up. And disappointed-user reviews always confirm that to be case as they mourn the scope they just killed. So, in summary, logic and experience has educated my purchases of rimfire scopes over these past 24 months and I've concluded, for me at least, cheapo Tasco's do the job, are slimmer, less worry and preferable all round! Tasco no longer lists these $10 4x15 scopes on their website but currently they still seem available online. You can also find similar 3/4"-tubed, low-powered, fixed-magnification scopes HERE from their original country of manufacture, with free shipping.  Just like for LEO and Military personnel, firearms are not always the answer to every self defense situation we might encounter as civilians. Similarly for our judicial system, the death penalty doesn't fit every crime (thankfully). However, if you're like me, the firearms in your safe are all potentially lethal, so what happens when you need to arm yourself in the middle of the night? Everything from pesky raccoons, pranking kids, a drunk mistaking your house for theirs and burglars alike all face the same sentence as you arm-up for the role of judge, jury and potential executioner. Could you (and they) benefit from a weapon less terminal as punishment for their mistake?
What if the situation calls for a spanking and not the firing squad? What if you're out for a run and the neighbor's off-leash dog decides to follow it's chase-and-bite instinct? Or hiking in bear country where firearms are not permitted? Or live in an area that won't issue a carry license? Or you're generally concerned by the state of the World and feel you want to be armed, but an actual firearm feels like too much responsibility? If any of these shoes fit, the Byrna SD .68Cal Pepper Kit might be more humane and legally savvy than your usual EDC recommendation. You can buy this HSD (Humane Self Defense) without any background check, without paying your usual FFL fee and without worrying where you're going to find ammo. Just go on line, purchase and wait for the box to arrive at your home. Byrna uses it's own 8gram CO2 powerlets, so be aware of that (unofficially you can use cheaper soda siphon powerlets) - whereas other brands of CO2 HSD's allow you to use the inexpensive 12oz powerlets available at any Walmart. The advantage of the Byrna however, is it is more compact than some other alternatives yet still uses the readily available .68Cal projectiles - you can use paint, pepper, salt, powder, PVC , rubber or steel composite balls produced by a variety of manufacturers. In this day and age we are increasingly ready to protect what's ours with lethal force (as is our right) - however I suspect any honorable person with a conscience is going to have regrets if they end up killing an unarmed person over a few replaceable possessions. Restraint is the true measure of power. To soberly observe the situation and make an intelligent assessment of a threat is what we ask of our LEO's every single day: take note of how society is overly ready to blame them whenever they make a poor judgement call. Most situations you might encounter will entail the absence of cops to help you - you'll need to make those quick judgement calls on our own - so having both options at hand will allow you to make the terminal or the moral decision depending on what the moment calls for. This is the Byrna WEBSITE. This is the WEBSITE for Riot Balls who make a cool array of .68Cal projectiles.  David "Reaper" Justin (aka the kilt-clad paintballer) might be the greatest ambassador for the TiPX pistol because he'll use nothing else, and as a jet-setting World champion this vouches amply for the viability of the iconic TiPX marker from Tippmann. You can Google the Reaper, watch some of his videos, view him in action and learn exactly how he sets up his system. You can also visit the plethora of paintball websites and customize your marker according to your preferred tastes. But one thing is clear, due to the lack of ATF regulating, the offerings for air-powered guns (both in weapons and accessories) is truly exciting to behold for traditional gun owners: in the world of cartridge-firing firearms everything is increasingly a potential legal concern. The non-lethal (or what we call Humane Self Defense or HSD) world of weapons is an amazingly un-fenced frontier reminiscent of pre-1934 freedoms. We’re not advocating abandoning your 2A rights, selling your guns or slowing your firearm-collecting proclivities, we’re just recommending an extra string to your bow.
The military-style TiPX is not only a very credible HSD weapon but it can provide hours of fun combat-simulation as you compete with buddies in the woods on the weekend. Also, in order to remain proficient with firearms we must practice, however it’s often difficult to find a suitable range plus ammo scarcity and prices has made us all reluctant to go spend a few hours shooting off valuable bullets. The TiPX affords you the opportunity to maintain hand-eye coordination in your basement or back yard for a fraction of the cost. The beauty of the first-trigger-pull system utilized by Tippmann is it allows you to keep a full un-pierced CO2 cartridge in the chamber at all times: when you need it simply pull the trigger once to pierce and charge the pistol - the second and subsequent trigger-pulls will shoot a round. If you ever needed to reach for it in the dark of night, and use it as a deterrent, it’s a powerful option that’ll spare you the risk of eardrum rupture (try firing a 9MM, AR or 12GAUGE in an enclosed space without ear protection) and allow your intruder to flee rather than dealing with the bloody and legal aftermath of a fatal shooting. It might even be someone you know like a neighbors delinquent teenager, and you may not even need to call the police afterward. How much more satisfying would it be to call on your neighbors the next day and tell them what their son did without the life-altering consequences of involving law enforcement - and how could the kid lie with three large facial bruises?! Think it over, it’s good to have options. Here’s a good video in how to adjust the velocity on a TiPX Here’s a good price on a TiPX pistol (typically out of stock on the manufacturers website) Here's where to buy the combat kilt favored by the Reaper  Continuing our theme this week of Humane Self Defense (HSD), I want to profile the Dagger .68Cal. The Dagger Compact Machine Pistol (CMP) is a package put together by a company called Modern Combat Sports (MCS). MCS is an emerging leader in combat games, promoting special events and league play that combines world-class facilities with state-of-the-art magfed equipment to grow the sport and promote the most authentic tactical games possible. They are a division of Defense Innovation which designs, engineers and manufactures exceptional combat simulation equipment. Therefore the difference between regular paintball and MCS is, MCS games are mission-driven, require teamwork and strategy, and utilize equipment that more closely simulates real-world firearms and combat gear. To this end they manufacture the folding stock chassis for the Tippmann TiPX used in the Dagger above (this chassis can be purchased alone for $119 from their website).
The Dagger package comes with the chassis/stock, the TiPX pistol, a red dot sight, a special ops suppressor (nothing on their website states this is a faux can), a 10" inch Lion Claw Barrel, a vertical grip, 2 x TiPX 7-round mags, 2 Zeta 20-round mags, a remote line kit and their K416 front and rear sight set. All these components are available individually from their website but the kit makes for a no-brainer lower-cost assembly that'll have you up and running in minutes. This package comes unassembled - TiPX are shipped brand new in the original case so that you can get warranty service from Tippmann as needed. I'll cover the features of the TiPX pistol in tomorrow's BLOG post to give you the lowdown on velocity, reliability etc. So, all that technical talk aside, this is an incredibly cool Humane Self Defense (HSD) weapon that'll allow you to keep 20 pepper balls (or hard PVC balls) on hand should the need arise in a home defense situation. I can even see how this might be superior to bear spray against unruly bruins, vicious dogs or big cats - accurately planting pepper on target at 60 feet beats a plume of wind-blown mist at 15 feet. Personally I think our USPS heroes should be allowed to use these against aggressive, impolite canines. As for cost, PVC balls are reusable and CO2 cartridges can be bought for around 40 cents a piece which equates to a couple of pennies a shot. Economically HSD guns are far, far cheaper to run than conventional firearms. Cheaper equals more practice. More practice equals more hits. More hits equals a better deterrent. And you can practice in your living room without fear of wall-penetrating projectiles harming family members or neighbors. So for those who really don't want to have angry ghosts in their home following a home intrusion, or for those who legally can't buy a firearm, don't worry, you're not without methods of viable home defense. The MCS Dagger looks like an awesome (and dare I say fun) way to dump a world of hurt on malfeasant scumbags thinking they can steal your stuff or do you harm! Get this wickedly cool device here on the MCS WEBSITE. |
the afd blog
Previews and reviews on newly available items are written-up by our team as quickly as we can find them. Please let us know if we've missed something debuting on the market. As a firearm enthusiast or an AFD listed company you are welcome to submit a blog entry about a new product. You may also submit a firearm related commentary, idea or nostalgic musing: we like things celebratory of American ingenuity and manufacturing. All entries are subject to editing and/or fact-checking. Archives
March 2022
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