shooting gifts

On the Twelfth Day of Christmas… Twelve Gauges Shooting

December 23, 2011 By Tom Leave a Comment

On the twelfth day of Christmas, I hope my true love gives to me…
Twelve gauges shooting…

Benelli M2 Tactical Shotgun
Benelli has a great assortment of self-defense shotguns, but we’ve gotta go with one of the inertia-cycled semi-automatic models. Hate cleaning that gas junk in shotguns after all – we’d rather save that time for eating pie over the holidays.As long as you’re shooting 1 ounce or heavier 2.5” or 3” loads, you should be good to go in terms of semi-auto reliability.Oh, and we’re going old school without the pistol grip option. But we are getting the ComfortTech stock to minimize shoulder pummeling.


	Eleven ounces AR bling…
	Ten toys for loading…
	9mm Kimber Solo-ing…
	Eight Guns for Plinking…
	Seven lasers aiming…
	Six scales a weighing…
	Five magnum things…
	Four written words…
	Three tactical pens…
	Two shooting gloves…
	And a Smith and Wesson M and P…

Filed Under: Life, Viewpoint Tagged With: 12 days of christmas, benelli, gift ideas, gun gifts, shooting gifts, shotguns

On the Eleventh Day of Christmas… 11 ounces of AR Bling

December 22, 2011 By Tom 1 Comment

On the eleventh day of Christmas, I hope my true love gives to me…
Eleven ounces of AR bling…

p_100008996_2 Spikes Tactical AR15 7” BAR Lightweight Rail

OK, so this one actually weighs in at only 10.93 ounces, but since it’s the holiday season, we’re rounding up, just like out bathroom scale does. The perfect add-on for an AR platform, this quad rail is ready to rock around the Christmas tree.

One piece aluminum construction
Includes 3 rail covers
Heavy duty sling loop
Large inside diameter allows for suppressors underneath the handguard

Great stocking stuffer idea!

Available from Brownells for $172.00


	Ten toys for loading…
	9mm Kimber Solo-ing…
	Eight Guns for Plinking…
	Seven lasers aiming…
	Six scales a weighing…
	Five magnum things…
	Four written words…
	Three tactical pens…
	Two shooting gloves…
	And a Smith and Wesson M and P…

Filed Under: Life, Viewpoint Tagged With: 12 days of christmas, accessories, ar accessories, gift ideas, gun gifts, shooting gifts

On the Tenth Day of Christmas… Ten Toys for Loading

December 21, 2011 By Tom Leave a Comment

On the tenth day of Christmas, I hope my true love gives to me…
Ten toys for loading…

	Lyman Master Casting Kit I had the pleasure of meeting Mike Venturino at last years SHOT Show and he got me hooked on two things: 1. Moving to Montana and 2. Starting to cast my own bullets. Why? Because it sounds like a whole new adventure in reloading.
	Lyman Turbo Sonic Ultrasonic Case Cleaner Liz from Lyman showed me one of these babies at the 2011 SHOT Show and I still haven’t gotten one. I can think of all sort of gunny things to clean with this. Brass, dies, gun parts, and especially gas shotgun and AR parts. Oh, and my grubby watch bands that get so nasty at the range.
	Hornady Lock and Load AP Red team fans We’ve got you covered. 5 station progressive press offers station configuration flexibility. Not getting into the Hornady versus Dillon debate – they both work.
	Dillon XL 650 We love the blue team as well. 5 Station progressive press with automatic indexing. Enough stations for a powder check step to help avoid unpleasant situations at the range. Pricey, but it works. Forever. We asked for both red and blue so we can have one always set up for rifle calibers and the other for pistol.
	Giraud Power Trimmer Wow – process lots of rifle brass using that newfangled electric power thing. Trim, chamfer inside, chamfer outside, and deburr – all in one simple step.
	CED M2 Chronograph Optimized for a broader range of light conditions, this chronograph lets you work at the range in the earlier and later hours of the day – when it’s more likely to be quiet.
	Dillon Super Swage 600 I can get nearly unlimited .223 brass from the local range, but over half of it is some brand that has crimped primers – hence the need for an easy and consistent way to un-crimp the primer pockets. The Super Swage supports the brass from the inside and simply “rolls away” the crimp.
	Hornady Lock and Load Case Feeder So I still have this thing about wanting to place bullets by hand while using a progressive reloading press. But it would be cool to have the cases fed automatically…
	LoadData Subscription An invaluable online resource for reloaders. Over 230,000 loads detailed for your use. Data from most of the major reloading manuals – all in one place. And all for $29.95 a year.
	RCBS Stuck Case Removal Kit Not that this would ever happen to US, but… In the unlikely event that you get a cartridge case stuck in your resizing die, here’s the stuff you need to get it out – all in one convenient package.


	9mm Kimber Solo-ing…
	Eight Guns for Plinking…
	Seven lasers aiming…
	Six scales a weighing…
	Five magnum things…
	Four written words…
	Three tactical pens…
	Two shooting gloves…
	And a Smith and Wesson M and P…

Filed Under: Life, Viewpoint Tagged With: 12 days of christmas, gun gifts, reloading, shooting gifts

On the Seventh Day of Christmas… Seven Lasers Aiming

December 18, 2011 By Tom Leave a Comment

On the seventh day of Christmas, I hope my true love gives to me…
Seven lasers aiming…

Lasers make a great addition to self defense firearms and even light armor defeating rockets. Try these for your Christmas wish list:

	Crimson Trace LG-850 Brand spanking new for the full size Glock Gen IV platform, this one is compatible with the Crimson Trace Lightguard as it features a rear activation button. Unlike the older models, it also features a master on-off switch.We’ve got one of these on the way for review and will post results soon!
	Viridian Gen 2 Light & Laser Been looking for a light / laser combo for the Beretta PX4 Storm. This just might be the ticket. 154 lumen light and green laser that can flash or remain constant.
	Crimson Trace SFL-100 for M72 LAW Anti-Tank Weapon We have it on good authority that Iain Harrisonand the rest of the Crimson Trace PR and Marketing team carry this big caliber combo for personal defense. Maybe you should consider an upgrade as well? It IS your life after all…One note of caution – there is some risk of over-penetration with the LAW, so remember, every anti-tank rocket you fire has a lawyer attached to it.
	Lasermax Uni-Max Green Always liked the versatility of this one. Small and thin, use it alone or clamp a light on the bottom for a self-configured combo-unit.
	Crimson Trace MVF-515G Modular Foregrip for AR Rifles Somehow this seems like some form of ‘dual-wielding’ with lights and lasers – but without the X-Box. Gotta get the green laser option but it also comes in red.
	Crimson Trace LG-402M for Beretta 92/96/M9 The newer mil-spec version is far more weatherproofy and features a front activation switch. We always had trouble with side activation switches as some holsters would activate the laser. Some people were put off by the red death beam coming out the bottom of my jeans.
	Crimson Trace G10 Master Series for 1911’s Made of tough G10 material, these grips not only look sharp, but are plenty durable. Love the Rosewood versions as well.


	Six scales a weighing…
	Five magnum things…
	Four written words…
	Three tactical pens…
	Two shooting gloves…
	And a Smith and Wesson M and P…

Filed Under: Life, Viewpoint Tagged With: 12 days of christmas, crimson trace, gun gifts, laser grips, laser sights, lasermax, rocket launchers, shooting gifts, viridian

On the Sixth Day of Christmas… Six Scales A Weighing

December 17, 2011 By Tom 4 Comments

On the sixth day of Christmas, I hope my true love gives to me…
Six scales a weighing…

Reload yet? If not, why? The world is a mess, zombies are coming any day, and ammo gets more expensive with each passing diflection election. Plus it’s a great stress reliever. Make some shiny cartridges after a tough day and all becomes right in the world. Then you get to shoot them. Icing on the cake.

Every reloader needs a scale or two. Here are the ones we want for Christmas…

	Lyman 1200 DPS 3 Digital Powder System The beauty of this one is its speed. When you set the pan back down it can automatically dispense the same powder charge again, allowing you to seat the previous bullet while the next charge gets weighed. Hey true love – are you reading this?
	RCBS Chargemaster 1500 Powder Scale & Dispenser Combo MidwayUSA.com customers love it based on the reviews, so RCBS must have got it right with this one. The scale and pan are in front of the dispenser so its friendly for righties and lefties.
	Hornady Lock and Load Bench Scale We’ve been wanting a nice compact digital for a while. Balance beam scales are great for checking a pre-determined weight, but kind of lousy for chunking something on there to see how heavy it is. Enter the digital. Great for checking total cartridge weight or the weight of a a random bullet.
	Frankford Arsenal DS-750 Scale Another digital, but this one is battery powered. Which means you can take it to the range. And weigh stuff.
	RCBS Model 505 Magnetic Powder Scale Old faithful. Gotta have a magnetic beam scale just so you can say you don’t trust all this newfangled electronic stuff. And as a no-power required alternative for when the zombies come.
	Camdex 2100 Series Pistol Loading Machine If you’re serious about apocalypse preparation, skip the dedicated powder scale and go full auto. The Camdex system reloads up to 4,400 cartridges per hour and has 10 different automated quality and safety checks built in. Run this baby for a few days around the clock and you’re easily set for a month or so of Steel Challenge.


	Five magnum things…
	Four written words…
	Three tactical pens…
	Two shooting gloves…
	And a Smith and Wesson M and P…

Filed Under: Life, Viewpoint Tagged With: 12 days of christmas, gun gifts, reloading, shooting gifts

On the Fifth Day of Christmas… Five Magnum Things

December 16, 2011 By Tom 4 Comments

On the fifth day of Christmas, I hope my true love gives to me…
Five magnum things…

	Henry Big Boy .44 Magnum Classy and cool. Gotta have one. While we’re at it, a set of two that adds a Golden Boy in .22LR would be nice.
	Ruger SP101 .357 Magnum 4.2” barrel Love the feel of the SP101 short barrel, the balance on this one should be pretty nice. And the fiber optic sight is festive green for the holidays.
	Kel-Tec PMR 30 .22 Magnum Self defense? No. Home defense. Not really. Outrageously fun plinker? Absolutely!
	Coonan Classic .357 Magnum Automatic Why? I have no idea, but doesn’t it look like a blast?
	Barrett Model 99 .50 BMG OK this is not technically a ‘magnum thing’ but who’s going to argue?


	Four written words…
	Three tactical pens…
	Two shooting gloves…
	And a Smith and Wesson M and P…

Filed Under: Life, Viewpoint Tagged With: 12 days of christmas, gun gifts, shooting gifts

On the Fourth Day of Christmas… Four Written Words

December 15, 2011 By Tom 2 Comments

On the fourth day of Christmas, I hope my true love gives to me…
Four written words…

What’s a gift list without some great shooting books? Here’s what’s on our ‘to read’ list.

	The Ultimate Sniper by Major John Plaster. The ultimate guide to long-range shooting. This just looks like a fascinating read.
	Shooting the Bull by Guy Smith. A libertarian’s take on how the other side attacks the Second Amendment. So there. Infinity.
	Shooting to Live by William Fairbairn. A classic written in 1942 which draws on Captain Fairbairn’s experiences from the Shanghai Municipal Police Department. Oh, and that little tussle called World War II.
	Guns, Bullets, And Gunfights: Lessons And Tales From A Modern-Day Gunfighter by Jim Cirillo. Lessons learned prevailing over numerous gunfights in Gotham.


	Three tactical pens…
	Two shooting gloves…
	And a Smith and Wesson M and P…

Filed Under: Life, Viewpoint Tagged With: 12 days of christmas, gun books, gun gifts, shooting books, shooting gifts

On the Third Day of Christmas… Three Tactical Pens

December 14, 2011 By Tom 2 Comments

On the third day of Christmas, I hope my true love gives to me…
Three tactical pens…

Are we planning on taking out a few dozen terrorists with a pen? Nope.

Fighting off a pack of brain-thirsty zombie-ninja’s? Nope.

Vigilante justice in the dank alleys of major metropolitan areas? Nope.

Using them for anything remotely tactical? Nope.

But it sure sounds like a fun way to needle the TSA. Pens are still legal to carry on planes as far as we know. For now.

If you are into tactical office supplies and other unusual impact weapons, here are some that strike our fancy. Weak pun intended.

	SureFire Pen IV – Made from aerospace aluminum with a mil-spec black or silver finish. This one is a retractable tip model so there is no cap to lose. And it looks like an actual pen, not some form of futuristic torture device.
	Uzi Tactical Defender with DNA Catcher – While the SureFire Pen IV is cool because it looks normal, the Uzi is sure to generate some panicked 911 calls around the office. Not only is the crown of this pen mean and nasty looking in its own right, according to Uzi “the sharpened crown on the end can be used to jab or poke an attacker, which will not only cause extreme pain, but it will also collect the aggressors DNA which can be used for future identification.” That’s what I want! Some deviant miscreant’s DNA all over my pen…
	Bic Cristal – Old school, but effective if you know the right junior high school tricks. A Bic Cristal plus a pin and a little lint or cotton and you’ve got an annoying if not lethal blowgun.

	Two shooting gloves…
	And a Smith and Wesson M and P…

Filed Under: Viewpoint Tagged With: 12 days of christmas, gun gifts, shooting gifts, tactical pens

On the Second Day of Christmas… Two Shooting Gloves

December 13, 2011 By Tom 1 Comment

On the second day of Christmas, I hope my true love gives to me…Two shooting gloves…

For some reason, we want to get our hands on in some Taclite2 gloves from 5.11 Tactical. Granted, gloves are perhaps one of the most mission specific items out there, so this pick represents our specific wants and needs. Here in SC it would be nice to have some lightweight shooting gloves for cooler days. Not intended to provide cold-weather warmth but rather just to take the edge off long sessions at the shooting range when it gets icy – say down to 75 degrees or so… Ok, we’re not going to fish for sympathy here. But it does actually get cold enough where you can’t fry eggs on the driveway once in a while.

The Taclite2’s don’t have a seam at the finger tip and feature a leather palm side and spandex back side. They even include a sweat-wiping band on the wrist. Perfect for the hot lowcountry weather.

Want those.

And a Smith and Wesson M and P…

Filed Under: Gun Accessories Reviews, Viewpoint Tagged With: 12 days of christmas, 5.11 gloves, 5.11 tactical, gun gifts, shooting gifts, shooting gloves, tactical gloves

On the First Day of Christmas… A Smith & Wesson M & P

December 12, 2011 By Tom Leave a Comment

On the first day of Christmas, I hope my true love gives to me…A Smith and Wesson M and P…

We’ve got a love / hate relationship with the .357 Sig cartridge. Love the power, feeding characteristics, reliability, .357 Magnum-like ballistics from a semi-auto, and sheer joy of shooting it. Hate the price of factory ammo, leaving precious .357 Sig brass on the ground at lost-brass matches, and some of the quirks of reloading.

However, we’re thinking the Smith and Wesson M&P would make an outstanding platform for this round. There’s something about the shape of the Smith and Wesson M&P grip that is just, well, shootable. The more round profile makes it particularly comfortable and facilitates control under recoil We’ve shot the M&P in .40 S&W and found it outstanding. And fun.

Smith and Wesson’s M&P in .357 Sig offers a polymer frame with 15+1 round capacity. Tritium sights would be on it – of course. And ours would not have the optional frame mounted safety. Personal preference there.

Want that.

Filed Under: Viewpoint Tagged With: christmas, gun gifts, handguns, pistols, shooting gifts, smith and wesson