SHOT Show

Team Smith & Wesson’s Trevor Baucom: Go Big or Go Home!

May 14, 2013 By Tom Leave a Comment

If you’re thinking about getting into competitive shooting, you could always start small, maybe with a local club match. Of you could just go and enter the most challenging competition there is – the Bianchi Cup. That’s what Team Smith & Wesson’s Trevor Baucom did. Oh, and he did it from a wheelchair. You see, Trevor is a medically retired Chief Warrant Officer and Blackhawk Pilot who was paralyzed in a crash during a night assault mission in Afghanistan. Now, as a sponsored competitive shooter, he’s opening doors to the shooting sports for lots of folks.

We caught up with Team Smith & Wesson’s Trevor Baucom at SHOT Show 2013.

We had a lot of fun talking with Trevor Baucom. Here’s what we learned…

My Gun Culture: So Trevor, if we have our facts straight, you’re a relatively new addition to Team Smith & Wesson. Didn’t you join the team sometime in mid-2011?

Trevor Baucom: That’s right, I was formally introduced as a team member at the NRA Annual Meeting in 2011 in Pittsburgh.

MGC: Now for the interesting part – was your first major competition really the The 2011 Bianchi Cup National Championship?

Trevor: Well no, not really. Bianchi was my FIRST shooting competition PERIOD! I had shot plenty just playing around, but never anything in terms of serious competition. After a couple of months of training, Bianchi was the first match I ever shot!

MGC: Ummm, that’s kind of like learning how to read by picking up a copy of War and Peace isn’t it? For those who aren’t familiar, the Bianchi Cup is the most brutal test of handgun shooting skill.

Trevor: It’s all about accuracy. Meaning out to 50 yards with a handgun kind of accuracy.

MGC: So were you completely high on drugs to venture into competitive shooting this way?

Trevor: Nah… That was the first one and I kind of think “Go big or go home!” I had a blast and it was really fun.

MGC: So how did you do?

Trevor: Well, I didn’t come close to winning. Doug Koenig has nothing to fear from me! I’ll improve on it as I go. My goal is always to outdo myself every year. Hey I didn’t come in last place either…

MGC: How did the whole Smith & Wesson thing come about? Tell us about the chain of events that got you here.

Trevor: I had just gotten out of the hospital and was going to outpatient rehab. I was in and out of the rehab facility and I saw this car with GUNS-TV on the license plate and I thought “That’s pretty cool.” Then I saw a 2^nd Ranger Battalion license plate on the front of the car. And I did my first five years in the Army in the 1^st Ranger Battalion so I go out there one day and see a bunch of guys talking by that car. So I went over and asked who the Ranger was. The guy answered that it was actually his son, and it turned out the guy was Jim Scoutten, host of Shooting USA. Anyway, over the next week or so, we talked more and one thing led to another. He introduced me to the folks at Smith & Wesson and here we are.

MGC: Now you also shoot Steel Challenge right?

Trevor: Yes sir!

MGC: How’s that going for you?

Trevor: It’s a blast, I love Steel Challenge. I did the World Shoot the past couple of years. I’ve been improving my times year over year and did the Nationals this year.

MGC: We also heard that you’re starting into 3 Gun competition as well?

Trevor: I am. I am shooting the AR15.com match in July at Rock Castle. That’s going to be my first major 3 Gun match. Ithaca Gun Company has sponsored me. They don’t offer a semi-auto shotgun, so I have to shoot the Heavy Metal class. So I’m going hard core!

MGC: Let’s talk about your competition guns. For Bianchi and Steel Challenge what are you using?

Trevor: I’m shooting the Smith & Wesson M&P Pro Series with a 5 inch barrel. I’ve got a production version and an Open Class M&P that Apex Tactical has fixed up for me. For Steel Nationals, I’m going to shoot the new Smith & Wesson M&P Core. For 3 Gun I’ll be shooting a Smith & Wesson M&P AR, probably the 300 Whisper. So I’ll still be shooting the .30 caliber for Heavy Metal, but with a little less pop. Then I’ll use one of the Smith & Wesson M&P Core’s in .45 ACP for the pistol and of course an Ithaca Model 37 pump shotgun.

MGC: So with all that, you’ll leave Rock Castle with a nice, sore, shoulder…

Trevor: Nah, it’s alright. They hooked me up with a really nice recoil reducer. It has a strut inside that soaks up a lot of the recoil. I did a charity trap shoot with it a couple weeks ago and it was fine.

MGC: Let’s talk about hunting. You live in Tennessee right? Lot’s of hunting opportunities there, so what do you enjoy?

Trevor: There’s lot’s of hunting and fishing. I hunt deer, turkey, and HAVA (Honored American Veterans Afield) is working on getting me out for an elk hunt too.

MGC: So how was your deer season this year?

Trevor: I didn’t get out very much at all. But, my oldest son got his first deer. It ended up being a management buck, but it was bigger than the 10 pointer it was hanging next to in the freezer. So while it was a management buck, it was a big one. So that was the only one we got this year as we just didn’t get out enough. Turkey season is great because I don’t have to go anywhere. The farmer behind us has given us free rein to hunt 300 acres for Turkey. So as long as I don’t shoot his cows, I’m OK!

MGC: No worries, I’m sure the Bianchi Cup stuff has got your accuracy all set. So, since you’re an Army Ranger veteran and probably expert on this topic, you can settle a long-standing debate. My wife and I have been arguing over the best home-defense gun. I think it’s an MK19 Automatic Grenade Launcher, but she’s worried about the blast radius and collateral damage. What say you? Settle this for us, please.

Trevor: I got this. I coach soccer, and one of the soccer parents asked me about home-defense a couple of weeks ago. Her husband is deployed and there is a lot of construction where she lives, so there are lots of strangers coming and going at weird times. She went shopping for pistols and couldn’t figure out what she needed. I told her, look, we’ll get you a pump shotgun. First of all, the noise is going to scare the hell out of anybody. If someone tries to break in, take your boys into the bedroom, and if someone tries to come in, shoot them right in the junk! He’s not gonna mess with you any more! So that’s where I’m at. Load it with light bird shot – you don’t have to have anything heavy. It’s not gonna go through walls. If you hit him below the belt, he’s going to stop. And a pump shotgun has follow-up rounds if you need them. A shotgun is harder to miss with than a pistol and it’s not going to go through walls and such.

MGC: Remind me never to break into your house… So what’s your schedule for the year looking like?

Trevor: I’m competing about once a month on average. What I really love is doing HAVA shoots. I love going HAVA because you’ll get guys out there and see a 180 degree attitude change. We had a quadriplegic who hadn’t been able to get out. We set him up with a friend operating the stick because he can’t move anything. They had the sip and puff trigger where you blow into it and it shoots the gun. That guy went from not saying a word to anyone and moping to having a huge smile after the second round. He was happy, having fun, and talking to everybody. That’s why I love HAVA. You get the wives and kids out there. They teach everyone gun safety first and get them shooting. It’s a great organization.

We’d like to thank Trevor Baucom and Team Smith & Wesson for helping us get Trevor’s story out there. If you haven’t tried competitive shooting, you now have no excuse! No need to start with the Bianchi Cup though. You can leave that to Trevor.

Filed Under: People Tagged With: Bianchi Cup, Club Match, competitive shooting, home defense, hunting, interviews, military, Self-Defense, Shooting Competitions, SHOT Show, smith & wesson, Trevor, Trevor Baucom

Our Talk With The Miculeks – The First Family of Shooting

April 30, 2013 By Tom Leave a Comment

We had the opportunity to catch up with Jerry, Kay and Lena Miculek recently to ask them about life as the First Family of Shooting, family rivalries and how often Jerry has to sleep in the couch. As you’ll see, the Miculeks are some wild and crazy folks!

The Miculek Family sporting their work attire, courtesy of Team Smith & Wesson

My Gun Culture: Here we are with the Miculek Family – Jerry, Kay and Lena. Lot’s of folks know you as the First Family of Shooting. How did that come about?

Kay Clark Miculek: Well, technically… Jerry married INTO the First Family of Shooting. My father, Jim Clark , Sr. was a gunsmith and now Clark Custom Guns is run by my brother. The Clark family had actually been branded as the First Family of Shooting. So anyway, Jerry decided to practice with my brother one day, and we decided to keep him!

MGC: I know I promised you that this interview was more about entertainment than scoop, and that I wouldn’t try to trip you up with any hard questions. But I kinda lied. The other day, the President signed an Executive Order granting the First Family Secret Service Protection for life. Since you’re the First Family of Shooting, I have to ask if all y’all will be the ones providing this security? And will Smith & Wesson supply all the gear?

Jerry Miculek: I’m up for hire you know! I’m “Johnny on the spot” so show me the money and I’m your man!

Kay: We’ll need a whole bunch of those 7 round magazines though…

MGC: We’ll probably be able to get you an exemption on the new 7 round magazine limits.

Kay: Or we can all just use wheelguns!

MGC: Jerry, there’s this rumor on the internet that you can empty a revolver in .57 seconds. I’m thinking, heck, I can even do that. You just open the cylinder and dump the rounds out. I could’ve told you that a long time ago and saved you a lot of trouble!

Jerry: I think I can still beat you though. By the time you get that thing open, I’ll be done! So I got ya beat…

MGC: So Jerry, tell us about the Miculek revolver grip. How did that come to be?

Jerry: It kind of originated when Jim Clark, Sr. and I were traveling and competing in the Masters event. I was shooting a revolver and beating the pistol guys. I was taking Smith & Wesson grips and altering them with Bondo and tape. I screwed little pieces and parts on them and they looked really, really ratty. Jim told me to go see this gentlemen, Guy Hogue, who actually makes grips that look a whole lot better than that trashy one on my gun. So I went to see Mr. Hogue and out of his kind heart, he made me a couple of sets of custom grips. He’s a super nice guy along with the rest of the Hogue family. Anyway, he was kind enough to throw me a bone and make me grips because be thought I was an enthusiast at the time. We started selling them as they seemed to fit the need for a lot of folks.

MGC: I can see how Smith & Wesson might have liked that you switched to professionally made grips. As a marketing guy myself, I can see how they would be a little stressed out having their team shooter run around with a beautiful Smith & Wesson revolver equipped with Bondo and duct tape on the grips…

Jerry: Yeah, it looked a little cheap, but it got the job done.

MGC: The latest info we have is that you and your wife have different gun selections with Smith & Wesson, with her using an M&P and you being more of a revolver guy. Is there friction in the family over this? Does Jerry sleep on the couch a lot?

Kay: No there’s no friction!

MGC: Let me rephrase that, does Jerry sleep on the couch a lot?

Kay: (Laughs) Not at all! That’s what keeps our marriage strong! I can still beat him occasionally as he’s got a six shot revolver and I have a 17 round M&P. So now and then I can rub it in that “I beat you again!” We won’t count the part where he had 3 reloads and I’m just pulling the trigger…

MGC: So Kay, is your M&P competion gun stock, or did you get the Smith & Wesson Pro Shop to jazz it up? I hope you didn’t let Jerry work on it as he probably would have put Bondo and duct tape all over it!

Kay: Well, Jerry might have tweaked the internals a little bit, but I said no to Bondo!

MGC: So Lena, you were born, born on the range. And now you’re cruising all over the country racking up championships. What’s on your schedule in 2013?

Lena Miculek: I have 22 matches scheduled so far. I’m also an instructor with Babes with Bullets so I have 4 or 5 three to four day classes. So my schedule is crazy, but I love it. Most of my matches are 3 Gun so I can get out there and do what I really love. Actually I just competed in the 3 Gun Nation Shootoff and I was able to take the Ladies Division win. So I’m on sort of a 3 Gun high right now.

MGC: Did your mom compete in that?

Lena: Yes!

MGC: So you’ve been kicked out of the house?

Lena: Well we both made it to the finals!

MGC: You’re dodging the question. Did you beat your mom or not?

Lena: Yes!

MGC: Kay, what drove you to start Babes With Bullets?

Kay: It started off as training for ladies interested in competition, but so many new shooters were interested that now it’s more oriented to that. Smith & Wesson has generously provided guns, so bottom line – these ladies can come to the classes, try out the gear and make an informed decision for when they decide to buy something.

MGC: Jerry, I saw an episode of Sons of Guns, where one of their gunsmiths raced you. He was shooting a full auto rifle against you shooting a semi-auto AR-15. And you dang near beat him!

Jerry: Yeah, but if you go back and look at the footage, his first shot was in the ground, while mine was actually on target. So he was just shooting towards the target zone, while I was actually hitting something! Ummm, they didn’t edit that correctly…

MGC: To get that kind of trigger finger speed, you must have some sort of custom Nautilus Finger Training machine. What’s the secret?

Jerry: I just have a lot of excitement in my life. I’m an excitable guy. When I get excited, things just happen quick!

MGC: Well, since you’re going down that path… With such a well-developed finger you must have other interesting skills…

Jerry: ???

MGC: No, not that! Your mind is in the gutter!

Kay: I’ve tried to teach him to type, but that was a failure…

Lena: You should see him with elevators. When he has to wait, he keeps pushing the button over and over and over really fast. Like it will make a difference…

Jerry: Yeah, I can lock up the elevator.

MGC: What else do our readers need to know?

Jerry: Send checks and donations!

Kay: Yeah, we’re not a non-profit organization! We’re just kidding! We’d love people to check out our new Team Miculek website and of course encourage the ladies to get involved with Babes with Bullets.

We’d like to thank all the Miculeks for a great time. Unlike real First Families, the First Family of Shooting has a great sense of humor!

You can learn more about their happenings at Miculek.com and ladies, be sure to check out Babes With Bullets!

Filed Under: People Tagged With: 3 Gun, Babes with Bullets, competitive shooting, Jerry Miculek, Kay Miculek, Lena Miculek, Miculek, Shooting, SHOT Show, smith & wesson, smith and wesson, Women Shooters

A Molly Minute with Molly Smith – Team Smith & Wesson’s Youngest Shooter

February 18, 2013 By Tom 6 Comments

Recently we had the good fortune to catch up with Pro Shooter Molly Smith of Team Smith & Wesson. This was no small feat as this lady is seriously on the go. Ever see The Flash from DC Comics? Well, she’s kind of like that…

My Gun Culture: So Molly, we’ve heard you called a lot of things…

Molly Smith Team Smith & Wesson Pro Shooter

We caught up with Team Smith & Wesson Pro Shooter Molly Smith at the 2013 SHOT Show.

Molly Smith: WHAT???

MGC: No, just kidding, not that! Like Molly Minute and Millisecond Molly. We heard about those nicknames from our friends over at Women’s Outdoor News. How on earth did you manage to get involved with a bunch of crazy chicks like them?

Molly: Well, I’m not exactly sure how it happened… I have a blog and through my blogging I’ve been able to go to various things like the Gun Blogger Rendezvous in Reno – that is one of my absolute favorite events – it’s fantastic! Different events like that get me connected with folks around the internet community. Also I’ve been reading Women’s Outdoor News and other sites that are encouraging women shooters. It’s made me want to contribute as well.

MGC: I saw that you recently participated in a mock Second Amendment trial. Was that a school event?

Molly: It’s a statewide competition. I’m from California and every year there is a new case with a different theme. There are two parts and I was involved with the Second Amendment portion. It was a murder case where a gun was not used, but one was found in the perpetrators car. So my part of the debate was related to whether the defendant was allowed to have that pistol and whether there should be additional charges. I got to reference recent big cases like Heller and McDonald to make my arguments.

MGC: So, are you for, or against, the Second Amendment?

Molly: (Laughs. A lot. At our expense.)

MGC: OK, that was a trick question, but we’re going to make you answer it. So?

Molly: I am for rights! I am for more freedoms! I could write you a paper on my interpretation of the Constitution!

MGC: I’m part of Smith & Wesson’s background check network and we just making sure that their team members are up to snuff on these issues…

Molly: Umm, we have a problem???

MGC: So did you win?

Molly: Well, we did not go on to state, but that was not all my fault! It was a team effort and we did really well, however one school beats us every single year. But this year they are going down! This year’s topic is a 5th Amendment debate. I have a huge interest in constitutional law and I’m planning on going to law school as soon as I am able to so I can defend every freedom we have.

MGC: That’s fantastic!

Molly: Well, my mom wants me to marry Prince Harry, but I’d rather be a constitutional lawyer, or better yet, a Supreme Court Justice.

MGC: We’d love to see you on the Supreme Court! Let’s talk about competition. You’re Team Smith & Wesson’s youngest shooter. How did it feel when Smith & Wesson sent out the corporate jet to recruit you? How did this all start?

Molly: Well, I competed at my first International Revolver Championship when I was 10 and I was shooting a borrowed gun as I had only been shooting about 3 weeks at that time. But I didn’t come in last place! I came in second to last, behind a guy who didn’t finish, but that’s OK! I won a revolver there through a drawing. It was a Smith & Wesson 627 and that’s my gun of choice to this day. I’ve shot nearly every event with that same gun.

MGC: .38 Special right?

Molly: Exactly! 8 shot N frame. It was my second International Revolver Championship and I finished pretty well with second or third place for my junior division. After the match, Julie Golob came up. All the women were very nice. They blew me away! They were beautiful and friendly and the best shooters. I decided I wanted to be like them when I grew up. That was my determination at that age. So, Julie asked if I wanted a t-shirt. Then if I wanted a gun! And I was like OK!

MGC: So we hear you’re going to fill in while Julie is on maternity leave. Is there a coup in progress where you’re going to plot and scheme to take her position while she’s out?

Molly: Well actually it’s all a big conspiracy… Wait, you’re not gonna put that in the article!

MGC: So what’s coming up for you in 2013?

Molly: Well the Bianchi Cup. It’s a very difficult and challenging match. It makes my head hurt, and it’s fantastic, and I get so much out of it. It’s the most difficult match I’ve ever heard of and I love it. It teaches me so much, even by just competing in it. By the time the next match, which happens to be the International Revolver Championship, comes up for me, I am ready. I have the fundamentals engraved in my mind because I’ve been focusing so hard for months on the Bianchi Cup. I get to the IRC and then it’s a breeze for me and I have so much fun running around and going fast. I generally do much better at the IRC than Bianchi because I am better at it – that helps my self-esteem a little bit. I’m also thinking about starting Steel Challenge and then I’ll be starting to visit college campuses.

MGC: So is that this coming fall for you? Are you a senior?

Molly: I’m a junior, but I am aiming for some prestigious schools so I’m starting early.

MGC: Want to tell us which ones?

Molly: Well, I have plan A. And plan B. And plan C… I’m ultimately aiming for an Ivy League and hoping to go into Political Science or English and then into law. If I end up going to a California University I can knock almost two years off my undergraduate program as I’ve already been taking college classes. NYU and Georgetown are also schools that I’m looking at. I love Washington DC! I went there over the summer with the NRA Youth Education Summit. Best experience of my life! It was the most fantastic week I’ve ever had. If there are any Freshmen and Sophomores out there, look into this program!

MGC: How many Smith & Wesson guns do you have? You can round off to the nearest dozen…

Molly: Well, 3 actually. I don’t like having more than I need.

MGC: We’ll work on fixing that with the Smith & Wesson folks. What else do you want our readers to know?

Molly: My biggest goal right now is to promote gun safety, safe gun ownership and encouraging women and kids to shoot. I love to see more women and juniors out there shooting because it’s such a fantastic sport! I don’t like to see people afraid of firearms, because when they’re used safely, they’re a great instrument for fun. I really like to be an ambassador and encourage the sport.

We’d like to thank Molly for taking time to meet with us. Be sure to keep up with her via Smith & Wesson, and of course at The Molly Minute or Millisecond Molly at Women’s Outdoor News.

Filed Under: People Tagged With: .38 Special, 627, competitive shooting, interviews, IRC Revolver, Junior Shooters, Molly, Molly Smith, SHOT Show, smith & wesson, Smith Wesson Guns, Team Smith & Wesson

Holster Review: N82 Tactical Concealed Carry Holster

February 5, 2013 By Tom 2 Comments

Let’s clear something up right off the bat. How do you say “N82 Tactical?” The “tactical” part is pretty easy, so we’ll focus on the “N82” part.

En – eight – two? Nope.

En – eighty two? Nope.

Nate two? Nope.

It’s “Nate Squared.”

N82 Tactical Professional Series Concealed Carry Holster

We know this because we met a whole slew of Nates at this years SHOT Show – and they were all holster makers. In fact, it seemed that the whole booth was full of Nates. Well, at least two, and that’s plenty for most legal uses. We’re not going to get into the political ramifications of whether high-capacity Nate’s should be legal, but common sense will indicate that two is plenty. Can’t we all just agree on that?

Fortunately, we got the name thing cleared up pretty quickly and one of the Nate’s gave me a thorough rundown on their concealed carry holster designs.

It’s a good thing, because we had previously only seen these holsters in advertisements and from (an admittedly very unfair) first glance, we had a bit of a ho-hum reaction.

And, as frequently proven by our readers and former math teachers, we were very, very wrong. Here’s why.

The N82 Tactical holsters have come interesting innovations. Spurred on to entrepreneurial enterprise by the belief that holsters should be both comfortable and comforting, the dynamic Nate duo and a rental squad of Oompa Loompas created a basic design that makes for an inherently wearable, yet solid and secure inside the waistband holster.

The N82 is a multi-layer affair. A large backing panel goes between the gun and your tender midsection skin areas. The panel is large enough to completely cover the gun and all or most of the grip – depending on the specific model. This keeps sharp and abrasive metal and wood stuff away from your belly. A belt clip is affixed to the gun pocket so the whole holster with gun is tucked inside the waistband with the clip securing to your belt. Pretty simple.

Here’s where the layering comes in.

The body side of the panel is made from soft suede. N82 Tactical chose suede for several reasons. It’s a natural material, so it allows your skin to breathe and feel cool – even in hot and humid climates. Another reason for the suede lining is that it has a friction coefficient. Yeah, I told you we wouldn’t get into quantum physics in this article, but hang in there for a second. Since the whole suede area has some “grip” it serves to spread the weight of the gun over a broader area. Not that we’re calling your area broad or anything. OK, Enough of the fancy science.

Sandwiched in the middle is a layer of neoprene. If you saw the movie Jaws, or have been to Sea World, you’ll know that this is the stuff that diver’s wetsuits are made of. It’s waterproof. While you probably won’t be diving with your N82 Tactical holster, the neoprene barrier does in fact create a moisture barrier between your sweaty broad area and your expensive gun. Even if you sweat, your gun stays dry. Within reason of course. The other reason behind the neoprene moisture barrier is to prevent the leather portion of the holster from becoming mushier and mushier over time. All of the Nate’s believe that leather doesn’t break in to the right point and then stop breaking it. It continues to get softer and softer over time, especially with exposure to moisture.

The outer layer is leather. This provides structure, stability and a safe backing for your gun – whether it be steel or polymer.

For the gun pocket itself, N82 Tactical offers a couple of separate options – the Standard and Professional Series.

The original model, or Standard Series, utilizes a stetchy material to secure the gun to the leather holster panel. N82 got a lot of feedback from law enforcement customers. They loved the comfort of the tuckable design with its stretch band holster pocket, but needed additional positive retention for more active situations.

On the Professional Series models, the gun pocket is made from a polycarbonate material. Yes, the same material that is used to make impact resistant glasses, bulletproof glass and Justin Bieber CD’s. The polycarbonate is molded to that it protrudes slightly into the trigger guard of the gun to provide positive retention. When wearing the holster, your body presses the gun even more into the trigger guard mold. To draw the gun, use a rotating motion along the axis of the barrel. This releases the trigger guard and allows the gun to exit the holster. It sounds complicated, but when you wear this holster just behind the hip bone, your natural draw motion tends to rotate the gun exactly as needed to release the gun. After a couple of tries we had it down pat.

We were pleasantly surprised at the engineering involved in this concealed carry holster. While it looks simple, there’s a lot under the covers. So to speak.

Read about more carry styles and over 120 different gun holsters in The Insanely Practical Guide to Gun Holsters - available at Amazon.com! Learn more about our Insanely Practical Guides!

Filed Under: Holster Reviews, Reviews Tagged With: Carry Holster, Conceal Carry Holsters, concealed carry, holster reviews, holsters, Leather Holsters, new products, reviews, SHOT Show, Tactical Holsters, Waistband Holster

Top 10 Shooting Products from NSSF SHOT Show 2013

January 19, 2013 By Tom 6 Comments

Doing a Top 10 list for SHOT Show is ridiculous. Kind of like trying to fit all the amazing things that have spilled out of Joe Biden’s mouth into a single leather-bound book. It simply can’t be done.

But as you probably already know, we’re kind of ridiculous around here, so we’re going to highlight our Top 10 shooting gear finds of SHOT Show 2013.

Here goes:

	Trijicon 300 AAC Blackout ACOG Optic. This is cool, cool, cool. We’ve a got a 300 Blackout rifle coming in for testing and can’t wait to spend more time with this optic. We shot it at the Media Day event and loved our first experience. The neat thing about this optic is the graduated reticle. It’s got normal elevation hashmarks calibrated for supersonic 300 AAC Blackout loads out to 600 yards. It also has indicators for subsonic rounds. Just zero the optic with supersonic ammo and everything falls into place. You’ll also notice the scope is slimmer than standard ACOG’s.
	Kestrel Meter with Horus ATRAG Ballistics Software. This is one cool device. You may be familiar with Kestrel’s pocket weather meters that provide instant data on humidity, temperature, wind, etc. This one adds a full ballistic computer to the mix. You can store multiple gun and load configurations with bullet type, ballistic coefficient, weight, and velocity. This information is combined with automatically collected atmospheric data to calculate a perfect long-range shooting solution. A new model is coming out soon with even more advanced ballistic software and load storage capabilities. Technology is cool.
	Black Rain Ordnance AK-47. What’s the big deal about another AK-47? Look closely at the photo. This baby is a MILLED receiver, not a piece of metal stamped out like a Yugo fender. If memory serves, it’s going to be called the Freedom Fighter when it’s available in a couple of months. Oh, and we found out that one of Black Rain’s Pro Shooters, Sandra Orvig, lives virtually across the street from us. You’ll know a couple of other Black Rain Pro Shooters from Top Shot – the always energetic Gabby Franco and really huge guy Greg Littlejohn. This gun shot like a dream. Solid, heavy, and gentle. Fun!
	Tracking Point Networked Tracking Scope. Why yes, that is a laser targeting system on my .338 Lapua Magnum! I have no long-range shooting skill. Mainly because there’s no place nearby with a long-range facility. So when that crazy guy from Tracking Point asked me if I wanted to shoot a .338 Lapua Magnum at a steel gong 967 yards away in a freezing, howling wind, I thought he was a little nuts. With the Tracking Point, you simply lase the target with a red dot on the reticle using a button near the trigger. The system already knows your load ballistics and gathers atmospheric conditions for trajectory calculation. Once the target is lased, you can move the rifle around in an moderate-sized zone around the target center. Just press and hold the trigger and try to cover the laser indicator again. When your scope passes over the exact spot, the rifle fires automatically – you don’t have to hold on the target, just pass over it. A secondary benefit is there is no trigger flinch. You don’t know exactly when the gun will fire. And yes, I did hit the steel gong ⅔ of a mile out there on the first try. Through no fault of my own.
	Crazy Fun People. Ok, so this isn’t actually a product, but most of our shooting industry friends are more or less products of insanity. That’s what makes the people so great and all of this so much fun. Here’s a photo from the First Shots reception, run by the NSSF’s always entertaining Tisma Juett. She’s coordinating First Shots events all across the country and getting thousands and thousands of people introduced to the shooting sports. You might recognize some of those wild and crazy huntresses from The Women’s Outdoor News, Stephanie from XS Sights, Kelle – the better half of Hot Caliber Jewelry, Team Archangel – tactical trainers extraordinaire, and @GlamGunGirl.
	Flashbang Eva Women’s Holster. A number of companies that are more dude-oriented are making hybrid holsters like the Galco King Tuk and CrossBreed. Lisa and Bart Looper have some up with a model just for the female form. The Eva has an exceptionally well made leather backing, gun-specific kydex shell, and best of all, a colorful suede backing. Fun and functional!
	Blackhawk! Rail Mount Thumb Rest. Sometimes the simplest products are the most valuable. This is a nifty accessory for virtually any rifle with a forward side rail. The thumb shelf helps you achieve a perfectly consistent and firm grip with your support hand every time. Reversing it creates two different thumb shelf heights. A lower position is great for rifles with a vertical fore grip. The upper position is better if you don’t use one. You have to try it to believe the difference it makes.
	U.S. Optics SR8. This is one gorgeous optic. It’s obviously built like a tank. It offers 1-8x zoom with a true 1X so at closer ranges it works like a red dot. It features two different ranging reticle options which are in the first focal plane so ranging is not affected by zoom level. It also offers a red dot in the second focal plane which can be turned on or off. The red dot features variable intensity controls. Or you can get a not-red dot as the optic is orderable with your choice of red, green or blue illumination. Can’t wait to spend some quality time with this one.
	SilencerCo 5.56mm Saker. This dedicated 5.56 / .223 silencer was just downright fun to shoot. Less blast, less noise, accurate, and light. What’s not to love? The neatest part of the Saker design is the MAAD, or Multiple Accessory Attachment Device. This simply means that the attachment mechanism is not proprietary. Which means you can mount this over other vendors flash hiders. The end cap is removable, so if you manage to blow the end off, you can simply replace the end cap and there is far less risk of damage to your suppressor.
	Slidefire .22LR Stock System. Here’s a great way to clean out your local Wal-Mart’s supply of bulk .22LR ammunition. Last year, SlideFire introduced bump-fire stocks for AR-15 and AK-47 semi-automatic rifles. This year, they’ve managed to get the system to work on certain .22 rifles. Available soonish is a trigger set for the Smith & Wesson M&P 15-22. The stock is the basic AR-15 stock. The lighter trigger set is required to make the SlideFire system work with the reduced recoil impulse of .22 ammunition. Soon, SlideFire will introduce a solution for the Ruger 10/22 platform. We shot the M&P 15-22 system at Media Day and it was a hoot! And affordable Get one.

Filed Under: Business, Events, Life, SHOT Show Tagged With: .22 Long Rifle, .338 Lapua Magnum, Ak-47, blackhawk, flashbang, Guns and Gear, holsters, kestrel, lasers, new products, NSSF, optics, Reticle, rifle scopes, scopes, Shooting, shooting accessories, Shooting Gear, Shooting Products, SHOT, SHOT Show, siencerco, silencers, slide fire, suppressors, Top 10 List, trijicon, us optics, women

Review: 5.11 Tactical COVRT 18 Backpack

February 6, 2012 By Tom Leave a Comment

We put the 5.11 Tactical COVRT 18 Backpack through the ringer. It’s one of three packs selected for our 2012 SHOT Show Challenge. We even ran the TSA gauntlet with it - sans detainment or other embarrassing incident. Our standard luggage was far less successful and every single piece got molested by the feds. Once at SHOT 2012, we stuffed it full of food, water, shooting stuff, and tech gear for Media Day at the Range. Then, for three more days, we crammed obscene amounts of SHOT Show marketing and press collateral into them. And a veritable boatload of cool giveaway goodies. Then we brought it all home. In other words, we subjected it to a regimen designed to create a high risk of pack destruction.

A look at the 5.11 COVRT 18

This is a full size combination cubicle-tactical bag – suitable for use in the field, on the road, or for your office junk. It’s got a really interesting combination of features that make it a great crossover pack for field gear AND electronics. The COVRT is designed to “blend in.” Offered in 5 different color schemes, it looks right at home in any urban environment – by design. While loaded with plenty of tactical features like drag handle, concealed weapons compartments, QuickTact straps, and lots of external attachment points, the COVRT does not scream tactical. While it offers the features, it’s not nearly tactical looking enough for fully qualified mall ninjas. Only real covert operators and regular folks looking for a quality backpack need apply for this one.

Internal laptop sleeve

The COVRT 18 fits a 15″ MacBook Pro perfectly in the vertical position. Just for reference, this computer is just about 14.3 inches wide and 9.82 inches deep. Oh, and this sleeve is padded. The internal laptop sleeve also offers a strap that will hold smaller notebooks, netbooks, iPads and the like in place. it wouldn’t fit around the MacBook Pro, nor was it needed for larger devices like full size notebooks.

Dedicated sunglasses / goggles pocket

This is located at the very top of the pack behind the grab handle and is lined with soft fluffy material that won’t scratch your ESS Crossbow Eyeshields. The pocket is sized for just the eyewear and won’t fit extra large cases. The whole point however, is that you don’t need to lug your eyewear case around. This is a feature that sounds unimportant, but turns out to be really handy.

BBS weapons pocket

This pack uses the 5.11 Tactical Back-up Belt System. That allows you to carry a gun holster, magazine pouches, and other gear compatible with the system in a hidden pouch. The BBS pouch is accessible through zippers on both sides of the COVRT 18 so it’s handy for both righties and lefties. This weapon storage method appears to be more useful for transport and deep concealment – it won’t help you win any speed draw contests. We tried it with a Glock 32 and a couple of spare magazines and there was plenty of room and the gun was held securely. 5.11 offers a variety of pouches compatible with the BBS System – holster, magazine carrier, handcuff pouch, collapsible baton pouch and a mace / pepper spray or flashlight pouch.

Quick access flex-cuff channel

Sorry but as this is a PG rated publication, we can’t comment on our use of flex cuffs while in Vegas. But if you’re a law enforcement, military or private security type, it’s a nice added touch to have quick access without rummaging through the pack.

Pockets, pockets, pockets…

The COVRT 18 offers enough pockets to keep us organization freaks busy for months. Main compartment; laptop sleeve; two mesh zipper pouches in the main compartment; hydration bladder compartment; four additional zipper-enclosed exterior pockets; and more. We’re pretty sure that the COVRT 18 can handle more gear than the Bat Utility Belt. As we recall, even Batmans belt did not have specialized storage for beverage containers (or smoke grenades) in exterior mesh pockets, Tide-To-Go pens, or business cards. Not that Batman ever needed business cards – those sexy tights were always a dead giveaway.

Straps

One of the standout features of the 5.11 COVRT 18 is comfort. Not only are the main straps wide and well padded, they make use of cinch straps to secure the main compartment load. An adjustable sternum strap helps keep the shoulder straps right where you want them. The integrated grab handle has both tactical and non-tactical uses. Mounted between the shoulder straps just before they connect to the pack body, the grab handle is thick and well padded. And sturdy. After three days of SHOT Show, the My Gun Culture staff had to resort to dragging me off the show floor in a comatose state. Oh, it’s also handy for quick moves and carries without fully mounting the pack over one or both shoulders. Nice feature – not just because it’s there, but because its well designed.

The final word

This is one of the most functional and diverse packs we’ve every used. Equally great for toting office gear around airports and shooting gear around the range. Love it.

Filed Under: Gun Accessories Reviews, Reviews Tagged With: 5.11 tactical, backpacks, gear, Mall Ninjas, SHOT Show, tactical

The New SOG Light Saber? It’s ‘Glinty’

January 26, 2012 By Tom Leave a Comment

SHOT Show 2012 had more new things than we can ever cover, but this one stood out as awfully handy. And even more Star-Wars-y.

New this year from SOG are two new Blade Lights – offered in folding and fixed versions.

Pictured here is the folding version. It’s one of those oh-duh type devices offering a flashlight that works when the blade is open or closed, thereby letting one hand do the work of two. We can think of lot’s of practical uses:

Cleaning your fingernails in the middle of the night – without waking your significant other
Opening boxes in the dark
Checking to see if that London Broil on the grill is really done without admitting your lack of grill confidence to guests
And most importantly, making your fearsome knife blade actually ‘glint’ like they say in classic murder mysteries

The light is about 35 lumens and runs for nearly four and a half hours on AAA batteries.

Usually we might blow this off as a cheap gimmick. But coming from SOG, we’re confident that it’s built for punishment. And impressing your Navy Seal friends.

Filed Under: SHOT Show Tagged With: Knives, new products, SHOT Show, SOG

An American Guns Story

January 24, 2012 By Tom 4 Comments

SHOT Show is an experience. You get to meet lot’s of interesting people. And get mugged by them.

Tuesday evening, I was strolling through the Sands expo complex with the rest of the My Gun Culture literary assault team, minding our own business, when suddenly I found myself in a choke hold. OK, so I was in condition white. It was SHOT Show and I was arguably on the safest real estate on the planet at the time. Gimme a break. Anyway, a voice whispered in my ear “Give me all your money!”

If it wasn’t for the fact that I was surrounded by 61,000 gun totin’ folks I could have been the next story on CSI Las Vegas. That and the fact that the mugger was none other than Rich Wyatt of Discovery Channel’s American Guns.

You see, we had the opportunity to interview 3/4 of the Wyatt family earlier in the day. Apparently, Renee Wyatt had to stay home and mind the business so Rich, Kurt, and Paige could go to Vegas and blow the family nest egg at the craps table. And I must have offended Rich in the process, hence the threats on my life. But all ended well.

Let’s review our discussion earlier in the day:

My Gun Culture: Rich, Can you tell our readers how on earth you ended up owning a gun business? Did you start from scratch or buy an existing business?

Rich: In eighth grade in English class in Connecticut I wrote a report about this gun shop I got right here, right now. And then I followed my dream and went out and went to gunsmith school, and became a gunsmith. My Dad told me not to do it. Then I realized I couldn’t make enough money being a gunsmith. And then they wouldn’t let me play with machine guns, so I went to the police department. Then all these things kept happening in my life and next thing you know now I got the gun shop. I couldn’t make enough being a one gunsmith, one shop so I got 7 full time guys fixing guns. I’ve got lots of guys doing wild things – sales, training, buying / selling, and building guns. Now we have something that’s producing the income that my family needs for us to get by.

My Gun Culture: So just to clarify, did you start Gunsmoke or buy an existing business?

Rich: I started Gunsmoke. I’d worked with other shops and I had done different things. I worked with Colonel Jeff Cooper you know. Colonel Cooper was my mentor and I couldn’t believe I got a chance to meet him. I couldn’t believe I got a chance to teach with him. And so Gunsmoke was started originally to teach classes with Colonel Cooper when he left the facility he was at in Arizona. But anyway, we needed to set up a corporation to do that, so that’s how Gunsmoke got its legs. Colonel Cooper and I traveled, we hunted in Africa, and our families were great friends. You know Gunsmoke started basically in the back of a Suburban loaded up with Galco holsters and books. Finally, I was like we need a building to put all this junk in, so we went out and got one. And it just kept growing from there. And then I was like, wow we got all this stuff, we need a TV show! So we got a TV show. And now we’re just rockin’ it and having a good time!

My Gun Culture: So your business Gunsmoke is famous for being able to build a gun from a block of raw metal. If we walked in with a 20 pound block of cheese, could you fabricate a fully automatic Cheese Wiz dispenser?

Rich: We will make you the finest sandwich you’ve ever had! It will be the best grilled cheese you have ever, ever eaten. And besides that, it will be an artistic feat beyond anything any chef has ever prepared.

My Gun Culture: So Paige, I’ve got something in common with your dad. We both have beautiful daughters and that is a big , big problem for a dad to have right? It’s kind of thing when a prospective date comes over to the house that most dads make it a point to be cleaning the shotgun on the kitchen table or whatever. Given that your dad is, umm, a bit more tactical than average, and builds barrage weapons and cannons and the like, how does he kick it up a notch?

Paige: Just having the TV show already gives guys a little bit of fear because it’s not mysterious. They don’t wonder…”Does your dad have guns?” It’s more like, “Oh crap, your dad has guns!” There’s no question about the fact that he’s fully loaded. Guys do get nervous and I have to explain to them that it’s OK and he’s a normal guy besides the fact that we own a gun shop. Guys get scared, but he’s pretty nice if they pass they test. I don’t really know what the test is as I have to leave the room! There’s little things that guys have to do to pass…

Kurt: Yeah, like be a guy!

My Gun Culture: Who’s worse when it comes to grilling your dates? Your dad or your brother?

Rich: Paige is very lucky because Kurt’s bought his own place and lives on his own. And so he’s not there, but he does make celebrity appearances in case I’m having a little trouble with one of these guys and then he handles the heavy lifting.

Kurt: I’m the cleanup crew.

My Gun Culture: Kurt, I went to high school. I definitely did not have a single engraving class in high school. Ever. I had English, Geometry, and classes like that. So tell us how you learned to engrave guns.

Kurt: I had always doodled on paper and messed around with that kind of stuff. I never actually thought that I would come up with a career out of it. I did plenty of art classes in school, but obviously nothing geared toward engraving. It was actually dad’s idea. He asked if I had ever seen any engraving and would I be interested in it? I said sure – absolutely! He packed me up and shipped me off to school for it. The rest was history. I fell in love with it as soon as I actually started engraving. I took a basic engraving class out in Kansas. It was a great, great experience for me, and I love doing it.

Paige: There is one thing about engraving. I did try to engrave my name once. I couldn’t even do a straight line. It is extremely difficult and he does a great job.

My Gun Culture: Ok so we need a secret scoop for our readers. Judging from my own experience, I’ve run tools right through my hand. Have you ever done that?

Kurt: I’ve not yet put an engraving tool through my hand but I’ve definitely screwed up!

Rich: And he’s messed up some engraving too!

My Gun Culture: The SHOT Show is all about business – everybody’s doing deals. We happen to have at our house – hold on to your shorts here – we have an extremely rare and valuable Mosin Nagant. It’s got to be worth 90 bucks at least. It’s my son’s, but he’s away at college, so I’m thinking about maybe offering you a trade. I saw you build that custom sniper rifle that was over the top with the flames. I’m kind of thinking I want one with a World War II Midway battle scene on it with Zero’s and Corsairs in a dogfight over the Pacific. So what do you think? Even trade?

Rich: Even trade? Yeah, we’ll do it.

Kurt: In dad’s famous words, so how do you want to take care of the balance?

My Gun Culture: So while we’re on the topic of barters and trades, what’s the craziest trade deal you ever did?

Rich: I traded a guy for a live rattlesnake one time, which could be illegal in some states so I won’t say where I did it. Then I shot it and made it into a belt. That was a weird trade. But my best trade is going to be my next one.

My Gun Culture: We’ve got an ongoing debate going on in our office and maybe you guys can help settle it.We’ve had all sorts of industry figures weigh in on this. Is the MK19 Automatic Grenade launcher appropriate for home defense? My wife worries about the blast radius but I like the horsepower. Thoughts?

Rich: Here’s the problem. The only reason I wouldn’t use it for home defense is that it’s too difficult to move around in the night. I want to be able to get that gun on somebody so my home defense gun would be an 870 shotgun. Because everybody ‘comprendes’ a 12 gauge!

My Gun Culture: We don’t want to make you feel bad, but Top Shot Champion Iain Harrison recommends a 105mm Light Gun, which the British army uses.

Rich: Well I’ll tell ya what, while Iain’s whipping that thing around I’ll have 5 or 6 shots off with my 870. It’s not he who has the best guns that wins, it’s he who hits the first that wins! And that’s gonna be me! The best gun is the gun you’ve got with you.

Kurt: Anytime anybody comes into the store and asks about a home defense gun we whip that pump action shotgun out and rack the slide and they say ‘All right, I understand!”

Paige: If it’s for your wife, at least make it pink!

My Gun Culture: It looks like everyone in the family carries a 1911 from the pictures I see. Can you each tell us about yours and what makes it special?

Rich: Of course! First of all, I carry the coolest 1911 on the planet. It’s got flames on it, it’s got skull and crossbones that Kurt engraved, ivory stocks, Jeff Cooper slim line pistol, dehorned, Novak sights, you know – everything. It’s a great gun. And I also carry a 5 shot Smith & Wesson revolver just in case I need to fill my other hand.

Kurt: 1911 full size 5 inch with a Galco holster and also a 5 shot .38 with a Galco holster. Mine’s tricked out just like dad’s but a little bit different and that’s the great thing about a 1911 is that you can customize the heck out of them. Mine’s got all the same stuff that you need to make it a fine fighting firearm, but I did the custom engraved grips and I’ve got the two tone going with high polish so it’s nice and bright and it looks cool too. Same deal with the secondary firearm. Of course we customized that too – lighter trigger, bob the hammer, all that good stuff.

Paige: I have a little different 1911. Mine is a Colt Defender. It’s a 3 inch barrel instead of the full size. I had to prove to my dad that I could carry the gun. It took a while – I had to pass tests again, so I haven’t been able to really do anything to it yet. I’ve got new stocks, safety, dehorn. Mine is a bit smaller for me as its easier to carry on my hip.

Rich: One last thing. A lot of people ask and see us and say “Hey, your gun’s cocked…” Duh! That’s how it’s meant to be carried. And then a lot of people ask “How is Paige allowed to carry guns?” What do you live in a communist state? This is America we live in! She’s our daughter, on our property – it’s legal for her to carry guns. And if you can’t figure that stuff out man, grow up. Let’s not let people think that it’s OK not to carry guns. It is the best to carry guns. If you’re not carrying a gun right now, it’s a tremendous mistake!

We would like to thank the Wyatt family – all four of them – for tolerating our invasive and rigorous questioning. They were good sports – and quite entertaining!

Filed Under: Events, People, SHOT Show Tagged With: American Guns, interviews, SHOT Show, Television

Thompson Center Dimension Is Bisexual – Or More?

January 24, 2012 By Tom Leave a Comment

The new Thompson Center Dimensiongoes both ways, if you know what we mean. You know, plays for both teams. Switch hits. Do we really have to spell it out for you?

OK then.

Karl from Thompson Center gave us the full tour at SHOT Show 2012 and here’s the scoop.

In short, with the TC Dimension, you can swap barrels, bolts, and scope to different calibers without changing point of impact.

Translation: If you’re huntin’ hogs, put on the “C” group barrel and bolt which gives you .270 Winchester and .30-06, for example. Smaller game? Swap our for the “A” group and try .204 Ruger or .203 Remington.

Thompson Center has created the ultimate Garanimals rifle. Pick a barrel, magazine, and bolt set by letter category – A, B, C, or D – and go to town. No trips to the range to re-verify zero – it just works. Same point of impact. Guaranteed match. Just like the kids clothes. No more embarrassing moments on the hunt when you brought mis-matching parts, or clothes for that matter.

Filed Under: Events, SHOT Show Tagged With: rifles, SHOT Show, Thompson Center

Pretty In Pink: Guns and Zombies of SHOT Show 2012

January 23, 2012 By Tom Leave a Comment

Everyone and their undead brother was participating in the gun and shooting industry “zombie pink-alanche” at SHOT Show 2012. From guns to gear to accessories to clothing, pink was on full display.

New from Smith & Wesson is the pink camouflage pattern M&P 15-22 pictured here. We’re all for it, mainly because Smith & Wesson is not following the “any color of your choice as long as it’s black or pink” route. They’re actually tracking closer to the “any color of your choice” route. New M&P 15-22’s are available in a broad variety of configurations and colors. Our favorite was the Magpul MOE customized version although the RealTree camo model will make an excellent woods gun. And it looks great.

Zombies were everywhere as well. From Zombie targets to edged weapons to cleaning kits (keeping your Zombie defense gun clean is a no brainer after all), everything you can imagine had a zombie specific version. A little much some say, but our take is different. If Zombie this and that brings more people into the shooting sports arena, we’re all for it. Simple as that.

Although we have yet to see a full pink Zombie on the trade show floor, we did spot a 3-dimensional bleeding Zombie target sporting pink lingerie. We’ll keep you posted on further developments.

Filed Under: Events, SHOT Show Tagged With: guns, SHOT Show, smith & wesson, zombies