Armed Lifestyle - Issue 2 - June 2022 by armedlifestylemagazine

CONTENTS

JUNE 2022 Issue 2 WE ARE OFF...

Page 4 - Realtor Safety - Amy Lucas explores the dangerous world of Real Estate to lead off issue #2. In her article, Amy takes a look at an excellent case study to discuss why proper training and trusting your intuition are so important.

Editor: Trampas Swanson

Page 6 - New Shooter Perspective Part 2 - Jamie Headley continues her journey into the world of shooting. In this issue, Jamie tackles the AR platform and discovers how to get started in training with her new rifle.

Publisher: Calibre Publishing

Page 10 - Editor’s Notes: Marching Forward – Armed Lifestyle Magazine Editor, Trampas Swanson shares his thoughts on the magazine’s recent launch, reader feedback and where our publication goes from here. Page 12 - Instructor Spotlight: Klint Macro – Amy Lucas discusses one of the industry’s top instructors and founder of Meet the Pressers, Klint Macro. In this article, you’ll learn about National Train a Teacher Day and how you could participate. Page 16 - PepperBall Less Than Lethal – Trampas explores the world of Less Than Lethal with a pair of payload delivery devices from PepperBall. Learn more about the pros and cons of the company’s newest industry offerings. Page 20 - LOKSAK Shieldsak – In this digital age of cyber-attack, all of our most vital information is vulnerable to hackers. Discover how to make your digital devices disappear from “The Grid” with LOKSAK products such as the Shieldsak. Page 22 - Fix-It Sticks – Compact, versatile tools for the range and on the go. Page 25 - Writing Shotgun with Charlie featuring Anthony Colandro – Multi-talented staff writer, Charlie Cook teams up with “Gun for Hire Radio” Host Anthony Colandro to discuss everything from revolvers to Tactical Pens. Readers will enjoy the chemistry between these two charismatic gentlemen that shines through this article like your favorite 1980’s “Buddy Cop”movie. Page 28 - TSA Taking Notes – Armed Lifestyle Magazine is joined by Self Defense legend, John Petrolino as he shares his thoughts on the Tactical Pen. Learn about the trials and tribulations of legally carrying on commercial flights. Page 30 – Ruger LCP Max – The days of heavy, under powered pocket pistols are out and the industry has been rapidly ushering in higher capacity, polymer options. Terril J. Hubert discusses Ruger’s latest submission into the Pocket Pistol game with the LCP Max. Page 34 – Art of Gunsmithing – One of the truly underrated aspects of our industry is lost Art of Gunsmithing. AL Magazine sits down to discuss the decrease in certified gunsmiths in the country and the state of our firearms industry a true gunsmith legend, celebrity gunsmith and a true rising start in the gunsmith trade. Page 38 – Henry Survival Rifle – Originally designed by Eugene Stoner in the 1950’s for the US military, the AR7 design still lives on with the US Survival Rifle from Henry Repeating Arms for the civilian market. Learn more in this full report.

Page 45 - Tisas Review - Jamie Headley gives the Tisas PX9 9mm a whirl. Follow Jamie as she discusses the specifications and first impressions from her initial test and evaluation time. Page 46 - Duluth Pack Wanderer – Quality gear can mean the difference between life or death. Trampas teams up with old friend and fellow writer, Jared Peltz to discuss their favorite “Old School” backpack called the Wanderer from Duluth Pack. Learn why this company that dates back to the time of covered wagons and Post Civil War Reconstruction era is still in vogue with outdoor adventurers worldwide. Page 50 - Emerson Knives: Commander – Anyone who is a fan of the hit TV show, “NCIS” will fully appreciate “Gibbs Rule #9, Always Carry a Good Knife”. This is truly a rule to live by professionally and in everyday life. In this issue, Trampas reviews the Commander, a folding knife from one of the iconic companies within the industry, Emerson Knives. Page 55 - The Last Word with Rob Pincus: How to Choose a Training Class – Rob shares his vast knowledge as an internationally known firearms trainer to help readers decide how to choose the right course to fit their training needs. Don’t waste your valuable time and resources with some gun show camo clad clown. Finish this issue strong with Rob recommendations and points to ponder before joining us again for our next issue! Page 57 - 6mm Training – Our resident 6mm Airsoft expert, Bill Thomas, editor of the international publication, Airsoft Action, is back to explain why this platform can be such an important aspect of real-world firearms training.

Deadshot Design Cover pic: SMG Armed Lifestyle magazine is a digital-only publication available FREE OF CHARGE via the AL App on a wide range of digital platforms, including iOS, Android and Windows. For more information, visit www.pocketmags.com and search “Armed Lifestyle”. Armed Lifestyle can also be read online at: www.issuu.com, www.magzter.com and www.readly.com Calibre Publishing Limited Wyche Innovation Centre, Walwyn Road, Upper Colwall, Malvern, Worcestershire, WR13 6PL Tel: 01684 878 003 Web: www.thearmedlifestyle.com ©Calibre Publishing Limited 2022 Letter, idea or question? Got something to say? A question for our experts? An article or article idea? Drop us a line and let us know. Either email the editor (editor@thearmedlifestyle.com), write to us at the Calibre Publishing address above, or talk to us on Twitter or Facebook.

IN THIS ISSUE

Page 42 - Hot Blooded: Heat Risks – Summer’s on its way and our resident paramedic, Dan Tonto discusses the most underestimated danger we face when working, training and playing in the great outdoors. Dan lists how heat can affect us all in a myriad of ways from sun burn to possible death and the best recommended ways to seek immediate treatment for each.

Graphic Design: Baz Thakur/

A Realtor’s Worst Nightmare 4

A Realtor’s Worst Nightmare By Amy

Lucas

“I was staring at a 12-inch knife and this man was telling me to take off my ring and get in the closet! I could not believe this was happening to me.” - Dawna Hetzler knife because I like the design and frequently teach the Marines. Originally, we used obsidian, bone, or antler. When steel became available - that’s what we used. Many have said it before, the best knife is the one you have. We train with knives of various lengths to adapt to distance. I like the handle to have a slight curve at the back or with a pommel, so the hand doesn’t slip off the back. The grip should be textured and not round. I prefer a guard, so the hand won’t slip off the grip and onto the blade. For a fixed blade you really don’t need anything over 8-9 inches. A pocket knife blade should be about 5 inches (depending on your local laws), have a textured grip and if possible, a guard of some type. Having a wave type design for fast opening is also desirable. A slight curve at the back of the handle is also desirable. Knives should not be shiny! PMCI: With so many knife styles being taught by instructors, how does the Apache Fighting system differ? Redfeather: We don’t stand our ground. We fight like the wind! DAWNA HETZLER Why stay in place? We do not fight as if we were dueling but as if we are on a battlefield. We don’t train for points but more To average person, real estate agents are often viewed as of a freestyle method. While teaching the use of the knife we having an easy job. The public only sees the agents working incorporate the Native Culture as well. We want our students to flexible hours, showing clients fabulous houses, and landing big understand the reality of the knife. It is something to avoid! commission checks. Sounds great, right? PMCI: What role does the fighting knife play into the military, law However, the side many don’t see is the uncertain income, enforcement and private military application as well as a civilian lack of benefits and the effect of a decline in the housing market. world filled with concealed carry firearms? Most importantly, working in real estate poses opportunities for Redfeather: The military and law enforcement has always carried dangerous conditions. Agents open themselves up to risk by knives both for utility and CQB. Training to access the blade when often meeting strangers in vacant houses and going to all types out of ammo or when the firearm is grabbed is vital. A knife is no of neighborhoods to show houses. Agents also often have an match for a firearm but a man with a knife can sometimes access online presence and work late. Many don’t have formal security their weapon quicker. There are a variety of knives out there training to prepare them for dangerous situations they may specifically designed for easy access from a utility belt or vest. accidentally find themselves in. As you can see, real estate is a PMCI: Are they any specific exercises you would recommend for vulnerable job open to predators. those looking to contour their strength and dexterity for knife training? Redfeather: We have specific routines that can help develop CASE reflexesSTUDY and dexterity. Among those routines we train using a Dawna is a real estate agent in Colorado. Sheofstarted in war postHetzler (also called a pell), using different patterns cuts and the industry right out of to high school. she metand withgood her stabs, and starting slow learn bothOne edgeday, alignment friend who she thought a warrior. This friend wasand a threebody mechanics. Trainingofinaswater also teaches control adds gun competitive shooter and always attended different firearms strength.

PMCI: looking to get training, where do you trainingForinthose the area. A real bad into ass! knife She began to talk to Dawna suggestthe they start for about dangers oftraining? her job and the state of the world. She Redfeather: With have seminars on aofregular basis which wanted Dawna tous! be We prepared and aware her surroundings you can sign up for in my website, www.apache-knife.com and able to take care of herself through any situation that she PMCI: possibly Before we you pleasereceived let our readers know could bego, in.could The message that day wasashe needed to be responsible for her own safety. Not being around firearms much, Dawna decided to take a one-day weapons permit course. Before going she was thinking she will never use this but might as well go. After class, she felt empowered. It was not so much about firing a firearm, but it was the first day she learned about mindset. What am I willing to do? What could I do if something bad happened? Dawna was hooked and continued to train. She worked on developing a mindset. Thinking through situations and what she would do if that situation ever happened to her. She eventually got so comfortable with a firearm it was a part of getting dressed every day. It was like another piece of her clothing she had to put on before leaving her home. When Dawna traveled to Nashville, she carried her firearm since she expected to look at investment properties in unknown areas and was traveling with another woman alone. Throughout the trip they remained on yellow alert to be prepared for any situation and to stay aware of their surroundings. After returning home for her from her vacation she had an open house scheduled the next day. During her open house she was not in condition white (complacent or oblivious to her surroundings) but a dull yellow because she was very tired from her trip. When Dawna got to the home she was showing, there was a loud knock at the door within five minutes. She opened the front door and the man asked if he could come in and see the house. She followed him around the home, created space and put barriers between her and the man. They talked for a few minutes, and he asked to see the upstairs. They were both standing awkwardly at the bottom of the stairs and Dawna took the first step and immediately knew she had put herself in a position of weakness. She trained to do the exact opposite. Now he is behind her blocking the only escape route. Walking up the stairs Dawna asks the man a question about his loan and qualifications. He said he had talked

DON’T IGNORE THAT GUT FEELING!

A Realtor’s Worst Nightmare

to a lender, and he was going to get a VA loan, mentioning he was a marine. Immediately Dawna’s gut tightened. She had been around enough Marines to know ‘once a marine, always a marine.’ Her intuition and the subtle signals made her extremely nervous. She stopped midway on the stairs and thanked him for his service while looking in his eyes. He got very shifty-eyed and looked around avoiding eye contact. She knew something was wrong or off. Once upstairs, Dawna’s first thought was “I need to make space.” She didn’t think her life was in danger just yet. Dawna walked quickly into the master bedroom and got on the other side of the bed. She started to talk about the size of the bedroom, and he walked up to the other side of the bed, lifted his shirt up and a 12-inch was knife sticking out. He also showed her that he had a can of bear spray. He told Dawna to take off her rings and get in the closet. Immediately she got the rush of fear and tunnel vision. All she could see was the man’s stomach and the knife extending from his pants. Everything started slowing down like she was in slow motion. He reached for his bear spray, and she thought of what he just told her, but “take off” were the words that triggered her. Dawna was wearing an ankle holster and she quickly kneeled. Dawna reached out instinctively and pulled up her pant leg, got a good grip of her firearm, and pulled it out. He immediately doused her with bear spray and at the same time she slapped the trigger, he jumped out of the line of fire and ran down the stairs. She planned for this moment but had not planned on what to do after. She followed him down the stairs only seeing his outline due to the bear spray that was in her eyes. He ran out the front door. She had her cellphone in her pocket and called 9-1-1. The officers arrived shortly after and entered the home. They too were gagging from the bear spray. Dawna’s skin felt like it was on fire, but she found strength that day that she never knew she had. Dawna’s lifesavers were muscle memory, mindset, and intuition. It was not the firearm that saved her life, it was the muscle memory from training. It was like a light switch flipped on and everything she learned came together. In fact, two months prior to the open house, Dawna’s instructor knew in the summer months she usually carried her firearm in an ankle holster. So, they dedicated time to practice drawing from the ankle. All the training she had leading up to the situation and reacting to the situation was key and is the perfect example of self-defense.

Most people think women have better intuition than men. We rely on our intuition. You may think of it as that gut feeling, or something is just not right. Listen to that feeling because it is a gift and fear can signal us for that fight or flight response. You can really home in on your own intuition and develop that gift. Intuition can be used in our daily lives. If your child comes home and they say something that just doesn’t sit right, you know it is your gut instinct. That didn’t feel right, what’s going on with them? We might need to sit down and talk. Do you feel your intuition in your gut? Is it hair-raising? Do you feel your chest tighten? Everyone experiences it differently, but it is not something to ignore. What if you are wrong about your gut feeling? Well then you were wrong, but you are safe. There were a few moments when Dawna went against her intuition. The body does not lie, it will tell you if something is not right. If we listen to these signals, you can change the atmosphere around you. Dawna’s predator was captured that day and is currently serving time for the offense. A positive ending. We have seen far too many of these types of stories go the other way without a good ending. Because of the inherent risks that come with being in real estate, I have created a program for people in this industry. I believe, like Dawna, that safety and awareness should be second nature. But it does not just happen overnight, by reading an article, or hoping for the best. With proper training, you will start to see your intuition as a signal. Don’t confuse the feeling with being paranoid or anxious. We live in a society of fear. Intuition can and will save your life. In the course we cover mindset, the color codes of awareness, situational awareness, body language, conflict avoidance, fight or flight, safety tips, and self-defense options. There are many knowledgeable instructors with similar programs out there. My hope is that you train and continue to train to defend yourself and your life. The only defense against the world is a comprehensive knowledge of it. Stay safe and stay fearless. - Amy

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NEW SHOOTER PERSPECTIVE 6

D E R A P E R P O T D E R A C S M O FR

New Shooter Perspective

By: Jamie Headley

WELL, HOW DID I GET HERE? FROM SCARED TO PREPARED, ONE WOMAN’S JOURNEY – Part 2 So where did we leave off…? Ah yes, I had purchased my Glock 43X and a Glock 44 to plink with. As I mentioned in the last issue, I was gaining some confidence and enjoying the high of facing something that had always been very scary to me. With that being said, I was far from being skilled either in marksmanship or defensive shooting, but I could safely and competently run my guns and my mindset was all about learning. And there was (and still is) so much to learn! While practicing at my home range, Ann Arbor Arms (A3), one of the women I had met a few weeks earlier walked into the bay and set up in the lane next to me. After Diana and I exchanged pleasantries, she proceeded to pull out an AR15, send a series of rounds down range and then perform what looked like a perfectly executed tactical reload. She knew how to handle that rifle and I was totally impressed. Seeing the look of amusement and awe on my face, she very generously offered to let me shoot her rifle. It looked like what the military uses, and it was heavy, at least for someone my size. When I pressed the trigger, I was shocked at how little recoil there was and how accurate I could be at 25 yards. I was hooked again. Diana told me she participated in 3-gun competitions, and she was practicing for an upcoming event. 3-gun events consist of moving through a series of targets and switching from pistol to rifle, to shotgun all for time. 3- gun sounded exciting and overwhelming all at the same time. Diana suggested I should start shooting 3-gun with her in the spring. I was intrigued, because let’s be honest, it sounded pretty “bad ass.” If you are unsure of why I would say that Google a 3-gun competition video, you will understand. Diana kept insisting it would be a great time and assured me I could do this. She said there were plenty of ranges that were welcoming of new shooters and not super competitive. I was intimidated at the thought of it. Hell, I still wasn’t that good of a shot with a pistol. Oh yeah, and I didn’t have a rifle, a shotgun or any experience shooting either of those weapons. It seemed like a lot to learn, particularly if I was going to compete, even in a low-key event. It didn’t make a lot of sense to take all that on but the high of shooting that AR15 won out over common sense, and I decided to buy myself and AR for my birthday.

A few days later Diana met me at A3 to help me pick a rifle. The guys at A3 were helpful as always and showed me different options. My instructor Robby, saw me at the retail counter and wandered over to see what I was up to this time. When I told him, he smiled rolled his eyes and said, “Okay let’s set you up with a good one.” We landed on the American Defense 16” AR, and I followed Robby around the store as he grabbed a mount, sling, fore grip, ammo, and an expensive optic because shopping is more fun with other people’s money. Twenty minutes later everything was mounted and attached, and I was handing over my credit card and formulating how I was going to justify this purchase to my husband. Only a few minutes later, I found myself on the range, was feeling completely justified in my purchase. My husband, Scott thought it was great and said he couldn’t wait to take it to the range. I won’t lie, I flinched a bit when he said that. I am a generous person and have always been okay

technically safe. The bolt was locked open, and the magazine was removed and empty. Scott could tell I was still a bit miffed and I think he was but amused and confused by my reaction since I am a kind of low key and rarely get angry. At that moment I think he understood this journey was about more to me than just learning to shoot. To this day, he loves to tell his friends this story and warns them “if your wife comes home with a big new gun, listen to her if she tells you not to touch it.” A few days later, I headed to A3 to meet with Robby and learn more about the AR. Walking through the retail area, feeling cool with my big rifle case in my hand, the store suddenly went quiet, and everyone was looking at me. Not because I was cool, but because my AR had just fallen out of my case on to the floor with a very loud clank! Michael was working the range counter and took pity on me and rushed over to give me a hand. Robby just laughed and rolled his eyes. Yep, I was a real bad ass. We headed to the classroom and spent some time breaking down my gun so I could clean it and understand how it functioned. Although the AR platform is universal and relatively simple it still felt like a lot to take in, especially when Robby said, “Ok, you saw me take it apart, you get to put it back together.” I managed without any leftover parts, and we headed to the range to shoot and get the scope sited. The night I purchased the AR, I only shot a few rounds and didn’t have time to worry about the scope being sited. I knew nothing about how to do that, so Robby walked me through the basics, talking about minute of angle (MOA) adjustments and how many clicks of the turret equaled the desired adjustment, and the need to adjust and re-site until you had it dialed in at the appropriate yardage.

NEW SHOOTER PERSPECTIVE

with the concept of, ‘what is mine is yours,’ but at that moment, in my mind, the gun was mine and mine only! I paid for it with money I earned working a side gig in a business I started. Not to mention this whole firearms journey had become somewhat about my independence, conquering my fears, doing this on my own. I woke up the next day and headed out to an appointment, still feeling very possessive of my new gun. So, the last thing I said as I headed out was “Don’t touch my gun while I am gone.” I was serious. Imagine my reaction when on the drive home I called Scott to let him know I was on my way and he responded with, “Oh, good. I just field stripped your AR. I really like it.” I was furious, so mad I couldn’t even speak. He guessed by my silence something was amiss. “Is something wrong?” he asked. “What was the last thing I said to you when I left?” not letting him answer I said, “It was don’t touch my frigging gun!” He was clearly confused. “What is the big deal?” he asked. Fuming, I responded, “How would you feel if you bought a new gun home, and I just went ahead a broke it down?” “Well…that is a bit different…you aren’t...” he stammered. “Careful finishing that statement, Scott” I interjected. It wasn’t that I thought he was going to break my gun or do something unsafe. I knew he totally knew what he was doing. Scott had spent 10 years in the military and had field stripped lots of weapons, he was not new to this. Taking a deep breath, I responded, “I just wanted to show you all the features myself. You stole my thunder.” Scott apologized and I moved on and was over it (mostly). Walking into the house, I saw my gun on the dining room table. The barrel flag was not in it and the safety was off. I stifled a snarky remark and mumbled something under my breath about putting things back the way you found them. The gun was

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NEW SHOOTER PERSPECTIVE I felt like I was back in geometry class struggling to catch up after being out sick for a week. With the scope properly sited it was time to shoot! I quickly realized a couple things. First, looking through a site and dialing in on your target takes some getting used to. The red dot is not visible if you do not have the scope lined up to your eye correctly. Secondly, the rifle quickly gets heavy making it difficult to hold it steady. It does not matter how great your scope, or your rifle are, if you can’t hold it steady when you are aiming, your shots are not going to be accurate. Seeing that I was clearly frustrated by this, Robby remarked, “This gun may just be too heavy for you.” I gave him the look I give anytime someone says I cannot do something and replied with, “It is not too heavy, I am just too weak, and I can change that.” The next day I started doing push-ups. Diana and I went and shot together a few times and I did some more lessons with Robby. I was getting more comfortable with the AR, and I was getting stronger, although not strong enough to consistently hold the rifle steady but I figured that would come with time.

A turning point came when I went to watch Diana in a 3-gun competition. As Diana had said, everyone was welcoming, and the environment was low-key and for casual and beginner shooters. As I watched I realized I could do this, but I wasn’t sure I wanted to. Not only was I going to need to get a lot better with the AR, but I was also going to need to get a shot gun and learn that. I heard Robby in my head saying, “Maybe master one weapon platform before diving into a sport that requires three.” That statement was seeming logical at that point. The other eye opener was in addition to having to buy a shot gun, I would also need a fair amount of additional gear: holsters, mag carriers, gun buggy, bags and of course ammunition. Ammunition at that time was at an all-time high. As I tallied the cost of all this in my head combined with knowing I would not enjoy doing something I didn’t excel at, I realized I might need to put the 3-gun thing on hold. I decided to focus my energy back on where I started which was improving my precision and defensive shooting with my 9mm. I considered selling the AR, knowing I could get full price for what I paid for it, but by that time Scott was already attached to it and I joked with him that I was happy to share it with him if he referred to it as “Jamie’s rifle.” I put my focus back on training with the 9mm, but still enjoyed getting some range time with the AR albeit limited with the cost of .223/.556 ammo. During one of my lessons, I had the opportunity to try the Glock 48, which is a 9mm (like my G43X but with a longer slide, so less recoil) and a single stack magazine, so it is thin and fits well with my small hands. It is not a full-size pistol so I still felt like I could conceal it when I carried. I really enjoyed the feel of the G48 and true to form decided that would be my next gun. By this time, I had accepted this journey was going to be a lot of trial and error which I was alright with. I was learning so much and enjoying every moment of it. The learning has not stopped, the buying and selling of guns has not stopped, and there are more antics to come so check back in Issue 3 to see what is next in my journey from scared to prepared.

EDITOR’S NOTE

Mission Statement: By Trampas Swanson Since the title’s launch, our staff have been hard at work preparing our second issue to be packed with even more great content. The feedback from industry friends and our new readers regarding the first issue has all been amazing. The overwhelming support coming in from emails and phone calls proved just how special our mission to highlight our Second Amendment culture and wonderful people who make up our community. With a huge Thank You to everyone who joined us for issue #1, we now invite you to continue following our journey as we march forward through the rest of 2022! On a personal note, this issue has endured a lot to bring it to release. Through injury and illness, our teammates have banned together across the board and come together to make happen. The term, “That’s not my job” was never even a plausible concept when staff, ownership and editor had to step up and fill some much-needed voids in still figuring out our proper page counts, ongoing layout plans, photo sets and more. As we as a team have gotten back on track, I sincerely wish to thank everyone for the passion and dedication shown in these past couple of months leading up to this issue. Not

only did it result in another full cover to cover success, it also has helped set the pace for future installments of AL Magazine. For Issue #2, I am happy to announce the Armed Lifestyle Magazine will begin spotlighting different instructors from around the world that are making a difference in their communities. This will not be an easy task to narrow down our first few featured instructors due to there being so many different and amazing instructors who all deserve a place in the Armed Lifestyle Magazine. We are honored to call many of them friends, including Amy’s first pick, Klint Macro. Not only do we learn more about the man himself but National Train a Teacher Day as well. I am personally excited to see more of these segments spotlighting close friends and mentors we all love and respect. In addition, we will continue spanning on the term “Armed” relating to knowledge, skills and the ability to use our minds and tools for survival. AL Magazine will be regularly discussing a wide range of topics including Less Than Lethal options, how to decide on the proper training, quality gear that won’t let you down when you need it, and even educate you on items

that will protect “you” in relation to your digital footprint such as location, financial records and more! Finally, I’d like to wrap with discussing something our team is especially proud of. Each issue of the Armed Lifestyle Magazine is FREE to read and accessible online or via the app when you’re on the go. We’d like to thank the generosity of our industry partners allowing us gear and firearm loans at their expense to help put together these educational articles as well as those choosing to advertise with us to shoulder the cost of being able to continue publishing this magazine. If you, your company or organization would like to find out how to help or post your own ad in our pages, please reach out to us at Editor@TheArmedLifestyleMagazine. com and let’s work together to benefit our Armed Lifestyle community!

Trampas

THE INSTRUCTOR SPOTLIGHT

THE INSTRUCTOR SPOTLIGHT KLINT MACRO of Trigger Pressers Union. By Amy Lucas I first met Klint Macro a couple of years ago when I was selected to become a Training Counselor with the United States Concealed Carry Association (USCCA). Naturally, I was excited about traveling to the main headquarters in West Bend, WI for my training and even more so to meet all the people that I had looked up to. Before leaving for my trip, I got a message from Michael Martin, the author of the curriculum for the USCCA, Concealed Carry and Home Defense Fundamentals and Emergency First Aid Fundamentals. He told me that he was going to be in Wisconsin, and he was planning to take the Defensive Shooting Fundamentals (DSF) Instructor course that was being held the day after the Training Counselor Certification. I couldn’t say “No” to THE Michael Martin, so I agreed and signed up. I also knew that I needed to sharpen my skills and have more advanced training to offer my students. When I arrived to the DSF Instructor training, my instructors for the next three days were Klint Macro and Justin Peters. They were both very knowledgeable instructors. It was intense training learning new verbiage, drills, and fundamentals that I had not been taught in all of the years training in Law Enforcement. Klint had a way of teaching that really struck me. I wanted to be able to articulate myself in a way like he did. He was patient and made sure that we understood “the why” behind all the movements and drills.

the Music and Film Industry as a Freelance Producer/Engineer/ Sound Mixer/Sound Designer and later as an Instructor at the LA Recording Workshop. It was at this time he began working in the film industry as an on-set Sound Mixer. Klint has hundreds of album and movie credits to his name. Currently, in his spare time, Klint operates his business, Cobblesound Recording Company (www.cobblestudios.com), in New Kensington, PA. During his time in Los Angeles, Klint was introduced to NRA Training and received his first NRA Instructor Ratings. Recognizing the calculated double standard in the Entertainment and Media Industry, Klint began to learn how to navigate the Anti-Gun waters of Hollywood, and debate and educate our largely ignorant (as to the world of firearms and responsible gun usage) fellow citizens.

BRIEF BIO

Klint Macro is a Father, Husband, and Businessman who has successfully cross-pollinated his talents and passions to serve the cause of the 1st and 2nd Amendments of the Constitution of The United States. A native of Driftwood, Cameron County, Pennsylvania. He left home and moved to Pittsburgh in 1992 after graduating High School. There he attended The Art Institute of Pittsburgh. It was at this time he met his wife, Jennifer and they later married in 1996. Klint began his career in Pittsburgh as a Musician, Music Producer and Recording Engineer. He worked in various commercial recording facilities in the Pittsburgh Area from 19931997, and then in Los Angeles, CA from 1997-2010. He worked in

Shortly after having his first child, Augie, (who is Klint’s ultimate achievement) he and his family moved back home to the Pittsburgh Area in 2010. Klint and his Wife wanted to raise their child in Pennsylvania among people with the similar values and beliefs and in an environment where he could actively protect his family without fear from the government. In 2013, Klint founded, his firearms training organization, The Trigger Pressers Union (www.triggerpressersunion.com). The motto of The Trigger Pressers Union is “Responsibly exercising our

episode as official co-host. He has stepped back from the camera as co-host but is continuing to produce the show. He still makes a cameo appearance from time to time. Klint has created various content for The Trigger Pressers Union, NRA Education and Training, Personal Defense Network, Firearms Owners Against Crime, Next Level Training, The National Muzzle Loading Rifle Association, The USCCA, and Gun Owners of America. He is the voice of the L.A.S.R. software (shooter ready… stand by). Klint was also among many industry leaders who presented at the 2020 Virtual 2A Rally. Klint is one of the first round of appointed USCCA Senior Training Counselors and one of a few appointed Training Counselor for the USCCA DSF Program. Klint first became involved with the USCCA as a member in 2013 and began teaching their Concealed Carry and Home Defense Fundamentals Curriculum that same year. Klint was “Certified” in 2014 and was in the first class of Training Counselors in 2015. In 2021 Delta Defense LLC (service provider for the USCCA) hired Klint as the Field Training Specialist for the Mid-Atlantic, North Atlantic, and Northeast USA regions. “I owe a great deal of gratitude to Mike Hughes, Britt Lentz (Next Level Training), John Howard (NRA Education and Training), Steve Fischer (USCCA Training Division), and of course Rob Pincus (I.C.E. Training). All those guys really saw potential in me and have helped me get to where I am,” said Macro when asked about his mentors in the industry. “Mike and Britt really went to bat for me with NRA to produce the Pistol Marksmanship Simulator Program Videos. Steve Fischer afforded me quite a few opportunities at USCCA. In the early days of USCCA Training Division, Steve use to pay me with plane fare and cases of books. We have come a long way together. I was really proud when Steve finally made the call offering me the Field Training Specialist Gig.” “Rob Pincus has always been a tremendous influence, mentor, and friend. I first hosted Rob in 2013 after reading Combat Focus Shooting Evolution 2010. That book changed my life. I even pay my bills using the Plausibility Principle. As a student of the Counter Ambush methodology, I was quite honored to be a small part of the development of the USCCA DSF Program.” – Klint Macro

THE INSTRUCTOR SPOTLIGHT

rights through the safe and ethical training of our fellow citizens.” The name of the union stems from the fact that all shooters, no matter your shooting discipline of choice, your favorite gun or favorite activity; we ALL press triggers, therefore we all must join together to further responsible gun usage and work together to protect the 2nd Amendment rights of ALL Citizens. Klint has over 40 years of trigger time and is a Firearms Trainer, Instructor, Presenter, and published Author. Each year Klint trains, educates, and empowers hundreds of instructor candidates, and law abiding responsibly armed citizens. He has a vast experience working with individual shooters, marksmen, operators, competitors, and everyday Law-Abiding Citizens in a variety of disciplines, instructing and coaching a diverse clientele ranging in ages, mobility’s, and mindsets. Klint is also one of a very small select group of “first round” appointed NRA Practical Pistol Coaches, offering customized safe and ethical “Practical” training to individual law-abiding citizens and holds the rating, Practical Pistol Coach Development staff. The Practical Pistol Coach program was put “on hold” but Klint is very proud of the contributions he made to the program while it was “a thing.” Klint is a long-time contributor to Personal Defense Network and a PDN Training Tour Instructor. He has been a featured presenter at 2017 NRA Trainer Update at the NRA Annual Meeting in Atlanta, GA, and at multiple trade events such as the USCCA Expo. Klint has also appeared on WQED “Think”, he has made multiple appearances PDN’s Training Talk, Guardian Nation, Civilian Carry Radio, Concealed Carry.com, Arms Room Radio, Riding Shotgun with Charlie, The Law Matters with Mike G, The Firearm Trainer’s Podcast, Gun Gripes with IraqVeteran8888, Guns and Gadgets, The GOAL (Gun Owners Action League) Podcast, Tactical Pay Radio, and Armed American Radio with Mark Walters. In 2019, Klint joined forces with colleague Matt Mallory to produce their own YouTube show called “Meet the Pressers”. Meet the Pressers is a safe place for “Trigger Pressers” to discuss training, guns, gear, history, politics, and political activism. Klint and Matt have had the opportunity to interview 100’s of industry professionals and American heroes. Episode 100 was Klint’s last

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THE INSTRUCTOR SPOTLIGHT

Klint serves as the President of the Allegheny County Sportsmen’s League (ACSL) and the 2nd VP of Firearms Owners Against Crime Institute for Legal, Legislative and Educational Action (FOACILLEA). Wearing these hats, Klint has submitted testimony to legislative committees, presented material to elected officials, fought against anti-Liberty legislation, promoted pro-Liberty legislation, and helped to hold elected officials accountable by writing various papers, releases, op eds, and raising money to fund legal actions against local tyrants and restrictive government agencies.

NATIONAL TRAIN A TEACHER DAY

Klint is one of the Co-Founders and Administrator of National Train A Teacher Day ( www.nationaltrainateacherday.com ). In response to the Parkland school mass murder, fellow trainer, Grant Gallagher contacted Klint and asked him to help him organize a National Train A Teacher Day. On this day each year, the independent firearm defensive and safety instructor community would pledge to offer free training to the teachers, school staff and administrators who are charged with the education and safety of our children. Klint wasted no time and within 3 months organize over 150 instructors across 40 states. These volunteers successfully educated and empowered 100’s of teachers across the country on May 19th, 2018. Klint was successful in securing the USCCA as a sponsor for 2019 and 2020. Taser and Sabre Red are also sponsors in 2020 and with their assistance National Train A Teacher Day educated and empowered over 1000 teachers. Klint now administers National Train A Teacher Day by himself and the 5th annual NTATD will be observed on June 18th, 2022. In 2022 DC Project, A Girl and A Gun, and The Armed Women

of America have all partnered with NTATD. The overall purpose of NTATD is to empower those who are entrusted with the care and education of our children and to give them insight, knowledge, and skills to act instead of reacting, so they can save lives. Training opportunities on NTATD may cover a host of areas from first aid, Stop the Bleed, crime prevention, firearm safety, concealed carry, unarmed defense, Taser, pepper spray, purposebuilt school defense, run-hide-fight, and defensive tactics. Teachers, school staff, administrators, and youth leaders are encouraged to look at what’s available in your area and take advantage of these opportunities. Similarly, professional trainers in any discipline, are encouraged to volunteer and offer their expertise to help make the 5th Annual National Train A Teacher Day an even greater success. Visit the site often, because each week more instructors are volunteer to offer training on June 18, 2022. “I just do what I do. I hope that, through my own work, I can help motivate and empower my fellow Americans to take on the responsibility to be their own family first responders and in turn be positive ambassadors of our individual Rights and Liberties.“ - Klint Macro For more information on how to connect with a trainer, or to volunteer your expertise, visit the National Train A Teacher Day website at www.nationaltrainateacherday.com I urge you to visit Klint’s website as well at www. triggerpressersunion.com to also learn more about this unique instructor for yourself. The Armed Lifestyle Magazine gives a big shout-out to Klint Macro for all you do to make the world a better place. Thank you!

Proudly Celebrating 25 Years of Made in America, Or Not Made At All.

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PEPPER BALL

PEPPERBALL NON-LETHAL OPTIONS Every day, law enforcement and civilians alike encounter critical situations requiring immediate action. Often, these situations are forced to become drawn out and end in questionable lethal force due to lack of available options. While tasers and pepper spray could have eliminated the threat earlier, factors such as distance and the inability to deploy from proper cover prevent these options from coming into play early in the reactionary game plan. Fortunately, non-lethal payload delivery options from a company by the name of Pepper Ball, have been making their way onto the battlefields and streets of some of the world’s toughest areas to help.

In this issue, we look at two products offered by Pepper Ball for not only law enforcement but civilians alike. These models are the Flashlauncher and the Tactical Compact Pistol or TCP for short. First, to understand the devices, we must understand the munitions in which the devices are built to launch.

PEPPER BALL

The term Pepper Ball is a trademarked term for two similar individual types of payload delivering munitions. The first is the LIVE-X, a round .68 caliber projectile very similar in external

BY TRAMPAS SWANSON

composition as the average paintball but inside, contains a wide range of options from PAVA pepper powder to simple water marking loads for training. The premise of the Pepper Ball system is to launch munitions such as those containing irritant powders via disposable compressed CO2 cartridges over a distance onto targets such as humans to deter unlawful behavior or an escape an unsafe situation. This process depends on chemesthetic shock in order to manifest its desired effect. Chemesthesis is defined as the chemical sensitivity of the skin and mucous membranes. These sensations arise when chemical compounds activate receptors associated with other senses that mediate pain, touch, and thermal perception. These chemicalinduced reactions do not fit into the traditional sense categories of taste and smell. Basically, when a round containing something such as CS powder strikes a human, the shock of impact first causes an extremely noticeable pain to the skin without puncturing it while at the same time, opening up the pores to become more susceptible to the irritant powder delivered. Such pain normally causes increased heart rate and breathing which enhances the bodies acceptance of the powder and increasing its effects. While this is still a non-lethal option, the impact of the round on skin will leave a deep red or purple welp and even damage an eye or nose if a direct facial impact occurs. The second option is called a VXR projectile. It is looks like a semi-round paintball with a hollowed-out space in the rear much like a black powder maxi-ball round and finned like a modern

LIVE – Basic Pepper Ball consisting of .5% of PAVA pepper powder LIVE X – Equals 10 times the potency of 1 regular LIVE round for faster, more effective results CS – Active Payload of CS irritant powder (similar to the military gas form of the irritant) CS / PAVA – Mixture of both CS and PAVA pepper power (Hell in a ball) INERT – Scented Training Powder (Purple in color) MARKING – Paint solution to mark suspects for later apprehension as such in riots or large raids as well as marking doors, openings or potential threat areas. GLASS BREAKER – As the name implies, used for shattering glass from a distance prior to approach on a vehicle or structure take down. (NOT TO BE USED ON HUMANS) WATER FILLED – Training Use UV MARKING – Invisible Ink for Suspect ID VXR Series – All the above options but configured to be delivered via VXR compatible launchers for not only longer distance but also more accuracy

FLASHLAUNCHER

As the name implies, the Flashlauncher is designed to have an unsuspecting appearance of a large sized flashlight. At first glance, it looks like the type of light commonly used by civilians for everyday inside the home during a power outage or just out at night walking the dog. While there is an effectively working flashlight producing 350 lumens of light from the device, there

is so much more to it. Inside the Flashlauncher lies the capability accurately launch a Pepper Ball munition over 60 ft onto an intended target.

PEPPER BALL

shotgun slug to collect more air to drive the projectile. The VXR munitions come in the all the same payload options (and effects) but with the ability in selected launchers to be delivered from longer distances. As of this article being published, the selection of various munitions options is listed below to better understand its wide and diverse range of usages.

Activation of the light is accomplished by gripping about midway of the light, just forward of its natural balance point. With the thumb riding along the top of the device, the hand’s trigger finger naturally falls onto the light activation push button switch located on the bottom. Located under the thumb is the devices firing button located underneath a protective plate which can be pushed forward out of the way without having to readjust the master grip. Once the plate is cleared, a laser aiming device is activated. With the firing button depressed, the device launches a single round. How accurately? Let’s take a quick look. To best test the Flashlauncher, I took it to range on two different occasions and introduced it to two chapters of the national not for profit organization, Armed Women of America (formerly The Well Armed Woman). I assisted each lady who volunteered to try out the device with removing the safety block pin from the device

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TRAINING OR PRACTICE?

to allow the triggers protective plate to be pushed forward into the finally shooting position. Loading consisted of unscrewing the puncture ram from the face of the device and inserting the C02 cartridge before returning the ram. A small pop of gas could be heard as the device took its charge. Next, the projectile ram is removed with a simple twist before loading a maximum of 5 pepper balls into the rear and returning the ram home. Ladies took careful aim using the laser onto the center of a human silhouette paper target located 21 feet down range stapled to a corrugated cardboard backer. Every round fired not only struck the target exactly where the laser was pointed, and a clean hole was formed as the round passed through and shattered onto the concrete wall 28 yards down range lane. The low-profile design, 1.75 lb weight, ambidextrous safety and overall user friendliness of the Flashlauncher combined with its power and accuracy really impressed every one of the two dozen ladies who tired it. From housewives to armed professionals, each commented how the device made them rethink the possibility of carrying a less than lethal device as a part of their everyday lives.

TCP - TACTICAL COMPACT PISTOL

The second device launcher tested was the Tactical Compact Pistol or TCP for short. Constructed of bright yellow polymer (optional black or bronze colors) and shaped like a traditional handgun for less needed learning curve for anyone comfortable with shooting live firearms. While this is not the subtle less than lethal option that seamlessly blends into your everyday life, it is a great option for purse or fanny pack carry, the armed security guard or even vehicle carry. The device featured a comfortable pistol grip and undermounted rail for the additional of common weapon mounted lights for use in dark environments. The device shipped with an easy to use holster that fits most standard belts and holds the launcher

securely in place. Additionally, the TCP offers two supplied magazines, each with a capacity to hold six rounds of the more streamlined VXR munitions. Unlike the traditional Pepper Ball, the VXR rounds can be launched up to 150 ft through the TCP onto human sized targets with relatively good accuracy. To test the capabilities of the TCP launcher, I teamed up with a real dummy, BOB (Body Opponent Bag). Bob is a rubber training dummy torso from Century, the world’s leading supplier of martial arts training equipment. My silence volunteer would be outfitted with a beanie hat and thin tan t-shirt. The munition used for testing would be the inert VXR finned projectile clearly marked by its purple color. Loading the six shot magazines was quick and easy. First, the puncture ram is unscrewed from the magazine base plate as the CO2 cartridge is inserted. As the ram is returned and screwed back in, a small pop of air can be heard to confirm the cartridge is now activated in the magazine. Next, each VXR round is top loaded by locking the magazine follower in the down position via tabs on either side and leaving the magazine spring compressed. Next, a small bar blocking the rounds from escaping the top of the magazine must be pressed forward as each round is inserted facing forward. Once all six were loaded, the magazine is inserted into the bottom of the pistol’s grip and the push button safety is disengaged to fire. I fired the TCP from initial ranges of five and seven yards with very impressive results. The payload delivery came with a solid smack onto target and encapsulated the target’s head and neck area with the white training powder even with centerline chest shots. After each shooter worked through a full magazine, we would step back five yards and take aim again. By the end of testing, the distance from the target had grown from five yards to approximately thirty yards with five of six rounds striking solid hits on target for each shooter! At all distances, the VXR rounds cleanly broke and dumped

FINAL THOUGHTS

Prior to testing the Pepper Ball products, my primary experience with non-lethal products has come from my time in Law Enforcement with bean bag rounds, belt carried pepper spray canisters and paintball guns converted to fire a liquid pepper solution with less than reliable service. Through training with the Pepper Ball products and training others on the Flashlauncher and TCP platforms, my opinion on this payload delivery system has greatly changed. I would have no issues with carrying the Flashlauncher while out walking in the evening with my family or having the TCP in my vehicle or carry bag during my daily errands and travels as a supplement to my every day carry Glock 19 9mm pistol. Retailing at $229 for the Flashlauncher and $399 for the TCP, these devices are not cheap, but they could save thousands of dollars by offering a non-lethal option to a situation that normally may only leave the end user with no other choice but to use a firearm without. Think about it like this. Imagine you

are out walking with your family around the neighborhood and a resident’s dog confronted you snarling, growling and nipping at your kids. If given a choice would you rather simply dispatch the animal with a pepper ball to sting and discombobulate it or be forced to shoot it? Nobody wants to be known as the neighborhood “dog killer” if it can be avoided. That piece of mind carries over to possibly diverting an attach by the local “thugs” harassing you over money or personal belongs before things turn lethal. It is my professional opinion that the cost of a Pepper Ball product is a small price to pay to avoid a much more expensive and life altering dilemma and will give me a better piece of mind if these options were exhausted through the use of force continuum first before needing to shoot someone. Other models are offered by Pepper Ball for military and LE application only which are equipped with large CO2 tanks to propel more rounds per charge. These models include full rifle versions such as the FTC and TAC-SF which are designed similar to a traditional paintball gun as well as an AR-15 based rifle for operators that are already trained on the AR platform. To date, over 5000 plus agencies worldwide, including the US Army, US Marines, Border Patrol, Private Security and even school violence reaction teams are currently using Pepper Ball devices. To learn more about these devices, visit them at www.pepperball.com today. Until next time, Train Hard and Continue the Fight!

PEPPER TRAINING BALL OR PRACTICE?

its contents onto the target area. Up to fifteen yards, the point of aim / point of impact was dead on. At twenty yards and further, the VXR rounds seemed to drift about three inches to the right and approximately five inches high. (Note there was less than a three mile per hour ½ value wind during any part of the testing and a relative temperature of 55 F.)

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LOKSAK LOKSAK INC. SHIELDSAK Welcome to the Digital Age. Everything from the information people share, the finances businesses exchange and even the wars countries fight can be attributed to our full immersion into the advanced technological era. For most people, this just means their music and movies stream faster on their smartphone, but there are hidden dangers behind all this tech that we face every day. Mastery of the inner workings of this technology can wrongly empower those “in the know”. The real danger in this leaves the rest of society in grave danger of being at their mercy via the term, “cyber terrorism”. In a simple keystroke, someone’s identity, life savings, vital information and credit can be ruined or stolen. The defense to avoiding being in peril is simply education on measureas to best protect you and your assets. A few years back, during the annual “industry only” firearms and technology trade show known as SHOT Show, several writers on the Swanson Media Group team and I were roaming the show floors to bring our readers the best of the best offered. Due to the size of our team, I had several members divided into scout teams while I covered meetings with industry representatives, shook a few hands and got some key promo photos with other industry figures. Towards the end of the week, I caught up with the rest of the team as we were wrapping up the day and I could tell one of them was excited about something. I was told there was someone and something I needed to see in the Military / Law Enforcement Only Exhibition Hall. As with anything, if it’s important to one of our team members, it’s important to me. I was eager to work my way into the center of a heavily crowded display area in which the LOKSAK Inc. booth was located. According to team member Jared Peltz, he had spent some time earlier learning about RF technology and a new scan / skim blocking fabric bag LokSak offers called the LOKSAK. Upon our arrival, the LOKSAK staff was running back and forth talking to various CEO’s, industry buyers and VIPs, when a pair of the reps stopped and introduced themselves. They politely asked if I would like to check out their products. After introducing myself and discussing their company, one of the staff stated I would enjoy meeting the owner of the company. A minute or two later, we were joined by an older lady with her arm in a sling, whose demeanor reminded me of my Mom. .

BY TRAMPAS SWANSON

The woman carried herself in a way that was tough, independent and capable of sensing bullshit from a mile away. I had seen this lady in the corner upon our approach earlier as she watched buyers and VIPs without a word or movement as they circled the

LokSak, Inc booth making small talk with reps. I explained the basis of what our media group stood for and that we would be interested in getting their products in front of those who could benefit the most from them as far as safety and integrity goes. As a smile came across her face, she knew we were legit. After our initial dialogue, this intimidating lady broke form and warmly introduced herself as Linda Kennedy, owner of LOKSAK Inc., and a now gracious host to her booth. The next half hour, her charm and passion about advanced technology really shined. Her pride in what appeared to be simple, straight forward products at first glance really came through as we eagerly learned about the tech that went into them. Linda’s pleasant demeanor and humor truly made my experience enjoyable as I was quickly trying to get up to speed on exactly how the products were intended to be used. I may not have known everything I needed to know at the time, but due to Linda’s obvious security knowledge and high energy for sharing, I knew this was something to personally investigate deeper.

PRODUCT FIELD TESTING

FINAL THOUGHTS

Overall, my experience with the LOKSAK products was a very positive and eye opening one and continues to be so to this day with each new item released. Their products are simple to use even when the technology that goes into them isn’t easy to understand. I still feel like half of it is actually just magic, not science. During the interim between receiving the products, doing the research, and completing this article, I have been able to study several similar competitive items and long-term studies on them over the past few years. The short report is most RF Faraday cage style products on the market don’t live up to the hype. Not the case with SHIELDSAK. Whether it’s the Tier One tech or just voodoo magic, the products work and do so very well. Even better than solid, well-made products, the people that make up the company are just as awesome. From day one, the owner, Linda Kennedy and her staff were extremely insightful and helpful with me fully understanding the depth of their products. The time and energy the LOKSAK, Inc. personnel spent in presenting their products to us and the open door to any questions during the review process they offered was outstanding. Everyone I spoke with was not only well versed in the full range of the company’s products but fluid in very detailed information which shows how much they devote themselves into both the products and the customers who purchase them. As I was told, it isn’t just products that are at risk, its people and those people are who LOKSAK Inc. aims to protect most of all. I commend the company for their “people first” philosophy and assure them, I will definitely be a loyal customer from now on due to that. Finally, it is perhaps my favorite thing about LOKSAK Inc. that they don’t just manufacture the SHIELDSAK for military / law enforcement contracts and civilian sales. Other products include dry sack bags for everything from cell phones to long guns for long term storage in all elements. The quick fastening seals on their products are strong enough to hold my full 220 lbs. of weight when stepping on a sandwich sized storage bag filled with air. As technology is getting smaller, faster, and more dangerous, thanks to LOKSAK Inc, the protection against it being used against us is getting more affordable and easier for the untrained user to put into action. I highly recommend readers to learn more about the LOKSAK and how it could benefit your needs. To find out more about the wide range of great LOKSAK Inc products, visit them at www.LOKSAK.com and discover a retailer near you.

LOKSAK

As I wrapped up my interview with everyone at LOKSAK, Linda sent my team and I on our way with a few samples of their Radio Frequency Infrared and Skim / Quick Scan Technology blocking LOKSAK bags. These lightweight, fabric bags with handy Velcro closure were basically mini Faraday cages for portable protection during travel abroad or everyday storage. The three sizes provided for review were a small bag for cell phones or wallets, a medium bag for tablets and a large bag for laptops up to 17 inch screens. Having limited knowledge originally on this technology, I researched it for weeks trying to grasp how the skimmers and RF Infrared readers worked. The more I learned, the more I wondered why everyone isn’t using them. Coming from a law enforcement background, working with agencies such as FBI, SBI, ATF and DEA while assigned to SWAT, we often took cell phones, tablets, laptops and desktop computers into evidence. Protection from RF signals that could steal info or wipe devices clean would be a must. Ten years ago, I only knew Faraday cage devices to be large boxes used to prevent an Electro Magnetic Pulse (EMP) attack. Today, this, and much more is achieved through the SHIELDSAK’s thin, fabric bags that can easily still fit in their protective hard shell Pelican cases. The SHIELDSAK protects not only electronic devices but any item with an ID chip such as a credit card or passport as well. A bonus of being invisible to a criminal’s scanners is the device is also invisible to anyone else as well. For those who personally or professionally need to go “off the grid”, the SHIELDSAK will drop you off the map. Most devices these days are GPS enabled, even when the device is shut off. Simply turn off the device, drop it in the SHIELDSAK and poof, it disappears from detection. To test the sample bags, I left my devices such as my tablet and cell phone powered on and dropped them in the bag. I attempted to call my cell phone with no results and locate both devices via online tracker with no sign of either of them. After removing both from their SHIELDSAKs, they immediately popped back up on the locater and had no evidence of prior contact received during testing. Despite having already great results from much deeper official testing, I couldn’t help but still be very impressed seeing the results firsthand. According to our DOD sources, the SHIELDSAK was tested by Keystone Compliance using the Mil – DTL – 83528 C. For those unfamiliar with this term, it is a military detail specification that lists out different materials that are used as conductive gaskets and for other sealing applications. This military specification is active, meaning that it can be used to procure materials. There are several different types of material under this specification, mostly composed of silicone and fluorosilicone with conductive metals/particles to provide electronic/ radio frequency shielding. According to test data, the LOKSAK was placed up against several of its closest competitors on the market and either met or exceeded the performance of all of them.

TECHNICAL SPECS

Surface resistivity: 0.5 ohms/ Max – Average .2 ohms/ Shielding effectiveness: Tested from 30 MHz to 10 GHz [average attenuation of 72 (dB)] Abrasion resistance: 1,000,000 cycle Temperature range: -22 F to 194 F (-30 C to 90 C) Retail: $59.99 Phone, $99.99 Tablet $199.99 Laptop

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FIX IT STICK FIX IT STICK

BY TRAMPAS SWANSON

A few years ago, I was teaching a private handgun lesson at my local range when a screw fell out of the slide mounted optic. By a small miracle, the tiny screw was found, but I then ran into an issue of how to re-insert and tighten it back down. After consulting my handy dandy Gerber Multi-tool, I was at a loss for a Torx driver to fit the screw. I then raided the range’s gunsmith’s tool bins with negative results as well (sad isn’t it?). Needless to say, the range session with that particular handgun was then over. When I arrived home, I started thinking about all the tools that would be handy when teaching on both indoor and outdoor ranges covering handgun, rifle and shotgun basics. A plastic hammer, small wrenches, bits, and of course sockets, I must have those! The items quickly added up. By the time I listed everything outside of a multi-tool, it seemed I would be carrying around quite a large assortment of individual specialized tools that would not be practical to constantly transport and keep track of. Not long after the tool issue arose at the range, I came across a Facebook posting for a company named Fix It Sticks, which produces a compact bicycle tool that offered several drivers needed to keep a cyclist rolling on long trips without sacrificing space and weight. This tool basically consisted of two small steel rods which affix into a T-handle for a magnetic, interchangeable driver that fits in the palm of your hand. When I clicked onto www. fixitsticks.com link, I was delighted to see this company had just began offering a firearm version of their product. I immediately emailed the company to express my interest in their product and proposed an opportunity to review their handy little tools personally. The folks at Fix It Sticks were excited to work together and quickly sent out a sample for me to test and evaluate.

The next week, my package from Fix It Sticks arrived promptly in the mail. While I appreciate good equipment, I have never been considered a “gear head” by any means. After removing the kit from the shipping box, I began to slowly go through the compact nylon tool pouch equipped with Molle loops on one side and Velcro on the other. I must say, what I discovered firsthand was really cool. Just like the original tool built for bicycles, this tool offered multiple bits in a compact carrying case. Most importantly, this kit differs from the bike version with the driver itself. Unlike most small multi-bit drivers, this one had a built-in torque limiter to prevent over tightening and possibly stripping out screws, bolts and threads. The kit offers various torque limiting drivers calibrated in 15, 25, 45, 49, 65 or 70 in.-lbs. Along with the drivers, a wide selection of heat treated bits are offered depending on if you purchase the standard or the deluxe kit such as the one sent for review. The Deluxe Kit included 2.5, 3, 4, and 5mm hex bits; T-10, T-15, T-20, T-25 and T-30 Torx bits; 1/20”, 1/16”, 1/8”, 3/32”, 5/32”, 5/64” hex bits; and a #5 straight blade as well. The carrying case interior was filled with elastic loops to separate and organize the various components easily and neatly. I have found this kit carries comfortably on a battle belt, chest rig or even in a small side pouch on my range bag. For long periods of time in the field, ounces quickly add up to pounds, so a compact kit offering a tool box full of specialized tools can be invaluable. The range of uses are limitless for users from all walks of life from the hunter, military, law enforcement, private contractor, firearms instructor or even weekend shooter. Over the past few years, I used the Fix It Sticks tool for installing rifle scopes, scope mounts, pistol mounted red dots and

Set of original Fix It Sticks Bolt Carrier Group Scraper Metal Pin Punch Castle Nut Wrench Bronze Scraper Steel Pick Non-Marring Plastic Pin Punch Cleaning Brush Bit A2 Front Sight Adjustment Bit Set of Brass Cleaning Rods (can accept 8-32 threaded attachments) Set of two-bit adapters to allow for 8-32 threaded components 12 Chrome Plated 1/4” Bits

The interior of the pouch had two elastic loops to hold the Fix It Sticks in place and a mesh zip pouch to hold additional items such as patches, lens wipes for optics, extra batteries, cleaning solutions, oil, etc. In comparison to the two much larger AR platform cleaning kits I had previously purchased from companies, the Fix It Stick kit was not only much more compact and easier to carry but even offered better tools for the specific task at hand. This was a very impressive feat for this company to achieve. Like the original, the AR cleaning kit assembles to give the user full size tools to do a dirty and arduous task. One of the toughest items with the AR platform to thoroughly clean is the bolt. The Fix It Stick carbon scrapper along with a liberal dose of Modern Spartan Carbon Destroyer makes short work out of cleaning the bolt’s surface and inside the carrier where the bolt articulates back and forth creating friction and hard, compact build up. The steel pick reaches all the tight, hard to clean spots a bronze brush just can’t. The kit features a row of 12 individual 1/4” bits sized to screws used on the most popular handguards, optics, mounts and more. All bits are chrome plated to resist rust and corrosion as well as allow for easy cleaning once done. The brass cleaning rods have an 8-32 thread to accept a wide range of popular cleaning heads on the market as well those supplied with the kit. One of the wisest moves on the part of Fix It Stick was to provide a plastic

pin punch for use in knocking out surface pins on the gun where you wish to be careful not to mar the finish. For more difficult pins, the kit also includes a metal punch as well. For non-cleaning task on the range, the kit includes a A2 front sight adjustment tool and a castle nut wrench to keep your stock secured tight to your lower receiver. (If not staked properly, which is commonly found on most AR-15s these days, the castle nut can and will work loose) Both these attachments offer a configuration that allows for a better angle and torque on the tool than most individual ones on the market made for just that singular specific task. Additionally, the T handle can be a safer and easier to use without skinning up knuckles or scratching expensive finishes. Retailing for $180 for the deluxe tool kit and $100 for the AR cleaning kit, Fix It Sticks offer a tool box full of tools for well under $300 total. Most importantly, the Fix It Sticks are a compact enough not be left behind due to being too big and bulky. This fact plays heavily in its functionality and monetary value. Good luck piecing a more compact kit for less and still get the highquality steel and precision offered between these two kits. Since receiving these products, I found myself regularly using these tool kits and several newer versions on the range and in my office for both firearms and non-firearms related tasks. Due to the ultracompact and easy to use tools in the Fix It Sticks kits, I now keep kits in my range bag, office and the console of my truck. From instructing classes to being “go to” tools while in the field shooting photos and videos for our magazine reviews, Fix It Sticks are highly recommended for our kit and yours. To learn more about these kits and other products offered, check out www.Store.FixItSticks.com today.

FIX IT STICK

even a new stroller for my daughters when they were younger. The T-handle design allows for a firm grip and control over the driver while limiting the risk of stripping out the screws. The all steel construction makes for a rock-solid tool the user can feel comfortable bearing down on to get those pesky Loctite secured bolts free while the magnetic sockets will make sure your mission specific bits don’t fall out and get lost. The fast assembly and clearly marked bits help make quick work of most every day chores. During the initial test and evaluation period with the torque limiter set, the Fix It Sticks company released a second kit which included specific tools designed to clean the number one selling rifle in America, the AR-15. Since I was so impressed with the original kit, I quickly obtained the second kit to evaluate as well. When it arrived, I opened the package to find the kit in a small, black zip closed pouch very similar to the original kit. I prefer these cases over hard cases to their flexibility in carry methods from attaching to the outside of my gear via Molle webbing on one side or simply stuffing in a cargo pocket. Like the original kit, the opposite side from the Molle loops is a Velcro surface for slapping on your favorite patch or attaching to tactical gear. As I unzipped the pouch, I discovered a polymer double row bit holder full of almost every tool you could imagine for the AR platform.

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RIDIN’ SHOTGUN WITH CHARLIE BY CHARLIE COOK

I’ve been a listener of the Gun For Hire (GFH) Radio podcast since almost the beginning. It was during a time in my life where everything was not working out well for me. Podcasting was pretty new. I was teaching gun licensing courses at a shooting school. I wanted to absorb as much firearm related content as possible. One of the podcasts I found was GFH. Anthony Colandro was the co-host of the show. He is a Master Trainer, has his own gun range outside of New York City in New Jersey. He is very Italian, very New Jersey. I was a huge fan. GunGrams became a ‘thing’ in 2015. A GunGram is a video of me playing the trumpet and shooting a gun at the same time. I was making a lot of them that summer, like around 50. A few TV shows used a few videos in a segment and a few radio stations called to have me on as well. I was doing TV show themes, movie themes, and sending them to friends for birthday gifts. I knew that Anthony liked cigars. I decided that I should do a Happy Birthday GunGram for Anthony and find a cigar I could put in my mouth while I play the trumpet. I had to buy a cigar with a plastic tip to hold between my teeth. After the video was made and posted on YouTube, I shared it with Anthony and he liked it. It was a big deal to me. Fast forward to 2016 when I started Riding Shotgun With Charlie (RSWC),I emailed Reverend Kenn Blanchard, who has The Black Man With A Gun Podcast. Kenn lives in Maryland outside of DC and he said yes to being on the ‘stagecoach’. I used that positive energy and emailed Anthony about being on the show since I was going to be driving from Massachusetts through New Jersey and down to DC. But he didn’t reply. While on the Garden State Parkway, there were signs for some of the towns Anthony mentioned. I pulled over and google mapped Gun For Hire Range, and it was less than 15 minutes from the highway. I had to stop in. I was greeted by the concierge with a “welcome to the family!’ . I let her know that I was a fan of the podcast and just wanted to say Hi to Anthony. He peeked his head out the door. He asked if I was the guy who made videos “playing the bugle and shooting a

gun” and I said yes. Two minutes later, he came out with some GFH shirts, hats, and stickers for me. He asked where I was from and what I was doing in New Jersey. I told him I was going to interview Kenn, and he said “tell the Rev I said ‘Hi’.” I felt like I got a secret handshake and was now in some kind of club of the cool gun guys. While telling him about my idea for RSWC, I had the imaginary two guys on my shoulders. One said “tell him you emailed and asked him to be on the show”. The other said “don’t bother him, he’s a busy business man.” The first guy won. I mentioned that I emailed him and didn’t hear from him. He gave me a ‘doctor’s script’ note with his phone and asked when I was going to be coming back to the area and said to call him. He was nothing less than kind and polite, just a great guy.

The next day, I filmed 2 shows with Rev Kenn Blanchard in DC and headed back to New Jersey. I texted Anthony with an ETA. After I got to the GFH range, the concierge called Anthony. He brought me into the executive member room and introduced me to some folks there. He said I was in the media. I wasn’t in the media, I’m a guy who was trying to start a YouTube channel interviewing people in the firearm community. This was an exciting day and I felt great!

RIDIN’ SHOTGUN WITH CHARLIE

Anthony Colandro Gun For Hire Range Gun For Hire Radio 2A Activist Capitalist Marksman

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RIDIN’ SHOTGUN WITH CHARLIE We filmed two shows that day. If they weren’t going well, Anthony said he would take me to Newark, leave me there and my tires would be stolen while I was still in the car. I’m so glad everything went well! As conversations go, we talked about a lot of things in the shows. We covered the beginning of the Gun For Hire range, how he grew the business and the range, and breaking the stereotype of chubby old white guys (pale, male, & stale) and bringing in new shooters of all types of background, ethnicities, and religions. His dream was to build a range that was female and family friendly, some place where the ladies don’t have to pee into a bucket and has heating. Anthony “When the media asked me what our clientele looks like, I tell them, It’s a cross between the United Nations and Noah’s Ark, we literally get every size, shape and color that comes into the range. And about 40% of our new customers are female.”

Recently, he built what he’s been calling Mount Gunmore, the country’s premier “Guntry club”! Gun For Hire is the only 6 star range in the country! The range is going to have a member’s only lounge, a cigar lounge, and a gun store. On the weekends and at special events, there’s going to be a business from the “Quarantine Crawl” serving goodies to the clients. The Quarantine Crawl https://quarantinecrawl.com/ was started by Anthony during the virus that shall not be named, where he would visit local businesses that support our 2A Rights. He added each business to essentially a ‘chamber’ of commerce for people to “support those who support us”. One of the huge benefits for women visiting the range is that there’s other women there and not just the GFH staff. When the women feel comfortable, then they’ll come back and bring more of their friends.Their Ladies Only classes sell out every time they have one. The bathrooms are clean and he’s got people cleaning, repairing, and repainting the range all the time. The cleanliness and neatness of the range keeps the range looking brand new.

some that are different. Anthony also talks about the ‘revolving door of justice’ where criminals plead gun charges down to a misdemeanor then the gun charge never happened. We also talk about how New Jersey has a policy where when a ‘smart gun’ is made, it has to be sold and all firearms then have to be ‘smart guns’. We both agree that when the police start to use them is when we will consider it. (FYI…the police won’t use them…and neither should you!)

We talk about tips for young shooters and getting kids involved in shooting. He suggests getting Peltor youth hearing protection so it fits around their head better. And of course, starting them on a .22 rifle. At the new GFH range, he’s started a .22 league and has people shooting from 8 all the way to ‘sarcophagus’ age. And he’s said the older shooters think the sights are off. Meanwhile, the kids are shooting just fine.

We do go back and revisit some revolver talk, covering carrying spare ammunition, jams with semi-autos, and what happens when your ‘fight or flight’ kicks in. And we cover some about gun safes and biometric fingerprint readers. Anthony also gives us some tips about keeping information about the value of our firearms somewhere with your important documents. You don’t want your spouse selling your collection for pennies on the dollar.

When I admit to Anthony that I carry a J-frame as my EDC (everyday carry), he says that he likes carrying revolvers because there’s less of a possibility of them jamming or having issues. He suggested a Ruger LCR or even an old Colt Detective, which holds 6 shots. He also suggests getting a .357 Magnum and shooting .38 Special +P ammunition out of it. About revolvers: “if you have 17 rounds in a gun and you get a jam, or you can’t rack the slide if its, to reloaded what good is it? I’d rather have you know, you can buy a Smith and Wesson the plus guns have seven round chambers. You know, Taurus has an eight rounder I think, right? I’m not a big fan of Taurus, but but they have an eight round. So give me a seven round revolver for home defense. I’ll take it every day. And you and I would discussed it. I prefer five shot revolver to carry all the time. It’s idiot proof. I can put it anywhere. I don’t have to worry about the safety. I don’t have to worry about anything?”

For the first few years of RSWC, while I was traveling through New Jersey, I would reach out to Anthony to see if he was around so we could catch up. Most times, he was able to make time for me, which I was grateful for. One of the things I wanted to do with RSWC was to expand my circle of friends. With Anthony and the GFH staff, you’re family. The last couple of trips through the Garden State, he has been busy with expanding the range and some other issues. But he was able to give me some time recently.

Since I was traveling to New Jersey, ‘where fun comes to die’, I wasn’t carrying, obviously, but I was carrying a tactical pen with me. Anthony and I talk about how with a tactical pen, we would have to write our way out of trouble. During COVID besides the Quarantine Crawl, Anthony took some time to put all his tips from his podcast and other ideas to stay safe and turned that into a book called, “Crime Proof: Think Like A Criminal And Beat Them At Their Own Game”. In it there are several tips for everyone of every age, from teens and college students, to adults, and adults who are watching after their parents. We talk about what to do if you’re pulled over and you’re carrying a firearm. He’s got some smart points about it, if you do have to inform the police that you’re carrying. However, you don’t have to in all states. I always use HandgunLaw .us https://www. handgunlaw.us/ for information when I’m traveling to other states. When you’re pulled over and carrying Anthony says “So that cop is approaching you in a much different mindset than you’re handling him. I ever you know, I’m a big guy. I don’t dig in my wallet. I don’t look in the console. I don’t look at my glove box while the cop is parked behind me because it looks like I’m either trying to hide something or I’m trying to find something.”

We caught up and talked about the expansion of the Gun For Hire range, Crime Proof, and some travel tips. Anthony told me that every time he travels outside the US, he takes with him a tactical pen and a flashlight. To new folks that are getting into firearms and self defense, a flashlight may seem strange, but the power can go out when we’re inside and we won’t be able to see anything. He likes the Fenix flashlights and carries one everywhere but he also carries a tactical pen. The flashlight should be at least 200 lumens and can be used to shine in someone’s face, which can blind them and give you time to escape. When Anthony travels he says “I always take a tactical pen. I actually I take two tactical pens, I put one in my little man purse that I carry on messenger bag, where I keep like, you know, medicine that I need any medications or whatever. And my cell phone and a charger and a few other things. But I always have a tactical pad and I pack in my luggage, a spare tactical pen, a small pen knife that I don’t care about that I bought in a big box store in case it gets taken away. And I always pack two flashlights.” I’m really glad that I stopped at GFH on that first trip to DC. Becoming friends with Anthony over the last few years has been a wonderful thing for me. He and his staff always make me feel welcome and like I’m part of the family. As a matter of fact on one stop, he had me shoot the 50 BMG and he made a video of it to share on his social media. Both of us living in ‘occupied territory (MA & NJ), we’re like kindred spirits. He’s pushed me a few times to get some things done which has been good for me. A mentor like that is priceless. Like I said, one goal of RSWC is to expand my circle of friends, and Anthony Colandro was the first of many to be in my circle.

RIDIN’ SHOTGUN WITH CHARLIE

One of the things that Anthony drives home all the time, in person or on the GFH podcast, is that ‘gun people are the best people’. We talk a lot about how we make new friends on the range just by asking what kind of gun they’re shooting, where did they get it, and what do they think of it. Those are always great ice-breaker questions at the range. Often, but not all the time, it turns into someone asking if you want to try their gun. (This is a great tip for new gun owners!)

We do cover some of the differences between two states that are both “occupied territory”, as I call it. There are some things that are the same between Massachusetts and New Jersey and

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TSA TAKING NOTES?

TSA TAKING NOTES? Traveling in 2022 is stressful enough as it is. Dealing with the TSA is one of the reasons traveling might make people apprehensive. We won’t even talk about potential 4th Amendment violations when being subjected to millimeter wave technology scanning our bodies, we’ll just talk about the run-of-the-mill dealings, the low-tech violations, with your local friendly TSA agent. Truth be told, many TSA agents are great. Even the ones I personally deal with in Newark, New Jersey on a regular basis. But when you run into that one agent that wants to make your life miserable, they really can. This instance involves the inconvenience of having an item taken by a TSA agent. One of the stresses we need to deal with when traveling by air is that we must surrender just about every “weapon” to make it through security to a “sanitary” area. While it’s very nice and thoughtful of the US Government to assure us our safety, are we really safe? You don’t have to go completely disarmed though. One of the many options you can bring on a plane with you is a tactical pen. Kind of. First off, what’s a tactical pen? A tactical pen is a metal pen that’s usually a bit beefier than a regular pen. It may or may not have a “menacing” bezel, that is the non-writing end might be pointy or castellated. Tactical pens are great options because they are actual pens that you write with, but primarily would be carried to use as a striking weapon or one used to be applied to an attacker’s pressure points if needed. An individual would use a tactical pen the way they’d use a Kubotan. According to Wikipedia: “The Kubotan is usually held in either an icepick grip (for hammer fist strikes) or forward grip (for stabbing, pressure point attacks and seizing). Common uses include hardening the fist (fist load) for punching, attacking vulnerable parts of an assailant’s body, and gaining leverage on an assailant’s wrist, fingers and joints.” On January 22 of this year, a colleague of mine, Matthew Mallory, a fulltime firearm, and self-preservation instructor/part time New York law enforcement officer, was heading home from a large annual trade show known as SHOT Show in Las Vegas. He carried with him a tactical pen that’s nearly identical to one

BY JOHN PETROLINO that I own. When going through the TSA security checkpoint, one of the agents informed him that he’s not allowed to have that item. In questioning the agent, the agent told him he couldn’t have it because it’s a Kubotan. When asked to see a list of items not allowed on the plane, the agent told Mallory that he doesn’t need to show it to him.

There’s a couple of things to unpack here. First, the TSA agent didn’t have to take the pen, but he did. Second, when being challenged, I get that it’s a time-consuming thing, but why be hardheaded about it? Just show the customer because that’s what we are, customers, the list. And third, there’s more than one way to skin a cat, and we’ll get to that in a second. I did take the time to look up what is or is not offensive to the TSA for what can be brought iin one’s carryon. Pens, they’re good to go. Kubatons, they’re no-go. Tactical pens, they’re a no-go. Screwdrivers under 7 inches in length? Good to go! I do recall a situation in Orlando where I saw a guy getting harassed by a TSA agent. I mean harassed. In my experience Orlando seems to be a special kind of airport that attracts a special kind of talent. The guy was a technician of some sort that I’m assuming just had a carry-on. With him he had a multi-purpose

The thing with dealing with the TSA and what you can and cannot take on a plane is this final qualifying statement on the go/nogo pages: “The final decision rests with the TSA officer on whether an item is allowed through the checkpoint.” Absolute power to an unelected member of law enforcement. All those stories about mothers having to dump their breast milk at security, well, believe them. None of them had to happen. The TSA calls that “discretion”.

That all was unfolding while a mute man was trying to communicate with agents, was visibly distressed, and no one was trying to figure out what he was saying by handing him a pad to write with or getting someone fluent in ASL. Nope, they surrounded him and said to “stand back” because they did not know what he’d do next. There was not a lot of bedside manners there and that particular trip through security for me was a real circus to put it lightly.

Another thing you can do is get a “regular” metal pen. There are plenty of “regular” metal pens that’ll get the job done if you need it. That is, if you need to write something. They have them out there, just look for them. All different thicknesses too. Further, a regular ballpoint pen can be effective for, er, writing, if you need it. There are classes on the subject. Finally, that brings us to the screwdriver. Anything under 7 inches is actually the rule for most tools you can carry on. It’s specifically listed as “okay”. You can head to the discount section of the hardware store and pick up a screwdriver if you feel the need to travel with tools. Make sure it’s under 7 inches. If you think you’re going to have to work on something smaller or be more discrete, there are screwdrivers that come with pocket clips, just like a pen, and you can have it just as ready as you’d have a pen should you need to make a quick emergency repair. There’s a whole list of items that are specifically noted by name that the TSA does and does not allow onboard a plane. Take a look over it prior to traveling to see if there’s anything on it that you might need. FYI, items such as antlers, artificial bones, baseballs, bicycle chains, and bocce balls are all on the “a-okay” list for being able to take with you in your carryon. That’s just some of the interesting stuff I found getting through half of the “B” list. Mallory’s message? He also carries with him on a plane a high lumen LED flashlight with a “tactical” bezel. That’s a fancy marketing term for the end where the light comes out of looking castellated. He said “I usually tell people to carry a flashlight and a tactical pen. That’s about the only defensive tools you’ll be able to have or use if a critical incident occurs on the plane. So much for the pen!” As you get ready for your next trip, keep in mind Mallory’s message and what we must deal with/ navigate through when traveling. Especially consider this when traveling by air. Give some thought to what he went through and think about what other options are available out there as far as things you might need on an airplane when traveling. There are a whole host of over improvised weapons you could bring; you just need to think outside the box. I highly suggest keeping an extra tactical pen in your checked bag. As for what you’re going to carry on, it’s time to get creative and take some notes!

TSA TAKING NOTES?

screwdriver, you know one of those fancy jobbers that the tips change out on it. I did not break out my tape measure, as I was dealing with my own issues involving powered baby formula, which was a whole other ball of wax, but the screwdriver looked like a standard multi-driver that would be under 7 inches in length. The agent wanted to confiscate the tip of the screwdriver. The man acquiesced, after explaining that he had other tips, which the agent didn’t seem overly nonplussed over.

So, what can you do? First, if you’re going to take a tactical pen on a plane, don’t bring a menacing looking one. The plainer the better. I did not check in with Mallory on this aspect of his rendezvous with Mr. TSA man, but if you’re bringing such a pen on a plane, consider sticking it into a carryon bag, buried deep in there, when you’re going through the checkpoint. Doing that, the pen will get overlooked in the mix. Chances have it no one will say a thing. Mallory’s years of travel, this was the first time he had an issue with that particular pen.

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FIREARMS: THE RUGER LCP MAX

THE RUGER LCP MAX THE LITTLEST, BESTEST 380?

By Terril J. Hebert

Love it or hate it, the 380 ACP cartridge is undeniably popular. With the proliferation of concealed carry state laws over the last thirty years, the 380 has seen a resurgence as the largest readily available cartridge that can work in small, pocket-sized handguns. Try as we might to scale down designs to chamber more powerful service cartridges like the 9mm Luger, pistols chambered in 380 ACP have an undeniably smaller footprint that lend themselves well to ease-of-carry. Ruger has been a king in the micro-380 market for years beginning with the introduction of their LCP or Lightweight Compact Pistol in 2008. I have one of its millions of copies and it has served me well; Even when Ruger upgraded the model with higher visibility sights and shorter trigger in the LCP II, I saw no reason to upgrade, but it and the LCP II has some the same limitations of other small 380 pistols on the market--low capacity. The LCP and the gamut of small 380s use thin, singlestack magazines, usually holding only six or seven rounds of ammunition. Even if you are fine with lower capacity and can put your rounds where they need to go, more ammunition isn’t a bad thing--so long as it doesn’t negate some other advantage. For micro 380s, you sacrifice capacity for a thin, lightweight pocketable package. When Ruger revealed the LCP Max--a pocket 380 boasting a capacity of 10/12 rounds, I was ready to listen and perhaps ready to upgrade.

FEATURES

Outwardly, the LCP Max carries over many of the features found on the LCP II. At its heart, the Max is a LCP II from the slide upward and a thicker pistol in its polymer grip frame. As such, the Max

will fit in any holster made for an LCP II. But the grip frame is taller and thicker to accommodate a double-stack to single-stack ten round magazine that is furnished with the gun. LCP LCP Max Height: 3.6 in. 4.1 in. Length: 5.25 in. 5.25 in. Slide Width: .75 in. .75 in. Grip Width: .77 in. .93 in. Loaded Weight: 12 oz. 14.3 oz. * Compared with an original Ruger LCP (dimensionally identical to the LCP II) Likewise, the Max has similar sandpaper textured stippling over the grip and serrations in front of the trigger guard. Overall, the Max is only a half-inch taller than its predecessors and no thicker except in the grip frame. Fully loaded, the Max is only a few ounces heavier in exchange for more ammunition. Otherwise, the Max has the same squared-off trigger guard, reverse-able magazine release, and a minimal slide stop carried over from the II. Likewise, the Max has similar cocking-serrations forward and aft on the slide. The trigger is the familiar Glock-like safety type, with a wide shoe and depressible inner sleeve that keeps the pistol from firing unless the trigger is deliberately pulled. On this example, the trigger has a sharp reset and breaks cleanly at six pounds on my Lyman trigger scale. Operationally, the Max is a single-action hammer fired pistol that fires from a locked breech. Aside from an enlarged grip, it does not remarkably stand out next to an LCP II. That is, except for its magazine capacity and its sights. You are getting ten or

ON THE RANGE

Coming out of the range bag, it is hard to display confidence in the Max. Whether you are on the firing line next to other shooters or after a lone range session with a bigger handgun, it can be quite a hindrance to produce a pocket pistol. It can be further embarrassing when your performance drops off when you struggle to connect on targets as reliably. But after a few minutes and a few magazines behind the gun, I could tell the Max was something more. Shooting the Max felt like shooting a larger, fuller figured handgun, at least when you are taking aim and putting shots on target. The same can be said for loading. The Max comes with only one ten-shot magazine, so I picked up a few factory twelve round magazines to get through the chore. The magazines are

stamped blued steel with a polymer baseplate. The ten rounder comes with a flush and lipped baseplate, while the twelve round magazine’s baseplate is blocky and extends just beyond the grip. In the gun both command a good all-finger firing grip--and they are relatively easy to load by hand. The springs on my twelverounders are a little too tight to fully load twelve rounds, but the Max comes with a handle little loading tool to help get those last few stubborn rounds in. After a thousand rounds down the pipe and through my magazine, they loaded and fed effortlessly. With a loaded magazine pushed firmly into the grip all that is required to load is a brisk rack of the slide. The rear cocking serrations provide ample texture to retract the slide. But if you are working with greasy or wet hands, it is easy for the fingers to slip. Fortunately, the Max has a raised shelf milled into the slide that fully catches your grip. The serrated rear sight is also squared to allow for an even easier purchase. That rear sight is also handy if you are unable to rack the slide in the traditional manner. My Max loads effortlessly by simply pushing rear sight against the edge of a table. Is that ideal? No. But the Max is more gun than others that I see handed to shooters with limited hand strength. Certainly, getting a grip on the Max feels more substantial than some of those guns.

FIREARMS: THE RUGER LCP MAX

twelve rounds instead of six. The sights are blackened steel. The rear sight is a serrated U-notch that is squared off and slanted at the rear for a snag-free draw. The front sight is a Hi-Viz tritium post that glows readily in the darkened recesses of my shop room. These are improvements you simply will not see on micro pistols and, at least on paper, transform the micro 380 into a true fighting pistol.

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FIREARMS: THE RUGER LCP MAX 32

Shooting the Max was an interesting experience, especially when I brought in my original LCP for a control. The grip texture borrowed from the LCP II is a small marked improvement over other pocket pistols in its class but I never felt it did anything to keep hands on the gun under recoil. That had more to do with the greater girth and length of the grip that soaked up recoil. The Max never wanted to slip out of my hand or bury into a sore spot in my palm, which I can’t say the same for other pocket guns. As such, I was able to shoot the Max longer and get faster follow-up shots--though some of that can be attributed to the trigger and the sights. The trigger on the Max was not any lighter than my original LCP, breaking at about six pounds on my Lyman trigger scale. But it is not as heavy as some other small pocket guns like the Keltec P3AT or the S&W Bodyguard. If you are used to heavier triggers you might be apt to put too much finger on the trigger and get a bit of a pinch against the grip frame as the trigger resets. Otherwise, the reset it short and the trigger breaks cleanly. The tritium Hi VIZ front sight, paired with a blacked-out rear pops into view prominently, even in the bright Louisiana sun, allowing me to get back on target between shots faster compared to the gutter sights on pocket guns. I came to prefer them, even over the usual three-dot sights found on larger pistols. The kicker is that the front sight is large and visible, which makes fast shooting on large targets easy, but not so good for printing groups on the square range. On paper at seven yards, I managed to shrink my groups on paper to three-inches using Sig Sauer V-Crown 95 grain JHP ammunition. However, the variation in accuracy from one brand of ammunition to the next was largely insensitive whether groups were taken with hollow points of full metal jacket ammunition. Group sizes with my other ammunitions ranged consisted of no less than five inches at the same distance—about the size of an open hand. Hitting the center of a steel torso was no issue. Knowing where the rounds hit to my sights, it was not overly ambitious to hit eight-inch steel plates out to twenty-five yards.

Over several range trips, I logged one thousand rounds downrange with no malfunctions with the only some initial out of box cleaning and lubrication from the start. With a good cleaning, careful break-in of the magazine, and the ability to get a commanding grip on the gun in the field, the Max avoided the typical trouble one might expect from a small pocket pistol. The Max digested mostly Seller & Belliot and Remington fullmetal-jacket ammunition, but I also ran several boxes of different hollowpoint ammunition including the aforementioned Sig Sauer V-Crown, as well as Speer Gold Dot 90 grain, Remington Golden Saber 102 grain, Federal HST 99 grain, and Ammo Inc. 95 grain defensive loadings. The only ammunition that may be worth thoroughly vetting is Russian steel-cased ammunition that are notorious for hard primers and failures to fire and extract. Given the lack of ammunition availability in recent times, I had none on hand to test.

PARTING SHOTS

Ruger released their LCP Max at roughly the same time as their Max 9, a micro-sized red-dot ready 9mm pistol that squeezes ten rounds into its grip. While the latter was intended to compete in the trend of squeezing a true service caliber into a smaller footprint, it may have already reached its zenith. Those guns are no fun to shoot and it takes more conscious effort to keep them under control. The Max chambered in 380 is softer to shoot and offers more grip that allows for a better grasp on the draw and a better reach for the controls. Toss in truly useful sights and the Max 380 turns into a homage to larger pistols and a marked improvement over smaller ones with a trade-off of a few ounces of extra weight. While I ultimately stuck with my original LCP, I know tiny guns like these, while useful, are problematic and not for everyone. I am a pocket gun aficionado. For the everyday shooter, it will be more useful—and less painful-- to reimagine the ubiquitous 380 pocket pistol than shave a 9mm design into the former’s role. At this, Ruger has succeeded.

GUNSMITHING: AN INSIDE LOOK 34

GUNSMITHING

BY TRAMPAS SWANSON

One of the greatest benefits of being behind the scenes of the gun industry as a writer is the opportunity to meet amazing folks like you and I that just have cooler jobs than most of us. Over the years, I have been blessed with not only meeting terrific folks, but being able to call them dear friends as time goes on. I have found those with the deepest insight into this industry not to mention some of the coolest stories have been the gunsmiths that keep competition shooters, hunters, war fighters and law enforcement firearms in perfect working order. Part scholar, part machinist and part simply magician, these highly trained certified gunsmiths seem to be a shrinking number of much needed professionals. According to an article in Forbes magazine last year, there were only 15,615 certified gunsmiths currently doing business in America. This is a relatively low number considering the rapidly growing number of gun owners into the millions. For this issue, I decided to tap into the experience and knowledge of some of my close friends in the gunsmithing world, each with different levels of experience, years on the job and personal viewpoints to get an introspective look at what threatens the art of gunsmithing as well as the firearms industry in general and what will be needed to keep both alive and growing. First, I reached out to Jim Fuller. Many recognize Jim as the original founder of Rifle Dynamics in Las Vegas and currently his new venture, Fuller Phoenix of Arizona. Jim is widely known in the industry as the AK-47 guru. This gunsmith of over 30 years experience has not only taken the AK platform into the mainstream but been the subject of TV shows, magazine articles, books and videos. To say he is a rock star in our industry would only be underselling him. Not to be overshadowed, my next call was to a guy that came up with the same love of guns, Soldier of Fortune and campy action flicks as I did, Vincent Buckles in Gonzales, Louisiana. For years, Vince lived the rock star gunsmith life as one of America’s favorite reality TV personalities on “Sons of Guns”. The true reality is, Vince wasn’t just a TV star. Vince founded Mesa Kinetic Research ( www.mesakineticresearch.com ) in November of 2011 to prove civilians and secret squirrel communities alike with top quality innovative products. Vince is a quiet family man, astute businessman and one hell of an innovative gunsmith also specializing the AK platforms well as custom long range bolt action tactical rifles. As a true student of history, he a “no frills,

cut to the chase” dude whose viewpoints I have come to truly enjoy and respect. In contrast to Jim’s Vietnam era experience and viewpoints, Vince shares the same 1980s and 90s firsthand knowledge that I draw from, with almost two decades in the gunsmithing industry. He has seen the ups and downs of industry and governmental gun politics. Finally, a much newer face to the scene is a young man full of talent, insight and an excitement to make his company a huge success in the near future, Brett Smith. This gentleman has been running McKinley’s Gunsmithing in Williston, South Carolina for a couple of years now. Brett is a brand new husband, witty businessman and social media hit with a great following on Facebook with his photo and video post of his current projects, tips for gun care and videos of his USPSA competitions. Having had Brett perform nothing short of magic on several of my projects such as bring a dead Colt Trooper III .357 into a beautifully blued everyday shooter, our friendship quickly grew to having my company, the Swanson Media Group sponsor his competition endeavors. I asked each of these skilled gunsmiths of varying experiences and years on the job the same set of question in which I decided to use in full to give you a better insight on where each was coming from and let you see for yourself how various factors play into the shared passion for the industry.

IS GUNSMITHING A DYING ART? IF SO, WHAT IS CAUSING IT?

Jim: Yes, I believe it is to some extent. Multiple things are causing it. I would say the public desire for low cost budget guns is part of it, to produce an AK at 6-700.00 price range there will not be much gunsmithing going into it. Legislation is another big part, recently ATF ruled that Gunsmiths have to be registered with ITAR (2200.00 a year for nothing), and many of the things that used to be considered simple gunsmithing has been reclassified as “manufacturing” making the work subject to 11% excise tax on the cost of the work performed. A lot of gunsmiths will not be able to afford the added costs being forced on them and will either quit or go under the table. Vince: I am sure some folks have considered gunsmithing a dying

art since it began. The gunsmiths 300 years ago, who fusion welded musket barrels and hand built their locks would probably have viewed renowned gunsmiths of the 20th century as complete hacks who relied on machinery and store-bought tools. I would say that in today’s world, the definition of “classically trained gunsmith” is measured against a smith’s ability to complete fine fit and finish tasks the way they were done in the mid-20th century. The post-World War Two era is considered by many to be the golden age of American gunsmithing, and many of the techniques used in that era such as hot rust bluing, installation of express sights, stock making from blanks, and checkering, are no longer skills possessed by the average gunsmith. That is not a good or bad thing, Its evolution. There will always be work for the few select classically trained smiths who possess these skill sets, however there is not overwhelming demand for classical gunsmithing throughout the shooting sports community, and it would be silly to think there would be enough of that type of work to go around if everyone had those skills. It’s not dying, it is evolving with the times and the demands of the customer base. When I was in gunsmith school, there were very few AR-15 companies that existed. Regular gun guys thought I was a complete psycho for owning ARs, AKs, FALs, etc. I had a buddy in school who now works for Benelli, and we would try to get repair grades for customizing our military style rifles and get turned down. Unfortunately, now I believe many of the young guys getting into the trade today are focusing only on what they want to do and not on getting a well-rounded skill set. It’s no different than working out, if you only do the exercises you like, you will only build strength in one area. A true gunsmith is going to attempt to achieve some level of skill even in the areas he considers too difficult, outdated, or tedious. Brett: I believe gunsmithing is more of an “evolving art” rather than a dying one. Today’s gunsmith must evolve with the technology of the firearms industry and the wants of their clients. Although firearms manufacturers are continuously improving firearms function, performance and durability, they are still however, still mechanical and subject to failure or loose performance. This is a key place where the modern gunsmith comes into play. Using

tried and true methods, tools and equipment paired with new technology and knowledge to repair these modern firearms. Of course, the old ways will always be foundation on which the gunsmith may build his or her skillset. Continuing the learn and grow is essential to the modern gunsmith’s survival.

WHAT KEEPS GUNSMITHING AROUND?

Jim: The customer that still cares about quality built product. In manufacturing today, the mindset is “let’s make it cheaper so we can create more profit” instead of the old mindset of make it better so it’s worth more money. One concept drives innovation the other kills it. Vince: Demand, bottom line. Same thing that keeps body shops and mechanics around. As long as the Second Amendment continues to protect our God given right to keep and bear arms, there will be a demand for people to build them, repair them, customize them, and restore them. That is exactly why if you are a gunsmith and are not at least somewhat politically involved, you are in denial of what is happening in this country. The NRA, GOA, and GOP are not perfect and I don’t always agree with them, but they appear to be the only groups fighting for our industry in Washington. Unless you want to be a Prius mechanic in 10 years, get involved politically. If you live in a gun friendly state like Arizona, Texas, or Louisiana, you have been skating by taking it for granted. The problems in Massachusetts, New York, and California are our problems as well. Get involved politically. Brett: When I tell someone, I am a certified gunsmith, I can see the excitement in their expression. There is a certain allure to the art of gunsmithing. It’s almost like magic to take something old or broken and restore it to be a fine, functional tool to be enjoyed once again. The American way has always been to “Fix it if its broke” and this ideology is the bane of gunsmithing. Gun owners will always need competent gunsmiths just as much as we need gun owners who care about keeping their firearms in working condition. We have always coexisted as two parts of the same whole and I suspect we will continue to do so for a long time to come.

GUNSMITHING: AN INSIDE LOOK

JIM FULLER

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KEYS TO BEING SUCCESSFUL AS A NEW GUNSMITH?

GUNSMITHING: AN INSIDE LOOK

Jim: Focus on quality, take as many factory armor classes that you can get into. Be willing to apprentice or work somewhere for cheap to perfect your skills. Also honing your mindset and attention to detail to a point that your work stands above others and gets that recognition. This is tough for some new gunsmiths because of today’s “I want it now” society, the reality is you need to prove yourself with your product not just bullshit the customer. Vince: Go to school and make the most out of it. Don’t just learn enough to graduate. Kick ass on every project you do. Your goal is to be better than your instructors. Your goal is to be the best gunsmith they have ever seen. When you graduate, go work for a successful gunsmith that can mentor you and help you advance in the trade. Don’t just open your own shop right out of school. Learn all aspects of the business for a few years. Learn to do the jobs you hate, they may become the jobs that you make the most money at. Buy good tools. In fact, buy every quality gunsmithing tool you can. Take care of them. They will make you money for years to come. Become part of the shooting sports community. Attend industry functions, get to know the people in your business. We are a small community. And don’t start your career by talking shit about those who were here before you. I have the utmost respect for those who walked this path before me. You can learn a lot from those old gray haired guys who haven’t bought a new truck since you were playing tee-ball. Brett: Growth is a key to success in any business and this holds especially true for gunsmiths as well. In order to grow, the gunsmith must first plant the seed by letting potential clients know they are there. Start local and expand from there. Education is a key to any skill, craft, or trade. A good gunsmith is not afraid to try new things, but they also take time learn proper techniques, practice their skill and anticipate error before performing a task that is new to them. Reading, researching and learning from others with more experience are all very important to being a successful gunsmith. Do not be afraid of failure. A major issue will happen at some point in an gunsmithing career. Don’t let it bog you down; look for solutions or admit you are wrong and move on. Learn from your mistakes and plan accordingly. Do good work, be personable, be professional and put the customer first.

THOUGHTS ON ARMORERS WITH A DREMEL TOOL?

Jim: Dremels are fine if you use them wisely, don’t be lazy and dremel something you can easily mill or file. Vince: The dremel tool gets a bad rap. A good rotary tool is an invaluable piece of equipment in the right hands. When you work on small parts, a small rotary tool is your best friend after your files and stones. What concerns me is guys who watch a few YouTube videos and start doing gun work out of their garage as a side job without a license and without any real training. Some of them turn out to be great gunsmiths. Most don’t. It’s not only illegal to do gun work for money without a license, it is unethical. If you are a garage hobby gunsmith on the weekends, that is fine but don’t charge people money to hack their guns up. Practice on your own guns, and when you are ready to charge for your services, get the proper licensing to protect yourself and your customers.

BRETT SMITH Brett: I love them; the keep me busy fixing their mistakes in between hunting and competition shooting seasons. Really, I feel like they do more harm than good. Not to say good work has never come from an armorer with a dremel, but more often than not, they end up wrecking a part or installing something wrong rendering a gun inoperable or even worse, unsafe.

WHAT HAS HURT THE INDUSTRY THE MOST?

Jim: The desire for cheap budget guns, when companies are in a race for the bottom skilled labor is the first casualty. Vince: Carpetbaggers and politicians. Modern industry carpet baggers are guys with a little money that decide to one day own a gun business, having no real experience in the industry. They seem to think they can somehow make a fortune in guns by cutting production costs by hiring unskilled labor and using inferior components. We had a wave of them jump aboard in early 2013 during the Obama gun rush. Most of them are out of the industry now but their inferior products are here to stay. You never start a gun business to get rich or to solicit another business’ customers. You start a company to make a decent living providing a quality product or service, and do your own advertising and networking. Cutting throats has some serious live the sword, die by the sword outcomes. Do I even need to explain the politicians thing? We elect a bunch of folks who can’t hack it in the private sector to spend all year making news laws about technology, products, and services that they don’t’ understand. And I’m not just going to point fingers at one party. Brett: The two enemies of firearms are rust and politicians. I strongly believe the eight years of the Obama administration hurt the industry considerably. With laws having been passed such as the ITAR regulation, which forced many “mom and pop” gunsmith shops to close due to an outrageous annual fee to the government just to perform very common gunsmithing services. It would classify them as “manufacturers” and require obtaining new licensing just to continue running their small businesses.

Additionally, all the anti-gun rhetoric from the “left” constantly being pushed through misinformation, liberal media and straight out lies about owning firearms which is not only putting gunsmiths in a bad light but the common firearms enthusiasts as well.

WHAT HAS HELPED THE GUNSMITH INDUSTRY IF AT ALL?

Jim: The Internet, I worked on guns before we had the internet, the knowledge available now (if you know what to look for) is almost endless and amazingly quick. But I must stress when it comes to the internet be very careful of the info you choose to accept as credible.

Brett: I believe that gunsmiths across America should become more involved in their local government by attending town / city meetings, joining their local chapter of the Chamber of Commerce, writing their representatives and expressing their concerns. Not just gunsmiths, but all gun owners! It this our right as Americans to tell our government officials what we stand for and to not exercise that right will just mean unjust legislation being passed, thus ending our one of our most valued freedoms.

VINCE BUCKLES Vince: I think the internet and information age in general has given the industry a wider reach, particularly for smaller shops. In the past, your customer base was limited to those who read print magazines and happened to see your paid advertisement, or folks in your local area. Nowadays, any gunsmith with a iPhone can photograph his work, crop and edit the photos, post them to social media accounts, make their own hashtags, and develop a following and customer base without spending $300 to have a tiny 1/8 page black and white ad in a gun periodical. If you are a gunsmith that complains about technology and social media, you are being left behind. You must adapt or die. Marketing yourself effectively online is absolutely paramount these days. Brett: The expansion of competitive shooting sports has been a driving force for gunsmiths in recent years. USPSA, 3 Gun, Long Range Precision, Cowboy Action Shooting and the like have grown rapidly on the national levels. Professional as well as new competitors want the best guns and gear to compete with and the modern gunsmith is waiting to give them just what they desire! The clients’ guns are tailored to their personal shooting style and sport of choice from a plethora of guns, gadgets and accessories. This expansion of shooting sports has been a major boost to the industry in my opinion.

FINALLY, WHAT STEPS DO YOU THINK ARE NEEDED TO PROTECT THE INDUSTRY FROM LEGISLATION AGAINST LEGALLY CERTIFIED SHOPS?

In wrapping up this article, one of the clear aspects between each of these talented gentlemen is how the same sentiments can be conveyed in such different ways, each with a great point of view and passion for what they do. From the man of few words that can speak volumes with just a look on his face to the eagerness and energy of a newcomer, whose skills and body of work are far beyond his years in thus far. As I mentioned before, I often find myself relating to Vince the most due to common backgrounds and situations in life currently. Jim has been a big brother / father figure in the industry for me with his wisdom and insight, while in contrast, I feel like a mentor for Brett in doing my best to help open doors and give his work the exposure it is very well due on his path to even more success. All three have appealed to my love of history, hate of politics and passion for the art of gunsmithing. Like these fine gentlemen, I urge you all to get involved in your local government, voice your opinion and support your local gunsmiths. I highly recommend joining the NRA and USCCA if you have not done so already. One of the best things you could do to really see the industry up close and in person is to make a trip to the NRA annual meeting or USCCA Expo and get to meet some of the great folks in the industry face to face, discuss current topics and see some of the best guns and gear currently available. Till then, get on the range, take your loved ones, teach a kid to shoot but most importantly, be involved! Special thanks to Jim Fuller, Vince Buckles and Brett Smith for their time in sharing their thoughts and giving us a look into their mindset. Till next time my friends, Train Hard and Continue the Fight!!

GUNSMITHING: AN INSIDE LOOK

Vince: We need to stop electing the same corrupt legislators. I encourage every member of the shooting sports community to consider running for a state or federal legislative office, or at least volunteering or contributing financially to the campaigns of those candidates who are uncompromising advocates for the 2nd amendment. We need to beat the enemies of our industry at the ballot box, in congress, and through lawsuits against the mainstream media when they maliciously and intentionally portray our industry as illegal, unsafe, or careless about who we provide weapons to. The biggest supplier of illegal weapons to criminals in the last 10 years is the Department of Justice, and it is high time our industry starts running for office to gain a position where we can oust and prosecute the criminal entities within the both parties. It is high time we see a limited federal government where most of the power belongs to the States. That is what our founders intended. Read the Articles of Confederation, and check out Patrick Henry’s statements on the Constitutional Convention. We are constantly led to believe that we are bad citizens if we don’t buy into the bullshit idea that we are governed by our own people. No we aren’t. Not until we stop electing the same criminals.

Jim: Don’t elect Politicians, elect PEOPLE that care about freedom and god given rights and getting the government out of our way.

www.thearmedlifestyle.com

FIREARMS: HENRY REPEATING RIFLE

HENRY REPEATING ARMS U.S. SURVIVAL RIFLE

BY TRAMPAS SWANSON

In the face of economic down fall and turmoil in the news worldwide over the past decade, there has been a growing interest in post-apocalyptic survival by people of all walks of life. It’s no coincidence television reality shows like Survivor, Alone and anything associated with Bear Grylls are popular with weekly viewers. Topics such as bushcrafting, camping, and hunting are no longer being studied by just outdoor enthusiasts. Bankers, lawyers, doctors and company CEO’s are now putting down their cell phones and laptops to pick up a backpack and ax to learn to survive when / if the power grid goes down. When we look at what is needed to survive in an emergency situation, we often look to our military for equipment and training ideas. While civilians are usually mesmerized by the high speed tactical gear, there is one tool depended upon by the U.S. Air Force pilots since 1959 that is very often overlooked, the Eugene Stoner designed semi-auto AR-7 .22 caliber survival rifle. While most of us are not military pilots and are not able to access this particular item, an improved civilian version of the rifle has been quietly produced for some time now in black, True Timber-Kanati and Viper Western Camo by Henry Repeating Arms aptly named the U.S. Survival Rifle. This rifle is also usually listed as the Henry AR-7 by many retail sites including Henry’s own www.HenryUSA. com. Often overshadowed by Henry’s very popular lever action series of rifles, this little semi-auto .22 LR rifle provides the perfect tool for civilian bush pilots, backpackers and preppers around the world looking for a small caliber compact rifle for emergency situations. When disassembled, the Henry rifle fits easily in a boat hatch, overhead storage bin or a side pouch of a “Bug-out Bag”.

RIFLE BREAK DOWN

Few years ago, I received a sample of the U.S. Survival Rifle from nice folks at Henry Repeating Arms for a short review for a major retailor out of Texas. As a long-time fan of Henry rifles,

I was well versed in their version of the AR-7 rifle already, but this would be the first chance to get some quality time with one in person. When the rifle arrived at my local gun shop, Second Amendment Guns and Range, I was surprised at how small the box was. Upon opening the plain black box marked U.S. Survival Rifle, it appeared as if they had only shipped a 16” long plastic stock. I took the gun out of the box and popped the butt pad off the rear of the stock to reveal the rest of the rifle securely nestled away inside. At a total weight of only 3.5lbs, I was very impressed how lightweight the total package was.

I removed the barrel with attached nut, 2 magazines and receiver from the rear of the stock and secured the butt pad back on the gun. I started assembly by placing the rear of the receiver into the forked groove in the front of the stock and secured it in place by means of a turn screw underneath the pistol grip until it was tightly fitted. Next, I dropped the barrel onto the front of the receiver into a notch cut out for a barrel pin similar to an AR-15 and used the attached barrel nut to hand tighten the barrel down. A simple click of one of the 8 round .22 caliber magazines into the cut out magazine well and the whole rifle was assembled in all of about 45 seconds!

Fully assembled, the rifle was only 35 inches long, making it perfect to maneuverer through thick bush or over harsh terrain. The receiver and barrel were Teflon coated to protect against corrosion from inclement weather and even salt water. The receiver is grooved to mount a small air gun size scope, but for what the rifle is built to be, its supplied iron sights are more than adept for the task. The rear sight is an adjustable peep hole which lines up quickly with the highly visible orange fixed bladed front sight. I discovered quickly, the charging handle had to be popped out from the side to load the first round into battery and after that, the rest was easy. Once I familiarized myself with the operation of the rifle, I was ready for some quality time outdoors with the Henry.

FIELD TIME

The first range testing of the rifle consisted of 40 grain CCI Mini Mag Hollow Point ammunition fired at small polymer and steel targets roughly 4 – 5 inches tall at typical small game distances of 15 and 25 yards. These rounds push close to 1235 ft/s and have proven in other .22 rifles to be the best all-round performers in non-suppressed platforms. As chance would have it, would also be the case with this test rifle as well. To date, I’ve texted over two dozen different loads from assorted manufacturers and the CCI Mini Mag still holds true as the best load for the rifle. While awkward the first time you shoulder the slightly offset configuration of the Survival rifle stock, it doesn’t take long to get use to how the barrel sits on the stock to accommodate the storage area inside. Due to the lack of a handguard, the shooter must choke up on the receiver with the support hand to prevent getting burned by a hot barrel over a prolonged period of shooting. With the deep cut out in the receiver for the magazine to fit flush, it’s easy to accidently grab the exposed outside edge of the magazine and apply enough pressure to cause a misfeed.

Once I caught myself doing this, I corrected my grip and continued shooting with no further issue. The bright orange front sight was easy to line up against the black background of the targets and transitioned quickly from each one with very little felt recoil. The trigger felt a bit stiff but broke cleanly with a firm reset considering it is a survival tool meant to be there in an emergency while my match grade precision rifle is at home collecting dust in the safe. Even out to 25 yards, I was holding solid “minute of squirrel” groups shooting standing braced against a fence post. The first summer of running through box after box of the diminutive CCI ammo I only experienced one operator induced failure. After approximately two years of shooting the rifle, I finally had two “failure to fire” malfunctions during an impromptu afternoon plinking after teaching a class. Upon inspection of the rifle, I realized that I had never cleaned the rifle since owning it. That evening the rifle had a much-needed deep cleaning leaving a pile of dirty rags and patches. The rifle’s simple takedown configuration made it extremely easy to clean up by using a simple Hoppe’s Bore Snake and an old toothbrush. A few days later, I tested the rifle with 100 rounds of CCI Mini Mag and it ran perfectly again Not long after its first deep cleaning, I decided to see how the Henry Survival Rifle would do if dropped accidently in a river or lake. I went into the back yard (while my wife was at work with the kids were in school) and simply tossed the unassembled rifle into the pool. After the splash, the rifle rose to the top of the water and began to float around in the water’s current. After a few minutes, I noticed the rear of the stock started to slowly sink

FIREARMS: HENRY REPEATING RIFLE

The initial testing involved working with an old friend of mine who used to serve as our Swanson Media Group bushcraft expert, Craig Reinolds. He and I had a lot of fun over the years field testing various gear, guns, and equipment prior to his exit due to medical reasons. While I have had much more time in the field now working with the Survival Rifle for a long term review, much of my current thoughts remain the same as the first summer spent with Craig testing it.

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FIREARMS: HENRY REPEATING RIFLE 40 2

under the water line. Within less than 5 or 6 minutes, the rifle then sank to the bottom of the pool. I fished the Henry out of the water and opened the back cover of the stock. Water poured out of the stock as if I had used it for a canteen. I promptly rinsed the salt water off all the parts with fresh water and wiped everything down with a towel before reoiling. For rain or sea spray, the stock would work excellent for protecting the parts inside, but failed the long term submersion test. If I were to keep this on a boat, I would at least tether the rifle to some sort of floatation device in case of capsizing. As things often do in the summer, projects overlapped, and the AR-7 Survival Rifle spent the summer riding around on the boat as well as the back of my Chevy Suburban inside my “bug out” bag without being shot much. I decided to do a bit more field testing with my good friend Clint Steele. Like Craig, Clint is a military veteran as well. Having served with both the U.S. Marine Corps and retiring from the U.S. ARMY 10th Mountain Division, Clint has spent a lifetime studying the key tools to survival. As a long time fan of the concept and design of the US Survival rifle, this would be his first time getting an opportunity shooting one. Using the same CCI 40 grain Mini Mag Hollow Points as earlier in the year, Clint and I set out to work on some swinging steel targets 50 yards down range and try to capture some of the fun on video as seen in the attached video segment. Using the small rear peep sights and blaze orange front sight, the sight alignment and picture were quick to be gained on target. Again, the trigger felt stiff but more manageable than before due to more rounds having been put through the rifle as well as having previously gotten plenty of time in on using the trigger and adapting to it. Clint’s first shots were dead on as he slowly broke the trigger on the first 3 shots. First impressions on the overall compact design and accuracy was that it excels in what it’s designed to be. True, it’s no target rifle, but as I have previously mentioned, it’s a great asset to have when you’re prized rifle is sitting at home. As the day wore on, Clint and I had some great discussions

on how to best carry and deploy the AR-7. By the end of the day, if there were a dozen U.S. Survival Rifles available, we would have bought them all to store in our vehicles, boats, and “go” bags. At only 3.5 lbs and 16.5” inches when disassembled, the AR-7 definitely can fit easily anywhere you wish to store it for a “rainy day”.

Over the past years, the U.S. Survival Rifle by Henry Repeating Arms has ridden up and down the St. James River stowed the in hull of a pontoon boat, been rode across fields on horseback and lugged around in the Bug-Out Bag as I mentioned earlier, but still managed to retain my confidence in its capabilities if its ever needed in a “life or death” situation. Unlike other survival rifles I have reviewed in the past, I like the fact the Henry is a singular compact unit that does not have extra parts to have to keep up with or be carried in its own carry case like other survival tools I have previously reviewed in the past. I feel the U.S. Survival Rifle is well built and durable for long term storage or use. I would like to see some sort redesign to allow for some sort of small handguard for those who just enjoy a day of plinking with the little rifle. In addition to the rifle, Henry included a neat little tin box loaded with additional survival tools such as a signal mirror and whistle, wire saw, waterproof matches, rubber tubing, emergency blanket and snap light. Made for Henry Repeating Arms by Best Glide ASE, the box is water tight and can be used for a wide array of task such as constructing shelter, snares and starting fires in the field. While this is not included in the sale of the rifle, it is an excellent item to consider pairing with the U.S. Survival Rifle. Retailing at $290, I have seen these rifles in stores listed on sale for a bit cheaper at around $230. The quality and reliably you get with this and any other Henry product is second to none for the money you invest. After spending time with the Henry, it proved itself to the point of wanting to refer to it as a tool more than a firearm. Everything about its design and

function are made to help you be confident in overcoming life threatening situations and survival! I recommend this rifle so highly in fact, in the time since originally receiving the Henry for my initial review, I now own two of these rifles as part of my everyday equipment. If you want to learn more about the U.S. Survival Rifle and other great products from Henry Repeating Arms, check the full line up at www.HenryUSA.com to find the rifle right for you.

FIREARMS: TRAINING OR HENRY PRACTICE? REPEATING RIFLE

FINAL THOUGHTS

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HEAT RELATED EMERGENCIES

Hot Blooded

Heat Related Emergencies - By Dan Tonto, EMT-P It’s May in the great State of Florida where I live and Summer is upon us. In other parts of the country, it’s still Spring, but that just means that Summer is just around the corner. Spring and Summer means spending more time outdoors, grilling out, going to the range, the park, the beach and a slew of other outdoor and indoor related activities that can put us at risk for a situation where our bodies can overheat. I’m a product of Rock and Roll bands of the 70’s and 80’s and one that instantly came to mind when I was asked to write about heat related emergencies was Foreigner’s “Hot Blooded.” The first line of the song talks about a fever of “a hundred and three.” Heat related emergencies; especially Heat Stroke will involve patient having a core temperature of at least one-hundred and three degrees, so the boys in Foreigner were definitely onto something. All kidding aside, heat related emergencies are no joke and can be not only very scary, but also life-threatening. I also want to make one point abundantly clear: A person need not be outside to suffer from a heat related emergency. Someone who is in a poorly ventilated building that is very warm can also suffer from a heat related emergency. When I teach the USCCA’s Emergency

First Aid Fundamentals curriculum; this topic is one of my favorites to cover because summertime, especially here in Florida means extreme heat and humidity and heat related emergencies are common.

DIFFERENT TYPES OF HEAT RELATED EMERGENCIES

What is a heat related emergency and how do we classify the different types of heat related emergencies? Heat related emergencies as the name suggests have to do with an individual becoming exposed to an excessive amount of heat whereby the excessive heat causes varying degrees of hyperthermia (fancy name for increased body temperature above normal). Hyperthermia can be broken down into four main stages: Heat Cramps, Heat Syncope (pronounced siNGkəpē), Heat Exhaustion and Heat Stroke, with the latter being a severe medical emergency that can lead to death quickly. The following chart from the National Weather Service/NOAA is a great tool to use to see that with the right “ingredients”, temperature plus humidity plus prolonged exposure and/or exertion can lead to a heat related emergency even when the temperature, humidity or activity does not seem too extreme.

HEAT CRAMPS

Heat Cramps are cramps or muscle spasms caused by the loss of water (profuse sweating) and the subsequent loss of sodium (salt) usually occurring as a result of strenuous physical activity. Along with dehydration and sodium loss, muscle fatigue is a main contributing factor to heat cramps.

TREATMENT OF HEAT CRAMPS

Get the patient into a cool, well-ventilated area away from the heat source. A moistened towel can provide comfort and help the body cool down faster along with a fan if available. If the patient is not nauseas or vomiting, they can drink water or a sports drink that has carbohydrates and electrolytes. If the patient suffers from a medical condition like heart disease, hypertension, diabetes, etc. they should be evaluated at a medical facility.

Heat Syncope is when a person faints as a result of prolonged standing or sudden rising from a sitting or lying position. Think about the person standing on a long line outside on a hot day. Factors that contribute to heat syncope are dehydration and not being acclimated to their surroundings.

TREATMENT OF HEAT SYNCOPE

Get the patient into a cool, well-ventilated area if possible. You should have them lie down on their back which is called the Supine position. Allow them to drink small quantities of water or a sports drink and monitor them. If they do not improve, they might be suffering from Heat Exhaustion or Heat Stroke and may need additional medical treatment and evaluation. Again, if the patient suffers from a medical condition as outlined under Heat Cramps, they should be evaluated at a medical facility even if they are feeling better.

HEAT EXHAUSTION

The next and more serious stage of hyperthermia is Heat Exhaustion. Heat Exhaustion occurs when the body works to move excessive water due to strenuous exertion or just being in an extreme environment. With Heat Exhaustion, the patient has lost a lot of water and sodium. In order for the body to rid itself of the excessive heat, the vessels become dilated and blood moves away from the major organs which can lead to shock. In addition to excessive sweating, the patient may also complain of a headache, dizziness, thirst, nausea, vomiting, decreased urine output, severe muscle aches/spasms, tachycardia (increased heart rate), tachypnea (rapid breathing) and be very irritable.

TREATMENT OF HEAT EXHAUSTION

Call 911 to get EMS on scene. Get the patient into a cool, wellventilated area. The patient’s body temperature is abnormally high. Remove excess clothing and place patient in the supine position. Apply a cool compress to the head, neck and face. You can also spray the patient with a cool water mist from a spray bottle. If the patient is conscious and NOT disoriented you can give sips of water or a sports drink. Monitor until EMS arrives. This patient will need I.V. fluid replacement therapy as well as other possible interventions like oxygen, cardiac and blood pressure monitoring and a blood draw to evaluate electrolytes.

The most serious stage of hyperthermia is Heat Stroke. If left untreated, it can lead to death very quickly. This is a true emergency and time is of the essence. Heat Stroke occurs when the body is no longer able to regulate its core temperature causing sweating to stop. As a result, the temperature continues to rise and the patient is literally cooking on the inside. Heat Stroke is often fatal and needs immediate medical attention. The patient suffering from Heat Stroke will have a core temperature greater than 103 degrees, may have a throbbing headache, experience seizures have nausea and vomiting, have an altered mental status or be totally unconscious.

TREATMENT OF HEAT STROKE

Immediately remove the patient from the heated environment, call 911 to get EMS on scene and rapid cooling needs to take place. Rapid cooling can be achieved by placing the patient in ice water (full body immersion). This is not always feasible due to the lack of ice or if the patient is conscious or semi-conscious. If not able or feasible, the next method is to cool the patient by using ice/icepacks around the groin, neck, axillae (armpits) and behind the knees along with spraying the patient with tepid water all over his/her body and fans to encourage evaporation of the patient’s body heat. Always watch for seizures and protect the patient from further injury if seizures develop. As stated above, this patient will need advanced medical care enroute to the hospital. The main goal with Heat Stroke is to identify it and rapidly cool the patient as soon as possible. To make identifying the difference, the simple chart below can help in identifying the difference between Heat Exhaustion and Heat Stroke.

CONCLUSION

Heat related emergencies require the caregiver to be able to accurately assess the situation and provide care accordingly. In order to avoid becoming a victim of a heat related emergency, it’s crucial to stay hydrated; take breaks often, be aware of your surroundings, use plenty of sun block and observe the people around you because they may not realize that they are in trouble and it may be up to you to provide emergency care for someone who has suffered from a heat related incident. For more information on first aid and saving lives check out the organizations below. https://www.usconcealedcarry.com https://www.heart.org https://www.redcross.org

HEAT RELATED EMERGENCIES

HEAT SYNCOPE

HEAT STROKE

https://www.stopthebleed.org

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By Jamie Headley

For someone who has only been shooting for two years, it is all new to me. Here is one of my favorites “new to me” discoveries. On Industry Day at SHOT, the first gun I shot was the Tisas PX9. I couldn’t get it out of my mind the rest of the week. Tim Mulverhill, CEO of SDS Imports was kind enough to send me one to try for a while (I love this job). I think of the PX9 as a Frankenstein gun, and I mean that in the nicest way. Tisas intentionally took all their favorite features of other firearms and put them together when designing this one. When I showed the PX9 to the Armed Lifestyle team, Trampas said it looks like a HK VP9 and a Springfield XD had a baby. (If you don’t get that reference, don’t worry, I didn’t at first either). Luke added that in your hands it feels like a Glock and a Smith and Wesson had a baby. What stood out to me about the PX9 is that it is a great first gun for a new shooter. It comes with everything you need right out of the box; allows for simple grip modifications that I was able to easily make and has some extra safety features/options. TSA approved double locking case – You may not be traveling with your gun, but this is great for storage if you don’t have a gun safe. Two 18 round Sig compatible magazines and a magazine speed loader – If you have little hands, you need a speed loader. A minimal inside the waistband holster, that doubles as your trigger guard during storage – I didn’t know what holster to buy when I started, so I now have a box of holsters that were too bulky or just not right for my gun, so I loved this extra. Three different sized backstraps and grip panels allowing for 27 different configurations of grip and a magwell – These switch out quickly and include the punch you need.

Red dot ready slide – Starting out, I wasn’t ready for an optic but now that I am, I won’t have to purchase a new slide. Option to add an ambidextrous thumb safety – As a new shooter, you want every safety option possible. I like that you can add it or remove it. Loaded chamber indicator – A nice tactile indicator so you know if you are chambered even in the dark. Cocking indicator – The combo of this and the chamber indicator lets you know the status of the firearm. Accessory ready rail – No need for an aftermarket accessory if you want to add a light or dryfire training laser. Reversible magazine catch – I have one firearm I really struggle to hit the mag release, which is less than optimal for reloading in a defensive situation, so this is a great option. Stippling on the slide to give a tactile reference point to keep your finger on when not on the trigger – Instructors often suggest putting some stippling on the slide for this reason. Very competitively priced – Particularly if you consider all it comes with. The Tisas is also enjoyable to shoot. The trigger is smooth, and the recoil is comparable to other compact 9mms. I have discovered there is no shortage of opinions about why one firearm is better than another. It seems to be a personal thing based on preference, physiology, skill set, the tides, phases of the moon and the price of tea in China. All those things considered; I love the PX9. However, if this “newbies” opinion does not carry much weight, I can also tell you that every advanced shooter that I have let test this gun, has loved it as well. Gun ranges take note and build some inventory of this one!

WHAT’S NEW… THE TISAS PX9

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DULUTH PACK: WANDERER

DULUTH PACK: WANDERER BY JARED PELTZ AND TRAMPAS SWANSON

As the editor of the Armed Lifestyle Magazine, part of my duties involves placing quality products in the hands of our writers to test, evaluate and in turn, report to our readers for educational purposes. In these times when budgets are tighter than ever, our goal is to help those who are serious about investing in quality gear make the best investment possible. The goal here is to find items that will not only do their intended job and continue to do so for years to come. These articles are so well written and packed full of useful information, that I fully admit to occasionally being a bit envious of the writers who get to work with that “one” product that stands alone with a style and presence that is all its own. The Wanderer by Duluth Pack is one such item in which I had sent to fellow Swanson Media Group writer, Jared Peltz to review a couple of years ago for a former client publication, The Gear Locker. After reading the review and learning more about the history and quality that went into the construction of the pack, I knew I had to check this one out for myself. This issue, I’ll share Jared’s original thoughts as well as what I personally discovered as well.

FAIR WARNING

As Jared originally mentioned, the Wanderer is manufactured by Duluth Pack in the great state of Minnesota. This is a historic company that has been in business since the end of the Civil War Reconstruction Era of US History when the west was still being settled and covered wagons were the SUV’s of society. Officially manufacturing canvas backpacks and products in Minnesota since 1882, Duluth Pack prides itself in never evolving over the years away from the attention to detail and quality in which they were founded on. Know any other companies that use to repair covered wagons? No? Me neither. So, why the warning? Well, for starters, this backpack isn’t made from 500 Denier lightweight Condura nylon fabric, nor does it come with an iPhone holder, slots for earbud wires, bottle openers, Molle attachments, or other “tacti-cool” features some may consider “necessary” for their Starbucks spoiled lifestyle. If you can get past that, the Wanderer is the pack for you from a company about as “old school” as it gets. This pack, like all Duluth Pack products is built to be extremely rugged while offering a since of style and class often lost in modern society.

WANDERER SPECS

The Wanderer pack is essentially a scaled down version of Duluth Pack’s very popular Rambler model designed for Bushcrafting, hiking, camping, and other rigorous outdoor activities. The Wanderer is constructed from 15 oz. canvas with a simple box style design. The top flap straps are copper riveted with premium

leather and roller buckles. (Think: leather belt thickness.) These straps were surprisingly thicker in comparison to those that secured the side and front pockets. In addition to the thick straps, Duluth Pack includes leather reinforcement for all riveted and high stress seams. The pack’s main compartment measured 16” high, 15” wide, and 6” deep for the primary storage area. The side pockets were approximately 9” high, 4.5” wide and about 2” deep. The front pocket measured about 9” high, 8” wide, and 1.5” deep. It definitely had enough room to serve as a quick day+ pack. For multiple day treks, I believe the original Rambler may be a better option. Jared’s original test sample came in Olive Drab, but Duluth Pack offers eleven other canvas options to choose from including three waxed options such as the Khaki colored waxed pack that I ultimately decided to go with. If you are going to consistently be in wet or damp environments, I would recommend the waxed option. A second option Duluth Pack offers is a canvas wax kit for those who wish to wax their packs later after purchasing one of the other packs. The roomy, unconstructed main compartment cinched closed via a leather draw cord with an easy-to-use cord lock. The long leather straps attached to the top flap offer 7 grommeted holes for adjustment to allow for a bed roll to be placed on the inside of a fully loaded main compartment. Even while at full capacity, the pack could still be cinched down to give the bed roll protection from the elements as well as the rest of the inside contents. Along the top was a well-supported “grab and go” handle for hanging the pack on a hook or tree branch when camping as well as to simply load / unload into a vehicle every day. The wide shoulder straps were designed from cotton webbing to reduce fatigue or feeling as if the straps are cutting into your skin during a long hike with a full load out. Four leather reenforced attachment points for lashing any additional gear was

DULUTH ADVENTURES

So, just how well did the pack work over the initial test period compared to regularly using more modern style packs, you ask? Not bad, not bad at all! In the original review, Jared’s adventures took the Wanderer on a couple weekend kayak trips when it wasn’t seeing Monday through Friday use as an office work bag. The pack even joined his regular family outings for blueberry picking as well as serving as the “go to pack” for a few relaxing hikes. “I found the Wanderer was easily used as a day pack. The canvas is solid but didn’t offer much breathability as was expected. The cotton shoulder straps are slightly angled to allow ease of use but made for awkward adjustment at times. The side pockets are buckled with noticeably thinner leather. This made opening and closing easier but left me feeling that they were a little too thin compared to the sections of boot leather that held down the top flap. Since the design was a simple box style, users may find the pack sag or load shift without a supporting frame. In reading other comments about the pack online, I had found one suggestion about using a small office waste basket to give the main compartment structure. I didn’t find it an issue as most of my outings had the pack filled to capacity.” “One of my favorite points about the Wanderer was the fact there were no plastic zippers in the design to burst open or break off. The leather strap system was easy to use and offered a sound piece of mind that my load was secured. I loved the overall simplistic look and

rugged feel of the Duluth Pack Wanderer. It carried well and filled the role of a medium day pack just fine. A waist support could have been helpful on a few heavy loads, but the pack performed well without it.” – Jared Peltz FUN FACT: If your travels happen to take you near the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness or Quetico Provincial Park area close to the company’s base of operations in Duluth, Minnesota, you can rent a pack directly from Duluth Pack for your adventures. Sounds like a good excuse to plan your next adventure! After reading about all the fun Jared had integrating the Wanderer into his lifestyle, I wanted to see how this pack would fit into mine. Like Jared, I am a family man always on the go. On an average weekday, I can be found running in and out of the office, dropping kids off or picking them up from school, tutoring and karate when I’m not working with clients indoors and outdoors on the range. The weekends offer more of the same including teaching classes and taking family trips to the many theme parks, historic sites and beaches Florida has to offer. Ever since I was four years old, hunting has also played a large role in my outdoor adventures with family and friends. Combined with a love for sharing the knowledge of Bushcrafting with my kids, a good quality pack such as the Wanderer has always been more of a “need” than simply a “want”. (More on these topics coming in future issues of Armed Lifestyle Magazine!) When my waxed Khaki version of the Wanderer arrived in the mail, I immediately loaded it out to become my daily truck pack. In the main compartment, I placed a military style wool blanket for emergencies such as retaining core temperature during a critical incident, sleepy kids, or impromptu outdoor seating on lunch breaks.

DULUTH TRAINING PACK: OR PRACTICE? WANDERER

located around the top of the pack. Keeping with the simple design, you won’t find however, a waist belt for long range lower back support.

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DULUTH PACK: WANDERER 48

As Jared mentioned in his article, the bag could slouch if not fully loaded but with the rigid wool blanket as a base, it kept its shape while holding additional items very well. Packed on top of the blanket, I carry a small survival kit made by Henry Repeating Arms. This neat little kit contains items such as a signal mirror, fishing line / kit, matches, chem light, sewing kit, extra cordage, water purification tablets and much more inside of a compact 7.3” x 4.6” x 2.3” tin box. I even included two small sample pouches of Pyro Putty in case I need help starting a fire with less than perfectly dry materials. Along the backside of the pack, I keep a small “take down” style .22 caliber AR-7 Henry Survival rifle along with 100 rounds of CCI .22 Mini Mag ammunition. The rifle itself is a very unassuming firearm that breaks down to fit all its components into its stock when not in use. At first glance as its packed, most people would not even realize it was a firearm. This rifle is great for plinking on the range after a day of teaching defensive shooting with larger firearms, squirrel hunting with my father when on vacations to North Carolina or simply having fun with the wife and kids shooting soda cans and self-sealing polymer dinosaur shaped targets. Packed along with my rifle, I usually keep a change of clothing with extra socks. (Anyone who has done any significant time in the woods camping, hiking or been in the military can tell you just how important it is to keep your feet dry and happy.) Wrapped between layers of clothing, I have a fixed blade knife for utility use setting up campsites or Bushcrafting. Toward the top of the pack, I added a medical kit which includes equipment items not only needed for range care and vehicle wrecks such as Israeli bandages, medical shears, tourniquets, and Quick Clot as well as Princess Band-Aids, Neosporin, and assorted items for every day “boo boos” as well. The two spacious pockets mounted on the left and right of the pack are large enough to easily carry 40 oz water bottles. Normally, I carry a 32 oz water bottle in the right side pocket and smaller plastic water bottles to top off the inside compartment. Inside the left side pocket, there is a hand towel, 100 ft of paracord in a plastic bag along with a roll of duct tape. (The many wonders of duct tape alone could be another full article by itself from preventing blisters to patching tarps and packs!) The smaller outside pocket is used to carry snacks, store keys, emergency cash, a cheap compact poncho from Walmart and a cellphone battery pack charger. In addition to these items, I

always carry a lighter and a tried-and-true Victorinox Swiss Army Knife. You don’t have to be MacGyver to find tons of ways in which a classic multi-tool and a reliable fire source can be useful on a daily basis. Pro Tip: Make sure to remove the firearm and edged tools before entering restricted areas such as theme parks. The “mouse” doesn’t allow these items! I enjoyed how comfortable the pack rides between your shoulders through thick brush and heavy crowds. With both, I never feel the “pull” of the pack snagging on anyone or anything. Through years of athletics, wrestling suspects during my law enforcement career and surviving a couple of bad vehicle wrecks, my back is very susceptible to lower spinal pain when carrying a poorly constructed pack. Thankfully, the Wanderer’s solid design and wide shoulder straps made sure I never dealt with any of these issues. Pro Tip: Do not machine wash. Clean using mild detergents and quality leather cleaner to ensure years of reliable use and good looks.

FINAL THOUGHTS

Overall, I had to completely agree with Jared’s original recommendation for the Wanderer from Duluth Pack. With a closet full of tactical style packs among tons of other gear, the style and class in which the Wanderer offers over other products just sets someone apart when out and about with it. The pack has even been a conversation starter from strangers giving compliments on how cool the pack looks with its classic canvas texture along with the deep brown leather straps and buckles. Retailing for around $295, the Wanderer isn’t cheap, nor should you expect it to be so. As with anything, premium quality materials, construction and durability comes with premium pricing. I have several packs from companies such as Tactical Tailor, Vertex and Crye Precision that cost just as much or more. With other bags in the same price range, many just aren’t as durable, nor do they garner half the “non threatened” attention. Pro Tip: When you wear a tactical bag or clothing, you get noticed as a “gun guy” from across the room. The secret to blending in and being the “grey man” isn’t wearing subdued colors, it’s not casting that “image” to begin with. If you are the type of person who cares more about quality stitching, classic styling, and rugged dependability more so than which new MultiCam pattern is the latest fashion trend, then Duluth Pack is probably right company for you. The Wanderer model did a great job of fitting into my lifestyle, now I invite you to find one that works for yours. For more information on this and other great products from Duluth Pack, visit www.duluthpack. com to discover your next adventure.

DULUTH PACK: WANDERER www.thearmedlifestyle.com

EMERSON KNIVES COMMANDER

Emerson Knives Commander by Trampas Swanson

Throughout the history of mankind, no item of equipment has been more underrated yet more used than a good knife. From war zones to daily civilian life, the need for a quality blade arises at every turn. I find myself in agreement with many serious blade users that a solid fixed blade is the first place to look for a good carry knife. Unfortunately, our society has evolved to make carrying one much more difficult and less socially acceptable. Whether it’s non-permissive foreign countries, restraining liberal controlled state laws or simply daily attire, there are many situations where carrying a decent sized fixed blade would just not be possible and / or legal. This is where the concept of the “tactical folder” comes into play as what I consider the best option for most applications. In this article, AL Magazine looks at a high-quality knife simply titled the “Commander” from a well-respected blade company that’s been an industry leader for years, Emerson Knives, Inc. The tactical folding knife is a complicated tool to specifically define. It’s the consensus of most in the blade industry that a true tactical folder would include, at a minimum, these characteristics: 1.) One hand operation (open / close); 2.) Blade locks open; 3.) Pocket clip; 4.) Solidly built, especially the pivot and lock; and, 5.) Blade design that can be used offensively. While Bob Terzuola is often considered the Father of the Tactical Folder due to his use of the disk thumb lever, pocket clip and early use of the Walker liner lock, it is Ernest Emerson, who

is widely known in the current blade industry as the Father of the MODERN Tactical Folder. Much like Henry Ford didn’t invent the car but improved and modernized it to a much larger scale, Emerson seems to have picked up where Terzuola ended. Drawing from his vast background as a machinist and accomplished Martial Arts instructor, Ernest Emerson was able to bring tactical folding knife concepts to the world platform not only through high quality, large scale production but also an incorporation of the blade into military, law enforcement and private military training as well. By the end of the 1990’s, the company’s flagship model, the Commander, was born to immediate success. As with all Emerson products, the Commander is constructed 100% in the US and proudly made completely of US parts. Named Best Overall Knife

equipped with a blunt tipped recurved blade with bright blue scales that are widely accepted as a training device color. From the wave opening device to every tiny screw, the Commander is replicated to the fullest degree. This trainer is the perfect way to safely become very proficient in using the Emerson Commander for defensive and offensive purposes. More on this later.

COMMANDER SPECS Overall Length: Blade Length: Handle Length: Handle Material: Weight: Blade Steel: Hardness: Lock Mechanism: MSRP:

8.75” 3.75” 5.00” G-10 4.9 oz 154 CM 57 – 59 RC Linier (Titanium) $240 - $265

EMERSON KNIVES COMMANDER

of the Year in 1999 at the knife industry’s largest annual event, the BLADE SHOW in Atlanta, the Commander managed to land several military and law enforcement contracts including official use by the US Navy SEALS and other elite units around the world. Aside from the Terzuola-like disk thumb stud, Emerson created a forward pointing hook along the spine of the Commander’s spine to act as a blade catch to prevent opposing blades from riding up and cutting the user’s hand. This hook was discovered to quickly deploy the blade when drawn from the right-hand pocket. Emerson listed this as a “wave-shaped opening feature” which transcended into other blades under the company banner with much success. Over time as these blades were seeing significant time in the field, reports of a third benefit came in “unofficially” that this wave feature also made a decent bottle opener for libations during down time. Most success and failure stories aren’t truly about the innovation as much as they are in the details that go along with it. The Commander’s overall construction using top quality materials is just as much a part of its success as anything. The recurved blade is made from 154 CM steel featuring a chisel-grind to give the end user a flat surface to easily keep a working edge on the knife out in the field with commonly found items such as a rock, piece of glass or small whetstone. Perhaps the most important notation to be made about the Commander’s construction is the use of standard components rather than proprietary screws heads and complex locks. The large flat head pivot screw and Phillips head screws used to secure the grip scales can be replaced quickly with a trip to any local hardware store. When in the field these items can be easily “reallocated” from other items found in the surrounding environment and replaced with a common multi-tool. Additionally, just like any serious shooter would work out with a training gun such as a blue gun or SIRT pistol, Emerson manufactures a Commander training knife. This trainer is

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EMERSON KNIVES COMMANDER

Once the Commander and Commander Trainer arrived for review, I began to carry the trainer for the first week just to get into the practice of deploying the blade smoothly while remaining safe. All too many times I have had to risk learning the hard way with test knives, now that I had a training blade offered, I would take full advantage of it. Towards the end of the week, I began to switch back and forth between training blade and live blade while working on rapid deployment of the blade. The blade deployed smoothly ending in a crisp lock up with the Walker liner lock. This lock was easy to manipulate one handed, even when wearing my lightweight operator gloves from Outdoor Research. On Friday, the live blade gave me an idea just how sharp it was straight out of the box and into my pocket. The incident occurred when I accidently double clutched my draw stroke and felt a slight tug on the top of my rear pocket. Later that night, I realized that the slight tug was the blade effortlessly slicing through the pocket of my jeans. Our Swanson Media Group Instagram and Facebook followers got a kick out of the candid photo of the damage posted later the next week. Once the second week rolled around, I only used the trainer in the evenings working with various techniques in my personal training before prepping the Commander for the next day’s attire. For the next 5 weeks, I carried the Commander while alternating between my front and rear right hand pocket depending on if the day’s attire dictated my SIG Sauer model 365XL or 320 AXG pistols. Later in the test and evaluation process, I would experiment with weak side carry as well opposite my SIG inside the waistband carry holster from Falco Holsters. (Thankfully, no further articles of clothing were harmed in the testing of the Emerson Knives, Inc products.) With its wide, beefy razor sharp 3.75” blade and 5” G10 grip, the Commander is a very intimidating tool coming in at 8.75” in

overall length. The 4.9 oz weight and wide profile make it feel like a true tool in the user’s hand rather than Grandpa’s old apple peeling jack knife. It was very well balanced with its center point located mid-finger grove in which your index finger would grip. I was very pleased with how natural the Commander felt in my hand during strikes and heavy cutting work. I could quickly index the blade on target and make precise cuts quickly when needed just as easily as making long, deep cuts into thick material such as meat, denim or rubber innertube. For those familiar with the weather in Florida, it rains almost every afternoon during the summer and fall, so using the Commander in the rain was a regular occurrence. Regardless of how wet the scales on the knife became, it and the trainer’s grip remained sure. When using gloves, the grip almost seemed to bite into the palm of the glove as pressure on the knife was increased. I was impressed how sure it felt in the hand yet not rough or uncomfortable to the skin. To prevent rust and premature wear, Emerson Knives offers the Commander in two good looking blade finishes, a nonreflective stonewash or black Cerakote. The sample sent was the latter option which held up extremely well over the test period. Maintenance with the test knife was extremely simple. With just a little bit of Modern Spartan Accuracy oil applied after brushing the dirt and grime from normal exposure to the elements with a toothbrush from the Dollar Store, the Commander was ready to go. To keep the razor-sharp edge on the chisel edge of the conventional V-Grind, I turned to our media group’s “go to” knife sharpening guy, Simon Michael at Atavistic Edgeworks. Simon’s work with our test blades has never failed to impress no matter how sad the condition of some of the lesser knives may be when turned over to him. The major advantage in performance the Commander has is in the recurve design of the blade. When cutting from base to tip

EMERSON KNIVES COMMANDER

EVERYDAY CARRY KNIFE

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EMERSON KNIVES COMMANDER 54

in a draw stroke such as an offensive strike, the recurve of blade aids in pulling through the subject matter such as flesh, fat or muscle tissues rather than cutting the surface and riding along a straight edge. This yields faster, deeper and possibly more lethal cuts distributed by the end user. This is the biggest aspect in which this design really excels, and Ernest Emerson specifically built the Commander with that in mind. To safely practice these techniques, Emerson had the forethought to design a trainer knife, originally just for instructors within his combat system, but now widely available to anyone wishing to enhance their skills safely. The Commander Trainer gives you the feel of a live bladed Commander in your hands and puts an added sense of reality into your skill building. The first few times I deployed the blunt blade in use on my training partner, I hesitated to quickly double check to make sure I had not accidently grabbed the wrong blade before mistakenly carving him up like a Thanksgiving turkey. The action and overall feel are seriously real. The balance between the two blades are within an 1/8” of each other despite material being ground off to form the live blade thanks to holes strategically drilled into the trainer’s blade. Retailing for $119.95, I highly suggest investing in one if you choose to carry an Emerson Commander. If I had to find a negative to report on the Commander, it would only be in the lack of options with the pocket clip. Secured on the end opposite of the pivot screw, the clip only allowed for the knife’s wave opening feature to fully engage when carried in the front right or rear left pocket. This seemed to slightly alienate

the knife from left-handed users but with a bit of adaptation and focused training, they were just as quick deploying the Commander as their right-handed counterparts.

FINAL THOUGHTS

With an average retail price found between $240 - $265, I feel the Commander is priced very fairly in the middle of the high-end production tactical knife market with one of the most rock-solid names in the industry backing it. Knives with blades made from the super steel currently in vogue this week can run upwards of $400 - $500 but usually require more difficult means of keeping them functionally sharp. Speaking from years of experience breaking lesser constructed blades in the same price range regularly as a SWAT operator and Deputy Sheriff, the quality of Emerson Knives far exceeds their price tags. During the T&E period, I thoroughly enjoyed carrying the Emerson blade daily and well intend to continue doing so in the future. I could go on about the numerous uses I had the occasion to put the blade to good use, but in the end, the Commander simply speaks for itself. The battle proven, well thought out design is a testament to Ernest Emerson’s creativity and vision for a rugged, solid performing tactical folding knife. Whether for deployment or everyday carry, I suggest trying an Emerson Commander for yourself. Visit www.EmersonKnives.com to find which model fits your needs best.

BY ROB PINCUS

For many people, choosing a training class (above the level of the kind you need to get a CCW permit or a CPR certification) seems to either seem really simple or really hard. Which way one leans has a lot to do with the personality of the human in question and their perception of “how much they already know” before choosing a class. Some people tend to overthink things and some people fly by the seat of their pants. Some people believe that they could benefit from any class and others think they know so much that they need something really special to get anything of value. In my experience, those at the extremes of these points are almost always wrong. Sadly, because they already have their minds made up, they often find a self-fulfilled prophecy at the end of the course. The know it all could take a great course and get very little out of it and the neophyte could take a horrible course and think they’ve gotten an amazing return on their investment of time and effort. In the 1990’s I became what most people would consider a “training junky”. I took any course I could get into for over a decade. I bought into the (false) cliché’ that any course is worth attending “even if you only learn one thing”. Now, for me, it all turned out okay… one of the reasons that I think I’ve been so successful as an educator in the shooting industry is the perspective on gained from both good and bad instructors and good and bad classes. My experienced ended up being a great preparation for my 20+ year career. I even got paid to do some

of my “research” over the many years I wrote training course review articles. But, I have o assume you are looking for life & death skill development, not doing research for your life’s work. Over the past 15 years, I’ve also spent a lot of time training and mentoring defensive shooting instructors on how to build, run and market courses that will be of real value to their students. So, based on those experiences and my observations, I’m going to give you my advice on how to choose the right training courses for you. Let’s start with a series of questions: 1. 2. 3. 4.

TRAINING vs PRACTICE

CHOOSING THE RIGHT TRAINING CLASS FOR YOU

Is the course covering a topic you are not already skilled in? Is the course intended for someone like you? Have you learned anything (already) from the Instructor? How big is the financial and time commitment required?

COURSE TOPIC?

While this may seem obvious at first, I find a lot of people who take multiple courses on the same topic; defensive handgun, home defense tactics, precision rifle. At some point, you simply become a hobbyist if you keep taking courses on the same topic, and that can be fine, but you’re not the person this article is for. The right answers to the questions that follow will help you find a course on a topic that you need that should give you the required skills sets and methodology to practice those

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TRAINING OR PRACTICE?

skills and develop them on your own. This approach frees you up to take future courses in other areas that you also need to develop. When looking for a course, remember that “Handgun Shooting” or “Emergency Medical Training” are broad categories, not specific topics like “Defensive Handgun Shooting for CCW” or “Gun Shot Wound Response”.

TARGET AUDIENCE?

Most experienced instructors and mature curricula end up with a defined audience that will benefit most from their courses. This group does not always line up with those who take those courses, however. Many courses are filled with hobbyists, poorly informed or mis-motivated students who are looking for an “experience”, collecting another certificate or training with someone that they admire. If you are going to be a discerning student that finds real value, you need to research the specific skills and the context of intended use that the course is teaching for. There is a big difference between an isolated shooting skills focused course and a reality-based training scenario session. You could need either or both, but you need to know the difference and what you are getting into. Generally, you want to learn & build your skills in as much context as possible, get some independent practice and then attending more involved simulation or scenario-based events covering the same topic. Isolated Skill Performance classes are great for competitive shooters, but not usually the best for developing applicable defensive shooting skills.

WHAT HAVE YOU LEARNED FROM THE INSTRUCTOR ALREADY?

You shouldn’t be paying any significant amount of money or investing a significant amount of time to train with someone whose material you can’t get a really good feel for ahead of time. Articles, books and videos are all incredibly easy to get published in today’s world for nay instructor worth that time & money to train with. There are many magazines, blogs,

organizations and training groups publishing quality articles and videos from quality instructors in every of personal defense. I’ve lost track of how many awesome educators we’ve published through Personal Defense Network, for example. And, most National Level Instructors have published books or appeared on TV Shows or popular Youtube channels as well. You need to take some time to read & watch material from any instructor you are considering taking a course from. You should be able to get a really good feel for their delivery style and content value. Both matter! The concept of Respectful Irreverence aside, you should be able to find an instructor you think you will like training under who can teach you a thing or two even before you pay them a dime. Of course, the value of the content is much more important than their personality.

HOW MUCH WILL IT COST?

Don’t fall for the “how much is your life worth?” crazy talk… there is a fair price for training. At this time, what I would consider the top level of quality instructor teaching valuable end-user classes are generally charging $200-$300 per day. Specialty classes with more supplied equipment or special venues might fairly cost a little more. If you’re considering a course in this price range and you can’t positively respond to the first three questions, with certainty, I’d advise you to pass. It might be tempting to go with the “two out of three ain’t bad” approach, especially if you are dealing with a popular instructor or exciting topic, but I sincerely think you will be compromising too much… remember: These are life & death skills and your resources are limited. Better to pass on the class that might have been “fun” or “cool” and invest in a another option. Also, keep in mind that you might have an opportunity to train with a lesser known instructor, a local instructor or a course on a topic that interests you being offered by a non-profit organize or subsidized in some other way for much less than $200/day. Those local opportunities can certainly be worth taking even if you can’t check all three of the above boxes with bold marks.

BY BILL THOMAS

I’m going to start this month by asking a simple question, one that I feel every “shooter” should be able to answer immediately, but I’m betting will actually give many pause for thought, and that’s “why do YOU shoot?” I am in no way a betting man but I would put good money on the fact that the answers will be as myriad as shooters themselves! Some will say straightforwardly they shoot because they love it, others will be more pointed in their response and say that it’s about selfdiscipline, or even that they love firearms and shooting them as they are fabulous works of engineering. Some will shoot because they value their freedom and devoutly believe that ownership of a firearm will let them ensure the continuation of said freedom, and some will cite protecting their homes and loved ones, or that they shoot purely for the pot whilst enjoying “the hunt” and everything that entails… I’m sure you’re getting the idea of where I’m going with this; the reasons why we love shooting are as individual as every one of us, and that in itself is a celebration of both diversity and sameness. Fundamentally we are all different, but one of the things that we all share is the love of the “armed lifestyle”, whether that be full-time or occasional!

Now if you’re lucky enough to be living in a country where you have that wonderful thing that is “The Right To Bear Arms” then I truly envy you, I really do, as where I live that is far from the case. Yes, I can legally own certain types of firearm (but not all), but to be a gun owner where I happen to reside is not something that is talked about openly… well, not entirely true as EXACTLY where I live I have several neighbours that are active clay and sport shooters, so it’s not uncommon to see the gun bags going into the back of the 4x4 on a Sunday morning… However, I am one of those people that LOVES shooting and the “tools” and life that go with it, and if I lived somewhere where I could legally own what I have replicas of then I’d be one of those guys you see in the weekend newspaper supplement with his “collection” laid out before him… yup, I’d be one of “them gun nuts” and I’d be proud of the fact! But with ownership comes responsibility, both in terms of safety and in terms of how non-shooters perceive us as “gun owners”… the fact is that many of many of my replicas are of a historic nature, models from WWII and the Cold War years that are fully functional “BB chuckers”, and for the average person they would not

6MM TRAINING

PUTTING THE “A” IN TR”A”INING!

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be able to tell at first glance that these were not real firearms. Of course when I bring things up to date with my gaming and training armoury these are replicas of exactly what folk see in movies and on the news every day (sadly at the moment) and I’m certain that in a non-permissive environment many find these downright scary. So that’s really the first part of “training”; I need to keep my replicas safely and securely just as I would a real firearm; although they are “non-lethal” they still LOOK like they are, so I, and we, need to be very aware of that fact!

GETTING YOUR GAME ON! With that bit firmly out of the way I’d like to open the door a little on possibilities for you to train with, and enjoy a 6mm Realistic Imitation Firearm (or RIF as they are referred to legally). You might think that an “airsoft” or “soft air” platform (and here I include both pistols and rifles, etc) is for the kids to run around with in the woods or at an airsoft site, and you wouldn’t be wrong, and personally I’d rather have a kid of mine running around outdoors than sat behind a console playing “call-of-modern-battlefieldwarfare-duty”! I will come back to this side of things later, but first I’d like to draw your attention to another side of “airsoft”, and that’s the competition side of things! Many owners of real firearms, through no fault of their own, don’t know that there is a very healthy, and global airsoft “Practical Pistol” community, and that “Action Air” is actually recognised in its own right to the very highest level by the International Practical Shooting Confederation (IPSC), and international shooting events under its auspices are going on all the time! The following is taken from a report written about the first Shooting Centre Shooting Cup in Taiwan by my good friend Stu Mortimer who has kindly allowed me to share it, (along with some of his images), and I believe it gives some indication of just how difficult “6mm” IPSC-style events are, and just how much they share with the “real steel” side of things! “Stage 1 involved ‘walking the plank’ during any movement; with an inverted Y arrangement of quadruple laterally stacked wooden batons tie-wrapped together in composite planks end to end, and shooting had to be done from a stationary position anywhere along these, with procedural errors and penalties for every instance of the shooter’s feet touching the floor… this took me back to the old ‘shark infested custard’ command tasks of my cadet days, but with shooting and balance alongside a time constraint thrown in. I started off fairly well, straddling the neck of the inverted Y and taking out the paper and twin poppers on the left quite slickly, then moving right with my fire taking out the central popper in the rear bay at the foot of the Y, and on to twin papers in the centre right, then having

to crab shuffle my huge canoe feet carefully along the planks to get the twin poppers and single papers visible from the far right position, before cheesing it back the way I came and damn near falling into the rear bay to engage the rear right hand paper, and sweeping left to the final no-shoot obstructed paper and ending plate next to it.” Now is it just me, or does that sound like a shooting competition that you might find down at your local range or club, one that just happens to be shot with “6mm” rather than “9mm”? It sure does to me, and illustrates that whilst “airsoft” can be looked down on, it can also be looked up to as a fine example of shooting sport in the very best way!

6MM “TRAINING” So, “6mm Training” is “a thing” right enough, but I’m still finding that some shooters are denying that this is another useful tool in the box, and I genuinely have to question why? Anything, and by that I do mean ANY SINGLE THING, that makes us more competent, and above all safer, shooters MUST be a good thing surely?

user feedback, and I have every confidence that the team behind these targets aren’t resting on their laurels and they’ve already intimated that there is quite a lot more to come in the future. But target shooting is still just that, even when it’s super-reactive like the AttackSense system, and here I’m going to get into some contentious territory! We all observe the “golden rules” of shooting, and high on that list is “NEVER POINT THE GUN AT ANYTHING YOU ARE NOT WILLING TO DESTROY”; This mantra is rightfully drilled into every shooter out there, both professional and civilian, and for very good reason! However, this also begins to explain why airsoft, certainly in relation to the gaming side, gets a bad rep as virtually every shooting association or lobbying group will shy away from a shooting sport where it is actually ENCOURAGED that we shoot AT one another! I can see the point in fullness and fairness, and it doesn’t help that there are countless examples of “bad practice featuring airsoft” all over social media platforms, but again bad news sells as they say, and seeing kids AND adults, some of them serving LE and military along with veterans, behaving responsibly with replica firearms really doesn’t sell sensationalism or YouTube views does it? There are thousands, if not now millions, of airsofters worldwide, all playing their games safely and responsibly. Many of them may well be firearms owners too and use their replicas for regular manipulation and target training, and although there are inherent safety issues to be mitigated (we are dealing with non-lethal projectiles after all!), ownership, and the use of a “6mm replica” is 100% part of the wider shooting community globally. Will airsofters ever be recognised by the big lobbying groups? Probably not due to the fundamental “breaking” of that golden “don’t shoot” rule, but that doesn’t mean you can’t get involved in the competition side or the safe training side and enjoy owning and shooting a “6mm replica”, and if it means that you shoot more, that can’t be a bad thing can it? Next time I’ll carry on being contentious and take a deeper look at how “6mm” can be used to train in Force on Force scenarios, and what this may mean to you as a shooter. For now though, keep safe, and keep shooting!

TRAINING 6MM TRAINING OR PRACTICE?

I have said this in the past on numerous occasions, but being resident in the UK means that my access to handguns and any semi-automatic long gun above .22 for training is severely limited; it’s only when I’m lucky enough to work with a “Section 5” dealer (and that also has its limitations legally in the UK!) that I get my hands on something “meaningful”, and otherwise I have to head to sunnier climes (poor me!) to lay down some rounds; this involves a significant investment of both time and money, and for the past couple of years has been next to impossible due to Covid-related travel restrictions. However, in the meantime I do still want to work on my “skills and drills” without breaking the bank, and whilst running countless dry manipulations, magazine changes and transititions is all very well, it’s absolutely no substitute for some intensive live target work. I do this on a regular basis using “6mm” (yes I mean airsoft BB!) replicas, and it would appear that from the growing buzz in the training world I am far from alone in this, up to and including some LE units around the globe! But how do you make your 6mm training varied and valid? On my home (yes, I have a 10m range at home, as that is safe to use with little plastic BBs!) and woodland range I use both traditional targets, paper and iron plate, and the AttackSense Smart Target System; I got together with Neil from AttackSense a short while back and he told me; “We started AttackSense after recognising that no system existed that provided reactive training targets which could monitor shooter performance and function in a representative environment. With our experience gained from the drone industry we developed a reliable wireless target system that could operate in any environment, with the levels of robustness needed to provide long service life in the harsh use case targets find themselves in. It was critical to us that the system would operate using a tablet computer, to provide the level of detail we wanted to track shooter performance over time and to support future proofing, something our customer enjoy with frequent updates supporting new features and shooter tracking. As the system grows and our user base increases, we’re currently re-investing 100% of our revenues back into the product. This is allowing us to innovate with R&D in software to improve the features and use cases we support, and in hardware with different target designs for new environments as well as companion units for start / stop indication, movement sensing, flow control and improved immersion. Close engagement with our customers is allowing us to improve the product and find new directions to move in all the time, it’s an extremely exciting time for us as it is for the industry in general.” Updates and system durability/longevity improvements are already being introduced thanks to that oh-so-important