Innholdsfortegnelse for February/March 2021 i Ballistic

If there’s any firearms company name that’s synonymous with hard-use duty weapons built for the rigors of war, that company has to be Fabrique National Herstal. Or, as most gun owners know it, FN. Since 1889, FN has produced a vast range of iconic small arms ranging from the original Browning Hi-Power and SCAR battle rifle to more substantial systems like the M249 light machinegun and the .50 BMG M2 “Ma Deuce” machinegun. Also charged with manufacturing rifles such as the M4A1 for the U.S. military, FN supplies the majority of the small arms used by our soldiers, sailors and marines. One of FN’s latest projects is the FN 509 series of striker-fired pistols that was designed as an entrant into the U.S. military’s Modular Handgun Trials. Multiple variants have…

I’m the luckiest guy I know. I scored a wife who is way out of my league. I grew up dirt poor on a Midwest farm and I ended up traveling all over the world on the government’s dime. And nowadays gun manufacturers send me all kinds of cool guns to shoot and test, and they even pay me to write up my opinion. And I never got blown up while I was in Afghanistan. Trust me, I’m pretty lucky. So I was excited to be included in the fourth annual Athlon Outdoors Rendezvous held near Driggs, Idaho, and to have the privilege of meeting one on one with approximately 30 leading manufacturing companies to talk about their new products, their histories and the directions their companies were going. On…

WE all accept the logistical advantage of having both a rifle and handgun chambered in the same cartridge. However, there is an “old timey” connotation to this harkening back to the days of single-action revolvers and lever-action rifles. We also accept we are giving up something in performance on the rifle side of the partnering. What if the shooting community’s incessant quest for the “biggest and baddest” has leveled the playing field in this regard? What am I talking about? Enter the formidable .500 S&W cartridge. The .500 S&W is an anomaly. Here is a cartridge designed for handgun use (remember rimmed cases are ideal for revolvers) that offers superior bone-crushing performance in both handguns and rifles. That can be said of few cartridges. Smith & Wesson does not make…

“A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.”—Lao Tzu Tu Lam’s first steps were in conflict. The retired Green Beret, co-host of History Channel’s Forged in Fire: Knife or Death and founder of Ronin Tactics was born of war, in 1974 South Vietnam, before the Fall of Saigon. It was this tumultuous beginning that led Tu down the path of bushido, the way of the warrior. When he was only a year old, Tu and his family were dragged from their home by the North Vietnamese, intent on imposing their communist ideology on the region. His uncles, serving in the South Vietnamese Navy, were pulled into the streets and shot like animals. With his family separated and his remaining uncles imprisoned in “re-education camps,” Tu’s mother fled…

Faith-based preparedness is a major component of many denominations in our nation today. Among the most prominent are the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association (BGEA) and the United Methodist Committee on Relief (UMCOR), both of which have responded to countless domestic and foreign disasters for over 70 years with budgets ranging into the hundreds of millions of dollars. But there is one religion in particular that many connect to faith-based preparedness: the Mormons. Members of the Mormon Church have been counseled for many years to be prepared for adversity. Preparation, according to the late Mormon Elder L. Tom Perry, dispels fear in both the spiritual and temporal realms. “The need for preparation is abundantly clear. The great blessing of being prepared gives us freedom from fear.” The teachings of being prepared…

With confidence I say that 2020 sucked ass. In fact, I think anyone with a heart can say that. Any one person in this world has felt the wrath of 2020, whether directly or indirectly. Here in the Midwest, we feel the pain like everyone else…and then some. In a region full of cattle ranchers and pig farmers, the effects can drop a grown man to his knees. And it has—feedlots are empty, meat packing plants closed, farmers euthanizing their pigs because they have no room, no money and no place to ship them. All of this directly affects us (at least us that indulge in meat). It’s devastating. I can’t reverse this, but I can do my part. I’ve bought three pigs since the pandemic started, and not from…

What It’s Worth NASA’s plans to send man to Mars died under Obama-era budget cuts. However, private enterprise once again stepped up to show that anything the government can do, private industry can do faster, cheaper and better. (That statement will really hurt in 2043 when Robocop replaces me as a law enforcement officer.) Elon Musk’s SpaceX now sends all of our astronauts to the International Space Station and he promises to be the one to put Americans on Mars. He claims he will be able to launch SpaceX for a mere $2 million per flight and send passengers as well as cargo into space. Meanwhile flat earther “Mad” Mike Hughes built rockets for less than $50K and only killed himself on one of them. The last one to be…

We have likely all seen Mat's hilarious videos of spoofs on military life, Special Forces, guns, and coffee sprinkled with hot chicks in bikinis. If you haven’t seen them, put it on your to-do list before the internet dictators yank them. And most of you know Mat is one of the co-founders of Black Rifle Coffee Company. And judging from the fact his book Thank You for My Service was on The New York Times Bestseller list, you very well may have read that too. At 34 years of age, Mat was a member of the 2nd Ranger Battalion, fought extensively in the sandbox, helped start a wildly successful T-shirt company, a whiskey company, and now is the Executive Vice President for BRCC, which he co-founded with two other veterans. But…

Featured here are some of the latest updates to the popular Hellbreaker, Overthrow and The Jack AR15 receivers from Sharps Bros. All three receivers have aggressive looks, incredible craftsmanship, and details only found on high end receivers. THE JACK A MODERN MASTERPIECE The Jack is the most detailed billet lower ever created and an extraordinary example of state of the art machining. Robust, efficient, and undeniably cool. OVERTHROW A FIERCE HERITAGE Introducing Overthrow, an open mag well helmet design with battle worn dents, sword gashes and crack lines. Leave it anodized black, give it a Spartan style, build it with a Viking theme—the customization possibilities are endless. HELLBREAKER A WWII CLASSIC Hellbreaker’s distinctive appearance is inspired by the P-40 Warhawk, which was one of the United States’ most-produced WWII fighter…

We typically begin these reviews slowly, with statements or contemplative questions meant to draw you into the subject matter. This time I won’t do that. I’ll just say outright that Falkor’s CSS bolt-action rifle is one bad mother. That’s not to say that it is without faults, because it’s not. However, it is still on bad mother. How did I come to this conclusion? Well, it’s simple. I’ve shot the gun a bunch. And others around me have shot the gun, too. We all came to the same conclusion: The action—deemed the 7EVEN—is friggin’ awesome. It feels amazing. It’s fast, smooth, robust and easy. Yeah, other companies have done it, but few companies get it right so early in their mission. We should all be thankful that Falkor took this…

Firearms finishes have been an important part of the manufacturing process since their earliest development. The process of browning, or russeting, predates firearms as a way of protecting iron and steel by causing the material to rust and then forcing that process to stop. The end result reduces glare and also helps prevent the metal from rusting in the future. This method gave way to hot and cold bluing, and then Parkerizing. Today there are dozens of different types of finishes, all yielding different results and capabilities. One of the most common finishes in use today by professional manufacturers and gunsmiths, as well as the “do-it-yourself” crowd is Cerakote. And, few in this industry are doing it to the level of Scott Richardson, owner of Ronin Arms in Payson, Arizona.…

Drawing from his experience in the special forces, Tu founded his company, Ronin Tactics, where he and other retired high-level veterans (none with fewer than 10 years of hard combat experience) teach a realistic, no-nonsense approach to training in hand-to-hand combat and aggressive shooting and weapons handling. The courses are available to both ordinary people and law enforcement personnel. Many SWAT teams take advantage of the high-level training. Along with the instruction provided, Ronin Tactics also provides gear critical to mission success. Their research and development team continues to develop products that meet the unique demands of their customers. From belts and MOLLE pouches to edged weapons (produced by Green Beret veteran-owned Spartan Blades), Ronin Tactics offers something for every aspect of your mission needs. For more information, visit ronintactics.com.…

DENY EVERYTHING. Lie straight to his (or her) face. Simple enough. Be convincing enough to make them rethink what they saw. With enough denial on your end, they might very well leave you alone. TALK IT THROUGH. Calm down, don’t react aggressively, just try to talk it through. Downplay your preps and try to convince your neighbor that it’s really no big deal. Explaining your “extra stuff” calmly and directly may take the edge off your heated friend next door. BARTER, TO BRING PEACE. If your neighbor won’t back down with calm talk, it’s time to barter. With you, more often than not, possibly having a greater amount of gear than you need, toss your neighbor some of your duplicates or less important items. Odds are they won’t know the…

WINTER IS STILL LINGERING, BUT YOU ARE GOING CRAZY IN THE HOUSE AND DECIDE TO TAKE YOUR QUARANTINE INTO NATURE FOR THE WEEKEND. BUT IT SURE GETS DARK UP IN THEM HILLS! HERE ARE SOME OF MY FAVORITE THINGS TO KEEP YOU AND YOUR GEAR IN SHAPE WHEN THE SUN GOES DOWN. FENIX LIGHTING HT18 AND PD35 In my childhood house there was the “bottom drawer” in the kitchen. It was basically a sad assortment of things that had wandered into the house from the garage. There were random batteries, a few Allen keys, a crusty roll of painters tape, a plastic yellow hammer, a mismatched driver and socket set, etc. Also, there was the cracked plastic flashlight with a large red thumb switch. The light took C batteries, and…

Ohwell, that’s what you call a modern-day, Bond-ready folding 9mm. There can be no question that this is something that could’ve come straight outta Q’s noggin. Meet the Zev Technologies (in partnership with Magpul) FDP-9 (Folding Defense Pistol). Word on the street is that Zev’s FDP-9—the box gun that unfolds with the push of a button—will officially start shipping in 2022. This is just a bit of a teaser. You’ll need to cruise over to personaldefenseworld.com for more spy dope.…

The Black Rifle Coffee brand strives to be synonymous with giving back. All employees are given paid time off to volunteer at almost any activity or charity event that helps active service members, veterans, first responders, people suffering from physical or psychological trauma, or simply a good cause. In addition, BRCC employees contribute money or merchandise to these organizations after they are vetted and known to be helping good people. 5,000: BRCC gave $5K for a high school bass fishing initiative and money to an ER nurse whose house burned down while she was treating Covid victims. 750,000: BRCC donated over $750K in 2020 alone, and that doesn’t count the private donations from its three founding members (Evan Hafer, Mat Best and Jarred Taylor) that went into 6 figures this…

Last year I had the good fortune to attend a long-range shooting class at Peacemaker National Training Center (PNTC) in Gerrardstown, West Virginia, taught by its lead instructor, Wade Shambaugh. I’d spent some range time with Shambaugh before, and the man is a shooter of the highest caliber, as well as one of the best instructors I’ve ever met. But I was for certain a long-range novice, having never shot beyond 500 yards, either at a target or an animal. The first time I shot with Shambaugh, I witnessed him double-tap a steel target at 1,000 yards in 3.43 seconds with a bolt-action rifle he’d just touched for the first time that morning. The rifle was a Savage Stealth Evolution chassis gun in 6.5 Creedmoor shooting factory ammo and topped…

Camouflage dates back to the late 19th century with its first real use being at the turn of the 20th century in World War I. Increased range and lethality of the weapons systems in use at the time created a need for more advanced methods of obscuring or hiding personnel and equipment. The earliest form of camouflage was textile-based and included the coloring of clothing and use of textile material to break up shapes and forms on people and vehicles. Over the years we have started adding camouflage to the actual surfaces of the vehicles and equipment, but true camouflage is textile-based, and so the colors and flow of the pattern is best observed when viewing it in clothing. Richardson has spent years observing the different patterns in clothing and…

Some trends come on strong and then just seem to vanish into thin air. But there is one that is here to stay, and it will continue to evolve: modularity. While it is a feature that makes its way into many firearms and related products, it has become the norm in suppressor tech. It makes sense in this platform, but no suppressor may benefit more from modularity than the sort chambered for .22 LR. Being a low-pressure yet dirty cartridge, it responds well to suppression, though your guns will require a good cleaning from time to time. While many .22 cans are user-maintainable and modular, not all are as modular as SilencerCo’s Switchback 22. “USERS CAN CONFIGURE THE SWITCHBACK TO THREE DIFFERENT LENGTHS, EACH WITH A DIFFERENT LEVEL OF SOUND…

Pressure points are possibly some of the most misunderstood aspects of all combatives and self-defense techniques. To some they border on magic, and to others they are just another gimmick. Law enforcement professionals have been using various versions of pressure points for decades, yet few master them or even understand how they work. As a long-time student and instructor on the topic, I can say with certainty that pressure points are neither of these. Done correctly, using pressure points can be very effective, yet there is no magic involved. POINTERS: Technically, pressure points are targets on the body that when activated, create a physical response. This can range from intense pain to muscular and neurological dysfunction. There are three types of pressure points. Strike points are pretty self-defining. Rub points…

Like millions of others, I fell madly in love with ARs. The platform is just versatile and easy. They just work. A few years back, I was introduced to an AR pistol. I can’t tell you the make, model or even what length barrel it had. However, I do remember angelic music playing and a beam of light coming directly from the heavens above shining right on that gun in my hands. For me, this AR pistol was the ultimate gun, combining my two favorite things to make one tiny, gunfighting beast of a defense system. Personally, I don’t only like shooting guns, I really love the history aspect of firearms as well. And, since I was a kid, I always loved learning how things work. I would disassemble and…

Many are breaking away from the social norms of their generational brethren and seeking to rise above the expectations of their peers. Some, like young blacksmith Liam Hoffman, are in the vanguard of young people with a revitalized work ethic that would impress the stalwart frontiersmen of yore. Liam became a household name with his appearance and amazing performance on the competitive bladesmith reality show Forged in Fire, but this young bladesmith had been on the path to knife-making stardom before TV audiences or even the show’s producers knew who he was. Hoffman Blacksmithing is now one of the most successful blade-and tool-making outfits in the market today. Hoffman axes are considered the par excellence of tool craftsmanship and are in demand all over the world. In 2017, Liam wrote…

A man’s pit is a holy thing. It is a reflection of his taste and soul. If you are like me, you don’t want anyone else touching your pit. BBQ is an art, and every pit master has his own style, techniques and flavors. This is what I love so much about BBQ. There is really no right way to BBQ or smoke something. Everyone has their own techniques, flavors and methods. If you are new to BBQ, there are a few things you are going to need to get started. BBQ PIT NOTES Not all pits are created equally. I don’t do a lot of regular grilling so we are going to focus more on smokers as our cooker rather than a normal grill. I do, however, believe in…