Amazon Rocks

I finally got an email today about my Knoxx stock that I mentioned in my last post. The proprietor was unable to get a shipping estimate from Blackhawk (Knoxx's new owner) and he went ahead and cancelled my order for me.

After seeing that, I did some looking around on Amazon and found several pieces that I've been considering purchasing. Here's a list: Magpul's enhanced trigger guard; Tapco Fusion vertical grip; Tango Down battle grip; Knoxx SpecOps NRS stock. All of these are in stock and should be shipping within a couple of days.

Just wish Del-Ton would get my order out the door.

Disappointment

Well, it seems that my Del-ton kit is backordered. I'm not sure if there is a certain part that is backordered or if they're just behind schedule. But it seems that whatever it is, there's no expected shipping date in sight.

Also, my order for the SpecOps NRS stock for my 870 -which I placed on January 22- also has not shipped, apparently due to it also being backordered. This was not the case when I placed my order and now my email to the vendor regarding this issue has been ignored.

D and I are probably going to be heading up to the Rogers/Springdale area next weekend to take our CHL renewal class with R. I haven't seen R since moving and it'll be good to visit with him again. I was hoping that I could pick up my bike while I'm up there and also purchase the SIG 220 SAO that Ozark Armory had for sale last time I was there. Alas, these too are both busts as the weather is not looking to be good enough for riding (for me anyway) and I don't think I'll have enough cash to be able to justify spending on the SIG unless my tax return makes it to me before then. That's unlikely as I only just had my taxes done this past Monday.

*Sigh*

On a lighter note, D has requested that I assist him with a bulk purchase of Lake City 5.56 from Ammoman.com. I assume that this is remanufactured ammo since Billy-boy made it illegal to sell surplus ammo in its assembled form. I'm gonna take a look at their website and compare it to Georgia Arms' Canned Heat. If they're close enough in price, I may go ahead and get 500 rounds with D. Otherwise, I'll get the Canned Heat along with some V-Max loaded .223 for home defense.

GSG-5 .22LR

HOLY FREAKING CRAP!

I have so got to get one of these. As nearly as I've been able to find out, the rifle is made by a German airsoft manufacturer and is based on their airsoft MP-5 frame. As such, it can use airsoft accessories with little to no fitting required.

Gemtech is currently making an adapter for their suppressors that requires the gun to be registered as an SBR and the barrel cut to 7.5" or have the suppressor permanently attached. They will also be offering the completed rifle/suppressor combo for upwards of $1000.

I think this is just the thing to scratch that submachine gun/full-auto wanna-be itch without breaking the bank on the rifle or ammo. It might even be worth the cash to get the SBR/suppressor combo. Maybe.

I'm fairly certain that D with his MP-5 lust will be hopping on this one PDQ.

Magpul's PMAGs

I've ordered 3 PMAGs from Mississippi Auto Arms, makers of the Saiga 12's 10 round magazines. Got 'em for $14.55 each. Not too shabby considering I paid $15.00 for a USGI mag at the fun show this past Sunday. These are supposed to be more durable than the aluminum mags as well as feed better. We shall see. I imagine D would be willing to allow me to test the latter assertion using his USGI mags. Probably not so much the former, tho.

Oh, and Angus of Ghost Products has confirmed that CZ 97B ultra thin aluminum grips are in the works. *Happy dance!*

XR9 Prototype at SHOT Show

This is incredibly interesting. It's a subcompact pistol that's 0.7" shorter than a Glock 26 and that, almost beyond belief, has a barrel that's 4.17" compared to the Glock's 3.46! It manages this by utilizing a slightly different method of feeding. The rounds are not stripped from the magazine by the forward motion of the slide during closing. They are actually stripped backwards by the extractor during the initial opening of the slide! It's really quite ingenious. Check out the site, it has some cool stuff.

Tip o' the hat to NRAhab via Justin.

Visiting Old Friends and "Making" New Ones

D and I made a trip down to Nashville, AR yesterday to visit N, a friend of ours from college. N has had a rough time of it in the last few months with a twice mis-diagnosed case of gangrene of all things. He came quite close to dying on us at one point. He's back at work now, though, and all seems to be progressing fairly well for him. He, D, and I all went out to the back couple of acres of N's property and spent about an hour and a half shooting. We really stunk it up out there. None of us has had much range time recently and it really shows.

N's son, E, was a little handful. He's at the point that he has full mobility and a (very) small vocabulary. He ran ninety to nothing the entire time we were around. Near the end of the evening, he really seemed to take a liking to me. At least, I think he did. He had a small toy drill that he kept poking me with. I told N that E would either be a great mechanic some day or a mass murderer, one of the two. N seemed to think it would be the latter.

I was pleasantly surprised to hear that N and Mrs. N intend to home-school E until he is old enough to figure out when a teacher or administrator is trying to push their own agenda rather than actually trying to help him learn. They intend to try to present opportunities such as museum visits, historical sights, practical applications of problems, etc. into his education. I think this is a great idea. I just hope they can handle the extra workload this will involve.

D and I went to the fun show today in L.R. I managed to find a Stag Arms stripped lower for $135. That might seem a little expensive compared to the $100 lower that I mentioned in one of my previous posts but after accounting for shipping and local FFL transfer fees, I actually came out a little ahead. D and I both picked up some magazines. The show was actually pretty good this time around with only two jerky booths and only one booth that had Nazi memorabilia. Unfortunately, there were three booths where the operators were sitting around and discharging stun guns to get passers-by attention. One fired one off as I was walking in front of him and I had to repress a sudden urge to take the device away from him and shove it down his throat. Being around a potentially lethal weapon that's in the process of being needlessly discharged in a crowded room makes me irritable for some reason.

Other than that, the only noteworthy addition was a young man who we saw several times around the show. He was decked out completely in woodland camo fatigues and desert tan boots. At first, he had some sort of pistol in a "tactical" holster on his belt. He later had what appeared to be an AR that had a belt-feed magazine underneath it. I looked at the barrel and did not see an orange marker to differentiate it as a toy gun but the more I think about it, the more I believe that he may have been an airsoft enthusiast. At least, I'm hoping he was. He just looked too ridiculous to be for real.

More AR-15 Goodness

Well, I did it. I took the plunge. I ordered the Del-Ton lightweight AR kit with Magpul CTR and A2 upper receiver. All told it set me back $554.41 with shipping. I now need to get myself a stripped lower receiver. As stated before, I'm looking seriously at Anvil Arms. They have a sale right now for stripped lowers for $100. They also throw in free laser engraving on the starboard side of the magwell.

I'm trying to decide what I'd like to have put on mine. I'm tempted to go with a simple Molon Labe. I'd also like to have a bear's claw scraping across the anodizing. I might do a combo of those. I've also considered using Psalm 144:1 "Blessed be the LORD my strength, which teacheth my hands to war and my fingers to fight. " I've also thought about having "Armo Mechanicus" engraved in script. Maybe with an AR crossed against something particularly geeky, like maybe a slide rule or something.

Anyone have any suggestions?

I Can Haz Cheezburger

This made me laugh uproariously. I'm not sure exactly why but it might have something to do with the results of last night's primaries.


moar funny pictures

AR-15 Goodness

Well, I've decided. I'm going to order an AR-15 rifle kit from Del-Ton, Inc. Specifically, this kit. After fiddling with options, I'll be out $565 (including shipping) and will need a stripped lower receiver (~$100-150). What I'll get is an M4-profile A2 upper, a Magpul CTR stock, and all parts needed to complete the lower receiver. I'm seriously considering ordering a lower from one of these companies that do laser engraving with your purchase. I've saved a couple of pieces of artwork I found on Google images that I'd like to see on the starboard side of the magwell.

Local Eateries

I've been meaning to mention a couple of local places that I've been to since moving down here. The first is Due Amiche, an Italian restaurant that has a number of varied items on the menu. The first trip I made there, I had an excellent chicken parmesan. The coworker who went with me ordered half a calzone. That calzone was HUGE! This past Friday, R and I went and ordered a small pizza. It's a good thing we got the small. We ended up taking half of it back home. I've still got a slice sitting in the fridge.

The other restaurant of note is Mike's Place. I'm honestly not certain how you would classify this. It is a club as this is a dry county and they have a wet bar on premises. The food includes steak, chicken (grilled, fried, or blackened), burgers, cornbread, blackeyed peas, marinated shrimp... There's really no unifying theme to the offered entrees except that all that I have seen and had described to me are outstanding. I may have to see about getting myself a membership in spite of my religious/personal objections to alcohol consumption. (No, I don't expect anyone else to give up drinking. It's just that I, myself, do not drink and normally wouldn't patronize an establishment that emphasized selling alcohol.)

The fellows who own Mike's Place have recently opened a new restaurant just a block or so down from there called Michaelangelo's. It's supposed to be mostly Italian cuisine. I'm eager to try it.

Junyor, the next time you and/or J are passing through, let me know. We'll hit one of these places. My treat.

New Look

As you have probably noticed, I've changed the look of the blog. I actually used one of the templates on file with blogspot. I much prefer the layout but I'm not sure about the color scheme.

'Course, D will attest that I (and him, too, he'd be quick to point out) am color deaf.

Let me know what you think.

Through a Mirror, Dimly...

Go here. Tell me that this is not a pin-point accurate description of our politics in the US. Please. 'Cause, otherwise, I don't know how much sleep I'll be getting from now on.

(Nod to Tam.)

Brady Campaign's 2007 Scorecard

Well, it seems that the Brady Bunch has published their list of scores on state gun laws. Arkansas is tied for fourth lowest (best?) with five other states at 6 out of a possible 100. Go Arkansas! California ranked first with 79.

Frankly, some of these rankings defy logic. Vermont, Texas, and Florida all had higher scores than Arkansas despite laws such as permit-less carry, open carry, and castle doctrine that Arkansas lacks.

Anyways...

From the linked article: "Our gun laws are so weak that, in most states, there are few or no laws to prevent gun violence," says Paul Helmke, President of the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence.

Thank God! Otherwise, the only ones to utilize gun violence would be those who willingly break the law, aka criminals. You know, those people that these laws are aimed at.

I swear, some people. Makes you wonder what happened to basic reasoning skills as a prerequisite for holding positions of authority/influence.

CZ Thin Grips

For those of you who out there who own CZ 75Bs or CZ 85Bs, I have found a new offering in aftermarket grips. They are made by Angus Hobdell, a member of team CZ-USA, and are an ultra-thin profile. Those who have difficulty reaching the trigger in either DA or SA can use these grips to slim up the grip substantially. The width of the grip frame becomes similar in size to a 1911 with stock wooden grips.

I've gotten a pair for my own CZ 75B and am hoping that Angus will offer a version for the 97B as well.