Glock 30SF Facelift

[Glock Redux ]

After having my Glock 30SF (Gen 3) for quite a few years while keeping it stock I have finally decided to spruce it up a bit. Just recently got it professionally coated with Magpul OD Cerakote by a trusted local vendor - Wicked Weaponry.

The owner, Ben, actually posted my personal Glock on his website and Facebook page as part of his portfolio of Cerakote coated firearms. Not only that, he even installed a pair of Meprolight Tru-Dot Night Sights on it as well. Suffice to say I'm very happy with the work he does.

More about this and my other on-going projects on my Projects - Weapons page.

Survivalist Magazine Publication

Everyday it's more mainstream and this clearly pushes the envelope a little further...

Good find for MAC (Military Arms Channel) for finding this gem of a magazine. His post is here if you want to check it out.

I'm just waiting to see how I can get a hold of this magazine.

AMD-65 Project (continued)

Long Rifles

Finally brought myself into the fold with a new long rifle! Just picked up a Savage Axis chambered in .308 and will be working on it soon. More to come @ the Projects page

AMD-65

I've finally come close to finishing my AMD-65 project with the new addition of a Vortex SPARC Red Dot optic, which I have sighted in and tested. So far as an overall weapon system it is very good as well as simplistic without a lot of toys attached. In my opinion it is simply an AMD-65 with a helping hand.

 Project - Weapons page

Learning and Watching People Learn

One of my favorite things to do is to watch people build up experience - and I mean that in all walks of life and with just about any skill. People learning how to drive, how to use computers, learning another language, and even shooting and tactical skills.

I've been going through Magpul Dynamics training videos lately, and re-watching some ones I haven't watched in a while. I've always appreciated their attention to every detail and catering and understanding different people's body sizes, lifestyles, etc. They know they can't apply all their training to just a broad spectrum of people without understanding that people are intrinsically unique.

On the flip side I also enjoy watching videos on youtube of people improving their own skills through trial and error such as nuntnfancy or cory07ink (who has been impressively training his girlfriend in all forms of tactics and drills).

For me it's fun to see professionals train and amateurs or civilians learn. You can learn a lot from both kinds.

How Many Different Calibers Should I Own?

Simply put: as few as possible.

It is okay to have some variety, but having a dozen (or even half a dozen) different caliber rounds with associated weaponry is totally unnecessary in terms of survival practicality. Especially if you're mobile and you can only carry so much with you.

If you're a gun collector then this probably won't apply to you.

Here are few guidelines to help you understand my reasoning...

(*For the purpose of this conversation let's put shotguns in a category of their own because everyone should own one for at least home defense)

• Stick mostly with "common" calibers
• Overall availability, purchasing prices and the ability to easily find and scavenge later on if needed (I doubt you'll find a huge cache of 6mm Remington anywhere)
• You don't need multiple calibers for multiple firearms
• It's usually good to have a couple firearms that use the same ammunition (i.e. Springfield M1A and a Remington Model 700 both chambered in .308)
• Between rifles and pistols 3-5 different types of ammunition is good
• It's okay to have at least a couple less-than-common calibers and associated weapons as backups or even for bartering in the future (i.e. .300 Savage or 9x18mm), but don't rely heavily on them

An example of what an arsenal could be: 

• S&W M&P9 (9x19mm) [self defense/short range]
• GLOCK 17 (9x19mm)  [self defense/short range]
• GLOCK 30 (.45 ACP) [self defense/short range]
• Olympic Arms AR-15 (.223) [short-medium range]
• Mossberg MVP (.223) [medium-long range]
• AMD-65 (7.62x39mm) [short-medium range]

There are a couple of basic principals for both the firearms and the ammunition they use in the list above.

1. Useability
2. Practicality
3. Availability
4. Compatibility

In the example list I have: three pistols, two tactical rifles and one hunting rifle.  There are six guns overall and only 4 different calibers.

My theory on shotguns is that one should be loaded and near your bed (if you live in a state that actually trusts you with a loaded gun) so it shouldn't need to be listed.

A Survivalist's list of weapons

Honestly it's a subject that's been done to death and then beaten down some more. But I'll keep it brief and pretty simplistic as to the "what" and "why" of my choices. What are your choices? And why?

Sidearm(s):

Glock 23 (Gen 4) 

[.357, .40, 9mm]

Self Defense, Home Defense

• Ease of use
• Low requirement for cleaning
• High reliability
• Very high durability
• Ability to fire different calibers with interchangeable barrels and magazines

Walther PPK

[.380 ACP]

Self Defense

• Easy concealability
• Good last resort or backup weapon

Longarm(s):

FEG AMD-65 (Custom)

[7.62x39mm]

Home Defense, or Tactical (Short to Medium Range)

• AK-reliability
• Low requirement for cleaning
• No problems with different grades of ammunition
• Inexpensive rifle
• Inexpensive and common ammunition

Mossberg 500

[12 ga.]

Hunting, Home Defense

• Robust build
• Good deterrent
• Inexpensive and common ammunition
• Wide variety of 12 gauge rounds for multiple purposes

Savage Hunter 11/111

[.223, .270, or .308] 

Hunting, Tactical (Medium to Long Range)

• Lightweight
• Simplistic design and operation
• High reliability
• Affordable
• Accurate

Your everyday domestic AK manufacturer (Boiled Down)

Arsenal Inc.:

Quality: ****

Availability: ****

Price: $$$

Overview: High quality imports with a wide variety of AK's donning the "SA" and "SGL" designations. Quality comes at a price though - expect to pay anywhere from $800 to around $2000 depending on which specific model and caliber.

Century International Arms:

Quality: **

Availability: ****

Price: $

Overview: Probably the most common of all imported AK's are Century Arms' rifles, which flooded the market years ago and continue to do so to this day. Although sometimes cheaply made, often with milled receivers and canted front sights you do get what you pay for. And their guns are by far some of the cheapest AK's out there with most of their rifles selling for less than $500.

Red Jacket Firearms (Sons of Guns):

Quality: ****

Availability: ***

Price: $$-$$$

Overview: Popularized by Discovery Channel's "Sons of Guns," Red Jacket Firearms has a reputation for great quality and lifetime warranties. Sometimes on the expensive side, these well-made rifles are more than worth the price.

Tenessee Guns International (TGI):

Quality: ***

Availability: **

Price: $$
Overview: Recognizable for their quality work and importation of Hungarian AMD-series AK's built on the original FEG receivers, TGI stands as a good mid-range AK seller. Their rifles are of good quality and have the reputation to back them up without the higher prices of companies like Arsenal. The only real drawback to the TGI guns is that they are not as common or as well known as Century Arms or Arsenal and some gun stores may not know them.

There are plenty of other domestic manufacturers\importers of AK's in the U.S., but this is a pretty good cross section and start for someone who hasn't seen all of the reviews there is online.