Shield Sights RMS Review

Shield sights RMS Glock MOS plate bundle Review

BLUF: It has some cool features you will really want that most (all?) other micro dots don’t have. But it may have some reliability issues over the long haul. Only time will tell.

 

Guys, here’s an unbiased review of the Shield RMS sight.

I used my own hard-earned money on this thing.  Though, if Shield ever sees this review and wants to fix all of the issues I’ve seen and send me one free of charge, they merely need to contact me at cowboytacticalgear@gmail.com.  Or if they want to send me millions of dollars, or whatever.

If they want to sue me for defamation, my email is potus@whitehouse.gov

I haven’t shaken it out like I’d like to because I just moved from the country (where I shot a lot) to a city (where apparently no one sees the capitalistic opportunity to have a good range)  But I’ve put 86rds through it just to see how it shoots.  I know that’s jack squat, but it’s a 30 min range session at an indoor range.

I’ll report back after 1000rds – or battery failure, whichever one comes first.

Ordering

First, I’ve been looking at this since the Firearm Blog (I think?) reported on it some time back.  They’ve long had polymer Micro sights, but this was (as far as I know) their first aluminum offering.  As soon as I noticed it on their website, I ordered it straight from them.

The total cost, with shipping was £300.00 GBP

With an exchange rate of 1 USD = 0.76 GBP that put my USD cost to $394.95 USD

When I ordered, they said to expect a 3-4 week delay because of the high demand.

I ordered on June 24th.

I received it on July 28 at 3:15pm.

That’s 5 weeks.  36 days from the time of ordering to the time of delivery.  I don’t care that it took longer than expected, but some of you need to plan for this when you order.

The sight I got was marked as manufactured in July 2017, so it looks like they’re simply manufacturing as fast as they can to keep up with demand.

Packaging

When it arrived I expected a box.  But it came in an envelope.  Some pamphlets were included that showed their product line.  And a velcro backed patch (which came out upside down, so I literally thought it was just a piece of velcro at first)

The Glock MOS plate came in a little plastic bag with it’s wrenches and mounting screws in the package.

The sight itself came in a small box.  Inside the box were the instructions, a couple of stickers, and a sight with it’s appropriate wrenches in cut foam.

Maybe they’ve never heard from Apple that packaging and first impressions matters almost as much as the product itself?  Or maybe they’re cutting their costs on shipping so that they can offer a top end sight for an affordable price.  Time will tell.

The Sight

Size

I love the look of the sight.  When I opened up the box and pulled it out, it looked cool.  No, I didn’t buy this sight to look cool, but I also don’t want to spend this much money and look like a clown.  The finish on it almost perfectly matches that of my brand new Glock slide.  I saw no machining marks, and I’m really impressed with the shape and structure of the sight.

Also, it’s small.  Like tiny.  And light (.6oz!) I used an Insight MRDS on my Glock 17, and it always struck me as “big”.  But dude, this Shield looks like it was made for my G19 slide.  It’s a great size, and when I took it out and held it, I realized that all of the marketing pictures told the right story.  It was, as I looked at it, exactly what I thought it’d look like.

Housing

The housing or body of the sight has a rear sight designed in it.  I like that idea: it gives a channel through which to view the front sight.  And while I like the idea, I don’t like the execution of the idea.

Every pistoleer knows that you use the top edge of the rear and front sights for accuracy.  But the housing of this sight obscures the top edge of the factory rear sight, making accuracy with the irons a bugger.  I may hate it so much that I file down the housing to be even with my factory rears.  This is a design flaw that needs to be fixed in their next iteration.

Plate

The plate struck me as slim.  I’ve messed with all of the mounting plates that come with the Glock MOS, and this one struck me as better.  One of the reasons I got this sight is because of Garand Thumb’s youtube review of the Glock MOS pistol wherein he noted that he had to re-tighten the Trijicon RMR’s screws every 500rds because the plate doesn’t allow the screws to grip enough “meat”.  I don’t want to have to do that every 500rds.  I may be dense, but when I put a sight on, I want it to stay there until I want to take it off.

The mounting plate that comes with this shield sight offers to fix that problem.  It comes with studs that are over 1/4” long.  It has been machined down very thin to allow the sight to co-align with the factory sights.  It locks in to the Glock socket like a glove, and the sight simply does not move on the plate that I can tell.  The mounting plate is steel with a coating that perfectly matches the Glock slide.

I used a generous amount of blue loc-tite when installing, and I have high hopes that it’ll all stay.  We’ll see.

One thing I noticed: there were no mounting directions for the Glock plate.  No torque specs.  No pictures.  Nothing to tell me which set of the two sets of screws went where.  Now, realize, I’m smarter than average.  In fact, I’m a genius (not certified, and only in my mind) so I was able to get it together.  still, those Brits must think we’re pretty smart because they didn’t give any mounting directions.

I mean, I would probably think you were smart if you’d helped me rid the world of Nazis, so I’ll give them a pass on this one.

Lens

The lens is plastic.  But it’s remarkably clear.  You know the blue you see in the T1?  And how they were supposed to fix it (but didn’t all the way) with the T2?  And the blue you see in the Trijicon MRO, and even the RMR?  And how we’re all supposed to pretend that it isn’t really blue and it doesn’t bother us?

Well, this thing may not have a glass lens, but we don’t have the headache of the blue staring us in the face.

Finally.  I’ve said it.  I don’t like blue lenses.  And now I don’t have to pretend anymore.  No more lies – I’m free at last!

Here it is next to my MRO

It’s obviously a philosophy choice that the company made – and I like it.  They could do high quality glass, put an anti-reflective coating on it, and pretend that the blue tint doesn’t annoy us, or they could just put a crystal clear polymer lens in it (also polymer withstands recoil well).  They chose clarity, and I can respect that.

Now, I’m sure that it’s easier to scratch or etch or deform that plastic, but as a CCW gun, I’m not too worried about it.  Maybe I should be.  School me if so.  I can take it… really I can.

Here’s a video produced by the company that teaches you how to clean the polymer lens: https://youtu.be/smNQvgOLzXc

Under Nods

I don’t know how the sight works under nods because I just sold my nods – literally just the day before I received this.  Stupid me.  I should have kept them 1 more day just to test.  I would imagine it would be a good crisp dot, but literally have no way to know.  Sorry.

One thing that may be exacerbated with nods, is the spill from the LED on the “steps” of the internal ramp of the light.  It’s hard to explain, but with my naked eyes, especially in the daylight, I can see excess spill on the sight.  Even with black anodizing on it, which I think would mitigate it some, it’s there.  Obviously that doesn’t matter when shooting in the daylight, but under nods I wonder what effect if any it produces.

From the Front

Because of the anti-glare and blue tint being absent from the lens, when I dry fire at myself in the mirror (don’t laugh, you know you do it too) I can easily see the origin of the red dot.  The led is easily seen.  It’s not like you can see the dot on the lens, it’s just that you can see the origin – the led in it’s original spot.  Picture.

The Dot

I love looking through the sight.  As with any micro RDS it takes some getting used to – especially if muscle memory has trained you to look down the sights.  With a micro you essentially have to hover just above the sights.  It’s not much, but it takes some getting used to.  This is true of any Micro on a pistol not just this one.

The dot is bright.  It is more than useful in broad daylight.  I tried it against my pistol mounted light in the absolute dark, and it showed up just fine.  The pictures obviously don’t do it justice.  I don’t know how to set exposure and white balance and whatnot to get a picture that reflects reality, but it looks like every Aimpoint I’ve ever looked through.  If you’ve shot an Aimpoint you will feel right at home with this sight.

The dot brightness is not manually adjustable.  For some that’s a turn off.  For me it’s great.  Simplicity means fewer moving parts.  Fewer moving parts means less opportunity for something to break.  I think the dot brightness is just right for me. I cannot speak to those with astigmatisms, or need for very dim dots.

*When I first wrote this review, I was operating on the assumption that the dot was non-adjustable. After several readers pointed it out, I’ve amended the post to point out that the adjustability is automatic.  And it’s fast!  As I stand in a dark room and flip on the lights, the dot adjusts instantaneously.  No ramp up. No lag.  Instant.  It’s really really good*

I have found that with Aimpoints I can adjust them down until the dot is extremely sharp.  A perfect circle.  The Shield does not allow this dimming feature, and the dot is more like an Aimpoint in one of the high settings.  Slight bloom but not distracting.

I have found that if I focus on the dot, that it’s small and adequately sharp.  I’ve found that when I focus on the target or the sights, that the red dot blooms some.  This exact same phenomenon is present in every Aimpoint I’ve ever looked through too.

But here’s something: the dot is always on.  Always.  I have an EoTech.  I have an Aimpoint.  I have an MRO.  I have other lighted reticles.  Each one requires that I turn it on, either when I want to use it or when I want it on.  But you know what this thing doesn’t have?  A power button.  Or toggle.  Or switch.  When the battery is in, it’s on.  I love that idea in a CCW pistol – or any gun for that matter.  Also, it’s less to break.  If it’s off, either the battery is dead, or the sight is broken.  We just eliminated the possibility that it could be the power switch.  I like that.

Holster

I had to slightly modify my Incog holster to accept the sight, but it was nothing.  A 5 minute Dremel job and we were up and running as smooth as butter.  It does not affect in the slightest the concealability of the pistol in any mounting setup I’ve conceived to date.

Battery

I love the idea of changing the battery while the optic is mounted.  You simply take a 2.5mm allen wrench, push it in from the right side, and the tray comes out.  This allen wrench unlatches the lock and pushes the tray out.  To keep the battery from falling on the ground, the gun should be upside down when doing this procedure.  The battery tray is plastic, and if you put the battery in before installing the sight, you see that the battery is directly exposed to the top of the slide of the pistol.  That causes me some pause: knowing that the battery compartment isn’t watertight and sealed.  I suppose this is the way they achieve such a low bore-axis – enabling you to sight with factory sights.  I’m ok with it, but others may not be.  While the sight may be able to withstand water, I doubt the battery itself meets the same specs.

It has a reported battery life of 2-3 years.  We’ll see.  I sharpied the date on the battery.  When I have to change it, I’ll let you know.

The Company/Warranty

I don’t know yet what it’s like to deal with the Shield company at length.  I know other offerings give you the peace of mind to have a long history of customer service solutions.  But with this thing, if you have problems, it’s not just an overnight delivery a couple of states away.  You’re going to have to navigate time zones, and international shipping issues, and then talk to someone in Great Britain about your issues.  That’s a big deal for us yanks, so that peace of mind and known-entity may keep you stateside for your micro RDS needs – and if so, I won’t be offended.

Also, many of us (Americans) have become accustomed to unconditional lifetime warranties.  The Shield does not have that.  They specifically state that their warranty will only be good for 2 years only for the original purchaser, and only covers manufacturer’s flaws (faults in construction, materials and manufacturing).  It does not cover normal wear, misuse, nor negligence.

I have a tough time with legal-eze, but it seems to be saying that they will not refund for the sight, only repair and send it back should a warranty issue arise.

That’s a turn-off.

If Shield is reading this (snowball’s chance, but hey) they need to know that to do business in the tactical market (for lack of a better term) they need to accept the fact that the modus operandi of the industry is an unconditional warranty.  That’s just standard.  They will never be able to compete in our markets unless they adopt the industry standard warranties.

But I’m taking the gamble so you don’t have to.  Maybe (hopefully not) I’ll have an issue and will be able to provide you a report of the experience, but, I hope not.

The Good

Glock MOS mounting plate package

Co-witnessing with factory sights – no need for suppressor sights.

Auto-adjustment function is lightning fast

Reported battery life of 2-3 years

Ability to change battery while mounted

Non-adjustable brightness

Exactly same width as Glock slide

All tools/screws/etc included

Good, bright daylight dot

Finish matches Glock slide

Very very clear lens (no blue tint)

Super light (.6 oz!!!)

The Bad

No manual adjustability – if you’re in to that

Polymer not glass lens

No anti-glare/reflective coating on lens

Can see origin led from front

The body-sight is taller than a factory Glock rear sight

Bad mounting directions

Rudimentary packaging

Unknown reliability under high round count

Unknown customer service model (and shipping to Great Britain should issues arise)

Warranty (only 2 years)

Body housing rear sight height

Summary

I really like this sight right now.  I reserve the right to see how it performs over the course of time and change my mind.  Only thing to do now is shoot it.  It’s slim, it’s compact, it’s obviously been thought through as a solution for the Glock MOS slides.  It pairs well with the G19 and XC1 for a compact package for CCW.  You’re taking a little chance on a company that’s not stateside, but I think for the savings on the sight, the benefits you have in the MOS plate package, and the money saved in not needing suppressor sights, it’s a good sight.  Time will tell, however, how it holds up to use and abuse.

Update:

I’ve found that carrying a micro dot on a concealed handgun produces a really foggy lense.  Foggy with all the gunk (lint, skin, dust, etc) that can land on a flat clear piece of plastic and make it…. less clear.

When they tell you how to clean your sight in their youtube video, they say to use MEK which is not readily available at retail stores. Keep in mind that you’ll need to source this solvent, and you’ll need to clean it much more often than you clean your gun.

Also, the lense now has a scratch on it. I wonder if this is because it’s plastic and not glass.  I’ve not used it hard, so this is certainly a knock on it.  I’ll keep you updated.

So, you want to build an AR-15?

BLUF: Buy one of these.  Then one of these.  Then, pick a hand guard and you have one of the best.  But if you’re cheap, and you want something that’ll still shoot, get one of these.

You’re wanting to build an AR, so while you can buy a top quality one (like a Colt 6920), this email will point directly to the building of an AR.

Big picture: stay away from Bushmaster and DPMS parts and complete guns.  I don’t have a lot of confidence in a lot of smaller manufacturers either (like doublestar or Anderson manufacturing) but you’re not likely to see many of their parts floating around.

— LOWER RECEIVER

The lower receiver is the only serialized part of the gun.  We’ll consider this the “base” component of the firearm.  It’s important that you build your house on a firm foundation.  Many lowers are made “out of spec” which means that magazines won’t drop free from the magwells, or that other components won’t fit well when you put stuff on it.

Also, the Lower is one of the only logo’d parts readily seen on your gun.  It may be vain, but you need to be sure you’re ok with the logo on the side of the receiver, because there’s nothing that you can do to cover that up.  Like, why would you want a zombie looking at you from the side of your gun for the rest of your life?  What would your grandkids think about their dead grandpa when you bequeath this rifle to them in your will?  I want something classic, timeless, and simple.

One of the cheapest ARs that you can get is Palmetto State.  Their quality is supposedly “good enough” for a quality build, but I’m a little wary of them.  But if you’re looking for cheap, that’s the place to go.  Their black friday/cyber monday deals are pretty baller.

Black Friday, Cyber Monday, July 4th and Memorial Day are, hands down, the best time to buy AR components.  Sales Galore at all the good places.

I have chosen to go with AERO precision for most of my recent builds.  Their logo doesn’t annoy me, and their stuff is the right quality – or at least that’s been my experience.  Also, if you sign up for their daily deal newsletter, you’re likely to find a lower for under 100$.  They sell many types of lowers.  I recommend that you get the GEN 2 lower.  It comes with a set screw so that your uppers and lowers don’t rattle.  It’s a little thing, but I think it’s cool.  I wish I’d have done that.  As it is, I have all Gen 1 lowers.

When you buy a lower, you need to have a local FFL (federal firearms license holder – a gun shop where you want to pick up your gun) fax Aero their credentials.  Aero will send that lower to them with your name on it, and you’ll have to pay that store a handling fee of somewhere around 30$.  It may be a 2 week process to get them talking to one another.  The only thing you have to do this with is the lower receiver, everything else can be shipped to your house.

I don’t know what your local shops are, but there’s a very good chance that one of them will have lowers in stock, and they may waive their FFL fees for you buying it through them.  It’s worth checking in to, as you may be able to get a lower receiver cheaper buying it local.

Also, you can save some money buying “blems”.  These are new production lowers, that the finish didn’t turn out right on.  It’s always a gamble on what you get, but I’ve bought over 10 blemished upper and lower receivers, and never have been able to spot what made it a blem.  I can recommend this approach if you’re looking to pinch your pennies.  Sometimes Aero has blem lowers in stock, sometimes not.

Bravo Company is also a high quality AR15 manufacturer, and I wouldn’t hesitate to buy a single thing from them.  Sometimes they have blems, but they’ll be a little pricier than Aero stuff.

You can also get upper/lower combo sets that are matched well, and I think this is a good thing.  But if you can piece them together cheaper separately, then go with that.

The think that I worry most about with Lower Receivers is that the magazines “drop free” from them when you depress the mag release.  This is a tolerance issue, and all the high end AR lowers are tested to drop magazines free.  It might be worth a phone call to the company when purchasing to make sure they guarantee their product to drop all mags free.  I have had some Aero Precision lowers have this problem.

THE GUTS — LPK’s

Ok, now that you have a lower receiver, you need to decide what you want in it.  Inside the lower receiver is where your LPK (Lower parts kit) goes.  You want to get a suitably high quality lower parts kit in your gun.  Again, I think Aero Precision does a good job of balancing price and quality.  But STAG, Spikes, Daniel Defense all make good quality ones too.  Some are called “enhanced” giving you options for different pistol grips etc.  I stick with standard stuff, and then upgrade later if I have a problem that needs solving.  I try not to solve problems I don’t have, if you know what I mean.

Palmetto state has what they call a “lower build kit” (distinguished from lower parts kit) that also has a buffer tube and stock included.

Make sure you look at the pictures to see what you’re buying, and be able to compare prices accordingly.

If you just get a LPK, then you’ll need a buffer tube assembly as well.  There are 2 types of Buffer tube assemblies: mil-spec, and commercial.  MAKE SURE YOU BUY A MILSPEC BUFFER TUBE.

Aero Precision’s daily deal email is a good place to look for LPK deals, as well as buffer tube deals.  These are fairly cheap anyway, but saving pennies anywhere helps.

In the future, if you want a really great trigger, buy a Geissele SSA-E.  These can be found on Primary Arms on sale for 220$.  However, it’s kinda like a killer carburetor on a race car.  You don’t need it until you learn to run your gun.  But when you do… it’s an upgrade you can feel.

— STOCKS

(L to R) Magpul MOE, B5 Bravo Stock, LMT Sopmod, LMT standard)

There are endless stock offerings.  There’s the standard collapsible stock, there’s the Troy industries Battle Ax, the BCM Gunfighter, Magpul’s whole HUGE line, the Sopmod, B5’s two different versions of the Sopmod, the Daniel Defense Stocks (UGLY!!!), and on and on and on the list goes.  You’ll be tempted to trick out your gun with a suhweet stock, but just save your money and get a standard for now.  Figure out what you like, and then in a couple of years, that’ll be a nice upgrade to chase.  This’ll keep your cost down.

— UPPERS

Now you’re ready to get your upper receiver up and running.  You can either get a complete upper, or a stripped upper and get an upper parts kit.  Either way, just get one from Aero Precision.  Most uppers you run across these days are cut with M4 feed ramps, which is the main issue with uppers, and there’s not much variation between manufacturers.  If you find something cheaper, let me know, but it’s probably ok.

— CHARGING HANDLE/BCG

You’ll now need a charging handle, and a bolt carrier group.

(L to R) Magpul MOE, B5 Bravo Stock, LMT Sopmod, LMT standard)

The charging handle is something that you can buy a cheap, no name version of.  Amazon it, even.  You may want to upgrade in the future (to a Badger Ordnance, or BCM Gunfighter) but it’s cool to start with a standard piece of junk.

 

For the Bolt Carrier Group, nothing could be further from the truth, though.  You need a good, high quality BCG.  These will run you around, if not just over, 100$.  150 isn’t too much to pay for a quality BCG.  It needs to be staked properly, and made out of Machine Particle Inspected Steel.  One from Badger Ordnance, or BCM will be top notch, but I’m willing to bet Aero will do you well, too.

The reason for this is that most of the pressures and torques applied in the firearm, are applied on to the bolt carrier group.  It needs to stand up to the rigorous repeated impacts it will incur over a long period of time.  If you call Aero and put your order in by phone (not suggesting, just saying “if”), and you voice your concerns about solid Bolt Carrier Groups, they’ll be able to tell you all of the specs of theirs, and will probably sell you on their product.

— BARRELS

Barrels.  Again, there’s good, cheap barrels, there’s awesome mil-spec barrels, and there’s high end match grade barrels (look, fluted!).  It’s no secret that Cold Hammer Forged Barrels are the bee’s knees (Like Daniel Defense’s offerings), and Palmetto State Armory even has a few Fabrique National (FN) Cold Hammer Forged barrels around that have proven to be good barrels if you want to get a complete upper.

But I’m going to point you to micromoa.com.  Their barrels are, I think, the perfect balance for what you’re looking for.  Do not get “suppressor ready” and do not get a gas block on it.

Get a cheap gas block from Aero Precision or Primary Arms, but make sure that the numbers match up on the size of the barrel, and the gas block you’re getting (THIS IS IMPORTANT).

You’ll also need to order a gas tube.

12″ Rifle Length Gas

7″ Carbine Length Gas

In the picture above, one has a 12″ gas system, and the other has a 7″ gas system.

With the barrel, you also have to decide what “gas length” you want.  With an AR, the barrel has a hole in the top, which redirects the gas and sends it back in to the receiver (to cycle the bolt for semi-auto cycling) via a tube.  The hole in the barrel is either cut at 7” (designated “carbine length”), 9” (designated “mid-length”) or 12” (designated “rifle length”).  This effects a few things:

1. the length of the gas tube you need to get that gas back to the receiver.

2. The recoil of the gun

3. The types of hand guards you can install

Without getting too deep in to things, I think this is what you need: a 16” barrel cut to a mid-length gas (9”), a low profile gas block, and a mid length gas tube.  You can get the gas block and tube from Aero Precision, while getting the 16” mid-length gas barrel from micro Moa.  Call Micro moa if you don’t see that barrel as an option on their page, and ask what they have that’s closest to what you want.

If they only have carbine length, then that’s cool: get a carbine length gas system, but remember to order the carbine length gas tube, too.  No harm no foul.

Also, order a standard barrel nut from somewhere (Amazon’s fine).

— MUZZLE DEVICE

Get an A2 flash hider off of Amazon for a few bucks (make sure it comes with a crush washer).  When you get a suppressor, you will most likely need to change the muzzle device so the suppressor can quick-detach, but the standard A2 is a good placeholder until you get there.

— HANDGUARDS

(Top to Bottom) Troy Alpha 13″, KAC Mk12, Troy Alpha 15″, Centurion CMR 9″

If you thought the options on stocks were overwhelming, get ready, cause hand guards will blow. yo. mind!

The hand guards are one of the most personalized pieces of equipment on the gun.  You can go the cheap route and put plastic hand guards on it or for a minor upgrade, you can get the modular Magpul plastic hand guards.  You’ll need a delta ring and an end cap as well, which any self-respecting AR-15 owner has a few of in his parts bin.

However, a hand guard seems to be the first upgrade that people want, because it adds so much modularity (and personality) to their rifle.

Troy’s Alpha rails are fantastic, low price options, that utilize the standard barrel nut. (Get one at Primary Arms, as they can be had for 150 during various sales).  I have two rifles with these hand guards and love them.

I’ve recently fallen in love with Centurion Arms CMR hand guards.  I have one and LOVE it.  It’s pricier, but worth it in my book.

There are hundreds of options (maybe thousands?) for hand guards.  If you’re going to go this route, I’d recommend getting one that covers your barrel.  If you have a 16” barrel, get a 13-15” hand guard.  You can never have too much hand guard, but you can always have too little.

We can talk about this on the phone or Skype if you want to narrow down your options.  I can show you the good and bad points of the ones I have.

— SIGHTS

Sights.  Magpul’s MOE BUIS (REAR and FRONT) sights are probably your best, cheapest option.  They flip down out of the way when you mount a scope on the gun, but they’re robust enough that you could hunt with just them.

There are metal options that are better, here and here but for the price, Magpul’s sights can’t be beat.  Be careful that you buy these from a reputable dealer, though, as there’s lots of airsoft replicas on the market that can’t be trusted.

— SCOPES

Scopes is another conversation altogether.  AR’s are a unique gun that you don’t just want to slap a hunting scope on top of.  But some guys do that.  There’s micro Red dots, RDS’s, 1-4’s, magnifiers behind RDS’s, and every other thing you could dream of.

I have 4 different scopes on 4 different guns.  Each one has a unique function that the other’s don’t have.

We need to figure this out once you build your rifle and get some trigger time on it.  Check outTHIS post on my blog to help you choose a scope.

— AMMO

Ammo.  Buy Wolf Gold from AIM Surplus in shipments of 1000.  You will never find a better deal than .28/rd, and it’s what I’ve killed most of my hogs with.  It’s a simple, no frills 55r full metal jacket suitable for light hunting, and target use.  And the case is brass, so you can reload if you’re either in to that, or know someone who is.  Many reloaders will buy your used brass, which you can turn around and put toward more bullets!

And again, if there were ever anything to stock up on now, it’s ammo, because lowers, mags and ammo are the only three things that can be regulated by the federal government, and are subject to fear-proned buying frenzies during election cycles.

— MAGS

You’re gonna need magazines to put those bullets in to.  The last election there was a run on mags, and I saw a standard 30 rd mag sell for 80$.  Right now, they can be had for somewhere around 8$.  I have like 40 of them.  You can’t have too many.  But 3-5 should do you just fine.  Standard capacity is 30 rounds, while some people make them in 10, 20, 40, and 60 round variants (and of course, 100rd drums, which is dumb).

Here are the 5 brands I trust when it comes to mags:

Magpul Mags

Troy Industries Battle Mags

Okay Industries standard Mags

Bravo Company standard Mags

Brownell’s standard mags

Any of these mags will work fine.  I’m kinda partial to standard aluminum GI mags.  You can find most of those mags around at various retailers online for 12 and under.

Remember, magazines are disposable.  When they don’t drop free, or cause malfunctions, spray paint them and throw them in your “range” bin so you only use them at the range, never when your life depends on it.  If they fail you once, they’ll fail you again, and 8-10 dollars isn’t enough to fret over if you can easily replace it.

WOW. That’s a lot to digest.  I realize that.  But you use this as a reference for you in the future.

As you can see, you can really spend a lot of money on an AR15.  A few upgrades here or there can increase that cost exponentially by the end.  Make a plan and stick with it.  Don’t get pulled in by all the marketing of this gadget or that one.  You’ll be able to make a functional gun for 700 if you stick with the plan, shop that plan around, and strike when the iron’s hot (Sales).  And don’t forget to factor in shipping when buying from online retailers.

Oh, and don’t forget that ITS tactical has a video series on piecing together an AR15 that’s absolutely top notch.

It looks like SOFREP is coming out with a really solid how-to as well.  Their list of manufacturers is fascinating.

Have fun building your AR-15!

So, you need some support equipment for your pistol?

BLUF: Get a Glock 19 with a surefire light and a good kydex or leather holster.

Alright.  You have a new sidearm.  You’ve showed it to your buddies.  You wear it to church because you feel like the homegrown “security” team might let the homicidal maniac through one of the side doors.  You feel like James Bond.

But, the holster that the gun store guy sold you, or the little dinky cloth thing that you used with your toy guns as a kid isn’t cutting it.  And when you pull it out of the drawer next to your bed when you hear something in the middle of the night, you grab your flashlight, but don’t have any free fingers to call the police when you can’t remember whether you left that door unlocked and the wind blew it open, or someone’s inside.

But never fear, the gun store dude sold you a laser so you turn it on, only to realize for the first time in your life that in the pitch black, a laser doesn’t do a single bit of good because you can’t see the target, so you don’t know what that little dot is on.  The frustration compounds when you hit that mirror at the end of the hallway and hit yourself in the eye with the beam.  Now you know what those big ugly yellow-lensed laser-proof glasses were doing hanging on the wall at the gun shop next to the lasers.

Let’s talk accessories for that new blaster.

First, the light.

You need one.  Very infrequently will you ever need to shoot someone in the dark.  But, that’s only almost as infrequently as you’ll have to shoot someone in the broad daylight.  And if you do, and you have a light on your gun, then whoopteedoo.  But if you need to shoot someone at night, but don’t have a light, then deadareyou.

First, when you’re getting a gun, get one with a light rail on it.  Any third gen or newer Glock will have one, as will the M&P that I recommended you get in the last blog post.  The light rail is part of what we call the “dust cover” which is the extension of the frame in front of the trigger guard.

You’re going to see 5 kinds of pistol lights when you go looking.

1. Surefires

2. Inforce

3. Streamlights (TLR-1)

4. gun branded lights

5. tacticool lights.

Surefires are going to seem crazy expensive.  They are for good reason.  They carry a crazy awesome lifetime warranty, are completely bombproof, and utilize tried and true technology, not the fragile stuff.  Many have shock-isolated bezels, meaning they won’t quit after you take it to the range and shoot with it on the gun a few times.

Inforce is the only light I would own besides the Surefire, however, their switch takes some getting used to.  It’s not the most intuitive thing in the world.

Streamlights (TLR-1, TLR-2, etc) market themselves as just one rung below Surefires in terms of price and performance.  In reality, they are several rungs lower.  Save your money.

By branded lights I mean those lights that are marketed for you by the same brand of your pistol.  Your glock is awesome, so their lights must be too, right?  Sig makes a solid gun, so their scopes must be too, right?

Nope.  Pieces of Chinese junk that don’t deserve a second thought.

Then you have all the other whiz bang lights out there with quick detatch and strobe effect, and some will even play the theme song for the A-team when you’re in a gunfight.  Ok, dreaming a little, but are you listening to me, product developers?

I can tell you from experience: lights fail.  Often.

Just get a surefire X300.  If you can get one that has higher lumens than the base model, fantastic.  If you can’t, just get the X300.  There’s a reason every military unity in our armed forces fields surefires, and rarely anything else.

The only light I’d consider for my pistol or rifle is an inforce WML or surefire X300.  That’s it.

Inforce WML

Surefire X300

Now, there are some models of lights that include a laser.  But, more than likely, this feature makes it’s price point more than the pistol it’s mounted on, so choose wisely.

Now that you’ve got that killer light attached to that dustcover, let’s talk about holsters to carry it around in.

Next, the Holsters: 

Surprisingly, a pistol with a WML (weapon mounted light) is easy to carry.  It doesn’t really change the profile of the gun much if at all (the inforce is better at this than the X300).

You just need to get you a good holster.

I have several holsters that I carry depending upon what I’m wearing and what I’m doing that day.

Without question, the most comfortable way to wear a holster is on the outside of the pants in the 3:00 position.

However, because of concealment concerns, it may be best to carry within the waistband of the pants.

Here’s where we get in to the comfort/efficiency/concealment continuum.  At one end of the spectrum is comfort.  This is so comfortable that it is impractical.  On the other end is so concealed, that it is not efficient nor expedient.  Think taped to the inside of your thigh.

So, you are going to have to determine where on that spectrum your need falls in a given day depending upon what you are wearing or doing.

I recommend 5 different options that I utilize.

OWB – I use an N-Tac kydex holster. Apparently they’re out of business.  You’d be surprised how much easier it is to conceal this than you might believe it to be.

Others like them are peters custom holsters or the venerable Raven Concealment Phantom.  DSG holsters is a newer company that’s making some killer holsters.

Some people prefer leather.  I have leather holsters and I like them.  I like the positive “click” of the kydex as I holster, and I don’t like the thumb strap that usually necessarily accompanies a leather holster.

The key to a good OWB holster is get one that can be held close and tight to the side, and will break up the outline of the pistol under your shirt.

NTAC OWB kydex

NTAC from the back

NTAC from the front

Bianchi OWB

Bianchi from the back

Bianchi from the front

Concealed

IWB – In this category, you run in to tuck-able, and un-tuckable holsters.  Tuck-able is obviously more difficult to get to once you need it, as your shirt is meticulously stuffed around the pistol.  The un-tuckable (or clip style) requires an untucked shirt.  There are some AO’s (Areas of Operation) where this option will not be viable (business casual is usually not a style that affords untucked shirts).

I use a Bianchi Professional 100.  This one utilizes a spring clip that keeps things relatively in place.  It’s cost-effective, and the best leather holster for the money.

Bianchi Professional 100

The Milt Sparks Summer Special is the quintessential untuckable IWB holster.  It’s robust, re-holsterable, and will last you for longer than you’re alive.  Quality.  Uses two leather straps to connect it to the belt.

Milt Sparks Summer Special

Others like the Crossbreed supertuck.  I have not tried this, but the concept is sound.  Leather against the skin: heat-molded kydex to hold the gun securely.  Good stuff.

Special packs: I made this video for a friend of mine for whom I made the chest rig.  Others like it can be found at Hill People Gear.

Trigger guard “holsters”.  I put holsters in quotes here, because this holster does not actually cover the whole gun, so can’t be rightly referred to as a holster.  Rather, it covers the trigger guard, allowing a “mexican carry” without one of the pitfalls of the method.

I have friends who have carried a pistol in their pants without a holster of any kind, but this style would prevent the unhappy possibility of something getting caught in the trigger guard and accidentally depressing the trigger.  The small chord attached is usually wrapped around the belt a few times, allowing the trigger guard cover to pull free during the draw stroke.  Ingenious really.

I use this a lot when carrying in the 1:00 or “appendix carry” position.  The Raven Concealment Vanguard is the premier available option, though I made mine myself.

Trigger Guard Holster

In appendix carry

In Appendix Carry

In Appendix Carry

Lastly, are belly bands.  These are for deep concealment and usually require severe movement of the shirt or garments to access.  I’ve only used one in very limited scenarios, and they never present the most expedient option.  Galco sells a version.

I’m not going to even go there with shoulder holsters.  They’re good for nothing except magnum P.I.  If you have a friend with a chopper and can grow as sweet a ‘stache as Tom Sellick, then power-to-you.  For the rest of you, just step away from the shoulder holster.

I guess honorable mention belongs to the venerable thigh holster.  They have a specific niche, concealment not being it.  So, if it’s issued to you along with your ceramic plates and helmet, then sure, rock it.  But if not, just save your money and buy a good OWB kydex holster.  As a matter of fact, as a guy who’s run both, just rock the OWB even if the thigh is issued to you.  You’ll thank me later.

ok, I’m writing this, so I get to give out the rewards, right?  Honorable mention #2 goes to bag-carry.  Purse or messenger bag is in view here.  If you can, get a holster sewn-in, so when you reach in you know where your gun is.  This method is insecure to say the least, as you are more likely to leave your bag somewhere than you are to leave your pants (I hope).

How

Now, how to carry?  Should you carry backwards in the small of the back? Upside down?  In the front? On the hip?

When I’m carrying OWB, I do so in the 3:00 position as high as I can.

When I’m carrying with an IWB holster, I usually do so in the 5:00 position with the top of the slide going to my right.  Do not carry it backwards.  It’s hard to get your hand in between the holster and your sweaty back, and you have to flag yourself with the muzzle if you carry it backwards.  Just extend your natural draw stroke back a few inches and be done with it.  Just look at the pictures above.

I often carry at the 1:00 position, especially when I’m going to be riding in the car.  It’s more comfortable to sit in, and offers me the ability to keep my shirt over it in a more natural manner.  I can basically always know it’s not printing and adjust my shirt in the event that it might.

Storage Options

If you’re new to the pistol world, you may not have thought about how to store that killing machine once you get it home.

Again I offer to you a continuum.  On one end, is completely secure but inaccessible.  On the other end is completely accessible, but not secure.

You’ll need to find a good spot on that continuum for your sitz im leben (a german theological term meaning “situation in life”).

If you’re single, your answer will be different than if you have kids.  Roomates, what floor of an apartment building you live on, and many other factors will all play a part in determining where you fall on the spectrum.

1. You can keep the gun loaded and cocked and locked and laying on your bedside table.  This would (obviously?) be a no-no if you have children.

Just keep in mind that my good buddy (I won’t tell you who it was, but he was the best man in my wedding)  once woke up to himself having shot a hole in his ceiling while having a pretty realistic dream.  I’m just glad I turned him down when he asked me if I wanted to live in his attic.  He alsoassured me I wasn’t a part of his dream.)

2. You could leave it unloaded, disassembled, and locked up in a safe somewhere in the house, with the ammunition locked up separately.  This would certainly be secure.  However, I doubt anyone who finds themselves in your home in the wee hours of the morning will give you the necessary moments you would like to find and assemble your weapon in time to use it.

3. Something in between.  This is where most if not all of you will fall.

Some put it between matresses.  This is hidden, but little hands can find it.  Some keep it way up high, but (maybe this is just me), I was a veritable monkey by the age of 5.  I could climb anything.

Some people keep it loaded but in a safe with a key or a number pad.  Have you ever tried to remember a key code at 3:30AM when you woke from a dead sleep?  Have you ever tried to find a key in the pitch black?

What about the fancy doodads that take your fingerprint and use that as a unique code to open the safe?  My only question: will it work if I have blood on my hands?  Or maybe just drool?  It’s a good question to ask.  And what if I’m pinned down or restraining the attacker and I’m yelling begging my wife to get the gun?  I guess she’ll just have to pull my finger (off).

So. Lots to think about in terms of support equipment – but all necessary.  Each component could use it’s own blog post, but believe it or not, I’ve boiled it all down to as concise as I possibly can, while still giving you the things you’ll encounter.  Maybe I’ll split them up in to shorter posts in the future.  I could certainly talk about some more details and give a few more options.

So you want a handgun?

A handgun is a quintissential tool for the modern man.  Many guys get the itch when they turn 21 in college.  They go out, buy what the guy at the gun counter says they should get, drive out to the country, do a couple of magazine dumps at the low water bridge outside of town, and then carry the gun in their waistband to every conceivable inappropriate place on the planet, taking it out of their pants just to prove to their friends how awesome they are.

Still others get the itch when they get married, or have children – when their protective instincts kick in.  They go to the gun counter, and to the range, and wind up purchasing said pistol on the advice of the same gun-counter clerk.  They take said gun home, show it to their wife, some making her fire it against her will at the range, store it in a deep bunkered vault because their wife isn’t fully on board, and never take it out again until they will it to their children when they either a) turn 21, or b) get married and have kids.

But you – well you’re sophisticated.  You’re a planner.  You want to do extensive research and get the perfect blaster for the job.  You refuse to abide by the advice of the 50 year old overweight minimum-wage worker behind the counter who hasn’t shot his own pistol in 3 years.  You are the one for whom I wrote this post.

I want to equip you to think through the salient issues surrounding defensive pistol options, and then give you my advice on what to buy.

Size:

First, if you’re going to be carrying it every day in your pants, you’ll need a different pistol than if it’s going to sit connected to a magnet behind your bedside table.  There are 3 main sizes of guns: Full size(lg), compact(med), and sub-compact(sm).

Consider that the sub-compact was created for concealed carry.

Consider that a full-size is the most comfortable to shoot.

Consider that a compact is the compromise between those two.

Take, for instance, Glock.  The Glock 17 is full sized.  The Glock 19 is compact.  And the Glock 26 is the sub-compact version.  All three shoot the same caliber.  All three have interchangeable magazines (kinda…as long as you use a longer magazine than the grip).

I used to work at a range.  I used to be the guy behind the gun counter – so any jesting I make using broad generalizations is… well… true.

I used to really want a sub-compact for ease of carry.  I had a Glock 19, and could shoot it very accurately.  My typical shot group with my 19 at 21ft was about the size of a racket ball.  However, when I would take that G26 out to the range every week as I worked, I found my groups consistently being around the size of a basketball. I shot it over 500 times over the course of several months hoping to see improvement.  Nope.

I did not buy the subcompact because I couldn’t shoot it.   The most important part of the pistol for accuracy wasn’t there on that G26: the bottom of the palm swell.

Lots of people swear by the “pinkie” addition to the magazine floor plate.  That doesn’t matter to me (though it’s certainly better than with a flush mag).  But the palm swell that the G19 and G17 give me, made all the difference for me in terms of accuracy.

If what you’re looking for isn’t a concealed carry gun, and maybe just a “car gun” or a “bedside gun”, then you shouldn’t look at reducing the size of your frame.  Don’t think twice: buy a full size pistol.  The barrel is longer, yielding more stability and accuracy.  The grip is longer, making a more comfortable blaster all around.  And the magazine capacity is maxed out.  Also, full sized guns usually give you options for tons more accessories than their pint-sized siblings.

I’ve known people (one of my best friends) who can adequately conceal a Glock 17 full size with a pistol light on it.  Power to you.  You need to have either a big body type, or carry at a 12:00 or 6:00 position, usually, to be able to do this. (1:00 or 5:00 most likely, but you get the idea).

I can conceal my G19 well, even with a light t-shirt.

I’ve come to the realization that I really don’t need anything smaller than my G19.  It was unnecessary.

Remember that carrying in light dress pants will be a more difficult task because the belt won’t be able to hold the pistol as close to the body.  Weight of the pistol comes in to play in lighter garments.

Caliber:

The FBI just released the news that they will be going full throttle back to the 9mm round.  They say that it’s a combination of technological advancement in projectiles, controllable recoil impulse, higher magazine capacity, and plain ol’ science that have brought them back around to the 9mm round as their caliber of choice agency-wide.

This is interesting, because it’s what I’ve preached for many years.  I’ve seen popular opinion go back and forth for many years, but top teams (both domestic LE and top-tier military units) tended to stay with the 9mm even through the past decade.

According to FBI ballistic gelatin results, wound cavity and penetration are strikingly similar among the leading pistol calibers.  Therefore the caliber decision you need to make isn’t based solely on what will “make the biggest (or deepest) hole”.  You now have magazine capacity and recoil to think of.

Because I just really like onomatopoeias, I’ve always described a 9mm as a “bang”, the .45 as a “BOOM”, and the .40 as a “s n a p”.  The snap is the hardest to bring back on line and acquire the sights again, and the boom is remarkably controllable, though it sounds and functions like a cannon.  However, the bang is the most easily controllable.  If you were to use a shot timer and record your split times, you would have less time between shots with a 9mm simply because it doesn’t recoil as much.

Notice, I didn’t include the .380 or .22 or .22 magnum or whatever.  Anything beneath a 9mm is too small for shooting man-sized potentially drug-fueled targets.  We’re just talking reliable self-defense calibers here.  If you want a .380, such a nuanced conversation about big-boy self defense guns isn’t your speed.  Go ahead and stop reading.

Another thing you need to think about with caliber, is how much you plan to shoot.  There is a significant price difference in how much a box of .40 costs, and a box of 9mm.  If you plan on going to the range even once a month, it’s likely that you could pay your dues to a second range trip, just with the savings you’d accrue from a couple boxes of 9mm over .40.  Just something to think about.

Because you aren’t just buying a look-good hand-me-down pistol, you need to learn to run your gun.  Check out my subsequent blog posts for exactly what you need to work on at the range with your new pistol.

Another thing that you need to think about in terms of caliber, is what magazine capacity looks like.  For the sub-compact, the magazine capacity is majorly truncated due to the length of the grip.  I would rather have more rounds if I have to use my pistol than fewer rounds.  If indeed you feel the compunction to carry a sub-compact, you need to seriously consider carrying extra mag (s!).  Actually, whatever you carry, consider your need for carrying extra magazines.

Many people cite a study that says the average number of rounds in a gunfight is 2.  I’d like to see their citations.  I, personally, will shoot until there is no threat, and I can’t imagine that being less than a handful of rounds.  I carry big mags with even bigger mags as backup.

Price:

Let’s get this out of the way: you are looking at purchasing a chunk of metal that is machined to such exacting tolerances, that it is capable of containing 40,000 pounds per square inch within itself, and sending a bi-metal projectile hurtling through the air at something around 1,500 feet per second.  All of this it will do reliably every time that you depress a small external lever in a complicated mechanism whereby a series of pins, springs and other parts will work together to drop a hammer or striker reliably detonating a 1/8 inch piece of convex metal in the back of a brass casing manufactured thousands of miles away from where you are standing at the moment, and assembled someplace else.  You’re not getting out of this cheap.  And if you try to, you’ll get what you pay for.

If you want a reliably functioning self-defense pistol you cannot have it for less than $450.00.  If you want a pistol that you can show off at a barbecue with, you will not have that for less than $1,000.00.  Yes, yes, you’ve been able to find a pistol that you really like for 350, or 250 that someone tells you is a fantastic brand – and maybe it is – but I’m telling you this: there’s a reason that guys that depend upon their guns for a living don’t carry that pistol.  That’s all.

If you want a really good pistol that will definitely go bang when you pull the trigger, your bank account will take at least a $450.00 hit.  If you want something that someone says is “good enough”, you’ll be able to spend much less, and don’t really need to read the rest of this article.

And if you want the appropriate accessories to run your gun well, then just go ahead and budget $1,000.00.

Accessories:

If I were buying a modern defensive pistol, I would not purchase one to which I could not attach a Surefire X300.

Night sights are a frill.  I have tritium night sights called Heinie Straight 8’s.  They’re aftermarket.  They’re steel.  They’re the only ones I’d recommend right now.  They’re great.

But they’re not necessary.

Spend your accessories money on something else until you learn to shoot that blaster well.

You can get a laser.  But I don’t recommend it.  Crimson Trace makes grips for Sigs and 1911’s and others.  But lasers are complicated pieces of technology that can fail at the wrong time, and can add an element to what you need to think about in terms of turning it off and on that you don’t really want to think about in the middle of a gunfight.  Consider this: you will never want to use a laser in the complete dark.  Not only will you not desire to, but you won’t even be able to.  You will always need a light as well.  So now you’ve got to run your gun, turn on your light to identify your target, and now you need to switch on your laser.  Things can get complicated really quickly, and I’d rather only have 2 things to think about when the bullets fly instead of 3.  Also, lasers work both ways.  If you can aim at me, you’ve given me something to aim at as well.  I can follow a laser back to you – just something to think about. – I’m not a fan of lasers.  They’re gimmicky.  And as I sit in my space-foam chair after having worked out on my bowflex I can honestly say: I hate gimmicky.

Holsters.

If you’re going to carry it, you need to carry it well.  I’ll have another post on holsters.

I’ll also include in that post your storage options – cause that’s important too.

Summary:

Ok, are you ready?  If you’ve made it this far, you’ve considered what most have not considered… and you’re pretty invested at this point.  Let me just tell you what you should buy:

Get a Glock, or a Smith and Wesson M&P in 9mm.  You pick the size.

Yes, I know there’s Springfield X D’s and XDM’s.  Yes I know that Taurus has a cheaper gun that’s supposedly “just as good”.  Yes I know that the Walther PPK has a cult following.  Yes I know that Smith and Wesson make a budget pistol called the Sigma.  Yes, I know H&K is the Ferrari of the gun world.  Save yourself some heartache, dude.  Buy either a Glock or an M&P – and then once you’ve bought it, buy what you need to support it.  And then once you’ve bought all that, shoot the snot out of it.

Because I have tons of magazines, and holsters and other stuff dedicated to my G19, that’s what I’ll stick with for the foreseeable future.  But if I had it to do over again and were starting from scratch, I’d probably go with a Smith & Wesson M&P9.  Your preference.

Go hold both of them in a gun store.  And just tune out that idiot behind the counter… even if it’s me.

We could talk about bore access, or sight picture, or ergonomics, or trigger pull, or safeties, or ambidextrous design, but let’s just cut to the chase: pick the one that feels right after you’ve eliminated everything else.

One last word: Glock has 4 generations of their pistols available.  Some early gen 4 pistols were prone to problems.  If you’re buying new, make sure you get one that is of late manufacture.  If you’re buying used, you can’t go wrong with a gen 3.  I have a gen 2 and love it (after I tweaked the trigger for 20 bucks).

M&P had a period of time when their guns had some trouble.  Do some internet research to find out the dates of manufacture that were suspect, and buy accordingly.  They have options for an external safety.  Whatever floats your boat.

And if you spend the time right now to get the right pistol, maybe you’ll have something to give to your kids or show to your buddies that any new husband or frat boy could appreciate.  But if you follow this advice, I can at least assure you that the weak link in a gun fight won’t be the gun – and it won’t be because you listened to a gun-counter commando – just some dude on the internet.

So, you want to get a scope for your AR?

BLUF: Don’t buy cheap glass.  You’ll regret it.  I promise. Decide what you want to do with your rifle. Technology is always changing. Get an aimpoint for 200 and in. Get a reputable 1-4 or 1-6 for mid distance. Fixed 10’s for farther.

Want to shoot your AR with more than just the iron sights?  Need some magnification to identify targets at 300 yards?  Want quicker sight acquisition for those fast bad-breath-distance shots? There are tons of glass options for your AR15.  Here is a brief overview, including some of my favorites. But in all of this, remember: skimping on your scope is the quickest way to limit the capabilities of your rifle.  Don’t just get “enough to get by” on a scope.  Get what you need to push the capabilities of the platform in your hands to it’s limits. Most of these options can be found on optics planet, amazon, or by looking for deals around the internet – as long as you know what you’re looking for.  Otherwise, you can be led astray pretty quickly.  Let’s look at some good options among the 3 different kinds of scopes you might want for your AR:

Paralax Free Red dots/holographics Parallax free scopes offer some incredible opportunities.  You can use them with both eyes open, eliminating the feeling of looking down a paper towel tube.  When you shoot with both eyes open, your eyes are taking in such a wider field of view in front of you.  You can now see more hogs in that herd, or more bad guys in that room. Paralax is the need to get crosshairs into the middle of the tube of a scope.  Red dots and holographic sights don’t have a parallax.  There’s no black ring around the scope that you have to eliminate or line up.  If the reticle is on the target, even if the reticle is at the top edge of your scope, then that’s where the bullet will go. One other advantage: if 90% of your scope is blocked with mud, snow, water, or shattered, you can still use the remaining 10% to host your reticle.  That’s a pretty sweet upside. Aimpoint Comp M2/M4/Aimpoint Pro – wider field of view than the little brother listed below.  It’s what I have, and has been the close quarters optic for the US military for the last decade.  Lightning fast target acquisition, and virtually indestructible. You can see how much stuff I have taking up the sight picture of my Aimpoint.  It’s no problem.  Nothing’s out of focus, and I can still use the dot to aim in the top 2/3 of my sight picture. Aimpoint T1 – very small, extremely robust.  My pick for red dots.  Though super-cheesy and good for nothing else, this video shows what kind of abuse it can take. Eotech – Eotech as a brand is has been plagued with issues in their sights.  While the newer iterations seem to have fixed some issues, the earlier models consistently had intermittent power problems. The good thing about eotechs are the reticle.  It’s a pretty great idea to have a dot like the aimpoint, with a larger circle around it that can aid in range estimation and holdovers at distance.

EoTech and 3X magnifier

I also really like my EoTech.  They’ve come under scrutiny lately for some shady dealings, but I have paired mine with a 3X magnifier that flips out of the way, and I love it.

Micro sights – These are for the guy that wants his gun as light as a feather.

• Burris Fastfire
• Docter Optic
• Trijicon RMR
• Leupold Deltapoint
• Insight MRDS
• J-point

High magnification scopes Lot’s of guys buy an AR15, and all they’ve ever known are deer rifles.  They often think that a high magnification scope similar to what they have on their bolt actions will fit the bill.  But this takes a highly flexible rifle, and hems it into only the ranges you’d use the higher magnifications for – making the exact opposite of adaptable. I would only recommend putting a 10x on something that you’ve built for range, and included a Stainless Steel match grade barrel.  A Mk12 is a fine example of a high power scope able to effectively compliment the capabilities of the rifle.  I’ve shot the below Mk12 mod 1 out to 950 yards with surprising repeatability, but it’s not as perfectly suited for the 30yd engagements I often find myself in with hogs in the brush.

Mark 12 mod 1 with a Leupold 3-10x

I say this about everything related to guns but I really mean it this time: don’t skimp on your glass.  Don’t spend 150 (or even 300 – or 500) on a scope, thinking it’ll tide you over.  That’s 150 bucks (or 300 or 500) you won’t be able to put toward a real scope. Also, don’t you dare skimp on rings if you’re going to get a good scope.  Of course Leupold scopes are still King. Bushnell has stepped up their game recently and put out some really great stuff (HDMR). NightForce and Schmidt & Bender will cost you more than your rifle, but you’ve never looked through better glass in your life.
    I know this above picture isn’t an AR15, but it’s a Bushnell HDMR, and it’s a really good scope – it zooms past 20x, and is incredibly clear.  The best high-end match glass for the money on the market right now. Most guys don’t need high magnification on their AR15 scopes.  Many think they do, but they’re wasting their money.   If you put a 21x scope on a chrome lined carbine barrel, your scope is writing checks your gun can’t cash.  But for those of you who want to build a purpose-built rifle for long ranges (400-900yds), then by all means, get some good glass, or it’ll be the other way around. We could talk all day long about first focal planes (FFP) or second focal planes (SFP) or reticle design, or clarity, or matching reticles and adjustments (mil/mil!) or any of 100 different aspects of long range scopes.  Do your research.  There’s too much at stake in a high end scope to get it wrong the first time.  Take my recommendations above.  It’ll hurt at first to spend that much money, but you’ll thank yourself for as long as you own it. If you don’t want to educate yourself, then you should do a “spec build”.  Considerable research has already gone in to putting rifles into military service, and you can capitalize in that extensive research by just building a gun to spec or close to it (like a Mk12 mod 0, or mod 1, or mod Holland).

Low magnification scopes/ medium range scopes For a few years, low magnification scopes have been gaining in popularity.  With the looming war in Afghanistan, the Special Forces fielded T&E scopes in 2002 for their M4s that could give them the range opportunities of a 4x with the close in option of a 1x power.  1-4x and 1-6x scopes are wonderful options for the ranges you’ll be engaging most things with an M4 length gun (14-16″ barrel). Vortex makes my favorite option, balancing affordability with high quality glass, and a very functional lit reticle.  It’s what I carry on my every day hog gun.

My hog gun. Vortex 1-4 optic in Badger unimount.

My Weaver 1-4 has put down over 30 hogs and half a dozen coyotes in the 5-300 yard range over the last year and a half. Of course, the more high end companies like Leupold, Schmidt &Bender, Nightforce, Bushnell or even Vortex have come out with some higher priced models – and they’re impressive (I looked through most of them at SHOT show last year, and they’re awesome), but for the price difference, I really don’t think you can do much better than the Vortex 1-4 mentioned above for the price (also just got word that the Vortex 1-6 is being fielded by The Army’s CAG (the Unit/Delta)- take into consideration that their budget allows for any glass they could want, but they went with the new Vortex 1-6). Lighted reticles, quickly adjustable magnification rings, focus rings, Zero stop turrets, mil adjustable match turrets, and warranties should all factor in to picking this scope. The Vortex Strike Eagle is the dummed-down civilian version.

One thing you should be aware of: if you have a permanent front sight post, it can pitch you fits with this scope.  Unlike the unmagnified Aimpoints and holographic sights, you really need the sight picture to be free from obstacles when using any magnification, even 1x.

a friend’s magnified optic behind a FSP. Consider cutting the FSP off, and installing a flip up front sight if necessary.

Mounts: Scopes need a unimount on the AR15.  Don’t just put 2 scope rings on it.  On an AR’s aluminum receiver and pieced-together body, you really need the extra stability the unimount provides.  Larue is the industry standard (made in Tx!), but there’s nothing better than Badger Ordnance.  The cheapest best option in my opinion is the Aero Precision mount.  These kinds of mounts can be cantilevered forward to give you a little better eye relief, and they can be surprisingly expensive.  Bobro engineering is great, as is SPUHR and American Defense Mfg., but I think the best bang for the buck in scope mounts right now is the Aero Precision Ultralight SPR.

Red dots usually have their own mount, but if they don’t, you can find solid mounts from Aero, Larue, or Daniel Defense.  There are improvements to be had over the factory mounts, but they’re usually frills like quick disconnect throw levers high sided protection fins, and cantilevers to get them out in front of you a little way.

Kyle Defoor talking about fighting from a standing position

Kyle Defoor breaks down how to solidly lock up behind the carbine in terms of stance. I’ve found this to be incredibly sound advice.

 

check out trigger time tv for more from Kyle Defoor and other guys in the know.

So, you want to upgrade your fore end.

You’ve got this cool new gun.  You’ve zeroed it.  You’ve learned to run it.  But now you’re thinking about putting a flashlight on it, and you realize you’re going to want a rail to accommodate it and the zillion accessories you now think you need.

let’s talk rails.

Click on image to enlarge

Most AR15s come with a standard set of hand guards that are plastic.  They are held in place by a set of spring loaded caps, one at the front of the upper receiver and one right behind the front sight base.

Click on image to enlarge

While this hand guard is really a pretty great piece of equipment, it doesn’t allow you to capitalize on the modularity of the platform in your hands – but do you really need any more modularity?

Do you actually need a rail, or will the plastic hand guards suffice?

You need a rail only if you plan to mount:

• flashlight
• laser
• video camera
• forward hand grip
• bipod
• grip stop

If not, then keep your stock hand guard and stop reading this post now.

When you consider rails, there are basically two types: free float, and standard.

Standard rails touch the barrel at some point, and free float tubes do not.

Let’s look at some of the more popular standard rails out there, and then move on to your more popular free float options:

Standard Drop-in rails:

Click on image to enlarge

Knights Armament Company RAS/RIS – This has been the standard railed unit riding on the United States Military’s carbines for nearly 2 decades.

Taken from military.com

This 7 inch rail gives one the precious space they need for flashlights, forward hand grips, lasers, what have you.

Midwest Industries has a pretty good drop in rail.  It’s just like the RAS/RIS above, but has a small piece on the 12 o’clock section that connects the upper and the rail.

Daniel Defense makes some of the best rails you can get your hands on.  Daniel Defense also makes an iteration of the 7″ rail.  This is a little more expensive than the Midwest Industries rail, but it’s a better brand.  You know, like a Chevy is better than a Dodge.

Due to the price point and real innovative thinking it represents, the Magpul MOE hand guard is my favorite in this category.   It usually doesn’t come with any rails, but they can be had pretty cheaply.

Free Float Tubes:

Troy Alpha Rail
Click on image to enlarge

When you get into the world of free float tubes, you’re not as limited to length.  You can stick a tube all the way out to the muzzle if you want to.

I’m a big fan of the Troy Alpha rails.  I run one on my primary rifle.  They’re very low profile and super easy to install.  It has holes throughout so that you can attach rail sections where you need them.

Some of the older styles are covered in rails.  This is my Knights Armament Company rail on my Mk12 marksman’s rifle.

Mk12 Mod1 rail
Click on image to enlarge

It’s great for attaching accessories.  But there’s a lot of unused rail space which (I sound like a wimp saying this) hurts your hand, and isn’t terribly comfortable when it’s not covered.  Also, if I want to put my light in between the rails, there’s just no way to do it.  I run my Scout Light at 11:00 on my Troy rail, but I sure can’t do that on my Mk 12 mod 1!

Some free float tubes come with a cutout for your A post front sight.  Here’s a picture of my recently unmounted Daniel Defense Omega rail – of which I am a huge fan.  Light, slim, solid.

Click on image to enlarge

Of course Geissele makes a really good free float rail, as does Century Arms, Samson manufacturing, among others.  There are just so many choices in this category, that it’s really tough to give a nod to them all.  Just make sure that you’re buying a reputable brand, and that it will hold up to what abuse you plan to dish out.

—

Click on image to enlarge

Why might you care whether or not the hand guard touches the barrel? Apparently the barrel harmonics are messed up the more stuff you touch the barrel with.  That’s why they free float barrels on high end bolt action rifles.  So, free float tubes will give you better accuracy out of your barrel.

Free float tube
Click on image to enlarge

When looking at a rail, you may need to pay attention to what length gas system is.  Rails are made in different sizes to accommodate different length gas systems.  Some 1 piece tubes will fit over any size gas system, and allow your length to not be dictated by your gas system.  Just pay attention to this before you buy.

Lastly, when you get rid of that A-frame front sight post, you’ll have to think about replacing the front sight.  Some of these free floats have integral front sights.  For others, you may need to buy a flip up or fixed front sight.  Make sure to factor this in to the cost of the rail.

So, you want a flashlight on your AR15?

BLUF: Get a surefire.

 

Click on image to enlarge

Many of you have never had a rifle with a light on it.  I remember my dad, just a few short years ago, go looking for the ultimate flashlight, and came home with a huge D-cell maglight.  If that’s the ultimate flashlight, then I don’t blame you for not wanting to mount it to your rifle.  By the way, in the late 80’s, that’s exactly what special operations teams did.  Maglight + electrical tape + radiator hose clamps = cutting edge technology.

Thankfully, technology in this area has evolved significantly in recent years.  The D-cell maglight has been exponentially outdone in terms of battery life, light output and size.  The only thing that maglight still has, is the striking power of a nightclub and the backbreaking weight of a small pumpjack.

4 D-cell maglites put out 122 lumens.  My Surefire Scout light puts out 200 lumens continuously for 2 hours on something resembling a roll of dimes, instead of a $1,000 roll of silver dollars.

All of the options I’m going to list can be had for cheaper on online forums, or just by a little shopping around the internet.

Lights come in several different platforms.  Let me put them in 3 categories:

Dedicated Forend Lights.

Click on image to enlarge

This option has recently faded in favor of the lighter, more versatile options, so I will spend little time on this.

A dedicated forend light changes out the whole forward handgrip assembly, for one that has an integral light.  For a shotgun this might include the surefire DSF (dedicated shotgun forend).  And for a long time the surefire forend lights proved to be the front-runner in the AR15 game.

I have the surefire model on my shotgun, and think it’s a real game-changer to have a light on my shotgun as I clear the house in the dark.  You don’t have to remove your hand from your platform to light up a dark corner, and if I were to find an intruder, it would be as easy as depressing a button to identify him, see if he has a gun, or hold him at bay with a flood of white light.

What this option does not give is modularity.  If you do not hold the forend in the way that the makers of the light envision, then your hands will have to be maneuvered over the switch they’ve molded in place.  Don’t like the shadow the light casts from your barrel and would like to move the bezel closer to the muzzle?  Out of luck.

Pistol Lights

Due to the availability, modularity and cost of pistol lights in recent years, it has become popular to mount a small pistol mounted light onto the forend of a rifle.  These lights are usually underpowered in my opinion, and offer some to be desired in terms of switches.

The Inforce WML is an exception to this rule, and from what I can determine, puts a satisfactorily bright light, all from a compact package.  It is cost effective, and the switch is intuitive.

The X300 series of lights from Surefire attempts this, but is usually a tad underpowered for the purpose, while the ULTRA series lights from Surefire, more than double the amount of light that pours out of the bezel.  The only downsides to the Ultra series seem to be the price point, and the same old switch.

Dedicated Weapon Lights (DWL)

Click on image to enlarge

The Scout light seems to be just the right ticket for the AR15.  This light can be had in 2 variants: the older 200 lumen, or the newer 500 lumen model.  The scout light has a slim profile, an intuitive switch, and the modularity to be run from various positions on the rail.

Personally, I run a 200 lumen scout light at about the 11 o’clock position on my rail.  It is mounted far enough forward that I get very little shadow in the beam.  These can be had on online forums and such for the 130-200$ range.

There is a cheaper option which replicates the scout light.  You can get the base model surefire tactical light (G2 model in several different variations), and buy an aftermarket mount for the light.  Vtac, IWC (Impact Weapon Components) and a gilion other companies offer really good mounts for the light.  The mount you choose should be solid and allow you the versatility to position the light where you want it.

Check ebay for other DWLs.  If you can, get an LED version and pay attention to the lumens.  Don’t get something under 120 lumens.  Sticking with known brands such as Surefire and Inforce (I’ve never owned a Streamlight, but some like them) will save you a lot of heartache.

The beam

With a light, you have to worry about spill and throw.  For our purposes the “throw” of the beam is how far it goes, and the “spill” is the amount of area side-to-side that it covers.  For a weapon mounted light, throw is often more important than spill.  You need that light to reach out and identify something at 100yds.  Is it a hog?  Is it a dog?  Is it a coyote?  Is it a calf?

Throw is what will identify your target.  Spill will help you navigate and be aware of your surroundings.

The last thing to think about in terms of lights, is shock isolation.  Why can’t I just throw any old light onto my rifle?  Well, filaments in lights are fragile.  Under the shock of repeated recoil, your filament will break with regularity.

With newer technology high-output LEDs the option is there for a bezel that does not need to be isolated.  An LED is not prone to the same breakage that a filament is, but the battery contacts need to be examined.

Most lights on the market use the same old technology to pull the juice out of the battery: bent spring steel.  Under the repeated recoil impulse of your rifle, that spring steel will lose it’s tension, and your battery contact will become intermittent – at best.  Those in the weapon light business have poured the necessary budget into development of battery contacts that can withstand repeated recoil impulse, assuring your light won’t go down when you need it most.

Flashlights are probably the most underrated AR15 accessory out there.  A flashlight can be used for target identification among a thousand other things.

One last word: batteries.  High output lithium CR123 batteries are now the industry standard in weapon lights.  You may like AA batteries, but the truth is that they simply can’t power a gun light for the length of time you’ll need it.  CR123batteries.com is a great place to buy them in bulk.  They have approximately a 10 year shelf life.  Also, rechargeable batteries were not made with weapon lights in mind.

Demonstrated need for a light.

Several years ago I remember riding along with my father-in-law looking for a cow who was supposed to be having a calf that night.  He had a very bright spotlight to help us find her in the dark, as well as his headlights.  While his headlights wouldn’t reach all the way across the field because they are designed more for spill than throw, his spotlight could really identify something a long way away.

Well, his spotlight went out, and we were left with headlights.  I remember shining my rifle light at a dark corner of the field 200 yards away, and the shock in his voice as he asked me what in the world that was in my hands.  It was my little 200 lumen scout light and it had plenty of juice to see the black cow in the back corner of his dark field.  I also remember a little disgust in his voice that my rifle was doing what his million candela spotlight was supposed to be doing.  Imagine what I could have done with the 500 lumen model!

The light has served me better than any other accessory I could get on my rifle – even a scope.  It can be turned on when I’m searching my backpack for my car keys, identify a target, or light up our kill for the obligatory post-carnage photo.

I’m a firm believer that next to magazines and bullets, the weapon mounted light is the most essential piece of gear that can be put on a rifle.  Every AR should have one.

So, you want to learn to run an AR15.

BLUF:

Shoot shoot shoot. Your gun is only as good as how much ammo you put through it.

You got this new gun.  It’s cool.  You lay awake at night dreaming about taking out Osama Bin Laden, but you’ve not actually shot it.  Or maybe you’ve only ever shot it to sight it in.

Maybe you thought that immediately upon picking it up, you’d get a sudden surge of adrenaline or hair would immediately begin growing on your chest like you had swallowed a giant testosterone tablet.  Far from being a viagra tablet with a trigger, you found that after anticipating shooting this beast for months, now that you have it on the range, you really don’t know what to do with it.  Do I shoot it fast?  Sure.  rat a tat tat tat tat tat tat tat.  Ok, now what?

That AR15 you’re holding, provided it’s a good rifle, is the culmination of half of a century of firearms technology evolving into the black monster you now hold.

It’s smaller than you thought, right?

To the untrained, all that the AR15 has, say on an old Remington automatic deer rifle, is a bigger magazine.  But to those willing to put in the time and effort, the AR15 represents a major evolution in ergonomics and maneuverability that simply isn’t matched by many other things out there.

Where to start: you.

Let’s begin with the stance starting at the bottom and work up.

Feet are the foundation for where the weapons platform touches the unmovable earth.  This is where we get our stability and function as the rock solid piece of concrete against which our rifle rebuffs.  Stand square to the target.  Don’t do that goofy bladed stance.  This is a man’s gun.  Get those feet apart at least shoulder width.  Now, making sure your hips stay square to the target, move your dominant foot to your six o’clock about 12 inches.  This makes you less susceptible to letting that recoil knock you back onto your heels.

Click on image to enlarge

Bend your knees.  No football lineman stands with his legs locked.  That’d be silly.  Especially when he knows he’s about to encounter a force coming at him from the front.  Bend your knees and take an aggressive and athletic lean forward at the waist. Get ready to deal with a force coming at you from the front.

With your shoulders square to the target, put the top of the stock on the collar bone directly above your nipple.  Roll your shoulder in around the stock to create a pocket.  Now your shoulder is holding the stock on the right side, your pectoral muscle on the bottom and left, and your cheek will press down.

With your dominant hand grip the rifle firmly.  This is a gun, not a baby rabbit.  Death grip not necessary, but you’re holding a firearm, be a man about it already.

Please. PLEASE don’t chicken wing your right arm.  Your elbow should not be pointed outward from your body.  Get that elbow pointed down at the ground.  The more stable the platform under the gun, the less recoil will effect your body.  If you chicken wing in my presence I will take pictures of you and make fun of you in blog posts.

Now, with the support hand find a comfortable spot on the fore grip to grab that thing.  It can be way out there, or closer to the magwell – whatever gives you the most control over the muzzle.  Me, I like to grip it as far out as I reasonably can, because I feel that my extended arm is stronger than my half-bent arm, and I have better control over where that pointy end is … well… pointed.

Click on image to enlarge

Roll your head down to reach the sights, this usually means forward, not to the side.  Some like to put their nose on the charging handle. This gives them a good index point by which to see their sights.

You’ve got a good start, now let’s talk about how this thing that goes bang in your hands works.

Next: the gun.

How does this thingy work.  Here’s a quick .gif to get you familiarized:

First, put the magazine in the magwell.  The bullets should be pointing forward.  Then, take the charging handle and charge the gun by pulling back all the way and letting go.  Don’t “ride” the charging handle forward.  Let go like a bow and arrow.

Now, rotate the safety off (it’s near your thumb) and depress the trigger straight to the rear.

Don’t forget to line up your sights first.

Now, when your magazine is empty, the bolt will lock back to the rear.  This means that you need to first, eject the empty mag.  It’s empty, it’s not gonna do you any good.  This button is in the middle of the right side of the gun, and can be depressed by the trigger finger if you are right handed.

Next, insert full mag.  When you do, push it all the way to the top, and then give it a little bit of a tug downward to see if it caught.  This is a good habit to get into, because it can cause a big malfunction if you don’t have your mag seated all the way.

Now, to release the bolt, hit the top of the ping pong paddle looking thing on the left side of the receiver.  That’s called a bolt catch or bolt release.  It will cause your bolt to go forward, stripping the first round off the top of the magazine.

Your gun’s useful again.

Last: what to tangibly work on at the range.

Lots of us have been there: you get your gun, you go shoot it, and then you don’t know what to do with it, so you put it up, knowing it’s ready if you ever want to shoot it again.  But you don’t want to be mediocre, right?  So what separates those who just have an AR15, from those who know how to run an AR15?

Go to the range and figure this stuff out.  It’ll take you several trips.

#1 learn how to use your trigger.

This is the most important thing that you can do no an AR, besides aiming.  Your trigger is the key to the success of your rifle.  Sure, anyone can pull a trigger one time.  But that’s why bolt actions are given to children to kill their first deer.  It takes someone who knows a thing or two about their trigger, to pull it consistently, quickly, and effectively to be able to do that on an AR15 in an accurate way.

When you shoot the first few times, don’t instinctively let off the trigger.  Hold it down.  Build into your system the idea of follow-through.  Hold it down and only release it when you’re ready to shoot again.  Get your sights back on target, take a deep breath, then let off of the trigger until it clicks then pull it again.  Never take your finger off of the trigger all of the way in between two quick shots.  Your finger will not fall back onto the trigger in the same place and you are wasting the valuable time you could have been spending pulling the trigger another 1 or 2 times.

The best gun hands in the world go to the range every day, and what do they work on?  Trigger.  You can always improve your trigger pull.

#2 Aquiring sights.

It is SO easy to focus on the hog/threat/target when we’re shooting, and forget to aim the gun.  Practice acquiring that clean sight picture, whether it is a red dot, a magnified scope, or open sights.  Be quick on the sights, and slow on the trigger.

Learn to acquire the sights as soon as the gun comes into the pocket of the shoulder.  Learn to acquire the shots immediately after you pull the trigger, to get back on target quickly.  Learning to acquire that clean sight picture is what will help you to capitalize on the ability of the rifle to rapidly produce follow up shots.

#3 Recoil control.

Even guys who have shot tons of rounds downrange, get laxidaisical about gaining superiority over the recoil impulse of the gun.  The gun has so little recoil, we think we can just shoot it like a .22, but we can’t.  You must practice leaning into that rifle and not letting it rock you on to your heels, especially in a rapid fire string.  Don’t be the guy who, with ever successive shot of his AR, stands up a little bit more, until he’s leaning backwards by the end of the string.

#4 Don’t waste bullets.

Make every bullet count.  With costs of nearly .40 per round these days, I’m not friends with anyone who has enough ammo or money to throw a bunch of rounds out the window.  You’ve proven nothing if you empty a magazine quickly into a target.  So what.  But if you empty a magazine all into the same hole in a target, well, now we’ve got something to cook with.

Every shot should teach you more than 1 thing.  You shouldn’t just shoot a bullet to teach you to control recoil.  You may be thinking about your recoil management, but you should also be able to analyze your shot placement, and have noticed your ability to pick up your sights after your shot.  You should also be able to see if you exhibited proper follow-through on your trigger.  Each pull of the trigger is a book waiting to be read, you just have to be aware enough to realize it.

#5 know your ballistics chart.

Depending on what zero you picked for how you will use your rifle, you need to know your gun.

I can’t tell you how many times my ignorance of my ballistics solution has cost me game, particularly in the 150 yard range.  With my 300 yard zero, my bullets hit 5 inches above my crosshairs around the 150 mark.  There is no substitute for the sort of confidence you gain when you completely understand the flight of your bullets.

#6 shooting from awkward positions

You should have the ability to put rounds where you need them to go even when shooting under a car, leaned up against a tree, hunkered down over a log, bending over a corner, etc.  If I had a dime for every time I shot from a standard platform, I’d still be almost as poor as I am right now.  But if I got that same dime every time I had to “make due” with something less than perfect, well, I could buy another AR15.

Click on image to enlarge

Click on image to enlarge

#7 malfunction clearance and reloading.

Because I shoot more than the average bear, I get my mags mixed up a lot, leading me to run with mags that I thought were full, but surprisingly were not.  After my initial few shots, I realized I grabbed the wrong mag, and had to reload quickly.  Two videos here:

http://youtu.be/NrjLBwKxLJ0

and

http://youtu.be/oGXST0sYW4w

You’ll notice that I had to reload, and if I didn’t do it quickly, it would cost me more shots on the hogs.

I should have done a better job of my reloads, and practice is the only thing that’ll make me better.

Also, malfunctions happen occasionally, and there have been times when I’ve needed to clear that jam in order to be able to get back into the game.  There’s no substitute for practice.

You have a lot to work on.  Hopefully this gives you a good start.  I recommend you getting some good videos that will help you to understand from some industry experts (which I am most certainly NOT).  Panteo Productions has some really knowledgeable guys that are all experts in their fields.

Perhaps the most valuable tool you can have is a partner that can help you to diagnose and push you in learning some of these things.  Two guys working with each other on the range, pushing each other to become better, is SO much better than you going to the range by yourself and just trying to make due.  You’re less apt to make excuses with someone else, and more apt to justify your mistakes to yourself.

Any old fool can shoot an AR.  Go learn to run one.

Why is there an Ammo Shortage?

It’s been over a year since the second term election of President Obama, the massacre at the Sandy Hook Elementary school, and the subsequent panic in the firearms world of both an attack on the purchase of new firearms, and the possibility of confiscation of existing firearms.  

People bought up ammo and rifles by the truckloads.  Literally.  I recall a deal on lower receivers being sold by the crate load. 

I personally forecast to my friends that the frenzy would not last over 8 months, saying that by July AR15s would be reasonably priced again, and ammo would be fully stocked.

I was wrong.  The shortage still exists 15 months later.  You can’t find a .22 shell if your life depended on it, and a quick survey of the typical online outlets for 5.56/.223 regularly only rewards you with “out of stock” memos.

The Firearms Blog is an industry blog that seems to have a very good explanation.

Why is there a .22 ammunition shortage

The short answer is: they are at max production, bringing new capabilities online every day, and the consumer market is driving down availability.

What? no black helicopters? No massive DHS bulk purchase that will suppress the American people’s ability to get their lead out (see what I did there?)?

Nope, just supply and demand.  And when ammo manufacturers are busy making the .223/5.56 that is in demand, there’s no way for them to make .22 and .243 and other stuff that we want too.

Don’t pay more than you should because you’re panicking.  It might not have ended in July, but it will be over here soon.