Author: r2kba.patriot

Categories
firearms forums James Yeager online firearms personality TheYankeeMarshall TP-9 TYM

So, You Don’t Like A Particular Firearms Online Reviewer?

Every once in awhile when conversing a particular gun or accessory that might be highlighted in a YouTube review or article, I get the following or sometime similar:

“James Yeager SUCKS!  Please quit sharing his content!”

Please realize that it’s easier for you to filter (mentally or physically) the things you don’t like about the firearms industry than for you to personally inform me of your distaste…I’m not going to cater my thoughts, forum banter, or blog content to every individual that’s displeased with some online firearms entity.  Why should I care what you think about him/her?  I’m only trying to share information about a particular product and many times (especially if a product isn’t popular or if it’s new), there will only be one online reviewer posting about it.  When I share the data with others and they don’t particularly like the reviewer, either move along or vent elsewhere…hammering me about your loyalties (or lack of) isn’t going to get me to remove or alter my content.

I posted in a forum that a revised DA/SA TP-9 was just released to the public and one person asked for an information source.  There is only one source of information thus far, review-wise, and that’s James Yeager.  The video isn’t really a review…it’s more of a notice that a review is coming and that they’ve a gun on-hand to review.  Wouldn’t you know…several guys got bent about the fact that it happened to be Yeager that provided video coverage of the gun.  They shared their displeasure by attempting to share out that I didn’t know what I was doing and that by linking his videos, I was hurting the firearms community.

My response was that no matter who it might be, people always complain.  I’m not going to try to make everyone happy by trying to appease them when they make such trivial complaints.  If you don’t like reviewer X, that’s YOUR problem, not mine.  Forums have ignore features.  If you don’t like what you see and I’m not violating a forum’s terms of usage, then you should use the ignore feature…if you don’t and you become irrate, I’ll use it on you.

I never think like I know more than people who make their living selling guns or firearms training, the only exception would probably be TheYankeeMarshall…that guy is a total tool, as he give bad reviews on guns he’s never touched/shot, which makes him less than credible on the whole, IMO.  And while I can’t stand TYM, I never try to force my opinion of him down someone else’s throat.  You might think James Yeager has no firearms knowledge, and to be honest, I don’t really like the guy personally, but I do agree with a lot of the knowledge he shares about certain firearms or his logic on self defense.  That’s me taking what I want from him while not caring for his personality traits.

As an individual, I’d prefer choosing on my own what knowledge is good for me and what knowledge I consider to be junk.  I don’t need anyone trying to decide for me…I’m no sheep.  If I need help deciphering or deciding on a particular issue, THEN I’ll ask for forum input.  Unsolicited “advice” that turns into rants?  You can keep it to yourself.  If you don’t like a particular person, what’s it worth to me?  Nothing…such things do not add value to discussions.  I take what I can from most online firearms personalities, even if I don’t like their demeanor.  Another thing:  if someone is judging these reviewers, what’s the criteria in deciding who sucks and who doesn’t?  Who says I have to agree?  Does it matter if I agree when I’m trying to get a point across that doesn’t relate to that particular person?  Most of those things are highly subjective…each person will look at things differently but I refuse to play the groupie and hunt down other opposing groups.  I’m an outlier…I group to no one.

When I state these thoughts, it’s certainly not to be dickish.  If you share your opinions, be prepared for me to share mine, and if it doesn’t agree with yours, don’t get bent.  We’re all sharing a passion for firearms…it’s stupid to let such trivial things get between us, especially when continuing to struggle in ensuring our 2A rights aren’t eroding.

Categories
Canik DA/SA TP9SA TP9SF TP9v2

Canik TP9v2 Now On The Market!

I knew awhile back that Canik was supposed to be revamping the original TP9 and renaming it the TP9v2.  Well, it’s out.  I discovered this while researching if the TP9SA’s sights can be replaced.

It has not yet been reviewed online (not when I looked last night on YouTube), James Yeager has a quick video of it.  I thought MAC did as well, but he was actually quick-reviewing an SF model (it has no decocker).



NOTE:  I’ve taken some unneeded heat for using Yeager as a resource.  1) I don’t care what you think 2) I’m just trying to share information on the gun…no one else had footage or spoke extensively about the gun at the time of my post.  I’m not a Yeager groupie, but if you don’t like Yeager, that’s your problem.  My post is about the gun, not about Yeager specifically.

I’m seeing the gun listed between $308 and $380, which was roughly what the SA model was selling for 6 or so months ago.

The gun is essentially a TP9 with the TP9SA’s frame.  The gun is shorter (4.1 inches) than the TP9SA, though.  The difference between the TP9 and the new version is the trigger…both DA and SA modes are supposedly great!  Yes, there’s still the decocker, only now it’s used to go from SA to DA mode.  What’s cool is that it’s confirmed that the TP9SA and TP9v2 can share magazines…that’s a huge plus.

I find myself intrigued, but I already have two Canik TP9SAs (one black and one tan).  I’ve already mentioned that I could sell one of them to fund another gun.  Then again, the gun is so cheaply priced, I could probably get by without selling a gun to purchase a v2.  I can also wait, as Canik is supposed to be releasing compact models too.  They also have .40Cal versions but I’m not sure if they’re exporting them to the U.S.

I’ll be paying attention to the upcoming reviews, especially since James Yeager thinks the v2’s trigger modes are excellent.

Categories
2A carry concealed carry firearms training

Some 2A Food For Thought

I posted the following yesterday to my friends and family on Facebook:

Yes, folks, I carry. I’m carrying 70% of the time I’m not showering, not sleeping, or not on the work campus. Do I care that others don’t know that I carry? No…that’s not what the 2nd Amendment is about. The 2A doesn’t say that I’ve the right to bear arms as long as other people know I’m carrying and that they’re comfortable with it. Why do I carry? Because I choose to. Basically, I’ve the constitutional right to carry. There’s nothing conditional about it. I do not have to let other citizens know. Yes, open carry is an option (it’s legal here), but not for me…why would I let potential bad guys know that I’m their first priority?

Those that see me occasionally…I was probably carrying when you last saw me. You probably never knew. You probably felt comfortable then. Will you feel as comfortable the next time we meet, now that you know? I hope so, because I wasn’t a nut then and I’m not a nut now.

Why advertise that I carry? You all already know I own guns…I’ve been posting pictures and articles the last 9 months. I’ve been a gun lover since 1986, when I enlisted. That’s the total of my adult life. You’re also my friends, which is why you’re seeing this now. The assumption is that you already suspected that I carry, so it’s not a big deal for me to keep this a secret amongst a certain group of people. Some people hide such facts. I don’t.

Again, this isn’t a big deal for me. YMMV.

Where’s this coming from? An opinion on 2A from someone that doesn’t exercise the right.

I got the reply, which I agree with:

Now more than ever, it’s an option that every law abiding American should exercise.

Someone then replied to him with the following:

I know enough law abiding Americans who are generally a danger to themselves and others to appreciate that not everyone should have a gun.

What does someone say to that?  Well, the same can be said of anything. Some people have no business driving, for example, yet they’re never noticed until they’ve been in several nasty accidents.  And, when this happens (it happens a LOT with chronic drunks driving home), is there overwhelming support to ban people from having easy access to cars?  Nope.

As with anything, some people either require more training than others or need to not do that particular activity. The slope becomes slippery when additional criteria is added to basic rights…the rights are no longer really rights. The system doesn’t need to be tweaked every time someone gets emotional about an issue that, on the whole, isn’t all that much of a problem.  If someone becomes problematic, deal with that particular person, not the whole group.

In VA, you’re required to pass a basic firearms handling course before you can carry concealed…if people still are considered to be a danger to themselves and others even after meeting the state requirements, then what do you do? Limiting the population as a whole isn’t a good answer, especially if those types of people are outliers.  Until that person accidentally kills himself or someone else, there’s really nothing you can do.  Regulating a whole population because a few are inept is bad, and there’s nothing that can be preemptively done that won’t affect the people that are carrying properly.

Categories
2A 2nd Amendment national reciprocacy

So You Want National Reciprocacy…

Many people are welcoming national reciprocacy when it comes to firearms regulations.  What’s my take on this?

Right now, I’m only concerned with my current state of residence (VA).  I don’t travel out of state all that much and when I do, it’s almost certainly NC that I visit.  VA and NC currently have reciprocacy.  This works for me.

I know that tracking reciprocacy across the nation is a big headache.  I’m sure I’d doubly think so if I had to travel through multiple states while carrying.  Is national reciprocacy the answer, though?

I don’t think it is.  Why?  Because the current administration is hostile to gun ownership.  The last thing we need as collective gun owners is to give them the authority to change the current regulations…that will give them the legitimacy to do anything they want.  Currently, they do not have the authority to change 2A at the state level and if they’re hostile to the idea and we give them the authority to apply reciprocay at the national level, what do you think is going to eventually happen?  No, it might not happen immediately, but it will eventually happen.  The US government almost ALWAYS takes and never gives.  Once they have the authority and are allowed to create national reciprocacy, and once they start to change things that people don’t agree with, it will be too late to reverse things.

In my opinion, it’s better to deal with what we currently have in place than to allow them to change things or give us what we want but include something hidden that will give us problems later.  It’s in every government’s nature to control as much as possible…why give them more control over something we’ve had difficulty in gaining in the past?

I’m no alarmist but I’m not stupid, either.  Never give up what was hard-earned.  Giving the government control over something that’s a right is stupid.

UPDATE:  Here’s a related link on 2A reciprocacy.

Categories
15 2075 380 AR-556 Bersa Canik CZ Glock M&P Plus RAMI BD Ruger S&W Shark Shark C T-100 T100 Thunder Tristar

New Wishlist

I’m probably not going to get any new guns any time soon…I’m still OK with what I currently have.

I do wonder if I should try to sell a couple since I’m no longer going to California and no longer have the need to be able to bring non-attainable guns with me to that state.  I currently have two Canik TP9SAs, for example…I only really need one.  The plan was to bring two and possibly sell one of them to a CA resident since those are not on the CA DOJ roster.  As well, I’ve two Rock Island Armory 1911s that shoot 9mm ammo…I really only need one, although I can keep one of them to modify/paint.  I’ve even thought about selling my Sig Sauer SP2022 and even my P220…of the two, the P220 has more ‘keep’ potential, although it won’t hurt to keep both of the (I’ve the space).

Some guns I’m thinking about buying next are:

CZ 2075 RAMI BD in 9mm

UPDATE (7/20/2014):  I’m adding the Tristar T-100 to the list.  It is a CZ75 clone and resembles a Baby Desert Eagle (itself a CZ clone).  They are 9mm DA/SA hammer-fired handguns.  There’s also the Canik Shark C, which is identical to the Tristar T-100.  The two colors I’m interested in are the platinum and black, but I only want one of the two:

sootch00 has a good review of the T-100 here:

UPDATE (1/22/2016):  I changed my mind about the Bersa Thunder Pro Ultra Compact.  I have also changed my mind about the RIA rifle and the S&W E-Series 1911…I no longer want any of them.  I do want a Bersa Thunder 380 Plus (or Combat model).  A Glock 22 Gen 3 (used) is also desirable, as well as a Grand Power P1 (mk7 is preferable, to cut costs).  Oh, and a long gun is pretty much mandatory:  I’ll considering either a Ruger AR-556 or a S&W M&P 15 Sport (the Ruger would be the better buy for the same amount of money, though).

To be honest, not a lot is jumping out at me and I should really start thinking about taking a few self defense courses and focus on trying to sharpen my shooting skills.

Categories
broken links dump images picture URLs

Just a note that some/many image links may be broken

Just a note that some/many image links may be broken.

I lost a whole blog (sti.wigglit.com/wordpress) and lost my backups as well, due to bad backup practices (a lesson was learned).  Many of my images were hosted on the server that hosted the blog.

I did a quick perusal of the images and fixed the ones I saw that are broken (rendered images).  Any URLs that point to images have not been checked, though.  You can help out by letting me know if you see any that aren’t working.  🙂

UPDATE:  I re-added the firearms image directory structure, although the naming conventions have probably changed.  I also added a picture dump (1 gig in images) of unsorted pictures.

Categories
basics cardinal rules firearms gun safety

Changing the Rules: Revisiting the Basics of Safe Gun Handling — USCCA

https://www.usconcealedcarry.com/changing-rules-revisiting-basics-safe-gun-handling/

You know the rules. They are: 1. Treat every gun as if it is loaded. 2. Never point your firearm at something you are not willing to destroy. 3. Keep your finger off the trigger until you have made a decision to shoot. 4. Know your target and beyond.

So, do you agree with all those rules? Do they make sense in every situation?

I learned recently of differing definitions that more clearly relate safe gun handling techniques to the tasks of personal defense than do those four cardinal rules. While attending a class at the Sig Sauer Academy, my eyes were opened to the difference between safe gun handling and “range rules.”

I read the article and I totally agree with everything that was mentioned.  The rules, although considered “cardinal” are taken too literally.  It’s not a problem with the rules, but a problem with how they’re understood.  For example, if you watch some people check to see that a weapon is clear, you’ll see many rack the slides 10 times (in a row)  when it’s only necessary to do this once.  As well, some people stick their finger in the chamber to check if a round is there…really???  Simply looking is enough…there’s no need to feel for something that you’d normally see (and a slide catch letting go on a finger can cause injury).  If you don’t see it, it isn’t there.  We’re not talking about weapons with chambers so deep you can’t see ammo that might be chambered.

This one is a pretty good read.  It is good suggestive reading material, IMO.

Categories
American Classic Commander Metro Arms MS Ultra Rock Island Armory tactical

My 1911s – Possible Upgrades

I’d not done any comparisons between my 1911s, so I decided to look at them (against each other) last week.  

I found that my Metro Arms Commander lacks a magazine well.  I also found that both of my Rock Island Armory 1911s have plastic mainspring housings.

Magazine wells and metal mainspring housings aren’t essential but they do heighten the ownership experience.  Up until I read that tactical RIAs had plastic mainspring housings, I didn’t know and it didn’t bother me.  Having a magazine well helps in inserting magazines and I hadn’t noticed the lack of the well, since I have less than 100 rounds through my American Classic…still, I did not notice that it lacked a mag well when I last shot it.

So, I’m probably going to buy a blued mag well for the American Classic and two mainspring housings for both of my tactical RIA 1911s…just for the hell of it.

Categories
+P ammo cartridge casing FMJ grain JHP round

Defensive Ammo

One thing I never ask about in gun forums is ammo recommendations.  Why?  Because the answers you get will be highly subjective in nature, and although there are some guys who want to play as scientists and provide ballistics research articles, charts and other such resources, what it boils down to is this:  there are no humans that are bullet-proof on this earth.  When a bad guy breaks into your home at 2am, more than likely he’s not wearing armor, so shoot what you’re most comfortable with, ammunition-wise.

The suggested choices are JHP (or, jacketed hollow points), though.  This is because JHP is designed to do damage to flesh, but will also be less likely to over-penetrate (ie, go through the targeted body and into another person or object that might contain a person — house or car or other room).  Some people actually prefer FMJ, or full metal jacketed, but unless you know the backdrop, that is a dangerous ammunition to use for self or home defense, as the over-penetration potential will be high.  The danger is that a round could over-penetrate an aggressor and be a danger to others in the house (or even a danger to your neighbor in his or her own home).

The question I would’ve asked on a gun forum is, what type of defensive ammo would you use and why?  This question wouldn’t pertain to ammo brand, but more of what grain bullet would be preferred.  Grain refers to the weight of the projectile, not the amount of powder in the casing.  Some ammo makers use lighter-grain projectiles, as since they weigh less than standard bullets.  For example, standard .45ACP ammo is 230-grain.  I bought 20 rounds of 185-grain .45ACP…while the round might not be hotter (ie, more powerful due to additional powder in the cartridge), the 185-grain round will travel faster than a 230-grain round with the same powder charge, since it weighs less.  As well, the round will fly straighter.  The heavier round will have more penetrating power since it would have more mass than a lighter grain projectile.  There are also heavier non-standard rounds.  For example, standard grain for 9mm is 115-grain and a heavier grain is the 124-grain or 147-grain 9mm round.

To be honest, it won’t matter what type of round you use.  What counts more is shot placement.  In a typical defensive scenario, if you hit center mass 5 times, a bad guy isn’t going to be walking away no matter what type of round you’re using, JHP or FMJ, 115-grain 9mm or 147-grain 9mm.  Even .22LR pistols can kill if shots are accurately placed (I’ve read several articles where people have killed intruders with .22 caliber handguns).

I’ve some +P JHP that I mean to experiment with (bought them from Gander Mountain in both .45ACP and 9mm…I believe it’s Remington).  +P usually means more powder than normal is within the cartridge.  I’m not sure if it is actually needed, but if I decide I want more, I know where to pick it up locally.

I also have that .22TCM 1911.  Many people assume that this gun shoots .22LR.  Uhmmm….no.  This round is a shortened and necked-down .223.  It has a lot of powder and when shot from a 5″ .22TCM 1911, muzzle velocities are well over 2000 feet per second (or FPS).  Commander-sized 1911s will shoot the round a bit slower (a tad under 2000 FPS).  Rock Island Armory also has a .22TCM rifle…when shot through that barrel, the muzzle velocity for this round exceeds 2800 FPS!  The round is JHP, but will still punch through 3/16″ steel with ease (video here).

Several good ammunition articles are here and here.

Categories
AZ CA California CCW CO firearms moving NM NV OR VA

Nope, Not Moving to CA!

I’ve had a change of heart and cancelled my plans to move to CA.  Why?  After thinking on it for months, I’ve determined that I’d be a fool to move to a state that limits it’s citizen in the manner that CA does (and not just with guns, but with everything).  After submitting for my VA CCW, I had a license in hand eight days later.  In CA, depending on the county, the CCW permit process could take up to 1.5 years, with a year wait almost guaranteed.  The gun laws are generally very restrictive, even if you’re not carrying.  10-round mags.  A highly restrictive list of guns that can be sold to you via retail.  Lots of red tape even selling used guns from one CA citizen to another.  I’ve lived there before…I didn’t like it then, either, and I wasn’t even into guns then.  Some advice:  never ever try to ignore yourself when your conscious is giving you bad vibes about a decision you’re trying to make.  I already feel much better about myself, now that I’ve decided not to move to that state.

I told my wife that I’d be receptive to moving to a border state (NV, AZ, OR) or states that are relatively close to CA (Utah, Colorado, New Mexico).  She only wants CA, but that’s not going to happen.  She thinks someone influenced my decision.  No, I just woke up.

So, I’ve got 10 guns now, and the only reason I bought the majority of them was because they aren’t available via retail in CA.  That doesn’t bother me since they’re excellent guns.  It does mean that I probably won’t be getting any guns for awhile, but that’s fine too.