Category: Review

S&W M&P 9mm Compact, by Pat Cascio

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Back in the day, I used to be a huge fan of S&W firearms. It was usually my preferred choice in a handgun. However, over the years, some of S&W politics turned me off, as well as a few times I encountered poor customer service. S&W is less political these days, and their  customer service is said to be better. Today, we’re checking out the M&P 9mm Compact semi-auto, and it’s a real dandy for concealed carry. I’m not really bashing S&W these days. Far from it – the old guard at S&W made some bad business decisions some years …


CRKT/Ruger AR Cleaning Tool, by Pat Cascio

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I do a lot of AR-15 shooting these days, either testing guns for articles, or just for my own shooting pleasure. One thing that I don’t especially enjoy, and never have, is AR cleaning. Because they use a gas tube rather than a gas piston, they require frequent cleaning. And they aren’t one of the easiest rifles to clean. Today, we’re looking at the AR cleaning tool, from CRKT and Ruger. Several years ago, Ruger commissioned CRKT to produce some cutlery for them – under the Ruger name, and it has been a great relationship. The first time I handled …


Glock 17 RTF 9mm Handgun, by Pat Cascio

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Many readers have asked me to review the Glock 17, even though I’ve already reviewed the Glock 19 – which is my favorite Glock model. Other than their size, there isn’t a lot of difference between the two models per se. However, since I received a lot of requests for my input on the Glock 17, we’re taking a close look at it today. It was 1987, and my family and I lived in Colorado Springs, Colorado – actually we lived slightly outside of The Springs, right next to the Peterson Air Force Base. Even though I was in partnership with my …


Cold Steel Cheap Shot 130 Crossbow, by Pat Cascio

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We often only think about firearms when we discuss hard-core survival. And of course, we need a good knife for various chores. But archery is often overlooked. Today, we’re taking a close look at Cold Steel‘s Cheap Shot 130 crossbow. I quickly found that it is a joy to use. When I was 11 or 12 years old, a friend and I used to hunt rabbits in a field – a big field – down the block from where my mother and step-father lived. I didn’t live with them, but would spend some weekends at their house. The field itself …


Savage Axis .30-06 and Trigger Kit, by Pat Cascio

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I’m a sucker for a great deal on firearms, and my local gun shop knows this. They are always putting guns in my hands. One really caught my attention: the Savage Arms Axis chambered in 30-06. That is one of my favorite big game cartridges. I don’t get out and do a lot of hunting these days, however when I do, its usually for deer, or black bear, and my all-time favorite caliber is .30-06. It’ll get the job done – every single time – with the right bullet placement, and the right bullet. I completely missed hunting this past …


Bell & Howell TacLight Lantern/Flashlight Combo, by Pat Cascio

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When the lights go out, we usually reach for a flashlight. However, there are much better forms of portable light. Today we check out the TacLight lantern and flashlight. They are winners. I’ve owned many LED lanterns over the years, some were really bad, and some were a bit more than okay, when it came to giving us light, when the lights went out. Living in the boonies, we lose electricity quite often from trees falling on power lines because of heavy snow, rain, and winds. It just comes with living out in the country, and we are usually the …


Springfield Armory SAINT AR Pistol, by Pat Cascio

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Editor ‘s Note: This review is of the standard Springfield Armory SAINT AR pistol. It is not to be confused with the Saint Edge, which Pat reviewed on January 21, 2019. Pat also reviewed the Saint rifle, in February, 2017. — Most of the time, I have at least 25 products awaiting testing and a follow-up article. So, my plate is always full. When the Springfield Armory Saint AR Pistol first came out, I had to take a pass on testing it – just too much of a backlog. When things settled down a bit, I requested a sample of this AR …


CRKT Maven Folder, by Pat Cascio

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The nice folks at Columbia River Knife and Tool (CRKT) sent me their Maven folder for testing. That is a strange name for a folding knife, “Maven”. It means someone who is an expert in their field, or who has acquired expert knowledge. The Maven folder was designed by Richard Rogers. Richard Rogers is a working cattle rancher in Magdalena, New Mexico. His toughest critic is probably himself, and when he set out to design a no-frills folding knife, he kept this in mind – keep it simple, yet functional. Simple is always better if you ask me – less …


Ruger AR-556 MPR, by Pat Cascio

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Today I’m reviewing a Ruger AR-556. But this isn’t their everyday version. Rather, it is an enhanced one, that has some special features. The Trump Era Black Rifle Bonanza America is now blissfully awash in AR-15 family rifles. There’s more companies manufacturing ARs than ever before. And since the election of Donald Trump, prices are ARs have never been lower–at least from the viewpoint of inflation-adjusted Dollars. So now is the time to buy. Unfortunately, with the Democrats taking control of the House of Representatives, I fear that a lot of anti-gun legislation will be coming down the pike. And, …


Cold Steel Storm Cloud Folder, by Pat Cascio

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“One gorgeous folder” aptly describes the Cold Steel Storm Cloud. It is one tough, but lightweight folding knife. It is one that you might want to add to your collection. When new knives come to my attention, and I think it is something our readers will really like, I request a sample. This folder from Cold Steel Knives, the Storm Cloud, really caught my eye when I first saw it. Only “bad” thing with many Cold Steel products is, supply seems to outstrip supply – and folks have to wait. I put in a request for the Storm Cloud, as …


Springfield Armory Saint Edge AR 5.56mm Pistol, by Pat Cascio

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Several weeks ago, we introduced our readers to the Springfield Armory Saint AR 5.56mm rifle. Today we’re taking a close look at the newest sibling, the Saint “Edge” AR pistol, and it is quite a firearm.  Note: This is not to be confused with Springfield’s standard Saint AR pistol, which I will be reviewing in a couple of weeks. According to the Springfield Armory web site, the Edge AR pistol combines the most popular features of their premium Saint Edge AR rifle, with compact shootability in an AR pistol platform. This compact AR pistol, is everything Springfield claims it to …


Springfield Armory XDm 10mm, by Pat Cascio

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The 10mm round is just one of those calibers that refuses to go away, and this latest handgun addition– the Springfield Armory XDm– which is chambered in 10mm, might just be the best handgun to come along in this hot-stepping caliber. Some History of 10mm Caliber Handguns Let me give you some of the history on 10mm caliber handguns. Many years ago, a company called Dornus & Dixon announced they were coming out with a handgun in the new 10mm caliber. There were many problems along the way, first of which was financing. The second issue was that, while they …


Kershaw Concierge, by Pat Cascio

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Kershaw knives never ceases to amaze me with the seemingly unlimited folding knife designs they come out with. Today we’re checking out the new Concierge folder, and it’s a slick one for every day carry. Folding Knives I’ve been carrying folding knives since I was about five or six years old. When I was growing up in Chicago, just about every kid carried a folder of some kind. We didn’t get into knife fights, either. It was just a tool as far as we were concerned. We also played a game called mumbly peg. I’m not sure what the point …


Blackhawk Terrain Mid-Training Shoes, by Pat Cascio

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A good shoe is important to survival, be it in the city or out in the boonies. Without a good shoe, you may fail in your survival efforts. We’re looking at the Blackhawk Products Terrain Mid-Training shoe. Discount Big Box Store Shoes I know. I know. We all have to watch how we spend our hard-earned money these days, and I’m no exception to this. I certainly understand the discount shoe stores and big box stores, who sell cheap shoes, and I mean this not only in price but that they’re cheaply made. Oh sure, they initially look really well …


Springfield Armory Range Officer Elite Operator 1911, by Pat Cascio

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Once again, another new and very exciting 1911 from Springfield Armory is under review today. This one is a winner and a bargain as well. Range Officer 1911 From Several Years Ago Several years ago, Springfield Armory came out with the Range Officer 1911. It was meant to be all set up so the user could enter various shooting competitions, and it worked quite well in that regard. However, it wasn’t 100% suitable for street carry, if you ask me; it needed to be refined, updated, or “something” needed to be done. The All-New SA Range Officer Elite Operator 1911 …