Category: Weapons

Letter: A Few Comments

Hello Hugh, I just wanted to pass on that the article you posted on Monday, the 27th, ER Doctor: What Scares Me Even More Than Ebola, made the rounds amongst the nurses, doctors, and some of the EMTs in the mid-sized hospital emergency room where I work, and every single person that read it was in total agreement that it was the most sound and well thought-out plan for dealing with wide spread pandemic infectious disease, whether Ebola or what ever the next wave might be. I have my doubts about it being taken to heart and applied nationally, but …


Scot’s Product Review: Hatsan Model 125 Sniper Vortex Air Rifle

For the prepper, air rifles offer quiet shooting that can be done for hunting, pest control, or practice. Quiet is always good. While these guns do make noise, it is a lot less than virtually all non-suppressed firearms. The sound signature is different as well; they sound more like an air nailer or stapler than a gun. They also can cost less to shoot, since you are just buying pellets and not a cartridge case, primer, and powder. There is even a chap in England selling kits to make your own pellets http://airgunpelletmaker.weebly.com/ , if you want more independence. When …


Letter: .40S&W Conversion for 9mm

Hello, “Beretta 9mm Model 92/Centurion Owners – .40 S&W Kits Now on the Market” How long ago was this posted? Do you know if they still have the kits available? If so, can you direct me to it on the website? Thanks – HKL Hugh Replies: I would be careful about any conversion to bring a 9mm to .40S&W. I know the intent was to have the .40S&W available on 9mm frames, but the cartridge has considerably more energy than the 9mm. I had a .41AE conversion for a Browning HP that destroyed the HP. The locking lugs were rolled …


Five Things You Need To Do To Be Prepared To Defend Yourself, Family, and Home, by E.W.

Buy weapons, not just guns. You’ve heard the expression “don’t put all your eggs in one basket”. This applies to the realm of tools for defending yourself, your family, home, and neighborhood. Put simply, you need to buy weapons and not just guns. Then, you need to know how to use them. Simply purchasing a battle carbine or several different firearms and a bunch of ammunition is not a complete approach to the solution of personal defense. It may be a good start, but there’s more to this whole thing. One way to think of this is geographically. Battle conditions …


Scot’s Product Review: FLIR LS-Series Thermal Imaging Camera

Seeing in the dark is something we poor humans aren’t good at. The term “cover of darkness” is an apt description, and if we can penetrate it we have a serious advantage over those who can’t. This also applies to anything that obscures visibility, such as smoke, haze, or other obstructions. We often hear the buzz phrase “force multiplier”, and anything that helps us see when our opponent can’t is a big one in my book. Being able to detect attackers first or control our own people is pretty huge, as the perils of being clueless are obvious. Besides the …


Letter: Bullet Proof 3-Ring Binder

My daughter had a science project due and she asked for my help. So, I helped her build a bullet proof 3-ring binder. Her goal was for the binder to stop a .223 bullet. The specs are as follows: The size is 12″ tall by 11″ wide The layers: The front cover: 1/4″ Ultra High Density Plastic 1/16″ Steel 1 panel of Kevlar bullet proof material from a bullet proof vest that expired in 1998. I folded the panel so the panel would fit inside the above dimensions and duct taped them in place. 1/4″ Ultra High Density Plastic She …


Letter Re: Scot’s Product Review: CMMG .22 LR Conversion for AR-15

Scot, Regarding the review, I have used an Attichison kit since the mid-70’s. (Yes, my first AR was bought over the counter in ’71, serial number under 20,000.) I have been satisfied with performance and accuracy. The CMMG is nearly identical so far I can tell on cursory examination, and I sold probably hundreds in retail and can’t recall any being returned or complained about. They save money, provide opportunity to train in places where .223 might prove problematic, and overall perform as they ought. I must confess to taking out a huge Norwegian Wharf Rat in my home in …


Scot’s Product Review: CMMG .22 LR Conversion for AR-15

We can have a lot of discussions about the good and bad points of the AR-15 and the .223 cartridge it is usually chambered for. Some think they are worthless junk, while others feel they are the cat’s meow. A lot of folks, myself included, are somewhere in between those two ends of the argument. I find the ergonomics to be quite good and very adaptable for left-handed shooters, like myself. You need to add an ambidextrous safety, and I think an ambi charging handle also helps. An ambi magazine release really rounds it out, but I can live without …


Letter Re: Rust on a Stainless Steel Colt XSE Government Model

Good afternoon, I am reading the post regarding corrosion on Colt stainless handguns. I believe your response needs to be understood by all. Stainless steel was not developed as a permanent solution to corrosion, rather as a base metal that is able to withstand harsher environmental conditions longer. Another problem is that there are numerous types of stainless formulations which comprise the “pool” of available metals from which to choose. Unless you have a decent connection at Colt, you may never know what type of stainless was used to produce your pistol. If you knew what type of stainless was …


Letter: Rust on a Stainless Steel Colt XSE Government Model

Mr. Rawles: I am an avid reader of your books and site. I purchased a stainless Colt XSE government model, per your recommendation and your use of the Gold Cups. After 3 1/2 months, I began having rusting issues under both grip panels. The unit is on the way back to Colt for repair. The pistol has been stored properly and cleaned after each range session. I think the manufacturing process was flawed, as there have been no issues with my blued model. Have you ever encountered this? If so, what precautions do you take to prevent the issue? Do …


Letter Re: Several Articles

Sir, First, thank you for all you do. I find this blog to be a wealth of information and inspiration. Second, regarding the piece about the Mosin/Nagent, thanks for a well-written article about Mosins. I recently purchased two of them for around $120 a piece. One was a piece of art manufactured just before WW2. The stock was a rich red and the brass pieces were screwed in. I cleaned it and gave it to my Dad as a “just because” present. The second Mosin was manufactured during WW2 and was much more rough. I ended up replacing the trigger …


Scot’s Product Review: The M1 Garand

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You can’t write an article on the M1 Garand without quoting Lt. General George S. Patton, who called the rifle “the greatest battle implement ever devised”. That was incredibly high praise coming from one of the greatest leaders of combined arms in WWII and considering the number of superb weapons that were developed in the conflict. The Garand is the semi-automatic rifle adopted by the U.S. Army in 1936. It was the first standard issue semi-auto adopted by any army. The Russians tried next with their SVT 38 and 40 rifles in 7.62mmx54R, but the combination of technical difficulties and …


Three Letters Re: Mosin Nagent Review

Jim, I agree with most of the author’s conclusions regarding the 91/30. It is rugged, dependable, and more than accurate enough for hunting or social purposes. Most will benefit from a thorough cleaning and judicious use of lapping compound on the bearing and camming surfaces of the bolt assembly. (Be careful to completely remove all of the compound and clean and lubricate appropriately following the lapping procedure.) Inspect the barrel crown and recrown if damage is found. The trigger design is simple and straightforward and can be cleaned up in most examples. Pay particular attention that the trigger components do …


Letter Re: Sharp-Shoot-R Products

I was truly amazed by the work Scott put into cleaning his firearms! I shoot a fair amount of hard cast lead bullets for plinking and target shooting but keep velocities under 1600 fps, and above that I use jacketed bullets, which seems to simplify my cleaning. One patch lightly gun oiled up and down the barrel three times, then I follow that with a dry patch up and down the barrel three times. Take a lightly oiled scrap of cloth and wipe down the outside of the firearm, then the bolt face and moving parts. If the firearm is …


Scot’s Product Review: Mosin-Nagant M91/30

A reader suggested that I take a look at lower cost firearms, particularly military surplus ones, and I thought it was a great idea. The one he told me that would make a good start is the Russian Mosin-Nagant, which is currently the easiest to find and cheapest surplus rifle on the market. It is chambered in a .30 caliber round, 7.62x54R, and there are a lot of them available at the moment coming from old war reserves in Russia and Ukraine. They were refurbished and put in storage when replaced by more modern arms. Russia and Ukraine are both …