I finally managed to get into the 2012 Walmart firearm order book and found a lack of ordering information for evil black rifles like Sigs or Bushmasters, but I did find the listing for the cool Ruger Gunsite Scout rifle. It is running for about $760 or so. Not exactly a 'deal'. It would be about that or less at most gunshops.
Sadly, this and the Ruger Mini series were the most evil and black rifles in the book. Yet, the Sig 522s, 556s, and m400s as well as Bushmasters are being sold. Still working on more info.
Friday, November 25, 2011
Wednesday, November 9, 2011
SIG 522 sighted at Walmart!
A SIG-Sauer 522, the .22lr 556 lookalike, was waiting for someone to buy it in the guncase at work. It had the iron sights included and was priced at $487. I've been wanting one for a long while. If I wasn't getting the Sig 245, I would have most likely bought it today. Nevertheless, this is the second true evil black rifle to be seen on Walmart shelves recently. Hopefuly, we will see lots more and be able to order them.
I'm working on using my employee status to get some concrete details on what all will be listed for special order. So far, I have found out that Walmarts are supplyed by South Sports, which is a major distributor that sells just about everything out there. There are instructions for ordering a catalog, but I'm still hunting for the new one we should either have already or be getting soonish.
UPDATE ON ORDERING
I'm working on using my employee status to get some concrete details on what all will be listed for special order. So far, I have found out that Walmarts are supplyed by South Sports, which is a major distributor that sells just about everything out there. There are instructions for ordering a catalog, but I'm still hunting for the new one we should either have already or be getting soonish.
UPDATE ON ORDERING
Can Abortion be Considered Justifiable Homicide?
After failing to make a post happen about the Mississippi vote to give fertilized human eggs full human status, I ended up starting a rather heated discussion about the subject in the Gunblogger Conspiracy IRC channel. All sides made some rather good point and some bad, and after having abortion called murder so many times, something stuck with me about it. At work tonight, my thoughts turned back to the conversation and a stray thought hit me hard. Could under certain circumstances an abortion be considered a justifiable homicide?
Killing in self defense is not an uncommon topic in the gunny world. We who carry weapons must deal with the idea that we may be forced to use it. When it comes down to it we allowed by law to commit homicide in protection of ourselves, others, and sometimes our property. Under many state's laws, we do not have to wait for the assault to come, but merely the threat of imminent harm is enough to justify a self defense shooting. Such shootings are different from murder because of the intent. The intent isn't merely to kill someone, but to prevent or stop that person from causing harm. This remains true even if the perpetrator did not mean to harm anyone. Not all criminals are out to harm you, and sometimes people are accidental criminals such in the case of intoxicated persons breaking into homes that are not theirs. The fact that they represent a possible real and present danger is enough to justify their deaths in the eyes of the law. It is tragedy.
In the case of an abortion, the same may hold true. Especially in the event of the rape of a minor. While, opponents point out that while it is terrible that a child was raped, the baby growing inside them is blameless and thus not to be held accountable for the crime committed by the father. To terminate would be murder. But murder is in the intent isn't it? Pregnancy is not always safe. Especially for physically immature mothers. There are real dangers to life and permanent health associated with such pregnancies. Terminating the fetus could be construed as protecting the life and well being from harm rather than murdering it. Is this necessarily so different from an intruder in your house? Will they hurt someone or take something or just go? We do not know until the end. But waiting until the end we could hit the worst possible result or the best. We do not know.
This concept could be expanded to even mature rape victims. Just as in Texas, a thief can be shot down in the back for stealing property, a child is such a massive financial burden for so long... It wouldn't take much to apply it I think. This is really some major food for thought.
Killing in self defense is not an uncommon topic in the gunny world. We who carry weapons must deal with the idea that we may be forced to use it. When it comes down to it we allowed by law to commit homicide in protection of ourselves, others, and sometimes our property. Under many state's laws, we do not have to wait for the assault to come, but merely the threat of imminent harm is enough to justify a self defense shooting. Such shootings are different from murder because of the intent. The intent isn't merely to kill someone, but to prevent or stop that person from causing harm. This remains true even if the perpetrator did not mean to harm anyone. Not all criminals are out to harm you, and sometimes people are accidental criminals such in the case of intoxicated persons breaking into homes that are not theirs. The fact that they represent a possible real and present danger is enough to justify their deaths in the eyes of the law. It is tragedy.
In the case of an abortion, the same may hold true. Especially in the event of the rape of a minor. While, opponents point out that while it is terrible that a child was raped, the baby growing inside them is blameless and thus not to be held accountable for the crime committed by the father. To terminate would be murder. But murder is in the intent isn't it? Pregnancy is not always safe. Especially for physically immature mothers. There are real dangers to life and permanent health associated with such pregnancies. Terminating the fetus could be construed as protecting the life and well being from harm rather than murdering it. Is this necessarily so different from an intruder in your house? Will they hurt someone or take something or just go? We do not know until the end. But waiting until the end we could hit the worst possible result or the best. We do not know.
This concept could be expanded to even mature rape victims. Just as in Texas, a thief can be shot down in the back for stealing property, a child is such a massive financial burden for so long... It wouldn't take much to apply it I think. This is really some major food for thought.
Friday, October 28, 2011
KnifeCenter's Prompt Response
Yesterday, I received a knife that was simply not the color as depicted on it's product page at KnifeCenter. While, I still opened the package, I sent an email complaining about the misleading image and that they should change it.
I checked the product page and found a new image in place of the old. One where there is no doubt that the blade has a dark coating. Waiting in my email was their apology for the inconvenience, an explanation that it was an image from the manufacturer, and a thank you for bringing it to their attention.
The KnifeCenter has always done good by me, and this just cements it. It took them less than 24 hours to fix a mistake. I'm sure if I had not opened the package, and returned the knife, there would have been zero issues. You may pay a few extra bucks at KnifeCenter, but the service here tends to be fast and any problems will be solved quickly. They also will give you a small extra if you review a knife for them. Using my last review code, I got a free Camilus Lubricant and Wipe cloth. The time before that, a decent paring knife. These goodies aren't much, but it feels nice getting a little extra in today's economy.
I checked the product page and found a new image in place of the old. One where there is no doubt that the blade has a dark coating. Waiting in my email was their apology for the inconvenience, an explanation that it was an image from the manufacturer, and a thank you for bringing it to their attention.
The KnifeCenter has always done good by me, and this just cements it. It took them less than 24 hours to fix a mistake. I'm sure if I had not opened the package, and returned the knife, there would have been zero issues. You may pay a few extra bucks at KnifeCenter, but the service here tends to be fast and any problems will be solved quickly. They also will give you a small extra if you review a knife for them. Using my last review code, I got a free Camilus Lubricant and Wipe cloth. The time before that, a decent paring knife. These goodies aren't much, but it feels nice getting a little extra in today's economy.
Trial of the Canton PD's Victim
Many have seen the unbelievable video of Officer Daniel Harless of the Canton PD Ohio's verbal assault and threats against the CCW permit holder, William Bartlett, on Youtube. He was arrested and charged with failure to inform an officer of his concealed weapon.
It is pretty clear in the video that, Officer 'Roidrage', verbally and physically intimidated this man and simply would not allow him to give that information immediately. Thanks to the video the genie is out and Harless will have to face the music eventually. However, the local law enforcement is not happy to be caught and are working hard to make Bartlett pay for the crime of standing up to their bullying.
The trial against Bartlett is proceeding and Ohioans For Concealed Carry are looking for donations for legal defense. I've tossed a few bucks into the pot and you can too here. Please donate to this worthy cause. Show those bullies that there are far too many of us for them to just 'go home and sleep like a baby' when they beat up on the little guy.
It is pretty clear in the video that, Officer 'Roidrage', verbally and physically intimidated this man and simply would not allow him to give that information immediately. Thanks to the video the genie is out and Harless will have to face the music eventually. However, the local law enforcement is not happy to be caught and are working hard to make Bartlett pay for the crime of standing up to their bullying.
The trial against Bartlett is proceeding and Ohioans For Concealed Carry are looking for donations for legal defense. I've tossed a few bucks into the pot and you can too here. Please donate to this worthy cause. Show those bullies that there are far too many of us for them to just 'go home and sleep like a baby' when they beat up on the little guy.
Thursday, October 27, 2011
Surprise Bacon Find!
Was trotting through a Wal-mart and look what I found. Can any one resist?
Yes, Bacon Jerky! It's good, too! Tastes right, and is nicely chewy. I can't decide if this was a very good find or very very very very bad find. Nevertheless, seems like the perfect snack for everyone's favorite extra dangerous librarian.
Yes, Bacon Jerky! It's good, too! Tastes right, and is nicely chewy. I can't decide if this was a very good find or very very very very bad find. Nevertheless, seems like the perfect snack for everyone's favorite extra dangerous librarian.
Just In: Timberline Tactical ECS-4
The brown truck of joy dropped this guy off little more than an hour ago, yet some drama ensued instantly. The problem was that the blade color of it on KnifeCenter was a good bit lighter than as it came.
This relatively recent addition to Timberline's knives has a particular gimmick that intrigued me. The knife locks and unlocks itself in it's sheath via the metal bar on the grip. The sheath hook is designed to lock into place by the knife just being normally inserted. To draw, the grip on the knife is simply made tight. While some might decry this motion as impossible in the case of a damaged hand, normal kydex sheaths would be equally hard to draw from in the same situation.
So far, I really like the sheath system. It is MOLLE ready and the mountings can be reversed to a left handed/offhanded use. It is not kydex but rather a hard plastic, but it seems nicely made thus far. I will be putting a keyring on it and using it in carbiner carry this week as well.
The blade itself is a 3inch modified spear point in one of the 440s, probably 440C. After the sheer excellence of my Kershaw's SkyLine's blade, I've gotten quite a lot of love for this style of blade. Sadly, this one was only really sharp on one side, I will be working on it with my sharpener this week.
The grip may be the real weak point here. It's not as grippy as I'd like, and a bit short for the guard style. However, there is jimping under this simple cross guard, allowing solid point control.
The knife set me back about $40 dollars plus shipping. There is a larger version of this spear point coming soon. It will feature a 3.8 inch blade, longer grip, and possibly some orange grips and a grip tool included in its accessories. The grip tool and extra grips are present in the Tanto and Drop Point styles of the 3.8, already out. The drop point is handsome, and might make a solid choice for defensive work.
I'll be replacing my Cold Steel Mini-tac Tanto for now with this. I'll be looking to give an update on it's performance in about 2 weeks.
Wednesday, October 26, 2011
Incoming Stabby
New fixed blade inbound from KnifeCenter. As much as I like my Cold Steel Tanto, I'm ready to try something different. Sadly, it is not the M1-compact. I'm going to try to hold out for the M1 Mini to get the TOPS treatment. Or maybe just get one directly from Relentless.
A Tasty Experiment
During my endless toil for the Bovine Overseer and out Dark Corporate Lords, I discovered a brick of queso blanco velveeta cheese-like product. Evil plans formed in my mind.
I actually feel that Velveeta and other processed 'American' cheeses have a place in the kitchen. They melt to gooey so very well. I've often tossed some 2% Velveeta to transform my chili into wonderful chili cheese topping for chips or hot dogs. I still have a pocket of it frozen in the freezer for a lousy cold day.
After work I purchased said brick of cheese, 1lb of ground chicken, 1 packet McCormick chicken taco seasoning, a can of refried beans, and some tortilla chips. Scoops to be precise.
Browned the chicken in a skillet lightly oiled with peanut oil. Then followed the directions for the mix packet. Added the water, but only put in about 2/3rds of the seasoning. Let it simmer a bit. Added and mixed in the can of refried beans. Last came a 4th of the block of white processed cheese-like substance cut into cubes. Stirred until fully melted and mixed up.
It was delicious. The spouse unit agreed vehemently. I, and my arteries, felt very full and satisfied after downing a bowl along with a plate of chips. The beans and the chicken make this feel a lot of lighter than a beef chili-cheese dip would. With about a third of the cheese, it would would make a solid filling for corn or flour tortillas. As it stands this will get used during the holidays as a snacking dip. Tasty is considered a solid success.
I actually feel that Velveeta and other processed 'American' cheeses have a place in the kitchen. They melt to gooey so very well. I've often tossed some 2% Velveeta to transform my chili into wonderful chili cheese topping for chips or hot dogs. I still have a pocket of it frozen in the freezer for a lousy cold day.
After work I purchased said brick of cheese, 1lb of ground chicken, 1 packet McCormick chicken taco seasoning, a can of refried beans, and some tortilla chips. Scoops to be precise.
Browned the chicken in a skillet lightly oiled with peanut oil. Then followed the directions for the mix packet. Added the water, but only put in about 2/3rds of the seasoning. Let it simmer a bit. Added and mixed in the can of refried beans. Last came a 4th of the block of white processed cheese-like substance cut into cubes. Stirred until fully melted and mixed up.
It was delicious. The spouse unit agreed vehemently. I, and my arteries, felt very full and satisfied after downing a bowl along with a plate of chips. The beans and the chicken make this feel a lot of lighter than a beef chili-cheese dip would. With about a third of the cheese, it would would make a solid filling for corn or flour tortillas. As it stands this will get used during the holidays as a snacking dip. Tasty is considered a solid success.
Friday, October 21, 2011
The Defensive Fixed Blade
I often speak of defensive fixed blade knives to be carried offhand. Dan at BladeReviews mentioned that he appreciated my input on such things so I'm going to over-clarify. These are my opinions and observations, but of course, I've never actually gone at anyone with a blade. If you think it's crap, please comment away!
First off one must remember that a defensive knife isn't the same thing as a true dedicated fighting knife, nor is it going to be a combat knife. Fighting knives have their own special requirements. The foremost is the ability to deliver an immediate kill. Therefore, the fighting blade must be either deliver catastrophic damage through edge cuts or internal organ hits through point penetration. Combat knives for me, are knives that are primarily field tools that also can do a fair job as a fighting blade when necessary.
For an edge kill, that means a large knife with the weight and design physics to chop or slice through bone and muscle. Not just taking out arteries. Death by blood loss takes time. Time that can be used against you. In addition to the edge cut there is also the blunt force issues of bone and meat being pushed into other organs or places. Shock, the shear level of physical damage, and massive blood loss all together would finish off the victim. Kukris, barongs, large bowies, and such are renown for this sort of thing.
You'll find that penetration kills are more common. It is easier and falls in line of the fighting blade's role in the modern military world. Silent kills on enemy soldiers by special forces operators. These are ambush kills, but kills nonetheless. Here, length is the big issue. Like with the minimum penetration standards the FBI put out for handgun projectiles, there is a literal distance to be traveled to the life sustaining organs of the human body from the point of entry. If the blade is strong enough, it can penetrate the rib cage directly. The cage can be bypassed by going up under it or down through the collar. If one looks at the bayonets of the world you can figure out the minimum size for such weapons. The modern bayonet seems to be in the range of 6.5 to 8 inches in length. That is a reasonable bar then. Also, the blades tend not to be broad and are either double edged or the back is swedged to give better penetration.
But what does all this tell us about the defensive knife? Merely, what we cannot expect from it. Defensive blades are not meant to deliver a killing stroke. They can cause fatal wounds, but very rarely an immediate one. Look at a cat's claws for a great example. Cat's do not kill often with their claws, especially not something close to it's size. In predatory action, the claws hold while the bite kills. In a fight, the cat often curls up and uses its powerful rear legs to shred the soft places of its opponent. As we cat owners know, this crap hurts, even when they're just playing. The cat scratches you to make you let go. That is of course the end game. Getting free.
Your defensive blade is meant to inflict as much hurt as it can at point blank contact distance to make the goon let you go. As a bonus, it might seriously weaken that same person. Every drop of blood the other guy loses is helping the fight go in your favor. Also, like with a cat, he should never have seen that blade until he feels the tip scraping across his bones. Shock is useful! Fear and surprise can help you. If you can change his mind from fight to flight, it is your win.
Defensive blades, naturally have some serious requirements. For the blade, while length isn't as important, it must be kept deadly sharp. Just like you should keep a kitchen knife. After all, you're cutting meat. If the knife is too long it will not be easy to bring into use against a grappling attacker. The steel doesn't have to be uber premium. AUS8 and 440c do well for blades of 4 inch and under. This also has the benefit of not costing as much to replace if the knife must be left embedded in someone. Also, you want to be able to draw the knife and use it.
The grip needs to be excellent for both draw and retention. Ever try to pull a smooth gripped knife out of a kydex sheath? Or keep hold of a slimy grip? I find G10 grips to be wonderfully rough and grippy in the worst situations, but most poly, wood, or metal grips with good texturing will do nicely. Also, sub hilts and ring hilts help a lot in both draw and retention. They lock your finger in, though if the blade is caught, you might get something broken. Also, a good guard is a must too. I think too many knives do not have adequate guards. They're really not for protecting against other knives, but protecting you from a hand-slip and some cut fingers.
Perhaps the most neglected issue from the knife manufactures is carry options for their defensive blades. Most knife manufactures do not provide even decent sheaths with their knives. Many folks are forced to buy 3rd party sheath systems or make their own. IWB, OWB, pocket, neck, and even should carry are possible, but with knives they can be also carried in different positions like vertical and small of the back carry doesn't cause as much danger as it would with a handgun.
The images from top to bottom: TOPS Baghdad Bullet, unknown Kukri, Boker Plus Schanz Integral Dagger, Emerson La Griffe, Dirk Pinkerton Pocket Bowie, Boker Plus Mosier Tactical, CRKT Crawford Kasper Dragon, and KSF Pocket Sheaths.
First off one must remember that a defensive knife isn't the same thing as a true dedicated fighting knife, nor is it going to be a combat knife. Fighting knives have their own special requirements. The foremost is the ability to deliver an immediate kill. Therefore, the fighting blade must be either deliver catastrophic damage through edge cuts or internal organ hits through point penetration. Combat knives for me, are knives that are primarily field tools that also can do a fair job as a fighting blade when necessary.
For an edge kill, that means a large knife with the weight and design physics to chop or slice through bone and muscle. Not just taking out arteries. Death by blood loss takes time. Time that can be used against you. In addition to the edge cut there is also the blunt force issues of bone and meat being pushed into other organs or places. Shock, the shear level of physical damage, and massive blood loss all together would finish off the victim. Kukris, barongs, large bowies, and such are renown for this sort of thing.
You'll find that penetration kills are more common. It is easier and falls in line of the fighting blade's role in the modern military world. Silent kills on enemy soldiers by special forces operators. These are ambush kills, but kills nonetheless. Here, length is the big issue. Like with the minimum penetration standards the FBI put out for handgun projectiles, there is a literal distance to be traveled to the life sustaining organs of the human body from the point of entry. If the blade is strong enough, it can penetrate the rib cage directly. The cage can be bypassed by going up under it or down through the collar. If one looks at the bayonets of the world you can figure out the minimum size for such weapons. The modern bayonet seems to be in the range of 6.5 to 8 inches in length. That is a reasonable bar then. Also, the blades tend not to be broad and are either double edged or the back is swedged to give better penetration.
But what does all this tell us about the defensive knife? Merely, what we cannot expect from it. Defensive blades are not meant to deliver a killing stroke. They can cause fatal wounds, but very rarely an immediate one. Look at a cat's claws for a great example. Cat's do not kill often with their claws, especially not something close to it's size. In predatory action, the claws hold while the bite kills. In a fight, the cat often curls up and uses its powerful rear legs to shred the soft places of its opponent. As we cat owners know, this crap hurts, even when they're just playing. The cat scratches you to make you let go. That is of course the end game. Getting free.
Your defensive blade is meant to inflict as much hurt as it can at point blank contact distance to make the goon let you go. As a bonus, it might seriously weaken that same person. Every drop of blood the other guy loses is helping the fight go in your favor. Also, like with a cat, he should never have seen that blade until he feels the tip scraping across his bones. Shock is useful! Fear and surprise can help you. If you can change his mind from fight to flight, it is your win.
Defensive blades, naturally have some serious requirements. For the blade, while length isn't as important, it must be kept deadly sharp. Just like you should keep a kitchen knife. After all, you're cutting meat. If the knife is too long it will not be easy to bring into use against a grappling attacker. The steel doesn't have to be uber premium. AUS8 and 440c do well for blades of 4 inch and under. This also has the benefit of not costing as much to replace if the knife must be left embedded in someone. Also, you want to be able to draw the knife and use it.
The grip needs to be excellent for both draw and retention. Ever try to pull a smooth gripped knife out of a kydex sheath? Or keep hold of a slimy grip? I find G10 grips to be wonderfully rough and grippy in the worst situations, but most poly, wood, or metal grips with good texturing will do nicely. Also, sub hilts and ring hilts help a lot in both draw and retention. They lock your finger in, though if the blade is caught, you might get something broken. Also, a good guard is a must too. I think too many knives do not have adequate guards. They're really not for protecting against other knives, but protecting you from a hand-slip and some cut fingers.
Perhaps the most neglected issue from the knife manufactures is carry options for their defensive blades. Most knife manufactures do not provide even decent sheaths with their knives. Many folks are forced to buy 3rd party sheath systems or make their own. IWB, OWB, pocket, neck, and even should carry are possible, but with knives they can be also carried in different positions like vertical and small of the back carry doesn't cause as much danger as it would with a handgun.
The images from top to bottom: TOPS Baghdad Bullet, unknown Kukri, Boker Plus Schanz Integral Dagger, Emerson La Griffe, Dirk Pinkerton Pocket Bowie, Boker Plus Mosier Tactical, CRKT Crawford Kasper Dragon, and KSF Pocket Sheaths.
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