End the AK vs AR debate!

Let us lay this debate down. Instead of trying to deride the other guy, lets concentrate on making something so fucking awesome, that we will neither want AK or AR.

The ARK should combine all of the best qualities of both AR and AK. The accuracy, ergonomics, and interchangeability of an AR must blend flawlessly with the reliability, durability, ease of maintenance, and a dab of the cost effectiveness of the AK platform. The end product shouldn't cost more than $800 for a standard model and less would be great.

I think the piston AR uppers are a step in the right direction, but maybe not enough. I want to see a bit more toughness added. As for some of the other ARish rifles out there, I don't think $2,500 is anything near a reasonably price for a fighting rifle.

Saturday Gun & Knife Pics!

First up is my Yugoslavian M70AB2 Underfolder, one of the best Century Arms AK clone builds as Century contracted the work out to another company.


Next comes my Remington 870 Magnum. It was a riot gun in a prison until sold as surplus in excellent condition but some rack wear. I have since added Knoxx Spec Ops stock, a Speedfeed polymer forend, and a Wilson Scattergun Technologies 3 round extension.

The Benchmade 151 Fixed Griptilian is one of my most recent purchases. Its going in the BoB as utility fixed blade.
Last year's birthday present from my lovely wife is this neat little Fallkniven G-1 Garm fighter. A nice little 3inch bladed boot knife. Once I get my Kydex sheath-making equipment together, the Garm will get the first IWB sheath.
Both

Adventures in Big Knife EDC!

A while back I helped an acquaintance get a large TV out to his car in bad weather. When he went to cut the garbage bags up to get the TV sealed up, he pulled a large Cold Steel Voyager folding knife. When I commented that I carried a much smaller EDC blade he gave me a bit of his grandfather's wisdom, "A big knife will cut anything a small knife can AND anything a big knife can."

Looking around the net, I noticed that there are very few large sized folders. I'd considered a Benchmade Ruckus. However, $170 for a 4inch folder, even with the excellent axis-lock, was just a bit steep for an often carried blade. Eventually, I found a magnum sized folder that worked the way I wanted, made from a good steel, and was at the right price. The SOG Spec-Elite II.


The Spec-Elite comes in a 4 and 5 inch version. I chose the massive 5inch. Its made out of VG-10 steel. One of the better Japanese knives steels. The Arc-lock of the SOG folders, works much the same way as the Axis-lock and features an even smoother operation. The price was excellent. Most places sold this design for over $120, but Yourcornerstore.com had it for only $100.

I've carried this for nearly two months. I still have some issues with this. Mainly in physically carrying it. The size causes two considerable problems. It has considerable heft. Next, its size is so great that when you pull the knife out, your thumb is not in line to flip open the knife.
It can be opened with a wrist-flick, one does not want to do that too much. I've found it loosens up the screws a little too much if done often. The next problem is that I'm nervous to use it! Its size is enough to cause coworkers to complain. Personal knives are prohibited, but this rule is totally ignored so long as they don't get used more than our box cutters. A 3inch EDC blade vs a 5inch blade might be hard to explain to the bosses. I think the 4inch version would work the better for EDC in a work environment.
There are a lot of positives about this knife though. Its HUGE! For a knife that may be put into use as a weapon, there is a certain level of confidence that this inspires. This knife is big enough to skin anything from a moose to a goblin. The opening and closing is extremely smooth. The pocketclip has good retention and carries well. I can see why folks have proclaimed the excellence of the SOG clips. The plastic grips have a texture that allows for a solid grip but doesn't hurt either.
Did I mention its huge and cool and is a big beautiful pig sticker? This is a neat knife really. I think the smaller version would be the superior large EDC folder, but the big dog is still a great knife.

Ink on Paper = Six months

The Christopher Handley case has been a big event in the comic book world. He was charged with possession of Japanese porn comics that had obscene depictions of children being abused. He ended up pleading guilty and was just handed down a 6 month sentence this Febuary. He will not be registered as a sex offender fortunately, but he will have 3 years of supervised release and 5 years of probation after his time is served. He will also have to court mandated mental health treatment during this time.

Six months in jail is a damn fucking long time to serve for ink on paper. Unlike true child pornography, obscene drawings do not involve an actual child being abused. The argument that it turns people in child molesters or pornographers does not hold water either. Its the same sort of argument used against guns, violent video games, movies, songs, and countless other things.

The actual ramifications of this are rather severe. If you download drawn anime style hentai images or someone in your household does, there's a good chance you have an drawn depiction of child abuse on your computer. Most folks into anime or manga will tell you that most of the heroines are usually around 14-16 years of age. These girls are often are found in hentai manga and often owned and sold here in the USA. There are millions of people in USA that have animated images in both hard copy and electronic form that could be considered obscene depictions of child abuse.

How old are the girls below? Which one if drawn having graphic tasteless sex would be an obscene depiction of child abuse?

Both images. Same girl, just different ages. Hinata here is 14 and 12 according to the manga.

If the girl is drawn and has big boobs its hard to prove an age, at the same time the reverse is true. A good example is the extremely popular character Konota Izumi.

At first glance any sort of sexual depiction of Konata here could be a drawn depiction of child abuse. However, in this US licensed show, Konata is 18 years old and in her last year of highschool. This is canon. The fact that she looks rather illegal is also a running joke in the anime, Lucky Star. However, she is old enough to be in pornography. There are many hentai doujinshi (or fan made comics) involving this very young looking lady. I do not know if this would stand your favor in court, however. It certainly wouldn't in Australia.

This is yet another law that has effectively renders millions as criminals. As monstrous as a comic depicting children being raped by animals is... I still absolutely cannot say that jail time is anything approaching justice. Because no one was harmed. Its ink on a page.

Charter Arms Revolver in new TSA finish!

This new stylish poo-brown camo Charter Arms .38 special will keep anyone from discovering any more TSA firearms in airport restrooms. In less seriousness, it looks perfect for smuggling into prison.

Kershaw Skyline

I first saw the Skyline at my local Walmart. After I got to handle it, I liked the feel enough to pick it up for around 30 dollars. This is a pretty good knife, not perfect though. The first big positive is that this is one sharp knife. NIB it was razor sharp. After 6 months of pretty regular use, I had a friend and scout leader sharpen it back to razor sharpness. The blade a relatively broad thin drop-point style. This is dangerous if you're not used to very sharp blades. Next on the list of good features is the flipper. It flicks the blade into position very readily and then combines with the cut in the handle to become an excellent finger guard. This feature along with the G10 scales make for a firm grip on the handle. The liner lock also works well and disengages properly. Blade deployment is smooth. The knife is also very light. All of these features make this a very solid choice for an EDC blade.

Already, the Skyline is well worth the 30 dollars. However, were Kershaw to make a new version of this, there are a number of things to improve this design. First and foremost is the pocketclip. The pocketclip is short, fat, and hard to clip onto your pants. It will cause premature wear on your pocket. Deployment of the knife only reinforces the clip's troublesome nature. Next is the lack of jimping. While a firm grip i s still possible, the jimping adds some control that I'd simply prefer on a knife this sharp. Lastly, the thumstuds are useless for opening or closing the blade. They are sharp on the fingers and totally useless. Kershaw should either remove them or make them useful.

Internet Slapfight!

Rob Russell, big man and violent liberal, has been talking smack about pro-gunners and then editing their blog posts to his site. Figures. Here's my newest post to be saved before possibly being edited on his site.

Your comments tell me different. Your 'big man' mentality is telling you to throw your weight around and make some terroristic threats. If you truly didn't care, you wouldn't bother slap fighting with trolls. Making violent threats against people on the internet only cheapens your position and possibly endangers it. You do live in a society where you should worry about what your common sense cannot overcome. What happens if your comments get forwarded to the cops, or your East Tennessee bosses? Or to news agencies if you bid for congress again? Will they just laugh it off because of "Those stupid conservative pro-gun nutjobs" or will the officer investigating be insulted by you taking about how much you like hitting conservative assholes.

Twice the Victim

A good friend of mine has been rightfully upset by a vicious gang attack on his brother this past week. His brother is only 16 and was walking through the park of a nearby town when a group of other teenage kids, headed by a 30-something man, jumped him and beat him bloody. Even once the brother was on the ground, they continued, the older man kicking him in the face.

After the attack, the police managed to get most of the attackers. Mr. 30something claims that the youth had pulled a blade on the large group and that they had acted out of 'fear' for their lives. This is typical and expected sort of lie, so it doesn't surprise me. What surprises me is how the authorities dealt with the victim.

The younger brother was to attended a required counseling session. During the course of the session he was asked how he felt about the attack and the people who attacked him. While he said he didn't wish anything particular bad on the younger participants, when asked about the 30 something year old man who lead the assault and kicked him in the face, the teen replied that he 'would like to kill him'.

Due to the threatening nature of his 'anger issues' my friend's brother has been sent to a juvenile facility for treatment. He refused the medication that would treat his 'unhealthy anger'. After repeated badgering for him to take the medication and kept there against his will, the teenager lost his temper and punched a wall in frustration. Two orderlies forced him down and sedated him. Sadly, the young man has seen that he cannot go home without compliance. He now takes the medication and goes along with their treatment for his 'anger problems'.

A youth is viciously assaulted in a public place, and he ends up imprisoned because he's angry towards his attackers? He's not the only one angry. His big brother is angry, his mother, his father, me, and most likely you! Lets seem them take the lot of us in.

Proof the Police Cannot Protect Us

One of the big core beliefs of the pro-2nd amendment crowd is that we cannot expect to be protected by the government 24/7 from threats inside our country. Our personal protection is our responsibility. With our privately held arms, we provide that basic physical protection of ourselves and families that, if able, all creatures have a divine right to.

However, many misguided folks believe in the Nanny State. The government's agents are singly responsible for our safety. Only the police and other government based agencies have the training, mentality, and oversight to keep arms and use them to protect the peasants from themselves. We naturally scoff at this idea and strive to prove them wrong. I have found a perfect example at Walmart.

Walmart is a massive corporation that can claim to be the biggest retailer in the world. There are thousands of stores, and millions of employees. I am one of them. It is also one of the biggest victims of crime in the world.

Everyday in my store, we lose hundreds of dollars to theft and vandalism. In fact, may days that number is up into the thousand plus range. The range of the items stolen is mind boggling and disturbing. Commonly stolen merchandise includes video games, electronics, condoms, medicines, diet pills, cosmetics, clothes, infant care equipment, knives, and ammunition( As if it isn't hard enough to find ammo. God damn them all to hell!) Teenage kids, old women, men in suits, skeezy looking black guys, it doesn't matter what you look like. Someone that looks like you steals from Walmart.

Even some of my co-workers steal. One often brought stacks of DVDs to his department and later threw the packaging away with his trash. Though he was finally caught, he was never charged for the full amount of his theft during a year of work there. Most likely over five thousand dollars.

Walmarts are open for 263.5 days of the year. Everyone one of those days each one of the thousands of stores experiences shrink. Consider how much is lost, to simple greed? How much is passed on to the consumer? Or how many folks could have been on full time with insurance rather than the palry part time hours?

Well, with such an epidimic of crime, naturally the government would be falling over itself trying to clean up the communities of these petty fucks? You know, the ones not paying sales tax on their purloned goods? Wrong. Investigation and prevention of shoplifting is taken care of Walmart's own private asset protection department. Walmart has to pay for its own private 'detective' force to trying to fight back. These folks install cameras, monitor them, and actually stalk the shoplifters until they exist the building with stolen merchandise. Then they can use what little power they have to detain thieves. Only then are the police called for.

If an all-powerful, evil company can't rely upon the state to protect their millions and millions of lost property, what chance does Sally SoccerMom, and Tiffany TofuGnasher have of some protection?

The Revolver vs the Semi-Automatic Handgun

I've had some good arguments about revolvers vs semi-autos. I usually carry a Smith 638 .38 special revolver. The plastic pistol patrol have made some serious derisive commits on that. I've had one fellow say that carrying a revolver for self-defense was like riding your skateboard to an office job. Doable, but no way a good idea. But is it that bad? Is a revolver such an abysmal defensive firearm? Is the semi-auto so leaps and bounds superior to the revolver?

I do concede that the double action revolver has some serious short comings. Capacity and reloading speed are the big one. Next, is the long heavy double action trigger of classic defensive revolver. The DA trigger can be difficult to master vs a lighter single action or DA-Only semi-auto trigger. However, this issue can be taken care of through proper practice and building good skills in training.

As for the question of how a revolver fares against a semi-auto? For the sake of argument lets say we have two guys. One has a S&W model 10 .38 special and the other has a Glock 17 9x19mm. Both guns are in excellent working condition, loaded, and both users know the guns well, and can shoot them well. What happens in the face off?

Semi-auto guys remember this: You have no advantage for six shots. The revolver is just as good as your Glock until it runs dry. There is no inherient disadvantage to revolver's design and no advantage to yours until that moment. It may be easy to say, "Well, he'll need to reload before I will, I win." However, a lot can happen in 6 shots. At the average distance of a self-defense situation, can you say for certain, you aren't hit and hurt before those 6 rounds have been spent?

Revolver guys remember this: You are on equal footing with the semi-auto for only 6 shots. Make them count before the Glock takes the advantage.

In the long run, the semi-auto will win. This is why they are the choice for military and police. However, in a defensive role, its no better than a revolver for the first 6 shots. Which are the shots in a magazine that count the most?