Category: Guns & Ammos

Military Surplus Guns or MilSurps can be an extra great deal. I was first turned onto milsurps about a year ago. Since then I have become Cruffler or Curio and Relic Firearms Licenced. It basically allows me to purchase curio and relic, C&R firearms, both longarms and short, via the internet or local dealer without a waiting period and have them shipped directly to my house. Now before all you anti-gun nuts out there get in an uproar, C&R firearms are over 50 years old and/or listed as a relic by the BATF, so it’s cool. Now onto the topic. I collect and enjoy shooting anytype of gun, new or old. I prefer Milsuprs though and here’s why.

First of all they’re cheap. My first Milsurp, a Russian Mosin Nagan chambered in the potent 7.62x54r was bought at Big 5 sporting goods for $79.99. In a matter of 20 minutes I was able to purchase the rifle and a box of ammo. This is a bolt action rifle and was at least 4 feet long but still cool.

Second the history. I’m not necessarily a history buff, but I do enjoy learning about the wars that the rifles may have served in. Seeing the pantina and grime on the old warhorses really sparks me imagining the soldier sitting in a foxhole somewhere hugging that rifle for dear life. There is lots of debate out there about restoring a milsurp, by extensive cleaning, and stock resurfacing. I see both sides of that fence. It could be so beautiful if resanded and stained, but yet the character that age gives it also makes it beautiful.

Third, it’s addictive. They’re like potato chips, you can’t just get one. Currently I own 6 Milsurps and can’t wait for my next purchase.
Fourth the Ammo. For the most part, it’s cheap and abundant in many of the calibers, both surplus and commercial. My SKS shoots 7.62×39 and I can buy a 500 round tin of this caliber for about $40-$50 delivered.

CONS to milsurps.

They’re cheap. Sometimes you get what you pay for. I’ve been fortunate and not received anything I was unable to live with. I read stories of some real sewer pipes out there (horrible barrels). These are mostly limited to the pawnshops and gunshows. Some folks try to unload their junk on others. Most of the big online dealers like Centuryarms, AIM, and SOG have pretty good grading criteria and will allow you to return things if you get one that slipped through grading process. Civilian Markmanship Program is an excellent and probably the only way to buy true American milsurps that have not been re-imported from loaned governments, sorry guys no select fire’s ever, this includes M-14’s and M-16’s. I bought my M-1 Garand from them, it’s balls on accurate, new barrel I tink and only set me back $395.
Some are ugly. This one is questionable, beauty is really in the eye of the beholder, some like wood and metal, others like plastic and composites. It’s a personal choice. I know for a fact if I ever run out of ammo for my Garand in a firefight, I can always beat them to death with a few blows.

I own both, milsurps and NIB, new in box, modern weapons. They both have distinct advantages and disadvantages. But when I’m at the range and someone asks me what I’m shooting it’s because it’s not another 10/22 or remington, etc..

If you’re in the market for a high quality rifle scope at a very good price then one well worth having a look at is the Nikko Stirling Platinum Nighteater. It is as at home on a springer air rifle as on a centerfire rifle and, depending on model can suit a wide range of hunting or target shooting needs.

In this article I am going to specifically look at the Nikko Stirling Platinum Nighteater 1 inch 4-16×44 model (mil dot) and tell you how to look for a good deal on one.

Nikko Stirling Platinum Nighteater 1 inch 4-16×44 Review

If you don’t know what those numbers mean by the way then I’ll briefly explain.

The 4-16 bit refers to the magnification. In this case 4-16 means that it can magnify anywhere from 4x to 16x. You d this simply by hand turning a dial on the scope body to change the level of magnification.

On the Nikko the 4-16 variable is nice and wide and will suit you for shooting anywhere from about 8 yards to, well, a lot further than most of us or our rifles can shoot anyway!

On some scopes, especially budget ones with large magnification ranges you may find that the higher magnifications produce a less than perfect image. In the case of the Nikko Platinum range this is not a concern as I explain below.

The Lens

The 44 means the “big end” lens size diameter in millimeters, or, as it’s known technically, the Objective. As a rough rule the bigger the better in terms of light capture, transmission and ability to acquire and track a moving target.

At 44mm this Nikko Platinum has a good all purpose medium to large lens which is ideal for hunting at all common ranges from 8 metres to 800.

Nikko lenses are well known for quality, made as they are in Japan to a very high, grade A, quality level so you know you will get excellent vision.

As one user comments “The scope is VERY clear and lets in plenty of light even when zoomed in all to way” So, as noted above, there is no problem as with cheaper scopes with clarity of vision even at the maximum zoom.

The Nikko 4-16×44 also comes with parallax adjustment by way of an easy to use side-wheel. Parallax, or rather the parallax effect, if you don’t know is where, targets will often “seem” to drift or wobble against their background making locking on them very difficult.

Parallax adjustment solves this by eliminating the wobble meaning you will shoot a lot better. The Nikko has a range of distance settings from 10 metres upward and is very easy to adjust.

Zeroing

Easy to use finger click windage and elevation turrets.

Windage basically where you can adjust the crosshairs left and right and elevation means up and down. So when you are setting the scope up you will take a number of shots at the same target point and depending on where they actually fall adjust the dials so that the shots go where the cross-hair says they will.

Looks Physically, it looks the business. It’s what is known as a full size scope so not one for juniors or small carbine rifles. Is very well packed and presented and also comes with quality flip up caps to protect the lenses.

How to Get a Good Deal on the Nikko Stirling 4-16×44

Prices are very reasonable for what you get with the 4-16×44 Platinum Nighteater. Expect to pay £140-170 for a new one in the UK and a similar Dollar amount in the USA. To find a good deal shop around online. On Google these days shopping results and prices appear very prominently so you will have no problem comparing results.

Just be sure you are buying from a reputable seller, check that they have stock, what their returns and support policy is and how long it will take to arrive. As ever online be sure to pay by credit card or Paypal so that you have maximum protection in the event of a problem.

Have you ever noticed that when you are playing racquetball that you have all sorts of nervous energy? That is to say as the other person is running for the ball, or serving, your body starts shaking in anticipation of your next move. What if you could take that nervous energy and do something with it? What do I have in mind you ask? Well, I have an idea for a new piece of equipment for the game of racquetball. Something I think would make it more exciting, fun to play, and keep your mind, body, and soul 110% in the game at all times.

What if your racquetball handle had a ratchet on it? What if you could spin it with your wrist, allowing it to wind up, before you hit the next shot? This might be something like pumping a shotgun before you get your next target, or how the old gunslingers used to spin their old Colt 45s on their fingers. Have you ever put a socket on to a bolt, and spun the ratchet? It would be similar to this, and then when you are ready to hit the shot you would stop moving your wrist, and it would pop and lock into place.

However during the time you were spinning the ratchet, you would be winding up the energy in the racquetball racket, and then as you move it forward to hit the ball it would act more like a giant rubber band. This would allow you to hit the ball harder and faster based on how many times you spun the ratchet around on that handle prior to hitting the ball. This would mean whoever was serving would want to serve the ball very quickly not to allow you very much time to rev- up the ratchet on your racket.

It would make the game more dynamic, as well as provide for a faster pace of play. Am I trying to reinvent the wheel or the racket rather in this case? Yes, I guess, but then again; no, not really. However, last time I went to a local gym they had a set of racquetball courts, and I noticed no one was playing for over two hours while I was there. Why I asked myself? It is because racquetball has lost its nuance, and it has lost its flair, and fewer people are playing the sport these days. Maybe this could kick it back into high gear with this small innovative change in equipment. Indeed I hope you will please consider all this and think on it.

In the mid 80’s Glen Eberle redesigned the stock of the traditional Olympic Biathlon rifle and thus reduced the weight by several pounds while making it much stronger. A big plus for a race of endurance and accuracy. It gained acceptance and became the standard for Olympic-class biathlon rifles. Eberlestock was born, although not adopted as the company name until years later. Since then the company has branched out from rifle stocks into other related areas with Eberlestock backpacks being one of those markets.

The Origins of The Gunslinger

In 2004 the Eberlestock Gunslinger was introduced as a hunting backpack. As the name suggests, it was outfitted with a scabbard in the back of the pack to accommodate a hunting rifle. However, in 2005 it was upgraded to fit a military grade weapon such as an M16 and the pack was designated the GS05. The main features of the GS05 or Gunslinger are:

• Scabbard for rifle
• Top load pack with convenient full side access
• Top cover compartment – holds ammo or small electronics
• Adjustable or removable waist belt
• Fully adjustable shoulder harness
• MOLLE webbing
• Hydration sleeve

The capacity of the pack is equivalent to about a 3 day pack or about 50 – 60 litre (3000 – 3600 cu in). The rifle scabbard folds into the bottom of the pack so a shorter weapon can be carried easily or unfolded for longer rifles. The top cover has a sleeve that unfolds and therefore can be used to cover the exposed portion of the rifle thus allowing you to fully enclose a rifle up to 60″ long.

Interestingly, the GS05 is sized to meet carry-on dimensions so it can be used as a travel backpack. With the scabbard folded into the bottom it is wide enough to hold a laptop. But keep in mind that there is a difference between simply holding a laptop and being designed to safely protect a laptop while being carried. The GS05 is not a laptop backpack.

An Unexpected Need

The Gunslinger was originally designed by Eberle to be a hunting backpack and met with high approval from hunters. But early on troops in the Gulf used it in special operations because it was sturdy and durable plus comfortably handles the M16 or a sniper rifle. So it is common to find it being used by US troops. Thus the connection was made between a rifle backpack designed to improve the hunters experience and the military application by special forces that found the same pack to be highly useful for combat operations.

The New Version

Recently the Gunslinger/GS05 has been upgraded with a new version, the Gunslinger II or sometimes referred to as the Gunslinger 2. It has three primary upgrades.

1. The main compartment has been changed to feature both top load and front load capability.
2. The gun scabbard has been enlarged to better accommodate weapons with large optics or larger body.
3. The bottom of the scabbard has been widened to allow for rifles to be loaded either butt down or butt up.

The Gunslinger 2 comes in two styles, the G2H for hunters and the G2M for military. Both have Padlock (PALS) interior webbing and MOLLE exterior webbing. But the G2H comes with a familiar hunting camo patterns while the G2M has more military coloring like Dry Earth (brown); black or green.

So, is the Gunslinger II a tactical backpack or a hunting backpack? The answer is that it is whatever you need it to be. Originally it was designed as a hunters pack but practical application has made it at home in the backcountry or on the battle front.

The history of “airsoft” originated in Japan during the mid-1970s, mainly because it was illegal to own firearms by private individuals. The first airsoft guns available were spring-powered replicas of firearms that fired 6mm, plastic pellets or BBs. The gun then spread to China, Hong Kong, Korea, Taiwan and the Philippines and became very popular chiefly because of firearm restrictions in these countries.

The first airsoft guns were those air driven pellet guns, cap-type guns and spring driven pellet guns. The early Japanese air driven pellet guns were based on semi-automatic pistols. They were spring powered. The plastic pellet was propelled by air when the spring piston was released. In the cap-type guns, powerful an explosive cap was used to make the sound of gunfire and to eject the spent cartridge. In spring driven pellet guns, a spring was used to propel the pellet held between two small locks and released when the gun was fired.

Mattel, the famous American toy company had already marketed a product called “Shootin Shells” way back in the 1950s. These guns were identical to the spring driven pellet guns and had Stik-M-Caps that explode to emulate the sound of gunfire. In the 1980s, Daisy BB Gun Company manufactured spring gun models called Replisoft and Soft Air shot at each other by opposing players.

The popularity of airsoft guns in the United States and Europe began in the mid-1990s. There is continued growing interest in the west. In 2003, Daisy started manufacturing and marketing airsoft guns once again in the United States. “Powerstrike” is the brand name used by the company. Other manufacturers are following in Daisy’s footsteps and a host of different models have entered the United States airsoft gun market.

Want to get married in a unique wedding location that is as unique as the two of you? Forget the same-ol’-same-‘ol venue and go for something wet, wild or wacky.

Wet

You have many choices when it comes to water weddings. You can have a submarine wedding in Hawaii, a snorkeling wedding in the Caribbean, or a wedding on a tall ship in Chicago. Or, you can push the envelope just a little bit further and go for something truly unique – a wedding in the world’s only underwater hotel.

The Jules’ Undersea Lodge in Key Largo, Florida is truly underwater, with guests having to scuba dive 21 feet beneath the surface of the sea and enter through an opening in the bottom of the lodge. Wedding ceremonies are held inside the lodge, which consists of a wet room entrance area, two bedrooms and a common room, which is a combination kitchen, dining and living room area. Imagine having your honeymoon underwater, snuggled in your bed while watching the fish pass by your window.

Your wedding ceremony is conducted by a notary public, who dives down for the service, followed by a toast and the cutting of the cake, which, yes, has remained dry. For dinner you are offered a caviar appetizer and choice of two entrees, either lobster or steak and a hearts of palm salad and dessert. Your meal is prepared by a chef who scuba dives to the lodge. The chef will also scuba dive to the lodge the following morning and prepare breakfast. The Jules’ Undersea Lodge wedding is perfect for those who wish to elope to an unusual location.

The cost for the Jules’ Undersea Lodge is $1,495 plus tax. If you have any extra guests attending the wedding you will be charged an additional $60 per guest. Call (305) 451-2353 for more information.

Wild

What could be more wild than a shotgun wedding or a wedding at a haunted hotel?

With a wedding and honeymoon in Oatman, Arizona, you get both. Where’s Oatman, you ask? It’s an historic ghost town 20 miles southeast of Laughlin, Nevada, formerly a thriving mining town during the gold rush. Oatman today is a tourist town with daily wild west shootouts and shotgun weddings. Oatman is also where you’ll find the Oatman Hotel, where, in 1939, Clark Gable and Carole Lombard spent their wedding night.

It’s said the Oatman Hotel is haunted by numerous spirits, including, some say, Clark Gable and Carole Lombard, a former chambermaid and an Irish miner who once lived there. It’s said staff and guests of the hotel have heard the spirits of Gable and Lombard laughing from their honeymoon room. There are also reports of the sound of bagpipes coming from the room of the Irish miner, whose spirit is referred to as “Oatie”

For information regarding shotgun weddings, you can call 928-768-8063 or 928-768-3839. For reservations to The Oatman Hotel you can call 928-768-4408.

Another wedding venue which many consider haunted is Thayer’s Historic Bed and Breakfast in Annandale, Minnesota, which is owned by a psychic, Sharon Gammell. Thayer’s specializes in interactive mystery dinners, ghost huntings, psychic readings and small weddings, which, if you choose, can be officiated by Gammell. Built in 1895, Thayer’s Historic Bed and Breakfast is said to be the home of several ghosts, including the original owners, Caroline and Gus Thayer and some of their friends. And, for you cat lovers, Thayer’s is also the home of three resident ghost cats (as well as some living cats).

Annandale is just a little over an hour’s drive from the Twin Cities International Airport. For more information call 800-944-6595.

Wacky

For one of the wackiest wedding experiences, try Star Trek the Experience at the Las Vegas Hilton, where you can have your ceremony on the Bridge of the USS Enterprise 1701-D. You minister will perform your wedding ceremony dressed in Starfleet outfits while intergalactic wedding music plays in the background. Depending on the Wedding package you choose, you can have your choice of one to three Star Trek characters present at your wedding: Klingon, Ferengi or BORG.

You can also choose to have your wedding reception inside Quark’s Bar or the Captain’s Lounge, depending on the size of your wedding party. You can have your choice of different reception menus, but I’d definitely go for the Romulan Warbird, which is a marinated chicken breast served with wild rice pilaf and seasonal vegetables. Wedding cakes come with the Star Trek logo on them.

Hopefully some of the above wedding ideas will either appeal to you, or get you thinking about other creative and unique ways to celebrate your wedding. Maybe wet, wild and wacky weddings aren’t your thing. Maybe eloping to Hawaii or Las Vegas is what you want. Whatever you decide to do, make it special.

The MAS or FAMAS P5-A4 electric airsoft rifle fires in the fully automatic and the semi automatic modes. When fired, this gun produces a loudness factor of a 2, which is a low to medium and is fairly low among the rifles of today. It incorporates an adjustable hop up system which allows the shooter to gain better control over the speed and the trajectory of the ammunition.

The banana clip or magazine has the capacity to hold up to 200 rounds of ammunition. The gearbox is metal, as are the gears, which will provide years of reliable performance. This is important in electric airsoft rifles due to the fact that most of the shooting on the field of battle is from airsoft rifles.

The P5-A4 weighs in at a fairly light 4.95 pounds and has a barrel length of 11.25 inches and an overall length of 26.77 inches. The front sights on this airsoft gun is post while the rear sight is adjustable for windage and elevation. The rear sight is adjustable in four positions.

The gun does not accept any kind of optics or scopes, although this is not really of great importance due to the fact that electric airsoft rifles fire the ammunition at a high rate of speed and at a great quantity at a time. The firing velocity of the P5-A4 is around 340 feet per second.

The rifle utilizes an 8.4 volt 1100 mah Ni-MH mah battery to fire the ammunition from the muzzle. it is suggested that.20g BBs are to be used when firing this gun, although lighter or heavier ammunition will still perform very well with this rifle.

The LockSAF Biometric Fingerprint Safe is an amazing top-of-the-line gun safe. As the name suggests, it uses biometric fingerprint recognition technology for access meaning there are no keys to fumble around with or complicated access codes to remember. It’s designed for quick access and is very easy to program; all you have to do is press the activation button and place your finger on the reader, which will then record it and allow only you inside. You can also record up to 10 different fingerprints to allow other people access, if you wish. This is one of the highest rated gun safes on Amazon.com, averaging a 4.6 out of 5 rating overall. It is one of the only safes that contains no negative customer reviews.

LockSAF Biometric Fingerprint Safe Overview:

-Dimensions – 14 x 10.2 x 4.6?
-Weight – 22lbs
-9 gauge / 3mm steel
-4 pre-drilled mounting holes
-Permanent memory stores up to 10 fingerprints
-Interior – coated in foam padding
-Power – Uses one 9V battery

LockSAF Safety – How Secure Is It?

As mentioned, it is reinforced with 9 gauge steel and has pre-drilled mounting holes. It can be mounted nearly anywhere that has a flat surface and it would be nearly impossible for an intruder to get it open. However, it’s designed that the person who’s fingerprint has been programmed to be given access can quickly and easily retrieve what’s inside… say, a concealed firearm. It takes about 2 seconds from pressing your finger to the fingerpad to the safe opening, which is quite fast.

The locking mechanism of the LockSAF is almost completely pick-proof and drill-proof, meaning it’s going to take someone a great deal of effort to get inside this thing. A reviewer from “American Handgunner” magazine noted that they’d opened and closed the safe several hundred times and it has been completely reliable.

The LockSAF Biometric safe is simply one of the best gun safes on the market. If you want a top-of-the-line safe that affords peace of mind and security, you can’t go wrong with this one.

What we liked about the LockSaf Biometric Gun Safe:

-Very easy to use and access even in the dark
-Highly secure, easily mountable to any flat surface
-Customer service from LockSAF is some of the best in the industry

What we didn’t like so much:

-We honestly had no complaints!

We often see cowboys wearing leather chaps without ever knowing what they’re for aside from giving the cowboy that “wild wild west” look. Now, we see motorcycle riders donning the same kind and we start to think that there are probably a dozen of things we don’t know about them.

Here are some things we need to know about leather chaps and what it has to do with motorcycle riding:

What are chaps for?

Chaps are the protective apparel for the legs. Because these are made of sturdy leather, chaps protect the legs while driving a motorcycle. They also protect areas of the lower body that are vulnerable to abrasions, scrapes, chafing and scratches. They give ample protection for the shin and ankles, and shields them from all sorts of hurdles. And the thicker the leather, the higher the degree of protection them will impart on the rider.

How to use chaps

Motorcycle riders tie the chaps on trousers by attaching the accessory belts that come with it.

Kinds of chaps

Today, the common types for men are the batwing and the shotgun. The difference between the two is that the batwing chaps are flat at the bottom and includes only two fasteners that will protect the thighs of the rider. Because this kind allows for easy movement, this is the type which is better to use when riding motorcycles or engaging in motorcycle races.

The shotgun chaps on the other hand wrap the legs completely, are narrower and more snug in shape compared to the batwing. This type of chaps is more commonly used during horseback riding and protects the rider’s lower body from heat or cold.

Since not all riders are men, there are also ladies chaps that are now available in stores today. Yes, there is a growing number of female riders who are just as passionate about motorcycle riding. Ladies chaps are also available in various designs, styles and shapes. These leather made ones also give sufficient protection for the legs.

For more practicality, there are also ones that have been designed to fit either sexes like the Harley-Davidson Unisex Premium Classic Chap which a male or female rider can make use of.

Advantages of using a chap

The right kind will assure you of protection thus giving you peace of mind during the ride making it even more enjoyable. Aside from that, it will give you that traditional biker feel that no other motorcycle accessory will make you feel.

Who else uses chaps?

Bikers are not the only ones who use chaps. Hunters also make use of chaps to protect themselves from insect, snake and animal bites and to protect their shins, legs, and ankles. Mountaineers also find them useful in their climbing giving ample support for their lower body. Cowboys wear them so that their legs are properly protected from cattle and horses.

Indeed, there’s more to leather chaps than just being image boosters.

Six benefits of an air rifle versus the traditional firearm.

Is there really a place for Air guns compared to powerful Firearms?

Are Air Guns only suitable for shooting tin cans or putting holes in paper targets?

We believe that there is a place for modern air rifles. Air gun pellets are less expensive to purchase compared to firearm bullets.

A good air rifle is more accurate than a comparable firearm. Many modern are powerful and accurate, very suitable for the hunting of small game such as squirrels rabbits and birds.

Here are a few benefits of air rifles versus firearms.

1. The ammunition will not deteriorate over time, as air rifle ammunition is simply a pellet; there are no primers powders or cases to worry about.

2. It is easier to own an air gun, as most states in the USA don’t classify air guns as firearms.

3. A good quality air gun is actually more accurate than a firearm up to the distance of around 50 yards.

4. Can be purchased at a very affordable price and even more importantly the pellets are exceptionally cheap. The more you practice the better aim you will be with an air rifle. You do not have to hold back just keep practising.

5. Most pellets lose velocity after about 50 yards which makes for safer for shooting.

6. Air rifles are comparatively quiet. Making them less likely to annoy the neighbours and when you’re hunting it is less likely to scare off other game.

Air gun designs and systems

1. Air pump system: Some rifles require over five pumps to achieve sufficient pressure in the reservoir.

2. Air tank system: a high-pressure prefilled air cartridge pushes the pallet out of the barrel. The benefit of this system is that it allows semiautomatic firing.

3. Spring & piston: the barrel is broken or cocked compressing a spring when the trigger is activated the release spring forces a piston for which compresses air that forces the pallet out of the barrel.

Differing caliber.

.177 caliber – is a very fast caliber with maximum velocity of over 1250 Feet Per Second (FPS) This caliber would easily be the most popular and is suitable for hunting small game competition shooting, plinking and target practice.

.20 calibers – This medium weight caliber has a lower velocity than the .177 caliber. It may be seen as a compromise between the 2 other calibers but the reality is that it is not very popular in the USA. The range of guns and pellets is limited in this bore and can more expensive.

22 caliber The largest commonly used caliber. These heavy pellets have a lower velocity than the smaller .177 caliber. Their velocity is between 650 FPS to 1250 FPS they do have a harder impact due to the mass of the pellet.

What is the right air rifle for hunting?

The answer of course is it depends on the game that you will be hunting.

The .177 caliber is fine for birds, squirrels and rabbits. For hunting larger animals, the heavier pellets provided by the 22 caliber bore is recommended. Ensure that the velocity is above 650 FPS.