All posts by Soda_Pop

Sending your kids to College right now? Do they know situational awareness and have any forms of Pepper Spray or Self Defense?

Pepper SpraysThis is the time of  year, every year, that we get parents coming into our store looking for some form of pepper sprays.   Many of  the local Police Departments send people to our store.  CCW has it’s time and place, but Dorm Rooms and firearms aren’t a good idea if you ask me.   Recently there was an investigation opened up by the Department of Education about the Colleges that may have been covering up some of the sexual assault statistics and other crimes that occur on College Campuses and right off of the Campuses.  Several of those were right here in the Philadelphia as well as all over the Country.  The truth of the matter is that it does happen, and sexual assaults are probable one of those crimes that is under reported.   You do have to blame the parents for not educating their kids about situational awareness, and how to avoid getting into bad situations.

One of the problems we have seen in regards to this are that some people just don’t like the idea of defending themselves, just buying your daughter Sabre Defense Pepper Sprays and not teaching her how to deploy it properly isn’t a good idea.   We often explain to parents how to use the simple keychain style because many are somewhat familiar with it, but it’s not really the best choice.  I’m personally not a big fan of tasers because I don’t like the idea of having to get that close to someone.    There are plenty of manufacturers that have Youtube videos of how to properly use their products so once you purchase something for a family member, make sure you sit them down and explain it to them, maybe buy 2 devices and or a training one just so they have some level of training.

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Time to get rid of foam earplugs? What hearing protection should you consider

Hearing Protection I guess the idea of talking about this issue was after reading the dumb ass reporter in Missouri that thought that a set of ear plugs were rubber bullets.   I haven’t used foam ear plugs in years because after all of the range time I’ve put in, my ears starting asking for something else because they can be uncomfortable to wear for long periods of time and sometimes your ear can become sore.   There is a time and place for larger ear protection, I’d recommend a lot of Peltor products but when you get into using hats and helmets, forget about it.  You can really come home with some issues if you wear ball caps and not shooters caps on the range.   The ear protection we have recently been pushing are the Ear Pro EP3 and EP4.   It’s another one of those products like, boots and gloves that you kind of need to try out to know what sizes or style suits you but they really are my favorite choice.

The EP3 Ear Pro is distributed by Surefire Inc. and really aren’t that expensive (around $13) if you take care of your stuff and put them back in your range bag.  They come with a wire so you keep them together and once they are actually inside your ear properly, you will know what I am talking about.  There are little flip caps so you can flip them open while they are inserted into your ear, if you need to talk during cease fires unlike foam ear plug hearing protection.   Check out the sizing guide and then walk up to a mirror in your home  with a ruler or measuring tape, it’s really not that difficult to determine.   People with deeper ear canals should look the EP4 which should accommodate them.  If  you keep your packaging there is a little clam shell that you should hold on to that will help prevent losing them.

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Emergency Blankets and Recon Sleeping Bags

Recon Sleeping BagsProbable the most common customer that buy the Recon Sleeping Bags are people in the Civil Air Patrol and Emergency Services.  Search and Rescue is a big part of the the Civil Air Patrol and many times, during rescue missions, those that are  out on foot checking mountain sides might have to expect to stay out over night and resume their mission at first sunlight.   Temperatures can vary dramatically between day time and night time and many times, even in the summer, it can get pretty cold in valleys and forrest.  Being able to pack light and reduce fatigue is a reality all experienced hikers and foot traveling campers learn and there really aren’t a lot of inexpensive options.  Sure those $5 or less emergency blankets can save your life, but that aren’t consider re-useable.

Just like storing something food that has a long shelf life, and rotating out some of the product on camping trips, using your emergency survival stuff and practice, during a camping trip like the Recon Sleeping bags can remind you of the tolerances you might have in different weather situations and if needed during a rescue or survival situation, you will build confidence in the equipment you are using.   The Recon 2 Sleeping bag isn’t for Arctic weather, but if you are wearing heavier clothing and  use a sleeping bag like this, you might get more out of it than what the sleeping bag is rated for and considering the size of this sleeping bag, it might be a better and easier transportation option than getting the Recon 5 Sleeping bag.

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Better insurance along with CCW, Kimber Pepper Blaster II

Kimber Pepper BlasterThere are always reason to consider carrying something to defend yourself and it’s not always about firearms and deadly force, sometimes even those that carry guns don’t think enough about the reality of using a firearm in self defense and the civil lawsuits that come later.   Learned to use your car keys or a pen and especially your fists and footwear to get a punk off you.   Cops lose guns to bad guys and we have heard plenty of stories of bad guys knowing how to pick handcuffs and understand how a Blackhawk Serpa or a Safariland Level II or Level II holster works so don’t depend on your firearm.   Recently talking to a Security Agency about various pepper sprays, stream, fog, brand names like Sabre Defense, Fox Labs and Ruger and Kimber, they all hated using it because they either had to detain the person and a certain amount either blew back on them or got on them in someway.

That’s what Cops and Security personnel have to do, an average citizen can just walk away, so using a stream or a blasting pepper spray can dramatically reduce the blow back.   I personally highly recommend the Kimber Pepper Blaster is a secondary self defense measure do to the fact it’s shaped like a gun, about the size of an average pocket pistol and and shoots 2 blasts over 90mph.   I’m not big on knife fighting and fist fights due to all of the blood born pathogens out there and always keeping your distance, and having a device that gives you distances is a good idea.   For under $40 I would highly suggest getting one of these for yourself and family members and not just look for the cheapest lipstick pepper spray.

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Why not invest in emergency food storage? Wise Food Storage!

Wise Food StorageI guess that’s how they got their name, but it is “wise” to think about the what ifs.   First off, this isn’t going to be a discussion about “preppers” this isn’t doomsday and chem trails, this is about not having to worry about buying hungry in a bad situation and having a little insurance that you have a month or several months of food stored without being paranoid.   We are selling the Wise Food Storage product line to individual households, S.W.A.T. personnel making a “go bag” and emergency management in local townships.   That’s how broad this product line is and sure, it’s not going to be a trip to a salad bar or a produce shop, but these are way better than MRE’s or Astronaut food from decades ago.   You gotta read the labels and the descriptions to find out what suits your needs but this is really something to consider just so you don’t have to leave your  home because you’re hungry after being snowed in, hurricanes or long term power outages.   All you need is clean water, hot or cold to eat.

The length of time each product is good for can be from several years to several decades so educate yourself on what you want and how long it will last and value the prices you are willing to spend.   There are plenty other things to consider doing along with your Wise Food Storage, but proper storage is extremely important.   Things like Rice last a long time but if not properly sealed, you are going to get bugs in it eventually,  other products can rot in high humidity or damp environments.   We sell a lot of this to trucker’s that are traveling across Country and never know when a highway might be shutdown due to Tornado’s, accidents, or some other mayhem.

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Firearm Modifications, going to far or is it the right direction?

Wilson Combat PartsThere are always trade offs, pros and cons of every firearm and accessory that  you attach.   I like to compare firearms to golf clubs when people start asking me about which gun is better and various caliber debates.   Not everyone goes up to bat in a Major League Baseball Game with the same bat length and weight so why would you expect people to be proficient with the exact same firearm?   There is a reason the military is looking towards SBR’s and PS90 FN 5.7 firearms because the reality is that most people aren’t combat efficient with handguns.   There are several things to consider if you feel that your firearm isn’t up to what you are capable of doing with it.   First start at the length of pull and make sure the gun fits in your shoulder right, then find out what your trigger pull weight is.   There’s nothing wrong with knocking down the trigger weight of your gun but personally I would never go below 4.5 LBs for a defense weapon, competition shooting is another thing.

There are little things you can lean that can eventually help win a fight, speeding up reloading by keeping your magazines in the correct order,  add on a Wilson Combat Well so help in aiding on not having a hold up because you had to watch the magazine go into the handgun and you didn’t don’t want to have to keep your eyes off the threat.  The Wilson Combat Extended Slide stop,  not only help you release the slide easier,  extended thumb safety gives you a place to keep your thumb while firing.  At first it may seem like your hands are going to get cut but if you rest them in the correct nature, it’s a none issue.   Just think of the time you crossed your thumbs while shooting a revolver and when you switched to shooting a semi-auto, it’s a one time mistake and you knew not to put your hands there.   Hang out at a range and ask questions and it’s always a good idea to know a good gunsmith that can tell  you “from their experience” what was a gimmick and what is a good improvement.   Wilson Combat Parts are the first place I point people to if they are looking to modify their 1911 handguns.

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Turtleskin Gloves vs. a Baseball Glove

Turtleskin glovesSounds like it might be a joke blog post today, but it’s not.   After spending years reading and interactive on several firearm forums, there’s always somebody that comes up with information that is so basic, it’s extremely useful.   In our business there are all kinds of bells and whistles to put on a firearm or dress up in, but so many of the times, the guys that actually have to use the stuff end up stripping gear down the more they are in the field.   I’ve seen plenty of Special Ops guys that don’t wear helmets and limit armor because it restricts mobility and a slow moving person is a much easier target than a fast moving one.   It’s always a good idea to have gloves available to you even if it’s something lightweight and is basically for heat protection.  I have seen plenty of Operators using something as simple as a baseball glove in the field.   We are often asked about the dexterity of a glove but just like footwear, the customer has to try it on and see how it works for them, finger lengths between digits and hand sizes are as diverse as inseams are on pants so it’s yet another one of those things you have to slip over your hand to see how you can move and feel in them.

One thing to consider in this day and age is to make sure you have a cell phone that has a “glove mode” or that you have your text size large enough, and that you can type with them on.   Even our Turtleskin gloves like the Alpha Gloves and the Bravo Gloves have little circles on the index fingers and palm of the hand so that you can type with them.   Although cell phones aren’t as reliable as radios, knowing you can keep your gloves on and still call 911 or type on a computer without going back and forth between putting the gloves on and taking them off is not an easy task.   You are always going to trade safety for comfort in varying degrees and preference and customization can’t be ruled  out.   There are plenty of people that have taken $80 gloves and cut the trigger finger off just because they don’t need any protection for possible their most important finger.

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Get onboard and you might not need gun cleaning patches anymore, Rifle and Pistol Boresnakes

BoresnakesI’ve been to a lot of trade shows in Firearm Industry, from Police and Security Expos to NRA Trade Shows and there are always people at these shows with something new, but sometimes when  you still have plenty of the old stuff, there’s no need to toss anything away.   As my firearm collection grew, I ended up needing more and more cleaning devices, different cleaning rods, different brushes, different cleaning patches.   At one point a friend of mine showed me his range cleaning kit and had a Hoppes 22 Caliber Boresnake for his AR15.    The beauty of this was that it also would work in my 22LR rifles.   Its probable about this time I realized the differences between each type of rifle wasn’t really that much, a .224 diameter bullet was still a 22 Caliber and getting new cleaning brushes wasn’t an issue anymore.

I rarely used the boresnakes on handguns because I already have a small pistol cleaning brush brush but once I’m out of all of the cleaning patches I have left, I’ll probable start switching over to to the 38/357/9mm pistol Boresnakes.   That pretty much covers cleaning a Smith & Wesson Model 19  39 Special/357 Magnum and any 9mm Handgun I own.    The one issue I have had with cleaning handguns is whenever I have shot lead.   Reloading saves you money, but reloading lead bullets is a mess to clean up in the chamber and barrels and I have actually stopped doing that in Semi-Auto Handguns because of how much of a liability it is to constantly worry if I “got it all”  revolvers are a little bit easier to find all of the carbon and  lead, but if you have mostly 22 Caliber or 30 Caliber rifles, you’ll probable get away with only needing a 22 Caliber Boresnake and 30 Caliber Boresnake.

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Adverse environments and having fun at the range with a good shooting mat, The Elite Survival Epsilon Shooting Mat

Elite Survival Epsilon Shooting MatMany people are use to going to their gun club or shooting range and being behind a table, many times they are also standing, but for those that want to get off the bench, there are several different formats and designs of shooting mats.   One of the first things you will know as soon as you deploy this shooting mat is how large it is.   If you are on a mat that is too small for  your body type, you’ll get scuffed or cut elbows and your feet will get wet.   Some shooting mat systems look great when laying on the ground, but many of them will curl up on you right after you deploy it and there are many built it modular features that you can adapt magazines, binoculars, or Security or Law Enforcement patches to.   I’ve personally used this product on concrete and in 3 feet of snow and it worked very well, the mat is thick enough that it deploys under you almost like a thin piece of plywood and is not only a great competition shooter mat, but very good for Law Enforcement for laying down on rooftops.

You can attach any type of molle pouches to this system and it is properly re-enforced for elbows and arm placements.   I remember shooting an M1 Garand on the ground without a shooting mat under me and even though at first it didn’t seem to hurt, I noticed latter on that I had several pieces of gravel dug into my elbows just from laying on the grass.   Getting into a good firing position is and firing from a stable platform is something you have to adjust to depending on your environment, but for long term deployments (hours) or for comfort, definitely check out the Elite Survival Epsilon Shooting Mat.   We always keep some of these on display in our store just because it’s one of those things you’ll want to see before you buy so stop in and check it out.

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We can give you gun holster options, and point you in the right direction

Gun HolstersWe can’t accommodate everyone in this industry because the tactical world is much like the restaurant business.  What do you want for dinner?  Are you for Italian Food, Seafood, going away camping?   There are a lot of advantages with Kydex holsters but we’ve seen so many of them break, that leather still seems to have an edge for longevity, even the cost of various types of leather holsters can vary in quality and features.  I’m still old school with shoulder  holsters, especially when I’m toting a large frame revolver or semi-auto handgun.   The Galco Miami Classics are still very popular with detectives but there are plenty of people buying smaller “off duty” handguns and recently many of our Law Enforcement are looking for Diamondback .380 holsters and Glock 42 holsters.  It always takes awhile for the holster market to catch up to the sales of new firearms but if it’s a good firearm, someone is going to make a holster for it.

If you are looking for leather  holsters, we often point people towards Desantis Holsters, Galco Holsters and Don Hume holsters.   Each of these holsters has different qualities and styles and the vary from expensive to inexpensive depending on the one you want.    If you are looking for inside the waistband gun holsters there nylon holsters like the Elite Survival Systems belt clip holsters which are very universal and fit a lot of firearms and are also ambidextrous.   The Desantis Insider is pretty popular because they are a little over $20 but leather sometimes has its drawbacks in very hot weather.   The new rave seems to be tuckable holsters and Galco Holsters has a pretty big selling rate for the Smith & Wesson bodyguard, check out all of the products we sell and if you don’t see what you are looking for feel free to ask.

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