Getting your guns into gear
When training for a class or tactical situation, dealing with an unloaded magazine or an unloaded gun in the situation is expected, all guns go empty at some point. Most of us have the ability to plan ahead and carry extra magazines, but there may be a point where loading a magazine up will be necessary. Maglula from Butler Creek makes a great speed loader that will help speed up the process of getting rounds from a box right into your 30rd rifle in a few seconds. They will easily cut your loading time by 75% when used properly.
If you have a revolver, you know that bad guys may be walking around with semi-autos with 15-20 rounds and that you’ve got to make every round count if your carrying a 5 or 6 shot revolver. You may only need 5 or 6 shots to win a fight, but it is a fact that reloading a revolver can be done quicker than loading a magazine, so carrying a caliber specific HKS Speed loader or moon clips is always a great idea.
The Woolrich Elite tactical polos come in short sleeve and long sleeve styles. The shoulder pocket design is the same on both versions. In winter time, everyone will wish they had a decent long sleeve shirt that will be slightly warmer to wear with a nice shoulder pocket that is large enough to hold a notepad or blackberry phone and pen pocket. Woolrich Elite Shirts are designed for Law Enforcement and firearms instructors and concealement.
Woolrich Elite products are some of the most durable tactical apparel pants out there. Their tactical pants are long lasting and don’t shrink like some of the 5.11 stuff that so many people have complained about. 5.11 products are interesting, but the tactical pants they have been making are apparently taking a major downturn in the quality control arena. Woolrich has been in the clothing business for over 100 years and one thing you have to acknowledge is they know how to make clothing.
Everyone has there taste and styles in firearms and even some have their preferences in the type of ammunition and bullet weights. Some operators prefer to dress in black and prefer to look as tactical as possible while others just can’t figure out why they would need a tactical vest in the first place. Some tactical vests are about as comfortable as strapping on a parachute and not always modernized.
Pennsylvania has seen its share of gun clubs being closed down and trying to find ranges beyond 100yds within the Philadelphia area is very difficult. There are still a few gun clubs with 200+ yard ranges in about 2hrs or less of Philadelphia and they are mostly private ranges. Check out our website for information about some of them and please feel free to add info to help others find out too.
Something like a 1911 has a questionable reliability track record depending on the conditions they are used in and the type of magazines they are using. Pistol magazines have evolved and improved as much as firearms and the reality is metal guns aren’t in the same category as polymer guns just based on lubrication and climate conditions. There are many firearms out there that will function reliable if lubricated properly and cleaned properly, but polymer guns are the future.
Things like recoil springs and firing pins are pretty much a MUST for serious shooters because sometimes it’s not always the guns fault that something wears out or breaks. Sometimes bad ammo can wear out a firing pin faster than normal and recoil springs are going to wear out at some point. The 2nd recommendation I would have would be to store magazine springs and followers. Those will wear out, not as often, but as often as recoil springs. If you’re a plinker and occassion shooter, these won’t be necessary, but if you put a couple thousand rounds through your Glock every year, something is going to wear down at some point so it’s best to have the spare parts around when it happens.
Direct Impingement firearms have a questionable existance in the military industry since the design is more than 60yrs old, but the Magpul P-Mags have possible extended the life of them since the reliability of the magazines has also increased the reliability of the firearm. Magpul P-Mags can take a beating and still run strong. Check out some of the tests people have done with them on youtube.com
Binoculars are a very versatile tool. The reality is this, a good pair of binoculars is just an extension of your eyes. What do you use your eyes for? Binoculars can be used for eveything you use your eyse for. Nikon Binoculars come in fixed power from 7×32 – 10-22×50. When you are looking for a good pair of binoculars, keep in mind that some of the best views are with the medium and larger sizes and they can get heavy real fast. If you are looking for high magnification you may want to think about spotting scopes instead since they are normally used with tripods.