A quick visit to some gun shops in the Fresno/Clovis area

It's been years since I did a tour of the gun shops in the Fresno and Clovis area. Time to go out and see what is available to the general public. Did some research online, made some phone calls to ask what time some shops opened up, pulled out a paper map and made some "x" marks. Asked two individuals to come along for the ride. Needed someone to babysit the GPS and another to read the paper map. I wasn't about to get lost on this trip. August 9, 2011, 9:00 a.m.--we head out.

A&A Firearms
5030 N. Maroa Ave.
Fresno, CA 93704
559-412-7117
Julian Arvizu--Owner

Just off of Shaw Avenue. Right next to the gas station. Suggest parking in the area near the liquor store. Friendly service. Small shop. Looks like a family operation. Daughter (?) behind the cash register. Mother (?) putting rifles on the rack. Son/brother (?) sitting at a desk. Decent selection of handguns. Nice selection of AR receivers. Told me that receivers were treated like rifles, so there's no need to pull out your handgun safety certificate.

William B. Mayfield
4281 N. First St.
Fresno, CA 93726
559-221-9415

Last time I was here they were at a different location under the name of "Gilman Mayfield." Still have the dog walking around the shop. Friendly service. Lots of wood and glass cases. Lady answered my question about availability of a magazine. They didn't have it in stock. Even went online to see if they could find one for me. Then I saw it. The Franklin Armory XO-26b configuration pistol. Made in Morgan Hill, CA. I ask the gentleman behind the counter if I can have a look at this piece of hardware. I think it's Mayfield himself that helps me. It's a little on the heavy side. Dig that flash hider. Dig that forward pistol grip. I need to remind myself I'm in California and I'm holding this thing in my hands. I'm in love. Dig that price: over $1,000.00. Fun doesn't come cheap anymore. I'm told that a customer had put a red dot scope on his and uses it for hunting. This model has been out for around 4/four months.

Breco Enterprises
1508 Tollhouse Road
Suite A
Clovis, CA 93611

Small parking area. On the side of the shop. Three spaces. One space already taken up. Small shop. Friendly service. Good selection of handguns. Good selection of rifles and shotguns. Dig that AK pistol. What's the deal with this? Comes with a blocked magazine that makes it a single shot pistol. However, once the new owner comes in possession of said pistol, they can insert a 10-round magazine and everything is legal. In a word, the pistol is crude. Pride of ownership, a family heirloom? I don't think so. The Saiga rifle is another story. Cursory inspection shows a nice finish, no rough edges. I'd buy one if I needed something that shoots the same round the AK-47 fires.

We The People
725 Pollasky Ave.
#109
Clovis, CA 93612
559-325-9910

Small little strip mall. Parking is tight. There is something really cool about walking into a gun shop and seeing someone behind the counter working on the receiver of a rifle. It's sort of like going into the kitchen of a restaurant and seeing the food prepared. Ryan Cox (I always make it a habit of getting the business card of any shop I go into.) was helping a customer make a decision about her first firearms purchase. He has a law enforcement background. He told me that they put together all of their AK type rifles on the premises. They don't buy them complete from the wholesalers. The shop also does refinishing. He was listing off all of the finishes that are available in his shop and the minute he said Duracoat my ears perked up. I may be coming back to this shop again. He was kind enough to allow me to take a photo of his AKs. He showed me his manufacturer stamp. It takes something like six months to get the BATF paperwork cleared before a shop is cleared to put together it's own rifles. I'd go for the fixed stock AKs. The wire or metal stocks make it nearly impossible to line up the front and rear sights. An AK rifle under $700.00 seems like a decent price. Yeah...I'd love to buy a rifle of this type for $300.00 or $400.00 but I have yet to see a AK rifle with that figure written on the price tag. And there was a customer's Dragunov rifle with a black Duracoat finish and Harris bipod. Always something to see in this shop.

PRK Arms
5530 East Lamona Ave.
Suite 103
Fresno, CA 93727
283-8666

South of the Fresno airport. I've died and gone to heaven. The first thing you see when you go into the shop are Mac-10 clones hanging on the wall. Masterpiece Arms. I've only seen them in ads in the Shotgun News. And dig that Czech Skorpion pistol. And check out that Vector Arms Uzi pistol for under $900.00. An FAL. An H&K .223 rifle with a thumbhole stock. Somebody pinch me. Looks like they are expanding into the next shop. Lots of staff members. All friendly. They allow me to take photos. But NO FACES or SERIAL NUMBERS they tell me. They once had a 9mm carbine. A civilian version of Smith and Wesson's 9mm submachine gun. It's the weapon Lee Marvin used in the film "Prime Cut." Very rare. Very gone. "Things don't stay on the walls too long" one staff member tells me. No kidding. After 1994 I didn't think I'd ever see a California gun shop carry this kind of hardware ever again.

Summary:
Over the years I had heard rumors on the Internet about off list lower, bullet buttons, California compliant rifles. It took time, but someone did the work of finding the grey areas in the California assault weapons laws. Someone took the time of sending in their prototypes for approval by the California Department of Justice. Calgun.net came along and informed the rest of us of what was going on. Now, if you flip through the pages of The Shotgun News and see something with some "evil" features on it, chances are good you may be able to find a California legal version of it somewhere. You'll be forced to contend with the 10-round magazine capacity and the bullet button that requires a tool rather than a finger to push so you can get the magazine out, but it's better than nothing.

The story of William Tell from an email posted by luckygunner.com:
If you do not remember the 14th century story of William Tell, it bears repeating as it's a "Braveheart"-type tale that's 100% real. Tell's story goes like this... William Tell was an expert marksman with a crossbow who originally hailed from a tiny town called Burglen, in what is now part of Switzerland. When he was a man, the 14th century Habsburg emperors of Austria were seeking to dominate this part of Switzerland that Tell called home. One day, the newly appointed Hapsburg chief of the region raised a pole in Burglen's central square and hung his hat on top of it. He demanded that all the local townsfolk bow before the hat. When Tell passed by the hat without bowing to it, he was immediately arrested. As punishment, Tell was forced to shoot an apple off the head of his son, Walter, or else both would be executed. Tell had been promised freedom if he successfully shot the apple.On November 18th, 1307, Tell drew a single arrow from his quiver and split the apple with his crossbow, without harming his son. The town was amazed and the chief was aghast. When the chief asked Tell about the purpose of the remaining second arrow in his quiver, Tell answered that if he had killed his son, he would have turned the crossbow on the chief himself. The chief became enraged at Tell's defiant response.As a result, the chief had Tell bound and brought to the chief's ship to be taken to his castle at Kussnacht, the capital, which was several days travel away. During Tell's journey on the ship, a storm broke out on Lake Lucerne and the ship was capsized. At this moment, Tell managed to escape. Now a fugitive from the chief, Tell went to Kussnacht himself and waited for the chief to arrive. Upon the chief's arrival, Tell shot and killed him with his crossbow.Tell's defiance of the chief sparked a rebellion in which Tell himself acted out a leading part. This rebellion eventually drove out the ruling Hapsburgs and lead to the formation of the country we now know as Switzerland.To make this story even more amazing, Tell later died in 1354 while trying to save a child from drowning in the alpine river Schachenbach after sparking this revolution.

We've all seen this mock up poster of the Chi-com soldier with his hand up. "Keep that crap off my AK", is the caption. Usually this is in reference to the myriad of crap ... literally ... that has infested the AK accessory market for so long. We see substandard AK parts and accessories injection molded by someone who has sexual fantasies about leggos and shooting an M4 instead of an AK. Look at the excuses for AK magazines foisted on the market by several US companies until US Palm snatched that market from them with a magazine that actually works.Then, of course, we have the Airsofters that realized those who shoot real guns have more disposable money than the teenagers they have been marketing to. Sp they repurpose their stuff and "PRESTO", instant AK tactical accessories...for cheap!I think, to a degree, the AK market has become jaded. We've seen too much. You know. The M4-nikov with a vodka chaser, or the flimsy plastic AK-47 side folder that, was 922(r) compliant, and cheap, but broke in half during drills. The cool colored or clear US made magazines that look great in the rifle but won't feed more than five rounds at a time, or break when they fall to the ground. All total disappointments that spawn posters like the one above. The Chicom soldier is not only saying he wants no such thing on his rifle, but also taunting american manufacturing isn't he.
How dare I expect modern american labor to equal Cold War era slave labor behind the Iron Curtain, whose failure to produce meant death, and not six months of unemployment checks followed by a hostile work environment lawsuit pay-off.
But the AK, like the AR, the FAL, the UZI, the Saiga, and all other mass produced military weapons can be improved. So what do we do? Leave "good enough" alone and make do, or try to improve things. After all, few of us fly around in hot air balloons for transportation, or use the telegraph to communicate. Had someone not thouight to improve things, we would all still be fighting with rocks.

Initially, and still, my focus in training has been that your AK....your personal training and GO-TO rifle, should operate the same as the rifle that will be used by the AQ terrorist you meet in Botswana, or Colombia, or Johanesburg.

Look at the rifle above by Krebs. It has been improved, but it is still an AK and has nothing that does not serve a tangible purpose. If the Chicom soldiers wants to keep his Norinco over the Krebs, he is a freaking idiot.

The safety should operate the same so you don't lose those few prescious tenths of seconds remembering its not your excalibur, but Hassan's Mahdi rifle. The bolt handle, the magazine release, and the general handling system of the weapon should not change from the normal kalashnikov...lest you create confusion for yourself at the moment of truth.

The few that have actually left the shooting range and ventured into the realm where if you make a mistake you die, will know what I mean. Make a mistake and you are f*****g dead....period, end of f*****g story, not a loss of points, or a snarky comment from the overfed gun guru, or a DQ from the match. Pretty high stakes don't you think?Still, the Kalashnikov can in fact be improved. The issue is just how much. So what are we talking about???Some of the items we see include railed handguards to add length for those who need it and for the ability to mount lights. As well, to aid in heat dissipation and even in some cases to free float the rifle barrel. Not a bad thing at all for those who need it. Notice this does not change the safety, bolt handle, magazine release, or general handling. On rails, please don't go out and buy the Airsoft application rail from the Chinese soldier in the photo. If you are going to do that, just don't add anything then. The only rails worth bothering with are from Krebs, Ultimak, Samson, or Midwest.
I also see the need for after market stocks. There has always been a concern with the addition of M4 accessories to the AK, but for those with sasquatch-length arms and some for those with pygmy arms, that may be the only option. The ability to put the right one on your rifle is a good thing. Stay away from the bargain basement crap. If it looks like an AK accessory for cheap, it is probably crap. The only ones I would recommend are from Vltor. These are a quality made item.

Optics for those with old eyes...or those with the desire to shoot an old eye...right in the eye. The best way, as far as CQB (Close Quarters Battle) goes, to mount optics on the AK platform are the Ultimak gas rails. I have been running these on my rifles since 2006 and they are as strong as the rifle and give me no problems no matter how much I neglect my working rifles. Optics should be considered by everyone as they will make you a better shooter...specially if your eyes are not what they used to be. On the AK, the best options are the Aimpoints - either the Micro, or the standard Comp. Again, this is not the palce for bargain basement gear. Pistol grips are another area. For me, the standard AK pistol grip works fine, but Tango Down will be coming out with a bigger grip to fill a meat eating western infidel's hand. They showed this at SHOT and I really like it. I will likely be adding seveeral to my work rifles.
I spoke with industry insiders at SHOT. I cannot say too much, but let's just say that we have put the Avtomat Kalashnikova right in the faces orf the US Accessory makers. They are interested in making things...good things, for this weapon. Things that do not look like an M4 accessory with crazy glue, or some Salvation Army kid's toy modified for a kalashnikov. Things that actually help you to shoot and operate the AK better, faster, and more "infidelish" than ever. They asked me....and then they listened...and they let me in to what they want to do...and what they want to offer. I am impressed. The future looks good for the devotees of the AK-47. And of course, you will see it all here for sale at One Source, and operationally in the hands of our staff.

AMMO SCROUNGING WHILE TRAINING
Thoughts On Ammo Scrounging While TrainingRichard Coplin, S.I. Staff Instructor No one can argue that the price of ammunition has increased substantially. The last two years have seen unprecedented cost increases in all areas and ammunition hasn't been spared. What cost just under $100 per 1000 rounds is now often well over $200. The type of training provided by Suarez International is very firearm-manipulation intensive. Multiple drills involving clearing malfunctions and keeping the weapon running result in well-polished skills and a certain amount of ammo dumped into the dirt during the process. The question is: "Is it worth picking the ammo up and putting it back into my weapon?" On several occasions I have witnessed first hand, the problems associated with ammo scrounging during training. As tempting as it is to pick up what you just ejected during a manipulation, I would caution against it. I have seen .40 S&W get into a 9mm pistol, didn't work out for the 9mm. I have seen .223 cause a major stoppage in a 5.45X39 AK. I have seen a 5.45X39 get jammed into the breach of a .223 AK and cause a stoppage requiring the talents of a gunsmith-to-be to get it cleared. There are other examples but you get the point. It can cost time wasted trying to fix a boogered up weapon as well as being potentially dangerous. Additionally, unless one has a back-up firearm for the course, it is possible to become a cheerleader instead of a student for the remainder of the day. What of the cost of the lost ammo if I don't pick it up? My calculations are that it is nominal. In an average two day class I have never dumped more than 50 rounds of ammunition into the dirt during the entire course. Depending on what type of ammunition you bring to training the cost will either be greater or approximately the same but calculating an average of $0.25 per round (I train with Wolf, Brown Bear or Golden Tiger primarily for long guns and Wolf or S&B or Federal for pistols) the cost for the course for simply letting the ammo stay where it fell is $12.50. Even if you were very generous with your ammunition and threw away 100 rounds it would still average out to $25.00. That sum, taken in the context of a course, is nominal and can be balanced out by simply shooting one or two rounds instead of three to five on several drills. There is also the very real possibility of getting some nasty ammo in your gun. I nearly blew up my favorite snubby using the reloads given to me by the family of my recently deceased (former Chief of Police) neighbor. If we are training at a level that does justice to our expenditure of time and money, we will be somewhat pushed to our physical and mental limits. This means that we may not take the time to look closely at what we have scooped up off the ground. Mistakes under these circumstances are not rare. One other downside of ammo scrounging is the likelihood of missing important instructions or those little gems of wisdom that the instructors often give at the end of a drill. Bent over, focused on the dirt is not the most conducive state for receiving information. Bottom line:I would recommend that you let the ammo lay in the dirt, but if you are going to pick up unfired ammunition, keep it separate from your training ammo and sort it out after class, never during training.

The majority of the material on this blog comes from the work of Gabriel Suarez
RED DOT SIGHTS ON PISTOLS

OK...I began looking at this after reading a post at warriortalk some time back. Our friend Iraq Ninja (a contractor currently in Iraq), had posted that he'd done this with one of his Glocks and what his impressions were. I want to point out first that IraqNinja is a good to go guy and when he puts something on one of his guns, it calls for some attention.

I also know that the competitive shooting crowd has used red dot optics with great results for some time, although until recently, most of the red dots intended for pistol usage have been quite large. As well, Kelly McCann used a Docter optical sight on one of his Glocks in a DVD. So, before anyone accuses me of claiming to invent this, be advised, the idea is not new. I will also say that while the things that men like Brian Enos, Rob Leatham, and others train for are different than what we train for, we would be fools to not look at the advancements that come from their side of the house and adopt them, with modifications perhaps, for our applications.

Some might question why?

Well, in truth, for shots in a reactive problem inside of five yards, you could do just fine without any sights at all. But if you need shots outside of that realm, or long shots such as what may be required in an active shooter role, you will need sights. Regular sights will do fine if situations are right, but often I get calls asking about night sights, and big dots, and other types of sights to enhance visibility, enhance accuracy via better sight picture refinement, and the most common, to make up for too many candles on your birthday cake. In my experience, none of the solutions really fix the problem for anything outside of common CCW shoot the mugger distances (where you don't need sights in the first place!!).

To hit, you need to do a number of things. First of course is get the pistol pointed toward the threat. Next is to refine that point if necessary. Again, for precise shots close up, and for long shots, a refinement of the "point" will be needed. That refinement is a blend of the ability to see the target, the ability to see the sights (front AND rear), and the ability to discern sights from target.

See the target but cannot see the sights or index them on target = missSee the target, see the sights, but cannot index them on target = missSee target, see sights, index sights on target = hitMiss one of the three points: Seeing target, seeing sights, indexing sights, and you will miss.If you cannot see the front sight well, you can add enhnacements to the fron sight and see it better, but if you can't index that sight well on a target, you still won't be able to hit it.The answer, is to add a red dot optic such as the Aimpoint, J-Point, Trijicon Red Dot, or Docter style sights. The jury is still out on which one will do what we need to do. That coupled with regular glasses (not your special reading shooting glasses) that you can see the target with will solve the hitting problem.Red dot sights allow you to see the target, plus see the dot in the same focal plane. As well, it is relatively easy to index that red dot onto the target. All of that equals a big H-I-T. To those who disdain technology I will say that our troops are almost exclusively using them and have been for nearly a decade with no issues. Sure its nice to be able to use your iron sights, but if you cannot physically and visually do that, then your only viable option, if your goal is to use the rifle to its utmost utility, is to use a red dot sight.
We add red dot sights to rifles all the time and nobody thinks that is out of line. So, if one has the economic wherewithall, and the desire to extend his abilities, why should it be a problem to add one to a pistol? Short answer - it is not.

So to continue with the experiment, I mounted an old H-1 Micro on a Glock slide. First impressions....it seems a small overall package for what I expected. The pistol is a little top heavy compared to a non-Aimpoint Glock, but it doesn't seem to be a big deal really in terms of handling.I modified an Archangel by cutting away whatever was in the way, and found that appendix carry doesn't change as the sight will not protrude or print, being in a better hidden position that perhaps in other types of carry. Yes, my intention is to be able to carry this. If I cannot, I may as well use a rifle.Presentations to point are no different. Here is the thing...if the presentation is not perfect, you will not pick up the dot right away...perhaps a training issue. Still...if you see bad guy in your optics tube, you are good to go. Or...if you see bad guy surrounding your tube, you are also good to go. This is an extension of the caveman Eotech and Meat&Metal Concepts we already teach. For close range work, nothing changes from what you do with an iron sighted pistol.
Mid Range CQB stuff (7 yards - 10 yards) you can simple shoot through the scope...in other words, if you see bad guy in the scope, you shoot regardless of whether you've found the dot or not. For Close range CQB stuff (3 to 5 yards) you can use the outline of the scope like a caveman eotech and simply shoot when the target surrounds the optic.

I see this as best for longer shots, or precise close shots (head shots on a partially hidden adversary for example)...or a few other applications to include extreme low light usage. Adding this to a Glock with a rail will give you the most complete low light, combat pistol possible. Add a happy stick and you have something to put on the nightstand. Take off the happy stick and light and you can carry it as a CCW. One thing about the red dot Micro that is not seen as much with irons is the POA/POI and hold over-under issues. With Irons, you expect eyeball shots at a certain distance...maybe 7 yards, and after that...center of mass. That is a result of the coincidence of POA-POI at one given point. I basically stood off at about ten yards and zeroed the Micro. I was shooting at 1" dots and was hitting easily. A little closer and I have the sight offset issues we normally see with a rifle. Not a big issue but you do need to be aware of it.
Another aspect of this experiment has been to send a slide to David Bowie of Bowie Tactical. When I get it back we will add a Trijicon Red Dot and re-examine the system. The red dot eliminates the need to align two small sights and a target as all the visual input is one the same sighting/focal plane. It is a very big short cut. As well the dot stands out against everything far better than any sights. I am not 100% on this yet, but I like it and will continue to work with it. It may be a big advance in this area....we will see.

THE SHOTGUN - AGAIN

In 1990 (more or less) Jeff Cooper began teaching shotgun at his place in AZ. To his credit, he researched the available material quite thoroughly to arrive at his conclusions, but I suspect he had an idea of where to take it before starting. Jeff was a rifleman, first, and saw all small arms from that perspective.In a VHS tape of the era he explains why the shotgun needs a tight pattern and sights and the issue of slugs as desired loading. While his class discussed the use of the buckshot pattern, it made most guys think of keeping the pattern "as tight as a fist" out as far as possible and then shooting slugs out as far as possible. To that end a cottage industry grew around meeting Jeff's ideal of the fighting shotgun. Ghost ring sights were added, barrells were choked, shooting slings made up, and you name it. In essence, turning the weapon into a big bore rifle. But also losing the best attributes of the shotgun concept.If that is what we must do to make our shotguns useful - in essence turning them into big bore rifles, why would anyone choose a shotgun over a rifle? I will tell you right now that my main GO TO long gun is not a shotgun. And I have actually used shotguns many times to shoot bad guys so if anyone knows what a shotgun can do against men it is me. My main long gun is a Kalashnikov Rifle.The rifle is more precise, can reach farther, penetrate deeper, and can carry more ammo. That makes it truly a versatile platform. But it is not perfect either. The rifle cannot be point-shot at CQB ranges as well as the shotgun mainly due to its single projectile rather than the multiple projectiles in a buckshot round. The shotgun is not as precise, but will allow you hit under situations where you might well miss with a rifle. A shotgun allows for easier hits in low light, against multiple adversaries at close range, and in circumstances where you don't have the time to use traditional marksmanship principles. The reason it allows you to do this is because of its multiple projectile capability.Even with sights and slugs, while the shotgun can be pushed outside of its special niche, it will never do as well at rifle jobs as a true rifle.Usually we hear, "but if you only had a shotgun...." Yes, I know...I've heard that before. How many of you ONLY HAVE A SHOTGUN? And then most importantly, WHY? Usually these guys will spend hundreds of dollars trying to achieve the rifle-like performance out of a glorified duck hunting gun. But you know what...they could dedicate all those gun-bucks to buying a WASR 10 that would out perform their uber-tactical shotgun every single day. If you truly can only have a shotgun due to restrictive and oppressive laws, then by all means do what you can with the shotgun, but don't take that road when you have other tactical options.Perspective guys. Identify mission then seek a tool to accomplish the mission.Mission - Mostly Proactive; Hit from 5 yards to 350 yards. High accuracy requirements and volume of fire, as well as penetration. Tool - RifleMission - Mostly Reactive; Carry concealed 24-7-365 to hit out to 50 yards. Tool - Pistol Mission - Close, fast, low light, multiple bad guys possible inside 25 yards. No distance, volume or penetration concerns. Tool - ShotgunAs I said, the shotgun is a special tool for special events...just like the sniper rifle. I choose the Saiga 12 becuase I know I will spend MORE time with my rifle and I want a shotgun that runs just like my rifle. But I will not select it for event where a rifle will be more useful. I use it for events calling for its strengths and not one where its disadvantages will make me wish I had my AK rifle.


*****

On The Saiga - I think the future of combat shotgunning is the Saiga. Just as the 1911 crowd bemoaned the advent of that silly-looking "plastic" pistol from Austria back in the early 1990s, I see resistance from the traditional shotgun venues in the USA. I remember the hey-day of Heckler and Koch, when every SWT unit was using some derivative of the MP5. With the HK package came the Benelli Super 90. And for many years, the Super 90 lead the way in fighting shotgun development. Trailing it were the 1100/1187, the 870, and to a lesser degree, the Mossbergs. No other shotguns were as widely adopted as these. Yet all of these have deficiencies. They are all sporting guns modified for police/military use. One can argue that they are sufficient and that they will work. Sure...so will a five shot revolver, and a lever action rifle. But you see few of those as first choices today. The Saiga has the potential of becoming the Glock of the shotgun world. the only limit is how fast the Russians can make them and how quickly can Americans import them. Eventually, someone will figure it out and reverse-engineer an all US-made Saiga shotgun (as well as probably an AK). This is a far better shotgun than any other I have worked with. If I had a choice between a Saiga and a Benelli, I'd go Saiga hands down. It is the only purpose-designed fighting shotgun available today. Everything else...even the Benelli is a "sporting" weapon modified for police/military use.Think of a shotgun with all the characteristics of a shotgun, yet with the same exact manual of arms as your Kalashnikov!! As it comes, it needs to have a few parts replaced. The addition of a Tapco G-2 Trigger Pack and the relocation of the trigger guard to add a pistol grip are essential. As is the subsequent change to a regular AK butt stock. The main advantage of the Saiga is the magazine feed. No longer do you have to fumble with single rounds of buckshot. You can load a full magazine. You can load the Saiga the same way you load your AK. So the shoot-one-load one process that so complicates the manual of arms of the shotgun is a moot point for the Saiga. Instead, you shoot it. When it stops, you go to pistol if inside CQB range, or drop behind cover and reload it like your AK if outside of pistol range. Caveman simple.

AMMO FOR THE KALASHNIKOV PDW
One problem that has always faced the man who relies on a rifle for self-defense has been a balance of performance. The rifle should penetrate things like cover and armor, but its ammo should stop in flesh...to give a very simplified perspective.

As more and more rifles enter the role of Personal Defense Weapons, more and more concern is placed in the area of ammo performance. There is no such thing as a "smart bullet" that can discern what material it is travelling through. But the careful operator can select the right bullet for the right environment. For use outside, or for general purpose, standard ammo is fine, but when the issue becomes indoors use, some thought must be given if performance is to be optimized. After all, what a hollow victory to shoot the home invader or terrorist only to learn a few seconds later that your well placed shots passed through him and killed an innocent.

Corbon is now selling a 7.62x39 cartridge with a specialized bullet appropriate for CQB and other short-to-medium range uses. It comes in the gray/green "Hunter" box of 20 rounds with a 108 gr. MPG bullet. 2500 fps/1499 ft lbs energy. Corbon is the only commercial loader selling this bullet in loaded ammunition. The bullet is the Barnes MPG (Multi-Purpose Green--no lead). Barnes developed this projectile at the request of the US Navy. It falls into the "frangible" category, but it has many distinct characteristics compared to typical, sintered, powdered metal frangible bullets. The military prefers the term RRLP for Reduced Ricochet Limited Penetration. Barnes now sells this bullet as a handloading component in its M/LE line as the TAC-RRLP, a .310" diameter 108 grain. Barnes sells a similar handloading component, without a cannelure, as the "Varmint Grenade" in smaller calibers.The bullet is constructed using a standard copper jacket formed from the base up. Barnes compresses copper and tin powder, almost as fine as talc, under great pressure to form a core. The core is dropped into the jacket, and the jacket is formed to a spire point with an open tip.Because it has this copper jacket, it loads and feeds like an FMJ. Some sintered rounds can break off tips on feeding (into the mag, action, or barrel) and sometimes during extraction of a live round. Sintered powder can also get into gas ports and systems causing problems.The copper jacket also allows the bullet to spin up to very high speeds without coming apart. It is very accurate, although because of the lower weight, it loses velocity quickly at extended ranges.The jacket allows the bullet to penetrate most light to intermediate barriers, such as heavy clothing, plywood, sheetrock, and car doors. It will penetrate thinner glass surfaces. If it hits a hard target, such as steel or very thick glass, the bullet will break up (reduced ricochet).In soft targets with a liquid base, such as tissue, fluid enters the open tip, peels back the jacket and the powdered core immediately returns to its powdered state in an explosive manner, dumping all its energy in about 11" with basically no exit (limited penetration). Shoot a watermelon and see what happens!
Although not as inexpesive as lead core FMJ, its capabilities for terminal performance meet specific needs. As usual, Corbon is at the forefront of providing defense based ammunition solutions.
I hope to see what this will do out of the short barreled Suchkas (Krinkovs to the uninformed).

GUERRILLA SNIPER TRAINING


The Guerrilla Sniper

The Class - April 30-May 2, 2010Guerrilla SniperKingman, AZFollowing the concept of the Guerrilla Sniper, this course will focus on the use of optically sighted rifles as sniper/marksman rifles. We will examine various models of weapons as well as their suitability for the application. While we will focus to a degree on the AK Rifle and the Guerrilla Sniper application, you can bring any type of rifle you wish to class.In the 3-day course, students will bring their sniper skills to high levels. We will begin with zeroing, range estimation, and hopefully getting first round hits to 600 yards. Much of the class will also deal with field movement and field shooting against single and multiple adversaries (targets), and target engagement from 50 to 500 yards. And that only covers the first two days. Then it's a day of "hands-on" practical work, planning/execution at actual "start to finish" missions. This course is a "must" for any serious student of the rifle!Learn to apply precision shooting skills under any all conditions, placing emphasis on how to fight with a sniper rifle instead of simply shooting bulls eyes. You will be doing CQB, as well as longer range precision shots with your rifle.


SUAREZ SNIPER SCHOOLS

ENROLL TODAY BEFORE ITS NO LONGER AVAILABLE TO YOU


COMBAT FITNESS - GETTING STARTED
OK guys...I've gotten several emails asking about how to get in shape after years of neglect and sloth. First thing you have to ask is get in shape for what? Since we are a fighting group, I would assume we mean getting in shape for fighting, self defense, ect.You can divide fitness into several areas but the most importnat I think is to have a proper weight. If you weigh in at 350 pounds and your fat percentage is 50%, that weight will not help you either in a fight, or for longevity.Since this situation is the most likely one, I will begin with that. First thing is to make certain the diet is correct. Pasta, bread, rice, potatoes and doughnuts washed down with a keg of beer every night will not do anything for you. Look up Paleo Diet and try to follow it as much as possible for six months. Eat vegetables, fruits, meat, chicken and fish as much as you want and avoid other things. Next thing is avoid (avoid is avoid...not eliminate) alcohol and sodas, and sweet fruity commercial drinks. Water, tea, coffee, and natural fruit juice should replace them.Eat until you are full and then stop. It is a discipline like anything else. If you think its too much, then forget the whole thing - go back to watching the military channel with your chocolate cake.Next thing is get out on the road...or treadmill. Start walking...fast. Everyday. Increase the time, and speed. Turn the walk into a run. If your knees are destroyed, use a bike instead. If you have no bike, buy one. Eventually one will run out of excuses, or they will find one to justify the military channel and the chocolate cake.The road work and the paelo will begin to drop off weight. It will work unless you are eitrher not doing it, or there is some actual physical/hormonal issue that prevents it and then its not a matter of exercise.At some point you will need to begin strength and anareobic work. The simplest thing, that you don't need any equipment for is a simple exercise called the Burpee. You can do ths anywhere....in your office, in the yard, in the garage, in a hotel room, even in a jail cell.The low level method is this: Begin standing. Drop to a push up position, kicking your legs out. Kick the legs back in quickly, and stand up. Do them until you are out of breath. Stop, recover, and do anther set. Do it for 15 minutes at least, adding time until you are working for 30 minutes.Next level is to add a pushup.
Next level is to add a vertical jump when you stand up. Keep adding reps and sets. Eventually you might even want to add some weights but that is for another time.Walking, eating right, doing burpees. How freaking caveman simple is that?? Begin with that and let us know how it goes.

RED DOT VERSUS LASER

When we began the discussions about putting red dot sights on pistols we were immediately asked, what about lasers? Well...lets analyze this.
Remember that what we are looking for is not what someone can do on a shooting range, but rather performance in the chaotic and dynamic world of force on force. I don't see the need for any sight enhnacements...or sights at all for that matter for dynamic reactive gunfighting inside of five yards. Don't believe me? Come to a force on force class and we will not only show you, but we'll show you how to do the same thing yourself.

Back to the laser vs. red dot discussion however. Both systems will offer an easier system of verification of alignment than traditional iron sights for the times you need iron sights. Regardless of manufacturer or devotee claims, neither one is faster nor a replacement for close range dynamic shooting, or point shooting.
Still, for close range proactive precision shots, or for long range shots, the systems offer a marked advantage over iron sights. As well in other applications such a reduced light, or on moving targets, etc. the systems offer advantages. But which one is best?Lasers -Price: $250-300 (quality units only discussed)Advantages: Easy to add to the gun with a Lasermax or Crimson Trace system. These will project a red dot on the target itself. Supposedly, there is an intimidation factor though I've never seen it happen. No "sight picture" necessary as the laser can be projected regardless of a muzzle-eye relationship. Disadvantages: Projects dot on target itself potentially giving your position away. Dot can be used at close ranges but virtually unusable at extended distances due to inability to see dot on distant target. In my opinion, at close range, in a dynamic reactive problem, you can point shoot a sightless pistol faster than you can use a laser. Batteries are a concern unless manufacturer guarantees extended usage. Needs to be activated to function. May or may not need a modified holsterTypical examples are the Crimson Trace and Lasermax systemsRed Dots -Price: $200 - 600Advantages: Does not project the actual dot, rather it superimposes the dot on your visual field. Potentially covert, and can be used at all distances not just close up. Always on so no need to activate it. Extended usage is almost always there. The Trijicon claims two years of use, and Aimpoint 50,000 hours!. You can still point shoot the pistol with standard methods if dot cannot be picked up quickly enough.Disadvantages: Needs special holster. Makes pistol slightly bigger than a non red dot weapon. A less than perfect presentation will not yield the dot in the scope quickly enough, but see point shooting comments.Typical examples are the J Point, Docter, and Aimpoint Micro.
From my perspective, the Red Dot systems offer things that are not available with the lasers. I want to also say that I have received emails saying, in essence, "I am a civilian ccw guy and I will never see a need to fire a shot past ten yards and if I do I will go get a rifle." Well, that is fine. I wish life was so simple as to be able to say "always" and "never" with such certainty. If you guess wrong, you have just made yourself a non-combatant. Jeanne Assam engaged the bad guy at the church that day at 35 yards. I wonder if a red dot sight might have made it easier for her?

MORE ON COMBAT FITNESS - SIZE

Size! I get questions too about gaining size and getting B-I-G!! Listen...I came from the era of Weider and Bodybuilding and all those...."supplements". I trained to be BIG. I was into the BIG BENCH and at one time pressed over 300. But you know what....its not about size, its about being functional. When I reached 43 I began having all manner of nagging aches and pains in my joints. Surely this wasn't from the bench, deadlifts and squats!! So I did what most guys do...Train through the pain.The following winter I got pneumonia. Yuck. I'd be out of breath when walking to get a cup of coffee. Anyway...that Christmas, my lovely XO and brother-from-another-mother Cold War Scout conspired to buy me a Kettlebell and a DVD from Pavel Tsatsouline. As soon as my pneumonia went away I looked at the weird dumbell-cannonball thing and watched the DVD. Weirdeset thing I ever saw. But I tried it. I could barely get through a set of 25 swings! Wait! I'm supposed to be strong? That changed my outlook on training. Lesson Learned - Big and strong is not enough - functional strength is far more important than size!! Another learning moment was a Pride fight between Ernesto Hoost and Warren Sapp. Sap was huge...I mean 50 BMG T-Rex Huge. Muscles coming out of his eyeballs. Host is not a small man, but was dramatically smaller than Sapp. Yet Hoost managed to kick Sapp into not being able to continue. Lesson Learned - No Matter How Big You Are, There Is Either Someone Bigger, Or Someone Smaller Who Can Take You.Now with those two things on the table, this is how I answer:Your genetics will allow you to be only so big. Don't fight it and don't worry about it. Your fitness lot in life is far easier than the guy whose genetics make him a Sumo candidate. Eat well and often. Eat the same stuff as the overweight guys, but eat a little more. Train the same way until your body is used to it. Add kettlebells and bodyweight stuff. 50 Strict Pushups and 20 strict pullups should be your goal. Begin with one and add until you can't add anymore. Then cut the reps and add some weights in the form of weight vest. Add kettlebells and burpees.You may not end up as an IFBB Champ, but you will be able to fight and move and be a better warrior than if you drink the size koolaid.
__________________
Gabe SuarezOne Source TacticalSuarez International USAChristian Warrior MinistriesMatthew 10:34 Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword.

Article about gun coatings.
http://www.gunreports.com/special_reports/accessories/American-Gunsmith-magazine-Coatings-teflon-Electroless-nickel-plating1766-1.html?ET=gunreports:e608:131398a:&st=email

SAIGA - THE KALIFORNYA KOMPLIANT AK
The Californians Option For An AK
by Uli Gebhard - Suarez International Staff Instructor
The AK-47 is the fighting rifle of choice of Suarez International. The price is reasonable, the AK's built by Jim Fuller/Rifle Dynamics are accurate and reliable, yet all of them have one other thing in common: The State of Kalifornia in its infinite wisdom has decided to save us from our own dark side and banned them in their original configuration.
All of the original AK's that have been modified to comply with the CA regulations have severe disadvantages such as fixed/tool-only removable magazines or have either no pistol grip or the Monster-man grip. Neither option really aids handling of the gun.
Ladies, Gents, I'm writing this since I'm teaching in LA, and I'm facing these exact problems. The next best thing to downgraded standard AK's is the RAAC Saiga. The Saiga is essentially nothing but a "sporterized" AK. The engineers at Izmash removed the pistol grip and moved the trigger far enough to the rear that it can be reached from a Monte Carlo stock that's attached to the rear trunnion. Another measure to get it onto the American market is a redesigned magazine seat that does not allow using original AK magazines.

Still, in my opinion, the Saiga, particularly in 7.62x39 (.223 and .308 are also available) is the best centerfire autoloading rifle on the Kalifornia market.
All Saigas that I have seen thus far are as rugged and reliable as any AK that Gabe is running in his classes. Together with the Ruger Mini-14/30, M-1A, and M-1Carbine they have a removable magazine, which makes them suitable as true fighting rifles. Big advantage of the Saiga is their low price of $350 to $400. The SU-16 has the same feature, but I would not call it a true fighting rifle since the bore is not chrome-lined and the reliability is an issue.
What you get for this investment is a caveman-simple, reliable, rugged, accurate, low-maintenance platform. One other point to consider is that 7.62x39 is just about the cheapest centerfire rifle ammunition currently on the market.
The Saiga has the typical AK controls: trigger, safety, mag release, charging handle. Just like the regular AK, these controls can be easily manipulated under stress, regardless if the rifle is operated right- or left-handed.
The only control that I handle different on the Saiga is the safety. While the trigger was moved back, the safety stayed in place, where it is out of reach when the trigger hand is on the stock. When operating the trigger with my right hand, I place the web of my hand on the rear of the cover. This gives me enough reach with my middle finger to manipulate the safety lever. With the left hand on the trigger, I use the right thumb, just like on the AK. Running the Safety on the Saiga - right hand.
The sights are AK-typical notch and post - just like on your pistol. There is no need re-train yourself in using Ghost-ring sights. Yet they allow hitting a 10" steel plate at 100 meters with boring regularity.
Three things that the Saiga needs for use as a CDR (Civilian Defense Rifle): A sling, a bag for your ammo and lots and lots of magazines.
The simpler the sling is the better. I used to use the ueber-tactical three-point or single-point slings in the past. They are slow to put on and when you let the rifle drop into the sling it's dangling in front of you, which has two very negative effects:1). The rifle limits your ability to move effectively while you move and operate the pistol, and 2). It's attached to your body on the side that faces your adversary.

Gabe had an account from his SWAT days when an officer my size encountered a rather strong and large opponent who then got hold of the 3-point-sling-fixtured MP5. The bad guy flung the officer around by his weapon until a fellow SWAT member cured this anger management issue with some large caliber therapy.
Point of story - basic two-point slings not only cost a fraction, but are also more effective. You can throw the rifle over you head and sling it over your back in one swift motion, transition to pistol and you're back in the fight, while the rifle is out of the way.
As for bags, I use the rifle-bug-out-bag from One Source Tactical. The mag-pouches are designed for full-size mags, which means that the Saiga 10-rounders usually sit a little too low for easy access. .223 Magpuls resolve this problem.
After seeing the Sneaky Bags in action during the AK course in Prescott, an upgrade is called for - they work better in the dump-pouch section than my current bag.
Why a bag and not a chest rig or vest? Figure the following test: Your gear and rifle are in the trunk of your car. On "Go", grab your equipment, run to cover, fire a couple of rounds, do a proactive reload, sling your rifle, transition to pistol and evade to an alternate position. Do this as fast as possible without leaving any items behind. On the mag issue, three options are viable: One can leave the rifle unmodified and use the Saiga-proprietary 10-round mags.
Both of the other options require modifications to the rifle: The Saiga mags have an integrated feature that guides the bullets into the chamber. Stock AK mags not only don't fit, but will also cause frequent malfunctions in form of failures to feed since they lack the guide feature. This can be resolved by installing a bullet guide. The parts are available from various online sources. All it takes is to drill and tap the front trunnion to install the guide and secure it with Loctite. Problem is that the trunnion is hardened, which makes drilling and tapping a bit of a challenge if you haven't done work like this before.
With the bullet guide installed, one of the following modifications is necessary to allow using standard AK mags in the Saiga:
1). Modifying the mags to work with the slightly different Saiga Magwell/mag-release configuration
2). Modifying the Magwell/mag release to use standard magazines as-is.
All options considered, my Saiga is stock and uses the Saiga factory mags. The reasoning behind this is simple. I'm an instructor and I log these rifles around quite a bit. There's always the chance to get pulled over and I'd rather show that everything is as it came from the factory than trying to educate the officer that yes, the rifle is modified, but no, the mags are not illegal because they are still Kalifornia kompliant choked-down 30-rounders that will hold only ten cartridges.
If you want to get your Saiga modified for AK mags and you're not comfortable doing it yourself, give Jim Fuller a call. I've seen him at work and I've seen the results of his skills. Rest assured that you will get a conversion that you can rely on - period!As far as ruggedness goes, please picture this: When I demonstrate the Saiga, I field-strip it and, just for show, dump the cover, bolt carrier, bolt, recoil spring assembly and gas tube in the dirt. I give the parts a slight blow-off at best, reassemble the rifle, perform a function check, insert a magazine and put 10 rounds downrange. I did this pretty much at the end of each class this year and have never encountered any malfunctions.
To summarize things: The Saiga rifles are reliable and can, with very few exceptions, be operated just like an AK. If you train manipulations on your Saiga, then head to a free state and take an AK course, you will be at least at the same level as the rest of the crowd.
Last but not least a brief note for those who like these top-loading AR Carbines just because they are cool and not a com-block abomination: you can buy two Saigas, all necessary gear and a decent amount of ammo for the price of one top-loading or bullet-button incapacitated AR - how much better does it get?!
Yes - I like my com-block abomination and will gladly use it to teach the next rifle class!

http://www.gunreports.com/gow/handguns/9mm-Pistol-Semi-Auto-Glock-Model-26-G26-Gun-Tests_1257-1.html?ET=gunreports:e415:131398a:&st=email