All Outdoor

Body armor has been around since the dawn of history. The first defensive garments were leather and wood, then metal and silk, and most recently synthetic fibers and ceramic plates. While most Americans don’t own ballistic armor, most of us have some protective garment, helmet or glove for such tasks as riding motorcycles or horses, doing farm work or playing sports. Ballistic armor, unneeded for most daily tasks for people living outside of the socialist paradises like Detroit, is legal to own and wear. Yet every year, one of the usual suspects who presume to rule America try to ban all or some of the armor for non-government use.

Oh my… 2014 was, to borrow a phrase from CS Lewis, a Lantern Waste. Lewis was describing the point at which the Pevensies entered the mythical world of Narnia for the first time, but it aptly fits the custom light world in 2014. Aside from some stuff from Muyshondt’s progressive expansion into different batteries and a few Tain releases, we had to wait until the very end of the year to get anything interesting, and these interesting tidbits were a clip for HDS lights and a vented head for the TorchLab Moddoolar. Solid items each, but not as exciting as a new torch.

In Colorado, some lawmakers are reportedly trying to undo damage that was done in 2013, when knee-jerk reactions allowed the Democratically-controlled state congress to pass a number of Draconian anti-gun laws. The freedom-crushing laws infuriated many Colorado residents, causing them to recall two state senators and trigger the resignation of another while a recall was under way.

When we start talking about the best pocket knives on earth we have to talk about the Chris Reeve Sebenza. From my perspective the Reeve Sebenza is without question the finest hard use folding knife on earth. Sure there are more expensive folders out there in the custom market, along with various expensive sharpened pry bars marketed as knives, but if you want and honest to goodness cutting tool, I have yet to find another production folding knife of its equal.

Springfield Armory has partnered with AllOutdoor.com to give you the opportunity to win a Bi-Tone XD-S® 3.3″ Single Stack 9mm! Bonus entry points will also be given away so make sure to share this giveaway with your friends!

*** This is only a 4 day giveaway! ***

Prize: XD-S 3.3” 9mm Bi-Tone (XDS9339S) – View product page here.

How to Enter:
1. Enter your email

For Additional Entries:
1. LIKE both company pages
2. Share the giveaway with your friends on Facebook and Twitter

Giveaway ends on March 23, 2015. One winner will be chosen the week of March 23rd. Make sure you read the giveaway terms and conditions before you enter.

Get more information from Springfield Armory on giveaways, promotions, and tips here.

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So it seems I am in the midst of more than a few very high end AR-15 pistol builds and the one I started with was one centered around a receiver format I love with a caliber I frankly didn’t get: the 300 Blackout.  I wrote hotly commented soapbox article about my skepticism of the 300 Blackout round in AR-15s and people were pissed. It was as though I was insulting a religion. Enough people sat me down and had a serious man-to-man discussion in the same weighty alcohol drenched way your best friends in college would tell over and over that the girl hanging on you for years who you don’t think is hot, is actually the hottest and nicest girl in the world and is dying to date you. Geez, OK already I will give the round a go in a really nice build.

Everyone kept telling me that the 300 Blackout was the ultimate AR-15 cartridge, and way better than the .223. So despite my skepticism I decided to give the round a go in a really nice AR-15 pistol build, to see if I could get myself to like it.

Yeah, this is a serious question. No fooling around. As a long time outdoors/gun writer, I watch all the trends in the firearms industry. This includes guns and ammo popularity reflected in national sales, new gun models coming on the market, as well as new ammunition.

[Editor’s note: Chris Cheng is a Staff Writer over at our sister blog, TheFirearmBlog.com. Cheng is an occasional guest writer for us here at AO.]

The folks from Powderhook have announced a sign-up list to get in on their new iOS/Android application used to locate turkeys in your area. Powderhook is describing it as “the first turkey activity tracking app” in a partnership with the National Wild Turkey Foundation and Alps Outdoorz.

Our friends over at The Firearms Blog (TFB) recently revealed a new pistol that’s bound to get the attention of Glock lovers and concealed carriers. It’s the Glock 43: a subcompact, single-stack 9mm that offers everything Glock fans love in a sweet little carry-friendly package.

You better really love bacon if you try this at home. This can get pretty expensive for a few slices!

There was a time when I was very much into revolvers, but those days have long gone, and most of my handguns are semiautos now. However, I still have a soft spot for little .38 Special revolvers for some reason. I used to carry little .38 Special snubbies when I did PI work and undercover work — carried ‘em in an ankle holster. Ditto, for time spent as a cop — nice to have a back-up gun in that line of work.

Turkey tactics, strategies, and methods of hunting have come and gone over the years. One can still hear heated debates around the campfire mostly during deer season about how to best hunt a wild turkey gobbler. Some say to use this call or that, hunt morning roosted birds, or afternoon love sick toms, use decoys or not, and so forth.

Previously, I reviewed the James Williams designed Shinbu and Hisshou short sword defensive knives and was wowed by their cutting ability. I have been a huge fan of his Heiho and Hissatsu folders so much so that a James Williams folder is almost always found in my pocket.

Surefire has always been a company that makes great stuff.  Solid, reliable, well-conceived products.  They aren’t, and they have never been, on the absolute bleeding edge of lights, but when they do finally incorporate new technology they usually do it better than anyone else.

I purchased my first Kahr Arms handgun about 8-yrs ago. I’d read in the gun rags about how nice these pistols were, and what a great double action only trigger pull they had, but I honestly didn’t believe all the hype — that is, until I saw my first Kahr pistol. As soon as I handled it and pulled that buttery smooth double action trigger, it was sold! Since then, I’ve owned quite a few Kahr handguns, and they make a lot of different versions of the same gun, so they have an extensive line-up of handguns.

I guess some would call me an “old timer” in the gun and knife writing field. I’ve been at it since 1992, and I’ve written for many of the major firearm and cutlery magazines. It was only a few years ago when I “retired” from writing for the printed magazines, and turned my attention to writing for on-line websites.