All Outdoor

Whatever SHTF scenario plan you have devised, whether it is a classic well prepped Bug Out escape or an Alamo standoff on the home front, more than likely there is a firearms component written into the flowchart. Having reviewed many forums for some time without being compelled to engage any longer, I do know that firearms and their use are a huge concern for a lot of preppers. The fears and paranoia are justified.

The dove shoot marks the beginning of hunting season here in the south and around the US. Dove hunting is one of the simplest bird hunting sports. All you need are the proper licenses, a shotgun, and a place to hunt. A lot less hassle than the waterfowl or deer hunting sport, although dove hunting does require that you have good shooting skills. Dove are very adept at flying. You may get a lead on a dove and have the bird drop 3 feet in a split second.

Guns are cool – but black powder is hot.

If you’ve ever fired a gun – especially a revolver – in low light, you know the flash can be pretty dang bright… and black powder has the potential to make one heck of a flash. Well, some folks set out to get a photo of a low-light black powder revolver flash – and this is the result.

“This was shot in the early evening, out in a rural area,” says the photo caption. “We wanted to catch the muzzle blast as the black powder cartridge went off.”

The cartridge was 44 magnum, and he said it was loaded with 37 grains of FFFg black powder.

The gun was a Ruger Vaquero, old model.

It reportedly took about 35 rounds to get the timing just right and capture this image. Suh-weet!

There’s been some buzz of late concerning Gaston Glock, the unlikely inventor from Vienna, Austria who got filthy rich – and became the target of an assassination attempt – after dreaming up the world’s first reliable plastic pistol. His is an interesting story.

There should be no arguments that 3Gun competitions have lit the custom gun market on fire for shotguns, AR-15s, and pistols. Glock has been and will continue to be a perennial favorite handgun to run and customize for competitions. The Glock format has also become a favorite for high-end custom gun shops such as Salient, but the home gunsmith can still do a ton to customize their Glock with just a steel punch. One of the most popular upgrades is to switch barrels to increase accuracy and add the ability to shoot non-jacketed bullets for practice.

There are three solutions I am aware of that will work well when dealing with ticks.

First, Cabela’s sells an undergarment system called Bug Skinz that will keep them off your legs and upper body. This is a good system that I have used before. It is kind of warm on hot days, but worth it for sure.

The second method I have used on short trips outdoors during the late summer is to simply duct tape the cuffs of my pants to the tops of my boots. This works great and keeps the ticks on the outside. Of course, if you are going to be outside for long periods you will want more protection for your upper body.

The third method is a product from Game Hide called Elimitick. This is a clothing line that has tick repellant built right into the fabric. I am not sure if it smells to the deer or not, but Game Hide promotes it heavily for bowhunters who are affected by ticks.

One of these three methods should work well for you. The first two are for sure odorless, though I’m not as familiar with the third method. A little more research is no doubt in order.

This week’s KnifeTests.com features a popular knife–the KA-BAR. KA-BAR, as a brand, is synonymous with durable and affordable bushcraft and tactical knives. Noss puts this old favorite to the test in this three-part destruction test.

Noss begins by creating notches in a plank of wood, which does a surprising amount of damage to the blade. It’s not long before the tip of the blade snaps off and the edge of the blade shows considerable wear. Then, the knife is hit with a mallet to embed it into metal. It warps the metal but it takes a bit to break it off.

Noss clamps the blade into a vice, and sets the handle on fire to melt it. The knife blade breaks in half due to the pressure of the clamp.

Check out the video below, and catch up on past tests at KnifeTests.com.

Social media led me to a water repellent product that I think is worth checking out. NeverWet developed a family of products that completely repel water and heavy oils. Any object coated with our NeverWet™ coating literally cannot be touched by liquid. Any liquid placed on this coating is repelled and simply rolls off without touching the underlying surface.

You’ll be amazed by the videos and what problems you’ll be able to solve as outdoor enthusiasts.

Suppose you start out in the gear world and you hit it big with your first major project.  Everything goes exactly like you want.  The products you design and have produced are awesome.  The aesthetic you have is like nothing else on the market.  It is trend setting.  And best of all, you don’t have customers, you have fans…no not fans, FANATICS.

For the most part, buying chicks is a springtime activity. The local farm supply stores start getting their chicks in around early to mid February. Then there are the Easter colored chicks. (Please do not buy colored chicks for Easter. You do not know what breeds you are getting, what sex, and the “new” quickly wears off.)

I just came in from target shooting. We are experiencing mosquito problems right now, so before I went out I sprayed down with some OFF.  Unfortunately, I forgot to spray my face. After 30 minutes, when I came back inside, I had eight bites on my face. The bites were not the only thing that was annoying — the mosquitoes buzzing around my face made it difficult to concentrate, so my shooting was less than great.

YouTube and forums are constantly pushing information to people in huge waves.  Over time, however, a lot of this information becomes group think, and that can be both bad and good.  Consensus tells us that the Sebenza is an awesome knife and consensus, in that case, is dead on.  But consensus also makes a big deal out of things that don’t really matter.  Personal preference reigns supreme but sometimes, the Internet makes a mountain out of a mole hill.  I know…shocking, right?  Here are five principles of gear group think that are total bunk.

I have always loved music, and in recent years I’ve become increasingly addicted to the convenience of carrying a bunch of music around in my smart phone, and playing it on whatever speaker system is handy… whether it’s my truck stereo, a portable speaker, or whatever. And the wireless capability of Bluetooth beats having to tether my phone to anything.

Is the West at war with Islam? My conservative dad and I used to argue about this. He answers in the affirmative, and maintains that the GWOT is a war of all of the West against all of Islam. My position has typically been that no, we’re not at war with Islam, but if people keep thinking and talking the way that he does, we eventually will be.

Sometimes, a little fun is absolutely necessary. And right now, it’s exactly what I need.

When a friend posted a video to my Facebook wall yesterday about the building of a tiny crossbow, I knew I needed to share it with you folks. It’s pretty cool… some hot glue, popsicle sticks, spring hair clips, and string are combined to create a tiny matchstick-slinging creation that makes the heart of this toy-loving shooter skip a beat.

Any video that includes the words “This article of desktop weaponry… launches exploding-tip crossbow bolts” gets my attention. The demo is well done, and is well worth a watch.

I have always loved toys. I especially love toys that shoot. And I have begun loving crossbows in recent years.

In fact, once I’m done writing this I plan to go out and zero my Mission MXB Dagger crossbow in preparation for deer season. But before I do, I plan to watch the video again.

Enjoy!

This story is heartbreaking, and I wish I didn’t have to tell it.

Hmmmm. Some people may have too much time on their hands.

Daniel Defense (DD) has announced some new guns to their semi-automatic AR offerings, and man they look nice. I resisted the pull of ARs for years, but finally caved and picked one up some years back. Once they get in your blood, it’s tough to get ‘em out… and DD’s new guns look to be a good blend of form and function that will get the job done and look good doin’ it.

This week’s KnifeTests.com destruction test does not, in fact, feature a knife. It features the Gransfors Bruks Mini Axe, which is currently unavailable to purchase new, although it can still be found on forums or eBay.

With hunting season around the corner, many of us are dusting off our bows, grabbing a handful of arrows and heading out to the range. For some, this is just a fun way to get back outside and enjoy the return of the season. But for myself, I view it as an opportunity to make a change. I’ve come into each season the past few years with the goal of significantly improving my archery accuracy and with a few small goals each year, I’ve been able to make substantial process.