Legality of Eminent Domain

A friend was joking about Fenway Park in Boston and that "they" should envoke eminent domain and seize more land for the park.

She was totally joking, but it seemed odd to me that the thought would even cross her mind. The idea just seems wrong to me, but I don't know much about it.

In a case of first impression, a deeply divided panel of the Commonwealth Court ruled that the Redevelopment Authority of Philadelphia cannot take private property marked as blighted and give it to a private, religious organization.

“In short, nothing in the Constitution authorizes a taking of private property for a private use,” Smith-Ribner said.
Court: Future Developer Matters For Legality of Eminent Domain

Hamilton County Court of Common Pleas Judge Beth A. Myers today ruled the City of Norwood, Ohio, abused its discretion in finding the Edwards Road neighborhood “blighted,” but went on to find that the area could be called “deteriorating.” Thus the judge ruled that the City was justified in using eminent domain...
Ohio Judge Upholds Use of Eminent Domain In Nice Neighborhood

Eminent Domain Abuse Nationwide
This map plots instances of eminent domain abuse across the United States. Because many condemnations for private gain go entirely unreported, this resource represents only a fraction of the actual number of private takings nationwide.

In a close ruling announced on June 23, 2005 the Supreme Court ruled 5 to 4 that state and local governments could use eminent domain to take private property against the owners' will for use in private development. The decision is expected to have major ramifications for redevelopment and property rights cases around the country.
Kelo v. New London

Property rights purists contend that the words eminent domain appear nowhere in the U.S. Constitution. However, eminent domain law is based on the Fifth Amendment: [no person shall] be deprived of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor shall private property be taken for public use, without just compensation.

In 2004, the Pacific Legal Foundation and the Michigan branch of the ACLU asked the Michigan Supreme Court to "restore the constitutional protections which ensure that private property cannot be taken to benefit powerful interest groups at the expense of the less powerful." The Supreme Court voted unanimously to overturn the Poletown eminent domain ruling — over 20 years after the neighborhood was razed.
Eminent Domain History

After reading a few of these articles, I'm a little more cautious about the issue. The only experience I've had with eminent domain was that my Grandmother's property was resized to allow for a sidewalk to be built. She lived in a small but developing town at the time of the construction. The town has now stabilized into a more active destination for tourists interested in art. I don't how that's benefitted the residents there directly, but I don't see any negatives from that seizure.

Most of these areas have been designated as "blighted" and that can go a long way to justifying the redevelopment of those properties. I doubt wheter those citizens are actually being compensated correctly. Perhaps they should be given cash up front and a percentage of the profits from future real estate assessments.

7.62mm NATO Battle Rifle

What am I gonna do? I decided that the next purchase I need to look at to add to my collection is a pragmatic battle rifle that will be good for 0-600m distances. I'd like to pick it up this summer (August), so that rules out some newer Springfield Armory M1a's and the new models from Rock River Arms, but I'm getting ahead of myself. I guess there's basically three different formats to choose from the M1a, FAL, and finally the AR-10. I guess I'm just gonna have to break it on down for myself.

First my limiters,
It has to be available for purchase in August. It has to be easily available through my local shop, Parro's. It should be under $2000.



M1a
Advantages
Historic look and feel, depending upon model
Reliability

Disadvantages
Loss of zero with successive stripping

The M14 and its Civilian Counterpart the M1a

To the end of its days, the Ml Garand had experienced mild problems. The M14's design seemed to have cured most of these. The basic action — expanded gas tapped from the barrel and bled through a port to strike a piston/operating rod which caused it to move backward, drawing the bolt with it remained the same. But the Ml's bulky gas cylinder hanging on the end of the barrel was reduced in size and moved back eight inches from the muzzle. The adjustable gas valve allowed the Ml 4 to provide better accuracy as the motion of the shorter operating rod and bolt was not so abrupt.

Then Secretary of Defense Robert McNamara finally demanded a full investigation not only of the M14 versus the Ml6 tests but of the rifle's performance in combat. The Army's Inspector General did indeed find that several test had been rigged to show the AR15 in a poor light. In fact, the AR15 — soon to be the M16 — had outperformed the M14 in almost every category.

Interestingly enough, the M14 was characterized as an inherently inaccurate rifle by virtually every unbiased review board which had tested it. It was pointed out by experienced military armorers that it was impossible to develop an accurate rifle unless: 1) the receiver was solidly bedded in the stock, 2) the barrel was free-floated — did not touch any other part of the rifle at any time, 3) the barrel was specifically tuned for accurate shooting.

National match rifles differed from the standard issue service rifle in the following particulars:
1. The bore was held to half the tolerance as the service rifle and was not chrome plated.
2. The receiver was fiberglass-bedded in the stock.
3. Certain of the rifle's parts were hand-fitted and assembled.
4. An improved rear sight allowed elevation and windage adjustments in 1/2 minute of angle.

The Wonderful AR15

The M1A only lasted a few years before being replaced. It is essentially an M1 Garand with a 20 round magazine. 1930s technology at its best.

Guns and Hunting: SOCOM

Fast forward to the modern-day battlefields of Afghanistan and Iraq, where Special Forces personnel in theater brought stocks of the M14 out of mothballs in order to have a rifle better suited for long-range fire that is effective on targets.

While the military kept its on-again, off-again relationship in question with the M14, in the late ’70s and early ’80s, the Springfield Armory name was reborn, and the company began to acquire a reputation for its match-grade M1A.

To mitigate those forces, Springfield devised a proprietary muzzle brake that defies all expectations—you just can’t believe how well it works until you rack the bolt and send some rounds downrange. “The bottom portion of the unit—from 3 o’clock to 9 o’clock—is solid, but the upper portion is pierced by six rows of ports, with a total of 34 holes,” said Wiley Clapp, in the August 2004 American Rifleman. “Gas vented up in this way tends to reduce the upward flip of the muzzle.” With a proper stance, leaning into the gun while pulling the rifle firmly into the shoulder pocket, a shooter can easily keep the sights within a man-sized target at extended range as he rapid-fires through a magazine of 7.62 mm NATO (.308 Winchester).

Beneath it all beats the heart of the original M14. The SOCOM 16 is a rotating-bolt, gas-operated, air-cooled rifle, and with all that steel, even with the chopped barrel, it still weighs in at 8.9 pounds. It’s also able to feed reliably from a multitude of detachable box magazines, from the ban-era five- and 10-round versions to the full-capacity, 20-rounders.

In our own “Gun Locker” review of the original SOCOM 16 in August 2004, I proposed the following: “Ultimately, the SOCOM does to the M14 what the M4 did to the M16—it delivers a smaller, lightweight version of its former self, capable of delivering effective fire at extended ranges, while maintaining its tactical maneuverability.

If that’s true, then the next generation of the SOCOM only further perpetuates the ideal. With the addition of the advanced Picatinny rail system, the SOCOM now has the potential to match the M4 in tactical versatility. Operators have the ability to take what is essentially an M14, hang every tactical tool they may have at their disposal, and arrange it in such a way that previously only the M4 has done at such a high level of flexibility.

Whether through the Aimpoint or with iron sights, the second generation SOCOM is indeed a different animal. This happens to bring up one of the few complaints, one shared by virtually all rifles of this type, which comes with gaining a proper cheek weld after the addition of an optic. Since the M14 was not originally designed to use an optic, it’s tough to gain the proper line of sight with the optic so high above the top line of the receiver. For many shooters, some type of aftermarket cheekpiece may be required.

But be prepared, because it’s chambered for the beefier cartridge, and with the addition of the huge Picatinny rail system, the second generation SOCOM 16 tips the scale at a whopping 10 pounds, 7 ounces—without any of the accessories or ammo. Adding a full, 20-round magazine piles on an additional 1 pound, 9 ounces, and lights, lasers and red-dot sights will keep the scale climbing as well. This is where the M4 still shines, with various flattop carbines coming in as much as three pounds lighter.

What's a Good M1A to Get?

When buying a used M1A, look for GI parts. At least check the trigger group, op rod, and bolt, all of which should carried GI parts numbers and maker's stamp - if you don't know what they look like, check a friend's M1A.

ar15 vs. socom 16

The SOCOM will cost more to shoot by far. And for range plinking etc, the 5.56 will do everything you want. The SOCOM has some advantages in actual combat, and you can hunt deer with it, but for basic defense, plinking and training, the AR will do everything you need a rifle for.

The muzzle report on the SOCOM is nothing to even think about. My 14.5 inch M4 is louder than the SOCOM. The comp on the SOCOM is so impressive. The muzzle is so stable, I can keep the reticle on target during double taps (with an ACOG Reflex). I'll go put a 100 or more rounds through it at a time and my shoulder doesn't hurt a bit.

For me I wouldn't get a 308 shorter than 18. At 16 that thing is just a little to short. I'll let all the ballistic guys chime in here but from my shooting skills I've learned over the years I think that 16'' tube would limit that thing to 500 yards or so.maybe a little more penatration than the 223 in close but if your gonna have a 308 why limit it to 500 yards.

M14 Type Rifles

There are three important factors in determining the quality of a M14 type rifle receiver. They are the material, heat treatment and dimensional geometry. American receivers are made of 8620 steel and the Chinese receivers made of 5100 steel. 8620 steel contains trace percentages of molybdenum, manganese, nickel and chromium. 5100 steel is a chromium alloy steel. Both are suitable for hardening using heat treatment. USGI, Chinese and Taiwanese receivers are forged. The U. S. Marine Corps found through competition shooting that the H&R, Springfield Armory and Winchester receivers would last 400,000 rounds and the TRW receivers were good for 450,000 rounds.

1:10 twist barrels are better suited to the 168 and 175 grain bullets.

A.R.M.S., Brookfield Precision Tool, Smith Enterprise, B-Square, S&K, Leatherwood and Springfield Armory, Inc. have made scope mounts for M14 type rifles. The B-Square and Springfield Armory 1st Generation mounts do not require removal of the stripper guide while the others listed do. Removal of the stripper guide allows an additional point of contact between the mount and the receiver. Scope mounts that have three points of contact with the receiver are the most reliable for keeping the scope zeroed.

The most common failures of the M14 rifles while in service were cracked stocks and rear sight pinions, missing rear sight nut, and misaligned flash suppressor. Less common failures were broken safety, broken firing pin, and out of specification gas cylinder. The least common problems were broken extractor and bolt stop.

Semiautomatic .308s

Unquestionably, self-loading .308s are coveted by nearly everybody, mainly because they can do so much. They can compete, they can plink, they can hunt, and, of course, they’re made for self-defense, should such a situation arise.

The L1A1, equipped as we’ve described it below, is a very good alternative to the M1A Springfield, and may be less costly. The only problem is that your may not find one, and the SUIT scopes are starting to get rare too. We’d rate it just behind the Springfield M1A on today’s market.

The original pistol grip of the L1A1 permits very easy access to the safety. This rifle will generally weigh less than a comparable M1A. Our test version weighs a half-pound less than our M14 custom, which itself is lighter than the average Springfield M1A.

The FAL rifle was just barely beat out by the M14 to become our nation’s battle rifle. Much of the rest of the world adopted the FAL as a standard rifle and used it until the .223 became common. FAL’s are still used in many corners of the world, and have a reputation second to none for strength and reliability.

The standard Springfield MIA will set you back around $1,400. It's our first choice. It is probably the easiest of all "battle rifles" to assimilate by the rifleman who has never held a pistol-grip.

The M1A is the most comfortable and practical .308 semi-auto available, in our view. It doesn't need any modifications to make it usable. All of the M1As we've examined had decent trigger pulls. If you want to put a better trigger pull on yours, that work is both easy and inexpensive to farm out.

Concerning scope mounts for this able rifle type, the costly I Brookfield used to be U.S. issue, and is extremely durable. It mounts through the use of a half-inch 1 wrench... no sissy screwdrivers, thank you. If the rifle were run over 1 by a truck, the scope mount would I survive.

Iron sights on the M14-type rifles are superior to iron sights on any other battle rifle we've seen, of any era. The sight radius is very long. The rear unit is fully and easily adjustable. If you want finer adjustments, which you probably don't need unless you plan to shoot in competition, you can install a match rear sight. A thinner front post is available if you want one. We can easily place all shots into a 6-inch marker at near-rapid-fire rate at a full 200 yards with these sights. You don't really need a scope with the M1A/M14.

While you're looking for the L1Al, buy a Springfield M1A and see if you can live without a pistol-gripped rifle. We suspect you'll be extremely happy with the M1iA. You can sell it easily if you don't like it, but we think you won't let your M1A go anytime soon. The purpose of a rifle is hitting targets, and this type, with its long sight radius and good trigger, make that task the easiest of all three rifle types tested. This is our first choice in a .308 rifle.

EBR
Advantages
Adjustable stock
Holds zero better than an M1a?
Rails

Disadvantages
No classic styling
Difficult to acquire complete rifle setup
Expensive

Defense Review - Sage Intl.

Apparently, the M14 EBR/M1A EBR was developed to win a five-year Naval Surface Warfare Center, Crane Division (Crane NSWC) contract to supply the U.S. Naval Special Warfare (SPECWAR) and Marine Corps communities (perhaps MCSOCOM and Force Recon units) with a SPECOPS-ready SOPMOD accessory-compatible M14 rifle/carbine. The M14 Enhanced Battle Rifle (or M1A Enhanced Battle Rifle) should prove particularly effective in the CQB (Close Quarters Battle) and short-to-medium range interdiction (sniping) roles in urban warfare/combat environments.

The Sage-developed EBR has to be considered a prime contender for the Crane contract. With an M14 barrel, receiver and trigger group as its core, Sage's EBR sports a totally new look, from the flash suppressor/compensator on its working end to a retractable buttstock (with graduated stop adjustments) and an adjustable cheek piece.

Completely outfitted (without scope or other devices), the EBR weighs 11 pounds, 10 ounces with a 22-inch M14 barrel. The optional, quick-release mount weighs 7 pounds, 12 ounces.

Another found the EBR to be "an excellent platform. It seemed to reduce recoil and made mounting of various mission-required accessories much easier. The soft mount reduced recoil even further and made it much easier to engage targets from a fixed point. The mount is quick to engage and disengage, as well."

"An excellent update for an old, proven system," noted another. "It's a well-designed, well-executed improvement to the M14. Its ergonomics are very good; the system allows myriad attachment options."

"It's a low-cost, effective platform that turns existing surplus M14s into modern battle rifles," a third evaluator wrote. "It's lightweight and adaptable. The innovative cheek piece readily fits a wide range of shooters."

The AnarchAngel - Enhanced Battle Rifle

Enhanced Battle Rifle Chassis

Several iterations of improvements have occurred since and have resulted in two models currently being fielded. The first is what Sage describes as their Enhanced Battle Rifle (EBR). The second is their Chop-Mod EBR, essentially the same thing as the EBR with the exception that it forend is 1.60 inches shorter. In discussion with John Klein at SAGE, the primary reason behind the Chop-Mod's reduced length is weight reduction.

Unlike the cosmetically similar ROCK SOPMOD M14/M1A which requires significant modification to the weapon's gas system, the Sage EBR utilizes the M14/M1A's original gas system. In our minds, this is a significant advantage in favor of the Sage system as when eventual re-barreling of the host weapon is required or if repair/maintenance work is required on the gas system, standard M14/M1A parts can be utilized and the work need not required specialized equipment, parts, or training.

Currently an 18 inch barreled M14 set in SAGE's most recent EBR chassis weighs in at approximately 11.2lbs. The chop-mod variety reduces this to 10.8lbs and at the time of writing Sage is in the process of producing a M4 style telescoping stock version that is will shave another 1.1lbs off the total mass of the system.

Of of the most difficult things to do is to try and find a rifle that can fill both the CQB and the longer distance role. While we feel the SAGE M14/M1A significantly addresses this conundrum from the perspective of caliber, there are still some difficult decisions to be made from the perspective of what optics are best suited across the complete spectrum of CQB through to the longer distance type engagements.

While many speculate that the recent renaissance of the M14 is merely a stopgap measure taken by the various branches of the American military while they further the development of a semi-auto medium range 300 to 700 yards) rifle, it's been written that in 2004 the US Navy contracted to upgrade approximately 3000 of their in-arsenal M14s with the Sage EBR Chop Mod chassis.

FAL
Advantages
Reliability

Disadvantages
May not easily be ordered through my gunshop?

FAL or M1A?

I dont think you can go wrong with either one. I went for the M1A and have not been disappointed in any aspect of it. The customer service is most excellant at SA, also.
I went for the M1A because of reputation, and parts and mags will be plentiful for (hopefully), a long time.

FAL:
Pros-cheap mags...sometimes as cheap as $5 each. Cheap and readily available spare parts and accessories. Many good manufacturers to choose from, and even the low-end parts guns can be improved to an acceptable quality by a good FALsmith for not that much money. Very ergonomic (at least if you get a light-barrelled one), very reliable, good combat accuracy (groups aren't as tight as a comparable M1A but I can sit out at 150 yards or so and toss aluminum cans in the air with iron sights). I prefer battle rifles with a pistol grip, YMMV. Field strips more easily than any other combat rifle I've ever seen, very simple to disassemble and reassemble. Has a bolt release catch.

Cons-Most scope mounts are not very stable due to mounting on the dust cover. Heavier than the M1A. Iron sights are not optimal, although I think they are good enough for combat. Trigger pull is a bit heavy. Prebans are very expensive.

M1A:
Pros-Very accurate and reliable, well-balanced and fairly ergonomic. Lighter than most FALs. The best iron sights on any combat rifle made IMHO. Mounts a scope fairly solidly. Trigger pull is very nice. You can have a flash supressor on a postban, and you can buy a preban without breaking the bank.

Cons-Very complicated to break down, especially if you take out the op rod. Mags are much more expensive than FAL mags---usually $32-40 for used, $50 for new. Accessories are a bit more expensive than FALs. Doesn't have a bolt release catch, so M1 thumb is a danger. Doesn't have a pistol grip, but that is a personal thing, YMMV. Newer M1As use more cast parts than older ones, so you have to watch that.

Of the two choices, as battle (not match) rifles I think they are both excellent. I prefer the FAL but it is primarily because of cheap parts and mags. I like the two leaf rear sight with large and small apatures. I also like the adjustable gas system. You don't have to fidddle with it while using your normal ammunition. If you want to shoot either very soft or very stout loads, change the gas port to match the load and function will be normal. M1 types tend to pull case heads with very stout loads and not cycle with soft loads.

FAL versus M-14/M-1A versus AR-10/SR-25

I have the M14/M1A and it outshoots my FAL but I feel the FAL is the superior rifle/design and if I were offered two "hand inspected" FAL's I'd trade the M14 in a heartbeat.

A whole lot of people worldwide seem to think the FAL is pretty workable design and I couldn't disagree. I think if I had to have one of those listed as my bet-my-life-on-it rifle, the FAL would be the one.

I personally like the FAL, although the M1A is next on my list of "must haves". I really like the ease of filed stripping by shotgunning the weapon and easy gas regulation for different loads and weapon conditions. Couple that with easy to obtain spare parts and you have a winner. Best of all you can get a DSA product and have a lifetime warranty.

The FAL is the worst of the lot accuracy wise, but fine within reasonable ranges. Personally, I'd take the M1A over the others, it truly is ambidextrious, and is easier to snap shoot than the others. All in all, its really just a matter of preference and practice.

The M14 stock design far supassed the awkward straight designed stock of the FAL. This type of stock is only needed for full auto rifles and being that both guns were total failures in full auto the convention stock of the M14 allowed quick snap shooting v/s the akward stock of the FN FAL that actually had to be carried but up over the shoulder to allow soldier even half a chance to snap the gun to their shoulders.

Again a failure in the FN FAL. The gas system in both the short tube and long tube FN FALs has given the gun nothing but touble. The short tube versions have a really bad habit of of coming loose due to recoil or just plain rusting away of the ultra thin tube that is only silver soldered on to keep it from leaking. The long tube version has no soldier and leaks even when new. Once it gets loose and starts to leak the weapon will malfunction. The troublesome adjustable gas system at first glance would seem to be an advantage over the M14's non-ajustable gas system but one of lifes great surpises is that the M14's non-ajustable gas system would work with under as well as full power ammo with no problem while the FN's system is so finicky that if it is not ajusted just right to the ammo used it will either not eject the cases strongly enough to prevent jamming or it will eject them so violently that it will start to batter the weapon to death. As a matter of fact the ejection pattern of the FN is also very poor. It will throw one emty close to the weapon giving rather weak ejection and then the next case will be thrown almost 20 feet away. The M14 does not have this design problem.

Once again the FN FAL fails compared to the M14. In tests conducted by the U.S. army the M14 proved the superior weapon when used in extremely cold environments. The British had so much trouble with their FN's in the desert that they had to put sand cuts in the bolt of the FN to get it to work somewhat more realiably in the sand of the desert and one of the main complaints of the Israilies is that they to could not get the weapon to work when it got sand in it. The M14 worked 100 per cent better when contaiminated with sand because of its rotating bolt that actually threw off sand rather than trap it like the bolt of the FN Fal.

Although the FN looks like a dream to strip down it is anything but a dream to strip. The stock if broken must be removed with a special tool and even using this tool can be a nightmare to the person who has seldom done this job. Contrast this to the instant take down of the M14. The trigger group on the FN must be taken out piece by piece for cleaning if the rifle is really full of mud or sand compared to the instant modular drop out trigger of the M14.

The FN being a hard gun to scope and it provides a less than stable plantform when the thin sheet metal dust cover is used as a base for the scope mount. A mount could be designed that would be attached to the side of the reciever like the M14 for quicker and more stable mounting but it seems that most of the popular military mounts were on the unstable and loose fitting top dust cover. Screws have been installed on some civilain mounts buy they are a pain to loosen up to remove the scope and once this is done the rifle may loose zero.

Realisticly, for a "battle rifle", none of these can really compare to the lighter gun/caliber combos out there now. All the 7.62x51 guns are heavy and dont lend themselves well to CQB type shooting. The AK and AR/M16 series guns win out here. If all your shooting would be 200 yards plus, then yes, they have an advantage, but 150 and under, I really dont see it. In this realm, I think the 7.62x39 actually has it over all the rest, mostly because it will penetrate cover the 5.56 wont and still have enough "oommph" to get whats on the other side. With faster recovery from recoil, and higher capacity mags, they leave the 7.62x51 lacking.

In my opinion the basic design of the FN proved that over the years its rectangular, tipping and horizontally moving bolt had a lot more contact with the reciever rails than the small contact area of the rotating M14 bolt. What all this boiled down to is that it was just too easy for dirt and frozen moisture to get trapped between the FN's bolt and its reciever. This is exactly why the British put grooves called sand cuts in their bolts. It was a desperate attempt to keep the gun functioning a little longer in sandy environments.

As far as scopes go, why, if you want a tack driver set one up as a long range dinger! Get a bolt action, cheaper and more accurate with a greater range of ammo. If you are thinking along the lines of red dot, go with a M1A scout rifle from Springfield with with the rail set up forward of the reciever and shortened barrel. Can also place a scout scope also.

AR-10
Advantages
More accurate for the money compared to the other two formats
Maintains zero better than M1a

Disadvantages
Reliability?

Springfield Armory XD45ACP

And here are some threads on the newest XD:
The Other Side Forum

The grip is a little beefier than a .40 or 9mm XD, but it was barely noticable. I have small hands, and usually have problems with double-stack .45s. Not so with the XD.

The trigger pull is smoother than a Glock, and this caused some accuracy problems early in the shoot. It seemed like the trigger pull was almost too smooth. It was difficult to consistently tell exactly where the trigger was going to break.

Not many. I would have preferred night sights, but they’re currently unavailable on this model. I also prefer finger grooves on the front of the grip ala newer Glocks, but that would probably bulk-up the grip too much. Biggest complaint is a small one - I found the trigger slightly uncomfortable. I think the problem is the relatively wide trigger safety.

It has a bit more muzzle flip than I expected, bringing it back on target required a longer reset time. Also, the gun gets noticeably lighter as the massive 13 round mag empties.

The High Road Forum

Took it to the range and put it through the paces. Nice shooting, very comfortable. I tend to prefer 1911's, but I can shot this one just as well. My only complaint is I'd like to be able to reduce the trigger take-up length. I think Springfield's Custom shop will do a "Custom Carry" detail that reduces the trigger pull to 4.5-5.5 lbs and shortens the take-up.

The loader isnt meant to go on the front of the gun.
The holster and mag pouch have accessory rails on them. I'm pretty sure that's where it's supposed to be mounted.

I never shot a 45 auto this lightweight before. Heavy recoil isn't a problem for me... Until now. This thing required me to reposition my grip after every shot.

And I was surprised on how accurate that thing is. The muzzle flip was really not that much different than my G21 atleast I did not notice much. Not one jam ran flawlesly. I am a happy camper glad I bought it.

After putting a magazine in the pistol I hit my first, and only real complaint. I'm a lefty, and the slide release on this pistol is farther "back" than it is on my 1911's. It's not as easy to reach up with my trigger finger and drop the slide.

So, after putting the first 100 rounds through it I have to say that this is the MOST BORING PISTOL I have ever shot!! It goes bang everytime you pull the trigger, it shoots 5 shot groups (freehand at 25 yards) into 2 1/2-3 inches easily. I had 2-3 targets where my first 3 shots were all touching in I'd say a 3/4 inch group and then two flyers that opened it up to 2 - 2 1/2 inches. Now I'm not a great shot, so a pistol that shoots like this for me on a 34 degree day when my hands are a bit cold is amazing.

AR15.com Forums

My XD .45 Tac handles ACP recoil better than any other handgun I've fired. I'm very impressed.

I have a XD 45 ACP service and a Glock 21. Shooting them side by side the XD has less muzzle flip. I don't know if its the lower bore line or the grip angle , but the XD recoils almost straight back.

After getting my own 4" XD .45 I was fortunate enough to be able to compare it side by side with a G21 and G36. After about two boxes through each firearm, it was not long before it became the favorite of the three between my buddy and I. After 500 rounds of UMC and plenty of Wolf, it still kept shooting without a stutter.

AR15.com Forums

It felt just like a XD9 or 40, with just a hair thicker of a grip. Its MUCH better than a G21.

WHAT? Yes they are reliable. I'd bet my life on it!

Mine is on the way back to the wholesaler. Less than 200 rounds and seems to have a broken striker. The loaded chamber indicator was not showing when cocked and when I pulled the slide back to take it down the bbl has slid under the locking lug. I think either I got a lemmon or there is a design flaw.

Got a new M3X on mine - fits perfectly.

Dislikes
not made in the USA
Muzzle centerline is a little high which leads to more recoil snap
trigger reset is way to long
safe action trigger

The Torture Test

In my brain...

I just finished responding to a comment left by Pete and I just gotta get some feedback from folks about what you're thinking... I think that many aspects of Liberalism are essential, but like Maslow's Hierarchy, we need the Conservatives. Liberals need the 2nd Amendment as the Conservatives have fought to protect it.

I think a gay couple (one day legally married) should have the ability to protect themselves and their property with a firearm. I would hope that a woman working at an abortion clinic who finds herself against a rapist out in the parking lot has the power to protect herself.

I'm not expressing this very well. I'm very aware that the founding fathers didn't really consider that all "all men were created equally" and probly wouldn't have included gays in their bill of rights if they had the choice.

I gotta get back to Maslow... we should all be striving toward a higher social mores... not stuck in the past. We are part of a modern, diverse world and we need to understand each other in order to survive the next century without another world war... but that's just it. One day, America won't be "the" super power. We'll have to share that title with the Indians, the Chinese... or somone else perhaps. And we'll still be fighting this damned war against terrorists. We'll need to be armed to protect our homeland, our families, ourselves.

But we'll also need a whole lot of other things too. We'll need universal medical care, an educational system other countries are envious of, and a stable infrastructure that allows for our children to be raised in a safe yet developmentally challenging environment.

I dunno, help me here. I'm sick of blogs that I read that just regurgitate the news or somone else's opinions. Gimme some real, genuine ideas. Challenge me! Otherwise I'll just be stuck here in a kind of limbo.

Airsoft Science

From "Physics is Your Friend":
Let's take that 400 FPS AEG again. V is 121m/s, and the BB weight is .2g, which is 0.0002 kilograms. So, Ke=(1/2)(.0002)(121)2 = 1.4641J. Remember how many of airsoft guns have power rated in joules? Well, now you know what it means. You can reverse the equation by doing v = sqrt((2*Ke)/m)). That way, you can replace the mass with a different BB weight (.00025kg for instance) and figure out how fast the gun will shoot with that BB.

Therefore if you wantt to max out at 1J the top velocity for a .25g BB is about 89m/s and for a .20g BB you're looking at around 100m/s.

Automatic Electronic Pistol Reviews

I just bought a G18C to back up my M4 and for CQB use.

Reviews for the new AEP's from Tokyo Marui
http://www.floridaairsoft.com/
http://www.airsoftplayers.com/

Mercenary Sniper in Iraq [2005]

I'm at lunch now here at work and I can't watch this, but I'll have to get home and check this video out.

Tokyo Marui M4A1

After reading a reply by Brian about my post on airsoft, I decided to check it out. I've been reading a bunch and have to say that I'm interested in giving it a go. I miss not being able to shoot the real thing. I have to wait until the summers - that is until I move back to the States. Airsoft might be what I'm looking for to get out there and shoot in an entirely different way. If nothing else it'll give me an opportunity to get out and practice my Japanese with the locals.

So I found a 30% off sale at Yamada-denki and picked up a New-style M4A1. I'm already considering upgrading the mechbox for woodland play. I doubt there's much CQB here, but this country continually surprises me. From what I understand, anything over 100m/s is considered unsafe for play, but I'll verify that with my local hobby shop here.

AEG Basics
http://www.geocities.com/wajoegween/aegbasics.htm

Descriptions of AEG mechboxes
http://www.airsoftguide.co.uk/infobase/whatisanaeg.html
http://www.airsoftpacific.com/viewtopic.php?p=35675
http://www.milsimairsoft.com/modules...

Upgrading the mechbox (type 2)
Info:
http://www.teamairsoft.com/tech_info.htm
http://www.airsoftplayers.com/mechbox/tutorial.asp
http://www.airsoftplayers.com/guides.asp
http://www.airsoftguns.com/articles/...
http://arniesairsoft.co.uk/articles/...
http://www.airsoftpress.com/aegupg.htm
Parts:
http://www.poweredgehawaii.com/SpringTest.asp
http://www.airsplat.com/Categories/AC-UPI.htm

Personal Defense in Nevada

My brother-in-law is moving to Nevada and was considering his options for his family's personal defense. He mentioned getting a pistol and we had a pretty long conversation about some of his options. I told him I'd send some links and here's the letter I wrote to him.

Hi (brother-in-law),
Here's some of the info I was talking about regarding personal defense in Nevada.

There doesn't seem to be any laws against you buying a firearm legally, if you're a resident of that state, even though you're not a US citizen.
http://www.nraila.org/GunLaws/FederalGunLaws.aspx?ID=60

You will have to indicate that you are not a US citizen on Form 4473 when you go to purchase your firearm.
http://w3.agsfoundation.com/press_020602.htm

Here's a good website for general information about federal firearm laws.
http://www.nraila.org/GunLaws/Default.aspx

Nevada laws are quite gun friendly. You only need a permit for concealed carry of a firearm.
http://www.nraila.org/GunLaws/StateLaws.aspx?ST=NV

Here's other useful websites on Nevada gun laws.
http://www.bradycampaign.org/legislation/...
http://www.gunlaws.com/links/linksnv.htm
http://crime.about.com/od/gunlawsbystate/f/gunlaw_nv.htm

REMEMBER: the laws do change and you can't rely upon information solely
found on the web

So once you get yourselves squared away with:
- a safety assessment of your home
- spending some serious time considering personal defense issues and strategies of living in the states
- acquainted with the laws of Nevada

the next natural step is... what should you get and for whom?
There will most likely be different options suitable for you and your wife.

What should you get to defend yourselves once you've done everything in your power to prevent a situation in which you'd need to defend yourself? Well, that's the 100,000 dollar question. In short, there is no perfect solution.

Handguns require a lot of practice/training to use properly and effectively, but are ideal for their concealability and ease of retention when someone tries to take your gun from you.

Longguns are can be more accurately used and may be easier to operate and provide more stopping power, but you might face over-penetration issues if you have neighbors living close by.

No matter what, ideally both you and your wife should be comfortable using any firearm you own.

For self defense, a revolver is an awesome choice. Anything in the .38 Special or .357 Magnum (or up) range will be good. Revolvers are a great choice because they can be stored indefinitely and be ready to use since all of the internal springs are at rest. They are also immune to jams and misfires since all you have to do is pull the trigger a second time to load another round. They are also simpler in design and that means less to go wrong. I'd recommend Smith and Wesson 640, 686
http://www.smith-wesson.com/
or a Ruger GP-100
http://www.ruger-firearms.com/Firearms/...

Semi-auto pistols are also very popular and with recent designs are very reliable. Anything in the 9mm, .40 Smith and Wesson, .45 would be ideal. I would very highly recommend a Glock because of their safety features, ease of operation and maintenance, and options.
http://www.glock.com/te_english.htm
I would recommend the Glock 17, Glock 19, Glock 22, Glock 23, Glock 21

.22LR firearms are excellent for learning and improving your marksmanship. The Browning Buckmark and the Ruger 10/22 are excellent choices. I have one of each.
http://www.browning.com/products/...
http://www.ruger.com/Firearms/P-CategoryRiflesRA.html

If you decide to include or go the non-lethal option, I think the taser is the best way to go
http://www.taser.com/self_defense/index.htm

Please write me with any questions. I'm sure you'll have some. Owning a firearm is a massive responsibility so of course there's lots to consider. Anyhow I hope this was of some help to you.
Keep well!

I wish I could have written more. Maybe less. Maybe this wasn't the best advice I could have given him.

I've seen some good advice on the web that others have given about the issues of looking at personal defense options and I think I should refer back to them for more ideas. I'm new to gun ownership myself and I know my brother-in-law deserves better advice.

Calico Liberty Series

Click to view page
"Gun" (January 2006) from Japan ran an article on the Calico carbines and it got me interested in this firearm. I've been having trouble finding their home page. I'll keep looking for it. For now, here's some information on where to pick one up, if you're interested. I'd like to try one out at the range for kicks. They look like fun to shoot.

The first gun I wanted to buy

I remember as a young teenager being fixated on this "little revolver", hoping there was some way for me to clandestinely order it through the mail. Alas, it ofcourse never was to be.

Now, I'm much more interested in the North American Arms .22M/LR revolver. I can't wear it on a belt, but I can carry it in my pocket as a backup. Of course the 22Mag isn't something I'd like to rest my life upon, but it's better than nothing. What a fantastic design!

The allure of airsoft

I have to admit that I don't understand the obsession in airsoft. It can be a useful tactical tool for force-on-force training, combat simulations, and for teen-age fun. But these things and all their accessories are expensive. I've seen stores here in Japan import authentic tactical accessories (scopes, holsters, etc.) for their airsoft customers. I can almost understand spending $200+ for a reddot scope for a plastic BB gun since the Japanese cannot easily own their own fireamrs. But in America you can buy many of the same Airsoft models in their real forms. Yes, the real thing is 2-4 times more expensive, but they are the real thing. I realize how lucky I am to be an American gun-owning citizen.

M4A1 Carbine
M4 S-System
8.4V Battery Packs
G18C

Wish List: Kahr PM9094

Black Polymer Frame with Black Tungsten DLC SS Slide PM9094
I'm very interested in a subcompact carry pistol. I have a G27, but was looking for something even smaller in the 9mm cambering since I weigh a buck-forty soaking wet. Earlier I was interested in the Rohrbaugh R-9, but I've formally been converted to the Kahr. I'll have to see if Parros can easily get one for me. :-)
Some reviews of the PM9:

• Another PM9 Review
• Firingline Forum

Wish List: Safariland 6004 Holster

Safariland 6004 Holster
I'm still looking around for concealment holsters, but this is the one I'm looking at for tactical uses.

Goodbye Bushmaster .308 & Bullpup

It'll be sad to see the .308's go. I was just considering one after reading a good review of them in a 2005 American Rifleman article.

Wish List: A thing of beauty - Leupold Mark 4 CQT

I've been looking around for combat optics and think I've settled on the CQT. I've been reading that it has a beautiful field of view, quick-handling, and has magnification that would be perfect for "reaching out and touching" a target at 500 yards.

Originally I was looking at the EOTech holosight, but I've opted for the option of magnification.

Japanese Gun Laws

I was always under the impression that it was illegal to own guns in Japan. I found this interesting article that very clearly provides folks with information about the lengthy process of obtaining a license for gun and ammunition ownership. The article clearly states that gun ownership is for hunting and sports competitions only.

Alternate link.

Useful links on Ammo

Self Defense Ammo
Making Blackpowder
Stopping Power
Stopping Power Chart
22 Ballistics
Handgun Recoil Chart
A dialog about stopping power
Reader's Choice Pistol Calibers
Reloading Handgun Cartridges
.40 S&W Protection Ammo
Terminal Ballistics
The dangers of shooting .40 S&W in a 10mm pistol

Wish List: Tactical Weapon Sights

Christmas Day came early!

Well, it was more of a weekend. This past weekend I purchased a Ruger 10/22, a Bushmaster Modular Carbine, and a Glock-17! I can say how excited I was.


There were a few different 10/22's Parro's had in stock so it took a little while for me to chose which model I wanted. The JZ laminate was a little too "rainbow" for me, though I might have gone with that model if I had known earlier that the laminate stocks came from Vermont. I also bought a couple extra rotary mags to go with it.

I almost immediately chose which AR I wanted. The modular carbine looked great in their catalog, but I wasn't set on the fluting and the skeleton stock. After talking to the guys at Parro's, I was happy to get a model with the fluting and the model I purchased featured the newer six-position collapsible stock rather than the fixed-length skeleton stock. It also has the A2 style birdcage flash supressor rather than a fixed IZZY style since the barrel is a full 16" long. I bought five extra 30 rnd. magazines and a 20 rounder in case I wanted something smaller for some reason.

Getting the Glock after the Bushmaster was almost a boring chore. I'm glad I now have a full-sized tactical pistol that I can mount a weapon light to. I grabbed an extra 17 rnd. mag for that pistol as well.

Now I just need some range time with these new goodies.