Subscribing saves a lot of money over buying them at the newsstand – and some (like shotgun news can save you a lot of money).
I enjoy gun magazines quite a bit, the articles always give me something to think about, and I love looking at the new guns pictured in them. I am leery of the reviews though as I tend to see ads for guns in the same article where they review them (except magazines like gun tests).
To me reading is both entertainment and education, It has enriched my life more than anything else besides family. Good magazines are a wonderful addition to you your reading program. Sharing gun information is why I spent so much time adding the firearm manuals to my download section.
However, this is my AR, and I really like the white and red filled selector markings on HK firearms and wanted to replicate it on my firearm.
There are several ways of doing it, and I used a red lumber crayon on the AR in the video
Basically I just rubbed the crayon over the inscription and then wiped off the excess. Just like ivory scrimshaw, the colorant filled the deeper cuts and was able to be wiped clean of the body.
You can dab enamel paint or fingernail polish into the engraving for a more durable color, but it is harder to remove it from the side of the gun. If you use a rag with too much thinner it will drip in and mix with the paint you want to keep. Not enough and it can smear on the body of your gun.
If you use crayon, be aware heat can make it run
If you use nail polish and decide to remove it, a tooth brush and nail polish remover does a good job.
I like how this looks, but you need to be careful what you use, and ensure its what you really want. Some people like the look that comes from coloring AR-15 receiver markings, but many do not.
I wasn’t really sure I wanted to share this covert LDK belt carry method. Not because its not a good tip, but I think everyone needs a secret or two. However, I found a new method of carrying a BOGA knife (Back Off-Get Away). This method can be used as a last ditch defensive weapon.
I like the Ka-Bar LDK (last Ditch Knife). It is a small back up knife designed for just such a use. The small size and flat Kydex sheath make it perfect for mounting in tight spaces.
What I did was sew it near the buckle of my 5.11 rigger belt. I can reach under and draw the knife easily. I did end up tying a small piece of brown shoelace to the grip to make this easier. Being under my belt and very close to the metal buckle it is almost undiscoverable.
I like the small size because my state has a maximum legal length for fixed knives. This blade is very comfortably within legal limits.
I have carried this knife in this manner for a while (years). So I have refined my sewing technique. When I made this video I was still using thread and a normal needle.
Fishing Line Thread Holds it Best
I now use thin monofilament line and a larger needle to better force through the belt. This makes me able to sew no only the corners, but also the two middle holes. The additional thread makes a very secure and non-moving mount.
My only concern is that this knife is very hard for a big guy like me to re-sheath. I generally have to unbuckle my belt to get it back in.
This is not normally a problem, as this knife is not meant for daily use. You should not draw it unless it is an emergency.
The 7.62x54R Spam Can is hot dipped galvanized with a soldered on lid.
There is a metal tip on one end.
Grasp that with your pliers (needle nose) and turn the pliers to roll the seam up around the pliers.
Then use the pliers on the side seals, grabbing and peeling away until you can start to roll the lid off.
Its not as hard as it looks on the video – once I got it rolling it came off easy.
The ammo is covered in some cardboard sheet – lift them out to get to the packed rounds.
There are several smaller cardboard coated sections of ammo – each tied with a small string and holding 2 stripper clips of 5 rounds.
Remember – This is the rifle that one man gets “One man gets the rifle, the next man gets some bullets. The second man follows the man with the rifle, and when he is shot, picks up the rifle and carries on fighting!”
All in all this was not that hard to get open, but it sure did protect the contents well. I need to buy a couple more of these tins of ammo so that when my boy is old enough to clean the cosomoline off of the Mosins I put back for him he has plenty of ammo to learn to shoot with.
When I got my C&R license, it was specifically to buy mosins and other WWII bolt guns. I figure at $100 for the rifle, and $100 for a 300 round can of ammo, I could afford (over time) to collect enough firearms to outfit all the folks who say that they are coming to my house in a disaster (or repel them – if needed)