Front view.
Back view with Speed Strip.
Back view with Speed Strip inside carrier. The back flap is bent inward a bit to apply a little pressure to the Speed Strip to keep it from rattling.
In the pocket.
Thursday, December 10, 2015
Speed Strip Carrier
In my previous post I detailed how I made a magazine carrier from Kydex. My next project was a carrier for a Bianchi Speed Strip for a revolver. The process is essentially the same as outlined in the prior posting. If you read the prior post and look at these pictures, you can figure it out. This is designed to go in the right front pocket. The preferred method for loading a revolver regardless of which hand you shoot with is to hold the gun in your left hand and load it with your right. If you pocket carry in your right front pocket, you can put this in your left front pocket, but reloading might be awkward.
Magazine Carrier
I made a pistol magazine holder that clips to your pocket. Almost anyone looking at it will think it is a pocketknife. There is a similar product on the market the has a patented protrusion on the side that "snags" the inside of the pocket to prevent the carrier from coming out with the magazine. I wanted to make my own and you don't need the "snag" thing, which I will explain later.
All of the materials for this project were purchased from knifekits.com.
0.80" Kydex, $3.99 for a 12"x12" sheet
#8-8 1/4" rivets, $1.60 for 10
#8 .1875 x .250, $3.95 for 10
pocket clip, $4
As for tools, at a minimum, you will need:
boxcutter
heat gun ( a hair dryer might work, but I haven't tried it)
1/4" drill bit (bradpoint is best) and drill
#8 rivet setting tool, $11.99 at knifekits.com
hacksaw if you don't have a Dremel or bandsaw
sandpaper
gloves
Some other tools that might make it easier:
Dremel tool with cutting wheel and sanding drum
bandsaw
belt sander
Before you get started, watch some Youtube videos on the basics of working with Kydex. You don't need an oven or toaster oven for this project. It is not as complicated as making a gun holster. You will need to cut a piece of Kydex about 3" longer than your magazine and about 3" wider. The part that the clip attaches to is 1" square, so cut that out centered on one end. Put a snap cap into your mag. I wouldn't recommend heat forming plastic around live ammo. I didn't have a snap cap, so I pulled a bullet from a live round and stuffed it into an expended piece of brass. Position the magazine just where you want it below the 1" square part and use a heat gun to heat up and bend the the Kydex around the lower end. Trim the lower end to the width of the mag. Then use the heat gun to form the sides. I made a cut out for my thumb to make it easier to grab the mag. A Dremel with a sanding drum works well for this. Drill a 1/4" hole in the 1" square part, centered. If you don't have a brad point bit, use a center punch to mark the hole location before you drill. Take a 1" square scrap of Kydex, bevel one edge, and drill a hole in the center. Rivet it in place so the 1" square part of the mag holder is a double thickness of Kydex. This is important, so that the Chicago screw will fit tightly. Now fasten the pocket clip to the rivet with a Chicago screw. Sand up the rough edges.
When you go to pull out the magazine from your pocket, your thumb goes onto the cutout in the carrier. Your index finger goes into the groove on the lower end of the clip. So your index finger keeps the carrier from sliding out of your pocket while your thumb pulls out the mag.
The materials and rivet setter will cost you $25. You could buy a SnagMag for $35. For $10 extra you could save yourself the hassle of making it. If you enjoy making things, then make your own, save $10, and learn some new skills. If you want to make a bunch of these as gifts, it would work out to about $6 each. Chances are, you will find other applications for the leftover scraps of Kydex. The band keeper on my Timex Ironman watch broke, so I made a replacement out of Kydex. My belt sander requires an Allen wrench for adjustments. I made a little holder for the wrench out of Kydex and pop riveted it to the side of the belt sander. The applications are endless. Working with Kydex can be addictive.
All of the materials for this project were purchased from knifekits.com.
0.80" Kydex, $3.99 for a 12"x12" sheet
#8-8 1/4" rivets, $1.60 for 10
#8 .1875 x .250, $3.95 for 10
pocket clip, $4
As for tools, at a minimum, you will need:
boxcutter
heat gun ( a hair dryer might work, but I haven't tried it)
1/4" drill bit (bradpoint is best) and drill
#8 rivet setting tool, $11.99 at knifekits.com
hacksaw if you don't have a Dremel or bandsaw
sandpaper
gloves
Some other tools that might make it easier:
Dremel tool with cutting wheel and sanding drum
bandsaw
belt sander
Before you get started, watch some Youtube videos on the basics of working with Kydex. You don't need an oven or toaster oven for this project. It is not as complicated as making a gun holster. You will need to cut a piece of Kydex about 3" longer than your magazine and about 3" wider. The part that the clip attaches to is 1" square, so cut that out centered on one end. Put a snap cap into your mag. I wouldn't recommend heat forming plastic around live ammo. I didn't have a snap cap, so I pulled a bullet from a live round and stuffed it into an expended piece of brass. Position the magazine just where you want it below the 1" square part and use a heat gun to heat up and bend the the Kydex around the lower end. Trim the lower end to the width of the mag. Then use the heat gun to form the sides. I made a cut out for my thumb to make it easier to grab the mag. A Dremel with a sanding drum works well for this. Drill a 1/4" hole in the 1" square part, centered. If you don't have a brad point bit, use a center punch to mark the hole location before you drill. Take a 1" square scrap of Kydex, bevel one edge, and drill a hole in the center. Rivet it in place so the 1" square part of the mag holder is a double thickness of Kydex. This is important, so that the Chicago screw will fit tightly. Now fasten the pocket clip to the rivet with a Chicago screw. Sand up the rough edges.
When you go to pull out the magazine from your pocket, your thumb goes onto the cutout in the carrier. Your index finger goes into the groove on the lower end of the clip. So your index finger keeps the carrier from sliding out of your pocket while your thumb pulls out the mag.
The materials and rivet setter will cost you $25. You could buy a SnagMag for $35. For $10 extra you could save yourself the hassle of making it. If you enjoy making things, then make your own, save $10, and learn some new skills. If you want to make a bunch of these as gifts, it would work out to about $6 each. Chances are, you will find other applications for the leftover scraps of Kydex. The band keeper on my Timex Ironman watch broke, so I made a replacement out of Kydex. My belt sander requires an Allen wrench for adjustments. I made a little holder for the wrench out of Kydex and pop riveted it to the side of the belt sander. The applications are endless. Working with Kydex can be addictive.
Wach band keeper.
Allen wrench holder on belt sander.
Front view of magazine carrier.
Back view with Kahr CM9 7 round magazine. Note thumb cutout.
Side view. It is hard to see here, but the there is a double thickness of Kydex where the screw goes through. The lower edge of the inside piece is beveled to help the mag slide out.
In the pocket. Looks like a knife. Maybe I will round the corners a bit more on the belt sander later.
Sunday, October 4, 2015
Your First AR-15
Those buying their first AR-15 will come across a very confusing array of choices and options. This article is intended to simplify that process with some basic recommendations. Keep in mind that I'm not a firearms expert and not a gunsmith, but I've built a few AR-15's, competed in a few NRA High Power service rifle matches, and spent a few years in the infantry. Take my opinions and compare them to information from other sources and make up your own mind. The following applies to an all around general purpose AR-15 for self-defense / target shooting. This does not apply to special purpose rifles for match shooting, long range, etc.
You can buy a complete rifle or you build it yourself. I recommend building the lower yourself and buying a complete upper. If you want to save some money and build the lower yourself, see my earlier posts: "Building a High Quality Low Cost AR-15" and "Tools for Building an AR-15 Lower."
The lower receiver is the heart of the rifle. If you are building your own, get this first. This is the only part that you cannot mail order for delivery to your home. I would get if from your local gun shop (LGS). You could buy it online and then pay a fee to your LGS to transfer it to you, but you probably won't save much. I recommend the standard AR-15 lower without any special bells or whistles. Almost all lowers are made by one of four manufacturers and then rebranded. It doesn't matter which one you go with, but stay away from Hesse, Vulcan or Blackthorne.
As for the rest of the lower parts. Plain GI mil-spec is the way to go initially. If you plan on putting in a better trigger (more on that later), you can get a lower parts kit minus the fire control group to save a few bucks. Receiver extensions (buffer tubes) come in mil-spec or commercial varieties. The mil-spec variety uses a more expensive manufacturing process that makes it strong. The commercial is made less expensively, but with thicker metal to compensate. It doesn't really matter which you go with, except that your buttstock will have to be either mil-spec or commercial spec to match it. I recommend the standard M4 6-position collapsible buttstock. These come in both commercial or mil-spec. Magpul stocks also come in commercial or mil-spec. I don't know about other brands. I went with mil-spec just because it made me feel warm and fuzzy inside. As for the buffer, I went with the H buffer that comes with the lower parts kits that I bought. Carbine buffers have 3 weights inside. A standard buffer has 3 steel weights. An H (heavy) buffer has 1 tungsten and 2 steel. H2 has 2 tungsten and 1 steel. H3 has 3 tungsten. The buffer can effect cycling and reliability. I have had no issues with my H buffer. If you do have reliability issues, you can experiment with different buffer weights.
For the upper receiver, go with a flat top. This allows you more options later. For the rest of the upper receiver parts, go with GI mil-spec. I like plain GI style hand guards with heat shields. They are inexpensive, and they work. They don't offer a lot of options for mounting gizmos, but I don't need a lot of gizmos. You can always get a quad rail later to mount a bunch of crap.
As for barrels, I like a 16" barrel with a mid length gas system. A 20" barrel is bit more accurate at longer ranges with a trade off in handiness and maneuverability. Some people like the M4 style barrels, but they are still 16" (unless you want to go with an SBR and deal with the ATF). They have a short carbine length gas system that is not as reliable, and a bayonet won't work unless you put a a special adapter. You could get a 14.5" barrel with a pinned/welded flash hider that is ATF legal, but now you can't remove your flash hider or gas block later if you want to swap out components. I recommend a government profile chrome lined barrel. The government profile is a nice compromise between the accuracy and strength of a heavy barrel and the light but weak pencil barrel. You can get chrome moly vanadium (CMV) barrels or cold hammer forged (CHF). CHF is better, in that they last longer, but are more expensive. A standard CMV barrel will do just fine. You want a barrel extension that has M4 feed ramps for reliable feeding. You want an "F" height front site base, to match your flat top upper. Twist rate can get confusing. Most barrels these days are either 1/7, 1/8 or 1/9. 1/7 means the the rifling makes one rotation in 7 inches. Different twist rates are useful for stabilizing different bullet weights. It all depends on what ammo you are going to use. 1/9 is better for the cheap 55 grain bullets, but not so great for heavier bullets. 1/7 is better for 62 (green tip) to 77 grain (match grade) bullets. 1/8 is a compromise between the two, and the best bet for a general purpose rifle. 1/7 is not a bad choice, but you may have accuracy issues with 55 grain rounds. You want a rifle chambered in 5.56 not .223.
The bolt carrier should be a full auto profile (the ATF won't hassle you for this) and chrome lined. The full auto profile carrier is heavier and cycles better. The gas key should be chrome lined, hardened, have grade 8 fasteners, and be properly staked. The bolt should be Carpenter 158 steel, shot peened, high pressure tested (HPT) and magnetic particle inspected (MPI). The bolt and carrier take a beating. These features help ensure that it doesn't break when you need it.
Now for accessories. A rear sight should not be considered an accessory, but a lot of so-called "complete" rifles don't have one. No big deal, this allows you more flexibility to choose your own. I like the standard mil-spec carry handle with A2 style sights. Learn the basics of marksmanship with iron sights before you go and buy the latest gee-whiz optic. A Meprolite tritium front site post will allow you to aim in the dark. A GI loop sling is a great starter sling for learning marksmanship fundamentals. If you don't know what I'm talking about, look for the one my by CJ Weapons that Midway sells. This is the same sling that Appleseed recommends. Another upgrade to consider is a better trigger. I recommend the ALG Defense advanced combat trigger. It is a standard single stage GI type trigger, but better quality. Crisp break and no gritty feel. I have heard that Velocity Triggers are good, but they are also more expensive. I have not used their product, so I cannot vouch for it personally. If you want to mount a flashlight, Hot Shot makes a magnetic mount that lets you mount a standard tactical light, like a SureFire. It doesn't require any kind of mounting bracket. Bravo Company makes an extractor spring upgrade kit. People say it increases reliability. I drank the Kool-Aid and bought it. My rifle fired just fine before and after. Does it help? Maybe, but I'm only out $5.
I almost forgot magazines. You can't go wrong with the Magpul M2 MOE 30 round magazine. I've never had a problem with these mags and they can be found for $10-12 each. The M3 is supposed to be better, but a little more expensive. Since I've never had an issue with the M2, and they still make it, I'm sticking with it. I've never had use for the mags with windows. If you have GI aluminum mags, upgrade them with Magpul followers. This improves reliability by not allowing the follower to tilt.
He is a summary of recommended specs:
Lower - anything but Hesse, Vulcan, Blackthorne
Lower parts - mil-spec (minus fire control group if getting ALG trigger)
Receiver extension (buffer tube) - mil-spec (or commercial)
Buttstock - M4 6-position (mil-spec or commercial to match the receiver extension)
Buffer - H
Upper - flat top
Barrel - 16", mid length gas system, 1/8 twist (2nd choice 1/7), CMV (or CHF), chrome lined, GI profile, 5.56 chamber, M4 feed ramps, F height front sight base
Hand guards - standard GI
Bolt carrier - full auto profile, chrome lined, hardened chrome lined gas key, grade 8 fasteners, properly staked
Bolt - Carpenter 158 steel, shot peened, HPT/MPI
Rear sight - standard GI carry handle with A2 sight
Accessories / Upgrades
Magazines - Magpul M2 MOE (
CJ Weapons GI web sling
Meprolite tritium front sight post
ALG Defense advanced combat trigger
Hot Shot magnetic flashlight mount
Bravo Company extractor spring upgrade kit
Optics - Learn the basics of rifle marksmanship with iron sights first, then do your own research.
Recommended sources:
Palmetto State Armory
Midway
Brownells
You can buy a complete rifle or you build it yourself. I recommend building the lower yourself and buying a complete upper. If you want to save some money and build the lower yourself, see my earlier posts: "Building a High Quality Low Cost AR-15" and "Tools for Building an AR-15 Lower."
The lower receiver is the heart of the rifle. If you are building your own, get this first. This is the only part that you cannot mail order for delivery to your home. I would get if from your local gun shop (LGS). You could buy it online and then pay a fee to your LGS to transfer it to you, but you probably won't save much. I recommend the standard AR-15 lower without any special bells or whistles. Almost all lowers are made by one of four manufacturers and then rebranded. It doesn't matter which one you go with, but stay away from Hesse, Vulcan or Blackthorne.
As for the rest of the lower parts. Plain GI mil-spec is the way to go initially. If you plan on putting in a better trigger (more on that later), you can get a lower parts kit minus the fire control group to save a few bucks. Receiver extensions (buffer tubes) come in mil-spec or commercial varieties. The mil-spec variety uses a more expensive manufacturing process that makes it strong. The commercial is made less expensively, but with thicker metal to compensate. It doesn't really matter which you go with, except that your buttstock will have to be either mil-spec or commercial spec to match it. I recommend the standard M4 6-position collapsible buttstock. These come in both commercial or mil-spec. Magpul stocks also come in commercial or mil-spec. I don't know about other brands. I went with mil-spec just because it made me feel warm and fuzzy inside. As for the buffer, I went with the H buffer that comes with the lower parts kits that I bought. Carbine buffers have 3 weights inside. A standard buffer has 3 steel weights. An H (heavy) buffer has 1 tungsten and 2 steel. H2 has 2 tungsten and 1 steel. H3 has 3 tungsten. The buffer can effect cycling and reliability. I have had no issues with my H buffer. If you do have reliability issues, you can experiment with different buffer weights.
For the upper receiver, go with a flat top. This allows you more options later. For the rest of the upper receiver parts, go with GI mil-spec. I like plain GI style hand guards with heat shields. They are inexpensive, and they work. They don't offer a lot of options for mounting gizmos, but I don't need a lot of gizmos. You can always get a quad rail later to mount a bunch of crap.
As for barrels, I like a 16" barrel with a mid length gas system. A 20" barrel is bit more accurate at longer ranges with a trade off in handiness and maneuverability. Some people like the M4 style barrels, but they are still 16" (unless you want to go with an SBR and deal with the ATF). They have a short carbine length gas system that is not as reliable, and a bayonet won't work unless you put a a special adapter. You could get a 14.5" barrel with a pinned/welded flash hider that is ATF legal, but now you can't remove your flash hider or gas block later if you want to swap out components. I recommend a government profile chrome lined barrel. The government profile is a nice compromise between the accuracy and strength of a heavy barrel and the light but weak pencil barrel. You can get chrome moly vanadium (CMV) barrels or cold hammer forged (CHF). CHF is better, in that they last longer, but are more expensive. A standard CMV barrel will do just fine. You want a barrel extension that has M4 feed ramps for reliable feeding. You want an "F" height front site base, to match your flat top upper. Twist rate can get confusing. Most barrels these days are either 1/7, 1/8 or 1/9. 1/7 means the the rifling makes one rotation in 7 inches. Different twist rates are useful for stabilizing different bullet weights. It all depends on what ammo you are going to use. 1/9 is better for the cheap 55 grain bullets, but not so great for heavier bullets. 1/7 is better for 62 (green tip) to 77 grain (match grade) bullets. 1/8 is a compromise between the two, and the best bet for a general purpose rifle. 1/7 is not a bad choice, but you may have accuracy issues with 55 grain rounds. You want a rifle chambered in 5.56 not .223.
The bolt carrier should be a full auto profile (the ATF won't hassle you for this) and chrome lined. The full auto profile carrier is heavier and cycles better. The gas key should be chrome lined, hardened, have grade 8 fasteners, and be properly staked. The bolt should be Carpenter 158 steel, shot peened, high pressure tested (HPT) and magnetic particle inspected (MPI). The bolt and carrier take a beating. These features help ensure that it doesn't break when you need it.
Now for accessories. A rear sight should not be considered an accessory, but a lot of so-called "complete" rifles don't have one. No big deal, this allows you more flexibility to choose your own. I like the standard mil-spec carry handle with A2 style sights. Learn the basics of marksmanship with iron sights before you go and buy the latest gee-whiz optic. A Meprolite tritium front site post will allow you to aim in the dark. A GI loop sling is a great starter sling for learning marksmanship fundamentals. If you don't know what I'm talking about, look for the one my by CJ Weapons that Midway sells. This is the same sling that Appleseed recommends. Another upgrade to consider is a better trigger. I recommend the ALG Defense advanced combat trigger. It is a standard single stage GI type trigger, but better quality. Crisp break and no gritty feel. I have heard that Velocity Triggers are good, but they are also more expensive. I have not used their product, so I cannot vouch for it personally. If you want to mount a flashlight, Hot Shot makes a magnetic mount that lets you mount a standard tactical light, like a SureFire. It doesn't require any kind of mounting bracket. Bravo Company makes an extractor spring upgrade kit. People say it increases reliability. I drank the Kool-Aid and bought it. My rifle fired just fine before and after. Does it help? Maybe, but I'm only out $5.
I almost forgot magazines. You can't go wrong with the Magpul M2 MOE 30 round magazine. I've never had a problem with these mags and they can be found for $10-12 each. The M3 is supposed to be better, but a little more expensive. Since I've never had an issue with the M2, and they still make it, I'm sticking with it. I've never had use for the mags with windows. If you have GI aluminum mags, upgrade them with Magpul followers. This improves reliability by not allowing the follower to tilt.
He is a summary of recommended specs:
Lower - anything but Hesse, Vulcan, Blackthorne
Lower parts - mil-spec (minus fire control group if getting ALG trigger)
Receiver extension (buffer tube) - mil-spec (or commercial)
Buttstock - M4 6-position (mil-spec or commercial to match the receiver extension)
Buffer - H
Upper - flat top
Barrel - 16", mid length gas system, 1/8 twist (2nd choice 1/7), CMV (or CHF), chrome lined, GI profile, 5.56 chamber, M4 feed ramps, F height front sight base
Hand guards - standard GI
Bolt carrier - full auto profile, chrome lined, hardened chrome lined gas key, grade 8 fasteners, properly staked
Bolt - Carpenter 158 steel, shot peened, HPT/MPI
Rear sight - standard GI carry handle with A2 sight
Accessories / Upgrades
Magazines - Magpul M2 MOE (
CJ Weapons GI web sling
Meprolite tritium front sight post
ALG Defense advanced combat trigger
Hot Shot magnetic flashlight mount
Bravo Company extractor spring upgrade kit
Optics - Learn the basics of rifle marksmanship with iron sights first, then do your own research.
Recommended sources:
Palmetto State Armory
Midway
Brownells
Monday, September 28, 2015
Fight for Liberty!
On exiting the Constitutional Convention, Benjamin Franklin was asked what sort of government had been created and he replied, "A republic, if you can keep it." So how do we keep it? How do we maintain the liberty we have, and restore liberty that we have lost? Below, I will outline my thoughts on this subject.
Education
You can not advocate effectively for a principle that you do not understand. It requires a solid knowledge base on the fundamentals of natural rights and the founding of our country. If you have not read the Declaration of Independence, the US Constitution, or the Federalist Papers, then you have homework to do. Once you have read the founding documents, you need to understand them. I recommend Clinton Rossiter's book: The Political Thought of the American Revolution: Part III of "Seedtime of the Republic." This book is no longer it print. It can be found at Amazon.com, but you may have to watch and wait to get it at a reasonable price. It is not light reading, but if you truly want to understand the principles of liberty and the founding of our nation, you would be hard pressed to find a better resource. Another excellent book is Paul Revere's Ride by David Hackett Fischer. This is an account of the events surrounding the outbreak of the American Revolution. It is a fascinating book. Much of it reads more like a good novel than a history book. Another excellent resource is the free online education available at Hillsdale College. I highly recommend their Constitution 101 course. After you educate yourself, share with others. Teach your children. Encourage your friends and relatives to, at a minimum, read the Constitution.
Voting
Vote in every election. Research the candidates. votesmart.org is a good resource.
Be Represented
Contact your representatives. Find out who represents you and make your options on the issues known. Tell them how you want them to vote. You can find out who your representatives are and how to contact them on votesmart.org.
Jury Duty
If called on for jury duty, educate yourself. Understand why the right to trial by jury was included in the Bill of Rights. Understand the concept of jury nullification, and how this is part of the system of checks and balances. A good resource is the Fully Informed Jury Association.
Be Part of the Militia
If you are an able bodied man between the ages of 17 and 45 or a veteran under the age of 65, you are the unorganized militia according to US Code Title 10, Section 311. You should be physically fit, have a rifle and ammunition, and be a good marksman. Project Appleseed can help you with the latter. This is not a call to arms. I do not advocate the violent overthrow of the US Government. We live in what some call a "soft" tyranny. There is still time and opportunity to work within the system. A conversion to "hard" tyranny would necessitate taking up arms. An well armed citizenry proficient at arms serves as a strong deterrent to that conversion. In other words: A well regulated militia is necessary to the security of a free state.
When the founders framed the Constitution, they devised a system of checks and balances. Know that the citizenry is part of that system. Education, voting, communicating with your representatives, serving on juries, maintaining arms and skill at arms are the means to that end.
Education
You can not advocate effectively for a principle that you do not understand. It requires a solid knowledge base on the fundamentals of natural rights and the founding of our country. If you have not read the Declaration of Independence, the US Constitution, or the Federalist Papers, then you have homework to do. Once you have read the founding documents, you need to understand them. I recommend Clinton Rossiter's book: The Political Thought of the American Revolution: Part III of "Seedtime of the Republic." This book is no longer it print. It can be found at Amazon.com, but you may have to watch and wait to get it at a reasonable price. It is not light reading, but if you truly want to understand the principles of liberty and the founding of our nation, you would be hard pressed to find a better resource. Another excellent book is Paul Revere's Ride by David Hackett Fischer. This is an account of the events surrounding the outbreak of the American Revolution. It is a fascinating book. Much of it reads more like a good novel than a history book. Another excellent resource is the free online education available at Hillsdale College. I highly recommend their Constitution 101 course. After you educate yourself, share with others. Teach your children. Encourage your friends and relatives to, at a minimum, read the Constitution.
Voting
Vote in every election. Research the candidates. votesmart.org is a good resource.
Be Represented
Contact your representatives. Find out who represents you and make your options on the issues known. Tell them how you want them to vote. You can find out who your representatives are and how to contact them on votesmart.org.
Jury Duty
If called on for jury duty, educate yourself. Understand why the right to trial by jury was included in the Bill of Rights. Understand the concept of jury nullification, and how this is part of the system of checks and balances. A good resource is the Fully Informed Jury Association.
Be Part of the Militia
If you are an able bodied man between the ages of 17 and 45 or a veteran under the age of 65, you are the unorganized militia according to US Code Title 10, Section 311. You should be physically fit, have a rifle and ammunition, and be a good marksman. Project Appleseed can help you with the latter. This is not a call to arms. I do not advocate the violent overthrow of the US Government. We live in what some call a "soft" tyranny. There is still time and opportunity to work within the system. A conversion to "hard" tyranny would necessitate taking up arms. An well armed citizenry proficient at arms serves as a strong deterrent to that conversion. In other words: A well regulated militia is necessary to the security of a free state.
When the founders framed the Constitution, they devised a system of checks and balances. Know that the citizenry is part of that system. Education, voting, communicating with your representatives, serving on juries, maintaining arms and skill at arms are the means to that end.
Wednesday, September 9, 2015
Tourniquet Experiment
I have been wondering about how the effectiveness of modern tourniquets, like the CAT, compares to a traditional cravat and stick tourniquet. I have also heard that an Israeli bandage makes a decent tourniquet if you use a stick to tighten it. That made me wonder if an ACE bandage, which I have used on numerous occasions as an effective pressure dressing, would work as a tourniquet if you added a stick to use as a windlass.
The authority on tourniquets is the US Army Institute of Surgical Research (USAISR). They have published numerous studies on the subject. Their experiments sometimes use human subjects and measure arterial occlusion with a doppler device.
I couldn't find anything comparing the old fashioned cravat and stick, like I learned in basic training, to the new tourniquets. I also wanted to see what an ACE and stick could do. I didn't want to use human subjects. I'm not planning on publishing my little experiment, other than on my own blog. So I came up with the idea of using a football to simulate a thigh. I deflated it to 2 psi (103 mm Hg), pretty close to normal human blood pressure, applied each tourniquet, and measured the pressure again. Each of the 3 methods I tried, increased the pressure in the football to 3 psi (155 mm Hg). High enough to exceed the arterial pressure in most humans. There are numerous flaws in my methodology. A football is not perfectly analogous to a thigh, my pressure gauge is not very accurate, etc. However, nobody got hurt, and I think it gave a decent comparison, relative to each other, of how much pressure each tourniquet could give. We know from USAISR's research that the CAT is effective.
Here is the CAT applied to the football. Also shown is the pressure gauge.
Now a standard military issue triangular bandage NSN 6510-00-201-1755 (cravat) with a stick (3/8 x 6" oak dowel). It generated just as much pressure, but you can see where the cloth rolled up, narrowing the width of the tourniquet. This could potentially cause pain and tissue damage.
Now the ACE bandage (3") and stick. I used a zip tie to secure the stick in place. It also generated adequate pressure, but rolled up like the cravat.
Conclusions: A cravat or an ACE bandage with a stick can be used to make an effective tourniquet. They cannot be applied one-handed, limiting their application for self aid to an upper extremity injury. They both roll up and narrow, likely causing pain and tissue damage. Applying the tourniqet over clothing could limit this effect.
If you remember my prior post on making a budget IFAK, we could use some of the lessons learned in this experiment to make a pocket or EDC IFAK, like the Student of the Gun (SOTG) Pocket Lifesaver. Knowing that a tourniquet can be made out an ACE bandage, we could eliminate the triangular bandage and limit the items in the kit to the following:
nasopharyngeal airway, 28 Fr
ABD pad or maxi pad
3" ACE bandage
3/8 x 6" oak dowel (maybe even 5")
36" of duct tape on a credit card
I am going to put together such a kit, vacuum pack it with a FoodSaver, and post some pics. We'll see how convenient it is to carry around.
At $39.95, SOTG's Pocket Lifesaver is a good deal. The cost is not much more than the cost of the RATS tourniquet and nasal airway that it contains. I think their kit would be neater if the duct tape were on a credit card. The RATS tourniquet can be applied one handed. I'm not sure of its effectiveness. They say that it is TCCC approved, but that is misleading. See this article for the details on that. I guess I will have to get one and test it on the football. While I'm at it, I just might make a DIY tourniquet like the RATS from a Walmart bungee cord, and test it too.
The authority on tourniquets is the US Army Institute of Surgical Research (USAISR). They have published numerous studies on the subject. Their experiments sometimes use human subjects and measure arterial occlusion with a doppler device.
I couldn't find anything comparing the old fashioned cravat and stick, like I learned in basic training, to the new tourniquets. I also wanted to see what an ACE and stick could do. I didn't want to use human subjects. I'm not planning on publishing my little experiment, other than on my own blog. So I came up with the idea of using a football to simulate a thigh. I deflated it to 2 psi (103 mm Hg), pretty close to normal human blood pressure, applied each tourniquet, and measured the pressure again. Each of the 3 methods I tried, increased the pressure in the football to 3 psi (155 mm Hg). High enough to exceed the arterial pressure in most humans. There are numerous flaws in my methodology. A football is not perfectly analogous to a thigh, my pressure gauge is not very accurate, etc. However, nobody got hurt, and I think it gave a decent comparison, relative to each other, of how much pressure each tourniquet could give. We know from USAISR's research that the CAT is effective.
Here is the CAT applied to the football. Also shown is the pressure gauge.
Now a standard military issue triangular bandage NSN 6510-00-201-1755 (cravat) with a stick (3/8 x 6" oak dowel). It generated just as much pressure, but you can see where the cloth rolled up, narrowing the width of the tourniquet. This could potentially cause pain and tissue damage.
Now the ACE bandage (3") and stick. I used a zip tie to secure the stick in place. It also generated adequate pressure, but rolled up like the cravat.
Conclusions: A cravat or an ACE bandage with a stick can be used to make an effective tourniquet. They cannot be applied one-handed, limiting their application for self aid to an upper extremity injury. They both roll up and narrow, likely causing pain and tissue damage. Applying the tourniqet over clothing could limit this effect.
If you remember my prior post on making a budget IFAK, we could use some of the lessons learned in this experiment to make a pocket or EDC IFAK, like the Student of the Gun (SOTG) Pocket Lifesaver. Knowing that a tourniquet can be made out an ACE bandage, we could eliminate the triangular bandage and limit the items in the kit to the following:
nasopharyngeal airway, 28 Fr
ABD pad or maxi pad
3" ACE bandage
3/8 x 6" oak dowel (maybe even 5")
36" of duct tape on a credit card
I am going to put together such a kit, vacuum pack it with a FoodSaver, and post some pics. We'll see how convenient it is to carry around.
At $39.95, SOTG's Pocket Lifesaver is a good deal. The cost is not much more than the cost of the RATS tourniquet and nasal airway that it contains. I think their kit would be neater if the duct tape were on a credit card. The RATS tourniquet can be applied one handed. I'm not sure of its effectiveness. They say that it is TCCC approved, but that is misleading. See this article for the details on that. I guess I will have to get one and test it on the football. While I'm at it, I just might make a DIY tourniquet like the RATS from a Walmart bungee cord, and test it too.
Wednesday, July 22, 2015
Print Your Own Targets
Here are some links to targets that you can print at home.
Leave a comment if any of these links go dead, or if there is a target of general interest that should be posted here.
M16 25 meter zero target
Appleseed 25 m AQT targets
http://appleseedinfo.org/smf/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=9833.0;attach=12702
http://appleseedinfo.org/smf/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=9833.0;attach=12703
http://appleseedinfo.org/smf/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=9833.0;attach=12704
http://appleseedinfo.org/smf/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=9833.0;attach=12702
http://appleseedinfo.org/smf/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=9833.0;attach=12703
http://appleseedinfo.org/smf/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=9833.0;attach=12704
Appleseed 10 m target
I use this for indoor dry firing.
http://www.bob-owens.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/Appleseed.png
Various websites with free printable targets
http://www.mytargets.com
http://www.targetz.com
http://www.targets.ws
http://www.accurateshooter.com/shooting-skills/targets/
http://printtargets.net
http://www.gun-shots.net/free-printable-targets.shtml
http://www.lyndenhuggins.com/hunting/info/targets/targets.htm
http://mysticvalleygunclub.com/printable-targets/
I use this for indoor dry firing.
http://www.bob-owens.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/Appleseed.png
Various websites with free printable targets
http://www.mytargets.com
http://www.targetz.com
http://www.targets.ws
http://www.accurateshooter.com/shooting-skills/targets/
http://printtargets.net
http://www.gun-shots.net/free-printable-targets.shtml
http://www.lyndenhuggins.com/hunting/info/targets/targets.htm
http://mysticvalleygunclub.com/printable-targets/
Leave a comment if any of these links go dead, or if there is a target of general interest that should be posted here.
Tuesday, June 9, 2015
Keep Your Powder Dry!
Many people who store ammo use 50 cal ammo cans and silica gel desiccant packets to absorb moisture. I have seen various arguments against using desiccant in various forums. Some will say they have ammo they have stored for decades without desiccant and it works just fine. Or that military surplus ammo is already waterproof. They don't explain why the military bothers to store it in waterproof cans if it's already waterproof. Nobody says that using desiccant harms your ammo. I have seen corroded ammo, although I confess that it still worked. Still, I would rather play it safe. Silica gel packs are not very expensive and can be purchased from most retailers that sell firearms accessories. That being said, you can easily make them yourself for next to nothing. A 4# bag of silica gel kitty litter sells for $4.17 at Walmart. I have heard that rice will also work, but my understanding is that silica gel is the superior desiccant.
I just happened to have a 1 gallon can of government issue desiccant that was given to me by a friend who was cleaning out his garage.
I searched the internet to find out how much silica gel is ideal for an ammo can. I saw answers ranging from 10 g to 40 g. Supposedly, 40 g will keep a 3 cubic foot area dry. I tried making a packet with 40 g, and it a bit too big, so I went with 25 g.
I used coffee filters (8-12 cup basket type) and weighed them on a kitchen scale. I swear that scale read 25 g right before I snapped that pic. I found that 2 heaping tablespoons was just about 25 g.
Gather up the edges until it looks like a teabag that is about 2" across the top.
Fold over the top edge and staple.
Toss it in with your ammo and close the can.
They say that you can "recharge" silica gel by baking it in an oven at 200 deg for 3 hours. I plan to recharge them once a year.
I just happened to have a 1 gallon can of government issue desiccant that was given to me by a friend who was cleaning out his garage.
I searched the internet to find out how much silica gel is ideal for an ammo can. I saw answers ranging from 10 g to 40 g. Supposedly, 40 g will keep a 3 cubic foot area dry. I tried making a packet with 40 g, and it a bit too big, so I went with 25 g.
I used coffee filters (8-12 cup basket type) and weighed them on a kitchen scale. I swear that scale read 25 g right before I snapped that pic. I found that 2 heaping tablespoons was just about 25 g.
Gather up the edges until it looks like a teabag that is about 2" across the top.
Fold over the top edge and staple.
Toss it in with your ammo and close the can.
They say that you can "recharge" silica gel by baking it in an oven at 200 deg for 3 hours. I plan to recharge them once a year.
Tuesday, June 2, 2015
Ammo Shelves
Here is a sturdy shelf unit that will hold 20 full ammo cans. It costs about $40-45 to build. You can build this with just a circular saw and a cordless drill/driver. However, I used a miter saw, table saw, framing nailer, crown stapler, and impact driver. For the truly thrifty, much of these materials can be found discarded at construction sites.
Material List:
7 2x4's ($2.53 each at Home Depot)
OSB ($12.57 a sheet)
48 2.5" deck screws ($8.47 for a box of 86)
crown staples or drywall screws ($6.47 for a box of 200)
32 framing nails or 2.5" deck screws
Each shelf is 36" wide by 14" deep. Start by making a box with 2 36" and 2 11" 2x4's. Put 2 nails or screws into the end of each long piece to fasten it to the shorter pieces. Cover this frame with a 14x36" piece of OSB. Secure it with crown staples or drywall screws to the frame. Then make 3 more.
Cut 4 42" pieces of 2x4 for the uprights. There are 3 screws wherever an upright meets a shelf. There is 12" between the top of each shelf. You could use nails instead of screws, but screws are less likely to come loose, and you can rapidly disassemble or reconfigure it. The shelf spacing gives you just enough room for an ammo can with the handle folded flat. You might want more clearance, but I wanted this unit to be as short as possible so it would be sturdy.
General or Food Storage Shelf Unit:
If you change the dimensions, but build it in the same way, you can make a much larger shelf unit. Make the uprights 78". Make the shelves 24x48" and space the shelves 24". This shelf uses 10 2x4's, one sheet of OSB, and the same nails/screws as the ammo shelf unit. Material cost is about $50. Hint: cut the OSB to 23.75 x 48" so you can get 4 pieces out of one sheet. Most big home improvement stores will have a panel saw and can cut sheet goods to size for you.
Here's an idea (one that I practice). Build one (or two) of the larger version of this shelf unit. Then go to Costco and stock up on nonperishable food items that you use on a regular basis. Rotate and replenish your stock by expiration date. Expiration dates can be hard to find and read, so I remark each expiration date with a Sharpie. You will save money in the long run, have an emergency food supply without having to pay anything extra for it, and it only takes up 8 square feet of space in your basement.
Material List:
7 2x4's ($2.53 each at Home Depot)
OSB ($12.57 a sheet)
48 2.5" deck screws ($8.47 for a box of 86)
crown staples or drywall screws ($6.47 for a box of 200)
32 framing nails or 2.5" deck screws
Each shelf is 36" wide by 14" deep. Start by making a box with 2 36" and 2 11" 2x4's. Put 2 nails or screws into the end of each long piece to fasten it to the shorter pieces. Cover this frame with a 14x36" piece of OSB. Secure it with crown staples or drywall screws to the frame. Then make 3 more.
Cut 4 42" pieces of 2x4 for the uprights. There are 3 screws wherever an upright meets a shelf. There is 12" between the top of each shelf. You could use nails instead of screws, but screws are less likely to come loose, and you can rapidly disassemble or reconfigure it. The shelf spacing gives you just enough room for an ammo can with the handle folded flat. You might want more clearance, but I wanted this unit to be as short as possible so it would be sturdy.
General or Food Storage Shelf Unit:
If you change the dimensions, but build it in the same way, you can make a much larger shelf unit. Make the uprights 78". Make the shelves 24x48" and space the shelves 24". This shelf uses 10 2x4's, one sheet of OSB, and the same nails/screws as the ammo shelf unit. Material cost is about $50. Hint: cut the OSB to 23.75 x 48" so you can get 4 pieces out of one sheet. Most big home improvement stores will have a panel saw and can cut sheet goods to size for you.
Here's an idea (one that I practice). Build one (or two) of the larger version of this shelf unit. Then go to Costco and stock up on nonperishable food items that you use on a regular basis. Rotate and replenish your stock by expiration date. Expiration dates can be hard to find and read, so I remark each expiration date with a Sharpie. You will save money in the long run, have an emergency food supply without having to pay anything extra for it, and it only takes up 8 square feet of space in your basement.
Saturday, May 30, 2015
Refinishing a Walnut Stock
The following is a simple method for refinishing a walnut stock. I have used this on M-1's, 10/22's and Enfields, and have been very pleased with the results.
You will need:
Easy Off oven cleaner
dish washing gloves
3M green scratch pad
old tooth brush
00 very fine steel wool
0000 super fine steel wool
rags (old t-shirts)
Your choice of finish:
Tung oil for a lighter finish
Linseed oil for your standard GI finish
Birchwood Casey Tru-Oil for a somewhat glossy finish
Birchwood Casey walnut stain + Tru-Oil for a darker somewhat glossy finish
I like linseed oil for a surplus rifle, and Tru-Oil for a commercial rifle.
Stripping the stock:
Remove all metal parts. For the Garand, I recommend getting handguard clip pliers, $19.95 from CMP. Put on some dishwashing gloves and safety glasses, go to the sink and spray the entire stock with Easy Off. Don't leave it on for long. Use a green 3M pad and scrub the stock under hot running water. I like to use a tooth brush gently over any cartouches, rather that the scratch pad. Be careful with the oven cleaner. It is sodium hydroxide (lye) and it will burn you and can seriously damage your eyes. Breathing it can irritate your lungs, so open a window or run the range hood if it is nearby. Repeat this process if it does not look like all the finish came off.
Let the stock dry for about two days. You want it bone dry before you proceed.
Sand the stock with 00 steel wool. Put your thumb over any cartouches to protect them during this process. Repeat with 0000 steel wool. Dings can be raised with a wet cloth and an iron, or sanded out with sand paper. Wipe off any steel wool fragments when you are done.
For tung or linseed oil, just wipe it down, let it dry for a day, and repeat until it looks right. For Birchwood-Casey products, follow the instructions. Test the finish on the inside the stock where it won't be seen to check if you like it before proceeding.
Fitting an M-1 Garand Stock
Replacing the stock set on your Garand first involves buying a stock set. Which set to get is an entire debate unto itself, but I like the set from CMP for $118.95. The CMP web site says "may require minor fitting." This is a bit of an understatement. The first step in fitting is getting the trigger guard to fit and clamp down with the right amount of pressure. Tom Findley has an excellent resource on this: http://www.trfindley.com/pgtgfix.html Read Tom's page before you do anything. To inlet some of the areas it is handy to have a set of small woodcarving tools.
This set is $9.99 at Harbor Freight. Not fine tools, but they will work just fine. Work slowly. Remove only a little bit of wood at a time, and frequently test fit the parts.
When you get to the part in Tom's instructions where you are ready to start sanding the long surfaces that the trigger housing clamps against, you will need a sanding wedge, a block of wood that has a 10 degree incline.
This is the one I made from a block of 4x4. You could cut it on a miter saw, but I prefer to use a table saw with a sled. The base is a scrap of 1/4" plywood. I used a protractor to draw a 10 degree line on the base, and then attached a scrap of 3/4" plywood along that line with brad nails from underneath. Use the miter gauge to push the sled.
Use a phone book to adjust the height of the wedge and a block of wood to hold your sand paper.
It is very important to clamp the forend of the stock to your work surface.
Once your trigger guard is clamping down correctly, there are a few areas you want to inlet. On commercial stocks, the inlet for the foot of the clip latch may be too far back. Put a thin coat of grease on the foot of the clip latch to see if it is rubbing. You may need to do some inletting here:
Be careful that you don't remove too much wood such that the inletting is visible when the stock is on the rifle.
Another problem area if the foot of the firing pin. Use grease to see if it is hitting the stock and inlet here as needed:
Again, be careful that the inletting does not show when the stock is on the rifle. Inletting for the clip latch and firing pin can be done with a Dremel tool and 1/8" flat bottom cutting bit (#194).
You also want to check that your op rod is not rubbing the stock. Use a thin coat of grease as before to check. The pencil sits in the area of interest. The area near the point is more likely to rub.
Use a Dremel with a 1/2" sanding drum to clean up this area.
If either of your hand guards is too long, remove wood from the rear of the hand guard. The buttplate may not be centered evenly on the butt. Draw a pencil line all around the buttplate. Then remove it and sand the stock until there is an equal amount of wood all around the line. I had to use 60 grit sandpaper to remove a lot of wood on mine.
This, along with Tom Findley's page covers the basics. There are a lot of finer points as well. If you want to be well versed on the fitting of M-1 stocks, go the the M-14 forum and read everything that Gus Fisher, MGySgt USMC (ret.), has posted on the subject: http://m14forum.com/gus-fisher/ You are unlikely to find anyone for knowledgable on the M-1 or M-14.
When you get to the part in Tom's instructions where you are ready to start sanding the long surfaces that the trigger housing clamps against, you will need a sanding wedge, a block of wood that has a 10 degree incline.
This is the one I made from a block of 4x4. You could cut it on a miter saw, but I prefer to use a table saw with a sled. The base is a scrap of 1/4" plywood. I used a protractor to draw a 10 degree line on the base, and then attached a scrap of 3/4" plywood along that line with brad nails from underneath. Use the miter gauge to push the sled.
Use a phone book to adjust the height of the wedge and a block of wood to hold your sand paper.
It is very important to clamp the forend of the stock to your work surface.
Once your trigger guard is clamping down correctly, there are a few areas you want to inlet. On commercial stocks, the inlet for the foot of the clip latch may be too far back. Put a thin coat of grease on the foot of the clip latch to see if it is rubbing. You may need to do some inletting here:
Be careful that you don't remove too much wood such that the inletting is visible when the stock is on the rifle.
Another problem area if the foot of the firing pin. Use grease to see if it is hitting the stock and inlet here as needed:
Again, be careful that the inletting does not show when the stock is on the rifle. Inletting for the clip latch and firing pin can be done with a Dremel tool and 1/8" flat bottom cutting bit (#194).
You also want to check that your op rod is not rubbing the stock. Use a thin coat of grease as before to check. The pencil sits in the area of interest. The area near the point is more likely to rub.
Use a Dremel with a 1/2" sanding drum to clean up this area.
This, along with Tom Findley's page covers the basics. There are a lot of finer points as well. If you want to be well versed on the fitting of M-1 stocks, go the the M-14 forum and read everything that Gus Fisher, MGySgt USMC (ret.), has posted on the subject: http://m14forum.com/gus-fisher/ You are unlikely to find anyone for knowledgable on the M-1 or M-14.
Tuesday, May 26, 2015
AR-15 Ejector Removal Jig
If you need to remove the ejector from the bolt of your AR-15, like when you are checking head space, it helps to have a tool to compress the ejector spring. You can get tools to do this that run in the $20 to $50 dollar range. I made my own for about $10 with hardware from Lowes.
I started with a 4 x 8" piece of 3/4" plywood and a 1.5 x 1.5 x 4" block of wood that was a scrap of 2x4 in a previous life. I drilled a hole in the plywood 2" from the end and centered, and inserted a 5/16-18 x 3/8" T-nut and a 5/16-18 x 2" brass screw. Then I drilled a hole in the block 3/8" from the bottom and centered. I inserted another 5/16-18 x 3/8" T-nut and a 6" section of 5/16-18 threaded rod. A bench vise was use to press in the T-nuts. I added a 5/16-18 knob on one end, and a piece of 5.56 mm brass, with the tapered part cut off, to the other end. The cartridge case fits a bit loosely, so I used some masking tape around the end of the threaded rod to make it snug. I cut a a small recess in the plywood base with a Forstner bit (you could use Dremel or standard drill bit) to give the ejector pin room to come out.
Here is the underside. I nailed the block to the plywood with 1.5" 16 gauge finish nails. Alternatively, you could screw it in place. Note the countersinking of the screw head.
Side view.
Jig in action.
The brass screw fits nicely in the hole for the cam pin and will not mar the bolt. Keep in mind that the ejector pin is not perfectly vertical in this configuration, so you will have to hold your 1/16" roll pin punch at a slight angle when driving out the pin. When you release the pressure on the ejector, turn the handle slowly and hold your hand over the bolt. Otherwise, you ejector may shoot across the room.
Here is the underside. I nailed the block to the plywood with 1.5" 16 gauge finish nails. Alternatively, you could screw it in place. Note the countersinking of the screw head.
Sunday, April 12, 2015
Budget IFAK
IFAK stands for Individual First Aid Kit or Improved First Aid Kit, depending on whom you ask. This kit is issued to soldiers and is designed to address the most life threatening injuries likely to be experienced in combat. It is not a boo-boo kit with bandaids and Neosporin. It is used to treat arterial bleeding, sucking chest wounds, and to keep the airway open. Anyone who carries a concealed handgun, should carry an IFAK. If you are carrying, you are prepared for a gun fight. If you are prepared for a gun fight, you should be prepared for gun shot wounds.
For an a high-speed kit, I would add the following:
6510-01-581-0553 Halo Chest Seal, 1 pkg (2 per pkg)
These kits can be expensive. IFAKs from Dark Angel Medical or Chinook Medical run in the $140 to $165 range. If you want multiple kits (one for the car, one for the house, one for an EDC bag, etc.) this adds up pretty quickly. Even if you make your own kit, the Combat Gauze will cost you $30 or more, unless you buy it on eBay (watch the expiration date!). The CAT will cost you another $30. (Beware of cheap CAT counterfeits.)
I'm proposing a very inexpensive kit that you can assemble for a few bucks. It will be similar in function to the expensive kits. It lacks the hemostatic ability of Combat Gauze, the tourniquet is not as quick as a CAT, but this kit is far superior to no kit, which is where many of you are right now. You can gradually upgrade it to the fancy stuff as your budget allows.
Per USAMMA (US Army Medical Material Agency), here is what is in a typical IFAK:
6515-01-521-7976 Tourniquet, Combat Application 1 (CAT)
6510-01-492-2275 Bandage Kit, Elastic 1 (6" Israeli bandage)
OR
6510-01-460-0849 Bandage Kit, Elastic 1 (4" Israeli bandage)
6510-01-503-2117 Bandage GA4-1/2” 100’s 1 (H&H compressed gauze)
6510-00-926-8883 Adhesive Tape Surg 2” 6’s PG 1
6515-01-180-0467 Airway, Nasopharyngeal 1
6515-01-519-9161 Glove, Patient Exam 100’s 4
6510-01-562-3325 Dressing, Combat Gauze 1
For an a high-speed kit, I would add the following:
6510-01-581-0553 Halo Chest Seal, 1 pkg (2 per pkg)
6515-01-541-0635 14 g x 3.25" needle, 1
Budget IFAK:
1. Triangular bandage, 1
37x37x52" in a right triangle shape, cut from an old sheet
Iron it and fold it into a cravat, like a military issue triangular bandage (NSN 6510-00-201-1755).
Price: free if you have an old sheet or about $2 if you buy an old sheet from a thrift store
2. 3/8 x 6" oak dowel, 1
Together with the triangular bandage, you can make a tourniquet.
Price: $1.28 for a 36" dowel from Lowe's (you can make 5 from one dowel)
3. ABD dressing, 5x9", 1
Might be called "surgical pad" at your pharmacy. You can substitute a maxi-pad if you feel secure in doing so.
Price: free to a few bucks
4. Ace bandage, 4", 1
Combine this with an ABD pad or maxi-pad to make a pressure bandage that is not as quick or slick as an Israeli bandage, but it does the job.
Price: about $5
5. Nitrile gloves, 4
You will likely have to buy a big box, but you can make multiple kits. Use the leftovers for messy jobs around the house or garage.
Price $7.99 for 100 at Harbor Freight
6. Duct tape, 24"
Wrap it around an old credit card or similar type card.
Price: Free (you should have this already)
7. Nasopharyngeal airway, 28 French, 1
Price: $5.99 on eBay
8. Ziploc bag, 1 quart, 1
Holds the contents of the kit. Can be used with duct tape to form an occlusive dressing for sucking chest wounds.
Price: Free (from your kitchen)
Build a Budget IFAK (or 2, or 3) today. Gradually replace the items in the kit with the high-speed stuff as your budget allows.
Wednesday, February 25, 2015
Glock Sight Tools
Thinking about changing out the sights on your Glock? Thinking about doing it yourself, but the tools are more expensive that having a gunsmith do it? You can buy the tools needed for about $120 from conventional sources (Midway or Brownells). Or you can buy them from eBay and Lowes/Home Depot, work a little DIY magic, and the damage will be about $43. Yes, you can do it with a punch, but the site pusher is gentler and does a better job of making small adjustments at the range.
Maryland Gun Works makes a very nice rear sight pusher tool that costs about $100.
Ed Brown makes a front sight tool that runs around $20.
You can get a less expensive sight pusher on eBay for $39.95 (free shipping) from a seller named 4x4machineshop. This works on the Glock, 1911, and most pistols with straight sides. They have another model that includes shims for pistols with angled sides for $49.95. I have used this tool to install sights on my Glock and it works well. You will need a wrench to turn the bolt. This tool is also handy for adjusting your sights at the range.
You can make your own front sight tool for the Glock. Just get a 3/16" 6 point 1/4" drive deep socket ($2.97 from Lowes). You will have to use a bench grinder to make it work. The front site screw is very close to the front of the slide and the socket is too fat to clear the space. Grind away the circumference of the body of the socket until it will fit. Also, the screw head is very low profile. You fill have to flatten the the end of the socket, because the rounded edges won't let it grip the screw. You also need to taper the end a bit.
You could also buy a Craftsman 3/16" nut driver at your local Sears for $6.49. You still might have to grind the tip a bit due to the rounded edges at the end and the very low profile nature of the Glock front sight screw head.
You will also need a triangular file for fitting of the rear sight to the dovetail. You can pick one of these up for under $5. I won't go into the process of how you change out the sights. There are plenty of resources on the internet for that.
Maryland Gun Works makes a very nice rear sight pusher tool that costs about $100.
Ed Brown makes a front sight tool that runs around $20.
You can get a less expensive sight pusher on eBay for $39.95 (free shipping) from a seller named 4x4machineshop. This works on the Glock, 1911, and most pistols with straight sides. They have another model that includes shims for pistols with angled sides for $49.95. I have used this tool to install sights on my Glock and it works well. You will need a wrench to turn the bolt. This tool is also handy for adjusting your sights at the range.
You can make your own front sight tool for the Glock. Just get a 3/16" 6 point 1/4" drive deep socket ($2.97 from Lowes). You will have to use a bench grinder to make it work. The front site screw is very close to the front of the slide and the socket is too fat to clear the space. Grind away the circumference of the body of the socket until it will fit. Also, the screw head is very low profile. You fill have to flatten the the end of the socket, because the rounded edges won't let it grip the screw. You also need to taper the end a bit.
You will also need a triangular file for fitting of the rear sight to the dovetail. You can pick one of these up for under $5. I won't go into the process of how you change out the sights. There are plenty of resources on the internet for that.
Monday, February 23, 2015
DIY Castle 2 - The Keep (safe room)
Your prototypical castle has a keep, a fortified structure within the castle walls as a secondary fallback defensive position in the event that the castle walls are breached. The keep for a modern castle is a safe room. The term safe room conjures of images of high tech vaults that only the super rich could afford. However, a safe room can be built very affordably by the typical home owner.
The first consideration for a safe room is placement. This will vary based on the design of the home and needs of the home owner. If you live by yourself or just you and your spouse, the master bedroom might be your best option. When you are asleep at night, you are already locked in your safe room. If you have a child, you could make your child's room a safe room. When intruders are banging on the door, just run to your child's room and lock yourselves in. If you live alone and are paranoid about taking a shower because you might not hear an intruder breaking in, then make the bathroom your safe room. Another good option is the master bedroom walk in closet. Some modifications that are about to be suggested are less than aesthetic, but you may not be concerned about the aesthetics of your closet.
Once you have chosen a location, the first step is replacing or reinforcing the door itself. Interior doors are not as sturdy as exterior doors. You could buy a steel exterior door (about $100-150) and hang it in your existing door frame. Be aware that exterior doors have slightly different dimensions. They are slightly thicker, so the door will protrude from the trim into the room a little. They are also slighter shorter, so there will be a gap at the bottom. You can cut a piece of wood to size and screw it to the bottom of the door to cover this gap.
A more aesthetic option for hanging a steel door is to remove and replace the door jamb. This involves removing the old jamb with a chisel. Then place a board along the top of the opening to account for the interior/exterior door height difference. Next make your own jamb and nail it to the frame in the correct location to account for the thickness of the door. Some putty, caulk and paint will be involved. If you don't have a table saw and a router table, this may not be your best option.
Another option is to buy and install a complete exterior door and frame set. This would also be more aesthetic, would not require expensive tools, but would be a little more expensive for materials.
Lastly, there is the economy option. Screw a piece of plywood to your existing door. Although you can paint it to match your door, this is not going to be pretty. You might not mind it on the inside of your walk in closet though. A sheet of 3/4" thick oak plywood runs about $50. Lowes or Home Depot will have a panel saw to cut it to size for you. You will need to make a cut out for the door knob and deadbolt (you should add a deadbolt). Screw this to the inside of your door with numerous 2" deck screws or case hardened screws. Paint if you like.
Next you need to reinforce the latch plate, door around the deadbolt, and hinges. This is covered in my previous post.
Additional door reinforcement is good idea. I like the door bar from barricade.com that sells for about $70. You still want a deadbolt though. The deadbolt is fast to activate and will buy you time to put the bar in place. Note the exterior steel door mounted where the closet door used to hang.
Now that your door is secure, you need to think about the walls. It doesn't take much to break through dry wall. You could buy some 1x4" oak boards and screw them horizontally to the studs at 2', 3' and 4' above the floor. Then paint to match your wall or trim - your choice. Or if an intruder is breaking through your safe room wall, you might choose to defend yourself. You should obey all applicable laws in your area.
Inside my safe room I have two phones. One is cheap phone that doesn't require electricity that is plugged into a phone jack that I installed. The other is an old cell phone plugged into a charger. Cell phones that no longer have carrier subscriptions are still able to dial 911.
I also have a 5 gallon plastic bucket and lid with bottled water and trail mix inside. If we are stuck inside the safe room for a while, we won't go hungry or thirsty. You don't want to deal with "daddy, I'm hungry" at a stressful time. The bucket can be used as an emergency toilet. I think I'll add a can of Lysol too.
The first consideration for a safe room is placement. This will vary based on the design of the home and needs of the home owner. If you live by yourself or just you and your spouse, the master bedroom might be your best option. When you are asleep at night, you are already locked in your safe room. If you have a child, you could make your child's room a safe room. When intruders are banging on the door, just run to your child's room and lock yourselves in. If you live alone and are paranoid about taking a shower because you might not hear an intruder breaking in, then make the bathroom your safe room. Another good option is the master bedroom walk in closet. Some modifications that are about to be suggested are less than aesthetic, but you may not be concerned about the aesthetics of your closet.
Once you have chosen a location, the first step is replacing or reinforcing the door itself. Interior doors are not as sturdy as exterior doors. You could buy a steel exterior door (about $100-150) and hang it in your existing door frame. Be aware that exterior doors have slightly different dimensions. They are slightly thicker, so the door will protrude from the trim into the room a little. They are also slighter shorter, so there will be a gap at the bottom. You can cut a piece of wood to size and screw it to the bottom of the door to cover this gap.
A more aesthetic option for hanging a steel door is to remove and replace the door jamb. This involves removing the old jamb with a chisel. Then place a board along the top of the opening to account for the interior/exterior door height difference. Next make your own jamb and nail it to the frame in the correct location to account for the thickness of the door. Some putty, caulk and paint will be involved. If you don't have a table saw and a router table, this may not be your best option.
Another option is to buy and install a complete exterior door and frame set. This would also be more aesthetic, would not require expensive tools, but would be a little more expensive for materials.
Lastly, there is the economy option. Screw a piece of plywood to your existing door. Although you can paint it to match your door, this is not going to be pretty. You might not mind it on the inside of your walk in closet though. A sheet of 3/4" thick oak plywood runs about $50. Lowes or Home Depot will have a panel saw to cut it to size for you. You will need to make a cut out for the door knob and deadbolt (you should add a deadbolt). Screw this to the inside of your door with numerous 2" deck screws or case hardened screws. Paint if you like.
Next you need to reinforce the latch plate, door around the deadbolt, and hinges. This is covered in my previous post.
Additional door reinforcement is good idea. I like the door bar from barricade.com that sells for about $70. You still want a deadbolt though. The deadbolt is fast to activate and will buy you time to put the bar in place. Note the exterior steel door mounted where the closet door used to hang.
Now that your door is secure, you need to think about the walls. It doesn't take much to break through dry wall. You could buy some 1x4" oak boards and screw them horizontally to the studs at 2', 3' and 4' above the floor. Then paint to match your wall or trim - your choice. Or if an intruder is breaking through your safe room wall, you might choose to defend yourself. You should obey all applicable laws in your area.
Inside my safe room I have two phones. One is cheap phone that doesn't require electricity that is plugged into a phone jack that I installed. The other is an old cell phone plugged into a charger. Cell phones that no longer have carrier subscriptions are still able to dial 911.
I also have a 5 gallon plastic bucket and lid with bottled water and trail mix inside. If we are stuck inside the safe room for a while, we won't go hungry or thirsty. You don't want to deal with "daddy, I'm hungry" at a stressful time. The bucket can be used as an emergency toilet. I think I'll add a can of Lysol too.
DIY Castle
Your home is your castle. Castles are fortified. Is yours? Home invaders can breach most homes in seconds with a strong kick to the door near the latch. A home security system is a good idea, but they have serious limitations. They will call 911 for you. They will make a loud noise to alert you that someone is already in your house. This also lets the criminal know that the police are on the way. This still gives them plenty of time to kill or maim you and steal your stuff. Remember, when seconds count, the police are only minutes away! Fortifying you home will either keep the invader from getting in, or at a minimum buy you time to arm yourself and gather your family.
When fortifying your home, you have to consider the weak points, and address those first. The weakest point is typically the door jamb of your entry doors. You should have a deadbolt (preferably ANSI grade I). However, the wood around the throw bolt is flimsy and will not stand up to a strong kick. You can reinforce the jamb with a kit from Strikemaster (asafehome.net) or EZ Armor (armor concepts.com). These kits run about $70 and can be purchased from Lowes or Home Depot. They typically include a long reinforced strike plate that spreads out the force of a kick over and larger area and long screws that go all the way into the studs, not just the trim.
You can also make your own strike plate if you are handy and have the right tools. You can buy a 1.5" x 36" x 1/8" piece of steel from your Lowes or Home Depot. You will need a drill (drill press is better) and a die grinder. A Dremel will work, but it will take a long time and you will go through several grinding stones. The holes for the latch and throw bolt don't have to be perfect, because you can put your existing latch plates back over them. Notice that the screws are off center so they are closer to the center of the stud.
The next weak points are the hinges and the door material around the deadbolt. You can replace the hinge screws with 3" long screws. You really only need to replace 2 on each side of each hinge, the ones closer to the center of the door or door frame. You can use deck screws, or better yet, you can buy case hardened screws from grainger.com, item# 4VYK3. You can buy fingernail polish in a color that matches your hardware to touch up the screw heads. Be careful not to screw them in to tight, as you can warp your door frame.
You can reinforce the door around the deadbolt with a door reinforcer from Lowes or Home Depot. Some strike plate kits like the ones mentioned above come with door reinforcing hardware.
Double doors are trickier to reinforce. Strikemaster makes a french door kit that runs about $90. You can also add a Nightlock device from nightlock.com for about $40. These work on double or single doors, but they are a form of passive security - they only work if you remember to slide it into place.
Another consideration is the garage. Do you have a car parked outside with a garage door opener on the visor? You might want to do something about that. Also, the emergency release pull rope on your garage door should be removed. Thieves have been known to use a coat hanger to fish out this rope at the the top of the door and then pull it to gain access to your garage. You can make your own tool from a coat hanger to pull the emergency release if you ever have a power outage.
Sliding glass doors are another weak point. Older sliding doors can be lifted up and removed from the track. You can prevent this buy putting a few screws in the top of the track with the heads exposed enough to prevent the door from being lifted.
If your front door has glass in it or if you have sidelights, a criminal can easily break the glass and reach in to unlock your door. One option is to install a double cylinder deadbolt that requires a key on both sides. If you do this you will want to have a extra key handy somewhere nearby in case of fire. If you replace your deadbolt (preferably ANSI grade I) your local Lowes or Home Depot can rekey it to match your existing house key for free or a minimal charge. Or you can apply a plastic laminate to the glass. I'll let you do your own research on that one.
Windows are probably your last concern (as long as you keep them locked). The sound of breaking glass would alert you to an intruder, and the time it takes to clear the broken shards, open the window, and crawl through will buy you some time. You could laminate all your windows, or all your first floor windows, for an extra measure of protection, but this is expensive.
When fortifying your home, you have to consider the weak points, and address those first. The weakest point is typically the door jamb of your entry doors. You should have a deadbolt (preferably ANSI grade I). However, the wood around the throw bolt is flimsy and will not stand up to a strong kick. You can reinforce the jamb with a kit from Strikemaster (asafehome.net) or EZ Armor (armor concepts.com). These kits run about $70 and can be purchased from Lowes or Home Depot. They typically include a long reinforced strike plate that spreads out the force of a kick over and larger area and long screws that go all the way into the studs, not just the trim.
You can also make your own strike plate if you are handy and have the right tools. You can buy a 1.5" x 36" x 1/8" piece of steel from your Lowes or Home Depot. You will need a drill (drill press is better) and a die grinder. A Dremel will work, but it will take a long time and you will go through several grinding stones. The holes for the latch and throw bolt don't have to be perfect, because you can put your existing latch plates back over them. Notice that the screws are off center so they are closer to the center of the stud.
The next weak points are the hinges and the door material around the deadbolt. You can replace the hinge screws with 3" long screws. You really only need to replace 2 on each side of each hinge, the ones closer to the center of the door or door frame. You can use deck screws, or better yet, you can buy case hardened screws from grainger.com, item# 4VYK3. You can buy fingernail polish in a color that matches your hardware to touch up the screw heads. Be careful not to screw them in to tight, as you can warp your door frame.
You can reinforce the door around the deadbolt with a door reinforcer from Lowes or Home Depot. Some strike plate kits like the ones mentioned above come with door reinforcing hardware.
Double doors are trickier to reinforce. Strikemaster makes a french door kit that runs about $90. You can also add a Nightlock device from nightlock.com for about $40. These work on double or single doors, but they are a form of passive security - they only work if you remember to slide it into place.
Another consideration is the garage. Do you have a car parked outside with a garage door opener on the visor? You might want to do something about that. Also, the emergency release pull rope on your garage door should be removed. Thieves have been known to use a coat hanger to fish out this rope at the the top of the door and then pull it to gain access to your garage. You can make your own tool from a coat hanger to pull the emergency release if you ever have a power outage.
Sliding glass doors are another weak point. Older sliding doors can be lifted up and removed from the track. You can prevent this buy putting a few screws in the top of the track with the heads exposed enough to prevent the door from being lifted.
If your front door has glass in it or if you have sidelights, a criminal can easily break the glass and reach in to unlock your door. One option is to install a double cylinder deadbolt that requires a key on both sides. If you do this you will want to have a extra key handy somewhere nearby in case of fire. If you replace your deadbolt (preferably ANSI grade I) your local Lowes or Home Depot can rekey it to match your existing house key for free or a minimal charge. Or you can apply a plastic laminate to the glass. I'll let you do your own research on that one.
Windows are probably your last concern (as long as you keep them locked). The sound of breaking glass would alert you to an intruder, and the time it takes to clear the broken shards, open the window, and crawl through will buy you some time. You could laminate all your windows, or all your first floor windows, for an extra measure of protection, but this is expensive.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)