First Look: Colt Gold Cup Trophy
A Bag of Grey: Prepare to go Transparent (Grey Man)
The concept of a Grey Man , or pretty much a grey anything is simply using the word grey as an adjective to describe transparency. Many people think that Grey means blending it, but that can be just as dangerous as standing out. Blending in means you are one of the many, and of equal value as a target. Instead, “Going Grey” in my mind is the physical and mental adjustment you can psychologically force upon others to shut off all alarm bells. Going Grey means disappearing into the background noise of whatever environment you are Greying into. In a city you should attract no more attention than a phone pole, or a stairway, or street sign even if that means standing out just like a phone pole or stairway or street sign does. Quick Navigation Transparent, Not Opaque Hold My Beer and Watch This! Dress Up to Dress Down Gone Grey Come Out and Play Transparent, Not Opaque Going Grey also means providing others with just enough information for them to create their own narrative for you. People are exceptionally good at creating explanations or inferences for what they see. So give them just enough narrative rope to hang themselves. The challenge of Going Grey is that you must look Grey and act Grey while not really being the Grey. Humans, like all predatory animals, are keenly aware of actions inconsistent with intent. If the intent is to be harmless, then anything off that mark should pull the fire alarm! Why would that harmless looking man circle back around behind me? Why would a coyote stop running when the dog stops chasing it? Why would that car drive by me twice? How come that person keeps glancing my way? Why did those people stop talking when I walked by? Why is that car backing into the alley? How come that guy didn’t look up when there was a loud noise? To Go Grey, you must behave so predictably as to become the yardstick from which inconsistent behavior is measured. And, of course, you have to look the part. Hold My Beer and Watch This! Outside of acting lessons, you can practice your Grey Skills by going passive. Let the whims of the world dictate your movements like a leaf in the wind. The key is flow. If you move out of the natural flow, you are quickly identified as something to pay attention to. Like a log floating in a river, your presence will be noted, but then ignored. That is until you snag on something and immediately fall out of flow creating many downstream changes. Also Read: Survival Radio – What Will Work During an extended backpacking trip in Alaska, a herd of caribou hung out downhill from our camp. As the days wore on, we became keenly astute to their natural rhythms. The flow indicators were how fast they moved, where they were looking (both individually and as a group), how many were laying on the ground, how quickly they turned their heads, the density of their distribution, and how long they stood still. In essence, the caribou were our alarm system for anything non-caribou that approached. Like any good hunter knows, you can tell a lot about what is going on in the big picture by noticing small details. The sum of their parts is the big picture but you don’t need to connect very many dots before the outline of the picture becomes obvious. It’s one thing to fool the inattentive, but quite another to become transparent to someone who is watching. I remember observing a “homeless” man on a park bench near Battery Park in New York City. Something just seemed odd about him but I couldn’t immediately put my finger on it. See if you can follow this: Something was off about someone who was off to begin with meaning that something wasn’t off that should have been off. The homeless man’s posture was just a little too straight. His attention was a little to sharp. And his actions were just a little too stereotypical especially with the vodka bottle in his hand. Slowly the picture of an undercover cop behind those ratty clothes and bad manners emerged from the situation. So when I ran his further actions and appearance through my lens of “cop” everything else he did fell into place. I could even triangulate his attention allowing me to connect the dots until I could see that where I was standing was not a safe place to be. Something was about to go down and I wanted no part of it. A few minutes later, the cacophony of sirens proved my theory correct. The homeless cop is just one of many examples of disruptive flow that I’ve experienced over the years and around the world. And I know many soldiers who have keenly honed their flow detectors during their hot desert tours. It is extremely hard to act differently from what’s actually on your mind so to truly become transparent, you must believe you are transparent and act accordingly. Your attitude may be more important than your appearance. And you might have to risk not looking around which is the exact opposite of the whole head-on-a-swivel thing. Like a deer, you might have to trust your psychological camo to do the job even if it means letting the danger get awfully darn close. Also Read: Rothco Concealed Carry Jacket Review Another quick story. It was a pleasant afternoon when I was walking the dog. There was a housing complex across the street from the park where I was at, and I noticed a couple normal looking guys exiting a car in the parking lot of the park and walking across the street to the housing complex. Everything looked 100% normal until one of the guys looked behind him as he crossed the street. Nobody does that! Alarm bells went off in my head. Then I noticed that where their car was parked was just out of sight from the housing complex entrance. I gave a quick call to 911. You know, see something, say something. Ten minutes later, the men I saw cross the street were in handcuffs and being shuttled away in the back of a police car. While it was all great entertainment for me, it also drove home the point that in order to truly be Grey, you must act Grey even at the risk of missing something behind you. Remember, nobody looks backwards unless their guilty. A head on a swivel is also a flashing light! Dress Up to Dress Down One of the few famous Dolly Parton quotes is “You’d be surprised how much it costs to look this cheap! “ Not the same with the Grey look. The physical side of Going Grey is a combination of clothes and accessories. And lucky for you, a Grey Wardrobe can had for a few bucks at the Goodwill store. From head to toe, the Grey Costume must neutralize its wearer. No particular item should stand out and be an identifying characteristic. You want to make it hard to describe what you are wearing, thus ringing no bells through association or curiosity. No bright colors, but not all in black either. Aim towards navy blue, black, dark green, and brown, and of course grey. All just dirty enough to be real, but not so much to be a mockery of being unclean. Dress in obvious layers as if you were wearing all your clothes at once. Cover every inch but your hands and face if temperature permits. Choose a knit stocking cap over anything more modern. And avoid unworn shoes or boots. In fact, shoes are one of the fastest ways to categorize people, and even cops playing hide and seek. Just as my footwear sticks out in "New York City" , so too does a city dweller’s shoes here in Montana. Brands matter. I can tell those brands and styles native to the US compared to those worn overseas. And I can tell those shoes prefered by city dweller’s compared to those who live around here even if it’s the same type of shoe. Montana has more than its share of tourists so I get to practice my skills often. Even locally bought boots are not worn with the same effort as the locals do. Same with cars. Same with outdoor gear. Same with the way the person interacts with the environment. Related: Escape & Evasion Belt Review You can have on all the tactical garb you like under your Grey Suit, but don’t let it adjust your attitude. Your exterior must be believable, not like a Sierra Club bumper sticker on your Hummer. Here is a possible shopping list to begin your Grey Journey , with bonus points for weathered, stained, dirty, faded, repaired, and too-big-for-you items. Mostly I manufacture my grey clothes locally, but when needed, I supplement my wardrobe for a buck or two. Remember, you are not going for the full homeless look, just the surviving on the edge look. Hat : Dark blue or black knit stocking cap and/or lightly stained baseball cap with meaningless logo. Coat : Old olive drab ancient military coat, beat up dark colored down coat, or dirty brown canvas work coat like a Carhart. The elbows must show wear. Insulative layer : Hoodie sweatshirt of grey or dark blue. Full zips are best for their quick change, and easy access to interior items. Main pants : Darker colored work pants with much wear and staining. Should be too big and if way too long can be “hemmed” with scissors to mildly long or too short. Holes are fine since you will be wearing another pair of pants under this pair. Insulative pants : Another pair of similar work pants but of a different color so it is easy to see you are wearing two pairs of pants. Or you can choose a lighter layer if warm. Either way, you don’t want anything obviously as “cover.” Footwear : Beat up work boots are best, but make sure the laces are heavily worn and show signs of being broken and tied back together. Better yet, have laces that are too long or short and tie up the boots accordingly. The soles must be well worn, but skip the duct tape since that is a dead giveaway that your condition is short term. Grey Luggage: This is both for you and your advanced kit including gas cans. Imagine a string of bright red gas cans strapped to the roof of your Bug Out Vehicle . What can scream “Resources!” like a pile of full gas cans? Instead contain your precious gas cans in trashy looking luggage not so feebly tied onto a roof rack. And what screams “cheap crap you don’t want!” more than crappy-looking suitcases tied to a car with fraying yellow polypropylene rope. Once you have your new threads, lay them out and look for things that stand out, or would catch someone’s eye, or could be used in a description of you. Avoid all patches, discernible writing, brand labels, and strong color contrasts. Gone Grey Before you ask, I’ll go ahead and share where I got my experience. I love to travel with reckless abandon. I’ve had my passport taken by border guards in Yugoslavia. I’ve had East German soldiers point their machine guns at me while hanging out around one of their bases (yea, I’m that old). And I’ve walked right through a wall of French riot police by pretending to be a photojournalist. That last one is a bit of cheating since I actually was a photojournalist in a previous life. I could go on about adventures in the seedier parts of Barcelona and New York City. How about getting pulled over, illegally searched, and then let go by the Birmingham, AL police. And being passed over by muggers in South Africa because, as I found out later, they could not tell if I was a local or a tourist (how do I know? I went and asked them). In every case, I went as grey as I could, and forced every hint of my confident attitude or the chip on my American shoulder dissolve into a bland bowl of tasteless oatmeal. And that skill has served me when at security checkpoints, in unwanted confrontations with authority, and when passing through intensely sketchy areas like a dark park in New Orleans, an alleyway in DC, under a bridges in Prague, a closed train station in Hamburg, the Shanty towns of Cape Town, through racially charged neighborhoods in Chicago, across “Needle Park” in Zurich at night, or a dark pathway in LA. Related: How to Vanish Not everything goes a planned, and I’ve had to run from danger, but mostly it works. I’m not an expert in these matters, just a fool who pushes his luck over and over, but keeps mental DOPE mixed with sociology and psychology. So with all that said, you also need to set boundaries and, “You’ve got to know when to hold’em. Know when to fold‘em. Know when to walk away. And know when to run [like hell!].” Come Out and Play Here are s ome fun exercises to hone your skills: Wander the isles of better stores looking for their loss prevention staff (shoplifting, or shrinkage as they like to call it). Many stores have loss prevention employees that look for shoplifters, or provide “enhanced” customer service. Something is always off with these guys and gals. See if you can detect them following others around. Or see if you can draw them out with minor (but legal) actions. Invade personal space. Get too close to people and events to initiate a response. I’ve often “invaded” secure areas like staring at a camera on an FBI building, or forgetting something during a TSA baggage search, or asking security a non-standard question like “Wow, is that an MP5?” Nothing big or dangerous, but this game serves two purposes. First, it identifies the players and rules. And second, it’s good to practice being innocent. Play stupid. One of the biggest problems when playing stupid around family and friends is the desire for someone else to jump in and help. I’ve asked directions from multiple people (to triangulate the information) only to have a friend jump in and answer my question with the previous person’s information. You need to practice hiding what you know. Rehearse your story. At some point during an engagement with a security person, a decision will be made if you are a threat or not. If you have a story ready and engage enforcement personnel, you can tell in their body language when they drop their focus on you and shift it elsewhere. Eye contact is broken, they might step back, their chin goes up, their gaze goes back to scan mode. As long as you are credible, you pose no threat, but it takes a moment or two for that decision to be made. Just don’t over do it or you will re-engage their defenses. Grey equals transparent, and transparent equals sincere. Without believing in your own story, nobody else will buy it either. Going Grey is one of these few survival traits that can save your life by doing nothing. Other interesting articles: 6 reasons Why Even Skeptics Should Prepare How To Prepare For Hurricane Matthew EMP/CME Survival Guide: A Threat To Prepare For Food Shortage Preparation: Causes, and 3 Ways To Prepare
Browning Strike Force Review: Is It The Best Trail Camera?
Browning Strike Force HD Pro X (2019) Trail Game Camera... 20MP | 1.5” Color View Screen 120 ft. Flash Range | 80 ft. Motion Detection Range 1600 x 900 HD Videos with Sound (30FPS) 0.22 Second Trigger Speed INCLUDES 32 GB Memory Card + J-TECH USB Card Reader | AUTHORIZED... Check Price With all of the huge benefits technology has brought to hunting, you’re really not giving yourself the best possible chance unless you’re taking advantage of it and using the latest gadgets to give you a leg up whenever you can. One such way is using a trail camera, as they allow you to monitor an area prior to or during hunting season so that you’ll have a better idea of where those big bucks like to hang out. There are also numerous other reasons to use a trail camera, but whatever the reason may be, it’s important that you invest in a quality product to get the best results. One of the most popular models on the market today is the "Browning Strike Force" trail camera. Still, just because something’s popular doesn’t necessarily mean its high quality, which is why today I’m going to present you with my Browning Strike Force review so you can see how it stacks up to the competition. First though, it’s important to look at the differences between the older model Strike Force HD and the newer 2019 Strike Force Elite . Strike Force HD vs. "Strike Force Elite" The original Browning Strike Force HD was the smallest trail camera on the market, a distinction it now shares with the Strike Force Elite. Combined with its camo pattern, the small size allows the camera to easily blend in to the surroundings and makes it versatile enough to hang wherever you could need it. However, while the design and the body may not have changed, there are still plenty of reasons that you should consider buying the Strike Force Elite instead of the original HD. For starters, the Elite has improved video and picture trigger speeds, as well a longer maximum length for night videos (20 seconds as compared to 10 seconds). It also gives you the ability to overwrite the SD card directly from the camera, instead of having to do it manually from a computer as on the Strike Force HD. As well, the Elite features a Dynamic Video function, which will be discussed in more detail in the full review. If all of this isn’t enough to convince you to go with the Elite over the HD, then perhaps the fact that they sell for virtually the same price should be. So, while the Strike Force may not necessarily be the perfect trail cam for everyone, if you do decide to buy one, there’s no reason not to upgrade to the Strike Force Elite. Browning Strike Force Review Browning Strike Force HD Camera, Camouflage 10 megapixels with IR LED illumination 1280 x 720 HD video 100' nighttime flash range Zero Blur technology Fast .067 trigger speed Check Price After discussing all of the benefits of the Elite, it should probably be obvious that this review is of that particular model. Therefore, all of the specs listed here apply to the Strike Force Elite—although some of them are the same for both the Elite and HD models. PROS Quick trigger speed Compact size Dynamic video recording Great price CONS Shorter than average nighttime videos Field of view could be wider Trigger & Recovery Speed One of the keys to a good trail camera is the trigger speed, and in this regard, the Browning Strike Force Elite outperforms almost all others on the market. While many other cameras take as much as a second or more between detecting the motion of an animal and snapping a picture, Browning advertises the Strike Force to have a trigger speed of only 0.4 seconds. Some tests have shown it’s usually closer to around 0.65, but either way, it’s still near the top of the charts. The trigger speed is slightly diminished when taking video, but it’s still usually less than a second. Recovery speed is almost as important, as you want to make sure the camera can quickly snap images one after another to ensure you don’t miss anything. The Strike Force also performs relatively well in this respect, with only a 1.5 second recovery time needed in between shots. Image Quality With a 10 megapixel HD camera, the Strike Force Elite takes fairly decent daytime images, but still nowhere near the quality that you’d get with a high dollar trail cam. Still, both the pictures and video are always clear and in focus, although the colors are a bit dull. As well, the higher resolution means you can easily zoom in on the pictures on your computer or phone without them becoming blurry or grainy. Basically, while it definitely doesn’t provide the best daytime shots, it’s still better than most cameras you’ll find at this price point. On the other hand, this trail cam really shines when it comes to nighttime images and video, producing clear pictures with excellent contrast and very little whitening out of animals, even when they’re close to the camera. The only minor issue is that the edges of the pictures tend to be darker, but that’s to be found on most trail cameras—even top end models. As well as crystal clear nighttime shots, the camera has a 100+ foot flash range. This means that if an animal comes anywhere within its field of view at night, you can be sure it will be fully illuminated. In fact, as the flash range goes out much further than the 50 foot detection range, you should easily be able to see any other animals standing further out in the distance. Detection Range & Field of View With a 55 degree field of view, the Strike Force’s detection angle is just about average. Neither great nor terrible, as long as you put some thought into where you position it, it should still give you a wide enough a field of for most uses. And if not, you can always just position another one nearby considering their decent price point. The camera has a 60 foot detection range, meaning if an animal walks anywhere within its field of view out to a distance of 60 feet, it will automatically snap a picture or take a video. Again, this is about average for most trail cameras, but is usually more than enough for placing cameras along game trails or feeding areas. Ease of Use "The Strike Force" is simple and straightforward to use, with several different image and video options. Choose between Fire or Shot modes to take either 6 or 8 rapid images each time the camera is triggered. You can also choose to have the camera record the time, date, temperature and phase of the moon on each image if desired. The camera also allows users to set the image delay to anything from no delay to five seconds all the way up to two minutes. If you want to scan a larger area during daytime, the time lapse function allows you to set the camera to take images at specified intervals, allowing you to potentially catch glimpses of that big buck that didn’t come close enough to trigger the camera with his motion or heat. Battery Life The Strike Force Elite is powered by six lithium batteries, which should be enough to power the camera for an astonishing seven months, based on an average of 70 images per 24 hours. While this may sound like a lot, it’s still only above average, as there are more than a few cameras that outperform it in this regard. However, keep in mind that this camera only uses six batteries, whereas many other use 10 or 12. Either way, the seven months is still a huge improvement over the 4.5 months for the Strike Force HD and really should be enough for most purposes. After all, how often are you ever going to leave your trail camera set out for 7 months without at least coming by to check it once or twice? Additional Features Now we come back to the Dynamic Video function mentioned previously. On the Strike Force HD, videos were limited to between five seconds and two minutes, often causing the video to stop just as things were heating up. However, this is no longer a problem thanks to the Strike Force Elite’s dynamic video, which allows the video to keep rolling as long as there’s movement. If the movement stops for more than four seconds, the video will stop recording, but it will start back up immediately whenever there is more movement. This function only works for daytime video though, as nighttime video is limited to a maximum of 20 seconds. Price In the lower to midrange end of trail cameras as far as cost, the Browning Strike Force Elite is hands down the best trail camera you’ll find for the price. Now that’s not to say that it’s the absolute best trail cam on the market, but after reading this Browning Strike Force review, by now you should realize why so few others can compete.
Dutch MARSOF Chooses SIG MCX in .300 Blackout
Dutch MARSOF units will have a new weapon in their battle against extremists no matter what corner of the globe they are deployed to. The Sig Sauer MCX Rifle chambered in the Advanced Armament Company’s AAC .300 Blackout was selected after an extensive trial period. The contract is reportedly for only just under 200 rifles but these rifles are not going to be your off the shelf Sig MCX. These will be integrally suppressed 10.5″ barreled rifles with special stocks that allow the Dutch MARSOF soldiers to use the weapons while wearing helmets with shields. This departure from what is considered “normal” military calibers continues the interesting shift we have seen lately. A few weeks ago it was Swedish Military choosing the LWRC piston driven AR-15’s. The relatively small number of rifles to be purchased isn’t alarming by any measure but does make us here at the site wonder if the MCX adoption is a pilot program to possibly pave the way for the MCX to be issued to both active and reserve elements of the Dutch military. I’m betting that the executives at Sig Sauer that lined this deal up are betting on it. The fact they chose the AAC .300 Blackout is interesting since it goes against the grain for traditional NATO specifications and thinking. Now the Sig MCX is a system that will allow the rifle to be easily converted back to the standard NATO rifle caliber of 5.56mm Lets take a look at the specs of exactly what the Sig Sauer MCX offers, and why maybe it was selected over other more popular rifles. Name: Sig Sauer MCX Country Of Origin: Germany Caliber: AAC .300 Blackout Barrel Length: 9″ Overall Length Collapsed/Folded Stock: 19.8″ Overall Length Extended: 28.5″ Width: 2.8″ Height: 8″ Weight: 5.5-9.0 Lbs Twist Rate: 1:5 Barrel Thread: 5/8″ 24 TPI Operating System: Gas Piston Image Courtesy:thetruthaboutguns.com The rifles selected by Dutch military authorities for the Dutch MARSOC units will feature the above stock configuration. It my opinion its bizarre looking but I am the first to tell you I have never fired a rifle while wearing a face shield or a gas mask so I have little expertise in that area. The change from what many consider “traditional” thinking in terms of calibers and models of firearms is in direct response to the growing threat globally of extremism. We are also wondering who is next to upgrade, in the last month two countries that are considered relatively liberal and open minded yet anti gun have made huge steps to modernize their military firearms. We will be sure to ask Sig about this development although we expect them to be tight lipped, but we will try. Look for a future review of a civilian legal Sig MCX, possibly in the spring of 2017. Rick Featured photo courtesy of thefirearmsblog.com
[Builds] Mk17 MOD 0: Cloning Americas Battle Rifle
Trending: Best Places to Buy Ammo Online and [Buyer's Guide] 7 Best AR-15s Does the perfect battle rifle exist, and is it the Mk17? Maybe? I don’t know. I do know that the FN MK17S is a hell of a platform and a ton of fun , if your bank account can survive it. Mk17 Full Build Let’s go through a little history of America’s latest battle rifle and how you as a regular civilian can clone it. Table of Contents Loading... History of the Mk17 The history of the SCAR, or Special Operations Forces Combat Assault Rifle, family of firearms is pretty interesting. In 2004 SOCOM announced that it wanted a new family of assault rifles for special operations use. They needed this new platform to be light, ergonomic, reliable, and modular. SOCOM also needed these new rifles to be available in both 5.56, and 7.62×51. USAF CCT Training with partner forces in Europe, 2012 After years of trials FN eventually won the "Special Operations Forces" "Combat Assault Rifle" contract and the first rifles arrived at the 75th Ranger Regiment in April of 2009. Initially, SOCOM placed an order for both the 5.56 SCAR-L(Mk16), and the 7.62 SCAR-H(Mk17), only to later cancel the SCAR-L. Instead, SOCOM bought 5.56 conversion kits to use in their SCAR-H’s as needed. US Army Ranger in Afghanistan with a Mk17 Today the Mk17 is in use by Special Operations of every branch of the US Military, as well as twenty other countries worldwide. While the Mk17 has not been mass adopted in the US Military, and it will not replace the M4, it has filled the gap left by the M14 providing special operations units with a mid to long range full powered caliber battle rifle. Build List Like most clone builds this build is not 100% “clone correct,” I did have to cut a few corners on some smaller parts, and some parts are simply not available to the civilian market. "75th Ranger Regiment" in Paktiya Province, Afghanistan, 2013 For this build I wanted to replicate a modern Special Forces Mk17. As far as the rifle itself, Mk17’s are among the easiest to clone, but with that ease comes with a hefty price tag. The rifle is an FN Mk17S , basically identical to the military Mk17, just missing the fun switch. (Thanks Ronald Regan) FN Mk17s 3162 at Sportsman's Warehouse Prices accurate at time of writing View Details 3162 at Sportsman's Warehouse Prices accurate at time of writing After paying the crown its $200 for a tax stamp, I replaced the standard 16” barrel with a factory FN 13” Barrel . FN America SCAR 17/17S Barrel Assembly 13" Front Sight Assembly 1149 at OpticsPlanet Prices accurate at time of writing View Details 1149 at OpticsPlanet Prices accurate at time of writing The factory trigger is passable, but definitely not amazing, so I replaced it with a Geissele Super SCAR Trigger . "Mk17 Full Build" The muzzle device is an FN SCAR 17 3-Prong Flash Hider . It interfaces with the new FN suppressors that SOCOM is currently using, unfortunately for us, FN does not sell this suppressor to the civilian market. The custom UID sticker on the left side of the receiver is from the good folks at Carolina Laser Works . FNH SCAR UID tag Accessories The optic I’m using for this build is an Elcan Specter 1.5-6x with 7.62 BDC . The correct optic for this build would be an SU-230 marked Elcan in FDE, but those are hard to come by and can cost more than the Mk17 itself. Elcan Specter 1.5-6x 2009 at OpticsPlanet Prices accurate at time of writing View Details 2009 at OpticsPlanet Prices accurate at time of writing I have an Insight MRDS red dot sitting on top of the Elcan, this makes passive aiming with night vision much more practical. These are discontinued by Insight Technology so your best bet to finding one is eBay or forums. Mk17 Full Build The laser I have for this build is an Insight ATPIAL-C , for use with night vision. An LA-5 would be more correct for this build, but I elected to use one of my more affordable civilian lasers on this build since Mk17s have a nasty habit of destroying PEQs with their violent recoil impulse. EOTech ATPIAL-C Laser Aiming System w/IR Illuminator 1249 at OpticsPlanet Prices accurate at time of writing View Details 1249 at OpticsPlanet Prices accurate at time of writing The flashlight was definitely the hardest part for me to find. It is an Insight WMX200 with non-rotational body. These lights have been out of production for several years so finding them can be a challenge. Insight WMX200 What is even more challenging is the price they go for these days. If you really want a WMX for a clone build, a good condition tan WMX200 can run anywhere from $700-$900. They aren’t exceptionally good at anything, but a lot of people want them for their various clone builds and there are just not that many on the market. Special Forces on patrol in the mountains of Afghanistan The vertical grip is a Tango Down Vertical Grip , it is a pain in the ass to install but rock-solid once in place. Tango Down Forward Grip 73 at Brownells Prices accurate at time of writing View Details 73 at Brownells Prices accurate at time of writing Lastly is the Atlas V8 Bipod , this is my go-to bipod for whenever I know I’ll be doing any bench or long-range shooting. Atlas V8 Bipod 280 at OpticsPlanet Prices accurate at time of writing View Details 280 at OpticsPlanet Prices accurate at time of writing The total price tag for this monster of a rifle setup is about $8,500 if you were to buy everything new at current market value. If you take your time, and dig for deals you could assemble it for much cheaper than that. USAF Combat Controller from the 320th Special Tactics Squadron in Afghanistan Summary This build has taken me well over a year to complete. Hours of digging through pictures, tracking down the hard to get parts, and eventually painting it to my liking. While clone builds are trying to replicate military service rifles, I feel that at the end of it they are much more personal to you than most other rifle projects. Special Forces gear room in Afghanistan You cannot walk into any gun shop that I know of and find all the parts needed for just about any modern US military “clone build”. Much like restoring an old car in your garage, the process of building and tinkering on it is as much fun as the finished project. If you are looking to connect with other clone nerds, check out the CRA Facebook group . It is the largest clone group on Facebook and most members are happy to answer questions and point people in the right direction for their own builds! Have you ever built a clone gun? Planning to? We wanna know which gun, what parts, and how it’s going, so leave a comment below! Want another cool build? Check out this super sweet SOCOM-16 Paratrooper Build !
El Presidente Shooting Drill
Trending: Best Places to Buy Ammo Online and [Buyer's Guide] 7 Best AR-15s What is El Presidente? “El Presidente” is a shooting drill originally developed by Jeff Cooper (remember the 4 firearm safety rules ) when he was training security for a South American president. The name came about when it was incorporated into USPSA/IPSC as a standardized stage. El Presidente, handgunsmag It consists of: Standing 10 yards away, back facing three targets that are 1 yard away from each other Hands at the surrender position Turning around and shooting two into the center circle of each target Mandatory reload Shooting two more into the center of each target El Presidente Drill, Travis Tomasie Why It’s Awesome Cooper didn’t come up with the drill as a stage for “race” guns to set time records, but rather as a way to gauge overall shooter proficiency. The drill takes into account everything that you would need…movement, draw, reload, and engagement of multiple targets. So what’s a good time? The par time is 10 seconds which is considered good while pros can routinely get into the 4-5 second mark. And from Cooper himself , he believed a well executed El Presidente should sound like 6 evenly spaced shots followed by a lull for reloading, and then 6 evenly spaced shots again. However, most beginners sound like three double taps, a reload pause, and three double taps again. This is most likely due to trying to shoot too fast or not transitioning targets quickly enough. El Presidente Shooting Tips So how do you get a faster time and make your drill sound like 6 evenly spaced shots? Spin on your holster side since this is the shortest path Practice not getting you legs crossed on the turn Turn and Draw, Travis Tomasie Be careful of the 180 degree rule…don’t unholster your gun until you are facing the target Work on controlled pairs of shooting…wait for the sights to settle before you shoot again. It’s not just shooting twice as fast as possible. Move your eyes first during a transition and then move your gun sights. This will help speed up your time a lot and get you to your drill sounding like evenly spaced shots. Target Transitions, Travis Tomasie And of course…practice your reloads until they are muscle memory The order of shooting the targets is personal preference but I like going right to left, then left to right after a reload Conclusion El Presidente is one of my favorite drills to train and see where I’m at in terms of skill. If you’re working on shooting more accurately with a pistol, check out our super in-depth guide that focuses on stance, grip, sight picture, dry-fire drills, and more shooting range drills. And here’s the full video from Travis Tomasie: