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"Whereas it is the duty of all Nations to acknowledge the providence of Almighty God, to obey His will, to be grateful for His benefits, and humbly to implore His protection and favor -- and whereas both Houses of Congress have by their joint Committee requested me 'to recommend to the People of the United States a day of public thanksgiving and prayer to be observed by acknowledging with grateful hearts the many signal favors of Almighty God especially by affording them an opportunity peaceably to establish a form of government for their safety and happiness.' Now therefore I do recommend and assign Thursday the 26th day of November next to be devoted by the People of these States to the service of that great and glorious Being, who is the beneficent Author of all the good that was, that is, or that will be." ~George Washington 1789
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On the legal front, there is a full-blown war of attrition between the various pro-gun organizations and the ATF as well as various anti-gun states.
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The most significant pro-gun news is the recent announcement that ATF's pistol brace ban is essentially dead. ATF has been completely enjoined against enforcement of their interpretation of pistol-braced firearms as short-barreled rifles. The last nail hasn't yet been officially driven, but there is sufficient confidence that dealers and manufacturers are again stocking and selling braced AR15 pistols.
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80% receiver kits haven't been so fortunate in court, and ATF's interpretation that 80% receivers being supplied with parts kits or finishing tools are firearms and must be sold with serial numbers and background checks has been upheld.
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Last week, the ATF also published an open letter regarding "solvent traps." If you aren't familiar, solvent traps are basically suppressor bodies and baffles that haven't been totally drilled. They are available on certain websites mailed right to you. A few minutes with a drill and it is effectively an unregistered sound suppressor. ATF announced that in its interpretation, solvent trap kits are unregistered suppressors, therefore possession of them is a felony. Furthermore, some individuals were ordering solvent traps, registering them as suppressors on a Form 1, then completing them. ATF in its infinite wisdom has interpreted that since the solvent trap itself is an unregistered suppressor in its unfinished state, it isn't possible to lawfully create a registered suppressor from one.
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For the record, I believe all gun control since the 1934 National Firearms Act is unconstitutional and should be repealed, unfortunately the US Supreme Court doesn't see things my way. In my opinion, solvent traps were just asking for trouble though. On the other hand, it is another response to ATF overreach and it is very good for them to be harassed occasionally by exploiting their own rules against them.
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Keep in mind that the websites that sell solvent traps, unregistered drop-in auto sears, lightning links etc... could be monitored and subject you to additional, unwanted legal scrutiny.
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AMMUNITION
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As I warned in the past few emails, we have officially entered the next ammo rush. It is still available, albeit lower selections at higher prices, but that won't last for long. I'd recommend looking out for Black Friday deals if you need ammo. If you have been waiting, don't wait any longer. The shortage we are heading into isn't like the previous cyclic shortages. The US is quickly losing its commercial ammunition manufacturing capacity due to the regulatory environment and government demand. Lake City canceling their commercial contracts accounts for roughly 30% of the civilian supply of .223/5.56 ammo. The effects of Vista Outdoor being purchased by Czechoslovak Group are yet to be seen.
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Oddly, primers have been more available than I have seen in a while. Prices are high, in the neighborhood of $.10 a piece or more (which is a far cry from the $.03 a piece primers I used to purchase by the case on Commercial Row at Camp Perry), but if you are a handloader... you are dead in the water without primers.
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Speaking of handloading, I will be hosting an on-line handloading informational session on Tuesday, December 12 from 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM Mountain Time. If you are interested in attending this online workshop (you don't have to be a handloader currently), let me know and I will send you an invitation via Zoom. This won't be a start-to-finish "how to reload" class, but will address various tips and tricks I have found to make safe, reliable, accurate handloaded ammo and how to diagnose various reloading issues.
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HOLIDAY DEALS
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If you plan on taking advantage of some of the online deals we will be seeing over the next few weeks, here are some recommendations:
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ARMORY
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The introductory price on the Handguards and Gas Blocks will be expiring at the end of December. I also have some local stores interested in carrying these. Prices on these will jump by about 15% next year and chances are unless the political environment changes radically I won't be making another lot of these. If you want to have some Adaptive Defense Armory equipment in your collection, don't hesitate! Installation is quite easy and they come with full instructions.
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The introductory price on the Handguards and Gas Blocks will be expiring at the end of December. I also have some local stores interested in carrying these. Prices on these will jump by about 15% next year and chances are unless the political environment changes radically I won't be making another lot of these. If you want to have some Adaptive Defense Armory equipment in your collection, don't hesitate! Installation is quite easy and they come with full instructions.
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Hand guard & Gas block - Rifle Length (12")
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For barrels with rifle-length (12-inch) gas systems and .750" gas block index.
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$260.00 +tax (where applicable)
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Handguard & Gas block - Midlength (9")
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Designed for barrels with midlength (9-inch) gas system and .750" gas block index.
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$240.00 +tax (where applicable)
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Hand guard & Gas block - Carbine Length (7")
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For barrels with rifle-length (7-inch) gas systems and .750" gas block index.
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$220.00 +tax (where applicable)
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AR CONFIGURATIONS
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If you are buying or building an AR15-style rifle you may wonder what is the purpose of the various configurations that are available, from the short-barreled Mk18 to the intermediate-length SEAL RECCE rifle, to the 18" barreled Mk12 SPR, or the 20" barreled SAM-R. The mission drives the gear, and these various configurations were intended for specific environments and uses.
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Here's a quick primer on that:
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Short-barreled rifles: with barrel lengths of 10-12 inches fit roughly into the CQBR (Close Quarters Battle Receiver) or Mk18 configurations. These are designed to be very short for maneuverability in tight spaces. The short barrels mean tremendous muzzle blast and flash and reduced muzzle velocity. Short barreled rifles require tax stamps like other NFA items. If you are getting one stamp, you may as well get 2 and buy a suppressor for that SBR to make it tolerable to shoot. They are best suited for up-close-and-personal operations such as structure search, use in and around vehicles, or where concealment is crucial. They can hit targets at distance, but the terminal ballistics are severely reduced past 50 yards (depending on ammo).
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Carbines: such as the M4 and its variants, are the next step up, with barrel lengths in the 13.7'-16" range. The M-4, for example, was designed as a do-it-all answer to the M-1 Carbine and officer's service pistol. It was meant for officers as well as special troops who might find themselves in close-quarters situations but where more range and velocity was also desirable. The SEAL Recon Rifle or "RECCE" (Pronounced like "Becky") was designed as a 16"-barreled high-accuracy carbine that could adequately solve close quarters problems while having some intermediate range precision and accuracy capabilities. Typically equipped with low-power magnified optics, the RECCE is a very useful multi-purpose configuration.
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Rifles: such as the Mk12 SPR (Special Purpose Receiver) fill in the middle-ground between carbines and rifles. The 18" barrel keeps them fairly light and maneuverable but gives them additional velocity and intermediate range, "designated marksman rifle" capabilities. Enhanced 20" barreled guns like the SAM-R (Squad Advanced Marksman Rifle) are also designed for designated marksman use. These configurations are typically used with heavy-weight bullets like the 77 grain Mk262 round for better long-range accuracy and terminal performance.
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For the armed citizen, the configuration likewise depends on the intended use. Whether it's home defense, competition, hunting, or survival, I recommend versatility. One reason I really like the 16" RECCE configuration and the 18" SPR-style build is that these configurations can fulfil multiple roles depending on ammunition selection. Both are able to reach out and smack targets at 600 yards and beyond, or negotiate indoor spaces. Statistically, most armed citizen encounters occur at very close ranges, but having the capability to hit targets at distance may become important as the world and society continue to drift away from what we are used to. Hope for the best...prepare for the worst.
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I hope you and yours are having a peaceful, joyful Thanksgiving!
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