AR Stoner Extended Scope Mount

I was in the market for a mount for a lower end beater kinda scope, and ran across this option on midway (near as I can tell, AR stoner is basically MidwayUSAs in house store brand line of products. Good stuff if you're on a budget). I was originally going to go with a larue QD mount, but money being a bit tight on this build, I decided to find a more permanent mount that I could just dedicate to that particular upper receiver (which was a good call, since this thing was tricky to get installed and I don't feel like fucking with it anymore).

There are 10 screws holding this little bastard together, and the construction is remarkably simple; just two halves that clamp together over rail and scope all at once. Remove all the screws and dry fit the mount around the scope (you should be doing this with your mounts before installation anyway) then slide the mount onto the rail and adjust your eye relief, before leveling the crosshairs. Tighten the two large screws to 20-25lbs, then insert and tighten the four smaller screws below the scope ring. Lastly, make sure everything is kosher and tighten the top four screws. Simple, right? Lol

Turns out, after a trip to the range, this little "cheap" scope mount is solid as a piece of granite. The simplicity of the design (so long as it is used correctly) reduces the number of ways for this mount to fail, and does just as good of a job as some products costing two or three times as much. I don't know how they managed to price this fucker so low, but god bless their accounting department!

Nordic Components Free Float Handguard

Another pretty straight forward AR upgrade. If you can turn an armorers wrench, you can install this barrel nut and the handguard itself can be hand tightened if need be (so long as you have a solid upper receiver fixture, a solid grip and a vise). Be aware that this handguard does not come with any rails or rail mounting hardware.

The model I used was the extended rifle length one, out of consideration for my long gangly ass arms. Even at over 15 inches, it is very light compared to the railed handguards I have used in the past. It does have a tendency to ring metallically when the bolt is sent forward, I think due to the lightweight construction and the material itself. Not a deal breaker, just something that I noticed.

Rail mounting holes are drilled and tapped, and positioned at every angle you could possibly need a rail at (top, bottom, left, right, as well as the 45* positions in between) and rail sections are available from NC for a reasonable price.

Overall a good handguard in the under $100 range. The price is right and with construction like this, it's a great value.

JP Enterprises Captured Recoil Buffer

Not going to go too in depth on this one since its really a pretty straight forward upgrade. Short version, this product takes the concept of a captured spring (which we typically see in handguns, rather than rifles) and shoves it squarely into the buffer tube of an AR. To be honest, if this had come from any other company I would have been dubious, but JP has a solid reputation, and all the write ups seemed solid. The price is a bit high compared with a typical buffer system, so unless you really need the noise reduction and perks of a self contained buffer assembly, this may not be your cup of tea.

I was concerned about being able to tune this system to a specific caliber and load, but it turned out that it will perform perfectly in a variety of calibers. I ran the gauntlet with a 5.56 and .300 BLK upper, with loads ranging from 35gr-90gr in the 5.56 and 110gr-220gr in the 300, and had zero failures the whole day. The captured system doesn't soak up as much of the recoil from the heavy blackout loads as a hydraulic buffer system, but that is easily balanced out with an appropriate compensator or muzzle brake depending on your application.

Overall, a pricey, but effective product.

Open Letter to Gov Romney and Pres Obama

I realize thatyou are both trying like mad to get elected in coming months, but this is getting ridiculous. Ill make my points as clearly as I can, because I agree with some of what each of you have said and done in the past (though, admittedly, my motivations for that agreement is rarely the same motivation with which you acted).

Point 1: The Economy. Both of you need to stop blaming the bad economy on failed economic policy by either side. Neither of the major parties have nearly enough power to unsettle the wrecking ball that is American capitalism. Therefore, the problem must lie elsewhere.

And it does. In this case, elsewhere happens to be the other side of the planet.

Over the past decade, and in the decade to come, we will drain something approaching 10 TRILLION dollars into Iraq and Afghanistan. This includes contracts to foreign security and services companies, infrastructure in both nations, money paid by american contracting agencies to local nationals, and god knows how much money out of the CIA and DoD black budgets. This is money that we have removed from our own economy and invested in places from which we have nearly zero chance of receiving anything resembling a return on investment. That money is gone. It is also roughly the monetary value of the dip in our economy.

Stop blaming each other, and fix the real problem. GET US THE FUCK OUT OF THE MIDDLE EAST.

Point 2: Energy. I 100% agree with president Obama that we need to seek more diverse means of producing energy. My motivation for this has nothing to do with the environment; I believe that the oil industry (and by extension, its loyal defender the American auto industry) has become so entrenched in the American economic and political structure that it holds sway over how we power our nation. Im sure the founding fathers would agree that no one group of people should ever hold sway over the greater populace in this manner.

Green energy is a must, however the key is not to offer government hand outs to bribe coporations to playing ball. The first step is to take stock of what Americans want in a vehicle (history being what it is, its going to be an SUV of some sort. In the name of efficiency, we will lean toward a smaller SUV; something between a large sedan and an average size SUV). Next, we need to motivate the auto industry to buy into the idea that they can bring to market a small frame hybrid SUV (something in a jeep cherokee size) with minimum frills, getting 40-45 mpg and sell it for $12k (basic model) $16k (upgraded model) and $20k (luxury). Fuck the tax incentives that everyone hates doing paperwork on. Empty every junk yard in the country, meltdown and reuse all that scrap. Reduce the amount of electronics being used in modern vehicles by 60%. Simplicity is the key to easy manufacturing, and easy manufacturing is the key to keeping the cost of a product down. We are in a recession; fuck luxury and give us something that doesnt look like a spaceship that performs well on the road.

As the auto industry changes, their shift in techology will force a shift in the supporting oil/commodities business plan.

Point 3: Marijuana. Enough bullshit. Marijuana is the alcohol of the 21st century. Prohibition didnt work with alcohol, its not working with weed, time to cut our losses. Incorporate it into current DWI/DUI laws and develop ways to test for those limits in the field. With the legal framework set, proceed to tax the ever loving fuck out of it.

Point 4: Gay marriage. I have my own opinions about it, but I believe Jesus made it very clear that we hold no right to judge our fellow man. If the people of the United States support it, then let it be the law. No congressional bullshit; no bills, no earmarks, no riders. Bring the issue before the voters of the United States with a simple yes or no and let that be the end of it.

Point 5: Womens rights. Women deserve equal rights as men, plain and simple. However forcing employers to provide birth control to them free ofcharge is an absolute abuse of the power of the federal government. Birth control is a prescription that pertains to the physical act of sex, and sex is (in almost all professions, short maybe strippers and porn stars) a recreational activity. There is no reason that an employer should be required to provide men or women items that are intended to be used exclusively outside the workplace. Some women need this medication to regulate their own physiological cycles, in which case it needs to be addressed by their doctor and health insurance provider.

Point 6: Healthcare. I have experienced tricare. Government healthcare is a joke, and anyone who has served in the US military will telll you. If someone decides to go their whole life without carrying insurance and then gets cancer and cant afford the bills, well thats called hindsight and poor life planning.

Point 7: Foreign policy. We are in the middle of a recession. We cannot afford to be fighting the worlds battles. Bring everyone home and let the countries of the world deal with their own problems for once. Point 8: Political partisan bickering. Simply, it needs to end. Both sides bicker about the other being too extreme in their views, and its getting in the way of making real progress in America. Representatives are meant to be elected from among the people, and all I see are millionaires and trust fund babies. Put aside your little bullshit word game battles, and take up the mantle of American patriotism. You serve the American public, not the other way around. Start acting like it. Point 9: 2nd ammendment rights. It will nto be infringed in any way shape or form. I would argue that the laws we already have are far beyond the scope of what is acceptable under normal levels of regulation. The second ammendment does not exist so that we can go out on the weekends and bag our limit of white tail. It exists because the founding fathers fought their way to freedom at the head of a civilian militia that evolved into a standing army over time. That militia mentality is what ensures that the governed can not be beset by those who govern them. We are armed so that you will think twice before trying to hold our personal liberties to the flame. If suppressors and large caliber firearms scare politicians, its because they should. A populace that is terrified of their government is governed by tyranny; a government that is terrified of its constituants is much more motivated to govern in a way that benefits the population (instead of their own special interests).