Ballisticの February/March 2022 の目次

Is the end-of-times near, or are we just at the beginning of a new world order where it’s every man for himself? There’s been some crazy stuff happening across the globe ever since the virus. I mean, did you ever think that Australians would be remanded to Covid quarantine camps? Cripes almighty, what did they expect when they bent over and turned in their firearms to state governments during the passage of their 1996 National Firearms Agreement? In other news, parents concerned about their children’s school curriculum are being labeled as domestic terrorists by the U.S. Department of Justice. Kinda sounds a lot like how NRA members get treated in the unfriendly-to-2Afreedom states. Violent crime is up in nearly every urban center, the rate of inflation is at a 40-year…

SilencerCo was on-site to demo their dinary line of trend-setting sound suppressors. extraor-State-of-the-art is an overused term these days. If nothing else, the asymptotic sion of fresh new technologies es makes pegging progres-that superlative a moving target. However, SilencerCo is where the current state-ofthe-art resides. Their Omega 36M offers unmatched performance and versatility. VERSATILITY AND PERFORMANCE REIGN WITH THE SILENCERCO OMEGA 36M That’s not hyperbole. Their Omega 36M is meticulously crafted out of such exotic materials as titanium, 14-4 stainless steel, Inconel and Cobalt 6. You can split this modular can roughly in half for greater stealth. Sundry quick-detach mounting systems provide unparalleled versatility. This thing will run your .22 plinking piece, your 9mm combat handgun, your favorite Stoner black rifle and your .338 Lapua Magnum sniper rig. If you…

The Athlon Rendezvous media event is typically my only exposure to uber highend firearms, so I try to never miss one Twith 2021 being no exception. These products are so lavish that the manufacturers make us wear gloves as my filthy writer’s mitts are unworthy of mere contact with such a product. Ok, maybe I made the glove part up but at this year’s event I certainly saw my fill of the best equipment money can buy, including a line of revolvers so exquisite that I considered raising a pinky when I shot it. The guns in question were the Nighthawk Korth revolvers, and I was so satisfied with their performance that I ordered one “to-go” for some in-depth analysis in Ballistic magazine. KORTH BACKSTORY For those who have heard…

I was at dinner with a new friend one night when she told me that some creep had followed her through the grocery store parking lot after working a long shift at the hospital. “I wasn’t in the best mood,” the nurse said, “so I made several turns between cars and the man matched my turns and closed the distance. I finally spun around and said, ‘You’d better back off, I carry!’ He looked at my hand in the purse, the color drained from his face, and he turned and ran away.” “Did you really have a gun,” I asked, and she reached into her purse and showed me a well-used Colt Pocket Nine. Before becoming a nurse six years ago, she had worked for 15 years as a corrections…

If you have spent the last 20 minutes gawking at our Apocalyptic Overland vehicle, then there is one person we need to thank. None of this would have been possible without the amazing CG artist Timo Albert. Timo is a freedom-loving patriot from Estonia who was introduced to us by Five Finger Death Punch’s Zoltan Bathory. Once we started communicating with him, it was obvious that he was going to be part of the Skillset Family for a long time. Not only has he created amazing art for 5FDP, he has done high-end work for musicians like G-Unit, 50 Cent, Eminem and Young Buck. If that wasn’t enough street cred, he also co-created Apple’s 2020 Mac Game of the Year, Disco Elysium. When he’s not collecting awards in the entertainment…

So why the rebuild and not just purchase a new camper van? This really boils down to the cost. A new 4x4 Sprinter or Ford finished out can cost upwards of $200,000. The rebuild cost just under $5,000. The wrap I went with was around $2,000, the Raptor Liner kit was $150 for 4 quarts, which included the sprayer and everything I needed for application. I invested less than $250 replacing headlights and the interior lighting. The generator I chose was under $1,000 on sale.…

The original 1973 Ford Falcon XB GT coupe used in Mad Max and The Road Warrior had originally been repossessed for missed payments. The producers only had $20,000 to spend on vehicles for the movie, so that was all they could afford. These right-hand drive cars were only sold in Australia. For a guy who wanted to roll in a Pursuit Special of my own, I had to wax creative. The closest thing to Max’s Interceptor on this side of the pond was the classic big fastback Mustangs of the early seventies. Ford only made these cars for three years. Collectors either love or hate them. I think they’re incredibly cool, likely because of the uncanny similarity to Max’s postapocalyptic ride. 2-YEAR PROJECT: My son and I made the mission…

OUTDATED, BORING, LOUD AND DIRTY. These are just a few words I hear people in the community use to describe AKs. After seven decades, the AK-47 remains one of the most popular and widely used rifles in the world. This 7.62x39mm rifle is one of the only platforms I am unfamiliar with. From the rock-in style magazines to a reciprocating charging handle, this rifle is a far cry from a bolt gun. That’s why I went to Lee Armory and built a completely custom, modernized AK-47. Lee Armory is an American-based AK manufacturer, which itself is quite impressive and rare. Most AK manufacturers are based overseas. When you think AK, you think Russia, Romania and Bulgaria, not Phoenix, Arizona. Lee Armory has been in business for nine years and has…

EOTech products have been used to hunt bad guys since nearly the day of their inception. Hardcharging operators rely on these holographic weapon sights and magnified optics to attain the upper hand in conflicts around the world. It’s typically the first name that comes to mind for defensive work, so much so that we may overlook the value of these products in the field. To prove their value on game, I graciously accepted an invitation for a three-day hunt where we would take a bevy of EOTech’s holo sights and a good sample of the magnified Vudu line to see how effective they could be on fourlegged targets. This story took us to northern Texas where we linked up with 4F Outfitters. They have been successfully guiding hunters for more…

MAY 4, 1964, WAS A BIG DAY FOR BOURBON LOVERS. Why? Because on that day the United States Congress officially recognized Bourbon Whiskey as a “distinctive product of the United States.” As a result, the following Federal Standards were set for a distilled spirit to be legally called “Bourbon”: • Bourbon must be made of a grain mixture that is at least 51% corn.• Bourbon must be distilled to no more than 160 proof (80% alcohol).• Bourbon must be aged in new, charred oak barrels.• Bourbon may not be introduced to the barrel at higher than 125 proof.• Bourbon aged for less than four years must be labeled with the duration of its aging.• If an age is stated on the label, it must be the age of the youngest…

EDITOR’S NOTE: Join in on more Ballistic “Brew Ha Ha” fun online at ballisticmag.com. No one thrives on outrage like today’s news networks. That said, Kyle Rittenhouse was such a favorite of 2021 I don’t think they will let him go in 2022. Like it or not, he is famous for being attacked and successfully defending his life with an AR-15. So what is that rifle worth? We asked readers to weigh in. Would you rather have the Rittenhouse AR or a new pickup truck? Overwhelming response: the truck. Two favorite comments: “…would take the original AR that KR used to defend himself as it is a key piece of American history. Beyond the value in what it represents to Americans’ right to protect ourselves, it’s monetary value will far…

After listening to feedback from hunters and precision shooters, SilencerCo now offers an upgraded version of their Harvester 300 with the introduction of the new shorter and lighter Harvester EVO. Weighing in at a mere 10.8 ounces and measuring just 6.24 inches long, the Harvester EVO is perfect for the field and range. Accommodating calibers ranging from the tame .223 Rem. to the shoulder-smashing .300 Win. Mag, the Harvester EVO is the ideal suppressor for .30 caliber bolt-guns and rifles. Constructed of 17-4 heat-treated stainless steel, inconel and cobalt-6 with a tubeless design, the Harvester EVO stands up to the abuse of hunting and high-volume target shooting. The Harvester EVO is compatible with Bravo mounting accessories and ships with both a Bravo 1/2x28 and Bravo 5/8x24 direct thread mounts. The…

EPOCH EYEWEAR Admittedly, I was one of those guys that never wore eye protection on the range. That all changed after a ricochet landed me in the hospital. Grateful it was only my leg, it posed the question, “What if that were my eye?” I mean, I did try to wear eye protection but, once they had a few scratches or I found they didn’t fit my face well enough for the long haul, I would foolishly leave them in the range bag. Of course, if I didn’t have my range bag with me (like when hunting), I would have no eye protection at all on me. Epoch Eyewear was created with people like me in mind. This company offers so many different types of affordable eye protection that it’s…

Is it possible to have too much gun? Some might say the Barrett .50 caliber is too much gun. But I guess it just depends on how you intend to use it. Maybe if your only place to shoot is 50 yards at an indoor range, a Barrett is too much. So I guess it’s subjective. No one outside of an anti-gun organization would say an AR chambered in .223 is too much. But would this hold true if said AR had two barrels, two working actions, two triggers and two magwells? Typing that seems nonsensical but it is a real thing. While at first glance your “overboard” warning light may start to flash, the more time you spend with the Gilboa (Silver-Shadow) Snake, the more you realize it may…

“ROAD RAGE, COMMONLY CHARACTERIZED BY AGGRESSIVE DRIVING, IS A FACTOR IN MORE THAN 50 PERCENT OF ALL CAR CRASHES THAT END IN A FATALITY…” Due to the overall mood of the country, it sure seems as if Americans, in general, are less patient than ever before. In fact, long before the pandemic, if you would travel out of the country, the common opinion would be from foreigners is that Americans they meet tend to be assertive, appear pushy and always seem rushed. It’s not entirely our fault. Americans, in general, are go-getters, and it’s that get-it-done attitude that makes our county strong. Maybe it’s in our scrappy DNA as historic rebels and frontiersmen, and that persona led the country to grow into the mightiest superpower on the planet. For some,…

I have future plans to install two 100-watt solar panels along with batteries and the charging kit. I believe that would complete the power system and give more options when traveling. Being a prepper of sorts, I will never let myself become a victim to one power source. Having multiple power sources allows me to travel to more remote locations and extends my ability to stay off the grid. Along with the solar and generator power, there is also propane onboard for heating and cooking. Generators can be loud—ranging from about 53 to 80db depending on how much you are willing to spend. I totally get why the guy in the campsite next to you gets a little angry if your genny is blasting all night waking the dead. There…

It sure seems like every time we put on the news these days, the world seems to be collapsing with constant reminders of climate change, riots, financial system concerns and, of course, with the pandemic calamity. These subjects seem to give some people pause and thought on how the real end of give some people pause and thought on how the real end of the world will occur. The good news for the select few who enjoy considering the topic while cleaning their firearms is that the entertainment world of Hollywood has done a fantastic job of creating an entire genre of how the shit will be hitting the fan on the silver screen. At the time of this writing, it appears that we may be entering a new era…

The underlying component in the Scout rifle concept is versatility. This is as defined by Jeff Coope father of the modern-day Scout rifle, in are the 1980s. There more specific criteria set forth by ed elat Col. Cooper related to the Scout rifle. These traits are tained main passionately maintained by the Scout rifle mafia anytime used the term Scout is when referring to a rifle. A quick review of Cooper’s scout rifle tenants is in purpose order. “A general-purpose rifle…conveniently portable, individually operated firearm, capable of striking a single decisive blow, on live target….” Cooper specified 9 of over all length 3 inches and weight of 6.6 pounds as ideal. The signature “scout” intermediate eye relief, low-powered scope mounted in front of the action sets the aesthetic tone in…

“How the hell is he staying → in the boat?” I asked that question, silently, every time I looked back. He was stoic, even subtly smiling at times, as one hand manipulated the control arm of his workhorse Pro Drive motor and the other, simply resting at his side. Careening down serpentine canals riddled with driftwood didn’t seem to faze him. He simply looked on from behind mirrored sunglasses. Two things were clear to me as we railed down canal after canal in search of the right gator: Walter Heathcock was all but born in a flat-bottom boat, and nothing scares a Cajun—not even the 8-foot dinosaur slip-ping beneath the water’s surface on my left, only to resurface on my right during a brief moment of peaceful drifting. Walter looked…

New year, new gear! For decades, 5.11 Tactical has been striving to make the best gear and clothing for hardworking professionals and weekend warriors alike. I have been wearing their pants and boots for years, and they have never let me down. They joined us once again this year at the Fifth Annual Athlon Outdoors Rendezvous in Idaho with a table full of brand new goodies for 2022. To quote a song… here are a few of my favorite things. THREADS MOAB 10 Slingpack 18L Single Pistol Case THREADS Ridge Pant Coalition Pant A/T 6-Inch Boot Tropos Basselayer L/S Top Decoy Convertible Pant Stratos ¼ Zip…

I recently got to play with the Barrett MK 22 sniper rifle. I’m an AR shooter and rarely do anything with bolt actions, but this thing was amazing. It comes with a .338 Norma Mag. barrel for shooting through armor, a .300 Norma Mag. barrel for shooting through A-holes and a 7.62x51 barrel for practice. Shooting out past a mile is kids play for this thing. MSRP? $18,300. And the wait list is probably about the same as going with Richard Branson to the moon. I figure I could get my hands on one faster and a lot cheaper by enlisting and joining special forces. Somebody hold my Cheetos.…

Earlier this year, I was given the assignment of creating an Athlon Outdoors video on the Fabarm STF/12. As a contributor, this was initially just another assignment, another gun to review and share my experiences with you. As a lover of rifles, I thought, “It’s a shotgun,” so I wasn’t overly excited as I didn’t expect anything beyond the typical 12-gauge experience. Boy was I wrong. The Fabarm STF/12, all puns aside, literally blew me away with its fit and finish, and excellent manners. I was completely caught off guard by this Italian pump-action wonder. Every surface of the Fabarm is right with the materials coming together to create earpleasing mechanical noises, accompanying tones and satisfying tactility. Clicks. Clacks. Schuu-lunks. Noises that you would find written out in your favorite…

The 9mm cartridge has been with us more than 100 years now, and while it became immediately popular in Europe it took a little longer for Americans to embrace it. Developed by Austrian firearms developer Georg Luger in 1901, it quickly became the standard for European military use. Though Americans always had a place in their heart for the 1911 and .45 ACP cartridge, NATO standardization eventually had us trade ol’ slabsides for a pistol with Italian lineage and a 9mm chambering. The Illinois State Police was the first major law enforcement agency to adopt the 9mm cartridge and began issuing the S&W M39 in 1967. Over the years, we’ve seen other agencies select a variety of Smith & Wesson guns before Glock hit our shores. Those who have carried…

Fresh in the minds of millions of Americans are the summer riots of 2020 with images of people being pulled from their cars and assaulted. Combined with the Defund the Police movement, many Americans have come to the realization that they alone are responsible for their own personal safety. The feeling of helplessness imposed by COVID mandates and associated loss of earnings added unnecessary stress to an already volatile landscape. And a whole new generation of Soros-funded city attorneys, who seek to eliminate bail and refuse to prosecute even the most violent and virulent crimes, has resulted in a total urban chaos. Many have fled to friendlier surroundings, but not everybody has that option. For those who refuse to become a victim or witness a family member fall to a…

Twenty years ago, I had my own commercial photography studio in Dallas and worked on-site for a handful of other agencies across the Metroplex. I traveled out of state on a regular basis and soon grew sick of dealing with highway traffic, bad hotel rooms and crappy food. I moved further away from the traffic to a ranch outside of Dallas. Despite the extra miles on my commute, I could at least enjoy amazing views and peaceful weekends at home. What I didn’t calculate was the insane rate of growth that would incur over the next few years. It seemed everyone had the same idea, and the traffic seemed to follow me. The commute became tiring, and I needed a new solution. CUSTOM ROADTREK 170 “You can imagine what these city…

MAD MAX touches something deep and primal within the male psyche. In a world without rules, a man survives or doesn’t based solely upon his wits, his strength, his resourcefulness and his audacity. Whether your day job is as a soldier, a cop, an investment banker, a software engineer or the administrator in a daycare, kicking back in front of a Mad Max movie takes you someplace wonderfully horrible. Why is that? Are we really so terrible as to yearn for a post-apocalyptic wasteland where survival comes from the barrel of a gun amidst the throaty roar of a hopped-up turbocharged V8? Heck, yeah, we’re that terrible. Guilty as charged. Sign me up. MAKING OF A GENRE The original Mad Max came out in 1979 and spawned three sequels. It…

The music rises as our hero breaks down the door and rolls into the room. The group of villains stand stunned but soon make a grab for their guns. It is too late, however, as our hero has already drawn his trusty side arm, quickly drilling them center mass with an occasional head shot. The slide locks to the rear, but a quick emergency reload from behind cover gets our hero back in the fight. In less than a minute all the bad guys are dead or dying, and the hero coolly walks out of the room. We watch and realize we have been holding our breath and are leaning forward as if we are trying to get into the action. My experience in the movie industry was short and…

When I grew up, guns were mostly made of blued steel and had wood stocks. Ammo commonly came in two forms: shot shells that were made of paper and brass, and “metallics” with cartridge cases drawn from virgin brass. That was the way it had been for at least 75 years before I was born, and we all expected it would be the same for the rest of our lives. Then one Christmas, my Uncle Jim got a Winchester 59 shotgun with a barrel made of fused nylon strands! About the same time polymer shotgun hulls became widely available, and so the shooting world’s Polymer Revolution began in earnest. And several years ago, I saw prototypes of polymer-cased rifle ammo at the SHOT Show. Within the last two years PCP…

One of the dark consequences of war are dead soldiers. Even darker is the fact that in many cases these soldiers were unidentified. While the modern military has a much-improved system, conflicts like the Civil War and World War I saw large numbers of dead soldiers buried without a name. World War I saw the U.S. fighting in Europe with unavoidable casualties. While repatriation of the dead was initially an option, the U.S. soon followed suit with other ally nations and moved to bring home one solider. That unknown soldier would represent all that had fallen in battle without being identified. THE UNKNOWN In October 1921, four bodies of unidentified U.S. military personnel were exhumed from different American military cemeteries in France. On October 23, 1921, the four caskets arrived…

Nothing is more satisfying than completing an epic workout and wringing out a sweat-soaked gym shirt. With most of us stacking the pounds after COVID, getting into shape has become popular again, with thousands of newcomers starting to show up at the gym. Some of them get it and some of them just don’t. It’s understandable, though. I mean if you think learning a decent pistol stance is confusing, it pales in comparison to determining what goes into a good workout. I have learned a lot of lessons through the guidance of terrific mentors, my own mistakes and, of course, the observation of others. Without further ado, here are five things that will help you gain the most out of your gym time. 1 DITCH THE PHONE Whaaaaat?…but how will…