Gun Loving John

Silicone Funnels

A good friend rode shotgun over 1500 miles on my move from Ohio to Arizona. Before catching the plane back he was fed well and did some sight seeing.  He is a veteran and has quite a good knowledge of camping and the outdoors in general.  He pointed out a few important things along the way and I learned a lot.  On one of our local trips my wife had to hit the mall and go to Sephora "Yuck no" but we were going to eat afterward so we saw other things in the mall.  I stepped into crate and barrel and grabbed a couple of silicone funnels. My friend asked me what they were for as i gave him one, The look on his face was kind of skewed.  I explained, this could save your life.  Put it in your go bag.  It collapses small. It can be used to fill a water bottle from a very shallow source. It can Also handle a little heat so using it as a handle could serve the purpose. It can be pinched off to stop the flow in order not to waste precious liquids wen filling a small flask.  The twisted face turned into a light bulb.  

So, while Crate and Barrel is not a place I normally go, I saw these while being dragged through there once, remembering where you saw something that could come in handy is never a bad idea.  

 

 

Cossatot 1000 XL USB Rechargeable Duty Light.

Tactical Flashlights

 

COSSATOT 1000 XL-USB RECHARGEABLE DUTY LIGHT 

 

 

John Abbott

 

The Cossatot 1000 XL USB Rechargeable Duty light by FACTOR Equipment arrived with everything needed to test the light. The cord, the case, the battery extra O-rings. Everything but the time. I had everything planned out to run the light through the ringer. Take it to a night shoot, Use it on a spring camping trip. I was even going to use it with a red light adapter and play around with a little coyote spotting. Ok, if this were a movie, about right now is when the sound effect guy would insert the sound of a phonograph needle skipping and scratching the records. That is not what happened.

What did happen was “THE BIG MOVE. A completely unexpected cross country move of both my business and my family from Ohio to Arizona. That move and subsequent re-settlement has provided a better real test for any flashlight than I could have contrived. For the last 4 months the Cossatot 1000 has been in and out of my EDC bag and has become my go to flashlight. The Tests I had planned would in no way challenge this light as much as lifes big curveball. Leaving some lights in the quite full backpack has sometimes resulted in those lights being accidentally switchted on. This was not the case with the Cossatot 1000 XL USB. The Selector switch was easy to manipulate while protected. Another plus is that the 1000 stays in the pre-selected mode regardless of how many times you may push it when the light is off.  This will come in handy when I do get to take in a night shoot. 

Next was the Real life test: Load the house and inspect the new place . Everything a person could ask a flashlight to do the Cossatot 1000 xl has done.

The brightness test. Hang a flashlight inside a 26 foot Uhaul, turn it on and load the truck with the Cossatot as your only light. Absolutely brilliant, and yes, the pun was intended. It worked much harder than I did. And while I had a beer to celebrate the end of the day, even though the light was not as run down as I. I still chose to put it on the USB micro charger anyway. Speaking of run down, the Factor battery seems to hold a bit more of a charge than some other batteries in the class. A good pairing, like a finely tuned sports car running better on premium. But at less than $100.00 for the complete setup it is a lot of light without denting the wallet.

Other test the light has performed, dropped from top of stairs (accidentally of course)  and after bouncing like a discarded slinky, end over end, it still worked, and the Beam served as a rescue beacon made it easy to recover from beneath the stairs.  The fall scratched the light a little but scars are signs of a life well lived.

There is no better recommendation I can give any item than I would send it with my wife on a trip to China, I have, twice.  

Now it is safe back in my pocket   and I shall get her one of her own.

Trees at 75 yards

 

Where the Cossatot 1000 XL  resides with his close EDC friends. 

Be Nice to Young People

Back when I was around 12-13, I was not Hercules, not that I ever was, My older brothers used to point out that I had a "pirates treasure" aka a "sunken chest." But truth be told I was a hard worker. One time an old farmer came to hire my brothers, Joe and Phil to help him pick up hay. They asked if he wanted me also. The Farmer, who I will refer to as Dip Wad, was kind of an ass when he sneared rather bitingly, "No, John is too little." My dad was there and he thought the remark was uncalled for, and while my brothers would pick on me , but without malice, they also thought it was a dick move. I had helped pick up hay before, and even if I could not lift the larger square bales I was at least good at rolling them closer. I was not useless. I thought Dip Wad was an A-hole. So did everyone there that day. I still think he was an A-hole. My brothers needed money, so they went and worked for Dip Wad all day. They never repeated what the A-hole said as ammunition to pick on me, other than to point out it was rude and uncalled for. Fast forward about 6-7 years. One Saturday, after my brothers had found much more lucrative employment and picking up Hay was not it, I was working from 8-12 in my dads tool store. Mr. Dip Wad, the Farmer, came in to ask what I was doing that hot Afternoon , as Rain was headed our way and his hay in the field would be ruined. I said, going swimming or some such. He asked if I would go help him pick up his hay. My immediate reply was, "I'm too little." He asked about my friends, I said "They are too little too." Later that afternoon I drove by his field in my Trans Am, with a big Cold Drink, I stood there long enough for him to see me take a big drink, get back in my TA and drive away to Rend Lake. Maybe that was a smart Alec move, but if it was I was 19 at most, and no I am NOT SORRY. He was over 50 when he was an ass. And as far as I know, he never stopped being one. Be nice to kids, they will be adults before you know it. AND some of them get even.

Flugz Review

Avoidable Hearing loss is unacceptable, I know.  I have experienced it to the point that a while back I had to visit Aaron Gingrich and be fitted for hearing Aids. He did a great job.  Fast forward to SHOT Show 2015.

Flugz were introduced as a new form and fit earplug. I was and still am impressed by the FLUGZ idea and quality. The idea is great, the Flugz  come in their own container that the end user fills with water and places in the microwave for 30-40 seconds pulls out and them custom fits the item into their ear.  

Because I am wearing hearing aids that are designed and tuned by Aaron I do not wear plugs.  So I purchased a pair of Flugz and when a friend of mine needed hearing protection I gave him a pair for field testing.  He is the perfect tester for these products.  He is honest, a shooter an Instructor and, he has really large capable ears.  He agreed to test them.   His assessment has been going on for about three months.  They work great for hearing protection. Until the temperature on the range is over 100 degrees.  Then the ability to heat them and form them to your ears becomes a weakness.  The Flugz turn gummy and mushy in temperatures above a hundred.  

Kevin (the tester) said they are good effective plugs for 3 seasons in the midwest, But in the summer leave them at home where they will be safe from extreme heat.  

Again I cannot stress how great I was treated at Absolute Audiology.

 

Father's tattoo tribute to daughter who has two hearing implants goes viral

Add One Magazine, Recipe for Disappointment and Failure.

I've been teaching CCW and Firearms safety in some capacity for over 10 years. One issue I often run across is the person that has an absolute great gun, but only one magazine.  That is a recipe for failure.  I have seen a ton of Colt Woodsman Pistols. Beautiful gun, Owner has One magazine.  Old Ruger Standards, One Magazine. Browning Buckmarks, One Magazine.  Browning High Power, One Magazine.... I could go on and on.  News Flash, MAGAZINES CAN FAIL.  Period.  Whether it is dirt, Or rust, or metal fatigue.  Magazines Fail, and when they do, a Semi Auto becomes a crappy single shot, If the firearm has a Magazine disconnect, it becomes a really crappy Single shot.  

Sometimes these owners have an acceptable excuse, "I cannot find any for this gun that I inherited." Ok that is the only acceptable excuse.  

If you have a SEMI AUTO MAGAZINE FED FIREARM, GET more Magazines.  Try Brownells, Try Numrich, But get magazines for that gun.  Most Failures to Feed in my experience as an Instructor can be cured by a different Magazine. If you only have one magazine, that is not an option.

When I carry Concealed, which is ALWAYS, I always have another magazine on me.  FOR ALL OF THE ABOVE REASONS.  I carry it in its own carrier to protect it from losing rounds and pocket crap.

 

 

The World War One Veteran and the Cookies

When I was but barely a teen,  my sister Cindy led a Thursday night youth group at our small church. We would get together in the evenings and study the Bible, and every other Thursday or so we went to visit the Old Folks Homes, I know its not the PC term, but if you expect that you are at the wrong blog.  My sister Cindy was the absolute best dessert maker in the world.  I say was as my eyes develop a leak, because Cindy left to make cookies in heaven back in 2006.  On these "mission" outings, which I truly believe were a gift to the people we visited, We would take treats along to the "Old Folks."  I know its hard to believe we were allowed to bring in outside food to the patients, but this was back before the Country had lost its mind. We would sing to them, and my musical sisters would play the piano and or guitars.  The "Old Folks" loved it. 

One night in particular I will never forget, it was probably 81, and Cindy had made sugar cookies and my all time favorite, Banana Cookies with Pink Icing.  Being a future marine at the time, I didn't care for the color pink, but that is what color she made those cookies and thats what made them so tasty.  So while no one can make Banana Cookies Like Cindy made, to me, they will always be "Banana Cookies with Pink Icing."  

That night, There was an older, taller, gentleman (maybe he wasn't tall, but I was a kid) in the audience and he kind of went unnoticed (probably his plan) until the cookies were on the table.  All of the sudden out of his seat, he rushed up and grabbed a handful of cookies, quickly cramming them in his mouth like they were Nathan's  Hot Dogs and it was Independence Day on Coney Island.  The nurses bum rushed him and took the cookies from his hand, but try as they might, his jaw was clenched and they weren't about to take the loot, i mean cookies, from his mouth without losing a digit.  

They told every one there he couldn't have them,  He had "Sugar" as diabetes is known in the sticks where I grew up.  they told him they were bad for him he could die.

I will never forget his reply,  " I'm old, my wife is dead, my kids are dead, my grandkids don't come visit me, and you won't met me have cookies. What do I want to stay alive for?"

To the best of my my memory, he was a WW1 veteran. 

There is  a lesson here somewhere if i could only find it.  

Be safe, visit old people, you may learn something. Oh yeah and eat the cookie. 

Glock G43

If you know me you know I like Glocks because they work. In my experience they work better than any other handgun I've ever owned.  My G34 served me well in IDPA, my G17, G19, and G26 have all functioned well, reliably and they are what I carry and trust to get me home if a bad guy wants to stop me from that mission.  I don't carry them all at once,  but am never far away from at least 2 of them when I am anywhere legal to do so. Then the G43 came out.  I have had one since April 14th, and other than when i have been where it is absolutely illegal to do so, (post office, airports, and other off-limits places I have been forced to go)  It has been in my pocket. I have carried it in a HAWGHolsters.com custom Pocket Holster and weak side magazine carrier.  Everywhere I go.  It is comfortable and shoots well.

1200 plus rds so far, no malfunctions, ease of carry, I never forget it is there, but it is the easiest Glock I've ever carried.  

 

Disarming Yourself

I was visiting a friend the other day, we shall call him Nigel,   and he showed me some of his firearms.  All of which were absolutely useless in an oh-crap-there-is-a-guy-breaking in kind of situation.  Maybe he had a hold out piece that he did not show me. At least I hope he did.  He does not live in a crime free neighborhood, nor for that matter does anyone, if they think they do, they are delusional.  I implored him to get a case that is locked but quick to open.  He has young relatives living at home, so a pistol left unlocked on or even in a nightstand would be irresponsible.  I always carry a soapbox around in my back pocket and considering the situation, i.e. recent break-ins in his back yard,  I unfolded the soapbox and climbed up on it.  "Nigel" says I, "You are effectively disarmed.  How, you may ask, if it takes you longer to get gun in your hand ready to defend your family than it does for a bad guy to break in and find you, then your gun collection is as useless as nipples on a tree."  

Owning a gun does not make you ready for home defense. Nigel shoots often, and id good with his firearms. He is a Responsible owner.  But God forbid he suffers a home invasion like his neighbors.  He could be slaughtered and his gun location would wind up in evil hands. All because it takes at least 3 minutes fr him to unlock, load the mags and lock and load.  

We raise cane when the government requires us to lock them up unloaded.(San Fran etc)  Maybe Nigel can find a solution, before it is too late. 

http://www.amazon.com/Snap-Lockbox-Handgun-Storage-Pistols/dp/B00FATWGSU

FJ Fedderson 10/22 Barrels

 Fred Fedderson of FJ Fedderson likes to talk about his fine product.  He loves to tell how awesome the barrels he makes for 10/22 rifles are.  Fred will quickly tell you of how his barrels are extremely accurate while showing you a target that was shot from a distance.  If you are lucky enough to meet Fred Fedderson he will teach you how to quickly and efficiently shoot the target with the sights he mounts on his barrels.  He doesn't however tell you some of the proprietary secrets that make his barrels the best, Nor should he. I have bought several of FJ Fedderson Barrels, and you notice, I said Fred TALKS about his barrels, he doesn't brag about his products..... It isn't bragging if you can do it. FRED DOES IT AND DOES IT WELL.   FJ Fedderson 10/22 are TACK DRIVERS with every brand of ammunition I have pushed thru them.  Attached is a photo of a Marine shooting the Appleseed Project with a Fedderson 10/22 bull barrel threaded with an SWR Spectre 2 Suppressor attached. 248 out of 250 possible. 

Good job Fred

See you at SHOT 2016

Burying the Hatchett

I wrote a book, GO Me. And it has sold more copies than the Anti Freedom Governor of NY has sold.  No I didnt recieve a Bribe/Payment for my book of fifteen million dollars and then sell only 900 or so books.   

 

What is it about?  Jeb Hatchett, a Marine no Longer Active, finds out he has a short time to live according to the local doctor, A close family friend has been kidknapped and Jeb "takes care of the problem."  

If you like mysteries, maybe this one is for you.  

http://www.gunlovingjohn.com/burying-the-hatchett/

Electronic version

 

http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss/179-2703781-2975552?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=burying+the+hatchett