Gun Loving John

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. 

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.

 

 

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

Glock 42 thumbs up.

I have been carrying a Glock 42 for about 10 months. It is Reliable, Accurate and Small. I have owned a dozen or so .380s in my lifetime and this seems to be the best 380 that I have shot.  Recoil is maneagable and the gun has a lot of potential when it comes to CCW. I hope Glock comes out with a 9mm singe stack soon. Looking forward to SHOT SHOW and any announcements that may bring.  

Diamondback 9

Great news. I have just laid eyes on a new and exciting ccw pistol. Diamondback Arms DB9 11oz .80 wide. I have carried a DB 380 for about 8 months. I must say the 9 mm will be replacing the 380. Good news also is the laser that I bought from Crimson Trace for my Diamondback 380 will fit right on the Diamondback DB9 the Pocket Protector in 9mm will make a Police officer or legal CCW carrier of 9mm an exccellent option that will utilize the same ammunition. I have ordered a pistol for testing, but if this firearm works as good as my Diamondback DB380 has I will be recommending an even more concealable 9mm than I have previously encountered. The ergonomics of the DB380 are the best of class in that the small pistols that shoot 380. I am making an educated guess that the size of the DB9 will be making its presence known with a little more umph, but I will be able to judge better after a trip to the range. Looking forward to the most concealable 9mm i have ever encountered. And I forgot.... The one I saw has night sights.

New and Exciting at SHOT

At SHOT Show and am excited about several new products. My favorite AR Company CMMG, has a new Accessory, As of yet un-named for Quick detach attach of barrel assembly from The AR. It removes both the gas tube and barrel with a throw lever. a very positive locking lu. This coud be extremely useful for special applications. I am thinking also of the urban dweller that finds nosy neighbors as he heads out to the range. If you do not advertise what is in your house when you are out, nosy neighbors are less likely to break in and steal what you have.

Barista/ Crimefighter

Barista wards of Evil with her Kel-Tec. 

http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_BARISTA_ROBBERY?SITE=FLTAM&SECTION=US

Barack Hussein Obama's Ten point Plan to "Change" the 2nd Amendment

1. Ban use Of Firearms for Home Defense.

2. Pass Federal laws eliminating your Right-to-Carry.

3. Ban the Manufacture, Sale, and Possession of all Handguns.

4. Close down 90% of the gun shops in America.

5. BanRifle ammunition commonly used for hunting and sport shooting.

6. Increase Federal taxes on guns and ammunition by 500 percent.

7. Restoring voting rights for 5,000,000 Criminals including those who have been convicted of using a gun to commit a violent crime.

8. Expand The Clinton semi-auto ban to include millions more firearms.

9. Mandate a government-issued license to purchase a firearm.

10. Appoint Judges to the US Supreme Court and Federal Judiciary who share his views on the Second Amendment.