Monday, August 27, 2012

Miscellania:

  • Remember I was talking about how much I liked my LED Lenser P3 AFS flashlight? Well, I lost it. I picked up a Streamlight Protac 2AA at the Mountain of Geese to serve in its stead, and it's a nice light, but it's just a bit too long for the front pockets of my mom jeans. I have since ordered a replacement P3 AFS from Amazon.

  • Saw Mike Williamson at the 1500. He had a pretty droll new tee shirt...

  • Picked up another M&P mag and another AR mag, because gun show. Also got my hands on one of those funky little Raven Vanguard 2's to try out. Full post to follow soon-ish.

23 comments:

global village idiot said...

I've had a nearly uninterrupted stream of bad luck finding what I want at Mont d'Oies. About the only thing worth getting there are Wigwam socks when they're on sale, and Nalgene bottles.

The one near me used to have a gunsmith on the premises - he did a fair job recrowning a Yugo SKS when I had him remove the goofy grenade launcher. Now that the store no longer offers the services of a gunsmith, I have no reason to go there.

They don't even have a very good selection of reloading components. I have a Cabela's and a Bass Pro both within convenient driving distance; and while I don't care for any store that makes me feel like I'm in a Simpson's episode, their selection is such that it makes the choice clear for me on those days when I want to interact with a human for a firearms-related purchase.

gvi

Pakkinpoppa said...

Haven't been to a Mountain of Geese...well, ever.

We have a Richard's (Dick's) close to me, and there's a Cabela's opening within spitting distance, plus we have the Vance Outdoors pretty close by (a place that sells so many it's invariably on the "guns traced to crimes" list it seems).

I'm finding myself in the AR magazine business...again...even lacking said platform to use it in for the moment.

Glock mags, AK mags (I know...I'm a knuckledragging cave dweller...but I paid a present day WASR price for a milled receiver Arsenal ten years ago...), and ten 22 mags, Mini 14 mags, plus...speedloaders are on my list.

Ygolonac said...

Hah, you despammed before I could get my reply going, Quickdraw. :P

Anyway, A couple yearas back I picked up a Fenix E10 at REI on sale - only 55 lumens, 1 AA and a bit large, but it's a solid little bugger. Single-mode clicky-tailcap, think I ended up putting a whole $20 down for it.

The E10 became my daily carry because, while I had a single AAA Fenix of about the same lumen-level, it was multi-node twisty, no tailcap. Do you know how hard it is to twist "on" using your tongue, because both hands are occupied? :rolleyes:

(My other daily carry used CR123s, and wasn't compatible with the rechargables due to voltage requirements. I still miss it, even if it did burn my mouth when going no-hands.)

Anonymous said...

OK, I realize this question makes me Too Dumb for Guns, but here goes anyway. Is the Vanguard thing intended that you can reholster while wearing it? Or do you attach the thing to your gun and then tuck the gun-holster combo?
Alath
Carmel IN

Firehand said...

I'm interested in the outcome of that test, too

Anonymous said...

I picked up a Streamlight ProTac 1L at a gun show a few years back. A little chunky but short, and not so fat as to make it inconvenient to carry. I have other lights, but this is the one I've found that it is easiest to always carry, ant it is actually brighter than some of my slightly larger lights--bright enough to illuminate racoons and foxes at 100 yards and allow the use of a standard scope for taking them out before they eat my chickens

Only downside is CR123A battery, but even that is cheap enough from Surfire.

CarlS said...

When I clicked the Vanguard link and saw the pics, I was appalled at where the gun and holster were "situated".

http://www.ravenconcealment.com/image/cache/data/VG2%20Fina1260%203-150x150.jpg

Center of mass and pelvic area?

Y'all might want to reconsider.

Tam said...

Alath,

"Or do you attach the thing to your gun and then tuck the gun-holster combo?"

This.

Anonymous said...

I've got the ProTac 1AA that I carry everday (along with a Streamlight Microstream). It's not too big to get in the way and provides enough light for the things I need day to day. Plus the batteries are cheaper.

Justthisguy said...

I love that image Mr. W made, there. He is just about my favorite annoying smartass of the male and Gentile variety in the whole world.

I have bought every one of his books I could afford, and read at least one of them almost to pieces. You tell him I said that, hear?

Jeffrey Quick said...

And for the ladies... pictures of Obama and Biden in strategic places, with the caption, "Do these boobs make my chest look bigger?"

B said...

Methinks yer gonna shoot yerself in the Hoo-Ha with that holster thingamabob.

Looks dangerous.

DanH said...

First thing I thought about the Vanguard 2...reholstering = burnt happy places. Do they not test these designs at all?

Old NFO said...

Those little Streamlights are nice (and relatively inexpensive)...

Anonymous said...

The LED Lensor P3 might be a bit pricey, especially when you look at it's size, but it puts out some serious lumens. Thank you Tam for the suggestion a few weeks ago! I went ahead and got one, and it's my new pocket light.

Justthisguy said...

P.s. I have a serious fictional character crush on Specialist/Sergeant White in "Better to Beg Forgiveness."

I just lurved the the way she emptied the magazine into the mob while cussing them out for being illiterati. That is my kinda gal.

Miss Sykora, as admirable as she is, is kinda scary, sleeping with her special shotgun, Pierce, and hugging it as she does.

Michael Z. Williamson said...

Thanks for the positive feedback, folks. :)

Tam said...

DanH,

"First thing I thought about the Vanguard 2...reholstering = "

= Not Reading The Instructions. ;)

It is not meant for reholstering. You put the Vanguard on the trigger guard, and then attach the ensemble to the belt. (Like Alath surmised up-thread.)

Justthisguy said...

Oh, Mike? The housemate was in a similar situation to that of Spec White when he was an Army Intel guy back in the seventies, in the Berlin Brigade. He has said that he always suspected that somebody was assigned to plug him, if it looked like he was about to get captured. His main MOS was Sigint interception and translation.

His secondary MOS was Interrogator. No, I won't lend him my pliers, nor will I lend him your book about Captain Chinran's exploits, lest he get ideas.

DanH said...

I understand the attach first part...it's what I'm supposed to do after I shoot that I'm worried about. What, I stick it in my pocket or lay it on the counter till it cools?

Tam said...

DanH,

"What, I stick it in my pocket or lay it on the counter till it cools?"

Generally, just do whatever the cops tell you to do. ;)

Seriously, though, I don't think it's meant as a general purpose holster

Anonymous said...

TV in WI:
Yes, this looks quite special purpose and minimalist...
...You mentioned that almost using
'Walkman' would look geriatric;
Does my reading 'Raven' and still
thinking 'pot-metal .25' make me senile?..

sklutch said...

Mike's always had good shirts for freaking the mundanes. I can tell when someone's reading my RC shirt in a restaurant from the stifled guffaws/snorts.

Plus, the boy can scribble down some fun reads, can't he? :)