Rogue Elite

Lanyards are in my opinion an old school way of carry a flashlight.   If it works for you than good for ya.   I put lanyards on some flashlights just so they are harder to loose.   Now that so many flashlights have gotten so small, yet powerful, losing that $250, 80 Lumen flashlight has gotten easier and easier.   I have some weapon mounted flashlights that are rock soldid and I don’t think I will ever change that, but when it comes to using handguns, I’m not a big fan of putting lights on them.   Maybe once Streamlight flashlights technology gets to the point where the flashlight projects from the guide rod and doesn’t inhibit the use of your usual CCW holster or make your gun bulkier, then I’ll change my mind.

I highly recommend the Section 8 Tactical ultimate retention device.   These work extremely well with 20-25mm flashlights.   When I first got a hold of one, it took me a little while to get use to the idea of using them, but after an incident that changed my life, the $16 I spent was worth it.   Being able to point a light in a different direction than a gun is extremely important in some situations, especially in your own home.   There are are endless scenarios that play out when discussion these topics, but I’ve actually live a few of my own and I am confident that I have the right tools.

It is always good to think ahead of yourself when you are selecting a firearm.   Sometimes people get into situations with their tactical gear that seemed pretty obvious, but somehow it was missed.   I have never had a major problem with my rifle scopes, probable because I already owned so many rifle cases, but I have had problems with fitting my Carbines into soft rifle cases because of the flashlights or rifle optics I was using.   If it was too much of a headache, I just took my hunting rifle cases and used those for the short term.   Sometimes when you are accessorizing the heck out of your guns, the last thing you are thinking about is how to pack it all up and transport it without having to take everything off the rails.   Many of the soft tactical rifle cases may be too tight at the top of the case and you are risking damaging a mount or breaking the zipper.

I believe in having a holster for every handgun and a rifle case for every rifle.    When people are putting $1000 Trijicon ACOGs on their rifles they are considered to be tough for combat, but sometimes things get slammed around in cars and unwanted dents and dings occur.   SKB rifle cases are on the  heavy side, but if you have a bigger sized vehicle, these are very easy to stow in and get out and it’s sturdy enough to not worry about damage if you have to bury it with other gear.   You may even be able to keep most of the rifle magazines and accessories in the case as well as some othe range gear.    Drag bags are another great rifle case, but they may be a bit of an overkill when it comes to using them for something as small as a Carbine.

Here in Pennsylvania the laws for hunting with a crossbow have opened up new territory for hunters.   Many people have stayed away from archery season for physical reasons.   It takes more energy to bull a bow back and fire it, and hit what you are aiming at than simply bringing your Winchester Model 70 30/06 and taking a 100-600yd shot and then taking a sip from your coffee mug.   I have to admit that I have found Archery to be fun if you have someone to help set you up, but it takes far more patience than some people have to be efficient.   The only real drawback I have even seen to archery is that there are more bad shots in archery than I see with rifles and it’s not pretty to watch a wounded animal walk off and die and sometimes not be recovered.  Pennsyvania has a deer problem.  As a matter of fact, it has a huge problem.   There are a declining number of people going out and hunting every year, but the number of car accidents has been inceasing.

It has now been about 2yrs since crossbows have been allowed for hunting by the general hunting community and the are more likely out selling the standard compoun bows you use to see in hunting stores.   If you are familiar with using a rifle, it’s going to be an easy transition to using a crossbow.   The ability to use an optic with a calibrated bullet drop is going to make those 50yd shots pretty easy compared to using a compound bow.   I still think they need to change the rules and loosen things up even more to try and curb the deer population, but this new change was welcomed.    Having a good pair of binoculars with you on you next hunting trip will help you scout out more territory and give you the edge in observing your surroundings.   The things to think about are how much weight  you are carrying and being practical when it comes to magnification.   Anything above 4x and below 10x is recommended.

Cleaning more than one rifle at a time can be a really pain in the neck.   Depending on the number of calibers you are using, you’ll have to change each brush you use, each punch, and each cleaning patch to properly clean your rifle or pistols.   I never really felt the need to change from a traditonal rifle rod to any fancy gun cleaning kits for a long time.   Some of these gun cleaning kits look very nice, but the reality is there are several cleaning kits out there that have made traditional gun cleaning obsolete.   Granted, I will have to say that I do have a few friends that sweat that they still need to use their cleaning rods to clean bolt action sub-moa rifles, because Otis gun cleaning kits and bore snakes aren’t 100%.   I’ll have to leave that up to personal choice, but I don’t see it.

The first time I took more than 4 rifles to the range and had to take the time to clean each one of them, I must have spent over 2hrs between cleaning brush changes and constantly running patches through the barrels.  I finally decided to run out and pick up a 22 Cal bore snake and see what they were all about.   I realised immediately that this Hoppes bore snake was really worth the money after I cleaned 3 of my AR15s and 1 Mini 14 rifle in less than half an hour.   The only time I used cleaning patches was to wipe down the bolt carriers.   I still think there is the need to use chamber brushes on the AR15 style rifles, but that isn’t something I would say needs to be done after every firing.   Rogue Elite is selling most of the Hoppes Bore Snakes for under $20 and I promise you’ll eliminate 50% of your cleaning time with them.

I’m the type that goes through sticker shock whenever I go to gun shops or gun shows and see the prices the NIB guns cost.   People seem to think that buying used means the gun is closer to breakage than a new gun.   Nothing could be further from the truth.   There are several manufacturers that are making incredible reliable and durable firearms that may have fewer than 500rds through.  If you look at barrel life and frame life, those guns are in the equivallent of being in the early stages of grade school.     There are plenty of used police trade ins that just have holster wear and probable only were shot during qualification each year by an LEO.

Right now there are a lot of agencies and police departments dumping used Glocks and Sig Sauer pistols.   Those are probable the top 2 handguns in existance.   I was never one to be a big fan of the factory grips on Sigs, but Hogue pistol grips will increase your retention and if you choose the finger grooved version, it’ll help you get the same feeling everytime you pull your gun.   I noticed I could shoot my 1911s better once I had a firm consistant grip of the gun, but that’s really the hard part.  Even though a gun may feel nice and look nice, it may not fit your hand very well.   For about $20 you can find a grip that will increase your comfort and accuracy.

I’ve seen so many people on firing lines with spotting scopes complain about the optics they have and what they should have gotten or what they wish they knew before getting a scope.   Sometimes people have this idea that having an optics magnify 45x will make things easier to see at great distances and any experienced observer know that isn’t true.  Magnification can become void due to heat and mirage and even zero magnification can cause you to have trouble hitting an object at certain distances.
Expecting to see 22 Caliber holds at 600yds is a hard feat.  One thing you may want to consider if you are expecting to use a spotting scope for long ranges is a different type of target other than paper.  Shoot N C targets can help improve your visibility and avoid any frustrations in trying to pin point your point of impact on paper.  They aren’t re-useable so you’ll have to expect to spend more money on them, but they work.  Spottings scopes are as good as the money you pay for them, but make sure you know what you can realistically do with them before you select one.

When training for a class or tactical situation, dealing with an unloaded magazine or an unloaded gun in the situation is expected, all guns go empty at some point.   Most of us have the ability to plan ahead and carry extra magazines, but there may be a point where loading a magazine up will be necessary.   Maglula from Butler Creek makes a great speed loader that will help speed up the process of getting rounds from a box right into your 30rd rifle in a few seconds.   They will easily cut your loading time by 75% when used properly.

If you have a revolver, you know that bad guys may be walking around with semi-autos with 15-20 rounds and that you’ve got to make every round count if your carrying a 5 or 6 shot revolver.   You may only need 5 or 6 shots to win  a fight, but it is a fact that reloading a revolver can be done quicker than loading a magazine, so carrying a caliber specific HKS Speed loader or moon clips is always a great idea.

Sometimes we find our preferences as far as the look and reliability of a firearm for duty carry or self defense.   The reality of finding a firearm for an operator that works for them is customization.   No handgun or rifle will fit everyone.   There are plenty of firearm manufacturers that are putting out combat reliable firearms, but with handguns, gun grip is extremely important.   There is a lot of BS that comes from from training instructors and the gun boards about which firearm is the BEST, but the one that works the best for you is the one that fits you.  Rifle stocks can be meastured by measuring from the inside of your elbow to your trigger finger, but pistol grips are a little bit different.

Some of the guns we see that people often swap out the grips for are Sig Sauer factory grips.   While some people may like this, many find them to be a little slippery and could use something that helps keep the hands tight during firing.  Hogue Grips come in fingerless and fingered grips.  These grips will help fill in the space between your fingers and make you feel like you’re holding a pair of brass knuckles.   I’ve done many tests where I took 2 of the same handguns to the range and let novice shooters try both, I asked them which gun they preferred and they almost always preferred one over the other.   After they decide, I tell them it’s the same gun, just different grips and the cost of the upgrade is under $25.   Sometimes using the gun you have and making a small tweak is all you need to improve your shooting skills and confidence.

We’ve all seen the massive accessorizing of firearms in recent years.   Firearms likes SKS rifle and Mini 14s are not immune to the firearm attachements and modifications that have run rampant in the AR15 community.   In my opinion, there are a lot of firearm owners out there that had their Legos taken away from them and they brought that mindset into gun accessorizing and tactical gear stockpiling.    That’s about as harsh as I can be about why people do what they do to their firearms, but some of it is for hobbie reasons, some for practical reasons, and some because people have the obsessive compulsive behavior of needing to spend money.

There area a lot of good upgrades one can do to a firearm, a fighting rifle should be customized to fit an operator.  Advanced Technology makes some quick and easy upgrades for your shotgun or carbine that can give you better grip or balance.  Shotgun shell holders on the buttstock or riding side saddle is a practical tactical upgrade you can do on your remington 870.  The fiberforce stock for the MAK90 is a way to legally get around some firearm bans and are a big step up compared to the stupid thumbhole stocks.    Attach a rifle sling that fits yoru purpose from Blue Force Gear, they come in 1 point, 2 point and 3 point attachements. Minor firearm modifications make need to be done to attache rifle slings, but do some research on various rifle sling configurations to see what works for you.

Hoppes Boresnakes will cut your cleaning time in half . There’s no need to worry about storing cleaning rides and worrying about bending or breaking them. The BoreSnake is also easier to use with some types of semi-autos. The Ruger Mini 14 is a classic example of this. Most firearms can be cleaned from the breach forward, but something like a Mini 14 can not due to the design of the bolt carrier. A bore snake can easily be inserted into the breach of a Mini 14 or Mini 30 and cleaned properly. The bore snake can also easily be stored and does not take up any room.  We can guarantee the Hoppes boresnake will become one of your favorite gun cleaning supplies.

One pass loosens large particles, scrubs out the remaining residue with a bronze brush, then swabs it all spotless with a cleaning area 160X larger than a standard patch. Add a few drops your favorite gun or Hoppes Elite and your guns ready for storage. The bore snake is caliber specific so make sure you get the correct one for your pistol, rifle or shotgun. You will also notice your gun cleaning time will be cut in half or more. I’ve cleaned more than 4 firearms in an hour, from AKs, FALs, M1A, Mini 14s and AR15 rifles all will accept the use of the Hoppes boresnake.