Choosing A Carry Knife

When it comes to rounding out your Every Day Carry load out, a knife is one of the most important tools in your arsenal. It can be daunting for the new carrier with so many options but its easy if you know the primary types and functions of each.

If you have not already checked out the previous entry "Heathen Self Reliance: EDC, GHB, and BOB" which explains and goes much more in depth into Every Day Carry check it out  here.

To simplify the choices typically for EDC it can be broken into 3 major categories:

• Multi tool
• Folding knives
• Fixed blade Knives

Multi Tools

Most commonly people will know about multi tools like the Swiss Army Knife. Its a small compact package that slips easily in a pocket and have an assortment of tools included. Screwdriver, small blade, a file, toothpick, bottle opener, can opener, and even a cork screw on some. These iconic tools are perfect for an all around EDC. There are also multi tools built into pliers like the Leatherman types. The multi tool is a very versatile option for those new to the world of EDC. For people finding themselves fixing things, out in the woods, or folks into prepping and survival a good multi tool is a great primary option or addition to a daily load out. These really are an all in one solution to a bigger part of EDC.

As a rule of thumb if I find myself needing a specific tool 2 - 3 times a week then its good to consider trying to make a selection to carry that specific option as part of it. All of these options revolve around your personal lifestyle and needs. This guide is just to make it easier to choose something appropriate for you.


Folding Knives

When it comes to the mass market most are familiar with this type of knife for carry. These blades fold into the grip and are opened easily with a thumb stud and lock into place. Modern day folders are much safer than the days before the 1960's canoe style whittling knives. These folders also come with pocket clips to simply slip into your pocket and be at the ready when needed. With folders there are a few considerations. If you cut a lot of cardboard or tape, a serrated blade may be fitting for you. Especially for the tougher jobs a serrated blade would suit better overall. Depending on your type of work and the clothing required, the size of blade, width of knife frame, and type of clip matter. For instance a business casual setting you probably wouldn't want a larger tactical folder with a clip that makes it obvious you have in on your person. Especially if it could go against the policy of your employer.

As with the multi tool the folder is versatile as well and the market has a huge variety of options. Finding the right style that fits your lifestyle and needs is the goal. I personally check out reviews of knives now before making impulse purchases. Often times reviewers will key in on some caveats you may not have thought of before.

Fixed Blade Knives

Last but not least we have fixed blade knives. As the name suggests these do not fold but have the blade material going partly or totally through the knife handle. Fixed blades typically are the most reliable and robust out of these three because of how they are built. Structurally they are just the most solid of the knives talked about here. One fixed blade budget knife I am very familiar with is the famous Mora from Sweden. If you have not checked the entry on that it can be found here. They are generally under $20 and are a serious contender against knives 3-4 times their price. Bang for buck, Mora knives are just above and beyond anything close to its price point. And its a great entry level fixed blade you don't have to feel bad about working as hard as you need to.

Fixed blade knives are hugely popular for survivalists and outdoors for their strength and durability to be used and abused outdoors. Also not mentioned previously these are the only option I would deem suitable or practical for a self defense situation. These knives also should be carried sheathed at all times which adds to the mix another facet of concern. These typically cannot be carried concealed. Check your state laws first before carrying any of these tools mentioned. Where I live these fixed blades have to be carried openly.


Conclusion

Out of the three types we discussed here in this entry there is a blade fit for nearly everyone. The whole thing with carrying a knife is about self sufficiency and self reliance. Sadly this whole idea seems to be lost on a majority of the new generation. Teaching young kids about the importance of these things through responsibility is an age old tradition. In some Scandinavian schools they still require kids to learn how to use and maintain knives as a part of their school curriculum. Bringing back some of these traditions that were passed down through the ages would certainly help raise kids understand true responsibility and skill. With teaching safe knife use and carry, you teach the next generation important life lessons from the basic understanding of it.

Over the years I have heard the saying "Two is one, and one is none" and with knives I honestly believe that. Its best to have the tools you will need on the daily which may mean carrying more than one knife of some sort.

What do you carry? What are your favorites for EDC? Why are those your favorites?
Sound off and shoot me your feedback I would love to hear from you.

Hail the Old Gods!
Hail the Folk!
Hail the Wolf Pack!

Ruger BX-25 Magazine Mod

Lots of people love the Ruger 10/22. Myself included. But I have to admit I was a bit disappointed when I had a ton of problems with my Ruger 10/22 Takedown model 11100. To be more specific I had a ton of problems with the BX25 Ruger branded 25 round magazines.

Most people like me buy a 10/22 to strictly plink and or to use to teach new shooters the basics of firearms safety. The occasional rimfire problems one would run into are not the same problems I was having with the extended magazines. Granted, I thought some of the problems were related to break in and it very well could have been partly because of the first 1000 or so rounds. After narrowing down the culprit for the many varied issues I had seen it was the BX25 mags. Allow me to explain.

The Takedown came with a 10 round rotary magazine. During the break in period it was proven to be the most reliable. I have 3 of the BX25 mags and the one rotary mag. I had considerably more failures to feed, stovepipes and just all over the place failures and problems with the extended mags. I can also add to be somewhat scientific that the ammo did not seem to be the culprit. We shot a variety of ammo ranging from cheap Remington bulk box, Aguila, Armscore, and a variety of CCI ammos. I also shot some Blazer ammo as well. All of these brands did not seem to make a difference. Less issues occurred with the rotary mags but some failures did occur.

I tried to get through this break in period first before really blaming the mags. But the truth is the mags had a ton of wobble and I figured more than likely all the failures to feed properly were directly related to that. The rotary mag went in and fit very snugly and I thought about it and debated about modding the mags. The alternative to fixing this problem with mag wobble may include some spring swapping in the rifle itself. I really don't believe changing the springs out was the answer. Mostly because Ruger rifles should work with Ruger branded magazines. No question about it. In hindsight I probably should have just contacted Ruger first but I ended up starting the mod to the mags and then ended up calling, emailing, and messaging Ruger reps on facebook.

Ruger said they would back my claims and not only accept my already modded magazines back and replace them but they offered to take my dads 3 magazines as well as part of a tested exchange. The reps said its a known issue to have many problems with them. Even if my mod did not work they would take them back and give me replacements at no cost if I chose to do so. I went ahead and followed through with my mod for scientific reasons. Worst comes to worst Ill send them back. Plus I wanted answers for why mine were not working.

On to the mod.
Here are the supplies I used:

Soldering iron or woodburning kit
JB Weld
Dremel tool
Sanding disc attachment

The process is easy but a little time consuming. First mark the mags in the receiver with pencil. This will give you a line to work down to without having any issues. To eliminate wobble it needed to be enough material with the JB weld to stop wobble vertically and horizontally. To do this I simply wanted squares of the JB weld epoxy. Make sure the JB weld you are using is for plastics as well. To ensure the epoxy would stick I stippled a pattern to the area I needed it. This would make the metal infused product stick much more aggressively to the magazine polymer itself. After all I don't want to have to do this work again if it actually works and neither will you. JB weld takes a full day to dry. Two days is even better. After you dry it out, you can take a dremel fitted with a sand disc and fit it properly to your rifle. I suggest making the epoxy squares slightly ramped so the magazine fits right. Granted your firearm or magazine may be different. Remember to go slow and remove less, test and refit until its right. If you remove too much then you will be stuck adding more JB weld and waiting a full day to get back to working on them.

Note: In the last picture you can see the JB weld is angled like a ramp. It is not flat! This ensures to lessen mag wobble considerably vertically and if done properly will reduce or completely get ride of horizontal wobble as well. This requires patience and constant testing and refitting. Each magazine will be slightly different but the principal is the same for all of them. 

After getting all 3 fitted it was time to test. I had cheap bulk Remington Bulk brick ammo. Yes the stuff notorious for causing failures. And I had some CCI Mini Mag ammo. This should give a baseline for cheap vs reliable ammo. 

When I took them to the range the modded magazines worked much better. Could it be because of break in period? I think that is slightly possible but doubtful that its the sole variable that played into it running the now modded BX25 mags efficiently. But I have to mention it. For my rifle the wobble was definitely part of the issue. The magazine I assume would rock when a round was fired and the bolt would open and eject the spent casing. The following round would simply not feed or would not exit the magazine properly causing repeated issues because of minuscule rocking during operation. With the mod and the wobble taken out of the picture the magazines fed much better. Not flawlessly but it was well worth the mods to the 3 I owned after testing. Both ammo choices performed about the same. CCI had some minor failures and the Remington did as well. But it was doable for the hundreds of rounds we tested for this in particular.

To add to this whole fiasco, my father has a 10/22. Just a standard black polymer one and his ate all his ammo choices from the extended mags with no issue. Flawlessly, he ran mag after mag. Later he had a few failures but again he gun was not completely broken in yet. But I felt its important to note his had no issues with just stock unmodded BX25 magazines.

Ruger overall was good to me in general about all of this. They did not have to offer to take my mags I permanently modified in the case they did not work. But they did anyways. I plan to keep mine since they work. Only time will tell if the mod really makes a difference anyways. Could it be because I own a Takedown as part of the reason it isn't working properly? Well, that's possible. But I don't think there would be much of a difference since the specs for the guts should in theory be the same as any old regular 10/22.

Its a lot of work for something that should function out of the box. But for me this worked. Its a shame that a firearm wouldn't work with its parent branded magazines and function pretty much flawlessly. We all know rimfire has its quirks but having repeated failure after failure isn't fun for any shooter, new or seasoned. My best advice I can give is that if you have problems contact Ruger first. If you have the gear and stuff to do the mod, try it if you can fall back on a company warranty like I could have. It just takes time and care to fit properly. If you do not have the stuff to do the mod, send your mags back. Ruger said they will test your replacements properly to ensure they will feed and fire in your firearm model before shipping them out.

So what is the solution? The molding for these magazines needs to be changed. It needs bulk added to the back where I did the work to close the gap and kill the wobble. I heard from numerous people that they just do not have this issue. Is it related to the Takedown? Possibly but only Ruger would know about that. As time goes on the BX-25 mags should get better. Ruger knows of this problem. And more than likely they know the solution to fixing it across the board. We just have not seen them do it yet.

Honestly though I don't think many would take the time to do a mod like this unless they really wanted a project to just work on. Each mag will be slightly different but have the potential to run flawlessly after its said and done. For me I had the stuff and the time and no risk if it failed. Hopefully this write up and somewhat instructional project may work for someone else too.

Thanks to Ruger and thanks to the people who have helped me with testing a variety of ammo in these magazines. It helped a lot to have multiple options to test before jumping in to this sort of mod project.

Hail the Old Gods!
Hail the Folk!
Hail the Wolf Pack!

So You Want To Build An AR15

The modern heathen does not carry around an axe. Well, most of them don't unless they have a job that would require it. Hundreds of years ago the people we came from used tools they used for work as weapons of war. It only made sense. They carried them pretty much everywhere. For defense if needed and for work or just to go out in the field.

Today the modern man has firearms. It is the equalizer. It is what makes the playing field level. Men and women, of all sizes, abilities or lack there of are all equal with firearms. Where ever bad people lurk the law abiding armed citizens are there to counter them.

For some reason or another usually self defense, sporting, hunting, or for just learning the craft of building you want to build an AR15. Oh and also, because America. For the sake of this entry I will walk you through the process I followed with how I built my first one. I will also explain some things to think about before hand to make it a little easier for you if its your first rodeo. Lets get into the major questions you need to answer first.

Assign a role to what you want to build

When it comes to firearms for me I have to give whatever I purchase or build a job. This job is specific to the platform and make and model. Without having this figured out it is going to be difficult to pinpoint what the endgame will be for it. What are its strengths and weaknesses? What is is ideal and suitable for? Can it be multi-role? Ask yourself these questions first and the rest is easy.

For AR15 platform comes in a variety of calibers. I chose .223/5.56 for my first build. I liked the idea of having more than one caliber available for ammo. Its also much easier to find parts and the prices are in the budget range. Which brings me to my next key point.

Decide on a budget for your build

This is vital. I cannot tell you how many times I have heard friends say they overspent on an AR build. Its easy to do especially on some of the more expensive of parts like bolt carrier group and the accessories like scopes. Get a figure together for what you would like and stick to it. People will typically spend $500-700 on a complete build bought in a store. Anywhere remotely close to this sort of budget is more than enough to get what you need and to get going.

Building your own

Is there any benefit to building your own? Well yes for a number of reasons. Primarily its cheaper. Its also more satisfying. Learning about your firearms is a great way to be more knowledgeable about your hobby. It also makes fixing problems and issues in the future a lot easier. Building your own AR from the ground up also makes it easier for getting to your endgame. Buying one built may require some work or parts to get the way you would like it. In the end that would be a waste of money overall. And that money wasted could be money spent on ammo and other accessories.

Other considerations

Do not forget about ammo, magazines, safe storage, locks, cases, extra cleaning supplies and parts, and the tools required for building your project. An example of what typically happens is someone has a budget of $500 then after they add up some of these things its closer to $700 or $800. This is something to keep in mind and remember early on. This will help keep your project in a realistic range suitable for you once its completed.

Note: scopes and optics can run well into the thousands. It can get very expensive for a first time builder and its a bit daunting. Don't let the price of glass freak you out. Go budget first. Get some back up sights to learn with. Worry about optics later. You may not even like the AR platform so it's not worth jumping all in at this point.

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After these things have atleast somewhat been sorted it is a lot easier. I won't go into the intricacies of the actual building process but I can touch on the important list to get your parts bought. I also wont get into the process of going about building it here. There is youtube for that and forums to learn about what works and what doesn't. Plus it would be long and boring.

Regardless of what you decide to do caliber wise, if you have an option for a multi-caliber lower do that. It is better to have options. There is the main reason. If you go into a store and buy an AR rifle and then decide you want to make it an AR pistol shorter than 16 inches barrel length then you technically cannot put a pistol upper on an AR Rifle lower. There is a lot that goes into this law wise and a lot of weirdness. But to make it easy if you build your own and start with a multi-caliber lower then it isn't "born" a rifle or pistol. Its whatever you decide it is and its not stuck with that designation. Rifles purchased in store complete are born and stuck the way they were built. Any changes to make it shorter you are dealing with the ATF and filling forms out and paying for stamps. Just avoid it. Buy a multi-caliber lower so you can shoot whatever caliber you like, and if you build your own then you can play around making it a rifle or pistol or even a short barreled rifle or SBR if you choose to and want to pay $200 to play.

An example: You buy a multical lower, build a 5.56/.223 upper and its 16 inches. You decide you want a 300 blackout build. Instead of going and buying an entire new gun from the store, with a built project you just need to build an upper and fit it to your lower. Provided your magazines for the 5.56 build work with it of course. If you bought it in store your lower will be stamped with what its chambered in.

Currently there is a list of many calibers that will work with standard AR15 lowers.

6 x 45
7 x 40
357 Mag Rimless
300 Whisper / .300Fireball / 300-.221
6.5 x 40
.30 Coyote (30 x 45)
.17 Remington
.17 Mach IV
.20 Tactical
.19 Calhoun
5.7 FN
.204 Ruger
6.8 SPC
30 HRT
338 Spectre
10 mm Mag
35/40
219 WASP-C
7.62 x 40
5.45×39
7.62 x 39
.338 x 39
6 PPC
6.5 Grendel / 6.5 AR / 6.5 PPC Improved
22 PPC
7 sCAR
30 Carbine
5.45×39 / .21 Ghengis
7 BR
6.5 BR
300 Sabre
8mm
458 SOCOM
44 Mag
440 CorBon
44 AMP
.475 Tremor
50AE
499LW
50 Beowulf
.50 BMG
.50 Blackpowder
9mm
45ACP
32ACP
22 LR
17 HV
10mm
7.62×25
224 BoZ
7.62×24
9×23
.357 Sig
.357 Auto
40S&W
223 WSSM
243 WSSM

There are more benefits legally from this standpoint. Since the lower is the "firearm" and its multi caliber you can do this without any issues. Have your FFL mark your lower as a PISTOL on the forms. That way if you decide you want a rifle or a pistol its no problem.

It is possible just to buy a complete upper already built and put together on the cheap. It is also possible to buy a complete lower already built as well. However the lower is serialized so it has to be done through an FFL. You can purchase online and have shipped to FFL holder in your area and pay for a transfer and background check. Your serialized lower IS the gun. Everything else part wise can be shipped to you directly. If you choose to do the prebuilt route that's fine but you lose the whole learning process through building it yourself. This is okay to do but I highly suggest learning to build yourself. Its very rewarding.



Parts List

Lower
Upper
Barrel
Gas System
Bolt Carrier Group
Charging Handle
Handguard
Muzzle Device
Lower Parts Kit
Upper Parts Kit
Sights 

This is the basic list of parts you will need. Parts kits will include a whole list of parts for the upper or lower. Cheap sets are going to be milspec. Milspec does not mean they are awesome quality but it means they are to specifications for the military. They are cheap and will work. Lots of people do not like milspec and later upgrade. That is perfectly fine. For the sake of my personal build I used mostly milspec parts. It functions just fine.

Considerations

There are parts you do not want to cheap on. The bolt carrier group and the barrel are the two primary things. They are the heart and soul of your AR. There are many materials and different companies producing quality parts, do your homework and find the right ones. The rest of the parts can be milspec and then switched fairly easily.  This cost effective way will leave money for the list of things that I listed previously many others forget about. Like ammo. Doing it this way will get you going if you are on a budget.

Stripped lower with parts kit. 

The process is pretty straightforward. In the building you can buy parts at your pace with little pain. Since you can time it out for whatever is comfortable you can do it as slow or as quickly as you like. You can buy the parts and then put it together as they come in. Order your stripped lower online and have it sent to your FFL. Transfer prices vary, but its usually $10-20. After you get the background check, everything else can be shipped directly to your home. Starting with the lower is suggested.

Upper with upper parts kit. Including charging handle.

Lower parts kits sometimes may include other free parts. Buy the ones that have free shipping and include gifts like muzzle brakes. You can also get complete lower parts kits that will include stock and buffer assembly parts. This may help save a ton instead of piecing it together part by part. This can get very expensive quickly. If its stuff that its not a big deal if its milspec, then do it. Same with upper parts kits. You can get deals that include free shipping and include other items sometimes.

Barrel kit with gas system.

Barrels may come with deals too where the gas system is included. Do it. If the kit is from someone reputable it will all work together no questions about it. Just make sure the parts fit your idea for a final build. Don't skimp of barrel. It can be swapped out and last a long time if its quality.

Complete BCG.

Same goes with bolt carrier group or BCG. I would opt to do a complete BCG purchase that is already keyed and built. The ones that require assembly may be cheaper, but a complete one that's built is far less hassle. Same as barrel don't skimp on the BCG. Make sure it matches the barrel type, caliber, and the feed ramp for the upper. Again. As with all the parts make sure they match what you are building. You can get charging handles and other parts with BCG deals. Do it this way if you can.

Handguard choices.

Handguards can be bought on the cheap. Even as little as $20-40. If you are not particular about them you can even get keymod for cheaper as its being phased out. Mlok is a bit more expensive because its relevant. Either way choose what you like and what fits what you need. Make sure the length is right for your barrel and your gas system. Also your muzzle device needs to be suited for your handguard. Lots of considerations here. Think about all of it before buying. Or else you are going to end up trying to sell it if it isn't what you are looking for exactly.

Birdcage muzzle device with crush washer.

Muzzle device is important but short answer for budget is a birdcage one can be had for free as a gift with other parts or is very cheap. $6-10 online usually. If you dont build your project with a recessed barrel inside the handguard these cheap options will work just fine for most.

Pop up sights, polymer. Or BUS back up sights paired with optic.

Sights are cheap too. If you need some back up sights or pop up sights, they are $10-20 online. They work just fine for most on a budget. They can be swapped out too later if you choose to upgrade to MAGPUL or something but they will adjust and work just as designed fine.

Check compatibility for parts before ordering online. Its smart to cross reference your parts throughout the entire process. Check, double check, then triple check. Dimensions and numbers matter. And even more important caliber matters. Parts for the AR are like adult Legos however you have to make sure the parts are the right specs for what you are building.

Ordering online

Online deals are great and perfectly legal. Look for the sort of deals that have free shipping and also may include other parts you need. Like for instance an upper parts kit may include a cheap birdcage muzzle brake. Or a barrel may include a gas system that goes with it. These things are a great way to cut total cost for the build. Take complete advantage of them. Wait until sales and special holiday pricing goes up. I cannot stress how many times I missed on deals had I waited one or two days in some cases for some special once a year inventory purge sale. Check your preferred websites regularly or sign up for email alerts and get the parts before they sell out. Yes, it is common for deals on gun parts to sell out very quickly so being able to snipe them quickly is essential.

Take your time to do it right. Buy the tools you need, watch videos on youtube, and scour forums or dedicated groups for advice throughout. Most collectives are quick to help out new builders with advice and direction. Expect the snobs to come out in full force. Do not mind them. Once your project starts to come together it becomes easier as you go. Just take it one step at a time. Get your lower finished, then work on your upper. And then prepare to test and break in your new build. Wear gloves. Be careful to make sure it doesn't explode with the first couple mags ran through. Then break it in properly with a couple hundred rounds.

I hope this had some info to make the building of an AR less daunting. It is not that difficult to do and is satisfying to have a complete firearm that you built with your own hands. I think the sense of pride one gets from building their own AR is probably similar to the way our ancestors felt making their axes and weapons for work and for self defense. If you are hesitant to get started maybe some of these tips will help you ease into the project. Hope it helps!

Hail the Old Gods!
Hail the Folk!
Hail the Wolf Pack!

DIY: Paint Your Guns

Recently in our little surviving Outdoors men/woman group on Facebook had some conversations about painting your gear. To me its pretty simple but the varied opinions from friends and acquaintances prompted me to do this write up for this month to share. Misconceptions and strong opinions were rampant, and mostly based on here say and not their own personal experiences. As per tradition we should dispel some of these myths and explain why you should/could paint your gear cheap and efficiently.

Should you paint your guns? If so, why?

I do not want to look like a LEO.
I also do not want my firearm to stick out like a sore thumb if I have to leave with it (being all black).
Its a tool, there are many like it, this one is mine.
If I take my tool into the woods I want it to blend in as much as possible.
Tactical boogaloo.
I also do not want to look like military if there is a time when both of us are in the same area.
It is also the cheapest easiest way by far to customize your weapons.

Most say no but some use their firearms as tools. If they are tools then its fitting they should go with what job or occupation you have for it. Are you going into the woods with it? Are you hunting with it? Are you a prepper type? These are all great reasons to paint your gear. Camouflage is important. If you use your firearms as tools and don't just store them away I say have at it. Paint your stuff up how you choose. Chances are that an all black gun and all black gear doesn't exactly go with those environments.

As for purists who say not to paint them, its like a car collector not putting miles on a car they love. It doesn't make any sense. Enjoy your things how you see fit. Also spray paint can be removed fairly easily. Unlike other methods like cerakote or duracoat. All methods will wear eventually. No matter how much you paid to complete your project.

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Supply List

Firearm
Spray paint colors - fitting for your job assigned to tool
Blue masking tape
Razor
Brake Cleaner
A suitable place to paint, well ventilated


It would seem like there would be a bunch of steps to do this properly but the truth is its straightforward. Yes, its easier than you thought. And I will walk you through how I chose to do it. With this being said I am at best a professional amateur. Meaning I have done this a handful of times to various items with no problems what so ever. There are a ton of ways to do this and many options but I chose to keep doing it this way after seeing results I liked.

If you can wait for a warm day that would be best. The paint dries better and will set up faster I think.

First step is to degrease the entire gun. You may use Gun Scrubber and pay $9, or just use brake cleaner. It does the same thing. Spray the entire gun down and get all the greasy spots. Get anything residue wise off of it first. Be aware of open spots that you do not want to get brake cleaner on. Like expensive optic glass etc.

After is degreased tape off any areas you do NOT want painted. This means your grips and rubberized areas especially. It will gum up and will be the opposite of operator. Sticky nonsense isn't fun so don't spray grips or rubberized parts unless that's a beast you want to mess with. Also T markings on rails, all of your glass, and your pins or parts for pop up sights. Be smart. Don't get paint inside your barrel, so block it up with tape. Use common sense here folks it isn't rocket science. Extend your stock if its adjustable all the way out. And remember to flip your selector switches, raise your sights and then lower them after you gone over it once or twice. Easy to forget these things.

If you taped everything up  you can pretty much paint with whatever colors you choose. I highly suggest something that fits your environment for the job you assigned your tool. My project for this was already painted grey so the background colors came through when I used netting to make a reptile scale pattern on it.

For paint its pretty simple too. Use matte or flat colors only. And if you are smart you will look at paint suitable for all of the surfaces you are planning on painting. So plastic, metal the whole works. Get something that will work for everything. Rustoleum has some really good cans for under $5.

Camo series ones are popular too for this sort of thing for obvious reasons. And stay away from the shiny stuff or Krylon. They use red rocket dog dick caps I absolutely despise for these projects that have an adjustable fan tip that clogs easy and generally works like shit. Avoid Krylon if you can.

When you start to paint go slow. Do not try to cover the gun the first time around. Just lightly dust it. Spraying 7-10 inches away I found works the best. It depends on what sort of coloration you want and patterns you are going for. Base coat may take 2 - 4 light coats. Then the top coats with the other colors may only take 1 - 3. All of it is greatly dependent on what you are wanting to do. My first initial grey paint job was 4 coats total and it worked really well. Later these added greens and patterns took 2 to finish it off. If you do it light, 6 - 10 coats will not be a big deal. Take your time and do it right the first time and get confident in what you are doing. Flip switches, raise sights, and move your stock appropriately to cover it all how you want it in the end. 

Paint doesn't need to be perfect. Imperfections make the project disappear in the woods and in the field. Change angles of spray, and your distance to change the coloration and spray pattern particle size. I'm not going to get into this here but you can look online for how to do some patterns that may work good to break up the outline of a solid black rifle in the field. Its going to wear. So battle worn will be the eventual reality if you at all use the tool you are painting. Precise painting doesn't matter for this. Special ops guys literally throw their firearms in the dirt and hit them with rattle cans 15 minutes before they leave for work. Being particular isn't going to do any good in my opinion. You are trying to go away from uniformity, and break up that guns shape as much as you can.

If you masked everything off right (AR15's you leave BCG in, charging handle, and just close dust cover) then after multiple coats of paint it should all be just fine. Check tape a few times and make sure no over spray gets in places you don't want it. Like on your glass.

Let it dry in the heat if possible. The longer you wait the better usually. It takes a week or two for everything to dry inside and to not be sticky generally. So be patient. Wait to take it out. I mean it. Wait. Wait longer than you anticipated. You can remove the tape and check your job out. If you don't like how it turned out you can also re tape and repaint it as needed. But give it time to dry 100% completely. In Summer time these project will dry faster in hot and less humid climates.

For my pattern, I used a laundry bag like you would be issued in basic training. It makes scales on the base coat like a lizard or snake would have. With the bag closer the scales are more defined. For a more blown out appearance you can lay it where its not as close to the surface for a blurry scale pattern. Turned out better than I planned.

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Why bother using spray paint?

Its forgiving and its cheap. If you ever screw up just paint over it. You can also remove it easily with brake cleaner and some love. It also makes it harder to sell the firearm. So if you love it paint it. It will be more difficult to move this way. Or so I have found. I don't care about degrading the value of an item I am beating like it owes me money. That excuse is stupid to me. "Why are you painting it, now its gonna be worthless..." I do not care. If I am using it and its being worn then its mine to do as I see fit. I never have cared for that reason for not doing something like this. If I am customizing it to suit a job then that is enough reason for me to continue doing it to my gear. Unlike most people with strong, uneducated opinions, I actually use my equipment. So if painting it makes it more suitable for what I am doing I do not care what someone else things or says about my gear.

For less than $20 in most cases you can paint anything. Just be smart about taping it up and prepping it properly. Be patient. Also if it gets cold and seasons change you can change the pattern easily for the price of one can to update it for the season. For instance, in the Midwest it gets real brown and tan in Winter as vegetation dies out. One can of tan can fix your firearm to match better in just a few minutes.

Other paint options are expensive and pointless. And that's money you probably should be putting into ammo and training instead.

Self defense is part of self reliance, a core tenant for the ways of the Norse and the old world. If you can't defend yourself and overcome challenges that come your way, then your ancestors clearly did not reach you and give you the memo that it is important. With that being said feeling familiar with your platforms of choice, suiting your surroundings, and having your head on a swivel is all part of that. The rifle and pistol is the modern axe or sword. Do not go into the field without it.

Stop making excuses. Paint your gear (if its suitable for its job) or don't, and get out there and practice with your tools.

Hail the Old Gods!
Hail the Folk!
Hail the Ancestors!

Words Mean Things and Words Are Magic.

Words mean things and words are magic.

I have had to say this a lot more often recently than in the past. And it's for good reason. It seems as though communication with people in relation to social media and just main stream media is continuing to get more difficult. With political splits and just relentless regurgitation of word salad it is clear that a lot of people do not clearly understand the words they say. And as a result, they do not know that the words they use are specific and mean something specific.

We live in a reality where buzzwords are all too common. The news particularity is a great example. To be clear there are two types of buzzwords I recognize. One is the type of language used in a business meeting setting (words like synergy, start up, sustainability, or visibility) and then the second type is popular words in culture especially in the political realm. Words like snowflake, cuck, SJW social justice warrior, deplorable, drain the swamp, MAGA, racist, fascist, libtard, all fall into this category. Why is it important to understand what these words are buzzwords? In short, it can tell you a lot about the individual.

If blessed with an opportunity for debate on social media you will probably hear these words being used in the banter. With that you can pretty much guess their slant. While I don't recommend arguing with randoms on the internet I can tell you from a spectator position you can gather all sorts of important info. What is lacking during most of these interactions is discourse. General debate on facebook for instance is a waste of energy and time. Time that can be used to do anything else. After a while of just watching and listening these interesting exchanges of buzzwords you can see why its counter productive to jump in.

For the most part, both extreme ends of the political realm does not know or understand the words they use fully. They have both unfortunately adopted these buzzwords and use them in slanderous ways to poke or jab the opposition. Which to the big picture is counter productive. Like a lot of people I enjoy debate with subjects I have information and an opinion on. The majority of the aforementioned do not seem to have either. They simply repeat the same things they have heard over and over again with no understanding of the words they use. Or rather the true meanings. All without any well rounded opinion outside of the mainstream vomit they learned. This is why arguing or debating with them is pointless most of the time. Well, atleast trying to argue in the same methods they are comfortable using is a complete waste of time and energy. But why does it matter?


I don't suggest using these buzzwords typically because of this. Encouraging and supporting logical thinking and critical thinking should be paramount to having positive discussion. Staying factual helps a lot too for whatever side you lean to. Even in the face of complete ignorance. These are learning and teaching opportunities. No one wins online arguments contrary to popular belief on the topic. More importantly be respectful at all times. Being respectful will give you a moral high ground when things start to get heated or derailed into other topics. Which is another important tip, stay on topic and on the subject at hand. All too often especially with internet debate it will fall way off course by the uninformed. Its a common technique used by those who don't have the informative material to use as ammunition to carry on a conversation with someone who is informed. Also it helps to know and understand fallacies which tells you how someone likes to debate and argue but that is an entirely different conversation and subject that deserves its own entry.

Why should this matter? In short, if these interactions are viewed as a learning/teaching opportunity instead of a poisonous online debate with a "no holds barred"sort of cage match rules to win, then you are hopefully and potentially changing someones point of view. This outlook is important especially for emotionally driven topics. And as a huge secondary and usually forgotten reason is that the people that are not engaged in the conversation may be reading it and making an opinion themselves. And that is vital.

The way we carry ourselves in life an online with all interactions may be viewed by a huge amount of people and it matters. While a huge majority of the population are just floating through life half asleep, repeating things they hear on the news and online, it simply is not beneficial to attack them verbally expecting them to mysteriously wake up and become red pilled to the realities we may clearly see. For those of us that are awake the process was not an easy one. And sometimes we may have to remember that. Easing these people who may not agree with us gently down the rabbit hole would be advisable. And through logical and factual conversation that is respectful is an easy way to do that.

Hearts and minds are turned more easily this way. Its hard to do it at first. Its easy to troll and use buzzwords but the results are usually not sought after. While I do not get into specific subjects or topics that this is applicable for or usually seen that part does not matter. Mostly because it can be used with any interaction online and in person.

Our words are magic. When we talk about magic we think of incantations and magic spells like seen in Disney movies or fiction. Latin and other made up or dead languages usually are the first thing that comes to mind. Like in those examples the words mean things. They are important. The result usually is something wildly mystical and otherworldly as a direct result of them. When we use the word magic today its generally received in this manner. And what I think is not understood is that our very words are magic. And what I mean is they have a huge potential to have a profound affect on someone. We have been pulled into an age where the majority of people have no idea this is the case. Our words mean things, and our words have the ability to be magical. To those of us that are awake we have to remember this. If it means repeating it daily, then do it. Words are magic and they mean things.

Maybe the short and the take away from this would be the following. Always encourage respectful, logical, and critical thinking and debate. Recognize political slants in individuals and in media sources. Avoid buzzwords and their typical negative affects. Be informative and factual. Recognize fallacies and the limitations of understanding in an individuals particular interactions. Be aware that these interactions and words we used are not only seen by those they are intended for but potentially many neutral bystanders as well. And remember that opening peoples eyes to other opinions or viewpoints may be difficult for them to absorb. So take care in this process. And most importantly words mean things, and they are absolutely magical.

Hail the folk!
Hail the Old Gods!
Hail the Ancestors!

So You Want To Carry A Gun

For whatever reason you have already made your mind up. With all the crazy we see on the news, in the paper, and especially online through social media services its not exactly a crazy thought. It's time to seriously consider carrying a firearm legally. As a law abiding citizen, you should!  In this entry I will touch on a few things I wish I had known before going the distance and pulling the trigger on what personal defense encompasses.

Are you ready to accept the responsibility as a carrier?

Before anything else this is something you have to come to terms with. Are you willing to possibly take another persons life and use lethal force if the need arises? Are you willing to risk your own life in this altercation? Are you accepting that in the scenario when you would need to utilize your right you may go to jail or prison for it? Even if you are the victim and victor in the scenario you should conjure up all of these are very real and very likely scenarios. The real world with self defense is gritty and nasty. We do not live in the movies the reality is much different. All too often this is a parallel needing to be dispelled. Pistol defense and self defense is gross. If you have children or a spouse can you see yourself being confident defending them? Are you capable of being their protector? If there are any doubts with these questions homework and research is needed. Situational awareness and your actions at all times are important. All times! Head on a swivel. Your duty never stops once this journey begins. You have more to risk as a legal carrier than someone else who does not. If you are not prepared to lose it all, go back to the drawing board. It may not be the time for you to dive in head first.

What are your state laws?

Depending on where you live your laws and even in your respective counties it may be different than someone else. Is encouraged to learn and find out these state laws first. States all vary and even reciprocity varies for people with permits to carry. Know those laws especially for neighboring states you may visit frequently. You may say, "Hey wait a second, I live in _________ and we have constitutional carry here, I don't need to have a permit to carry a firearm..." And you know what that's great. But I would suggest getting a license anyways in nearly every case. State laws and permits allow more legal carry options to the carrier. It also helps to have a permit along with your state issued license for carry if you are ever stopped. Having a CCW permit or license has actually aided in getting me out of petty warnings and tickets. It's something to think about. Know your state laws and know your neighboring states laws as well, and look into why having a state issued license is better than utilizing constitutional carry on its own. I know some people may not be able to legally get a ccw as well but their state may allow for open carry. This may be an option but be advised not every county within your state may allow it. Constitutional carry has limitations. And open carry is not usually suggested if the option to conceal carry is available.

Are you planning to train on a regular basis?

A CCW course is just the beginning. After you do that, your training does not end. You have to dedicate time and money to staying trained long after you have your permit. If you have an instructor for your classes that is worth their weight in salt, they should drive home that you will want to look into advanced classes to become a competent carrier. Almost always in the CCW classes I have sat in on probably 70-80% of the class thinks they can just go take a course for their state license carry permit and that is it. They are done. This is totally wrong. If you are planning on doing this you should plan for the long haul and this is the truth. Competent individuals should be going to the range on a regular basis training with their tools they plan to carry. If you are one of the people in the camps that think this isn't necessary then you should probably not plan to get a carry license. We train to get an upper hand, to be a victor and to be a winner. Self defense is never supposed to be a fair fight. You have to be better prepared than the bad guys you may encounter.



What is the monetary cost for carrying a gun legally?

Lets start from the top. You obviously need to pay for your CCW course or class(es). There also may be fees your state requires to process your application. Things like fingerprinting, background checks, and processing fees and the actual license. For my state a general rule of thumb here is you need more money than you think. Just for the first class and the application fees in Missouri its around $300. This will vary from state to state but this is the minimum just to get your permitting for us here in the Midwest. There are an assortment of other purchases people are not aware of. A pistol is essential but you will also probably need other accessories to go with it. Like spare magazines which can get expensive. A proper holster will be needed to for your carry set up. And lets not forget proper ammunition. Defensive ammo and break in ammo. You will need to practice with what you plan to carry. Don't forget general break in ammo! This is overlooked all the time. 200-500 rounds needs to be shot through your pistol just to get the firearm in carry order. Look to the manufacturers site or instruction book to see what they suggest. Defensive rounds get expensive, they get up into a $1 or more per round in with some brands. It is also highly suggested to get a safe that is attached to your vehicle in case you find yourself in a scenario where you can't carry in public. You should also have funds for a safe that can secure your sidearm at home that is easily accessible when needed. On top of all this, hearing protection, shooting glasses and some range gear will also be important as well to a competent carrier. See, were way past the $300 mark we originally set for just the essentials. More like the $500-700 range to get going on the road to competent CCW carrier. This is just the start and it can realistically be a lot more than even that. Saving up is a great place to start if you seriously consider becoming part of the armed citizen population.

Do you have a legal advisory contact or specific insurance for self defense?

I wont promote any specific company or any legal team but I can say that having a lawyer on hand or even purchasing policies through specific CCW carrier insurance groups may be worth your while. Its always good to look into it. It doesn't seem to be very expensive and it may be your biggest ally. Its easy to find a lawyer locally now with google right at our fingertips and same goes for self defense legal representation. For Concealed Carry Insurance you pay into it and if you ever needed to use it your prepaid amount starts exactly when you would need it most. If you ever had to use your handgun in self defense one of the first calls you should be making is to your lawyer or team to represent you. Some services specifically for CCW carriers can cost as low as $10 a month. Check out your options and see if you think this is fitting for what you may need. Your typical lawyer may be great for a lot of things, this may not be one of them. Get a lawyer who knows  the laws, supports citizen carry, and loves the 2nd Amendment. They are your greatest ally in this scenario.

There is a lot of things to consider when you decide to get your CCW permit and become part of the ever growing base of competent gun owners. Its not just going to the shop and buying the cheapest handgun and a $9 holster and deciding to open carry with your states constitutional carry law. There are many long term life long considerations to make. Responsible CCW carriers are people who make many changes in their lives to accommodate the privilege. Most of these things are not usually on the minds of people getting ready to get their permits or enroll in a class but find it out after they get going.

Hope this helps some of you out there. If you have any tips you have for budding gunnies shoot them my way. I love to open discussions on these topics.

Don't buy pink guns!  Don't skimp on defense ammo! And praise the 2nd Amendment!


Hail the Old Gods!
Hail the Folk!
Hail the Ancestors!