British Gun (& knife) Laws:

The 'Poms' do rather have their knickers in a twist about *GUNS* - of course they are ignoring the realities - well known by lawful shooters - that criminal violence is caused by ..  criminals - NOT by the item that they choose to use. (kitchen knives, screw drivers, drain cleaner, mopeds, golf clubs, trucks, cans of petrol ...).

Surprising facts are that there are in 'gun-banned UK' some 1.3 Million shotguns and 525,125 licensed other firearms.

As you would of course realize .. those licensed long-arms and the few remaining handguns seldom cause any issues.

The SUN newspaper reported that - so far this year - there have been 1,299 stabbings in London, 51 of them were FATAL. . LBC Radio is saying 5 new stabbings overnight -2 FATAL.
Crime figures released in July 2018 showed knife crime surged by 16-20 percent.

The total number of offences involving a knife or bladed instrument that have been recorded by UK cops in the year to March 2018 rose to 40,147, a seven-year-high.

GUN use in crime is up by close to 5%  - Meanwhile their right wing UK elected politicians have REDUCED Police numbers by nearly 21,000.

 Lawful sporting pistol shooters have to use weird joke adaptions - those "long handguns" (over two foot long) - that are a ridiculous way to have to use to maintain legal sport target shooting - (or the alternative "black powder guns")

 - And further regarding these LEGAL two foot long handguns ... haven't the authorities got enough imagination to realize that a loopy "NUTTER" would just use a saw to shorten the barrel and remove the long stock before going out as a 'live shooter'?

All these daft rules do is inconvenience and limit law-abiding citizens.

British "Muzzle Loading" Conversion .. NO Self Contained Cartridges.

.. but modern "black powder pistols" are reasonably usable for a skill based interest. It only takes around an hour to strip and clean one properly when you get home! - A stainless steel Ruger Old Army is a beautiful piece of gear & good fun to shoot. - Wouldn't it be great if Ruger started building them again.

Some links to UK video about UK firearms ownership currently:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=78VDHtA-6YE

- another video about current UK firearms users:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tT3cPwV4uTk

Knives: - To be honest I found this helpful gentleman rather boring - but he does explain that a Brit may have a folding blade 'penknife' with the blade shorter than 3 inches:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=01yHH7iZuvU

- Offensive weapons specifically Banned by The Home Office in UK. - This reviewer is amusing and correct in his comments. - as he says - more than 90% of UK criminal acts with edged weapons are with legal kitchen cutlery or 'box-cutters' & screw-drivers:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ag1v5NmJD-A

Thinking people know that BANNING things is a waste of time & money .. because the nutters and criminals invariably ignore the law. Why don't they try banning the criminals?

Marty K.

Eco 'GREEN' Bullets:

"America today ... New Zealand tomorrow.."

"GREEN" Ammunition Ain't Necessarily Green Colored.

Since 1380 when handguns were widely known across Europe - there have been repeated protests about the use of guns. - From the various (and often spurious) protests - one recent attack stream has been to focus on LEAD CONTAMINATION caused by traditional ammunition (.. ingested lead is nasty stuff.)

Shooting range sites are being threatened with any conceivable form of complaint .. Noise, traffic, pollution, safety, low flying aircraft, fallout-zones, - & the work of the devil - and simple 'NIMBY' .. Not In My Back Yard.

US Ranges are being shut because of lead contamination. Even the US Military who fire 700 MILLION practice rounds each year are being faced with cleaning-up their act.

 Lead bullets are the standard heavy metal projectiles - but most modern ammo has the lead core covered by a copper-alloy or nickel 'jacket' or recently a thinner electroplating of copper & polymer coating is being applied to some.

- Whatever kind of  jacket material is used to shield the lead core - the fact is that the main mass of the typical bullet remains lead and will likely be exposed to the environment on impact.

All around our planet laws are now being enforced that replace lead shot pellets with steel or other metals intended to be less toxic ... THAT'S IT BOYS. - protest as loud & long as you like - but if you now get caught hunting water birds in New Zealand with lead shot you will be fined and your equipment, guns, gear, and even vehicles may be confiscated.

As previously noted .. "Every practical problem has a practical solution - Your only REAL problem is people."

Well there is a possible solution looking over the wall already .. green bullets. - If the Banners pop-up on the ranges here after "solving" the lead shot issue for the ducks .. we may have to look at solid copper pills OR injection molded CuP bullets .. copper-polymer.

Some Solid Copper projectiles have a distinct performance feature as advertised in this scary video demo for RIP Ammunition. Link:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xIrl8fgvxhA

- And these PolyCase molded CuP bullets are also claiming high performance characteristics from their 'flute' design:

Injection Molded Cu-P Projectiles From PolyCase.

The Future? - Could Be .. 

US company ECOMASS, through it's PolyOne Corporation are supplying PolyCase Ammunition with their designer-blend nylon material to inject into multi-cavity molds. PolyCase are in turn supplying their projectiles to shooters via Ruger & under their own brand. Link:

http://www.ecomass.com/wp-content/uploads/Now-they-want-Plastics-to-be-Heavy.pdfhttp://www.ecomass.com/wp-content/uploads/Now-they-want-Plastics-to-be-Heavy.pdf

The use of specially formulated polymers blended with powdered metals - in this case copper blended with nylon 6 plus a small amount of chopped fibers - produces pistol ammunition that while less dense than lead can be driven faster to make good muzzle energy. These ARX rounds are devastating on live targets but break-up on hard surfaces (being frangible).

Projectiles for rifle men are being made using tungsten-polymer molded HGC - High Gravity Compounds. These rounds work well as lead-free 'Green Bullets' at higher velocities but may benefit from different twist rifling than standard to improve stability.

 "Guns & Ammo magazine named the PolyCase cartridge “Ammo of the Year.” Now marketed under the Ruger ARX line of ammunition, the projectiles feature a patent pending flute design molded from Gravi-Tech High Density Composite material."

If I were a New Zealand ammunition maker such as Belmont Ammunition - I'd be in contact with raw material supplier PolyOne Corp. and getting injection molding set-up 😁.

21 grain CCI Copper 22". (CuP)

1,926 feet per second.

Reviews of this very high velocity lead-free but expensive 22" rim fire round .. Review Links:

https://www.americanrifleman.org/articles/2016/11/10/tested-cci-copper-22-ammunition/

http://www.thetruthaboutguns.com/2016/09/jeremy-s/ammo-review-cci-copper-22-fastest-22-lr-ever/

Marty K.

Ricochet, 'Bullet Splash' & Stray Bullets:

Greg at ACTIVE RESPONSE TRAINING tells of some interesting & dangerous 'on range' incidents: Link:

http://www.activeresponsetraining.net/inspect-your-backstop-and-targets?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+ActiveResponseTraining+%28Active+Response+Training%29

Each case was close to being seriously worse .. Consider that these are avoidable accidents from SAFE Range shooting areas.

No-one wants to be "the guy who did it" or the one bleeding on a stretcher or gurney - I'm not sure which is worse.

Please do not use pitted steel targets on ranges.

Might Make an 'Art Door Stop' BUT DANGEROUS To Shoot

 at Any Distance - with Any Caliber

I've certainly been hit (on my forehead) with a small lead spall and my previous wee Honda car showed a ricochet skid "ding" on a rear door from the range. - I'd guess that many of us can tell a tale of a near miss .. AND THAT IS BAD.

If you ever see any target pitted like this - PLEASE scrap it immediately,

A 'DEATH WISH' Target.

Marty K.

EKO Cobra - Anti Terror Commando:

I am only slightly aware of this Austrian specialist police group because of my having been the factory agent here in NZ for Glock Ges. for some time.

After trying a Glock 18 select fire 9 mm in the underground Canberra Federal Police range (about 1989) - I was told the story of how the select fire version was requested by EKO and developed in 1986 for their anti-terrorist function.

Six months basic training after volunteering from the police and acceptance .. followed by additional 'specialist training'. - This unit mostly uses Austrian made weaponry from Steyr & Glock.

The tale was that these guys (then known as GEK) would carry their guns on duty at airports fitted with a standard 17 round magazine .. if terrorist activity started - they trained to fire that full magazine on auto into the air causing the innocent public to dive for cover - dump magazine - insert 30 round unit from belt - & then anyone remaining "on their feet" would be regarded as a potential 'bad guy' and treated appropriately.

Wikipedia explains that EKO Cobra (Einsatzkommando Cobra) is the elite Police Tactical Unit of the Austrian Federal Ministry of the Interior. EKO Cobra is not part of the Austrian Federal Police - but is directly under the control of the Federal Ministry of the Interior.

Here's today's 'funny': The name Cobra was coined by their press.-  It was a reference to the US TV series Mission: Impossible - that was shown on German TV under the title Kobra, übernehmen Sie. - Appearing first in June 1973.

 - The Federal Ministry of the Interior changed the unit's name from GEK to EKO Cobra in 2002 .. Well why not? (give a dog a name etc ... who says Germans & Austrians don't have a sense of humor?).

Wikipedia's page on EKO Cobra .. Link:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/EKO_Cobra

Marty K.

What's this then - another joke?

I know some club shooters Who'd Love a "Double Glock".

 A 'doppelglock' for a 'Homeboy'

https://www.thefirearmblog.com/blog/2011/02/28/double-glock-full-auto-pistols/

U.S. ATLAS V Rocket RUSSIAN Engines:

I'm wondering if there may be any connection between Trump's announced new SPACE FORCE and their recent issues with buying Russian made RD-180 rocket engines.

US ATLAS V launch rockets have depended on their first stage fitted with the Russian NPO Energomash made engines since 2000.

Who knew that US abandoned their own design rocket in 2008 'cos it wouldn't perform?

US Congress has been wobbling about buying these cheap option Ruskies for years while Corporate Lobbyists have been paying big dollars to have American future designs adopted ... meanwhile - Russian Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Rogozin may have spiked all the US guns by announcing that they wouldn't supply them any more anyway - because the Pentagon was using them for military purposes.

US Military Atlas V Launch.

Sooo - Boycotts - Bans & Bollocks ..

- Will Trump's Great American Space Force rely on Russian launch rockets to get up there and shoot any red-painted satellites out of the sky? - Who's got shares in ENERGOMASH?

Do we live in corrupt times? - Do you speak Russian? ... Do you speak American?

Marty K.

WWII Smatchet & "The Welch Knife':

Captain Fairbairn's SMATCHETS were used by both the British SAS and the American OSS in World War II.

The Smatchet was associated with both Fairbairn and Applegate of WWII - having a 16.5 inch (42 cm) leaf shaped blade .. over 2 foot O.A.

 Described in the OSS catalogue as a cross between a machete and a bolo, it certainly is a large & heavy fighting knife.

A Spanish BOLO Bayonet.

Ghurka Kukri.

 - it was actually based on the Royal Welch Fusiliers Trench Knife of World War I, which was designed by armourer Felix Joubert as a pure combat knife and that was based on ancient bronze-age leaf shaped swords. It has a broad, leaf-shaped blade sharpened the full length on one side, and from the tip to half of the other side. The entire blade was coated with a dull matte finish to prevent detection at night from stray reflections.

WW II SMATCHET by 'Case'.

The Welch Fusileer's WWI Trench Knife:

Designer of the Welsh Trench Knife "Joubert" claimed in his patent application that the knife was based on 'the well known and historic Welsh cledd' (or cleddyf).  However, no form of such knife is known to exist and it seems likely this was a connection Joubert made to appeal to the nationality of De Walden and his regiment.  Instead Joubert's design appears to be based upon the leaf-shaped swords of the late Bronze Age, found throughout Europe.  His weapon is a much broader, more robust version than the sword types it is based upon, well suited to survive the rigours of life in the trenches.  The addition of a 'skull-cracker' pointed pommel is so that even the base of the 'Welsh knife' can be used offensively, if there is no room to employ the weapon blade first.  A wrist loop through the hilt to prevent the weapon being dropped in combat was added along with a folding guard protected the hand, and also enabled the weapon to be worn flush to the body when sheathed.  Some blades were engraved 'DROS URDDAS CYMRU', which translates as 'For the honour of Wales.'

Use and effect

The weapon was carried by the battalion's Lewis gunners at the Battle of Messines, June 1917, as they are recorded as having advanced 'carrying the strange knives furnished by Lord Howard de Walden'. Lieutenant-Colonel Lloyd-Williams, who later in the War was second in command of the battalion, stated that 'all machine gunners and bombers were always equipped', with this knife and 'every member of a raiding party was so armed'.  Certainly surviving numbers would corroborate this claim as although rare, surviving numbers suggest there were more produced than would have been needed for the battalion's 17 Lewis gunners."

The Welch (Welsh) knife is HEAVY at over a kilo for the naked blade and likely was as useful as a trench club with 'skull crusher pommel' as it was as a cutting tool.

- personally I have a 30 year old $5 Chinese made machete that is well used for hacking firewood & kindling stuff.

Marty K.

Americana - In Guns We Trust:(I'm A Poet)

- Just the add-ons to dress-up your favorite patriot rifle:

Hawke Sidewuinder ED 10-50x60 Scope

- With the Spike's Tactical Spartan Helmet 'LOWER RECEIVER' & Magazine well:

Personally I think that this stylish $350+ Lower would be even better if you get it Gold Plated.

.. I'm guessing that their tactical designers are busy as we speak - working on the Mk.II 'Great American BaseBall Cap' tactical lower receiver - that features a sculpted & detailed solid orange anodized aluminum figurehead of President Donnie.

this will nicely blend with the Dane Armory 'Free FLOATER' hand-guard and barrel cap ..

And custom Billet Aluminum Tactical Pistol Grip ..

anodized in correct Tactical Orange color too.

All complemented with Tactical Flag Skin Magazines

The Nimrod's Prayer

Range Officer which art in Heaven - please help me shoot my 1911.

Give us this day our single stack - but help me hit center and black.

Check my pathway through that Gel - only six inches, bloody hell.

Should I wander from the road - teach me how to lock and load.

Lead us from all calibers but the forty-five - deliver us from flinching and keep our legends alive.

For Colt is thine word and the light - and keep my eyes on that front sight.

In guns we trust and the G O P - keep my AR15 dry and free.

Keep my triggers light, smooth and shiny - not affected by the briny.

Make all our guns strong and loud - carry chest high by Patriot proud.

For ours is the Greatest and the hour - Space Force ready for the power.

Thy Will keep HumVees in orbit, lasers too - grab space control for the few.

For ever and ever .. with Democrats Never.

 Ah men.

Marty K.

Yeah.