While these survival comfort items may not be entirely necessary, they can make the process much easier while also helping improve your mental health. #urbansurvivalsite #survivalitems #comfortitems #survival #prepared
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I got an email recently that said… I have not had much success the past few years in growing food. I tried Mel Bartholomew’s square foot gardening last year without luck, problems with bugs, too little or too much water … Continue reading →
Episode-2560- Raised Bed Gardening for Dummies Read More »
Tread Labs Pace Insole Review
A few months ago, we got in touch with the American company Tread Labs which produces insoles for various types of footwear and activities. All Tread Labs insoles are specifically designed with arch support in mind and thus each model is available in four different arch heights. Now, I’m not an expert in arch support, but according to various studies the right level of arch support can increase balance, stability, recovery and running economy. Since every foot is unique, shoes and boots rarely fit one’s arch height perfectly. The more your arch height differs from the average arch height, the worse the fit.
I never had problems with arch support because I have quite normal arch height. Nevertheless, I was eager to test the Tread Labs Pace insoles and see how they compare to other insoles. The Pace insole belongs to the Pain Relief series and is designed to relieve pain from plantar fasciitis and other foot ailments. For the last couple of months, I’ve been wearing the Tread Labs Pace insoles for hiking, running and everyday use, and below is what I learned about them.
The Tread Labs Pace Insoles are suitable for:
The Tread Labs Pace insole consists of two parts: a stiff arch support and a replaceable top cover. The arch support is attached to the top cover with a Velcro-like system. When I unwrapped the package, I was a bit skeptical over the concept because I doubted that the Velcro system could keep the arch support in place during intensive activities such as running. However, once I started wearing the insoles, I figured out that the Velcro-like system indeed holds the arch support in place regardless of the activity. It attaches the arch support to the top cover very firmly and I haven’t encountered any problems during the testing period.
The main benefit of this two-part system is that you don’t have to buy a whole new insole in case that the top cover gets worn out or you change to footwear where the top cover doesn’t fit in. Tread Labs also sells top covers separately and they are really not expensive. A top cover for the Pace insole will cost you merely $16 while the whole insole retails for $65.
The arch support is made of a relatively stiff plastic material while the top cover is made of polyurethane. I found both pieces high-quality and sturdy. So far, I haven’t noticed any durability issues but if I do later on, I will of course update this review.
When I put the insoles in my Lowa Innox shoes for the first time and went on a short walk, I quickly noticed that the insoles indeed add stability. The shoes felt much more stable and comfortable on my feet. Furthermore, the position of the foot also seemed better due to the extra arch support. After that I started using the insoles for sports as well and I was very satisfied with their performance. The only complaint I have is that the insoles are not as breathable as the original insoles of my hiking and running shoes. The Tread Labs insoles are somewhat thicker and have a plastic arch support in the heel area which obviously decreases the breathability to some extent. On the other hand, I was very satisfied with their moisture-wicking performance. The insoles nicely pulled moisture from my socks during intensive activities. They also seem to be treated with an antimicrobial agent as I’ve been wearing them for quite some time now, and there are no signs of odor.
The Tread Labs Pace insoles are available in European sizes 35 to 47 (US sizes 4 to 13.5 for men and 5 to 12.5 for women). Since the insoles can be trimmed, getting the right size really isn’t a problem. I got the insoles in EU size 44 and they were slightly too long to fit into my shoes. So, I just followed this guide from Tread Labs to trim them with a scissor and in a couple of minutes they fitted perfectly. However, getting the right arch height can be a bit trickier. Tread Labs has a convenient fitting guide on their website and according to the guide I should go for the medium arch height insole. Nevertheless, the medium arch height insole was a bit too high for me. Tread Labs subsequently sent me the low arch height insole which fits me much better. So, if in doubt I recommend going for a lower arch height than the fitting guide.
All in all, I’m really satisfied with the Pace insoles. They provide great support, improve the position of the foot and make you footwear more comfortable. They are also suitable for just about any activity, from running to hiking. I was also very satisfied with moisture-wicking performance and odor resistance. The only downside is that they are slightly less breathable than insoles that come with high-quality hiking and running shoes. Nevertheless, the insoles have served me great so far and I’ll keep using them for hiking, running and everyday use.
If you have any questions about this product, drop me a line in the comments below.
Tread Labs Pace Insole – Packaging
Tread Labs Pace Insole – The insole is shaped to provide great arch support
Tread Labs Pace Insole – The top cover is attached to the arch support with a Velcro-like system
Tread Labs Pace Insole – The arch support attaches firmly and securely to the top cover via Velcro-like system
Tread Labs Pace Insole – The top cover material is sturdy and durable
Tread Labs Pace Insole – The Pace insole can be trimmed for good fit
Rating
| Design |  |
| Quality | |
| Comfort |  |
| Functionality | |
About Rating
Pros:
Cons:
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Okay first this is not yet an official item of the day. But I just got a referral on them from a listener named “Chuck” and after doing some initial research I just ordered a set for my own use … Continue reading →
Heads Up on a New Grow Light – Barina LED 6 Packs for 60 Bucks! Read More »
Worn-out kitchen countertops can be a great eyesore for any homeowner. Your home is supposed to be your happy place; not where you are constantly met by the ugly sight of stains and cracks....
The post Expert tips on countertop resurfacing appeared first on The Homestead Survival.
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The best camping season, IHO, starts when the snow flies. Here’s why you should consider winter camping.
Ten best reasons for winter camping Read More »
Surviving and Thriving has partnered with CardRatings for our coverage of credit card products. Surviving and Thriving and CardRatings may receive a commission from card issuers. Opinions, reviews, analyses and recommendations are the author’s alone, and have not been reviewed, endorsed or approved by any of these entities.
(This is the first in an occasional series of articles focusing on saving serious dough. A little background can be read here.)
Black Friday? How about Black November?
Not long ago, Black Friday – the day after Thanksgiving – was considered the kick-off for the holiday shopping season. The timetable has been moved up, though.
This year, some retailers offered “Black Friday in April” or “Black Friday in July” deals, and recently the National Retail Federation reported a phenomenon called “Black November” – big deals offered on Nov. 1, with more to come before Nov. 29.
Some of the busiest shopping days of the year, however, are the days between Thanksgiving and Cyber Monday. In 2018, an estimated 165 consumers spent an average of just over $313 during that five-day period.
“People plan their attack, and where they’re going to go. It’s a sport,” says shopping expert Trae Bodge, a senior editor at Retail Me Not.
The NRF predicts an uptick in buying this year: as much as $730.7 billion spent during November and December 2019, even though the 2019 holiday shopping season is six days shorter this year than last.
I’m not doing my part this year. In fact, I plan to spend relatively little in November and December. If you’re reading this site, chances are you’re right there with me, for one or more of the following reasons:
Personally, I love giving presents. It makes me happy to provide things that people want or need. It’s fun to see the looks on my nephews’ faces when they unwrap, say, an item from their Amazon wish list or a gift card to one of their favorite stores.
Yes, I love giving presents. But I refuse to go into debt for them.
According to a new study from Bankrate.com, almost two-thirds (63 percent) of adults in the United States have felt pressured to spend more than they can afford.
Fie on that. I say again: Fie! Do not break the bank for one day a year. Here are some of the tactics I use to give a whole lot of gifts without spending a whole lot of money.
Not every tactic will work for every person; for example, maybe you don’t own any rewards credit cards or have access to a great book sale. But at least some of these ideas should work for everyone.
The ones I use most often are Swagbucks, Coke Rewards, MyPoints and Inbox Dollars. You earn points through activities like doing online searches, answering surveys and shopping, then trade them in for gift cards and other items. (Pro tip: Swagbucks lets you cash in for PayPal credit.)
The exception is Coke Rewards, which has changed from the original My Coke Rewards program. Formerly you could accrue points and trade them in for movie tickets, T-shirts and other goodies. Now the program is mostly about entering sweepstakes – but throughout the year they also put up gift-card offers. Earlier this week it was “enter four codes for a $2 Target e-gift card.”
Pro tip: You can have up to five accounts per household – in other words, your household could have received up to $10 worth of Target scrip. Not that a true frugalist would be averse even to just $2 off.
These are my go-to gift sources. At times I cash in points for gift cards and use them to shop, but mostly I give the gift cards themselves as gifts. Not everyone is nuts about gift cards as gifts, but the folks to whom I give them seem genuinely happy with these things.
And if that’s not you? Again: Use them to buy gifts for your relatives and friends. Or apply the points you earn as a statement credit against the next month’s bill, and pay for your gifts that way.
I do fewer of these than I once did, but they’re still useful. Yesterday I did a short one (maybe 10 minutes?) for Radial Insight and was instantly given my choice of $3 gift cards (Target, Amazon and many others). Some other good sites are Survey Junkie, Pinecone Research, Toluna and ClearVoice.
Avoid any survey sites that:
About that last: You should never have to pay to take or complete a survey. Companies are supposed to pay you. “Membership fee” is synonymous with “scam.” Start a new e-mail address just for the surveys, and don’t give out bank info; you should be paid in gift cards or by check or PayPal.
Pro tip: As noted above, rewards sites like Swagbucks, Inbox Dollars and My Points have surveys.
Earlier today I picked up two really fun, dog-related gifts this way. They’re in perfect condition. In fact, they may never have been used at all because some people have been using the group for rage purging.
For a little background on this phenomenon (including how to find groups in your area), check out “Need something? Buy Nothing.”
Haven’t used this service much lately, but it was very helpful to me in Seattle (for giving as well as receiving). If you have a Freecycle group in your area, take a look at what’s being offered. You might luck out.
This free service has a (sometimes deserved) reputation for sketchiness. Check its “free” section first, then search for the snowboard or guitar or whatever gift you’re looking to acquire. Again, you might luck out.
When I was back in college at midlife, I won an iPod Shuffle in a campus drawing; got home, put it on Craigslist and almost instantly had half a dozen offers. The guy who bought it said it was for – you guessed it – a Christmas present.
Someone in your area might have the perfect balance bike for your toddler, or Marvel collectible figurines to light up your geeky girlfriend’s eyes.
Not unlike the Facebook pages mentioned above, these sites give people a chance to get rid of things they no longer want – which means you get great deals. What’s available, of course, depends on where you live and who’s selling.
Not necessarily “library-book sales,” either. Our local library has twice-annual sales of donated books along with library books that are being let go.
You’ll find a lot of best-sellers for sale – people don’t necessary once to keep these things once they’ve read them (or pretended to have read them for book club). The prices are great, especially if on the last day they offer a single price for everything you can fit into a bag.
And speaking of libraries, don’t neglect…
These small repositories, scattered through neighborhoods all over the country, might be a source for a children’s gift – or an adult’s, since some of them have grownup novels and nonfiction. If the book is too beat-up to give, then don’t do it. But you might find something in great condition.
Pro tip: Bring a book you no longer want and leave it for someone else. You de-clutter your house a little each time you do that, and somebody somewhere gets to read something new.
See above.
These vary widely in terms of condition and selection. But sometimes la segunda will have just what you need. My favorite, oft-cited example: an elaborate (and unopened!) jigsaw puzzle of a section of the Sistine Chapel ceiling, for 35 cents.
Think of it as a treasure hunt on behalf of a relative or friend who’s crazy about Fiestaware, craft supplies or old-school board games. The thrift store is yet another place to find good books to give.
Again with the books: When I visit my daughter in Phoenix, I make it a point to hit The Dollar Tree’s book section. A lot of the hardbacks are so-so but I’ve found some excellent fiction there for a buck.
You could also prowl the rest of the store to make up themed gifts, such as “Stuff For First Apartment” (potholders, dish towels, measuring cups and spoons, vinegar, baking soda) or “Movie Night” (several kinds of snacks and candy paired with a dollar DVD).
Anyone else remember when the big three drugstores outdid one another in offering these deals? They were especially fun if you had coupons, i.e., you were paid to use the items.
That’s died back quite a bit, but during the holidays retailers tend to offer items that are free (or cheap) after rebates. Find and follow a deal blogger, or search for “free after rebate Black Friday” or something. These things make great stocking stuffers* or even gifts (if I recall correctly, it was Kohl’s that does free-after-rebate small appliances each year).
If you’re buying for a young adult who’s shocked by how much everything costs when you’ve got student loans and a starter salary, may I suggest the “grownup Christmas stocking” idea? It came from someone I interviewed for MSN Money, and I thought it was a swell notion: All year long, this woman accumulated useful items either free or very cheaply with coupons and rebates, and divided them among copy-paper boxes to give to her grown children. All of them loved getting stuff like shampoo, body wash, lotion, razors, deodorant, laundry soap, cleaning supplies and other essentials. It cost her very little, but it was a huge boost to their budgets.
Pro tip: Each week sites like CouponMom.com will match rebates and coupons with sales at drugstores, supermarkets and dollar stores.
You just knew I was going to bring that up, didn’t you? It can work, though, as long as the gift is appropriate, in excellent condition and – most important – not originally given to you by its intended recipient. My favorite anecdote is the woman who gave a cookbook with a $100 bill tucked inside as a wedding gift. A couple of years later the couple gave it back to her as a Christmas gift. And yep, the $100 bill was still in it.
You might not be able to do all of this year’s holiday shopping this way. Certainly the garage sale season is over and done here in Anchorage, and maybe where you are, too. But you might have some luck with with thrift shops, the Buy Nothing group and others.
It’s also a bit late to build up a ton of rewards points, unless you do a lot of online shopping or answer a lot of surveys. But you might earn enough to get a few things.
Your turn, readers: What are some of your favorite frugal hacks for holiday shopping?
*I’ll soon be giving away a batch of stocking stuffers. Stay tuned.
(Surviving and Thriving has partnered with CardRatings for our coverage of credit card products. Surviving and Thriving and CardRatings may receive a commission from card issuers.)
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I’ve been working with some of the amazing people in the OSINT world for a while. Most are amazing and so willing to share ideas. So we decided to create a trusted, online resource at https://OSINTCurio.us
OSINT – “a method of using open source tools to collect information from publicly available sources and then analyse it in order to make a decision or take some action.” (https://www.computerweekly.com/tip/Using-open-source-intelligence-software-for-cybersecurity-intelligence)
curious – “marked by desire to investigate and learn” (https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/curious)
OSINT curious – A desire to learn, investigate, explore, share, and understand the growing field of Open Source Intelligence (OSINT).
As an OSINT teacher (SEC487) and practitioner, I find that, the more I ask questions about the data I find during OSINT work, the richer, deeper, and more successful my assessments. In one of my recent classes, I explained to students that getting results from a search is a fine result. They should also be looking for pivot points (additional data to search on and possibly change the direction of the investigation).
I’ve seen far too many people perform a search and then copy and paste the results into a report without performing the analysis and without looking for additional information.
Being OSINT curious is almost the the opposite of the cyber security ideology “Don’t click shit.” When we see a profile page, we click all the links. We harvest all the data to analyze and refine our work. The more OSINT curious we are, the more we find and collect.
You can learn to be OSINT curious. Some of the traits I’ve seen in people that are, are below:
So I ask you,
If you are, visit the https://osintcurio.us community site!
We are OSINTCurious! Read More »
Wikipedia has the following to say about a concept called “Confirmation Bias”: “the tendency to search for, interpret, favor, and recall information in a way that confirms one’s preexisting beliefs or hypotheses. It is a type of cognitive bias and a systematic error of inductive reasoning. People display this bias when they gather or remember information selectively, or when they interpret it in a biased way. The effect is stronger for desired outcomes, emotionally charged issues, and for deeply entrenched beliefs.” Basically, when one is looking for results or an answer, one tends to view drawn conclusions or perform research in a manner that supports a conscious or subconscious pre-existing bias.
By Drew, contributing author to Survival Cache and SHTFblog
I’ll fully admit to initially having been under the influences of a full-blown confirmation bias when I first laid my eyes on the Windham Weaponry R16FTT-9MM carbine. My first impression upon seeing Windham Weaponry’s new carbine was probably similar to how might you feel handling any other Armalite-pattern rifle for the first time: “Yup, it’s another AR.” And that’s what I thought this platform would be; yet another AR. I knew there were some interesting features, but overall, I thought the 9mm carbine would fit into the same manilla envelope that other ARs do, because I had a preconceived notion of what this little black rifle was all about. And I was pleasantly surprised to find that actually running this carbine through its paces steered me away from looking for data to support the conclusion I thought I already knew.
Pistol Caliber Magnificence
The Windham Weaponry R16FTT-9MM is a stellar piece of gear – well thought out but not over-designed to the point of lunacy. The whole package is approximately the same size as your standard M4 carbine, being about 6 ¾ lbs empty with no accessories, and just shy of 31” long with the stock collapsed all the way in. A 16 inch long medium-weight barrel (with no flash hider or brake) incorporates a 9mm-standard 1:10 rifling twist to stabilize heavier bullets for subsonic loads without compromising light-bullet accuracy. All the standard AR goodies are included: a free-floating anodized aluminum handguard, a 2” removable rail section for mounting accessories, and a full-length Picatinny rail that runs continuously from the back of the receiver all the way to the forwardmost point of the handguard. The A2-style pistol grip and 6-position telescoping CAR-style cuttstock are molded plastic, while the aluminum receivers are hard anodized in a pleasing, flawless matte black. The controls are all where they should be and operate the same as any AR would. The provided trigger is the expected Mil-Spec standard setup, and is compatible with all aftermarket AR-15 fire control systems. Nothing groundbreaking here, but no departures from the norm either – a huge benefit for training if you already run an AR-15.
When you break the receivers apart, however, you start noticing the changes that make this Windham Weaponry rifle unique. First off, the ejector is fixed into the lower receiver via two beefy allen screws, and juts upwards from just behind the magazine well – much different (and far simpler) than the plunger ejector that lives inside standard AR-15 bolts.
And speaking of bolts, popping the R16FTT-9MM’s bolt out of its upper receiver raceway will reveal the big surprise: this gun runs as a straight blowback. That’s right: no gas tubes, no gas ports or blocks, no gas keys to loosen and leak. No separate rotating bolt for a Multi-piece BCG. The gasses from the round going off in the chamber push the bolt backwards and start the process of the carbine’s semi-automatic cycling; the rifle’s springs and physics perform the rest of the work. The straight closed-bolt blowback system has been around for over a century now and is well-developed and dependable – and it’s a great, reliable choice for the operation of this little carbine. Less moving parts than HK’s roller-delayed system, no weird dissimilar metals friction like a Thompson’s Blish Lock. No wildly unpredicatable accuracy from firing from an open bolt. No fuss, all simple, reliable goodness. It should even work well as a suppressed rig, too; no worrying if your gas port is correctly sized or properly gassed.
Glock Perfection in an AR package
The real crowd-pleasing aspect of the Windham Weaponry 9mm carbine is its ability to source its high-velocity meals from 9mm Glock magazines. That’s right, proud Glock 17, 18, 19, 26, 34, et.al., owners can now run a high-quality AR platform carbine that feeds from magazines that are already on-hand. For SHTF planning, the utility is obvious – both your long gun and your sidearm can utilize the exact same magazines, easing your logistics strain as you pile up stacks of double-stack Glock magazines.
Also read: Magpul PMAG27 Glock Magazine
Making magazine acquisition even easier is the fact that Magpul now offers high-quality, inexpensive 9mm Glock magazines; as a matter of tact, our subject carbine shipped with a Magpul 17-round magazine straight from Windham Weaponry.
Since the carbine landed in my lap, I’ve been buying up a decidedly inconsistent mixture of polymer mags; 15-round Glock 19 and 17-round Glock 17 magazines, 33-round Glock “Giggle Sticks”, along with a complement of 15, 17, and 21-round Magpul GL-9 magazines. Every single one of them locks into the magwell securely and feeds the little 9mm rounds like greased snot through the blowback action of the Windham Weaponry 9mm Carbine.
The 9mm Glock magazine compatibility is a Godsend to those wanting to design a single-caliber centerfire pistol/carbine plan; instead of trying to source the clunky Colt stick mags, SIG Sauer’s proprietary $60-each MPX magazines, or even pricier MP5 magazines, you can walk into any Cabela’s or reasonably well-stocked gun store and find rugged, proven magazines on the rack for dirt money; my last purchase was a Magpul 17-round magazine for $15.99 at Cabelas. I even found used Magpul 15-round mags at a local gun shop for $10 each. Though I don’t know why someone would discard anything that has “Magpul” moulded into it, I snatched them up with glee and they function with aplomb. I bought the 33-round Glock-made mags for $25 each on sale from Brownell’s.
Icing on the polymer cake: while there are several manufacturers who make 9mm AR lowers – a few of whom manufacture with Glock magazine capability – whittling down this increasingly-crowded category further is the need for a 9mm AR lower that runs on Glock mags, AND ALSO locks the bolt back when the mag runs dry. The Windham Weaponry 9mm carbine checks all the above boxes with a flawless bolt hold-open feature. A rifle that’s theoretically designed for battle or competition (or maybe really intense hunting?) should absolutely lock the bolt back when the mag runs dry. Major kudos to Windham Weaponry for making sure the rifle operates as we expect an AR-platform rifle should.
Suppressor Ready
Since pistol caliber carbines are immensely popular no doubt due in part for their ability to be effectively suppressed, Windham Weaponry provided the 9mm Carbine without a muzzle device – just a knurled thread protector at the danger end of the barrel. Unscrew the thread protector to expose the muzzle device threads. Windham Weaponry’s page for this particular model says these threads are ½” x 28 threads per inch – however I did note a company newsletter that stated all 9mm models are produced with ½” x 36 thread pitch. The moral of this story: if you’re looking to install a suppressor on your Windham Weaponry 9mm, be sure to double check the thread pitch.
I visited my buddy with the SIG Sauer MPX-C that I reviewed a couple years ago so I could do a 9mm carbine comparison and take advantage of the SilencerCo Octane 9HD that he obtained for the SIG. However, the muzzle thread pitches are entirely different between the two guns, so I sadly wasn’t able to play with the Windham Weaponry 9mm suppressed. And with the thread adapter for an Octane 9 being about $90, I’ll have to save the suppressed report (pun intended) for a later date. But the ability is there, so a tax form is in my future, I predict. I mean, it only makes sense, right? Right.
Not Bad Out Of the Box, But…
Windham Weaponry kits out the 9mm Carbine with standard AR accoutrements that are perfectly functional, but I personally feel a touch dated in this ergonomically enhanced and developed firearms worldview. The standard provided collapsible buttstock is a mildly-enhanced throwback to Colt’s Vietnam-induced CAR-15/XM177 design of the 1960s, and the A2 style pistol grip is unchanged since the introduction of the M16A2 variant from the early 1980s. The black nylon sling is really just a strap with zero quick adjustability when installed between the provided QD rail mount and the telescoping buttstock.
Some may argue that these designs are perfectly adequate and functional, and they are absolutely right. However, after having my cheek pinched in some buttstock-receiver extension junctions a couple times, and wrestling with trying to retrofit a proper two-point sling on the buttstock, I just bit the bullet and purchased a black Magpul CTR buttstock and MOE pistol grip. These two simple additions added a touch of storage and a healthy serving of increased utility with the ability to properly mount a Blue Force Gear Vickers two-point sling on QD mounts fore and aft. This setup proved its worth on a carbine course and during numerous drills at the sandpit. Don’t get me wrong: Windham Weaponry provides a serviceable setup out of the box – and props to them for providing a complete package – but for a few extra bucks (MOE Grip – $20, CTR Stock – $60, Blue Force Gear Sling $55) you get a pistol-caliber wonder carbine that wants for nothing in the ergonomics and utility department.
Heads up though: when I yanked the original buttstock off the 9mm carbine to find that the stock receiver is of the Commercial variety, not the Mil-Spec configuration. I checked with Windham Weaponry, and they confirmed that most of their rifles go out the door with Commercial extensions, since the .03” narrower diameter allows the use of both Commercial and Mil-Spec stocks. Just be forewarned – it may be easier to find additional colors and configurations in the Mil-Spec sizes (as the industry as mostly standardized the use of Mil-Spec components), but they will rattle and wiggle just a tiny bit when used on Commercial tubes. Fully functional, just a bit annoying, if that sort of thing bothers you. Just an FYI.
The only other change I made was to swap out the stock style charging handle for a BCM Gunfighter Mod 4 piece with a left-side extension. More on the important “why?” of that modification here in a second – and it ain’t just for increased handle leverage.
You’ll also need to source sights and/or an optic to run this carbine properly. I had some kicking around, thankfully – but a set of decent BUIS will be probably around $60-70 to start – and optics can range from Wal-Mart $39 cheapies to red dots and ACOGs that will make you take an unsteady knee when you pull out the wallet. The Windham Weaponry 9mm AR carbine’s picatinny rail will gladly give any of them a solid home.
Yeah, But How Does It Shoot?
Ahh, here’s the question I’m sure most of you are dying to know the answer to. As soon as this little beast was in my sweaty palms, I grabbed a couple boxes of ammo and headed to the sandpit to get the 9mm Carbine dialed in and ready for some real-world testing. A Vortex AMG UH-1 holographic sight was mounted on the rail along with some folding sights. I planned on dialing the rifle in for 100 yards – from previous experience with the SIG Sauer MPX I knew that was about as far away as a 9mm is happy to go. The provided Magpul 17-round magazine was loaded up with some Winchester 124-grain FMJ ammo, and within three shots had the rifle on target at 25 yards. I went to a kneeling position, and trying for a decent group, proceeded to plunk four rounds touching with no problems whatsoever. A good start.
Related: Survival Gear Review: SIG Sauer MPX-C
A few steps back to 50 yards confirmed that I was still on paper, and an adjustment to bring the bullet impact about an inch high at 50 yards worked well. A five-shot group from the kneeling position at 50 yards measured about 1 ½” or so. I then stood, and proceeded to handily perforate a 1-liter soda bottle shot for shot at the 100-yard marker. The gun was a shooter for sure – better than I expected.
When I was testing handloads and some other factory ammunition through the Windham Weaponry 9mm carbine, I found that resulting group size varied wildly by bullet type and weight, but all of the loads produced usable accuracy – especially when you consider that a stubby 9mm bullet ain’t exactly a ballistic wonder. I settled on a handload that played nice in the W-W carbine and my Glock 19; the load pushed a 124-grain Hornady FMJ bullet at about 1,250 fps – and grouped in the 4” range at 100 yards. I think the carbine could have done a bit better with a proper magnified optic, but the Vortex’s holographic reticle was fast and positive to work with – and 100-yard 4” groups from a 9mm carbine was A-OK with me. High-end defensive ammo did shoot markedly better, with Remington Golden Saber 124-grain +P loads in particular providing excellent accuracy.
The R16FTT-9MM proved to be boringly reliable. It gobbled up every nasty lead bulleted handload I made, every hollow point defense load I offered it, and every steel-cased crap Wolf load I dropped the hammer on. To this day, with probably close to 3,000 rounds through the rifle, I have yet to experience a malfunction with the gun – though I make sure to clean and lube the rifle often due to the blowback action’s rapid carbon buildup.
Running the 9mm Carbine in the Real World
I recently took a carbine course through SRT Concepts here in Maine (outstanding company for training, check them out if you’re in the New England Area). I checked with Peter Joyce, the instructor, ahead of time, and asked if I could run two guns at the course so I could compare a pistol caliber carbine against my normal 5.56mm AR. He liked the idea and welcomed me to run both guns, as long as I was fully communicative about swapping guns and following enhanced safety procedures while walking to and from the firing line with different rifles.
The carbine course was stellar, and a real eye-opener with the function, performance, and perception differences between the two calibers. On the base level, the two guns were approximately the same – my 5.56 AR even has a Windham Weaponry heavy barrel! – with collapsible Magpul stocks, 16” barrels, and identical sling setups. Optics were different, as my 5.56 rifle sports a Leupold Mk AR 1.5x-4 on a Burris PEPR mount, while I elected to run the 9mm carbine with a non-magnified Vortex AMG UH-1 holographic sight in keeping with the close-in philosophy the pistol-caliber platform promotes.
Related: Survival Gear Review: Windham Weaponry R18FSFSM-308
Both rifles performed flawlessly, with either carbine proving to be ridiculously accurate and perfectly capable of providing easy hits under all circumstances and shooting positions. At the 75 yard mark and beyond, I did find that the 9mm definitely didn’t have the outright practical accuracy and flat trajectory that the 5.56 afforded, but hits inside the “kill” box were simple at all ranges to 100 yards with the 9mm. A “running man” drill with 90 9mm rounds at all distances from powder-burn range to 100 yards, and launching bullets from a variety of positions including prone, offhand, weak-side transition, and from behind cover with the rifle laying sideways and the buttstock mounted over the shoulder turned up a perfect score with no rounds striking outside the scoring boxes. I used a mix of Winchester “White Box” 124-grain FMJ rounds and 124-grain FMJ handloads throughout the course with no failures to function. Recoil was positively negligible and the rifle was a breeze to fire quickly and accurately.
The guys on the line either side of me appreciated the 9mm carbine greatly. My 5.56 AR wears a Seekins Precision muzzle brake that is hugely effective at taming muzzle rise, but blasts concussively every time the rifle goes off. (I was told by my instructor that the muzzle blast was flapping my neighbor’s shirt around!) The 9mm carbine was launching 124-grain bullets at about 1,250 feet per second, making the rifle seem almost suppressed in comparison!. Reportedly the 9mm AR was much more comfortable to stand near while I was shooting. Even with no muzzle device, there were no issues with muzzle rise or blast. This is a major consideration for anyone possibly running this gun indoors – whether it be a warrant-serving police officer, or a homeowner defending his family.
The 9mm carbine’s quick handling characteristics were a joy on the range, and the safety was positive and crisp – a welcome characteristic indeed, especially when working near other shooters with plenty of distraction. Knowing through haptic feedback – a nice positive “click” – that the safety was fully engaged or fully disengaged when I operated it was a Godsend.
(Very Minor) Trouble in Paradise
Issues? Yeah, a couple – but these were not really the gun’s fault, just struggles that manifested themselves via the differences in magazine design. You see, due to the feeding angle of Glock magazines imparted by Gaston Glock’s grip design, the Windham Weaponry’s magazines rake backwards slightly in the magazine well and require a different insertion angle when reloading from the shoulder. Where a standard 5.56mm magazine inserts straight up into the magazine well, the 9mm magazines require you to cant your wrist forward and slant the top of the magazine slightly forward when inserting. I also had a bit of luck inserting a magazine sort of like an AK, with the top of the magazine facing my head and then rocking it upwards and into the magwell. However, this technique didn’t work as well with tactical reloads when you had to juggle two magazines with one hand.
The other issue I found was that though magazines generally dropped free when the release was pushed, the smaller, lighter 17 and 15 round pistol mags very occasionally had enough polymer-to-aluminum friction to hang up and require a yank or a shake while performing a reload from the shoulder. Not the end of the world, but another step to work through when you need the gun topped off in a hurry. I did find that this hang-up phenomenon occurred mostly when the rifle had been in a position where the magazine had some lateral pressure on it, usually from leaning against a barricade or cover.
Training and repetition will help you through both of these issues decisively, but I found that swapping back and forth between the 9mm and 5.56 platforms had me confused when it came time for fast reloads. Keep that in mind if you like having lots of different rifles.
BCM charging handle (left) vs. stock. Note the built-up half-circle area on the BCM.
The other problem I’d found (actually before I took the course) centered around the 9mm carbine’s blowback operating system. Every time the rifle went off, the gun cycled and hot gasses from the expended cartridge made their way back through the charging handle keyway, and blew directly on my eyes. I never noticed the problem while wearing eye protection, like I do 99% of the time – but the one time I didn’t use eye pro, the hot gasses expelling backwards rushed into my eyes like a rowdy heat gun directed on my face. It was uncomfortable to say the least – and while dry eyes aren’t fun, unburnt powder, case debris, or other carbon residue could travel with the gasses – possibly disabling your eye. Lesson one: always use eye protection. Lesson two: ditch the stock charging handle and source a replacement unit that has a built-up “wall” of material on the top of the part – this mitigates the gasses nicely. The BCM charging handle I dropped in the carbine (standard AR charging handles work just fine!) enhanced the gun’s manual of arms with increased leverage for operating the bolt from the shoulder, and it deflected hot gasses nicely.
Of all the swapped parts I changed out on the Windham Weaponry 9mm carbine, I would consider the charging handle swap the most important – a huge safety upgrade for your face and peepers. When the SHTF or that home invader kicks the door open at 2am, think you’ll be wearing safety glasses? Even odds that you won’t be. Keep that in mind.
Brass Tacks
The pistol caliber carbine efficacy debate is a subject for a future article (one I’m looking forward to indeed); we’re going to assume that your plans dictate that the 9mm caliber is what you want, and you’re looking to take advantage of the Windham Weaponry R16FTT-9MM’s ability to utilize Glock magazines. And why shouldn’t you? For Survival Cache’s target audience – Preppers and Survivalists – the Windham Weaponry 9mm carbine provides you with a hugely effective tool to maximize your minimalist ideals and requirements. No longer do you need to keep multiple magazine types, ammunition calibers, and other logistical and maintenance accoutrements to supply your firearms needs; the Glock-mag-fed 9mm carbine fixes this issue for you. Run one caliber through one type of magazines for both your long guns and sidearm. The low recoil, close-in effectiveness, and lightweight, quick handling would make this a stellar choice as a training rifle of primary arm for smaller-framed shooters, women, and supervised, appropriately-aged children as well.
I’ve written before about Windham Weaponry’s outstanding commitment to quality and innovation – and this R16FTT-9MM is a perfect manifestation of both of these ideals. This carbine is beautifully manufactured to a design that is exactly what a 9mm AR should be. I know I griped a tad about the accessories Windham Weaponry chose to include with the package, but the very plain and simple fact is that this carbine is 100% serviceable and ready to go out of the box once you throw a sighting system on. It’s also a great starting platform to build a suppressed carbine, or even an SBR. The street price of $900-950 for the Windham Weaponry R16FTT-9MM carbine may seem a bit steep when lesser companies offer a package with ostensibly the same features, but this is a classic example of getting what you pay for. The quality, design, reliability, fit, and finish are light-years ahead of other companies’ offerings, and – perhaps most importantly – Windham Weaponry’s transferable warranty and customer service are outstanding in their field…which I cannot say about other companies with, well, budget-minded products.
If you think this 9mm carbine is “Just another AR”, get past your own confirmation bias and try one out. You’ll realize for yourself that an AR in 9mm is an absolute platform enhancement when combined with a sidearm that uses the same feeding system. Pistol caliber carbines paired with a compatible pistol are hot right now – shooters and preppers are recognizing the versatility, effectiveness, and minimalist leanings of the concept. And there’s no better combo (in my humble opinion) than a Glock 19 and a Windham Weaponry R16FTT-9MM carbine. Grab one of each (or more, that’s cool too), stock up on cheap, reliable magazines and some cases of ammo, and proudly possess the best pairing of shooting tools on the market – they’re ready when you are, no matter what hits the fan.
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