Take advantage of cheap Turkeys immediately before and after the Holidays. Here’s what to do with it after you buy it and cook it…
Original source: Right After Thanksgiving (or Christmas) Turkeys Are Cheap!
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Apply to Be a 2020 NextGen Trail Leader American Hiking Society (AHS) invites applications for its third class of NextGen Trail Leaders.We’re looking for rising stars in the outdoor community, from all walks of life and across the country, to be the voice of young hikers through advocacy and stewardship to welcome all into the…
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I love a good compression sack because it allows me to save on space in my bag and provides some waterproof protection for my sleeping bag. I have a mid weight down sleeping bag from REI. It is over 30 … Continued
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Having a gift closet is a great frugal hack, as it saves you money all year long. A stash of “evergreen” presents means you’re ready for any occasion.
(Especially those that sound like this: “Hey, I forgot to tell you, I’m invited to Jack’s birthday party on Saturday.”)
If you pick your spots, the first few shopping days of the holiday season are a great way to put some oomph into your gift closet. They’re also a good chance to hit some specific gift milestones, and maybe even to get something your own household needs (or wants).
Gifts for people who are pregnant, getting married, and or heading off to/graduating from college abound in sales flyers for Black Friday et al. Maybe it’s time to check a few gifts off your own upcoming events?
You’ll see towels, sheets, blankets and the like starting at just a few bucks. Last year, I spent just $5.99 for a luxuriously warm blanket in a rich mulberry color. It’s on our bed, and between it and the comforter we’ve been a little too warm lately.
Then again, poking an arm or leg out of a cozy bed is one of the great joys of a winter night. In “Dandelion Wine,” Ray Bradbury described it thusly:
“…sticking your feet out of the hot covers in wintertime to let the cold wind from the open window blow on them suddenly and you let them stay out a long time until you pull them back in under the covers again to feel them, like packed snow.”
Someone who’s setting up a first apartment might really appreciate something like that, especially if you could afford to pair it with a set of sheets. Maybe a half-dozen bath towels and washcloths would be a big help for that new apartment-dweller.
Small appliances like coffeemakers, electric fry pans and slow cookers are typical loss leaders. The Kohl’s flyer I got in the mail offers these for $2.14 after coupon and rebate.
Why didn’t they save that price for Valentine’s Day, I wonder? Maybe it’s because none of these are romantic enough. But they’d be a big help for someone setting up housekeeping – and that includes getting married.
Yes, I know that wedding registries are a thing. But they’re more a lifestyle option than a mandate, especially if you’re on a tight budget. Some friends wouldn’t mind your asking, “So…Would the two of you be interested in a coffeemaker?” And if your friends are also on tight budgets, they might be absolutely delighted with a small appliance.
That coffeemaker could also be a wise investment for your own household. Sooner or later your old one will give up the ghost. Or possibly you’ll drop the glass pitcher on some dark, caffeine-deprived morning. Having a $2.14 coffeemaker waiting in the wings would probably be cheaper than buying a new pitcher.
Maybe this is the year you’ll replace your worn-out bath towels, or at least the ones with the small holes and the unraveling hems. Perhaps some of your socks are starting to develop holes, too. And if you’re starting over after divorce, watch for those loss-leader dishes or cookware sets – they might be cheaper than the thrift store.
But back to gift closets. Watch for present options for occasions like:
Birthday gifts/birthday party gifts. Again, toys and such will likely be cheaper next month. But doorbuster games, stuffed animals and craft kits could be good to keep around vs. having to pay full price at the last minute. Ditto gifts for your own kids, or nieces, nephews or grandkids – and gifts for other adults, such as picture frames, journals, candles and accessories.
Valentine’s Day. All that red! Just ignore the green stuff. But seriously: Not everyone gives gifts on Feb. 14, but if it’s a treasured custom then keep your eyes peeled for watches, jewelry, scarves and, if you must, stuffed animals.
Mother’s Day/Father’s Day. Remember that some women want power tools as much as men do. Both sexes might appreciate clothing or accessories.
Baby gifts. Clothing, accessories and bigger-ticket items – if you know someone who’s expecting, why not buy those burp cloths or whatever for half-price?
High-school graduation. Will someone be heading off to college or trade school in the fall, or even in January? Extra-long sheet sets to fit the dormitory beds would be a utilitarian gift, as would a set of towels. You could always sweeten the present by adding a gift card to Target or Bed Bath & Beyond, with a note saying it’s for buying dorm-room supplies. (Don’t count on it lasting that long, though.)
College graduation/first apartment. That slow cooker could come in mighty handy for someone with student loans and a starter salary. So could one of those cookware sets, or dishes, or a Rubbermaid food-storage set – all three tend to be on sale at this time of year.
Housewarming. Look past the cutesy signs about “home” or “wine,” and toward the practical stuff. No, a shop-vac isn’t sexy – but it’s pretty darned useful. So are things like hand or power tools, ladders, sawhorses and a plumber’s snake.
Retirement. Will someone you love be transitioning this year? Try to find a present that coincides with future plans, including but not limited to carry-on luggage, classic literature, tools, skis, an e-reader, camera equipment or a good set of knives.
Not every “deal” on Black Friday is the best possible price. For example, this 2018 article from NerdWallet notes that several retailers sold a particular Dyson vacuum cleaner for $20 less on Veterans Day than Black Friday – and $139 less than the Dyson website price. The February price for a certain Samsung washing machine was $96 less than the Black Friday price, and $370 less than the manufacturer’s suggested retail price.
Toys, bicycles and other kid-centric gifts are being heavily advertised. But they’re likely to be cheaper in December, according to deal expert Trae Bodge. Naturally you’ll see a few exceptions this Thursday and Friday, such as $2.99 classic board games.
You might save money by using apps and sites like PriceGrabber, CamelCamelCamel (Amazon only), Honey and SlickDeals. They will compare prices, sometimes provide price histories and even let you set an alert for when an item’s cost reaches the level you’re able to pay.
And before you buy electronics, laptops or pretty much anything over the next week, do a little research. If the brand/model is universally panned, maybe it’s not such a great deal after all.
You probably don’t need to stand in line for some of these deals, since most are available online as well as in-store. Some people still recall the mad crushes of shoppers fighting to get to loss leaders, altercations that sometimes led to physical injury or even death.
Those are pretty much a thing of the past, but some people don’t want to take chances – or to get up that early. Since some deals start on Thanksgiving night, you can shop in your jammies while eating leftover turkey.
Some “doorbuster” deals might require you to make an in-person visit. But that can be fun, too, especially if they give you doughnuts. I was in search of a doorbuster last year when I found the blanket. Oddly, I can’t recall what deal I was seeking, but I did walk out with several of those blankets: one for us and the rest for my nephews (their mom reimbursed me and used them as Christmas gifts).
Which brings me to the caveat emptor version of today’s festivities: Watch your wallet.
There’s a peculiar kind of math some people do when they see a discount: At that price, I can’t NOT buy it. Or its insidious cousin: Normally this costs $109 but now it’s only $70 – that’s only $20 more than what I’ve budgeted for this gift, and it’s SUCH a good product…
If you really can’t afford that stroller or television even at the Black Friday price, don’t talk yourself into breaking the bank.
Oh, and of course: If you don’t need it, then it’s no bargain.
Readers: Will you be deal-seeking on Thursday, Friday or beyond? Or are you already finished your shopping?
The post The REAL way to save on Black Friday. appeared first on Surviving and Thriving.
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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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If you’re planning on spending a night out hunting coyotes, you’re going to need to pack
accordingly. After all, even the best hunter needs to make sure they have the right gear to have
a successful hunt. This handy checklist will help you make sure that you have everything you
need to enjoy yourself and catch your game. It’ll help you make sure you have everything and
that you know exactly why you need it!
Your Weapon
In any hunting excursion, your weapon should be one of the first things you pack. You have a lot
of different options but air rifles are becoming more and more popular. These come in a variety
of models that are good for all kinds of hunting. They’re lightweight and oftentimes more
inexpensive design has also gained them attention.
Gear to Let You See
While nighttime predators have superb night visions, humans, unfortunately, don’t. That means
that you need some way to see what you’re hunting. A plain white light might be effective at
illuminating an area but it’s also one of the fastest ways to alert wildlife of your presence. This is
why many nighttime hunters have turned to putting a red film over their light. This is an easy
way to add a little light to the situation without putting everyone else on alert because it will
reflect on the eyes of wildlife. Just make sure not to shine it directly in their face!
Some hunters who go for night game like hogs and coyotes prefer green light because it’s
slightly brighter in tone than red while still being low enough as to not alert the animals.
Unfortunately, green lights do have a disadvantage when it comes to cutting through moisture,
so they aren’t going to be as helpful as a red light on foggy or misty nights.
Alternatively, a lot of hunters like to use night vision to hunt. However, this does step into some
legally dicey territory. You have to be careful when reviewing the laws for night hunting in your
area. While it’s legal to purchase night vision gear across the United States, many states don’t
allow for this gear when night hunting or only allow it in certain conditions.
Calls and Decoys
Coyotes are smart creatures. In other words, you’re going to have to put in a bit of work to lure
them towards your position. Your best bets are to invest in some calls and decoys.
First, let’s take a look at calls. There are two primary calls you’ll have to choose from including
mouth calls and electronic calls and many hunters decide to use a mix of the two. When it
comes to the type of coyote calls to use, you have a few options. You might find success in
mimicking the sounds of a young coyote or coyote howls.
What’s often more effective, though, is to appeal to the coyote as a predator. Trying something
like a bleating fawn might attract coyotes to the area in search of a midnight snack. It can take a
little trial and error to nail down the most effective method for your area, so don’t be afraid if your
call doesn’t work on the first try.
If you’re just using a call and not seeing any results, that’s probably because the illusion you’re
creating isn’t quite putting the coyote at ease. Many hunters see better results if they have a
visual to work with their calls. This is where decoys come in. If a coyote hears a sound that
interests them and sees a visual cue with it, they’re more likely to approach. It’s important to
note that there is a chance they’ll charge at it which might be an intimidating enhancement to
newer hunters. Even if you’re only comfortable with a call, for now, you’ll have a lot more
success with one than without one.
Shooting Tripods and Chairs
Getting your shooting position a little higher can go a long way when you’re hunting. A shooting
tripod can help lift your point of view slightly higher and it can even make scanning for coyotes
easier and quieter.
It can also help to get a shooting chair to take with you. This doesn’t need to be anything highly
specialized but a little padding can go a long way in making sure that you don’t end up
uncomfortable or with legs that are falling asleep.
Warm Clothes
When it comes to dressing for the part of hunting at night, you’ll want to remember that if
hunting can get chilly during the day, it’s going to get even colder at night. As such, you should
make sure you’re dressing for the occasion. It’s going to make the waiting process much less
grueling if you aren’t freezing the whole time. Just like with the chair, the more comfortable you
are, the more alert and prepared you’ll be.
That being said, you don't want to bog yourself down with layers and clothing that sacrifices
movement for warmth. You should still be able to make any movement you need to as quickly
as you need to while you stay cozy.
You don’t have to worry about blending in with your surroundings in the same way as you do
when you hunt in the day but that doesn’t mean you don’t have to worry about it at all. Pale skin,
in particular, will stand out to a coyote’s eyes as a sign of danger. This is why many night
hunters opt for extra coverage with gear like gloves and balaclavas. Just like your other
wearable gear, these extras should be light and breathable so that they don’t restrict you in any
way.
Hunting at night can be a rewarding and exciting experience. However, if you want to have a
successful rather than frustrating time, you’re going to want to make sure you have all your
ducks in a row. This means making sure that you bring all the right gear on your next night
hunting outing.
Night Hunting: What To Put In Your Pack Read More »
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| Local bakery on wheels |
In Belgium I encountered several unexpected obstacles – one of them was closures because of hunting. When I was arriving at my camping forest one evening there was a big sign in French announcing hunts – and saying that you should not walk through the forest in the early morning and late evening because of hunting activities. What should I do? I had no choice (and no other accommodation) and therefore I continued on whistling and singing loudly. I hoped that any hunter would this way hear me before seeing and shooting me … My strategy worked and I set up camp at a sight that could easily be seen by hunters. Luckily I did not see a soul and only heard shooting in a far distance.
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| View of Dinant |
Next day was my lucky day: When I was just dragging myself along in the heat being hungry and
thirsty I spotted a van in a litte village. It turned out to be the local baker on a sales tour. Two expensive but delicious chocolate croissants quickly disappeared into my belly before I continued to the two famous Belgian monasteries Maradret and Maredsou, know for their beer (which I don’t drink) and cheese (which was nice).
Dinant was my next resupply stop and it greeted me with a wonderful view down at the river valley at sunrise.
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| With Mick inside Bertie |
It was a short hiking day for me because I had two visitors waiting for me:Gayle and Mick are two British hikers and runners whom I had met in Britain several years ago. We had always been following each other and therefore they knew about my route through Belgium – which they were to cross on their way home. They had been touring around Germany for the summer in their mobile home called Bertie. As I was about the cross the motorway they were heading up on we agreed to meet at a commercial campground. There I could not only enjoy a hot shower but was also very well fed and entertained by my two friends before we both embarked on our respective ways the next morning.
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| River Semois at sunset |
The GR 129 had now finally reached the Ardennes with plenty of forest and the wonderful river Semois which winds its way through it. When I say an old railway line turned into hiking trail I decided to use this detour. It turned out to be very scenic – but with an huge obstacle. Right in the middle of nowhere the old railway led through tunnel which was completely fenced off – but someone had cut a small hole into the mesh fence. Could I dare to go through the tunnel without seeing any light on the other end? I took out my headlamp and risked it – and had no problem whatsoever!
Orval is an active monastery also known for its beer. I had hoped to have a rest day there but unfortunately exactly that week the monks were gone for a retreat. Early morning I was the first visitor waiting to be let in. When I used the bathroom I had a look in the mirror and discovered a tick right on my eyelid! I took out my little Swiss army know and plucked it out with my tweezers – while a full busload of tourists watched my little operation. Back on the trail I met a guy from a Belgian hiking club who was doing trail maintenance and refreshing trail markers. It was very interesting to have a look at his tool box and chat with him. He continued on while I was finishing my lunch. To my big surprise he came towards me after half an hour: The trail ahead of us was closed due to African Swine Fever. And it was seriously closed with a stable metal fence around the whole area and locked gates. What to do now? There was no map of the affected area and also no detour. Even the neighbours had no clue how big the fenced off area was. They just warned us to go in there because inside they were hunting wild boars day and night. I decided to walk around which is difficult not knowing how big the area is …
I ended up doing a huge detour. Every access trail into the forest was blocked and warning signs were everywhere. I started to worry about were to camp that night! When I reached the forest I had planned to camp in I saw another warning sign and almost despaired. Luckily I took a closer look and discovered that this area had been closed a couple of weeks ago and was now open again. Still, it was already dark when I eventually set up my tent … The disease has not reached Germany yet and I do hope it stays that way! Also Luxemburg which I was entering now is still free of the disease.
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| Belgium is full of reminders of World War I and II |
Before embarking on this trip I had hiked in Belgium before and had very much enjoyed it. The GR 129 was a bit disappointing in comparison. The part through Flanders was downright boring. Lots of road walks, difficult camping and just flat land with no particularly exciting views. I have had worse connecting sections on my various hikes but it wasn’t a highlight either. Things got better in the South and at least wild camping ceased to be problem. I enjoyed the cultural sights and hiking was better but this was still no highlight I would recommend. There are better trails in Belgium than the GR 129. Still it was fascinating to cross an entire country and see the changes.
Europe Diagonal: Belgium GR 129 Part 2 and conclusion Read More »
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 »
Heckler & Koch is proud to announce the US availability of the HK SP5, the only authentic sporting version of the legendary MP5 submachine gun available. The SP5 was developed by HK as a semiautomatic, civilian sporting pistol that matches the look and feel of the legendary MP5 submachine gun. “Our whole team is very […]
Heckler & Koch SP5 Read More »
