Something Brewing at Smith and Wesson?

I wanted to share this new video, uploaded by Smith & Wesson (via YouTube) on Wednesday. . . The video is VERY vague, it doesn't tell you what is coming, but one thing's for certain, S&W is up to something.  Could this be a single-stack M&P (hopefully with a better factory trigger!) to remain competitive with Springfield's new XDS?  Maybe some sort of S&W-branded non-lethal self-defense option, like OC spray?  Stun Gun with interchangeable backstraps?  We don't know, but it definitely something we want to know more about!  If you have any ideas as to what could be going on at Smith & Wesson, leave a comment!  We'd love to hear your opinion!

Here's the video:

As always, we are available here by commenting below, on Facebook, or via email by clicking here.

How to Obtain a Concealed Pistol License

This guide is specific to the State of Michigan, since I'm not familiar enough with the process in other states to comment.  It is rather disorganized now, but when I have some free time, I will clean it up a bit.

First of all, you need to determine of you are eligible.  Follow THIS LINK to see the requirements on the state's website (link opens new window).

Once you are sure you are eligible to apply, it is time to take the "CPL Class", which can be one of two different classes:

• Michigan State Pistol Safety Course, which is taught by an MCOLES-Certified Peace Officer
• National Rifle Association's "Personal Protection In The Home", which fulfills the requirement also

The class can cost anywhere from $50-$200, depending on how proud of themselves the instructors are.  Personally, I took the MCOLES class through a local Police Department (taught by the Chief of Police) at a cost of about $75.  Many classes will require you to bring your own pistol and ammunition, although there are some out there that provide them for you.  My belief is that if you are going to take the class to prove that you can safely defend yourself with a firearm, it should be done with the firearm you intend to carry.  I took my class with the Springfield XD45 that has been reviewed on this site, and surprisingly, I was one of ONLY THREE people in the class that was NOT shooting a .22 pistol.

Upon successful completion of the class, you will receive a "Certificate of Completion", which will need to be submitted along with the CPL Application Packet (the packet is often provided by the instructor of the CPL course, but if it is not, you can request one at your local County Clerk's Office).  Complete the packet, which consists of personal information and a questionnaire, and submit the CPL Packet, Certificate of Completion of the CPL course, a photograph (similar to a Passport photo, but not quite.  If you have this done somewhere that takes passport photos, tell them you need a CPL/CCW photo, and they will know what to do) and the $105 Application Fee to the County Clerk's Office.  After this is submitted, you aren't quite finished yet. . .

You must then take the Payment Receipt from the County Clerk's office to the Sheriff's Department (in my case, the County Clerk directed me to the City Police, so your results may vary), where you will be fingerprinted.  After this, they may give you a slip to return to the County Clerk, but they usually don't.

Then begins the waiting game.  You've shelled out the cash for the class, ammunition, and application fee, and possibly even paid for your fingerprints to be taken.  Since this process is handled by the County, and not by the State, you may experience a longer or shorter wait time than others.  Your application packet will be submitted to the "Gun Board," who will look at it, and decide "Yes" or "No" on granting the CPL.  Keep in mind, as long as you meet all of the requirements set forth by the State of Michigan in the link above, they are LEGALLY REQUIRED to grant your CPL.  They MAY require you to make an appearance before the Gun Board.  This could be because they have a question about one or more of the answers on the CPL application packet, or this could be because it is practice in that county to require all applicants to take time out of their busy schedules to go tell a group of County employees a bunch of information that is in black and white on the papers you already gave them.  Either way, as I stated, if you meet the State's requirements, the County is REQUIRED to grant your CPL application.  Expect this process to take a while, the average wait time seems to be right around 4-6 weeks.

After your packet is approved, you will either receive a phone call or a letter from the County Clerk's office informing you that your CPL is available for pickup.  When you arrive to pick up your CPL, they will ask you to sign it, and most counties will laminate the card for you.  Once that is done, and the card is in your possession, you are legally permitted to carry a concealed pistol!

Stay tuned for more information, we will be putting together an article about the "Do's and Don't's" of Concealed Carry!

I'm an Addict. . .

Today, we are going to loosen our ties, take off the tin foil hats, and discuss a more light-hearted topic: Firearm Addiction.


I'm an addict.  Just about everyone reading this is an addict.  According to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary, addiction is "to devote or surrender (oneself) to something habitually or obsessively."  I tend to agree that I have surrendered myself to firearms habitually. . . I bring new ones home on a regular basis, I spend money on guns and ammunition that probably would be better served elsewhere, and there's just something about them that gives me that "warm and fuzzy" feeling.  Yeah, I'm an addict.


For some reason, I impulsively stop at the gun shop on the way home from work just about every Friday, and I compulsively spend more money on guns I don't need.  By my estimates, I've spent around $5,000 at my local gun shop in the past 18 months.  I'm currently in the process of paying off a pair of brand new Glock pistols, and I have a list of what's next. . . I see no end in sight.  I can try to avoid it, but there's always going to be that "slip" that dumps me right back into the vicious cycle.

But hey, I'm stimulating my local economy, right?  Yeah, that's true, I'm doing my part to help the locals out of this economic "slump."  Or at least that's how I manage to convince myself that "just one more" is okay.


So, I want to hear from you!  You've looked through the articles, you've seen the pictures of my collection, and you know I'm in too deep to just "give it up".  If you're on Facebook, you've seen more photos of my "hobby" (if you can even call it that).  I want to hear what you think, I want to know if you're as addicted as I am, and if you know of any cure.  I'm tired of being broke!  


Post your comments in the box below, join us on Facebook, or send us an email at thelowready@gmail.com .  


As always, thanks for checking in, and stay tuned, there are several more exciting articles in the works, including a sneak peek at a brand new segment about the new AR15 cartridge that's getting all the raves, .300AAC Blackout!

The Basics of Concealed Carry

I am not a lawyer.  I don't claim to be an expert in legal matters, and I never will.  Fact is, the laws change so often, and most of the time are so vague, that even if you do know the laws down to the letter, a judge could interpret them differently then you do, and everything you thought you knew could be turned on its head.

That said, this article isn't about the LEGALITY of concealed carry - it's up to YOU to comply with the law.  This article is about the mechanics of it, describing the different methods of concealing a pistol on your person, and showing you some of the different options you have.  Our focus is going to be mostly on holster types.

There are many different kinds of holsters out there.  So many, in fact, that we will only scratch the surface of what's available on the market today.  Just to provide an idea of what's available, here are a few types that I've seen:

• Outside the Waistband (OWB)
• Inside the Waistband (IWB)
• Shoulder Holsters
• Ankle Holsters
• Pocket Holsters
• Small of Back (SOB) Holsters
• Thigh Holsters

These are just a few, and they are the types I will be focusing on.  The list is not in any particular order, and I will try to explain the pros/cons of each type, as well as my personal preferences among those I've used.

Outside the Waistband (OWB)

I have at least one OWB holster for every pistol I carry.  This is by far the most common holster type you'll see, as there are several different types for different kinds of carry.  There are Duty Holsters, the type that you see police officers using, which usually offer different retention options, which we will talk about below.  I carry my 1911 in a "Speed Scabbard" type holster, which holds the pistol very close to the body, and offers a thumb break for retention.  I also have a few Duty Holsters, as I work part-time in armed security, but that is another topic for another day.  

• Pros:
• Easy access to pistol
• Available with a number of retention options
• Commonly available
• Comfortable
• Usually inexpensive when compared to other types
• Doesn't require larger pants
• Cons:
• Tends to "print" more than others
• Belt-slide types require partial removal of belt to take off

Inside the Waistband (IWB)

I have used a few different IWB holsters, mostly with my Springfield Armory XD45, which is my everyday carry pistol.  The one that I have used the longest is a DeSantis Intruder, which uses both Leather and Kydex in it's construction.  It is a bulkier holster than the OWB holsters I use, but it makes my .45 virtually disappear, as long as I'm wearing a shirt that is loose-fitting.  The XD45 is a thick pistol, which makes it hard to conceal normally, but the IWB holster is a great fit for it.  There are many different options available, from a number of different manufacturers.  This is a great way to carry, regardless of the type of pistol you carry.

• Pros:
• Conceals quite effectively
• Comfortable
• Commonly available in gun shops, but better deals and more options available online
• Easy to take off, usually slides into waistband and "hooks" to belt.
• Cons
• Tend to be more pricey (My DeSantis Intruder was upwards of $60)
• Not all are comfortable, the "universal" types tend to require frequent "adjusting"
• Require pants to be a size or two larger than normal to accommodate

Shoulder Holsters

There are a couple different types, the first we will speak of is the "horizontal" type.  This is what I carry my Beretta 92FS in, a Triple K leather shoulder rig.  This type doesn't use the standard "belt loop" attachment like many others do, which I find more comfortable, as it doesn't pull your belt up when you sit down.  I do enjoy carrying the Beretta in this manner, but this requires a little more planning to make it work.  First, it is going to require either a heavier shirt over top of the holster, or a jacket of some kind.  If I'm going to be outside most of the day, and it's cool enough to wear a medium to heavy jacket, I'll wear the shoulder rig.  This allows easier access than pulling a jacket overtop of the pistol's grip in an IWB or OWB holster, as you simply reach into the jacket, hit the thumb break, and pull the pistol out.  The drawback is if it's really cold, as access is only easier if you are able to leave the jacket unzipped/unbuttoned.  It's a pretty comfortable carry method, but you aren't going to forget it's there, especially if you are going to be moving around a lot, since the pistol is going to be bouncing against your ribs the whole time. 

The "vertical" type is the same, the difference being that the pistol is positioned with the barrel pointing downward, rather than to the rear.  I find the draw to be a little more uncomfortable in a vertical holster, as you have to pull the pistol straight up.  Most vertical holsters require the use of belt attachments as well, so you can actually remove the pistol without using both hands.

• Pros:
• Usually comfortable, but buying a quality holster is imperative.  Cheap holsters tend to be ill-fitting, and can cause neck and shoulder pain.
• Great for concealing when wearing a jacket.
• Many options available
• Cons:
• Quality holsters can be VERY expensive, with many fetching upwards of $150.
• Require a heavy shirt or jacket over top, which can be uncomfortable on warmer days.
• Horizontal holsters point pistol barrel to the rear, which makes some uncomfortable.
• Vertical holsters make drawing pistol somewhat awkward
• Lots of "trial and error" required to find a good fit
• Belt loop attachment points cause belt/pants to "ride up" when you sit down
• Harder to conceal than IWB and some OWB holsters, sometimes "prints", although most people won't notice.

Ankle Holsters

There are a number of ankle holsters on the market these days.  Ankle holsters are a great way to carry a Backup Gun (BUG), as they are virtually unnoticeable, usually comfortable, and even if/when they do "print", most people aren't looking at your ankles to see if you have a weapon anyway.  They do have their drawbacks, however.  First, if you wear tight-fitting pants, you won't be able to conceal an ankle rig.  You need to wear either loose-fitting or "boot-cut" pants to effectively conceal.  Second, while they do conceal quite well, depending on the weapon, they do require a significant amount of effort to draw, and it is nearly impossible to draw from an ankle holster while walking/running.  The difficulty to draw is my reason for saying this is great for a BUG, but I wouldn't want to carry my primary weapon in this manner.

• Pros:
• Can be comfortable if you find one that works well for you
• Conceals quite well, and even if it does print, most people won't notice
• Cons:
• Requires a small gun-You won't hide a full-size 1911 in an ankle rig
• Significantly more difficult to draw from than the others mentioned above
• Can be pricey, although most are less expensive than IWB holsters.
• Require loose-fitting or "boot-cut" pants to conceal.

Pocket Holsters

These are great for "pocket guns", for obvious reasons.  They place the weapon in easy reach, and you can have your hand on your weapon in a potential self-defense situation without anyone else noticing.  Drawing from a pocket holster is as easy as retrieving your car keys or a cell phone.  Pocket Pistols are usually smaller calibers, from .22LR to .380 (and even 9mm), although there are some .40S&W and .45ACP pistols that * technically* qualify as pocket guns.  These smaller caliber, small-frame pistols are often striker-fired or concealed-hammer semi-automatics, and are great for use as BUG's or when deeper concealment is required.  The main purpose of a pocket holster is to break up the shape of a pistol inside the pocket and cover the trigger to prevent loose objects from causing a negligent discharge.  Carrying a pocket gun by itself in a pocket is dangerous, as something as simple as a loose thread can catch the trigger, and cause the weapon to discharge.  Also, it's hard to conceal something that has the obvious shape of a gun in a pocket.  Most pocket holsters work twofold, by preventing objects from accessing the trigger area, and by making the pistol look less like a pistol, and more like a wallet or other flat, rectangular object.

• Pros:
• Conceals very well, making the gun look like a wallet in the pocket
• Allows easy access
• Helps prevent negligent discharge by covering the trigger (in most designs, although there are some "open trigger" pocket holsters out there)
• Usually rather inexpensive (around $15-$30, depending on construction and manufacturer)
• Cons:
• Small pistols are usually small calibers with limited round capacity
• Limits use of a pocket, so if you're like me and carry keys & knife in one pocket and cell phone in the other, you'll have to find another place for something.

Small-of-Back (SOB) Holsters

I don't personally own any of these, although I have carried in this type of holster in the past.  They can be comfortable, but they print pretty badly, and it is easier than you'd think for the weapon to become completely exposed without you noticing.  Something as simple as bending at the waist to pick something up from the floor, or crouching to get something off a bottom shelf in the supermarket, can cause your shirt to rise above the weapon, get caught behind the grip, and your weapon is completely exposed.  I didn't really care too much for this type of holster, simply because it required a lot more attention to the gun than I'd prefer.  

As far as ease of draw, it's pretty simple, although you do have to reach a little further to access your weapon than a traditional IWB, OWB, or pocket holster, and because you are reaching behind you, it seems a little more awkward than a shoulder rig.  There are a number of different SOB rigs available, including the standard horizontal (actually slightly angled), which holds the pistol with the butt pointing up.  They are also available in a vertical style, but unless you are wearing a long jacket (peacoat or trenchcoat), that style isn't going to conceal well at all.

• Pros:
• I guess it's "different" and can be considered "cool" by some.
• Cons:
• Places pistol directly over the spinal cord, which can cause serious injury (even paralysis) in the event of a hard fall.  Police officers don't even carry their handcuffs in that position anymore.
• Can become exposed without wearer's knowledge
• Rather expensive for quality holsters
• Weapon muzzle pointed to the side, which could cause issues when holstering weapon if a negligent discharge occurs.
• Again, muzzle awareness comes into play.  In the event of a self-defense situation, the wearer will most likely pass across some part of their body, be it their kidney or leg, in an effort to get the sights on target as fast as possible.  This could get ugly if there's a finger on the trigger. . . 
• Nearly impossible to draw when seated in a vehicle

Thigh Holster/Drop Leg Holster

This is not particularly effective for concealing a weapon.  At all.  This type of holster often protrudes farther from the body than a OWB holster, and due to the location on your leg, you would have to be wearing a long coat to conceal at all, and even then, it will print like crazy.  That said, if you prefer to openly carry your pistol (check local and state laws before attempting, and make sure you are well-versed in them), this is a great option for winter carry, as it is nearly impossible to conceal, and it eliminates any interference that may be caused by a jacket/coat.  Thigh holsters generally place the weapon right at the wearer's fingertips, so drawing is easy, and this type of holster can be quite comfortable to wear, again depending on the quality of the holster.  I used this type of holster extensively during my time in the Army, as it was the type of holster we were issued for our Beretta M9 pistols, which was used both when working as an MP on desk duty and in the field when on training exercises.  The holster I used then was a Blackhawk with Level II retention, it was comfortable to wear for extended periods of time, although I will admit that I'm no longer a fan of Blackhawk holsters, for reasons I will share in a future article.

• Pros:
• Great for open carry-No chance of hiding!
• Comfortable (if you find one that works well for you)
• Available with different retention options
• Easy to draw and re-holster without inadvertently pointing the weapon at anyone/anything else
• Many styles and options available
• Cons:
• Virtually impossible to conceal
• Expensive (quality drop leg holsters can cost upwards of $120)
• Snags on doorframes, fences, just about everything it possibly can
• Can limit range of motion in leg
• A nightmare when it comes to weapon retention
• Moves around a lot when running, which makes drawing on the move significantly more difficult. 

Well, there you have it!  I will be adding some pictures to this article at some point in the next several days.  We would love to hear your opinions on this topic!  You can leave comments below in the Comments Box, over on our Facebook Page, or by email at thelowready@gmail.com

As usual, thanks for reading!  Check back often for some exciting new articles that are in the works!

First Look: Remington 870 Express 12-Gauge Shotgun

The Remington 870 is perhaps one of the most popular shotguns the past couple decades.  It is a simple, yet effective, design.  Remington offers the 870 in a variety of styles, which means there's an 870 for everyone.  The model being reviewed here is the 870 "Express" model, with black synthetic furniture, and a single front "bead sight".  It's simple, functional, and honestly, it's not something I'm terribly worried about scratching or damaging.

First impressions when I pulled it out of the box were positive.  The original Remington box was solid, although it was cardboard, and the shotgun was held in place quite well through the use of a few styrofoam cutouts.  Included in the box were very few items, basically just the shotgun itself, a trigger lock, and an owner's manual.  Since this box wasn't sufficient for transporting the shotgun to/from the range, and it was large and bulky, I removed the contents and dropped it in the recycle bin.  If it doesn't serve a purpose, it doesn't have a place in my home.  Besides, it's an excuse to go spend more of my hard-earned money on a hard case for the Remington, which allows for a case review for The Low Ready, which directly benefits you, so I'm glad I tossed the box.

The shotgun itself is very well made, all of the parts fit together quite well.  There isn't a whole lot of "slop" between the parts, so it doesn't have the same rattling noise that the Mossberg 500/590 tend to have.  As with most people I know, my first instinct is to take the thing apart and figure out how it works. The design is similar to the Mossberg shotguns, disassembly is about a 2 on a 1-10 scale, while re-assembly is a 3.  Overall, it's well-designed, and it's simplicity is likely the reason for the reliability this platform is known for.

At the range, I spent some time behind the trigger, shooting a variety of loads through the 870.  To start off, I shot some 2 3/4" birdshot shells, then moved up to 2 3/4" 00 Buckshot, and finally ending with a few 3" Slugs.  The Remington fired all rounds with no issues, and accuracy was as expected, right on target.  I can't attest to long-range accuracy, however, since I was only shooting out to about 50 yards. 

The Remington 870 was purchased to fill a void in my personal collection, it is my first (and currently my only) shotgun.  When it's not at the range, it spends it's time doubling as a home defense weapon, which is out of sight and out of reach of children, yet easily accessible in the event that it is needed.

Stay tuned for disassembly videos, which will be uploaded to our YouTube page and embedded here within the next few months.  As always, we want to hear your input!  Leave us a comment here, on our Facebook page, or in an email.  

New Photos-On The Way!

While I've been spending a lot of time focusing on the written content of the site, I have failed miserably at keeping the photographic content up-to-date.  This is why, over the next few days, I will be updating most of the articles with some brand new content.  I have set up a modest photography area in my kitchen, where I will be taking some high-resolution photographs of all of the gear we have reviewed.  Well, not ALL of the gear we've reviewed, but everything we still have access to.

We are hoping the shift of focus (pun intended) toward the photographic side of things will supplement the content we already have.  As they say, a picture is worth a thousand words.  We're going to start letting the photos do some of the talking.

In other news, I will be revisiting some of the guns we've featured, including some new Range Reports and some updated reviews, after having spent some time with them.  Our next feature will be of the Remington 870 Express 12 Gauge Shotgun, which I'm finishing up the photography for this evening.

Expect some new photographs in the following articles:

• First Look: Springfield XD45
• First Look: Beretta 92FS
• First Look: Kimber Eclipse Target II
• Review: Glock 21SF
• AR15 Pistols
• First Look: EOTech EXPS2-0
• First Look: Magpul PMAG

And of course, check back to read our take on the Remington 870, one of the most popular shotguns in the nation.  As always, thanks for stopping in, and we look forward to providing you with more great reviews in the future!  If you would like to see something featured that we haven't written about yet, please let us know!  We are available on Facebook, by EMail, or by simply leaving a comment in the box below.

The Low Ready is One Year Old!

It's hard to believe that we've been at this for a year!  Time sure does fly!  Our first article was a "First Look" Review of the Sig Sauer P220, posted up on February 28, 2011.  Click here to take a look! 

In honor of our first year of writing, we are going to hold a Giveaway!  The prize is your choice between a $25 Gift Card to Cabela's or a $25 Gift Card to Gander Mountain.  Our prize drawing will be held once we reach 50 "likes" on our Facebook page, which can be seen by clicking HERE.

We are currently almost halfway to our goal of 50 "Likes", and we are hoping to meet that goal within 2 weeks.

We will be holding additional giveaways in the future, so be sure to let your friends know, and check back in to see what's going on here at The Low Ready!

The Art of Reloading (And Why You Should Start!)

This article is going to be rather short and concise.  Anyone who considers themselves a true "firearms enthusiast" needs to consider reloading, if they aren't already set up to reload.  The greatest benefit of reloading your own ammunition is the cost savings.  You are re-using the brass that would otherwise be left at the range or tossed out, and simply replacing the primer, powder, and projectile with those of your choosing.  If you buy in large enough quantities, you can save more than 50% of what you are already spending on ammunition, which will allow you to shoot more often, and we all know that shooting more often translates directly into improving your skills behind the trigger.

Enough with the benefits, let's get to business.  The basic requirements to get started reloading are simple. You need a press, dies, powder measure, powder scale, brass (spent or new, it doesn't matter), and all of the "expendable" materials used in the actual process (powder, primers, and bullets).

There are plenty of kits out there to get you started, so I will go over the differences between the 3 main types of presses to begin.  These are Single Stage Presses, Turret Presses, and Progressive Presses.

Single Stage:  A Single Stage Press is usually the least expensive, but it also takes the most time to reload a round with this type.  The press has a single hole for a single die, and you can only complete one step in the reloading process at a time, after which you have to manually remove the die and insert the next die before continuing.  This may or may not be a drawback to you.  The benefits of a Single Stage Press over the others are mainly economical, as this is by far the least expensive type of press to buy, and is often recommended for those who are just starting to reload, since it is simple to operate.  Also, I've found that performing the same operation on a "batch" of ammunition requires more attention to detail, which aids in the learning experience.

As far as the cost goes, you can expect to spend between $100-$130 for a complete "kit" that includes a Single-Stage Press and everything else you'll need (except for dies) to get started.  A decent set of dies will cost right around $30-$40 more.  This is a great starting point, since you can upgrade everything one piece at a time, and for the most part, the individual components are compatible with other presses.  For example, the dies are going to be the same for either type of press, the only thing that changes is the way the presses function.

Turret Presses:  A Turret Press is the next step, and it improves the transition from one step in the reloading process to the next.  With a Turret Press, all of your dies are mounted on a rotating "turret," and to move to the next step, you need only rotate the turret to the next die, and you are good to go.  This changes the process a bit over a Single Stage Press, in that instead of performing the same step over and over on multiple shells, you can complete all of the steps, in order, on a single round without removing it from the press.  Conversely, you can continue to reload in the same way as you would with a single stage, it's really up to you.

If you were to start out with a Single Stage Press, you can expect to spend right around $100 for a nice Turret Press, or you can start out with a Turret Press Kit, bypassing the Single Stage completely, for between $115-$150.

Progressive Presses:  With a Progressive Press, things are much smoother.  Instead of manually rotating the dies, a baseplate rotates the cases that are being reloaded, and every time you pull the handle, the process automatically advances.  The beauty of a Progressive Press is the speed with which you are completing the cycle.  From start to finish, going from a piece of cleaned brass to a complete round requires only a few seconds and a few pulls of a lever.  Most of the higher-end Progressive Presses feature some nice accessories, like bullet feeders, case hoppers, primer feeders, and catch bins for the old primers and the complete rounds.  If you've ever seen a Single Stage press side-by-side with a Progressive press, it's astounding just how different they are.  The progressive press automatically feeds the brass, feeds the primers, measures the powder charge, feeds the bullet, and ejects the complete round after you finish doing the rest of the work.  This requires much less effort, since you are essentially loading multiple rounds simultaneously, and the only function that you are required for is ensuring that the dies are properly set, and pulling on the lever.  The rest of the procedure is handled by the press.

All of this added convenience and production power come at a price, however.  The press alone will run you in the neighborhood of $250-$300 and up, with some models selling for $600+.  If you were to buy a reloading kit that included a progressive press, you would be around $300-$350 for all of the components you'd need.


There are other options out there, including fully automated machines that will reload your ammunition without any interaction with you, but for a setup like that, you're looking at dropping considerable amounts of money, upwards of $3,000.  It is not unheard of, nor difficult, to spend thousands of dollars on reloading supplies and equipment.

Either way you look at it, however, reloading not only saves you some money, but it allows you greater control over the type of ammunition you feed through your firearms, and it allows you to "tweak" the different variables with great precision to increase accuracy, performance, and reliability.

Stay tuned, we will be sharing a review of the Lee Anniversary Single-Stage Press Kit within the next couple of weeks, we have been putting it through it's paces for a while, and we are hoping to have some more information very soon.

"Like" Us on Facebook!

We are slowly building a fan base on Facebook, and our site is continuing to grow.  The Low Ready is shifting things into high gear, we are going to be writing more firearm reviews, participating in more events, and even having a giveaway or two along the way!  "Like" us on Facebook to enter in our first giveaway, because we are going to be handing one lucky winner a great prize when we hit 50 "likes"!

If you aren't on Facebook, leave us a comment below, let us know what you think!  We are always looking for input, after all, we are doing this for you!  If there is something you'd like to see reviewed, let us know, and we will do all we can to accomodate!  We are always looking for new and unique ideas to improve our site and to bring you more great articles!

If you don't want to comment, but want your opinion heard, feel free to drop us a line at thelowready@gmail.com

More Great Links!

This is just a quick update, we have come across a handful of great websites that you may enjoy, so please follow the links and check them out!  These are sites that we frequent, and for good reason.  These sites have a wealth of knowledge and are great places to have your questions answered!  Thanks for visiting The Low Ready, and as always, stay tuned, there's much more to come!

-The Low Ready


Michigan Gun Rack
The Average Joe Survivalist
The High Road
Michigan Gun Owners

2012 AR15 Budget Build (The $500 "FrankenRifle")

With the current state of the economy here in the U.S., nearly everyone is cutting back on spending.  Unfortunately, many of us are cutting back on "luxury items" like firearms, ammunition, range trips, accessories, and generally all aspects of recreational shooting.  Since our target audience is a widely varied group of enthusiasts across a wide range of economic groups, we wanted to take some time to help bring the epitome of sport shooting into the hands of those with limited financial means.

In recent times, prices have come down a bit on AR15's, most notably the Palmetto State Armory AR15 kits, which contain everything (short of a stripped lower) needed to build your own AR15, all for around $500.  Sure, there are other options out there, some cheaper, but the PSA kits have made quite an impact, and they are building quite a reputation.

That said, I'm going to attempt to build a functional, reliable AR15 rifle for less than the cost of this kit.  I will be compiling some parts lists, including price info, in the coming weeks.  This will obviously not be a "nail driver" or a match-grade rifle, but that's not what we're after.  Reliability is the end goal.  This rifle will feed ammo reliably, eject without mangling the brass, cycle properly, and not malfunction during normal use.

It must be noted, at the $500 price point, this isn't going to have high-quality optics mounted on it, it won't be loaded down with accessories, it's going to be a basic rifle.  We are even considering using one of the many polymer lower receivers on the market.  The parts used will be all new parts, nothing used or "leftover" from other builds, because honestly, this is my first AR15 "build", the others have been purchased assembled.  At a $500 price point, you are getting a functional AR15 chambered in 5.56 NATO/.223 Remington at the same price as the same in a dedicated .22LR setup.

In the interest of full disclosure, the cheapest parts I've found are as follows:

• Lower Receiver:  Palmetto State Armory Lower          $79
• Lower Parts Kit:  PSA Lower Incl. Trigger Group       $50
• Buttstock:  Mil-Spec 6-position buttstock/buffer tube   $49
• Complete Upper:  PSA forged upper 16"                     $309
• Bolt Carrier Group:  PSA BCG (complete)                  $80
• Charging Handle:  DPMS Charging Handle                $15
• GRAND TOTAL:                                                        $582

As you can see, this is a difficult task.  The reason for a complete upper rather than purchasing separate parts, is that a complete upper if assembled from parts would cost more than a fully assembled upper assembly, and I just can't come close to the same price point without cobbling the thing together with parts from different manufacturers.  Not to mention, assembling an upper requires tools (barrel wrench, barrel blocks, vice, etc.) that would add to the overall cost of manufacture, and the point is to keep the price as low as possible for the average enthusiast.  Assembling the parts isn't a bad option, and you could get the $499 kit from PSA and buy a $79 lower receiver, essentially building yourself a $578 AR15 from a well-known manufacturer, which may well be the better option.

I will be monitoring the stores and online retailers for lower prices on these parts, as well as examining additional options that haven't been considered yet.  My ultimate goal is to get this thing build for under $500 total, not including FFL Transfer fee (for the lower) and shipping costs, but the more I research this project, the more daunting the task seems.  Any suggestions will be well received, and I will be more than willing to answer any questions about the process throughout this project.

Updates will be posted periodically, as well as some new and exciting reviews that are in the works.  We are currently working on a lower receiver for the CMMG .300AAC Blackout upper that we tested at the range last weekend, and we should have a couple new pistols to review within the coming weeks.  Again, as I've mentioned before, due to budget constraints, the AR15 build that is the topic of this article will be a long-term project, completed as funds allow.  

To ask a question, just leave a comment below, or if you prefer, send an email to us at thelowready@gmail.com and your questions will be answered as quickly as possible.





3/2/2012 UPDATE:

After doing some further research, it appears that our options are quite limited if we want to even come close to the $500 limit.  Here is the updated parts list:

• Lower Receiver: New Frontier Polymer Lower           $79
• Complete Upper:  PSA forged upper 16"                     $309
• Bolt Carrier Group:  PSA BCG (complete)                  $80
• Charging Handle:  DPMS Charging Handle                $15
• GRAND TOTAL:                                                       $483

As you can see, this is MUCH more cost-effective, and will allow us to at least purchase a magazine or two to feed some ammo through the rifle.  The beauty of using a Polymer Lower is that the cost is substantially less than buying a Stripped Lower, Lower Parts Kit, and Buffer Tube/Buttstock separately, since the Polymer Lower includes all of this.  It is truly a "plug-and-play" complete lower, which, in addition to keeping costs low, also helps keep the weight down, and increases the ease of assembly. This will not, however, allow for any type of accuracy, since we are using a PSA flat-top Upper, which does NOT include any kind of rear sight.  Luckily for us, however, almost all of the Palmetto State Armory complete upper receivers come with a standard fixed front sight post, so we only need a rear sight to complete the package, which can usually be found relatively inexpensively.  Just for the sake of this project, I'll toss in 2 of the least expensive GI magazines I can find, and a simple rear aperture sight to finish things off.

• Magazines: 2x Magpul Pmags @ $15/each                 $30
• Sights: Mil-Spec Detachable Carry Handle                 $18
• New Grand Total:                                                       $531

$531 for a fully-functional AR15 rifle, complete with 2 magazines and iron sights, is no small feat.  We are going to try to knock the price down even more, I'd like to see the grand total WELL under $500, but I think we are already off to a great start.

Of course, there are some extra charges I'm not including here.  Shipping & Handling, FFL Transfer fee (for the lower receiver), taxes, etc., aren't being included here, because let's face it, everyone touting Palmetto State Armory's Complete AR15 "Kit" doesn't include those costs in the price either.  Not to mention, we will be combining shipping on everything we can.  Not to worry, though, as we will openly share all of the costs involved in this build when it is completed.  We will be looking for sales on parts we need, free shipping when available, and I'm even going to try to talk my local gun shop into completing the FFL Transfer for us at a discounted rate, in exchange for some free publicity on the Internet, mostly due to the sheer amount of money I spend in their establishment on a weekly basis.

More updates to come, including some pictures of the parts that will be ordered relatively soon.  We are hoping to have a complete rifle within a month, and we will be sure to share pictures, Range Reports, and even a few "torture tests" to show you how well our "Franken-Rifle" fares against some heavy use (and abuse) both on the range and off.  Stay tuned, this one is going to be fun!





3/13/2012 UPDATE:

Not much in the way of updates, but I did want to share a minor detail that is going to help cut the cost here.  Instead of the PSA upper receiver, we have found the Cold Hand Arms upper receiver, which is built using a Del-Ton upper and a Mossberg 16" barrel.  The total cost for the upper receiver is $299, which knocks another $10 off our most recent Grand Total.  We've also given it some thought, and while 2 PMAGs may be just what the Doctor ordered, we are cutting it too close to our goal, and one mag will suffice to get us started.  This is going to cut another $15 off of our Grand Total.  We are always looking for additional ways to drop our price even more, so if you know of any prices that are lower than what we've listed this far, please let us know!

• Complete Upper:  CHA 16" Upper         $299
• Magazine:  1x Magpul PMAG                $15
• Newest Grand Total:                               $506

This is a lot closer, but we still need to cut the cost a bit more to cover shipping charges, FFL Transfer Fee for the Lower Receiver, and any other unexpected costs that may pop up along the way.  Between shipping and FFL fees, I'm expecting our total cost will increase about $80, depending on whether we can combine shipping on some of these items or not.  Overall, if we can cut our total price down to $420-$440, I think we may be able to make this happen for under $500.

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First Look: Magpul PMAG

Although I wouldn't consider myself a hard-core "Survivalist," I do tend to keep a little extra food in the house, stock up on water, and I have pre-determined "minimum levels" of ammunition that I keep stocked up.  This may be a great idea, but what is the point of an ammo stockpile if it's sitting in boxes in the bottom of the safe?  I only had a handful of magazines for my AR-15, which is my go-to weapon for just about any "bump in the night" scenario.  It was time to stock up.

Christmas is my favorite time of year.  Every once in a great while, I get some great gifts from friends and family, rather than just getting stuck holding the bill for everything.  Last year brought a great Christmas, and I became the owner of 10 new 30-round Magpul PMAGs.

Of course, the first thing I did was load an empty magazine into my AR.  The fit was great, dropping the mag was easy, it didn't jam itself into the magwell, and the bolt locked to the rear as it should when an empty magazine is loaded and the charging handle pulled rearward.

After the "newness" wore off, I decided it was time to get them ready.  The whole reason these were given to me was so I could have enough loaded magazines ready to go in an emergency situation.  Between two of us, we were able to load all 10 magazines to capacity quite quickly.  Each magazine loaded as smoothly as the last, and they all held exactly 30 rounds.  Unlike standard GI magazines, there is no fitting an extra round or two in the PMAGs.  This could be simply due to the fact that the GI mags I have are old, have been used and abused for years, and likely have some nicely broken-in follower springs.  It could be because Magpul has tighter tolerances, and the design of the anti-tilt follower doesn't allow for any extra rounds.  Either way, I digress.

After having owned these magazines for nearly two months, I have had the opportunity to run some rounds through them at the range.  Nothing out of the ordinary, and the Magpul name has not been soiled.  Magazines are really quite simple devices, it's much less common to have feeding problems with modern magazines than what you would have seen in decades past.  Although the mags have all been fully loaded for about 6 weeks, during the last couple of trips to the range, the magazines did not cause any malfunctions.  Loading the magazines into the rifle is smooth and easy, and from there, they are no different than the standard aluminum GI magazines many of you are used to.  The size and shape is the same, although the PMAG is a little wider at the base, and feels a bit larger.  They both weigh about the same.  The PMAG is different in appearance, which is not a bad thing.

After the magazine is empty, the bolt locks to the rear, exactly as it should.  Even after a couple hundred rounds through one magazine, on top of it having been kept loaded for over a month, the PMAG had no issues.  Dropping the magazine from the rifle is also not a surprise.  Nothing jams up, the mag drops, no issues whatsoever.

A feature that I have only ever noticed on the PMAG (and a couple of Magpuls competitors' products) is the included "dust cover."  While it's a nice feature if you are just keeping the magazines stored somewhere, I find them to be somewhat unnecessary, and nothing more than a distraction if you find yourself in the middle of an emergency situation where you need to reload as quickly as possible.  When we carried loaded magazines in the military, we didn't worry about dust getting into them.  We kept them loaded, top-down in a load bearing vest or pouches on our body armor.  No unnecessary steps, just  1) Remove magazine from pouch  2) Load magazine into rifle  3) Release bolt catch.  Too easy.  This isn't to say some shooters may not have a use for them, they do snap into place on the bottom side of the magazine when not in use.  I simply choose to leave them in the safe.  I may use them on unloaded magazines in the future, but I fail to see the necessity.

Overall, 6-8 weeks is not really enough time to put a product like this through it's paces and offer a solid review.  I will update this article as I spend more time and put more rounds through these magazines, but I will offer my opinions up to this point.

A magazine is a magazine.  It's hard to screw up a design that's been in use for upwards of 40 years (referring to the AR15 only at this point, although PMAGs are available for other rifles and calibers).  The folks at Magpul kept to the original design, with a few minor changes.  There have been a few variations in the design of the followers used, the most recent referred to as a "true anti-tilt follower."  The appearance is different than what you may be used to seeing.  The construction is polymer, and the magazines are easily taken down for cleaning, replacing springs/followers, or adding accessories (like ranger floorplates and the like).  Overall, I like the aesthetics, they match the color of most AR15s better than the grey GI mags, they go well with all the other polymer accessories you see on ARs these days, and if you decide to buy all Magpul furniture, they compliment each other nicely.

Stay tuned for updates and pictures, as we will be revisiting this post in the future to discuss such topics as long-term storage, excessive use, cycling magazines, and more.

First Look: EOTech EXPS2-0 Holographic Weapon Sight

After purchasing my most recent AR15 and going to the range with nothing more than iron sights or the previously reviewed Magpul Back-Up Sights, I decided it was time to take the plunge, and start looking for a red-dot sight.

I happened to purchase the EOTech reviewed here completely by chance.  A close friend acquired the sight in a trade, and although he was quite happy with it, he was willing to sell it for the right price.  My offer must have been the right price.

Regardless, the sight I am reviewing is a used unit, although it looks like new and functions like new, I want it to be absolutely clear that it is not new.

First Impressions:
The sight is well-packaged in a hard plastic case, with the "EOTech" logo embossed on the lid.  The case contains soft foam padding that is cutout for the sight to fit.  The case provides adequate cushioning and holds the sight in place securely enough that I am quite confident it will not suffer any serious damage while it is stored inside.

Upon removing the sight and preparing to mount it, I noticed that it had a quick-release type attachment.  This release is easy to remove, yet secure enough that it will not unintentionally release, sending your several hundred dollar investment to an untimely demise.  The site can be mounted to the common MIL-STD-1913 and 1" wide rails found on most tactical rifles, and the quick detach lever is adjustable, to account for any variances in width.  Mounting the sight is very easy, and once the quick-detach is adjusted properly to the rail upon which it is being mounted, there is virtually no lateral movement.  The mounting system is solid, and some light testing at the range confirms that the sight stays quite accurate, even after removing and re-attaching the sight to the rifle several times, assuming it is mounted in the same position on the rail.

The reticle on this site is great.  The EXPS2-0 has a 65MOA ring and a true 1MOA dot, which is great for both quick target acquisition and accuracy for longer shots.  The standard height of the sight also allows for co-witness with backup iron sights, but it's just a hair too low to comfortably co-witness with the standard A2-style fixed iron sights.

Power is provided courtesy of a single CR-123 battery, which may not seem sufficient, but EOTech claims a full 600 hours of life at the normal brightness setting.  There are a total of 20 brightness settings, and the "normal" setting is #12.  The sight will automatically turn off after 8 hours of continuous use (can be programmed to power down at 4 hours), which provides even greater peace of mind that when you need it, it's going to work.

The battery position and orientation was changed, instead of a longitudinally-mounted battery, which needlessly occupies rail space (and was the cause of a plethora of complaints), EOTech switched to a transverse-mounted battery with a sealed screw-off cap.  The cap can be unscrewed by hand, or if you need it, a quarter is just about perfect for breaking it loose.  The cap is attached to the body of the site with a small wire, so no more dropped battery covers either.

Turning on the sight is as easy as pushing a button, and adjustment is just as easy.  The units' only two buttons are located on the left side, recessed slightly to prevent accidental presses.  To turn off the unit, simply press both buttons simultaneously.

The EOTech has been mounted on my personal AR15 rifle for about 3 months now, it has been to the range a handful of times, and so far, my accuracy has improved greatly.  Sight acquisition is much quicker, shot placement is more consistent, and overall, I'm a better shot when using the EXPS2-0 than I am when using standard iron sights.  That's an easy statement to make, however, since I'm accustomed to shooting exclusively with iron sights, only using optics of any type a handful of times in the past.  Whichever way you choose to look at it, the EXPS2-0 has earned a place on my AR15 rifle, and it will remain there for quite some time.  At least until I decide to drop another $500 on a weapon sight.

Stay tuned for updates and pictures, we will be returning to this post to discuss topics such as real-life battery life, use in competitions, and how well it holds up to the abuse it will be going through.

New Survival Blog

Our friends Chris and Rob have started making a name for themselves.  They are running The Average Joe Survivalist, a survival blog that covers a wide range of topics, from stocking up for emergencies, to surviving a SHTF scenario, to concealed weapon and gear reviews, and everything in between.  These guys know their stuff, they have real-world experience and training to base their articles on.  The information is concise, complete, and valid.  Pay them a visit, and add their site to your "bookmarks" list, as they keep new articles coming at a steady pace!

AR15 Pistols

Okay, so let’s talk about one of the most fun, loud, and obnoxious things out there. I don’t care if your name is Paul, you wear your hat crooked, and you are the life of the party every Saturday night. You will still never be more fun, loud, or obnoxious than an AR-15 Pistol (aka MI Pistol or AR Pistol). For legal purposes, I will clarify that AR-15 Pistols are legal in the state of Michigan as long as they adhere to a few guidelines, the biggest being it cannot have a stock. So to say the least, we are reviewing a weapon that is legal in our state. Please review your state laws if you have interest in this type of weapon before making plans to build or purchase.

To start off, there are a great deal of benefits to having one of these little guys. One of them is the carry facet. I know it may sound ludicrous to carry one of these things, but since they are required to be registered as pistols in the state of MI they receive all of the same rights and privileges as a pistol. I, personally, every now and then carry my AR Pistol under my knee length trench coat with a BlackHawk single-point sling. With either my 7” or 7.5” barrel I can still carry this thing without it being noticed. With its legal versatility as a pistol you can also use it as a “truck gun” or in my case a “four-door sedan gun”. This also makes it easier to take it to the range since you can keep it loaded.

The next best thing about AR Pistols is shooting them. Getting the right sights for them is quite the pain, which we will discuss later, but target/scenario shooting is a blast, quite literally. If shooting one handed, which makes even the scroniest of a man feel like Gaston, you do have a liberal amount a muzzle lift, even with special muzzle brakes. Yet, the weight of the gun and AR-15 trigger pull does allow you enough time to fire somewhat rapidly and still be on target. You aren’t shooting a tournament 1911, but for one-handed shooting, with a weapon not originally designed for one-handed shooting, it does fairly decent. Now, two-handed shooting makes you feel a little like Tony Montana. I can’t tell you how many times I have introduced mine by saying, “Say hello to my little friend.” I know, I know, he used an A2 style M-16 with a M203, but I can’t help myself.

Recoil wise, they are basically like shooting a short AR-15, which ironically enough is what they are. Accuracy wise, I would say at twenty-five yards they are as accurate as any other handgun I have fired from a standing position. I do not know how these weapons perform at long distances. Mainly because I treat it as a pistol and I would not call upon my pistol to make one-hundred yard shots unless I was left without the option of using my rifle. One day I may see how it does with long range shots, but then again, what did I buy my LR-308 for? I my opinion, in a tactical scenario these things work best at providing short range suppressive fire, but one can’t forget about the long range capabilities of the 5.56.

With these weapons having all of their good sides, why don’t we take a stroll down to the bad and the ugly. First of all, price, price, and price. Without giving you the rundown of a parts list and prices, which don’t fret, I will waste your time with that later, I will just say that for a basic model using new parts you are going to spend about $850 to build an AR Pistol. For those of you who build AR-15s, myself included, that is clearly more than building a full size rifle. However, I must say that building an AR Pistol, like building an AR-15, will in most cases save you money, which leads me to my next point.

Getting the chance to build one of these is also a great experience, but frustrating at the same time. I have built ARs before, but AR Pistols have a little more complexity to them. The hand guard is somewhat of a concern for 7” barrels. The 10.5” barrel use carbine length gas tubes and hand guards so those are not a problem, but the shorter ones require slightly more expensive parts. On the AR Pistol upper I built I used a Yankee Hill Machine Pistol Length Quad Rail Free-float Handguard. This added enough weight to keep the pistol somewhat balanced and made my sight conundrum slightly easier to solve. The biggest issue with sights for an AR Pistol is that no manufacture has made AR sights that work as well as standard pistol sights. My choice, or rather choices, ended up being an EOTech EXPS3 on my Rock River Arms upper and MagPul flip sights for my Palmetto State Armory/DPMS upper. Both have worked out great so far as sights and serve their purpose for the pistol they are on.

Along with finding the right sights to fit your purposes, there are other issues to be addressed in the construction of an AR Pistol. These are functioning dilemmas. Now, that is not to say that AR Pistols are inherently problematic, so don’t get it twisted. However, there are problems that should be addressed. First and foremost is the buffer tube. If you take your collapsible AR stock, pull down on the adjustment lever, and remove it you will have a well functioning AR pistol buffer tube (although one must consider the possible legal pitfall of having a buffer tube that could so readily accept a stock). Ace makes a full length buffer tube that has worked flawlessly with my AR pistol. The problem comes with the shorter tubes that some manufactures have created. These look better and make the AR Pistol much shorter, but have been reported to have many feeding issues due to the short amount of travel that the bolt carrier has in between shots. The easiest way to put it is that the more your buffer tube meets the standard length, the more reliable it will be.

The next issue is that of business end of the barrel: the muzzle brake. Many people will swear that the 7” barrels have feeding issues due to the lack of backpressure created from the short length of the barrel. Although I have used a standard “birdcage” A2 style flash hider with no feeding issues, I had looked into a flash hider that would work to solve three problems: low backpressure, high decibels, and muzzle flash. The device I used was the DPMS Levang Compensator. I won’t give this item the same be-all end-all rating that others have because every now and then you do get some muzzle flash and it didn’t seem to “send the sound downrange” to the high extent that others have reported, but with it I haven’t had any feeding problems and the muzzle flash is not as extreme as with other flash hiders. For $30, I won’t down-talk the item as it performed adequately. So far, nothing short of a silencer will tame the excessive roar of these weapons, but with hearing protection, from my perspective as the shooter, it didn’t sound any louder than your standard AR-15 while wearing proper hearing protection.

In short, considering the good, the bad, and the ugly, AR Pistols are in my opinion great additions to any gun collection. With their legal flexibility they make great vehicle weapons as well as intimidating carry pieces whether you decide to CC or OC. Keep in mind, some states have odd laws about these weapons, MI’s is odd, but benefiting to gun owners like me, but if one’s state does not frown on them they will make their owner quite happy. They have always been of interest to other shooters at the gun range and have made a few of my buddies quite jealous. Below you will find the list of parts that went into build each AR Pistol and feel free to email us with any question you may have about your AR Pistol build. We may not know everything, but if you are just starting out with your build we can most likely get your questions answered and get you to the range.

• Ace Pistol Buffer Tube
• DPMS Bolt Carrier Assembly
• DPMS Crush Washer
• DPMS Levang Compensator
• DPMS Pistol Length Gas Tube
•  DPMS Railed Gas Block
• DPMS Trigger Kit
• DPMS 7” Barrel
• Palmetto State Armory Assembled Upper Receiver and Charging handle
• Rock River Arms Stripped Lower Receiver
• Rock River Arms Upper Receiver Assembly (2^nd AR Pistol upper)
• Yankee Hill Machine Pistol Length Quad Rail Free-float Handguard

Review: Glock 21SF

This is my fourth .45 caliber handgun. Some would say I downgraded as I progressed. My first was a 1911, then onto an M&P45, from there a Sig P220, and now the Glock 21SF. As the owner of these weapons I can see their point. I loved my 1911, but the hammer follow it developed, uncured by the local gunsmith, broke my trust in it. My M&P45 was an awesome carry piece and was the first of my semi-automatics that I trusted to carry with a round in the chamber, but for some reason it still didn’t fit the bill. The magazines were pricy, which I think may be my only complaint. My Sig P220 was something I thought I could settle on. The all-metal construction, ease of maintenance, and internal safety of the weapon had me hooked. However, I ended up selling it so I could fund a new LR-308. So I continued on and had the chance to obtain my first Glock, which was a G32 chambered for .357 Sig. Now this was a very nice carry gun, very simplistic, and a pleasure to shoot. At this point I did not have a .45 and decided that it was time to get one. More importantly, it was time to get a full-sized Glock chambered for .45 ACP: The Glock 21.

This firearm was bought for about $560 at the local gun store and after putting a few rounds downrange with it, I realized something; To me, .45s are mostly created equal. Its recoil felt similar to that of my 1911, M&P45, and Sig P220, with just a slightly different trigger pull, but very comparable to the Sig. Immediately, I was right on target. I had to get used to the longer trigger pull, especially for rapid firing, but I felt like I was holding the same gun I learned to shoot with.

For those of you who have never owned a Glock and like to fully disassemble your weapons for full cleanings, you should look into Glocks. They required a small punch, a hammer, and wooden block and they can be completely disassembled (excluding the sights). This is one of the things I like about Glocks. I can fully take down my weapon, clean it, and not have to worry about getting it “out of tune” when reassembling it. So far, it looks like the only way to get a Glock “out of tune” is to completely break it. 

Breaking a gun reminds me of my next point. I work hard for my income, and treat my possessions, especially weapons, with respect. Therefore, I am content to report that I do not have a destructive “torture test” to show you. The fact that it is a carry piece and is virtually flawless is a testament to its ability to endure responsible gun handling.

As of late, the G21 has been my primary carry piece and has grown on me. I have been looking into several types of holsters for it, which is actually proven to be somewhat of a task. Not only are holsters a pain to find at local gun stores, but so are many other Glock upgrades. G21 accessories are more plentiful than others, which demonstrates Glock’s claim that this item was made specifically for the American market. You can get what you need for your G21, but you will have to look a little harder for some accessories than others, like the G17 or G22. The Serpa holster I use with it was not at all hard to find, but other holsters are not so common. Magazines are plentiful and around the same price as other Glock mags, but other accessories may be slightly more difficult to come by.

Overall, transitioning to my G21, after the thousands of rounds I put through my 1911, and the hundreds of rounds put through my M&P45 and Sig P220, was quick and easy. However, that could be due to the legendary .45 caliber. On Glock’s website, it refers to the Glock 21 as an American Icon, but it is safe to say that it earned this title by pairing up with the .45 ACP: A True American Icon.