Friday, March 9, 2012

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.

Wednesday, March 7, 2012

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!

Tuesday, March 6, 2012

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!

Monday, March 5, 2012

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!

Saturday, March 3, 2012

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:

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!

Friday, March 2, 2012

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.

Thursday, March 1, 2012

"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