What is better than cool preparedness gear? Free cool preparedness gear. The folks at QucikClot are/were shipping free samples of their product to anyone who signed up at their website. I, of course, signed up and promptly forgot about it. Todays mail brought a nice sample package of their product that will go into the first aid kit I carry in my bag. If you don’t know what QuickClot is, very succinctly it’s a product that is applied to heavily bleeding wounds to promote the quick formation of a clot and thereby stop the bleeding. Go watch ‘Shooter’ and you can see the main charcter use it to treat one of his gunshot wounds…which is pretty much what its mostly used for. It’s a granular powder that is poured into the wound although the new product, which is the sample they sent me, is a gauze pad filled with the stuff. The original product exhibited an exothermic reaction (it got very hot) when used and this new product is supposed to have a reduced exothermic reaction. Of course, it beats bleeding to death, now don’t it?

The literature with the sample says “At less than $8.00 for each packet of QuickClot 1st Response…” indicating that its going to be somewhat affordable. The package also contains a very verbose and clinical description of a “porcine model of vascular injury” that included “bilateral transaction of femoral artery and vein”. In short, the cut open a pig and tried to get it to bleed to death. According to the text, all the pigs survived to go on to be used in other experiments. Out of the frying pan…

Nonetheless, it would seem this is a very good product for when things have gone beyond the gauze-pad-and-tape level of boo-boo.
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One of my vendors is closing out on the Chip McCormick 8-rd. blued (w/ basepad) Shooting Star .45 ACP mags for the 1911. I was toying with getting some for myself. If anyone is interested theyre $11.25 ea. Sugg. Retail on these things is around $17~. Minimum order of four. I’ll be calling Monday to check on availability.
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Speaking of things that go ‘boom’, I got two additions to my gun safe today. One is another Glock 19 (2nd gen) with night sights. Cant really have too many of those. The other gun is something Ive been wanting to buy for the last several years but never really got around to buying: a Beretta 21A. Why the 21A? Couple reasons – first, I’ll take .22 LR over .25 Acp anytime. Second, I have a few spare magazines from the last time I owned one of these things about ten years ago. And, finally, not that I would ever use it…I still have my DeSantis wallet holster for the 21A. ATF decreed a few years ago that these holsters magically turned your handgun into an NFA weapon (specifically, because the gun no longer looks like a gun..and, yes, theres a rule that guns have to look like guns..that’s why cane guns and their ilk are verboten) and thus I cant use it with my 21A. But back when they were legal they were very cool. The gun was sandwiched in this leather taco and when it was in your pocket it looked just like a fat wallet. And, best of all, you could pull it out of your pocket, put your finger through the fingerhole in the holster, and whip off all seven shots without taking the gun from the holster. (A cutout at the back of the holster lets the slide move to and fro.) So, when someone demands your wallet you can say “Here ya go” and change the would-be muggers career choice.

My experience, by the by, is that the 21A prefers the high velocity stuff…so I go with Stingers.

What makes me feel a bit more at ease? Why, these babies right here:
One is none, two is one, twenty are…

First batch of ten arrived..finally. Next batch of ten will be shipped next week.

Supposed to have been here today butit appears UPS is living up to its union-staffed abilities. Should be here tomorrow. Apparently it was not only delayed by weather but also by a ‘late train’..whats next? Commanches?

In Transit
Rescheduled Delivery: 03/26/2007
Shipped to: MISSOULA, MT, US
Shipped or Billed on: 03/16/2007
Service Type: GROUND
Weight: 6.00 Lbs

Package Progress
Location Date Local Time Description
HODGKINS,
IL, US 03/21/2007 1:41 P.M. ARRIVAL SCAN
03/21/2007 1:00 P.M. A LATE TRAIN CAUSED THIS DELAY
WATERTOWN,
CT, US 03/19/2007 11:05 P.M. DEPARTURE SCAN
03/19/2007 7:04 P.M. ORIGIN SCAN
WATERTOWN,
CT, US 03/16/2007 11:12 P.M. ADVERSE WEATHER CONDITIONS CAUSED THIS DELAY;THE MOVEMENT OF THE PACKAGE WILL RESUME AS SOON AS THE WEATHER CONDITIONS ALLOW
03/16/2007 11:12 P.M. ORIGIN SCAN
US 03/16/2007 3:27 P.M. BILLING INFORMATION RECEIVED

Still nothing from Stag. I was told last week that one order of ten lowers had gone out the previous week. Still not here. If they ain’t here tomorrow I’ll call them and hold their feet to the fire regarding tracking numbers and shipping info. So..patience, mi amigos. Its a busy time in the AR-making biz.

Off to the range today. More work with the HKlone and the Bushy Dissipator.
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After having scoured the ‘For Dummies’ website it appears there is no such thing as ‘Alternative Energy For Dummies’ or similar text. Fortuntaely, theinternet beingwhat it is, there should be a zillion webpages out there with the info Im looking for.
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Had yet another end-of-the-world dream last night. Cant recall all the details except it involved lotsa hungry people and there being a rather bright and menacing looking fire on the horizon. I attribute this to eating things before bed that I know I shouldnt. That and watching ‘Jericho’.
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I have found an issue with the PTR, by the way. The stock has a crack in it. Its not a crack from use, its more like someone laid the gun flat and stepped on it…its a shallow depression on the side of the stock towards the buttpad. I cant recall if it came that way from the shop or not. Nonetheless, a quick trip to Cheaper Than Dirt finds me these for twenty bucks a set. I have three on their way. The cracked stock isnt compromised in terms of function, it doesnt even look damaged…you have to really look at it in the right light. But….it bothers me knowing its there. So, that stock, being still serviceable, will be sanded down to a rough finish and painted winter camo for winter use. Moral: inspect all guns closely before purchase. Im quite certain this damage did not happen on my watch…but since Im not 100% on that I cant very well demand the GunPimp do anything about it. My careless.
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Still havent gotten around to picking up the riflescope I want. The reason for that, so far, has been that the things I have been buying of late (mags, PTR, etc) are things that may be unavailable in the near future. While its possible that fine tactical optics may someday be restricted that seems far less likely right now than the guns and mags being restricted. So I utilize my resources accordingly. However, I havent been snoozing on my CZ550… I did pick up a few more mags for it giving me the total of six mags that I wanted. Need to pick up some 30mm rings, a really good sling and a few smaller, inexpensive items and I’ll be squared away on that.
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Was in the bunker last night putting away some ammo and while Im not completely satisfied on things, I am ‘okay’ on many of them. Good supply of food, ammo, lighting, batteries, firstaid, etc, etc. Still some deficiencies I need to work on, but its getting there.
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I was talking with someone the other day about generators…specifically propane vs. diesel. I said I liked propane for its ease of use and storage as well as for its abiility to run an entire house..heat, light, power, etc. The other person commented that this was true but diesel had one advantage propane did not – portability. That is to say, you cant really go down to your neighbor or buddys house and borrow twenty gallons of propane to put into your 500-gallon tank in the yard. Its not that man-portable without special gear. Diesel, on the other hand, can be carried around with a bucket. While it is possible, i suppose, to empty barbecue bombs into a bulk tank with an adapter its probably more easy to pour a five gallon jerry can of diesel down a funnel.So….something to think about there.

Well, my BK&T TacTool arrived today. I like it. Its just the ticket for cutting, smashing, prting and cutting your way out of a building, vehicle or other wreckage. I need to rummage through thebunker and find some old webbing to test the web-cutting hook on.
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Also received my 100 HK91 mags. Thats it, I’m done! I’ve got enough of the darn things now that I am not going to contemplate getting any more. For the record, 75 mags will fit in a 40mm ammo can. Nine will fit in your average .30 cal. can. I have two 40mm cans and five .30 cans sitting in the rack right now with “HK91 mags” written on the tags. Dude, thats alot of mags.

Speaking of mags, someone asked me in email about best deals for AK mags. So far, its this: http://www.sportsmansguide.com/cb/cb.asp?a=282484 12/$80 or $6.67 ea. A darn good deal..esp. since they are nt Chinese manufacture.

Mmmmph..I missed out on the content for a possible group buy by just a few minutes. One of my vendors was closing out on Chip McCormick Shooting Star blued 8-rd mags w/ pads for $8.50. Called and said I’d take 30…was told they had three. :::facepalm:::

On the other hand, I had to order a Glock 27 for someone today and although it was, unfortunately, out of stock they had plenty o’ mags on hand so I wound up with 15 G17 mags and 5 more G18 (33-rd) mags. That should pretty much cover me on the Glock mags for a while.

I understand that HR1022 is still in committee, hopefully dying a slow death, but if it does pop outta committee and make a dash for the next phase then I need to be well positioned to avoid getting caught flat-footed.

My latest batch of 100 HK91 mags hasn’t arrived yet but I expect them this week. At this rate I can start putting ‘DONE’ on quite a few columns of my ‘gun needs’ spreadsheet. I’ll be done with HK91 mags, done with Glock mags (unless another G17 or G19 or a lovely G17L shows up.) A receipt from Stag for the latest orders of lowers showed up in my snailbox today so they should be here tomorrow or Friday. That’ll be ten to fill orders and then the remaining orders will be filled when the final batch show up about a week or so after. Did some math and it looks like I’ll have three extra lowers, all with pistol papers. If anyone is interested lemme know. Same price.

Speaking of group buys, the next Mountain House #10 (the large cans) purchase will be June. It’ll run June 1 until June 30. Cans will be available in cases of six as last time but there will also be the option of buying individual cans, although you’ll get better savings on full cases of six. When it starts I’ll have Excel and tab-delimited spreadsheets available to calculate costs and shipping weights.

Which reminds me I need to get my spreadsheets up to date for the stuff in the bunker.

Additionally, I need to get radio active. Need to have the girlfriend research radio options. Specifically, something that covers the bands she’s licensed on as well as the usual bands that would be in the more common, widely available Cb, FRS, etc. and similar radios. Of course, it’d also be nice if it ran off 12v. as well as household AC, was durable, easily hacked, adaptable for use with a wide assortment of accessories, etc, etc. Then there is that little matter of having to get around to setting up an antenna in the yard. Sigh. No rest for the wicked.

Anyone recall how the supply ofcheap Chinese steel-core 7.62×39 was shutdown because Oly made a 7.62×39 semiauto pistol? The ammo which had previously been rifle ammo was now considered ‘handgun ammo’ and since it had a steel core became ‘armour piercing’ handgun ammo? Remember that? I mention itbecause Taurus is coming out with a .223 Rem. revolver. All that lovely SS109 ammo might, might, might be a thing of the past……….Opinions?