This is a replacement fore end for Mossberg, Remington and Winchester pump shotguns. The kit contains the fore end, adapters for all three brands and most models, nine 2” Picatinny Rail sections and plenty of machine screws for mounting.

Installation was very simple. The instructions are clear, the adapter sections are marked M,R,W for brand and F,R for front and rear. All that’s involved is unscrewing the fore end nut, sliding on the ATI and appropriate adapters, and tightening the nut. It took a few seconds with a file to improve barrel clearance (and the instructions state this might be necessary).

The Picatinny Rail sections install with two machine screws each. You can install one either side, bottom, or at the 45 degree lines. Combinations are possible, but there obviously isn’t room for accessories if you mount both 45 and 90 side by side.

I liked the handling, and it made for easy mounting of lights on both sides and bottom, reachable by hand while manipulating the slide, and for a quick detach swivel mount. I found the mounting strips offered a great grip, positive and comfortable. It also looks very slick and modern.

On the down side, it twists a bit more than a factory fore end, since it has a bit less contour around the barrel. I didn’t find this to be particularly significant, but it is noticeable. I also wish ATI, and all other manufacturers for that matter, would round off edges on “tactical” products. The crisp machining looks great, but sharp corners ding hands. This is fixed in a few minutes with a fine file and a black marker, but I’d like the factories to anticipate this need.

If you have a tactical shotgun, this American made, lifetime warranted product is a great choice for mounting accessories. MSRP is $165, or $100 without the rail package, allowing you to attach other sections.

This is another well-designed piece of hardware from Choate. The hook at the bottom works very well for supported fire, and isn’t in the way otherwise. The internal compartment is large enough for a full cleaning kit, spare bolt and some other sundries. The length is the same as the A2 stock, with a slight cant forward at the bottom. For tall shooters, this makes for a very comfortable stance, especially when prone.

I would rather the bottom was cut for a milspec sling mount, rather than having a standard sling swivel included, but that’s a matter of personal taste. I was easily able to file it to fit the standard mount. There was a very little casting flash I scraped off with a steel edge. The stock I received was a little squashed, probably from storage by the retailer (it was a display model), but reverted to proper shape after a few days with the buttplate in place. It’s served admirably for a decade since then. Their materials and workmanship are always first class, American made and reasonably priced.

I recommend this for a durable, budget AR for taller shooters who want the option of accurate supported fire without sacrificing the standard ergonomics.

This also fits the Plainfield brand of carbine, the Auto Ordnance M1 Carbine and some Universal (early 1950s models), but will not fit the later Universal or Iver Johnson carbines.

Installation is drop in, though it was a snug fit, which is good. The stock has positive tension when folded but doesn’t latch. It latches in the open position very positively. The stock swings open handily, and the release button is easy to use. Construction is glass-filled nylon with blued steel hardware and sling swivels. Robust, durable and very well made. It’s shootable when folded, and I could still reach the safety and magazine release with my finger, and the bolt release with my thumb. Those with large fingers might find it a bit tight. However, the positive tension, rather than locking, folded action means even large fingers can operate the controls with little trouble.

Ergonomically, I found the tapered pistol grip very comfortable in size and angle, and the stock very pleasant for a folder. It didn’t really feel like a folder, actually, and I was easily and comfortably able to get a good cheek weld and sight picture. It was also acceptable to my wife and daughter, who are both shorter than I with smaller hands. The butt is a little narrow, but the M1 doesn’t have enough recoil for this to be a problem. Balance is right at the magazine when open, about an inch forward when folded.

The top and side mounted slings are great for either shoulder or subgun carry modes, or a single point sling.

I don’t really see a need for the swivel on the pistol grip, and would rather they converted the hollow area to storage with a trapdoor. I took off a couple of sharp corners with a few file strokes. Those would be my only criticisms of this fine piece of hardware. It is American made and well worth the money.

I recently tested the Ultramag .50, manufactured by Safety Harbor Firearms , Florida.

The Ultramag .50 is a bolt action, side-fed magazine, .50 BMG upper that uses the AR15 lower and trigger group. The two big advantages to this setup are that the Ultramag .50 requires no paperwork to purchase, and is not on record as a large caliber weapon, since it is bought strictly as "replacement parts." As far as anyone is concerned, you own an AR15, which can be more discreet if either purchased privately, or by using a forging such as this and drilling the 5 holes required to legally manufacture your own "single shot" lower (though the Ultramag is magazine fed).

The lower must not have a bolt catch, disconnector or buffer assembly. It only needs the hammer, trigger and fire selector. A magazine release is not needed, but I decided a flush fit 10 round magazine body filled with lead would help reduce recoil, though I have not tried this yet. I did equip the lower with a MagPul PRS adjustable stock in lieu of the factory stock.

Kit as tested included: 29" barrel with fluting, 5 round magazine upgrade from 3 round, an extra 5 round magazine, back up iron sights (BUIS) and carrying handle. I opted to use an adjustable Harris bipod, not the fixed length bipod from Safety Harbor, though this was for personal reasons. I'm sure the bipod is quite sturdy. SHF includes a heavier hammer and spring and an anti-walk hammer pin with the kit. List price for this kit is $2595. It's possible to save quite a bit with less options. While they do offer 18" and 22" barrels, those have always seemed too short for .50 BMG to me, since it was designed originally for a 36-40" barrel. They told me delivery would be 8-10 weeks, and it arrived right at 9 weeks, in a professionally fitted cardboard box within a box, instructions for changing the trigger group, a contact number for support and a catalog for accessories.

Fit, finish and operation of the Ultramag .50 can be described as flawless. One of the magazines had a very minor ding, possibly from shipping, that made it a bit sticky. SHF said to send it back and they'd replace it at once, no questions asked.

I mounted a Smith & Wesson 4-12 X 40 scope on the integral rail. This was previously on a different rifle and rail, and my first shots were about 12" low at 100 yards. Shooting was very consistent, and once I got zeroed the bullets went EXACTLY where the crosshairs were, every time. This was only a warm up, and I didn't get to shoot to any longer ranges to do a full shooting report. One of the disadvantages of flat Eastern states is finding a range that will allow a weapon this powerful. I have to drive almost 2 hours to reach one.

Recoil with the 8 chambered muzzle brake is comparable to a 12 gauge shotgun. I do recommend a recoil pad and a good shoulder seat with the stock. Seating it a little high can sting. I recommend Loctite for the scope mount-every two rounds was enough to loosen the mounting screws to where the mount would wobble. This is a problem with the scope rings, which were not part of the Ultramag kit.

The .50 BMG round holds the record for sniping at 2430 meters, and at ranges not much less can easily disable an engine or other heavy equipment. At $3.50-$7 per round and 20+ pounds, it's certainly not a close in or primary survival weapon. However, for defending the approach to a remote retreat it's just about the most accurate and powerful round available to civilians in the US.

After many delays for many reasons, I finally have my hands on a LAR8, Rock River Arms' entry into the AR10 clone market. This model is the 16" carbine, flattop, MSRP $1100.

The rifle arrived in a sturdy bright blue case, compartmented to fit a disassembled rifle of each length, with one magazine, manual, everything wrapped in plastic. This is a heavy rifle compared to an AR15, at 8.1 lbs (for a carbine, remember), but is quite reasonable for a .308.

From the rear: The buttstock is a standard 6 position, and aftermarket stocks will fit, likewise for the Hogue grip. The internals are proprietary, but it appears that standard AR fire control parts will fit. The trigger felt really odd, almost hair trigger, until we weighed it right about 6 lbs. It is just exceptionally crisp with a very sweet let off. The fire control switch is right-handed only, which is a little odd, since the magazine release is ambidextrous (button on each side), and the bottom-mounted bolt release is, also. It appears that standard handguards will fit, too (this model takes mid-length guards).

The controls are easy to reach. I do like the bolt release. Insert a mag, brush downward with thumb, and it clacks into battery. Operation was flawless for the day. This is on the rifle as delivered, with no oil, teardown, anything. It chambered and fired every time, and there were no hitches.

Here's one of the prime selling points: The rifle is advertised to, and does, accept metric and inch FAL magazines. I had a little more trouble with inch mags, but I suspect they were older. I bought ten at a gun show for $50. That's enough magazines for 210 rounds of ammunition (nine 20 round, one 30 round). That's about the price for a SINGLE competitor's magazine. Feed and function were fine with both, assuming the magazine was good. At that price, though, one can buy a case of magazines and keep the worn ones for spare parts.

The weapon is tight, well-made, with excellent fit and finish. It is well-balanced and comfortable. It felt very robust and durable, though as a loaner, I didn't do an all-out abuse test. If you are familiar with the AR15, the only relevant differences for handling are the weight and the location of the bolt release, which is lower than one is trained for, but easily managed. Since most of us slap the paddle as the hand goes down anyway, there's no problem adapting to carrying the motion to the base of the magazine well. Other minor differences are the MUCH heavier recoil spring, and the previously-mentioned excellent if unusual trigger.

The rifle came without sights on this model (other models have M16A2 style sights). This was a minor problem. I have excellent scopes, but no riser to bring them high enough above the receiver, and no mountable front sight. I managed by attaching one of my EoTechs. The EoTech is a combat sight, not intended for long range precision, but seemed to work well enough. I was within 8" of center with the first shot (before zeroing). That's good enough for combat shooting at 100 yards.

Weather: 64° F, 62% relative humidity, Barometric pressure 29.87 and falling, elevation 630 ft above sea level.

Using South African surplus R1M1, 204W, Lot A11/80, I was able to keep 4" groups of 20 rounds at 100 yards. This is 4 MOA, with 30 year old ammo, a short barrel, a combat sight with a red dot shooting at a red target. I find this acceptable.

With US surplus Lot 1-80, three shot groups ranged from 2.125" to 2.375", very consistently.

Using US military match grade XM118 LR PD (2002, Lake City), our groups ranged from 1.125" to 1.6", median 1.375". This is well within the 1.5 MOA accuracy promised, using an inadequate sight. I am impressed and satisfied. A good handloader could probably break 1 MOA, and this is with the 16" carbine, not the 26" heavy barreled "varmint" rifle.

I would suggest Rock River make the fire selector switch ambidextrous, since all other controls are. That's the only improvement I can think of.

It cleaned easily, with a little more room to get inside than an AR15. The bolt cam pin appears to go in sideways compared to an AR15 (rotated 90 degrees). The firing pin is longer. Everything fit well, had a good metal surface and a very dark parkerized finish.

For those of you wanting .308 power and range with the AR's handling, welcome home. For those wanting a reasonably priced precision rifle for target shooting, hunting, or SHTF, you'll be hard-pressed to do better. The availability of AR-platform accessories and mods are significant points in favor of both, as are the dirt-cheap military surplus magazines. One can buy the rifle and included case, customize stocks, grips, handguards and mechanicals, load 200 and more rounds in magazines, and still be money ahead of a competing AR10 clone. Add in the exceptional accuracy and strength, and it tops my list.

This tiny knife is a very durable piece of hardware.

Construction is of steel, with a hard phosphate or oxide finish.  The pivot is adjustable with a spanner wrench, very smooth and has slick bushings.  The lock is of the rotating handle design, with strong pins to hold the blade rigid when open.  The handles swing easily open or closed, and remain in place in the hand without slipping.

The finish survived being dropped on a tile floor unmarked.  The handle did open a fraction—the detent is fairly light.

As can be seen from the photos, it’s very small open and closed, with a blade about an inch long.

This model has one side serrated and one plain, in AUS8 steel.  The serrations are surprisingly fine with good geometry to cut rather than drag.

The serrated side was able to saw through an electrical cord in few strokes, with no damage to the teeth.  The plain edge cut a 3/8” bevel all the way around a firewood log and still shaved hair.  I jabbed the point in and bent until it popped a small divot of wood out, without damaging the tip at all.  This was a fairly brief test, but the knife still looks brand new after it.

The design is similar to the OSS Thumb  Dagger, and that is the best and most comfortable grip to use to hold it (See photos).  It excels at chores such as opening packages and cutting cord, and easily stabs containers open.  A variety of tests were conducted and it was still new looking and sturdy, and still shaving sharp.  No tests were conducted on metal containers yet.

The knife also has a lanyard/key ring, and when folded is about the size of most common keys and keychain tools, so is very discreet for carry.

For those who prefer other blade designs, the company offers  a flat chisel and hooked cutter “CopTool” for seatbelts and such, the “WrightKnife” that is single edged with a contour for the thumb,  the “RhinoKnife” with a caping blade with gut hook, the “TalonKnife” with what appear to be line and cord cutters built in, and the “Kirkidashi Knife” that is a miniature damascus tanto.  Chinese manufacture is quite standard in the blade industry anymore, but all are designed by well-known American bladesmiths, built under American license.  The workmanship seems quite sound.

These would make great small knives for pocket carry, or as emergency tools for the vehicle.  They’re small enough to carry in shorts or even a swimsuit pocket, or to keep in a vehicle console with a lanyard for easy access.

Most models retail at $34.95 and will undoubtedly be cheaper through most retailers.

I can’t speak highly enough of this company and their products. I received one in 2003. Since then, I’ve carried it all over the world including a war zone, on business, to conventions, while driving.

I’ve stuffed it to the point where I needed a knee to apply enough pressure to close it. It’s been dragged, carried, tossed, shoved, buried under luggage and cargo, through airport security hundreds of times, and there’s not a loose seam or worn zipper anywhere. It seems to be as indestructible as textiles get. While this style is no longer available, it’s demonstrative of the breed.

Timbuk2 started in San Francisco, designing and making bags for bicycle messengers. They still act like a small company in terms of service and support, including a lifetime guarantee on materials and workmanship, spare straps and hardware, and a 20% discount on a new bag for trading in an old model, in any condition.

My particular model is the Data Dump. When stuffed to what should be a breaking point, it exactly fits the carryon size limits for aircraft.

The shoulder straps are comfortable, contoured, designed for people with shoulders, adjustable, with a hip belt.

The laptop compartment is padded enough to cushion a computer, and to pad against the wearer’s back.

The accessory pockets are integral, collapsible, and well thought out, with lots of mesh, slots and loops for compartmentalizing stuff, from business cards and pens, to toiletries and computer accessories. The main compartment opens wide for access, then zips closed and latches down to minimize profile.

The outside is tough and sufficiently padded to keep contents secure.

The bottom is a tough rubber over nylon.

There are thumb loops/carabiner attachment points on the shoulder straps and back, and a sturdy, solid carry handle atop with a stitched in piece of hose to reinforce it.

Their models change regularly as new technology is developed, and they offer not only a variety of colors, but a build-your-own option for style, size and color. Some of their bags are imported, made under good supervision.

The custom bags are American built (it seems more appropriate to say “built” rather than “sewn” for these engineering masterpieces).

You’ll pay a little more, but the quality is beyond compare for a travel bag/day pack/briefcase of this type. For a smaller, unobtrusive BOB or a reliable daily carrier, I can recommend this company’s products without reservation.

After my successful test of ShelfReliance's Cansolidator, I acquired their full size Harvest system that holds up to 600 cans.

The Harvest comes in two cartons, a tall heavy one with the metal structure, and a big, double-walled carton with the can racks. The instructions are included, and quite straightforward. One or two pictures weren't as clear as they could be, but a look at the components straightened everything out.

While I was able to put the system together myself, I'd recommend a second person. It's not particularly complicated, just large. The steel frame slots together with keyhole fasteners, and they're quite snug. I used a rubber mallet to get them together. This is a good thing, in my opinion; it means it won't come apart easily. The tracks are thick, rigid plastic.

You'll want to ensure you have plenty of space to assemble this beast: it takes access from at least two sides to get the racks locked in, lined up and properly spaced, and I recommend the caster upgrade--Once it's in filled and place, it is not going to move otherwise.

This system is well-designed. It takes most standard sizes of can, small, medium and #10, and can be customized to take various proportions of them. It adjusts for cans as short as tuna cans, and for the tall ready to serve soup cans. It takes standard peanut butter and condiment jars, too. I would recommend a padded underlayer if you plan to store glass jars, just in case.

Each rack holds about 15 standard cans (the larger racks being proportionally deeper), but I was able to bump the rear cans on the feed rail, and double stack a couple of extras. The tracks are very strong.

Included is a set of magnetic labels for most common canned products, plus some blanks for making your own, plus some specialty ones for canned long term food (shelf life up to 30 years) that Shelf Reliance sells. (I haven't tried these yet, but their prices are quite reasonable and competitive and their quality so far in my tests is excellent.) This and the open design makes it very easy to find what you need, and keep track of the amount on hand. First In First Out means all you have to do is see what's low, buy more and feed it in from the front.

Pluses:

Well-designed, modular, adjustable for most cans and several other containers, sturdy, compact, easy to use, easy to assemble, clear documentation, _made in America_, half the price of some competing systems. Shelfreliance is happy to customize parts for you if you want to store more #10s, or more standard cans, or fit the unit into a narrower or shallower space. They also sell component pieces individually for expansion, and have scratch and dent sales for those on a budget.

Minus:

No actual negatives so far. Just be aware that it takes a while (a couple of hours) to put together just because it's so large--there are 31 racks on the standard model. You really should buy the casters if you ever plan to move it.

My order for two Cansolidators was filled very promptly, and they arrived within the week.

These are a common concept for people storing canned goods in bulk--a first in, first out (FIFO) rack. New cans go in the top, old cans dispense out the bottom.

The Cansolidator is modular, made of a very sturdy and flexible plastic, and the rails are numbered to make it easy to set consistent widths. Each unit contains four top and four bottom rails, and five vertical rails/spacers. You can extend the rails to make wider units, and use additional bottom rail sections to build vertically.

It was just slightly too tall for my kitchen cabinets--it wouldn't quite fit under the shelf, but may fit in newer ones. It's also fairly deep. Shelfreliance also sells smaller units intended for cabinets, and larger, freestanding units up to "The Harvest" that will hold up to 600 cans, and can be adapted to fit a smaller number of #10 cans.

I managed to adjust the unit to fit three slots for standard cans and one for smaller cans (fruit cocktail and beanie weenie sized cans). A standard modular plastic shelf system will fit a Cansolidator section 6 cans wide, with enough room atop to fit a flat of additional cans between it and the next shelf up. This dramatically improved the cubic efficiency of our canned goods storage.

My only criticism is that a basic unit is not quite wide enough, by about 1/2 inch, to fit four rows of regular cans.

I will definitely be getting more of these, and one of the larger freestanding racks, to improve our food storage.

My new acquisition is the OLight T20M 5W. I wanted something as bright as my Surefire, but to be able to dial it down when I didn't need quite that much light. The OLight T20 is even brighter than the Surefire when set at max, 210 lumens, with four times the battery life with the same C123s (90 minutes vs 20 for the 120 lumen Surefires), 70 hours at 10 lumens, and has a memory function so it recalls the last set brightness. The electronics keep brightness high until the batteries are depleted.

In addition, it has a strobe function that can make it a devastating defense weapon. I tried it on myself, and the strobing 210 lumens completely disoriented me, even in indoor light, and left me dazzled for about two minutes. It would make a great addition to any hand to hand encounter with a bad guy. The price is reasonable, and includes a lanyard, a snug, well-crafted holster and spare gaskets for the switch.

This is my second OLight. One of their greatest bonuses is that they accept user feedback and incorporate upgrades into each new model. The downside is you have to keep buying new lights. However, I feel it's worth having a good tactical light in each vehicle, room, and on your person for emergency use.

My preferred source for lights is Flashlight Outlet. Larry really knows the subject and provides exceptional customer service.

I just took delivery of 50 ounces of silver bullion from Northwest Territorial Mint.

NWT is a very reliable company, that produces a great many of the unit challenge coins for the US military. They even have an outlet store in the Pentagon. For bulk buying, they are usually one of the least expensive sources.

I ordered by phone in mid December. They advised me delivery would take 12-13 weeks at the time (in less hectic times, delivery is in days, not weeks), and read a standard disclaimer on bullion trading that should be familiar to all buyers. It's summarized here:

Their minimum order for silver is 50 ounces, and since I only cared about a reliable hallmark, I was able to get it at 99c over spot per ounce, including shipping, handling and insurance, for their Pan American brand. I ordered 50 one ounce bars. For that day, it came to $11.71 per ounce, which is a lot cheaper than the $15-$18 I heard reported as the "Real" price by some experts.

Payment must be made at once, and processing starts after the check clears. However, at any point, you may sell the bullion back and collect the difference (Assuming a price gain). Note that you still have to send the purchase check first before they'll send money back--this is not speculating and NWT is responsible enough not to run open debt.

They sent a purchase confirmation, first by email, then by USPS, dictating amount, price, terms and delivery condition, plus an account number and web access to tracking info.

Delivery was scheduled from when my check cleared in January, for 13-17 April. However, I got notice of shipping, and it arrived April 1st, in a very secure package, adult signature required. The fifty bars are packed in 10 bar thick mylar sleeves for ease of accounting.

NWT sells a variety of silver, gold, palladium and platinum bullion and coins. If you're local to them (Seattle area) you can pick up in person and buy smaller amounts. They ship worldwide, have account numbers for government agency purchase, and are very easy and professional to deal with.

A case of 12, 27-ounce cans of beef cost $63 plus shipping. I called to order, didn't have to wait, and they processed me in about two minutes. The case arrived as fast as UPS could deliver, double-packed in sturdy cardboard and well-labeled. The meat is cooked, lean, in juice, and quite tender and tasty. A test of chili and of emergency stew from canned goods in the pantry gave quite good results--once shredded, the texture and flavor were good. The labeling and site are very plain. You're getting quality, not advertising. I recommend keeping a few cases on hand for natural or economic disasters. You'll still eat decently well at a very inexpensive price.