I know that what happened in Sandy Hook Connecticut was a deplorable act and should not have happened. For this one instance by a "Loner" innocent people are paying the price. I am sorry that the people of Connecticut are losing their "Gun Rights". Maybe States like New York, Connecticut, and California will one day truly be free.
With my deepest sympathies.
Monday, December 30, 2013
Saturday, December 28, 2013
Saturday, December 21, 2013
www.firingpin.net
As I already stated in my post about the Vulcan V-94 I found this site while trying to find a firing pin for said weapon. I sent them the bolt and broken firing pin and they reversed engineered the pin and with in 2 weeks time I was testing out the prototype for the pin.
The website is an off shoot business of Custom Instruments located in Boynton Beach, Fla. The company is owned by Chris Rook and Edwin Pyron. The company was started in 2004 with a focus on the medical Industry in which they have done very well.
Some of their contributions to the medical market include spinal implants and surgical tools. As one can see in the above picture they can make precision stuff to a really small scale.
About 2 1/2 years ago they decided to get into the firing pin business. The equipment used by Custom Instruments for their work are Swiss Style CNC Lathes and can handle making a firing pin. Some years ago I tried to make a firing pin for a CZ-52 on a "Regular" Metal Lathe and after I turned the metal down to a point it then bent. After 4 tries and frustration I called it quits. So I can attest that something special is needed.
Their current website dated Nov 5th lists 23 firing pins they currently have in stock. The firing pins are offered in stainless and titanium. Also along with firing pins they do make other gun parts. According to Chris they make specialty bolts, and the entire RPD trigger system and also supply firing pins to Wilson Combat, Franklin Armory and many others. So you may already be using one of their products.
The future looks promising for firinngpin.net. In the next two months a new website will be on the web under the name Iron Sight Precision. (Actually I like that name better than firingpin.net) As with my V-94 they will look at, reverse engineer, and produce anything weapon related. Goals for Iron Sight Precision with in the next year is to offer at least 1 to 2 new firing pins per week.
Like I already stated I personally used this company. I am quite satisfied with everything. Customer service is outstanding. From the first e-mail I sent to playing phone tag. (I was the one not always available) This company kept me in the loop and explained what they were doing. Best of all the prices in my opinion are great and like Amazon shipping is free.
The website is an off shoot business of Custom Instruments located in Boynton Beach, Fla. The company is owned by Chris Rook and Edwin Pyron. The company was started in 2004 with a focus on the medical Industry in which they have done very well.
Some of their contributions to the medical market include spinal implants and surgical tools. As one can see in the above picture they can make precision stuff to a really small scale.
About 2 1/2 years ago they decided to get into the firing pin business. The equipment used by Custom Instruments for their work are Swiss Style CNC Lathes and can handle making a firing pin. Some years ago I tried to make a firing pin for a CZ-52 on a "Regular" Metal Lathe and after I turned the metal down to a point it then bent. After 4 tries and frustration I called it quits. So I can attest that something special is needed.
Their current website dated Nov 5th lists 23 firing pins they currently have in stock. The firing pins are offered in stainless and titanium. Also along with firing pins they do make other gun parts. According to Chris they make specialty bolts, and the entire RPD trigger system and also supply firing pins to Wilson Combat, Franklin Armory and many others. So you may already be using one of their products.
The future looks promising for firinngpin.net. In the next two months a new website will be on the web under the name Iron Sight Precision. (Actually I like that name better than firingpin.net) As with my V-94 they will look at, reverse engineer, and produce anything weapon related. Goals for Iron Sight Precision with in the next year is to offer at least 1 to 2 new firing pins per week.
Like I already stated I personally used this company. I am quite satisfied with everything. Customer service is outstanding. From the first e-mail I sent to playing phone tag. (I was the one not always available) This company kept me in the loop and explained what they were doing. Best of all the prices in my opinion are great and like Amazon shipping is free.
Monday, December 16, 2013
SECRET SERVICE AGENT GEORGE HICKEY KILLED KENNEDY.............I DON'T THINK SO!!!!!!!!!
In November close to the 50th anniversary of Kennedy's assassination a TV show aired on Reels. JFK: The Smoking Gun which presented the theory that SSA George Hickey accidentally shot Kennedy. The show was based on The book Fatal Error by Bohner Menninger and JFK: The Smoking Gun by Colin McLarin. Also I mentioned the show on an earlier post and that I was going to do some testing on my own.
The theory comes from Howard Donahue who was a test shooter on one of the Kennedy Investigations, and on this particular test was the only one to duplicate Oswald shots on the second try. He is referred to as a ballistics expert in the books and the show. He proved the magic bullet theory wrong and that the seating of JFK and Gov. Connelly was different from what the Warren commission presented.
The theory states that SSA George Hickey was sitting on the lowered convertible top of the car he was riding in. When the shot hit Kennedy in the back of his neck Hickey grabbed an AR-15, the cars sped up, Hickey had his finger on the trigger , he then fell backwards pulled the trigger, and shot JFK in the back of the head with a frangible 5.56mm or .223 round.
I was going to test everything that the show presented in this theory. Ordered ammo, was looking for a 6.5 Carcano Manlicher like Oswald used etc. My first project was that I was going to build a seating device that would connect to the front of my truck that would mimic the seating situation that the theory states George Hickey was in when he fired the bullet. I wanted to figure out distances from front to rear, Distances left and right and heights. I looked up pictures on the internet on the JFK assassination and my jaw dropped. Basically this theory turned out to be a "Big Foot" sighting.
First off I found this picture of George Hickey in the trail vehicle. He is the one on the left rear seat. (The rear view mirror is blocking his face) (Your right) he is sitting down. There are other agents on the running boards.
The theory comes from Howard Donahue who was a test shooter on one of the Kennedy Investigations, and on this particular test was the only one to duplicate Oswald shots on the second try. He is referred to as a ballistics expert in the books and the show. He proved the magic bullet theory wrong and that the seating of JFK and Gov. Connelly was different from what the Warren commission presented.
The theory states that SSA George Hickey was sitting on the lowered convertible top of the car he was riding in. When the shot hit Kennedy in the back of his neck Hickey grabbed an AR-15, the cars sped up, Hickey had his finger on the trigger , he then fell backwards pulled the trigger, and shot JFK in the back of the head with a frangible 5.56mm or .223 round.
I was going to test everything that the show presented in this theory. Ordered ammo, was looking for a 6.5 Carcano Manlicher like Oswald used etc. My first project was that I was going to build a seating device that would connect to the front of my truck that would mimic the seating situation that the theory states George Hickey was in when he fired the bullet. I wanted to figure out distances from front to rear, Distances left and right and heights. I looked up pictures on the internet on the JFK assassination and my jaw dropped. Basically this theory turned out to be a "Big Foot" sighting.
First off I found this picture of George Hickey in the trail vehicle. He is the one on the left rear seat. (The rear view mirror is blocking his face) (Your right) he is sitting down. There are other agents on the running boards.
SSA Clint Hill can be seen on the front left of the vehicle jumping off to aid the Kennedys and I could be wrong but George Hickey appears to be sitting. at this time. Most important here is the fact that I believe the fatal shot was already fired because Jackie appears to be moving to the back as pictured below.
Once The Kennedys are secure by SSA Clint Hill the car then speeds up along with the secret service trail vehicle and SSA George Hickey armed with AR-15 takes position as air guard. With the rifle pointed up.
I could be wrong but from what I present here and have seen I do not think George Hickey shot JFK. Though it might be possible to have a one in a million shot or even a billion I think if there was a misfire with the angle that would have to be in place to take the shot on JFK another Secret Service Agent or passenger in the car would have been hit, and/or a bullet hole in the windshield or frame. This does not exist and seen in the above picture no holes in the windshield and from our limited view here no Secret Service Agents appear to be hit.
Sunday, December 8, 2013
Weapons Concealment Made Simple
You went to the class and learned all about the legality and ramifications of carrying a concealed pistol. You probably had to demonstrate that you have some knowledge of a pistol by loading it, firing it, hitting the target and maybe clear a stoppage. Then you went to the issuing authority IE Clerk of Court, Sherriff, or Police Dept. with your certificate of completion, filled out the appropriate paperwork and a few weeks later got your permit.
Now you got a shoulder holster and a tight fitting tee shirt and off you go your'e concealing!
Here in Virginia. The Commonwealth is a will issue State. If you have the basic training and demonstrate so and with a clean background check you will get a concealed carry permit. Or if you are a Veteran with an Honorable Discharge and and a clean Background check. Just present your DD Form 214 Bada Bing Bada Boom here is your Concealed Carry Permit (CCP).
While around town and different places here in Virginia I see many people that DO NOT KNOW the basics of concealing a weapon. This just bothers me because in the need of that weapon you have just made yourself a target. If someone is observing the area for no good. It may persuade that person not to carry out a criminal act if they are in the planning stages and/or have some semblance of sanity. But to some nut case that just decided to shoot up the local pizza hut you are probably target #1. Today I would like to talk about a few of the considerations/ principles of concealing a hand gun.
CONCEAL-ABILITY.
This consideration covers the weapon and clothing and has many sub considerations that go with it.
You can actually carry and conceal any weapon. Trench coats are great for shorty shotguns, MP-5K, some of the rifle pistols (As I call them scaled down AK and AR platforms.) However during the summer months you are going to look stupid wearing a trench coat while it is 100 degrees, and your concealed weapon will no longer be concealed while you lay on the ground because you fainted from heat stroke and dehydration. So with the clothing Environmental considerations do take effect. Baggy and non-form fitting is the way to go in my book.
With the choice of clothes and weapons one has to look at patterning. This is where the clothing item may cling or pattern around the weapon. A perfect example of this is a double knit shirt like Polo or Izod. If I am carrying I do not wear these types of shirts because they always cling around the pistol and look just like a pistol under a double knit shirt no matter how large I go. The best advice I have is in warm weather wear an open button down shirt over a tee shirt that hangs down and winter wear a sports coat.
Weapon Size and the ability to hide the weapon is next. As with clothing environmental considerations are important in choosing a weapon. If you have the choice of a Glock 20 10mm or a Glock 30 sub compact in .45 on an extremely hot day where you will want to dress to stay cool then the 30 is the way to go.
ACCESSIBILTY
Placement of the weapon is very important. When wearing I place my pistol on my hip using a belt holster, belly band, or an in the pants holster. In the past I have used a shoulder holster with large frame automatics IE M-9, Sig 226, M-1911, but I really didn't like them because they were in an unnatural position. Where as the pistol on my hip is right where my arms hang while walking, running or just standing. I guess for a primary weapon a hip area holster is better and then having a secondary in an ankle holster or shoulder holster is acceptable. Also there is the fanny pack holster. These are good but thanks to Tommy Lee Jones in "The Fugitive" every one knows what is in the fanny pack now a days. There are many options out there, Jackets, Vests, Under wear, and T-shirts what you have to choose is the right option to get the job done. (A purse is good if you are a woman, but those Bro-sacs just don't do it for me.
COMFORT
Another point is comfort. If your holster or the weapon is not comfortable while wearing it; it will make you want to mess with it and get the weapon and holster into a comfortable position. After a few times of doing this in a public place you will be noticed.
SUSTAINABILITY
Another consideration while concealing is extra ammo. Personally I like having an extra mag. If the need arises I got it. This also comes from habit while performing force protection and body guard duties. But on a serious note I hope that any law abiding citizen would NOT come into a situation here in the States where the need for more than 15 rounds is called for. However just because of the way I think on both sides of the coin I would not discount it.
In conclusion here the best point for concealing a weapon is to think about what you are doing before you do it and keep it concealed!
Now you got a shoulder holster and a tight fitting tee shirt and off you go your'e concealing!
Here in Virginia. The Commonwealth is a will issue State. If you have the basic training and demonstrate so and with a clean background check you will get a concealed carry permit. Or if you are a Veteran with an Honorable Discharge and and a clean Background check. Just present your DD Form 214 Bada Bing Bada Boom here is your Concealed Carry Permit (CCP).
While around town and different places here in Virginia I see many people that DO NOT KNOW the basics of concealing a weapon. This just bothers me because in the need of that weapon you have just made yourself a target. If someone is observing the area for no good. It may persuade that person not to carry out a criminal act if they are in the planning stages and/or have some semblance of sanity. But to some nut case that just decided to shoot up the local pizza hut you are probably target #1. Today I would like to talk about a few of the considerations/ principles of concealing a hand gun.
CONCEAL-ABILITY.
This consideration covers the weapon and clothing and has many sub considerations that go with it.
You can actually carry and conceal any weapon. Trench coats are great for shorty shotguns, MP-5K, some of the rifle pistols (As I call them scaled down AK and AR platforms.) However during the summer months you are going to look stupid wearing a trench coat while it is 100 degrees, and your concealed weapon will no longer be concealed while you lay on the ground because you fainted from heat stroke and dehydration. So with the clothing Environmental considerations do take effect. Baggy and non-form fitting is the way to go in my book.
With the choice of clothes and weapons one has to look at patterning. This is where the clothing item may cling or pattern around the weapon. A perfect example of this is a double knit shirt like Polo or Izod. If I am carrying I do not wear these types of shirts because they always cling around the pistol and look just like a pistol under a double knit shirt no matter how large I go. The best advice I have is in warm weather wear an open button down shirt over a tee shirt that hangs down and winter wear a sports coat.
Weapon Size and the ability to hide the weapon is next. As with clothing environmental considerations are important in choosing a weapon. If you have the choice of a Glock 20 10mm or a Glock 30 sub compact in .45 on an extremely hot day where you will want to dress to stay cool then the 30 is the way to go.
ACCESSIBILTY
Placement of the weapon is very important. When wearing I place my pistol on my hip using a belt holster, belly band, or an in the pants holster. In the past I have used a shoulder holster with large frame automatics IE M-9, Sig 226, M-1911, but I really didn't like them because they were in an unnatural position. Where as the pistol on my hip is right where my arms hang while walking, running or just standing. I guess for a primary weapon a hip area holster is better and then having a secondary in an ankle holster or shoulder holster is acceptable. Also there is the fanny pack holster. These are good but thanks to Tommy Lee Jones in "The Fugitive" every one knows what is in the fanny pack now a days. There are many options out there, Jackets, Vests, Under wear, and T-shirts what you have to choose is the right option to get the job done. (A purse is good if you are a woman, but those Bro-sacs just don't do it for me.
COMFORT
Another point is comfort. If your holster or the weapon is not comfortable while wearing it; it will make you want to mess with it and get the weapon and holster into a comfortable position. After a few times of doing this in a public place you will be noticed.
SUSTAINABILITY
In conclusion here the best point for concealing a weapon is to think about what you are doing before you do it and keep it concealed!
Friday, December 6, 2013
Vulcan V-94: I just might have to rethink this one.
You ever just hate something so much that when you find a good point about it you hate it even more? Well that is where I stand with the Vulcan V-94.
I bought this weapon as an impulse buy about 4 years ago. I was looking for an MP-5 variant that I could own having carried an MP-5A3, MP-5SD and an MP-5K in previous chapters of my life I just had to have one in my collection or some facsimile there of.
I found this weapon on Gunsamerica.com and it was moderately priced vs paying thousands for others. I did a quick google search and found nothing about the weapon at the time. So I contacted the seller whom I found out lived only about 15 minutes from here so we met and in the parking lot of an Advanced Auto Parts and did the deal. In his advertisement for the weapon he had noted that when the rifle is fired the trigger will stick. This would not be a problem for me having graduated from the H&K armorers course and all other "clones" I had seen previously were basically the same. Also upon doing the sale I found out that this was a straight "Blowback System" with out locking rollers. (Again buyer beware).
I took the gun home and immediately pulled the trigger pack and noticed a few differences in the trigger pack vs an H&K trigger pack. IE the ejector which is manipulated up and down in the H&K by the bolt is fixed (With a sloppy brazing job) in the Vulcan. I also noticed a lot of sloppy weld jobs in the weapon in it's entirety. After taking it apart and cleaning each piece, and a little stone / Dremel work I got the trigger to operate flawlessly, and took it out to my range and fired 15 rounds, with no problems, and I was happy at this point.
My next step in my life with this weapon was to amp it up a bit. There was a Picatinny rail system mounted and it had a fore arm vertical pistol grip mounted. I decided that a laser, light and strobe light were in order. Also a must a collapsible stock was needed. Again I jumped on the internet and looked up Vulcan Arms and my jaw dropped with what I was reading. All reviews I found on line were bad. No one had anything good to say about Vulcan arms which at this point was defunct and was now Blackthorne, and again no one had a nice thing to say about them. I went to the web site and E-mailed them about purchasing a telescoping stock for the weapon and no answer. (Also on the web site they made claims that they supplied arms to Special Forces. Previously I thought that all Special Forces weapons said either, Colt, Beretta, Remington, Winchester, Benelli, or Barrett. I could be wrong.) I sent 2-3 e-mails over a 2 month period before deciding to call. Well for about 2 weeks I called daily leaving messages, and my number to be called back. Nothing till one day calling I got an answer by a jack ass who wanted to argue with me that I was wasting his time and that the company did't make that weapon anymore. I had to get him on track and asked do you have a stock or not. This is what gets me they did. Gave him the credit card info and a week later I had my stock. Now here is where the fun begins. The holes for the mounting pin on the stock do not align!!!!!! If I want to use the stock I have to use a bolt that is about half the diameter of the pin to hold the stock on.
I got all my attachments on the gun, new stock wooohooo I'm going to sling some lead. WROOOONG! I got about 4 rounds out then I had a double feed or so I thought. What it was actually was a failure to extract and feeding. Cleared this out, and again tried to shoot and I got a stove pipe, cleared and then I got the non eject and feed. I took the weapon apart and figured out the the top of the ejector had snapped off. I did not want to deal with Vulcan and or Blackthorne at this point so I went looking around on the internet and found hkparts.net. Here I was able to buy an H&K trigger pack. I ordered one for about $120 and put it in the gun and lead slinging I went. WROOOOOONG! Here I found that the the bolt in the Vulcan sits higher than the bolt in the H&K and the bolt will not hit the rear of the ejector to make it come up and expel the round. I had to make some modifications to the weapon and put in a piece of steal on the trigger housing that keeps the ejector in an upwards position. Also at this time I took the dremel to the inside of the receiver and polished out the bad welds.
Lead slinging I went. Again WROOOOONG! I got 5 rounds out and misfire. Went through my clearing a misfire procedures and misfire. I cleared the weapon and looked at the rounds and no primer dents. Took the gun apart and low and behold the firing pin broke.
The firing pin quest took about a year. I tried H&Kparts.net and got an MP-5 firing pin which did not work. Called Balckthorne a few times didn't say what type of parts that I wanted. I just said I needed to get a part for one of their guns and never heard anything from them. I found out that Atlantic Firearms used to sell Vulcan Fire arms. I contacted them and they got rid of everything Vulcan a few years ago. It wasn't a daily thing but over the months I looked on line for Vulcan V-94 firing pins and never found anything.
I was thinking of taking the gun and making it a wall hanging in my office and thought surely someone can make a firing pin. I went to some local machine shops around here and nobody wanted to take on the project. So on line I went. I found firingpin.net. They had a pretty good laundry list of firing pins that they already made so I sent them an e-mail asking if they wanted to try a Vulcan V-94. I communicated with Chris Rook of Custom Instruments located in Boynton Beach Fla. I sent a picture at first to see if they could in fact make the pin and then sent them the bolt assembly and broken firing pin. Yesterday I received the prototype of the firing pin. I installed it in the weapon and fired off 100 rounds.
Also in the interim I bought some H&K magazines and used them with the one Vulcan mag yesterday. The vulcan mag double fed as it usually does. I will get rid of it. The above shots were fired from 15 yards. My point of aim was center of the right target the sites are adjustable so I can take care of this. This is where I am at the point of it did well and I hate it for doing so well. As I already stated I fired 100 rounds , the only stoppage was from the original Vulcan mag, and as I fired I actually started liking the gun.
Go Figure
I bought this weapon as an impulse buy about 4 years ago. I was looking for an MP-5 variant that I could own having carried an MP-5A3, MP-5SD and an MP-5K in previous chapters of my life I just had to have one in my collection or some facsimile there of.
I found this weapon on Gunsamerica.com and it was moderately priced vs paying thousands for others. I did a quick google search and found nothing about the weapon at the time. So I contacted the seller whom I found out lived only about 15 minutes from here so we met and in the parking lot of an Advanced Auto Parts and did the deal. In his advertisement for the weapon he had noted that when the rifle is fired the trigger will stick. This would not be a problem for me having graduated from the H&K armorers course and all other "clones" I had seen previously were basically the same. Also upon doing the sale I found out that this was a straight "Blowback System" with out locking rollers. (Again buyer beware).
I took the gun home and immediately pulled the trigger pack and noticed a few differences in the trigger pack vs an H&K trigger pack. IE the ejector which is manipulated up and down in the H&K by the bolt is fixed (With a sloppy brazing job) in the Vulcan. I also noticed a lot of sloppy weld jobs in the weapon in it's entirety. After taking it apart and cleaning each piece, and a little stone / Dremel work I got the trigger to operate flawlessly, and took it out to my range and fired 15 rounds, with no problems, and I was happy at this point.
My next step in my life with this weapon was to amp it up a bit. There was a Picatinny rail system mounted and it had a fore arm vertical pistol grip mounted. I decided that a laser, light and strobe light were in order. Also a must a collapsible stock was needed. Again I jumped on the internet and looked up Vulcan Arms and my jaw dropped with what I was reading. All reviews I found on line were bad. No one had anything good to say about Vulcan arms which at this point was defunct and was now Blackthorne, and again no one had a nice thing to say about them. I went to the web site and E-mailed them about purchasing a telescoping stock for the weapon and no answer. (Also on the web site they made claims that they supplied arms to Special Forces. Previously I thought that all Special Forces weapons said either, Colt, Beretta, Remington, Winchester, Benelli, or Barrett. I could be wrong.) I sent 2-3 e-mails over a 2 month period before deciding to call. Well for about 2 weeks I called daily leaving messages, and my number to be called back. Nothing till one day calling I got an answer by a jack ass who wanted to argue with me that I was wasting his time and that the company did't make that weapon anymore. I had to get him on track and asked do you have a stock or not. This is what gets me they did. Gave him the credit card info and a week later I had my stock. Now here is where the fun begins. The holes for the mounting pin on the stock do not align!!!!!! If I want to use the stock I have to use a bolt that is about half the diameter of the pin to hold the stock on.
I got all my attachments on the gun, new stock wooohooo I'm going to sling some lead. WROOOONG! I got about 4 rounds out then I had a double feed or so I thought. What it was actually was a failure to extract and feeding. Cleared this out, and again tried to shoot and I got a stove pipe, cleared and then I got the non eject and feed. I took the weapon apart and figured out the the top of the ejector had snapped off. I did not want to deal with Vulcan and or Blackthorne at this point so I went looking around on the internet and found hkparts.net. Here I was able to buy an H&K trigger pack. I ordered one for about $120 and put it in the gun and lead slinging I went. WROOOOOONG! Here I found that the the bolt in the Vulcan sits higher than the bolt in the H&K and the bolt will not hit the rear of the ejector to make it come up and expel the round. I had to make some modifications to the weapon and put in a piece of steal on the trigger housing that keeps the ejector in an upwards position. Also at this time I took the dremel to the inside of the receiver and polished out the bad welds.
Lead slinging I went. Again WROOOOONG! I got 5 rounds out and misfire. Went through my clearing a misfire procedures and misfire. I cleared the weapon and looked at the rounds and no primer dents. Took the gun apart and low and behold the firing pin broke.
The firing pin quest took about a year. I tried H&Kparts.net and got an MP-5 firing pin which did not work. Called Balckthorne a few times didn't say what type of parts that I wanted. I just said I needed to get a part for one of their guns and never heard anything from them. I found out that Atlantic Firearms used to sell Vulcan Fire arms. I contacted them and they got rid of everything Vulcan a few years ago. It wasn't a daily thing but over the months I looked on line for Vulcan V-94 firing pins and never found anything.
I was thinking of taking the gun and making it a wall hanging in my office and thought surely someone can make a firing pin. I went to some local machine shops around here and nobody wanted to take on the project. So on line I went. I found firingpin.net. They had a pretty good laundry list of firing pins that they already made so I sent them an e-mail asking if they wanted to try a Vulcan V-94. I communicated with Chris Rook of Custom Instruments located in Boynton Beach Fla. I sent a picture at first to see if they could in fact make the pin and then sent them the bolt assembly and broken firing pin. Yesterday I received the prototype of the firing pin. I installed it in the weapon and fired off 100 rounds.
Also in the interim I bought some H&K magazines and used them with the one Vulcan mag yesterday. The vulcan mag double fed as it usually does. I will get rid of it. The above shots were fired from 15 yards. My point of aim was center of the right target the sites are adjustable so I can take care of this. This is where I am at the point of it did well and I hate it for doing so well. As I already stated I fired 100 rounds , the only stoppage was from the original Vulcan mag, and as I fired I actually started liking the gun.
Go Figure
Thursday, December 5, 2013
Picatinny Rail vs Weaver base: Whats the difference?
Hello all! I hope this post finds all well and enjoying the post Thanksgiving Food coma days and the hustle and bustle of getting ready for Christmas.
Over the holidays I had a couple of gun related conversations and one I thought I would bring to light is the difference between a Weaver base and a Picatinny Rail.
The above picture is of a Bushmaster XM-15. To the left is a Picatinny rail which is built into the XM-15 for mounting a sight, carrying handle or anything else one deems necessary for their weapon. On the right is a weaver base hand guard.
I first saw a picatinny rail system in the early 90s when the I was introduced to the M-24 Sniper Weapon System(SWS). The M-24 utilized a Leupold Mark III scope and you tightened the scope to 75 ft pounds using a torque wrench to the base. Where as the M-21 SWS utilized the Art II scope which had a side mounted scope bracket that you tightened with a handle. Here at this point was the first time I heard the interchanging of Picatinny rail and Weaver base. Then later in the 90s the Army adopted the M-4 and the Special Operations Product MODification (SOPMOD) and just like blue tooth rail systems were every where.
So what is the difference? First off the design for the Picatinny Rail system comes from Picatinny Arsenal in New Jersey. ( I gotta ask if the designer is kicking himself for not going public with it first) It is Milspec which really means nothing except that is governed by regulations. The Weaver base is civilian made and to less stringent machining specifications. To the naked eye spacing, width, and thickness appear to be the same. However if we take a micrometer to the base/ rail we will find that there is a difference between the spacing of the Risers. The Picatinny has a set width for the groove which is .206 and a set center to center width of .394. Where as the weaver has a set groove width of .180 and no set distance for center to center.
Here is where the buyer beware comes into effect. With out the above knowledge in hand I bought a laser with a mount for the Picatinny rail. I then attempted to put it on my Weaver Base hand guard and it would not work. However when I tried it on the Picatinny Rail section built on the weapon (left in Picture) it did fit. To rectify the situation after looking at it like a hog looking at a wristwatch I brought out the micrometer and figured it out. and got a weaver screw and installed it.
So what we are looking at here is that Stuff made for a weaver base will fit a Picatinny rail and stuff made for a picatinny rail system may not. The reason I say may not is if a weaver is older and a bit worn or not machined properly the Picatinny base may squeeze in.
Over the holidays I had a couple of gun related conversations and one I thought I would bring to light is the difference between a Weaver base and a Picatinny Rail.
The above picture is of a Bushmaster XM-15. To the left is a Picatinny rail which is built into the XM-15 for mounting a sight, carrying handle or anything else one deems necessary for their weapon. On the right is a weaver base hand guard.
I first saw a picatinny rail system in the early 90s when the I was introduced to the M-24 Sniper Weapon System(SWS). The M-24 utilized a Leupold Mark III scope and you tightened the scope to 75 ft pounds using a torque wrench to the base. Where as the M-21 SWS utilized the Art II scope which had a side mounted scope bracket that you tightened with a handle. Here at this point was the first time I heard the interchanging of Picatinny rail and Weaver base. Then later in the 90s the Army adopted the M-4 and the Special Operations Product MODification (SOPMOD) and just like blue tooth rail systems were every where.
So what is the difference? First off the design for the Picatinny Rail system comes from Picatinny Arsenal in New Jersey. ( I gotta ask if the designer is kicking himself for not going public with it first) It is Milspec which really means nothing except that is governed by regulations. The Weaver base is civilian made and to less stringent machining specifications. To the naked eye spacing, width, and thickness appear to be the same. However if we take a micrometer to the base/ rail we will find that there is a difference between the spacing of the Risers. The Picatinny has a set width for the groove which is .206 and a set center to center width of .394. Where as the weaver has a set groove width of .180 and no set distance for center to center.
Here is where the buyer beware comes into effect. With out the above knowledge in hand I bought a laser with a mount for the Picatinny rail. I then attempted to put it on my Weaver Base hand guard and it would not work. However when I tried it on the Picatinny Rail section built on the weapon (left in Picture) it did fit. To rectify the situation after looking at it like a hog looking at a wristwatch I brought out the micrometer and figured it out. and got a weaver screw and installed it.
So what we are looking at here is that Stuff made for a weaver base will fit a Picatinny rail and stuff made for a picatinny rail system may not. The reason I say may not is if a weaver is older and a bit worn or not machined properly the Picatinny base may squeeze in.
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