Firearms Friday: The Long And Short Of It

These will NOT be mall ninja builds! RIP Barry.

It has been a while since I ventured into the basement, pulled out my tools, and worked on a few projects at my work bench. Even though I have had my own space for the last eight months with all that has happened and all the changes that we have been through, I haven’t been able to find the time to work on the various build projects that I have been looking forward to. However, with a few minutes here and there over the last couple of weeks, I have at least been able to pull all of the parts together for two rifle builds. While they may still be a few weeks away from completion, I wanted to offer a brief glimpse into the plans.

The last few years have seen countless carbine builds so this time around I wanted to change things up a bit. Those interested in budget carbine builds should read through my previous post on the subject which can be found here. The only thing that has changed since that post are the prices listed… I have been able to find many of the parts on other sites at greater discounts from the prices listed. That was, and continues to be, fun but, this time around, I am changing things up quite a lot with the parts that I have assembled. They are still on the budget side but not nearly as price conscious.

The first build addresses the desire for portability. As you might have guessed, this isn’t a rifle build but rather a pistol. This will be my second pistol build but this time I am taking things a step further. While I am not going to go into the details of the build (that is a post for another day) I will say that 7.5” should look pretty good with parts from FAB Defense, Phase 5 Tactical, Law Tactical, and Huntertown Arms. It should make for a nice portable firearm to keep in the bottom of a backpack.

The second build is the complete opposite of the first but, at the same time, it should be a rather nice compliment to the pistol. While not as interesting with regard to the parts used, this 24” rifle should be an interesting one to take to the range to test my abilities. I will start with a simple Brunton optic with plans to upgrade in the future. I am about half way through this particular build at the moment.

The two things that both of these builds have in common are the fact that they are starting with Seekins Precision forged lowers and both have some pretty nice triggers. I am particularly interested in how the latter will perform. While I have used a CMC trigger in the past, this will be my first experience with HiperFire. I also have a POF trigger at my disposal which I am tempted to swap in and try as well.

So those are the build plans for now. Everything is ready to go with parts and tools set aside. Now I just have to find the time to pull everything together and test them on the range. Now that you have read a little bit about my plans, what parts do you recommend using in an AR build (I am well aware of Geissele and hope to enjoy one of those triggers soon)? Who knows, maybe I already have some of them in my plans… you will just have to wait and see.

Firearms Friday: Support Israel, Buy A Gun!

I thought it apropos to write this post with Passover beginning this evening… Israel has been in the news rather frequently as of late and most of the headlines have been critical of the state and or the Prime Minister. This has been in large part due to the negotiations with Iran and the resulting heavy media criticism of the Jewish state is nothing new. Another not so surprising result of the recent coverage is that there are radical groups of people calling for the boycott of Israeli products.

As I have made very clear in previous posts, I am a firm supporter of Israel which is why I am taking the exact opposite approach of some of the radicals and recommending that we purchase quality Israeli products. Given the day that this is being posted, it should be no surprise that I am recommending the procurement of Israeli firearms (as well as magazines and other related products). And, frankly, you are missing out if you don’t already have at least one in your collection. For those of you that are not familiar, there are two significant manufacturers that are available in the United States: IWI and BUL.

IWI is the more well-known of the two and I primarily known for four firearms: the Desert Eagle, the Jericho (rebranded in US by Magnum Research at the Baby Eagle), the Tavor, the Galil, and the Uzi. You can learn a little more about the manufacturer in my previous post about Pennsylvania based companies. For now, here is a little bit about some of their more popular offerings:

• The Desert Eagle is a monster of a handgun… large, heavy, and powerful calibers. This is great for the occasional trip to the range but be prepared to pull out your wallet each time you need to feed it. Especially if you opt to get one chambered in 50 AE. This is after to shell out over a grand to purchase the handgun.

• The Baby Eagle is the service sized firearm available with an all steel or polymer frame that is chambered in common calibers. Based on the classic CZ design with a more industrial aesthetic, this option is a natural pointer allowing the shooter to easily keep on target.

• While the Tavor has been in use with the IDF for years, it is a relative newcomer to the US market. The Bullpup design, chambered in the same caliber as the ubiquitous AR15, allows this rifle to be used effectively by both professionals in the line of duty as well as provides a comfortable platform for the weekend shooter at the range. Another plus is that it takes standard AR magazines.

• The Galil, at least this incarnation, is the newest arrival on the market which operates on a refined AK platform. Previously available in the US, original imports still carry with them a stellar reputation and command a high price on the used market. This is a must have for fans of the AK platform.

• The Uzi first came to national prominence when it was seen in use by the secret service during the attempted assassination of President Reagan. The platform currently popular with the public is chambered 22LR and is largely a plinking firearm. The submachinegun variant chambered in 9mm is something of the past. While still seen on occasion (sometimes in a dubious light) it really isn’t a factor in the consumer market. It really isn’t much more than a plinking pistol for the range.

Despite being available for the past 20-30 years, BUL is still a relative unknown to many people in the US but you really can’t go wrong picking up a M5 or a Cherokee. The M5 is BUL’s double stack 1911 offering. It is a high quality production that, at least at one point, was a popular choice among competitive shooters (and not just because it carried a few extra rounds). The Cherokee is a near twin to the polymer framed Jericho. Another solid option for those looking for either a larger carry option or something to take on the range on the weekends. Additionally, you can find their markings on some of the older Kimber polymer frame 1911’s floating around in the used gun case. Generally speaking, you can find BUL firearms on the used market at a pretty significant discount over IWI firearms.

Of course, if you are not in the market for a firearm you can always show your support by picking up IWI magazines, Mako / FAB Defense AR or AK accessories (highly recommended), and/or a Fobus holster. If you are not in the market for any of these you can also pick up an Uplala magazine loader that makes things just that much more comfortable at the range… you can actually feel your thumb on the way home if you use one of these. If you still can’t find anything to buy I really don’t know why you are reading this particular post but if that is the case go out and buy some kind of product from Israel. However, you’ll have to find those recommendations on your own but let’s just say that if you use a computer, a smart phone, and/or some kind of instant messenger you are already supporting the Jewish State.