Barrett M98B .338 Lapua Magnum

223Rem, 308Win, 338 Lapua Mag

338 Lapua Magnum is a punchy round — 250gr bullet nominally leaves the muzzle at 3000fps, 300gr at 2700fps. My friends’ actual chronograph results are 2900fps with 300gr. In any case, it flies fast, flat and completely scrambles blocks of ordnance gelatin. 0.3-0.4MOA is typical of the rifles in this caliber. Unlike 50BMG, the rifles remain easily man-portable.

I borrowed this particular rifle from G4P for use as a photo prop.

This one comes with a very nice 6-24×50 Viper scope.

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44Mag in long guns

Hickok45 just posted an informative video about muzzle differences from 3″ revolver to 8″ revolver to 20″ carbine. He got minimal difference between 3″ and 8″ but 33% to 50% increase from revolvers to the carbine! For the fans of random calculations, that’s about twice the energy. The carbine produced much less muzzle blast than the revolvers. Can’t wait to get my Henry out to the range with a chronograph.

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A friend of a friend

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About that “military-style” buzzword

Erin Palette wrote an excellent explanation of the anti-gunner’s favorite scaredy-word, “military-style”. The effort isn’t even limited to firearms — just trying carrying a sword or a sabre in Japan, England or many US states!

Perhaps the only firearms that don’t look like military…actually, I can’t think of a single exception. Even Olympic air guns share construction features with military air guns of the 18th century, and their pellets are made of scary lead. Even Airsoft “guns” — toys projecting harmless plastic pellets — are banned in many countries, such as China.

So anyone speaking of banning some subset of firearms only wants to rape your rights “a little”…an inch at a time. Don’t even try to negotiate with people are outright evil.

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Red dress, black rifle

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Striker 12 revolver shotgun

Striker 12 is a fairly clever device but, at the core, it is a revolver. Revolving wheel lock carbines have been around since the early 1500s. That didn’t stop BATF from classifying it as a “destructive device” subject to registration and $200 tax. So much for the claim that government wouldn’t ban any particular kind of arms on a whim.

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Seen at Coal Creek: CAR15 camo job

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Morgan

Tomboy.

Sharpshooter.

Little girl who cleans up well for pictures. Morgan is 17.

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Aimpoint Hunter on a Vepr

With a Humvee, the model doesn’t have to worry about caving in body work.

Aimpoint Hunter | Vepr

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Twelve times twelve

Another Coal Creek Saiga with a 12-round SGM magazine. I haven’t chronographed this gun, but other people’s data indicates drop of muzzle velocity from 1250fps to about 1000. Seems like a reasonable trade for the small length. Fans of longer barrels can get a standard Saiga and put it into a Kushnapup stock instead.

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Another 12GA shortie

Also seen at Coal Creek Armory, a Saiga 12 with 8″ barrel and 12-shot magazine.

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Shotgun so sweet, it’s even painted like a chocolate chip cookie

Seen this weekend at Coal Creek Armory in Knoxville.

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Anime-grade cuteness

This demure young lady is all concentration once on the firing line.

And, once done with her course of fire, all smiles. Above, 16″ Vepr in 7.62×39.

And yes, she’s only 14.

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Asking for official permission to stay alive.

Often in home defense episodes, people ask 911 dispatchers for permission to use effective means of self-defense. “Mother, may I please, please save my life by fighting those who’d murder me?” I would guess this stems from being unsure of own right to use deadly force in self-defense. This is precisely why handgun courses usually cover the legalities of self-defense. The decision to fight with all you’ve got should be made long before the emergency happens.

Many movies promote the idea that most people just can’t bring themselves to resist criminals. Just as a grease fire in the kitchen has to be handled soonest with the use of a fire extinguisher, so does criminal aggression must be handled at once with the most effective measures available. Being defenders, lawful people always begin behind the reaction curve and only prior what-if planning allows them to catch up with the aggressors and beat them at their own game.

A lawful, peaceful person should not be apologetic about doing in a criminal aggressor. Human life is worth defending. Life of a home invader or a mugger or a rapist has negative worth and continues at the sufferance of the real humans. And it’s quite all right to treat violent criminals as less than human — they aren’t being stereotyped for some common congenital trait (such as ethnicity or appearance) but treated according to their immediate unlawful actions. Wanton initiation of aggression is a very certain denial of humanity.

Just as a great potential dinner may have to be ruined on a moment’s notice if the oil in your frying pan flashes, a potentially good human who just happens to be a murderous thug at present has to be stopped. The stopping process may ruin the critter but that’s his problem, not yours. A couple of years ago, one of my friends was grabbed by two older men right off the street in Oakland. They dragged her towards a construction site, she managed to slice one of them with a knife and the attackers took off, presumably for the nearest hospital. Whether the wounded rapist lived or died is not important, the important thing is that she escaped. Fortunately, her sense of self-worth is sufficient to ward off any second-guessing or misdirected guilt. My friend is quite comfortable with the outcome of that encounter and that’s how it should be.

Save your pity and consideration for the humans in your life. Goblins masquerading as humans do not deserve it. Know how to protect yourself and be willing to apply that knowledge if necessary. And don’t think that you have to request official permission to protect yourself.

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Teenage girls and their loud toys

An eclectic outfit

Compact 308 rifle

The rifle is a 16″ Vepr in .308, set up with 20rd magazines, 1-5x scope and Magpul MOE stock on ITT hydraulic recoil buffer. Felt recoil is below that of .223, which makes it an excellent plaything for a teenage girl.

Reduced recoil is welcome for all shooters, not just for girls. This young lady’s eclectic outfit happens to include eight full 20rd magazines for the .308 and a Makarov — quite a load besides the rifle. She showed no sign of even noticing the weight. Not bad for 15.

If anybody recognizes the scope, I’d like to know the brand. The only markings on it were “Made in Japan”.

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And speaking of rooftops…

308 Vepr with 27" barrel

For sight radius, length matters. Such a long barrel also gives maximum bullet velocity and least muzzle blast. The added weight is surprisingly little thanks to the relatively short forend. Both front and rear sights are adjustable for windage and elevation. The front is used for zeroing and the rear for operational adjustments.

Handy enough for a teenage girl.

Wolf Arms

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Tall and slender boomstick.

Loitering with intent

One of the many cute and curious sights of Knoxville, TN.

Aiming an SVD off-hand

I can’t quite decide if SVD form is beautiful or just odd. The form of the shooter is more obviously graceful.

One way to cancel a rooftop vote.

Wolf Arms

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Trijicon SRS

More photos taken for G4P: a Trijicon SRS on a Bobro QD mount.

The sight handles nicely — eventually, I’d like to get one for more hands-on evaluation.

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More fun than practical.

That’s about high heels.

The carbine itself is fairly practical, especially with a red dot installed. Fire can be commenced once eye and ear protection are added.

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Be weddy, weddy quieeeet…

…she’s hunting wabbits.

I don’t think much edible rabbit would be left though — that’s 44Mag Henry would be better suited for heffalumps. In any case, this is the last time this rifle is seen with open sights — my friend Tad scoped it today with a 1-4×20 Nikon. At true 1x, it’s incredibly fast for instinctive two-eyes-open aiming.

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