Concealed carry tid bits

          About six months ago I finally booked an appointment and took a course so that I could obtain my Maine concealed carry permit or CCW. I have been carrying every day since I have been able and thought I would share a few things with those who may be thinking about getting their permits, or maybe already have them and are fairly new to it like I am, so that they can evaluate what works best for them and their every-day lives.
          First, I would like to point out that I was completely shocked, although not necessarily disappointed at how easy it was to obtain this permit in my state. Maine is a "shall issue" state, meaning if you don't have a criminal background or any other  issues excluding you from being able to own or carry a firearm, they will give you a permit. They do require that you attend and "graduate" from a NRA certified home firearm safety course and complete the application through your local police chief before you may be able to carry a concealed firearm. In Maine the minimum to achieve this is a $65.00/ 8 hr. course with no shooting required. Easy enough right? After graduating the course, which is basically just showing you understand what the instructor is saying and showing you can hold a gun without putting everyone in danger, you must then get an application from your chief of police and pay another $35.00 filing fee. (Why does filing a paper cost $35.00?)
          Once you have done this its just a waiting game. It took my permit about six weeks to come in. The town office/police station where I live called me personally when it arrived so I could go sign it in front of them. It was just an ordinary piece of paper stating my name and address and the name and signature of the chief of police. I laminated it myself so I wouldn't have to pay another $5.00 fee to get another one in three months when mine ripped or made a trip through the washing machine.
          Now, every state has completely different requirements for this process so before anyone starts leaving me all kinds of nasty comments saying I am full of crap about how easy it is to get this permit, please realize this. (Yes, it has already happened) The info I am providing is for Maine only and it is to acquire a Maine only permit. I was told that thirteen states honor Maines permit but if you want a permit that's good for the entire country you will need to attend a more extensive course for more money.
          Ok, now that all the details are out of the way we will get on to my actual experiences carrying. This is something that should be thought out before hand because you will begin to realize very quickly that the way you thought you might want to carry and the gear you dream about carrying every day begins to be a nightmare once you do. Once you make the choice to carry a firearm you should carry it every day, everywhere (within your legal rights of course) This means finding a handgun and holster that will feel comfortable, not just for a few days, but for everyday carry.
          The gun/holster combo should be something that works no matter what your doing or how you are sitting. Some methods of carry feel great while you are standing and are horrible when you sit down. When I started out I carried on the small of my back. I found out very quickly that this was completely useless when I was sitting down and could possibly injure me severely if I was pushed onto my back. I have since moved to carrying on my strong side hip in the "4 oclock" position. (If your body was a clock with your belt buckle at 12 oclock. This position allows me to sit and stand without adjusting and even lay down on my back comfortably. The less time you have to adjust or remove your sidearm the better. If you spend a lot of the time on the road driving this may mean a shoulder holster so your weapon is not pinned to you by your seatbelt. The clothing you wear every day will have a lot to do with how you want to carry and you may want to buy certain items of clothing specifically for this. I bought a couple of lightweight open front jackets for this purpose. If your job requires you to wear blazers or sport coats then the shoulder holster may be ideal. Also please check with your local laws because while it is perfectly legal to carry open in Maine, some states do not allow it and if your concealed handgun becomes not so concealed you can get in trouble for it.
          If you choose to buy an "inside the waistband" holster be aware that these take time to break in. It may not be very comfortable at all at first but it will eventually conform to your body's angles and contours and soon , if your gun isn't a brick, you should barely know its there. I also recommend carrying a spare mag, flashlight, or whatever other every day items you may carry in the same spot on the other side as to offset the weight on your hips a little. (You would be surprised how much this helps). Depending on how fitted your clothes are to begin with you may want to buy pants a size bigger so you are still comfortable after the thickness of the gun has been taken up.
          Try not to carry in spots you may perspire a lot (small of back for men). Wiping down your gun all the time is a pain and unnecessary if you place it right. This is also why many people opt to carry stainless steel guns that don't rust or corrode as easily.
          Whatever way you chose to carry, carry that way all the time. Get used to it. Practice unholstering and drawing on target (with an unloaded weapon) so that if and when you ever need to it will be second nature. You may think it would be easy to know where you are carrying but if you carry in different places all the time when the fight or flight response kicks in and you have seconds to react you don't want to draw a blank and reach for your gun to find out its not there today.
          Well that's it for now, I will share more things as I learn them and hopefully I can help someone who is just figuring it out for themselves. Please train with your firearm and be safe, there are already way too many people giving us gun owners bad names, lets not help them out.

Wrap it. Grip it. Shoot it. JBG gun grips

     I would like to let all you gun owners know about a great product I tried out recently from JBG gungrips. JBG makes cutom grip panels for just about any firearm you can imagine and they fit perfect! My most recent project was a Mossberg 500a pump shotgun that needed some repair. I bought it for fifty dollars and refinished it in black with a shortened barrel but the clear coat didnt create a great place to grip the stock. It was so smooth that it was almost slippery if your hands and the stock were not completely dry. I looked all over the place for some kind of solution until I found JBG.
     They make self adhesive (and these things are adhesive!) grip panels for your firearm which have a sandpaper type feel to them for an amazing grip. They are completely removeable without tearing up your paint or finish and they are one of the most affordable gun accessories on the market. Here is a picture of the shotgun stock with JBG gun grips on it.

I have to admit, I was a little aprehensive at first about how permanant these grips would be but they are made from a type of adhesive that is both extremely sticky and easy to remove if needed, and what a grip! This shotgun stock went from something I was nervous about holding onto if my hands were sweaty to something I dont think I could let go of if I tried. From handguns and assault rifles to special purpose shotguns, JBG has it all and you will not find a better price on any kind of gun grip on the market. I am thinking about ordering a variety of them just to have on hand. If there is something you need that you dont see on their website you can email them, they are great at getting you exactly what you need. Go check them out!

WASR GP 10/63 project.

     I bought a WASR GP 10/63 rifle a while back (luckily before the surge in semi-auto rifles began) and figured I would make it a rainy day project since I can almost never leave anything alone. For anyone who doesn't know what this rifle is, it is an AKM variant modeled after the original AK-47 design. This rifle is made in Romania using surplus parts from actual Romanian military rifles. Originally these weapons were shipped to the United States during the Clinton era "assault weapons" ban, which was from 1994 to 2004. During this time 30 round double stack magazines were banned and so these rifles were made with narrow magazine wells to accept 10 round single stack magazines. Century arms imported them and replaced several parts with american made pieces to comply with the federal regulations. These rifles were known as the 10/63...10 being the magazine size and 63 being the year of the design. The newer versions of this rifle are known as the GP 10/63 for "general purpose" and are not to be confused with the originals which developed a reputation for being cheap weapons. It is true that the price of one of these WASR's is significantly lower than many other brands of AKM, but there are several reasons for this. First, the romanian made AK variants far outnumber any other country's design and are imported much more, obviously driving the price of the rarer models up. Second, the WASR rifles come with the bare minimum in order to keep prices low. This rifle did not come with a strap, extra magazines, or carrying case and the wood parts of the gun are unfinished. This saves the consumer quite a bit of money because it costs the manufacturer less to make it. 
I wasn't smart enough to take before pictures so this is a picture of a WASR GP 10/63 I found online. You can see that this person has a strap on thiers but mine came without one and the wood was sanded to about 80 grit.

     The first thing I would recommend to anyone who buys one of these is to seal or finish the wood to prevent it from rotting. This isn't very expensive and improves the life of your weapon tremendously. I chose not to use any stain on mine but instead replaced the handguard with an aluminum quad rail and gave the butt stock several layers of spray on Rustoleum clear coat after sanding it down to 400 grit. This spray dries quickly and offers a layer of protection from dropping damage or water. Next I bought a couple cans of ultra flat camo paint and colored the top cover, quad rail, rear sight block, and magazines. I then gave those parts the same clear coat treatment I gave the stock. I also added a muzzle break to the barrel. The rifle came with a barrel nut welded onto the muzzle so I had to break through the weld and clean it up to attatch the new part. Here are a few after pictures.

The rifle itself was 530 dollars (probably more now) and with another 10 dollars in paint and a little sandpaper it now looks like this. The black rubber grip sections you see on the forward and pistol grips are made by Manta-rail and the rail covers which I have in olive drab and black are UTG.  As usual , feel free to email or comment any questions and I will be glad to help out.

Spikes Tactical ST-T2 Buffer

I recently purchased this product for my Bushmaster xm-15. My rifle is a 16" with a carbine length gas system. While being compact and very easy to move around with, one of the flaws carbine systems have been associated with is a more violent reaction within the upper reciever due to higher gas pressures than that of a full length rifle system. This is because the expanding gases have less distance to travel before reaching the action, thus hitting it with more force. This more violent action sends the bolt carrier back at a higher rate, having more impact on the buffer and causing more stress to the buffer spring. Most companies dont consider this when making their carbines and install the same parts they install in their rifle systems. As a result, these carbines sometimes suffer premature malfunctioning of some of the internal parts. Spikes tactical has solved one of these problems by creating the ST buffer. Instead of solid weights shifting around inside this buffer, Spikes uses high density tungston powder to create a smoother shift in weight. These buffers come in three different weights to completely customise the effect it has on your carbine. The one I purchased was their middle weight, the ST-T2. This buffer is heavier than the standard carbine buffer which makes it harder to throw backwards by the bolt carrier, minimizing the harmful effects. It is also constructed of solid billet aluminum so there is no chance of it falling apart. It functions flawlessly in my carbine after hundreds of rounds and seems to also lighten the felt recoil due to a smoother reaction within the buffer tube. If you are looking for a great product at a reasonable price, try it out. Spikes also combines usefulness with a very cool look (see picture). These can be purchased in many places including Spikes Tactical's website, Ebay, or many other AR-15 parts retailers.

Bridgford ready to eat sandwiches

         I have spoken before of being prepared for emergencies with a bug-out bag or some kind of preparedness kit. You can never really be to prepared for something can you? I am always looking for food products that can be stored for extended periods of time without going bad so they will be there in an emergency. Of course, nobody wants to compromise taste if they don't have to either, well I have found a company who thinks the same way. Bridgford food services is a family controlled business that has been making products for over eighty years. With that much experience it's safe to say that they really know what they are doing. They have a line of  ready-to-eat sandwiches that stay good for three years and taste great! I have tried many of the different varieties they offer and have been impressed every time.

     ...In Bridgfords own words, the

     "Shelf-Stable Ready-To-Eat Sandwich Line was originally developed for the United States Military as combat feeding rations for the “Troops On-The-Go”. The military required a product that had a three-year shelf-life, and would taste as great on day 1,095 as it did on day 1. The sandwiches were originally tested with the United States Marines during an operation in Fallujah, and they scored exceptionally well, receiving one of the highest acceptance scores ever for a new product. Currently, the product is incorporated into the “First Strike Ration” which is provided to our military’s Special Operations Forces when they carry out missions in a “Hot Zone”.  Shelf-Stable Ready-To-Eat Sandwiches that contain meat are produced under USDA inspection, and are also inspected by AMS, FDA, NCDA, VETCOM, and other agencies. All meat and poultry used in producing the sandwiches is USDA inspected. The sandwiches are heated to a minimum internal temperature of 190 degrees F, and are manufactured under the auspices of a HACCP program."

     They offer many sandwich varieties, such as beef, chicken, pepperoni, and sausage, as well as sweeter snack and breakfast items like apple turnovers and french toast. The french toast was absolutely delicious by the way! All of their sandwiches can be eaten hot or cold so you don't need to worry if you have no means of cooking food. Throw some in your bug-out, camping, or fishing bag. Put one or two in the glove-box of your car in case you ever break down for extended periods of time or take a long road trip. Wherever you go Bridgfords products can go with you and make sure you never go hungry again. These little gems only weigh a few ounces each so they are nothing to carry. If at all possible I will be bringing a Bridgford sandwich with me on every one of my hikes from now on.

Here is some additional nutritional information...

Pocket Sandwiches

Great for Emergency/Disaster Relief Planning

New Innovative Product

• 3-Year Shelf Life if Stored at 80º F or less; may be stored at

100º for six months.

Taste Great

• No heating required – just tear open and eat.

• Great cold or hot.

• Approved and used by the U.S. Military.

High in Protein and Carbohydrates

• On average, the sandwiches provide 300 calories

and 11 grams of protein per serving.

Compact

• 3.5-oz to 2.5-oz per sandwich.

• 83 to 108 calories- per-ounce.

Inexpensive meal solution

For more information, please call Richard Mueller at: (312) 520-8311,

or email: rmueller@bridgford.com.

ITALIAN STYLE INGREDIENTS:

Ester, Dough Conditioners [Wheat Flour, Diacetyl Tartaric Acid Esters of Mono- and Diglycerides {DATEM}, Soy Oil, L-Cysteine Hydrochloride, Enzyme, Ascorbic Acid, Azodicarbonamide {ADA}], Gum Arabic, Calcium Sulfate, Xanthan Gum, Sorbic Acid),

Bread (Enriched Bleached Flour [Wheat Flour, Malted Barley Flour, Niacin, Iron, Thiamine Mononitrate, Riboflavin, Folic Acid], Water, Partially Hydrogenated Soybean and Cottonseed Oil, Glycerol, Yeast, Salt, Sucrose

Tomato Sauce

(Tomato Paste [Tomatoes, Tomato Juice, Salt, Citric Acid], Glycerol, Parmesan/Romano Cheese[Pasteurized Cow’s Milk, Culture, Salt, Enzymes], Olive Oil, Sugar, Garlic Powder, Dried Onions, Spices, Salt), Marinated/Cooked Sausage

(Italian Sausage [Pork, Salt, Water, Dextrose, Spices And Flavorings, Monosodium Glutamate, Sodium Nitrite], Rice Syrup, Glycerol, Water, Salt, Spices),

Oleoresin of Paprika, Sodium Erythorbate, Sodium Nitrite, BHA, BHT),

Pepperoni (Pork, Beef, Salt, Water, Dextrose, Paprika, Spices and Flavorings, Lactic Acid Starter Culture,Mozzarella Cheese Powder (Mozzarella Cheese [Pasteurized Milk, Cultures, Salt, Enzymes], Disodium Phosphate). Calories Per Ounce: 91.

BARBECUED BEEF INGREDIENTS:

Yeast, Salt, Sucrose Ester, Dough Conditioners [Wheat Flour, Diacetyl Tartaric Acid Esters of Mono- and Diglycerides {DATEM}, Soy Oil, L-Cysteine Hydrochloride, Enzyme, Ascorbic Acid, Azodicarbonamide {ADA}], Gum Arabic, Calcium Sulfate,

Xanthan Gum, Sorbic Acid),

Vinegar Flavor [Sodium Diacetate, Citric Acid, Potassium Citrate, Glucona-Delta-Lactone], Worcestershire Sauce [Distilled Vinegar, Molasses, Corn Syrup, Water, Salt, Caramel Coloring, Sugar, Spices, Anchovies, Flavoring, Tamarind], Dried

Onions, Smoke Flavoring, Sodium Phosphate).

Bread (Enriched Bleached Flour [Wheat Flour, Malted Barley Flour, Niacin, Iron, Thiamine Mononitrate, Riboflavin, Folic Acid], Water, Partially Hydrogenated Soybean and Cottonseed Oil, Glycerol,Barbecued Beef (Beef, Tomato Paste [Tomato Paste, Salt, Citric Acid], Brown Sugar, Mustard, Glycerol, Honey, Molasses, Spices and Flavorings, Beef Broth, Partially Hydrogenated Soybean Oil, Salt, Rice Syrup,Calories Per Ounce: 83.

BARBECUED CHICKEN INGREDIENTS:

Yeast, Salt, Sucrose Ester, Dough Conditioners [Wheat Flour, Diacetyl Tartaric Acid Esters of Mono- and Diglycerides {DATEM}, Soy Oil, L-Cysteine Hydrochloride, Enzyme, Ascorbic Acid, Azodicarbonamide {ADA}], Gum Arabic, Calcium Sulfate,

Xanthan Gum, Sorbic Acid),

Rice Syrup, Vinegar Flavor [Sodium Diacetate, Citric Acid, Potassium Citrate, Glucona-Delta-Lactone], Worcestershire Sauce [Distilled Vinegar, Molasses, Corn Syrup, Water, Salt, Caramel Coloring, Sugar, Spices, Anchovies, Flavoring, Tamarind],

Dried Onions, Smoke Flavoring, Sodium Phosphate).

Bread (Enriched Bleached Flour [Wheat Flour, Malted Barley Flour, Niacin, Iron, Thiamine Mononitrate, Riboflavin, Folic Acid], Water, Partially Hydrogenated Soybean and Cottonseed Oil, Glycerol,Barbecued Chicken (Chicken, Tomato Paste [Tomato Paste, Salt, Citric Acid], Brown Sugar, Mustard, Glycerol, Honey, Molasses, Spices and Flavorings, Chicken Broth, Partially Hydrogenated Soybean Oil, Salt,Calories Per Ounce: 83.

PEPPERONI STICK INGREDIENTS:

Salt, Sucrose Ester, Dough Conditioners [Wheat Flour, Diacetyl Tartaric Acid Esters of Mono- and Diglycerides {DATEM}, Soy Oil, L-Cysteine Hydrochloride, Enzyme, Ascorbic Acid, Azodicarbonamide {ADA}], Gum Arabic, Calcium Sulfate, Xanthan

Gum, Glucono-Delta-Lactone, Sorbic Acid),

Bread (Enriched Bleached Flour [Wheat Flour, Malted Barley Flour, Niacin, Iron, Thiamine Mononitrate, Riboflavin, Folic Acid], Water, Partially Hydrogenated Soybean and Cottonseed Oil, Glycerol, Yeast,Pepperoni (Pork, Beef, Salt, Water, Dextrose, Paprika, Spices and Flavorings, Lactic Acid Starter Culture, Oleoresin of Paprika, Sodium Erythorbate, Sodium Nitrite, BHA, BHT). Calories Per Ounce: 108.

BACON IN CHEESE-FLAVORED BREAD INGREDIENTS:

Vegetable Oil, Corn Syrup Solids, Wheat Flour, Milk, Maltodextrin, Salt, Lactic Acid, Enzyme Modified Cheese {Milk, Salt, Enzymes}, Natural Flavors, Sodium Citrate, Sodium Carbonate, Disodium Phosphate, Annatto {For Color}], Partially

Hydrogenated Soybean and Cottonseed Oil, Glycerol, Yeast, Salt, Sucrose Ester, Dough Conditioners [Wheat Flour, Diacetyl Tartaric Acid Esters of Mono- and Diglycerides {DATEM}, Soy Oil, L-Cysteine Hydrochloride, Enzyme, Ascorbic Acid,

Azodicarbonamide {ADA}], Gum Arabic, Butter Flavor [Gum Arabic, Natural and Artificial Flavors, Medium Chain Triglycerides], Glucono- Delta-Lactone, Calcium Sulfate, Xanthan Gum, Sorbic Acid),

Smoke Flavor, Sugar, Dextrose, Sodium Erythorbate, Sodium Nitrite).

Bread (Enriched Bleached Flour [Wheat Flour, Malted Barley Flour, Niacin, Iron, Thiamine Mononitrate, Riboflavin, Folic Acid], Water, Cheddar Flavored Flakes [HydrolyzedBacon (Cured with Water, Salt, HickoryCalories Per Ounce: 106.

SWEET & SOUR SOY INGREDIENTS: Bread

[Wheat Flour, Monoglycerides, Diacetyl Tartaric Acid Esters of Mono & Diglycerides, Ammonium Sulfate, Enzymes, Citric Acid, Ascorbic Acid], Gum Arabic, Calcium Sulfate, Xanthan Gum, Butter Flavor [From Milk], Sorbic Acid),

Soy

Molasses, Soy Lecithin, Citric Acid).

(Enriched Bleached Flour [Wheat Flour, Malted Barley Flour, Niacin, Iron, Thiamine Mononitrate, Riboflavin, Folic Acid], Water, Palm Oil, Glycerol, Yeast, Salt, Sucrose Ester, Dough ConditionersSweet & Sour(Soy Protein Concentrate, Sugar, Vinegar, Water, Pineapple, Glycerol, Rice Syrup, Orange Juice, Bell Pepper, Soy Sauce (Water, Wheat, Soy, Salt), Chopped Onions, Canola Oil, Modified Food Starch, Salt, Lemon Juice, Seasonings and Flavorings,Calories Per Ounce: 83.

FILLED FRENCH TOAST INGREDIENTS: Bread

Oil, Maple Flakes [Sugar, Vegetable Oil (Palm Oil, Palm Kernel Oil), Wheat Flour, Maltodextrin, Cellulose, Maple Sugar, Cocoa Powder, Glucose, Natural Flavors, Extractives of Foenugreek, Soy Lecithin, Caramel Color], Cinnamon Flakes [Sugar,

Vegetable Oil (Palm Oil, Palm Kernel Oil), Cinnamon, Soy Lecithin], Glycerol, Yeast, Salt, Sucrose Ester, Gum Arabic, Calcium Sulfate, Xanthan Gum, Sorbic Acid, Food Color [FD&C Yellow #5 Alum Lake]),

Water, Dextrose, Imitation Maple Syrup [Corn Syrup, High Fructose Corn Syrup, Water, Cellulose Gum, Caramel Color, Salt, Sodium Benzoate And Sorbic Acid, Artificial And Natural Flavors, Sodium Phosphate], Corn Syrup, Glycerol, Tapioca Starch,

Corn Starch, Maple Flavor [Natural and Artificial], Locust Bean Gum, Xanthan Gum).

(Enriched Bleached Flour [Wheat Flour, Malted Barley Flour, Niacin, Iron, Thiamine Mononitrate, Riboflavin, Folic Acid, and Enzyme], Water, Partially Hydrogenated Soybean and CottonseedMaple Filling (High Fructose Corn Syrup,Calories Per Ounce: 100.

CINNAMON BUN INGREDIENTS:

Cinnamon Flakes [Sugar, Vegetable Oil {Palm Oil, Palm Kernel Oil}, Cinnamon, Soy Lecithin], Yeast, Sugar, Salt, Sucrose Ester, Dough Conditioners [Wheat Flour, Diacetyl Tartaric Acid Esters of Mono- and Diglycerides {DATEM}, Soy Oil, LCysteine

Hydrochloride, Enzyme, Ascorbic Acid, Azodicarbonamide {ADA}], Gum Arabic, Calcium Sulfate, Xanthan Gum, Sorbic Acid, Butter Flavor [Gum Arabic, Natural and Artificial Flavors, Medium Chain Triglycerides], Food Color [FD&C

Yellow #5 Alum Lake]),

Bread (Enriched Bleached Flour [Wheat Flour, Malted Barley Flour, Niacin, Iron, Thiamine Mononitrate, Riboflavin, Folic Acid], Water, Partially Hydrogenated Soybean and Cottonseed Oil, Glycerol,Cinnamon Filling (High Fructose Corn Syrup, Water, Dextrose, Cinnamon, Corn Syrup, Glycerol, Starch, Vanilla Flavor [Natural and Artificial], Locust Bean Gum, Xanthan Gum). Calories Per Ounce: 94.

APPLE TURNOVER INGREDIENTS: Bread

[Sugar, Vegetable Oil {Palm Oil, Palm Kernel Oil}, Cinnamon, Soy Lecithin], Glycerol, Yeast, Salt, Sucrose Ester, Dough Conditioners [Wheat Flour, Diacetyl Tartaric Acid Esters of Mono- and Diglycerides {DATEM}, Soy Oil, L-Cysteine Hydrochloride,

Enzyme, Ascorbic Acid, Azodicarbonamide {ADA}], Gum Arabic, Calcium Sulfate, Xanthan Gum, Sorbic Acid, Food Color [FD&C Yellow #5 Alum Lake]),

Ascorbic Acid, Citric Acid], Apple Concentrate, Dextrose, Glycerol, Starch, Vanilla Flavor [Natural and Artificial], Cinnamon, Locust Bean Gum, Xanthan Gum, Apple Flavor).

(Enriched Bleached Flour [Wheat Flour, Malted Barley Flour, Niacin, Iron, Thiamine Mononitrate, Riboflavin, Folic Acid], Water, Partially Hydrogenated Soybean and Cottonseed Oil, Cinnamon FlakesApple Filling (High Fructose Corn Syrup, Water, Dried Apples [Apples, Sugar, Sunflower Oil,Calories Per Ounce: 90.

CHERRY TURNOVER INGREDIENTS: Bread

Strawberry Flakes [Sugar, Vegetable Oil {Palm Oil, Palm Kernel}, Wheat Flour, Malic Acid, Natural & Artificial Flavor, Sodium Citrate, Caramel Color, Red 40 Lake, Soy Lecithin, Blue 2 Lake], Glycerol, Yeast, Salt, Sucrose Ester, Gum Arabic, Calcium

Sulfate, Xanthan Gum, Sorbic Acid, FD&C Yellow #5 Alum Lake),

Sunflower Oil, Ascorbic Acid, Citric Acid, Natural Cherry Flavor], Corn Syrup, Apple Concentrate, Cherry Juice Concentrate, Glycerol, Starch, Artificial Cherry Flavor, Xanthan Gum, Locust Bean Gum, Red 40 Lake.

(Enriched Bleached Flour [Wheat Flour, Malted Barley Flour, Niacin, Iron, Thiamine Mononitrate, Riboflavin, Folic Acid, and Enzyme], Water, Partially Hydrogenated Soybean and Cottonseed Oil,Cherry Filling (High Fructose Corn Syrup, Water, Dried Red Tart Cherries [Cherries, Sugar, Sunflower Oil, Ascorbic Acid, Citric Acid], Dextrose, Dried Cranberries [Cranberries, Sugar,Calories Per Ounce: 90.

WHITE FLAT BREAD INGREDIENTS:

Salt, Sucrose Ester, Dough Conditioners (Wheat Flour, Diacetyl Tartaric Acid Esters of Mono- and Diglycerides [DATEM], Soy Oil, L-Cysteine, Enzyme, Ascorbic Acid, Azodicarbonamide [ADA]), Gum Arabic, Butter Flavor (Gum Arabic, Natural

and Artificial Flavors, Medium Chain Triglycerides), Calcium Sulfate, Xanthan Gum, Sorbic Acid.

Enriched Bleached Flour (Wheat Flour, Malted Barley Flour, Niacin, Iron, Thiamine Mononitrate, Riboflavin, Folic Acid), Water, Partially Hydrogenated Soybean and Cottonseed Oil, Glycerol, Yeast,Calories Per Ounce: 94.

WHOLE WHEAT FLAT BREAD INGREDIENTS:

Sulfate, Enzymes, Citric Acid, Ascorbic Acid), Gum Arabic, Calcium Sulfate, Xanthan Gum, Sorbic Acid, Butter Flavor (From Milk).

Whole Wheat Flour, Water, Palm Oil, Glycerol, Yeast, Honey, Salt, Sucrose Ester, Dough Conditioners (Wheat Flour, Monoglycerides, Diacetyl Tartaric Acid Esters of Mono & Diglycerides, AmmoniumCalories Per Ounce: 103.

48 Count Loose Pack – No Refrigeration Required

Shelf-Stable, Ready to Eat

Mt. Katahdin

     While I am waiting on parts to complete the second half of my AR15 build I thought I would share some pictures from my recent hike of Mt. Katahdin. For those who are not familiar with it by name, Mt. Katahdin is the highest peak in the state of Maine, stretching up one mile into the clouds overlooking Baxter State Park in the states northern wilderness. This years hike ended up being a very long day due to a number of reasons but the pay off was no less amazing than ever. Last year my hiking partner and I took the Saddle Trail to the summit and decided to follow the same path back down after taking in the views from the top. This year the wind was so still and calm at the top we had to try the Knife's Edge. Knife's Edge is the most famous trail of Mt. Katahdin. It starts by the summit and follows the mountain ridge to Pomola Peak where it branches off into several different trails going down the mountain. This trail has the best views by far but it gets as narrow as three to four feet in places with cliff on both sides so you want to photograph carefully. All in all it was a great day. We rested at the summit for lunch and I cooked hotdogs and sausages on my folding camp stove (which I was quite impressed with). Here are some of the views.

This is my hiking partner making his way down the trail. Does it get any better than that?

The two pictures above are the Knife's Edge trail from a ways back. Yes, you basically walk the top of the mountains. How cool is that?

That's a long way down...so long in fact that we found ourselves above the clouds....

It was absolutely beautiful at the top this day, barely any wind, plenty of sun, and lots of people enjoying Mother Nature's glory. The scenary doesn't begin when you get to the top though. The trails are filled with gorgeous brooks, bridges, and wildlife that makes the entire experience very sureal. Below is a random trail picture as we had just started hiking.

Pictured below is probably the hardest part of the Saddle Trail. It is known as the slide. The rocks are very light-weight and can slide under your feet if your not careful. To the left side of the picture, which would be the right side of the trail as you go up, are bigger rocks that can be climbed over to avoid sliding.

At the end of our adventure I was sitting in the parking lot. I was switching my shoes and taking my pack off for a much needed break. I heard something in the woods and walked over a few feet to see what it was. Just as I got a little closer an adult doe stepped out into the parking lot in front of me (and of course my camera was in the car). Luckily she waited for me to go grab it and take her picture. What a way to end a beautiful Maine hike!

Mt. Washington is coming up in a few weeks. I'll be sure to post more pics from there.

AR15 project part 1

     While thinking of what after-market parts I should equip my rifle with, I was first faced with the decision of what I wanted my rifle to do for me. When I bought it , it had a very nice Leupold vari-x iii hunting scope on it. This scope brings close to four-hundred dollars brand new and would definately allow long range shots to be taken with ease, however, this particular rifle is a carbine with a 14.5 inch barrel. If I wanted to take shots from a long distance I would have bought a rifle with a eighteen or twenty inch barrel for increased accuracy. The carbine length barrels were designed for ease of movement. They were primarily made for tactical and self defense purposes. With this is mind I wanted products that would add to the functionability of the rifle. I wanted tasks such as magazine changes and solving weapon malfunctions faster and easier. I want to be able to acquire my target quickly and accurately, and be able to squeeze off multiple rounds on target if need be. I decided the first thing I was going to do was improve the trigger.
     I did this by replacing the factory fire control springs (trigger, hammer, and disconnector) with J.P reduced power springs. This definately made the trigger pull much lighter and cleaner, dropping it by approximately three pounds. I then installed a set screw into the lower reciever to take up the "creep" or "pre-travel" (the ammount of space the trigger moves before engaging the disconnector and releasing the hammer). The instructions for this process can be found by running a search for "the 50 cent ar trigger job". When doing this one must use a little common sense in not taking too much creep out. Taking too much out can result in the weapon firing twice with one pull of the trigger or misfiring when bumped, both are very dangerous. If you don't feel like you know how much to take out then DON'T DO IT! This has been your official disclaimer so don't try suing me if you do it wrong.
     So now that my trigger pull was smooth, light, and clean it was time to increase my rifles modular capabilities. I changed out the factory handguards with a Magpul M.O.E composite rail interface system (R.I.S). With the addition of the composite rail pieces I was ready to add modular accessories to my weapon. The first of these was a three inch forward vertical grip (F.V.G). This grip allows me to move the rifle around easier in close quarters and also had a hollow compartment in which I keep a few spare internal parts for repairs in the field if necessary. I also purchased a grip sleeve cover from Manta rail. This F.V.G cover has a pocket designed for pressure pads, so if I ever decide to run a light or optic with a pressure pad activation system I can keep the switch right there on the grip for easy access.
     I also wanted a light. If this rifle was going to be used for home defense it would make sense that having a light attatched to the weapon would be huge during low visibility situations. The only problem is that most weapon lights that are worth anything are very expensive ($100-$300). As rugged and cool as they may be I just could not see myself spending that kind of money on a flashlight. So, I bought a one inch drop light mount on ebay and went shopping. I found an impact/water resistant Maglite XL50 LED at Walmart for thirty dollars. Maglite has a lifetime warrantee on all their lights and the tail cap switch makes turning it on and off while holding the rifle a snap. Considering the difference in cost I will take my chances and hope I never have to use the light after my gun has been thrown in a pool and run over.

This is the forend of the rifle with the Magpul handguard and rails, FVG, and Maglite. The rails have UTG rail covers over them for a better feel while I am shooting and to protect the rails themselves from damage. This Maglite is very bright! I also bought an accessory pack for it that came with the rubber lens cover you see and colored lenses (red and blue).
     The next two item I put on were also tactical upgrades and I stuck with Magpul. I installed the Magpul oversized trigger guard for easier trigger acquisition and winter shooting with a gloved hand. I also installed the Magpul B.A.D (battery assist device) lever. This lever allows me to operate the bolt catch with my trigger finger , so I never have to remove my support hand. I didn't much mind the old way when it came to loading a fresh magazine but I cannot begin to tell you how much faster and easier magazine changes are with this little B.A.D boy. When the last round is fired from a magazine the bolt locks backward. Usually you would change the magazine and then hit the magazine release button with your left hand before having to return it to the handguard to resume firing. With the B.A.D lever as soon as the new magazine is in you can return your support hand to the weapon and simply slide your trigger finger down over the lever, releasing the bolt and loading the first round from the new magazine. It is incredibly smooth. This lever cost me around thirty dollars and is probably the most worth-while investment I have made so far. Magpul got it right with this thing when they say they give shooters an "unfair advantage".

 I will post more of the upgrades I made in a few days. As usual if you have any questions on where I got any of the items or how I did anything leave me a comment or send me a message and I will do my best to get back to you as soon as possible. Don't forget about the free emergency fire-starter you could win at the end of this month. Happy shooting!