New Ruger Handguns at SHOT Show 2015 Industry Day

Posted on January 28, 2015 by Randall

Sturm, Ruger & Co. had a few changes to existing platforms at SHOT this year.  Their LCR was chambered in 9mm for some increased potency while retaining its mainstream shootability.  To bolster accuracy, the LCP was granted front and rear sights.  To show off this model, one of the Ruger reps said they intentionally made the skeletonized aluminum trigger in anodized “Ruger red.”

I found the 9mm LCR to be very controllable.  As always, it is pleasant to fire.  Since it is not nearly as hammering to the hand as its .357 counterpart, I think this 9mm ballistics upgrade from .38 Spl. will be popular.  I thought the 9mm felt less sharp than some .38 +P rounds I have sent through an LCR. Continue reading →

Posted in Concealed Carry, Firearms, SHOT Show | Tagged , | 2 Comments

German Sport Guns Will Make an MP40 in 9mm!

Posted on January 26, 2015 by Randall

Randall with Schmeisser MP40German Sport Guns GmbH proudly announced at SHOT Show 2015 that they will manufacture a 9 x 19mm version of their MP40 Schmeisser steel replica.  The MP40 is the infamous World War II German submachine gun that GSG currently sells in .22 LR.  Chambered for 9mm, the sub gun will return to its roots.

I appreciate German engineering and I am as fond of my little BMW 3 series as I was my Heckler & Koch MP-5.  The closest I have come to shooting a Schmeisser is in the Call of Duty video game series.  I would love to have one of these subs in 9mm.

The rep at SHOT told me the sub guns would have combination 16″ barrels for civilian sales.  A faux silencer will give the extra length to make it legal in the U.S.  A “pistol” version Continue reading →

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Shooting a Korth Sky Marshal at SHOT Show

Posted on January 24, 2015 by Randall

The first booth for which I stood in line at SHOT Show’s 2015 Industry Day at the Range was Korth GmbH.  You know that I love revolvers and I just had to bust some Teutonic caps in the Korth Sky Marshal in 9mm that we heard about a few weeks back.

In the video above, I shot my first six shots.  I did get to shoot more; they were just not on “tape.”  My impressions of the gun were that it was a very easy shooting, comfortable handgun.  At 19.75 ounces, the Sky Marshal is two ounces lighter than a Glock 26, but the revolver feels a little more stable firing the 9 x 19mm bullets because of the wheelgun’s lack of a reciprocating slide.

Yes, the Korth does not have the capacity of an autoloader, but six rounds of nine-mil are nothing that should result in a geshundeit!  Not shown is the use of the Korth speedloader, which holds the rimless bullets in the same fashion as an Continue reading →

Posted in Firearms, SHOT Show | Tagged | 2 Comments

Standard Manufacturing Company’s DP-12 Pump Shotgun at SHOT Show 2015

Posted on January 23, 2015 by Randall

At SHOT Show 2015’s Industry Day at the Range, I wandered over to the far south end of the festivities, as I usually do, to start a methodical perusal northward.  The first booth on the right was that of the Standard Manufacturing Company, a branch of the Connecticut Shotgun Manufacturing Company.  Their DP-12 was garnering much attention.

The DP-12 is a double-barreled, pump-action bullpup 12 gauge shotgun.  Since it is akin to marrying two pumps side-by-side, the gun was built to be completely ambidextrous.  There are thumb safeties on both sides.  Loading in done through a bay behind the handgrip.  The receiver is made from a solid block of forged 775 aluminum billet.

The single trigger of the DP-12 fires the right barrel on the first pull, then the left barrel on the second pull.  Hulls are sent downward via the loading/ejection port.  This shotty fires 2 3/4″ or 3″ shells of shot or slug.  With two magazine tubes holding seven rounds each and the chambers loaded, the total capacity for the DP-12 is a staggering 16 shots!

The barrels of the DP-12 are 19 inches.  Overall, the shotgun is 29.5 inches.  It tilts a scale Continue reading →

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More Photos from Industry Day at the Range 2015

Posted on January 21, 2015 by Randall

image

I thought you might enjoy some random photographs from Industry Day at the Range.

imageStandard Manufacturing’s DP-12 double-barreled pump action shotguns lined up.

imageMichael Bane films a segment for Shooting Gallery at the Korth display. Continue reading →

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SHOT Show Industry Day at the Range 2015

Posted on January 19, 2015 by Randall

ThinBlueFlorida Korth Sky MarshalSHOT Show has renamed Media Day to Industry Day at the Range.  Invited media (yes, I was) are allowed into the Boulder City Rifle and Pistol Club at 8:30 a.m.  Other invited industry members (buyers, dealers, distributors, and retailers) are welcomed at noon.  Media are allowed to stay until the event’s closing at 4:30.

I was told that of the 2,500 media members granted press passes, only 1,000 were allowed into Industry Day.  It certainly seemed less crowded this morning.

Unlike past years, remembering the 2013 battle with frostbite, this year’s weather was very mild, indeed.  It was in the low 50’s when I arrived then warmed up to nearly the 70’s.  Fantasic views were had of the surrounding desert clime.

SHOT Show 2015 Industry Day at the Range

I enjoyed shuffling around on the gravel and dirt to see and shoot a few new guns.  There will be forthcoming articles here and a few videos up on ThinBlueFlorida’s YouTube channel when I get back.  I posted a few photos on Facebook at the end of the day and I plan to continue snapping and posting during my stay in Sin City, so you can follow there, too.

Randall

 

Posted in SHOT Show | Tagged | 1 Comment

ThinBlueFlorida on Facebook

Posted on January 17, 2015 by Randall

FacebooklogoI finally decided to join the last decade and start a Facebook page for ThinBlueFlorida.com.  I am doing this in hopes of providing some quick photos and show floor updates for you during SHOT Show 2015.

The Facebook page will have a bit of its own original content.  I will also be putting up links to some of my more popular or personal favorite archived articles from ThinBlueFlorida, in case you missed them or have just joined us here.  If you are at SHOT Show this year, send me a Facebook message or an email and we can find time to say hello.

My flight to McCarran leaves early tomorrow.  See you on the other side…

Randall

 

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SHOT Show 2015 Coming Up!

Posted on January 17, 2015 by Randall

SHOT Show 2015It is that time of year again to pack up the camera, notepad, and pen to head out for SHOT Show.  Plane, hotel, and vacation time are booked.  Someone else can do my job while I play media member for most of a week.

There is not quite the same buzz about new handguns as there was last year.  That said, a rumor is clandestinely swirling about that Glock will announce a single stack 9mm pistol this year which will be similar in size to last year’s runaway G42.  I will be scampering down to the Glock area on Monday’s Media (now Industry) Day to see if the new model is in attendance or just the stuff of rumors (I already posted about the new MOS Glocks here).

I am excited to be heading out to this yearly adventure and I hope to come back with some good stories, fun videos, and pertinent news from The Big Show.

Randall

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Korth 9mm Sky Marshal Revolver is Moon-Clipless

Posted on January 16, 2015 by Randall

Korth of Germany is introducing a 9mm revolver at SHOT Show 2015 that will not use clips to hold the bullets.  It will be called the Sky Marshal.  I copied the specs off of the Korth website for you.  They are in German, which I took in college but can’t really remember that well, but I typed in some gram and millimeter translations which appear in red at the right.

Spezifikation:

Sky Marshal

Kaliber: 9mm Luger (NATO Standard), 6 Schuss  (schuss=shot)

Gewicht: 560 g    (19.75 ounces weight)

Höhe: 157 mm      (6.18 inches high)

Länge: 130 mm    (5.12 inches long)

Breite: 39mm       (1.54 inches width)

Lauflänge: 50,8mm (2 Zoll)  (barrel length and twist rate?)

Polygonlauf      (polygonal rifling)

Rahmen mit Hartcoatbeschichtung    (PVD coated frame)

Nachladbar mit eigenem Speedloader (ohne Clips!) in 9mm Luger    (Reloads with a 9mm speedloader, no clips!)

Picantinny Rail für individuelle Zusatzausrüstung  (Picatinny rail for accessories)

Whew!

The Sky Marshal will be a six-shot revolver in 9 x 19mm.  It will sport a Continue reading →

Posted in Firearms, SHOT Show | Tagged | 1 Comment

DNA Produces Facial Images

Posted on January 15, 2015 by Randall

snapshot-prediction-72DPII found this equal parts cool and creepy.  Parabon NanoLabs has developed a process called Snapshot that takes a DNA sample and extrapolates it into physical traits of the contributor.  The traits include sex, genetic ancestry, skin color, hair color, eye color, freckling, and–gulp–facial morphology.  A dab of blood or strand of hair can lead to a virtual mugshot of the person.  Yikes.

Parabon, based in Reston, VA, uses DNA phenotyping to read biomarkers and make predictions about physical appearance.  This process involves DNA data mining and data modeling to compare the genetic variants of the unknown subject against known DNA patterns.

With funding from the U.S. Defense Threat Reduction Agency, Parabon NanoLabs spent four years working to develop and validate their science for utilization in the defense, law enforcement, security, and intelligence industries. Parabon states that Snapshot is “extremely accurate.” Continue reading →

Posted in Detectives, Technology | 2 Comments

Police Excitement Has Its Price

Posted on January 11, 2015 by Randall

Range ControlsYesterday, I had a nice young man over to the house to fix my range.  He has a start-up appliance business that he is working very hard to grow.  While he was installing some new potentiometers and circuit boards, we made casual conversation.  He knows what I do for a living and at one point he said, “Sometimes I wish I had done something exciting with my life–like you did.”  I wasn’t quite sure what to say.

Jamie, as I’ll call him, is newly and happily married.  He has a baby girl at home.  For all his elbow grease, Jamie has finally purchased a commercial van with logos and a mounted tablet for billing and inventory control.  He said he has many hard earned customers and word-of-mouth referrals so he can slow down on paid advertising.

Jamie said he wasn’t always thrilled to be fixing ‘fridges and dishwashers, but in the last two years, as he has developed his own style and customer base, his pride in his accomplishments has swelled.  Growing up in Tennessee, Jamie learned appliance repair from his father, so he is continuing what is their family business.

I imagine I was taken aback by his desire to “do something exciting” because that professional part of my life has exacted a tremendous price.  Continue reading →

Posted in Humor, Misc., Off Duty | 2 Comments

Police Officers Say, “Walk a Mile in Our Shoes.”

Posted on January 9, 2015 by Randall

Phoenix civil rights activist Rev. Jarrett Maupin and a Fox news reporter go through some standard police use of force scenarios and learn some things about what we as cops face everyday.  It strongly affected their preconceptions.  “We want his badge, we want his gun, we want his job!” Rev. Maupin had chanted earlier at a protest for a police shooting in Phoenix.

After this training session with the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office, Rev. Maupin said,  “I didn’t understand how important compliance was, but after going through this, yeah, my attitude has changed.”  During the Simunition training, both Maupin and the reporter shot an aggressive unarmed man approaching them in one of the scenarios.  “People need to comply with the orders of law enforcement officers for their own sake,” the reverend concluded.

I believe that if citizens had some insight into how law enforcement approaches these problems, they would be able to more objectively assess how their local police perform under these stresses.

Randall

 

Posted in Officer Safety, Politics, Street | Leave a comment

Magnetactical Belt Clip Lends a Hand

Posted on January 5, 2015 by Randall

Magnetactical GlockDevin Stutz is a sort of modern day Geomancer, one who divines things from the very properties of the Earth.  Bear with me.  While at his police range sessions, Stutz pondered how to improve his one-handed and support-handed reloads and manipulations for the pistol.  As if drawn to a solution with his “boots in the dirt,” Stutz came up with the power of magnetism from which he conjured his Magnetactical belt clip.

The Magnetactical clip is a duty belt-mounted rare earth magnet that serves as a positive platform for the slide of a handgun.  It holds the pistol during a one-handed reload should the shooter be rendered injured or less-than-capable.  The latter could include the officer being burdened with a ballistic shield or other tool that would interfere with normal two-handed operations.

When working through a support-hand holster draw, an officer practices a simulated incapacitation of his or her dominant hand.  Since the orientation of the firearm is backward during the exercise, the officer has to regrip the gun.  This can be a precarious and dangerous proposition.  The Magnetactical clip can facilitate a Continue reading →

Posted in Firearms, Officer Safety, Tactics, Technology | Leave a comment

New 2015 Glock Models Leaked

Posted on January 3, 2015 by Randall

imageKiesler Police Supply has published photographs on their Facebook page of four new optics-ready Glock models, ahead of their SHOT Show 2015 release.  Based upon Gen4 frames, the latest Glocks are the G34 (9mm), G35 (.40 cal), G41 (.45 ACP), and the G40 Hunter (in the mighty 10mm Auto for bringing down…Russian Tu-95 Bear bombers).

image imageWhile the G34, G35, and G41 appear to have the 5.3″ barrel we shot on the G41 Practical Tactical last year at SHOT, my eye says the G40 Hunter is sporting a 6″ barrel.  I can’t wait to play with these at the Boulder City Range.

Randall

 

Posted in Firearms, SHOT Show | Tagged , | 1 Comment

New Florida Child Restraint Changes in Effect Today

Posted on January 1, 2015 by Randall
Graco TurboBooster Seat

Graco TurboBooster Convertible Seat

Changes to Florida’s Child Restraint requirements go into effect today.  Children under five years of age must now be transported in a federally approved separate carrier child seat, vehicle manufacturer’s integrated child seat, or belt-positioning booster seats while riding in a motor vehicle upon the roadways, streets, or highways of the State.  Previously four and five year olds could be restrained with just a seat belt.

Section One of Florida State Statute 316.613 now reads:

(1)(a) Every operator of a motor vehicle as defined in this section, while transporting a child in a motor vehicle operated on the roadways, streets, or highways of this state, shall, if the child is 5 years of age or younger, provide for protection of the child by properly using a crash-tested, federally approved child restraint device.

1. For children aged through 3 years, such restraint device must be a separate carrier or a vehicle manufacturer’s integrated child seat.

2. For children aged 4 through 5 years, a separate carrier, an integrated child seat, or a child booster seat may be used. However, the requirement to use a child restraint device under this subparagraph does not apply when a safety belt is used as required in s. 316.614(4)(a) and the child:

a. Is being transported gratuitously by an operator who is not a member of the child’s immediate family;

b. Is being transported in a medical emergency situation involving the child; or
c. Has a medical condition that necessitates an exception as evidenced by appropriate documentation from a health care professional.

 

Violations of this section are still moving violations with an assessment of three points to the violator’s driver license.  Points can be waived by attending a court-approved child restraint safety course.  Link to the entire statute here.

Randall

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