The Official 2nd Amendment Appreciation Thread

I plan on going with the 14 or something similar

NVG with infrared laser

So I got to put the ATN PVS-7 through its' paces...

I have a history with the military AN/PVS-5 and -7 units. So this was an easy lift for me. In full dark, outdoors and in, I can quickly scan my surroundings. The "2D effect" on the PVS-7 is not a factor when scanning or aiming. Only when moving towards a door, corner, etc. Judging and controlling your distances comes easy in short order.

The Aimpoint PRO and CompM4 are both NV capable, and without going live fire, I was able to easily put the dot on target with the PVS. Mine has a "bright light cutout" to protect the sensor. I intend to test it with live fire within a week or two, when I can get out to my neighbor's range after dark for a few shots.

Likewise, with a handgun(s) with both standard and night sights, coming on target is almost as natural as daylight. Again, no live fire, but I'll get to that point soon.

My goal was to be "night capable". I believe I am. Money well spent. Now to train with it before I really need it. The OODA Loop is a fragile thing...
 
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So we're on vacation...in our usual cabin up above Gatlinburg...and here for two very much needed weeks in the Holy Land. Nice to see the area recovering from the COVID lockdowns. It was a ghost town last year when we were here.

Today we made the jaunt over to Sevierville and Smoky Mountain Knife Works. I remember when SMKW was a small shop on the strip in Gatlinburg. This was my first visit to their new digs. So it's big...lots of stuff there...nice to see a Boker counter...what's the deal with the swords and armor stuff?...Antiques section was neat...but all in all it struck me more like a flea market for blade lovers than it did a place to get a good deal on a knife. I have a Benchmade auto-opener, and I stopped by their counter to see about a new one. The price their rep gave me was nowhere near what I can get it for through their LE rep, so no thanks. One thing: if you walk in there looking for a knife, you'd better have a good idea exactly what you're looking for, because the sheer volume alone, much less the number of brands, can overwhelm you.

And right across the street...Bud's Gun Shop. So we ambled over there, and that was a much more interesting experience. Upper Management has now decided she wants to swap her .38 Crimson Trace Bodyguard for a compact 9mm, so that's on the honey-do list when we get home. I picked up a pair of Pierce mag bottoms for my Glock 30S. Like how they give the pinky a solid place to hang out. Looked at guns, guns, and more guns. Got to hold a brand new Springfield M1 (almost didn't let go of it). Looked at more guns. Three bins full of Magpul Gen 3 30-rd AR mags for a decent price. Some, but not a lot of ammo. Nice crowd for a Monday, and quite a number of them were lined up for NICS checks, so the market remains robust, to the untrained eye.

Is it just me, or is the IMI Desert Eagle .50 a Man Gun?

So...SMKW? Maybe if I was a knife fighter. Bud's? Fun Palace. Oh, they had suppressors as well. Maybe next time.

Next update will be on candle shops in the Gatlinburg area. Hey, gotta keep Momma happy.

:cool:
 
So we're on vacation...in our usual cabin up above Gatlinburg...and here for two very much needed weeks in the Holy Land. Nice to see the area recovering from the COVID lockdowns. It was a ghost town last year when we were here.

Today we made the jaunt over to Sevierville and Smoky Mountain Knife Works. I remember when SMKW was a small shop on the strip in Gatlinburg. This was my first visit to their new digs. So it's big...lots of stuff there...nice to see a Boker counter...what's the deal with the swords and armor stuff?...Antiques section was neat...but all in all it struck me more like a flea market for blade lovers than it did a place to get a good deal on a knife. I have a Benchmade auto-opener, and I stopped by their counter to see about a new one. The price their rep gave me was nowhere near what I can get it for through their LE rep, so no thanks. One thing: if you walk in there looking for a knife, you'd better have a good idea exactly what you're looking for, because the sheer volume alone, much less the number of brands, can overwhelm you.

And right across the street...Bud's Gun Shop. So we ambled over there, and that was a much more interesting experience. Upper Management has now decided she wants to swap her .38 Crimson Trace Bodyguard for a compact 9mm, so that's on the honey-do list when we get home. I picked up a pair of Pierce mag bottoms for my Glock 30S. Like how they give the pinky a solid place to hang out. Looked at guns, guns, and more guns. Got to hold a brand new Springfield M1 (almost didn't let go of it). Looked at more guns. Three bins full of Magpul Gen 3 30-rd AR mags for a decent price. Some, but not a lot of ammo. Nice crowd for a Monday, and quite a number of them were lined up for NICS checks, so the market remains robust, to the untrained eye.

Is it just me, or is the IMI Desert Eagle .50 a Man Gun?

So...SMKW? Maybe if I was a knife fighter. Bud's? Fun Palace. Oh, they had suppressors as well. Maybe next time.

Next update will be on candle shops in the Gatlinburg area. Hey, gotta keep Momma happy.

:cool:
Outstanding.
Going in 3 weeks
 
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So we're on vacation...in our usual cabin up above Gatlinburg...and here for two very much needed weeks in the Holy Land. Nice to see the area recovering from the COVID lockdowns. It was a ghost town last year when we were here.

Today we made the jaunt over to Sevierville and Smoky Mountain Knife Works. I remember when SMKW was a small shop on the strip in Gatlinburg. This was my first visit to their new digs. So it's big...lots of stuff there...nice to see a Boker counter...what's the deal with the swords and armor stuff?...Antiques section was neat...but all in all it struck me more like a flea market for blade lovers than it did a place to get a good deal on a knife. I have a Benchmade auto-opener, and I stopped by their counter to see about a new one. The price their rep gave me was nowhere near what I can get it for through their LE rep, so no thanks. One thing: if you walk in there looking for a knife, you'd better have a good idea exactly what you're looking for, because the sheer volume alone, much less the number of brands, can overwhelm you.

And right across the street...Bud's Gun Shop. So we ambled over there, and that was a much more interesting experience. Upper Management has now decided she wants to swap her .38 Crimson Trace Bodyguard for a compact 9mm, so that's on the honey-do list when we get home. I picked up a pair of Pierce mag bottoms for my Glock 30S. Like how they give the pinky a solid place to hang out. Looked at guns, guns, and more guns. Got to hold a brand new Springfield M1 (almost didn't let go of it). Looked at more guns. Three bins full of Magpul Gen 3 30-rd AR mags for a decent price. Some, but not a lot of ammo. Nice crowd for a Monday, and quite a number of them were lined up for NICS checks, so the market remains robust, to the untrained eye.

Is it just me, or is the IMI Desert Eagle .50 a Man Gun?

So...SMKW? Maybe if I was a knife fighter. Bud's? Fun Palace. Oh, they had suppressors as well. Maybe next time.

Next update will be on candle shops in the Gatlinburg area. Hey, gotta keep Momma happy.

:cool:

Cool. I’ve never been in Bud’s but always wanted to check it out. Funny I was there at the end of last October and everything was booming then. That’s actually where I caught Covid.
 
So GreyWolf did you make it down to SM Guns & Ammo in the basement of SMKW? Last time I went they had a pallet each of AR & AK ammo and a large selection of Handguns & Rifles. Not a lot of bargains but worth a look. Buds usually has a better selection of used guns and such.
 
So we're on vacation...in our usual cabin up above Gatlinburg...and here for two very much needed weeks in the Holy Land. Nice to see the area recovering from the COVID lockdowns. It was a ghost town last year when we were here.

Today we made the jaunt over to Sevierville and Smoky Mountain Knife Works. I remember when SMKW was a small shop on the strip in Gatlinburg. This was my first visit to their new digs. So it's big...lots of stuff there...nice to see a Boker counter...what's the deal with the swords and armor stuff?...Antiques section was neat...but all in all it struck me more like a flea market for blade lovers than it did a place to get a good deal on a knife. I have a Benchmade auto-opener, and I stopped by their counter to see about a new one. The price their rep gave me was nowhere near what I can get it for through their LE rep, so no thanks. One thing: if you walk in there looking for a knife, you'd better have a good idea exactly what you're looking for, because the sheer volume alone, much less the number of brands, can overwhelm you.

And right across the street...Bud's Gun Shop. So we ambled over there, and that was a much more interesting experience. Upper Management has now decided she wants to swap her .38 Crimson Trace Bodyguard for a compact 9mm, so that's on the honey-do list when we get home. I picked up a pair of Pierce mag bottoms for my Glock 30S. Like how they give the pinky a solid place to hang out. Looked at guns, guns, and more guns. Got to hold a brand new Springfield M1 (almost didn't let go of it). Looked at more guns. Three bins full of Magpul Gen 3 30-rd AR mags for a decent price. Some, but not a lot of ammo. Nice crowd for a Monday, and quite a number of them were lined up for NICS checks, so the market remains robust, to the untrained eye.

Is it just me, or is the IMI Desert Eagle .50 a Man Gun?

So...SMKW? Maybe if I was a knife fighter. Bud's? Fun Palace. Oh, they had suppressors as well. Maybe next time.

Next update will be on candle shops in the Gatlinburg area. Hey, gotta keep Momma happy.

:cool:

They have had that IMI for a few weeks now. I like KW, but I must have crap luck with the sales men there. Every time I go I seem to find the one guy who knows nothing about a firearm.
 
https://palmettostatearmory.com/chi...-military-surplus-rifle-w-spiker-bayonet.html

How is this price? Thinking about rolling the dice on one and working on it...
Condition looks pretty roached out but they are Chinese and they bring a premium. Same for the Russian’s. I’d probably be a buyer if I needed one.

For comparison
Check out what I found on GunBroker.com!
Chinese SKS like-new matching China 7.62x39mm - Semi Auto Rifles at GunBroker.com : 900031806
 
Any recommendations for ear protection at the range if I want to upgrade from foam plugs and a basic pair of Wal-Mart Remington muffs? (Less than $100)
 
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Any recommendations for ear protection at the range if I want to upgrade from foam plugs and a basic pair of Wal-Mart Remington muffs? (Less than $100)

I got some Walkers slim muffs from cabelas. They work good for shooting 9mm but I usually go double protection when shooting the AR. I think I paid like $25 for them but I probably should’ve spent a little extra for the next level electronic ones for about $60.
 
So we're on vacation...in our usual cabin up above Gatlinburg...and here for two very much needed weeks in the Holy Land. Nice to see the area recovering from the COVID lockdowns. It was a ghost town last year when we were here.

Today we made the jaunt over to Sevierville and Smoky Mountain Knife Works. I remember when SMKW was a small shop on the strip in Gatlinburg. This was my first visit to their new digs. So it's big...lots of stuff there...nice to see a Boker counter...what's the deal with the swords and armor stuff?...Antiques section was neat...but all in all it struck me more like a flea market for blade lovers than it did a place to get a good deal on a knife. I have a Benchmade auto-opener, and I stopped by their counter to see about a new one. The price their rep gave me was nowhere near what I can get it for through their LE rep, so no thanks. One thing: if you walk in there looking for a knife, you'd better have a good idea exactly what you're looking for, because the sheer volume alone, much less the number of brands, can overwhelm you.

And right across the street...Bud's Gun Shop. So we ambled over there, and that was a much more interesting experience. Upper Management has now decided she wants to swap her .38 Crimson Trace Bodyguard for a compact 9mm, so that's on the honey-do list when we get home. I picked up a pair of Pierce mag bottoms for my Glock 30S. Like how they give the pinky a solid place to hang out. Looked at guns, guns, and more guns. Got to hold a brand new Springfield M1 (almost didn't let go of it). Looked at more guns. Three bins full of Magpul Gen 3 30-rd AR mags for a decent price. Some, but not a lot of ammo. Nice crowd for a Monday, and quite a number of them were lined up for NICS checks, so the market remains robust, to the untrained eye.

Is it just me, or is the IMI Desert Eagle .50 a Man Gun?

So...SMKW? Maybe if I was a knife fighter. Bud's? Fun Palace. Oh, they had suppressors as well. Maybe next time.

Next update will be on candle shops in the Gatlinburg area. Hey, gotta keep Momma happy.

:cool:
Last time I went to that knife shop I had my picture taken in a replica of the iron throne from Game of Thrones while holding some sort of crazy broadsword. I think we bought some pepper jelly. Definitely an interesting place.
 
Any recommendations for ear protection at the range if I want to upgrade from foam plugs and a basic pair of Wal-Mart Remington muffs? (Less than $100)
19 years active duty Infantry (we shoot A LOT). These are what I've used. My hearing hasn't gotten worse in my time in service ( I can provide the tests if you want). Anything else, and you're waisting money. I also wore these while riding my motorcycle's.

EP4 Sonic Defenders Plus | Filtered Flanged Earplugs | SureFire
 
So we're on vacation...in our usual cabin up above Gatlinburg...and here for two very much needed weeks in the Holy Land. Nice to see the area recovering from the COVID lockdowns. It was a ghost town last year when we were here.

Today we made the jaunt over to Sevierville and Smoky Mountain Knife Works. I remember when SMKW was a small shop on the strip in Gatlinburg. This was my first visit to their new digs. So it's big...lots of stuff there...nice to see a Boker counter...what's the deal with the swords and armor stuff?...Antiques section was neat...but all in all it struck me more like a flea market for blade lovers than it did a place to get a good deal on a knife. I have a Benchmade auto-opener, and I stopped by their counter to see about a new one. The price their rep gave me was nowhere near what I can get it for through their LE rep, so no thanks. One thing: if you walk in there looking for a knife, you'd better have a good idea exactly what you're looking for, because the sheer volume alone, much less the number of brands, can overwhelm you.

And right across the street...Bud's Gun Shop. So we ambled over there, and that was a much more interesting experience. Upper Management has now decided she wants to swap her .38 Crimson Trace Bodyguard for a compact 9mm, so that's on the honey-do list when we get home. I picked up a pair of Pierce mag bottoms for my Glock 30S. Like how they give the pinky a solid place to hang out. Looked at guns, guns, and more guns. Got to hold a brand new Springfield M1 (almost didn't let go of it). Looked at more guns. Three bins full of Magpul Gen 3 30-rd AR mags for a decent price. Some, but not a lot of ammo. Nice crowd for a Monday, and quite a number of them were lined up for NICS checks, so the market remains robust, to the untrained eye.

Is it just me, or is the IMI Desert Eagle .50 a Man Gun?

So...SMKW? Maybe if I was a knife fighter. Bud's? Fun Palace. Oh, they had suppressors as well. Maybe next time.

Next update will be on candle shops in the Gatlinburg area. Hey, gotta keep Momma happy.

:cool:
My little boy loves knife works for the same reason he loves bass pro... the decorations (animals, water, etc). It’s a super neat place IMO
 
Any recommendations for ear protection at the range if I want to upgrade from foam plugs and a basic pair of Wal-Mart Remington muffs? (Less than $100)
I’ve got these and like them. You can get a Lightning to 3.5mm cable and plug your phone into these muffs for music or whatever.
Howard Leight by Honeywell Impact Sport Sound Amplification Electronic Shooting Earmuff, Green
 
So still needed a LR capable rifle after getting rid of the Ruger Precision.

Decided to go with the Armalite AR-10 TAC 18

AR10TAC18.JPG
Got impatient

This was in stock and will be here Wednesday. Armalite AR-10 SUPERSASS

SUPERSASSGENIIVERSIONB3.24.21.JPG
 

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