The Brasstard

Copyright 2012 - Brasstard.com

Marketing teams always try to fluff up their products to make them stand out from the crowd. The business of firearm lubricants is no different in this regard. There are some really creative marketing methods being used in attempt to differentiate gun lubes from one another. Honestly, I have yet to notice any added benefit to using costly gun lubes over the much less expensive automotive counterparts. Read more…

Images Courtesy of Igor Borisov - "Strelok" Developer

The “Strelok” app by developer Igor Borisov is a free, high-quality ballistic calculator for Android OS that has many noteworthy attributes (the “donate” version is $9.99). This independent review post will take you through the top features and highlights of this excellent marksmanship tool. Read more…

Copyright 2012 - Brasstard.com - All Rights Reserved

I recently decided to breathe some new life into my father’s 30-year-old Ruger 10/22 carbine. This rifle has been with him for as long as I can remember. This is the rifle that I learned to shoot with, and until a few days ago, it was straight-off-the-shelf stock. I thought I would share the build process with folks out there, in case some of you are pondering the potential of pimping-out your plinker. The following post will show you exactly how it’s done. Read more…

Copyright 2012 - Brasstard.com - All Rights Reserved

It appears that the folks at Techlite take customer concerns into serious consideration. Not too long ago, Techlite released a Gen-2 Lumen Master 150-Lumen Tactical Flashlight, and more recently, a 200-Lumen version as well. Techlite addressed some major points of contention that arose from the troubled Gen-1 version. You can read more about those problems in the user comments on this page. In the following post, I will report on my test findings of three of the updated Gen-2 Lumen Master flashlights that I picked up at Costco. Read more…

Copyright 2011 - Brasstard.com - All Rights Reserved

I was recently approached by an ammo retailer called www.ammoforsale.com, who sent me some Fiocchi Exacta 77gr Sierra MatchKing-HPBT .223 (223MKD) for testing. So, I pulled out the old 90’s model Ruger Ranch rifle, some targets and a chrono and set out to see what this ammo can do. Needless to say, my tough little Ranch Rifle is not known for making dime-sized groups at the length of a football field. Just to keep things in perspective, if I get 3 or 4 MOA, I am usually pretty happy. Furthermore, the twist-rate of the scrawny Ranch Rifle barrel is not really suitable for such a heavy bullet. I usually shoot 55gr – 62gr with decent results. The heavier 77gr bullet in this Fiocchi load would be better suited for a 1:7 twist-rate. However, since I’m not a big .223 guy (sue me), it is all I had laying around for the test.

Here are the results… Read more…

ISAFmedia - Flickr.com ©2010

Most who visit this site are well aware that calling upon the aid of others in a desperate situation can take anywhere from minutes, to hours or days for that aid to arrive. I assume this is perhaps the primary cause of your arrival at this website; you are aware of one simple fact… you alone, are the first line of defense when it comes to the safety of yourself and your family. Just as many of us have trained hard in the defensive arts, we must also be prepared to assess and provide first aid for any unfortunate injuries that may result from an armed confrontation.

The following post will cover the basics of combat trauma first aid; specifically focusing on firearm and bullet shrapnel injuries. Since I am not an EMT or a military medic, I have enlisted the consult of a colleague of mine for medical guidance and editing to ensure accuracy; he is a retired US Air Force Medical Technician who served in the Gulf War (’90-’91) and has treated numerous civilian and military combat casualties throughout his career. He knows his stuff, and now you will too…

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Copyright 2011 - Brasstard.com - All Rights Reserved

I thought I’d share these pix with you from a recent trip to the public range. These are the 300 yard rifle gong’s after several seasons of hard pounding.

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Copyright 2011 - Brasstard.com - All Rights Reserved

When I first started reloading, I recall feeling a bit overwhelmed by the perceived complexity of the task. Over time, I realized that reloading a modern metallic cartridge is actually quite a simple process, and is only complicated by the vast choices of equipment that we have to choose from. This post is designed to simplify and demystify the process for new reloaders, or those who are considering it in the future. You will find info on everything you need to get you started without overloading you with excessive options and accessories.

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Image Courtesy of Somadjinn

A farmer in the UK was recently threatened with deadly weapons by a group of gypsies that were squatting on her land. She decided to call the police to come deal with the thugs. After taking a whopping 35 minutes to send the first unit to the scene, they did not arrest a single person for the deadly threats. Instead, they interrogated the farm owner for 3-hours over the details of the situation, after which they proceeded to confiscate her lawfully-owned shotgun, stating that “they were given powers to seize guns in her possession and have done so as a sensible precaution in the circumstances” (see link below for source). Furthermore, the police also confiscated her firearms purchase license to prevent her from buying another gun. They did all of this despite the fact that she never even pulled the gun during the entire incident, and she was never charged with any crime. Ironically, many people still don’t understand why gun registration schemes are bad.

Apparently, owning a gun is a greater offense in the eyes of the British police than threatening a woman with knives and chainsaws on her own property. It is puzzling that this nation still has the nerve to insert the word “Great” before it’s title. A truly great nation would not offer police and legislative protection to criminals while throwing decent, tax-paying, law-abiding citizens under the train.

Read more about it here.