Hey folks, your old pal 12-Gauge Chimp here with another Two for One Special review.
I've been kind of neglecting the site a bit, but I'm back with some new things to review and I'll be sure to have some more reviews coming in the future.
The first thing I'm going to review is my brand new Glock 21 .45 ACP caliber handgun.
Since buying my Rock Island Armory 1911 (which has since been sold to a family member), I was in the market for a new .45 ACP pistol. I went back and forth between various brands and something about the Glock 21 caught my attention. I called several shops in my area and a local hardware store had the best price and actually had the gun in stock. The other shops would've had to order the gun and wait several days to get it in my hands. One shop had an insanely high price tag on the gun in addition to the wait. Seriously, that shop wanted more than MSRP (manufacturers suggested retail price) by about 200 dollars. Let's just say they won't be getting my business any time soon. So, I went into the local shop and filled out the required paperwork for the Feds. Twenty minutes later, I was walking out of the store with my shiny new Glock 21. This is my first Glock pistol and probably won't be my last. Glock recently released a long slide variant called the Glock 41 and I'm considering picking one of those up as well.
Getting to the gun itself, the Glock 21 feels a lot better in my hands than my RIA 1911 did and I think it's because of the wider grip. I had to put thicker grips on my 1911 to have it fit better, but the G21 fits me nearly perfectly right out of the box. The Gen 4 models come with four interchangeable back straps and I ended up putting the medium beaver tail back strap on my particular gun. I figured since I have large hands that the large one would fit me the best, but it wasn't true. The medium fit me the best and it'll stay on the gun for awhile. Magazines drop free from the mag well easily and that's great for making quick reloads at the range. The sights are typical Glock style, which are plastic, and are one thing that I kind of dislike. I mean, is that hard for Glock to include metal sights on their guns ? I'm sure the sights are durable enough, but I'd like to see an option for metal sights in the future. I'll probably be replacing the factory sights with night sights soon, so it's not that big of a deal for me to have them on my G21 for the moment. The gun came with a total of three 13 round magazines and I ended up purchasing a few more at another store. It's always a good idea to have a decent supply of magazines in case one decides to fail. Factory mags are a little high in price, but they're solid. I know I could go the cheap route and buy some of those Korean made Glock magazines that were brought in a few years back, but I've heard really bad things about their quality. So, it'll be factory magazines for me and my G21.
All in all, I like the Glock 21. I'm hoping to get out to the range once the weather heats up a little and put the gun through its paces.
Speaking of guns, it's time for the second half of this Two for One Special. The Ruger 10/22.
I've been in the market for a new .22LR rifle ever since I got my Mossberg 702 awhile back. Now, the 702 Plinkster by Mossberg is a good little gun, but the lack of aftermarket parts and accessories severely limit it. I probably should've bought a Ruger 10/22 in the first place, but the store I bought my Mossberg from didn't have any at the time. So I bought the 702 Plinkster. Cut to last year when I found myself at a Wal-Mart in Odessa Texas and there on the shelf was a Ruger 10/22 with a stainless steel barrel. I looked it over and handed it back to the nice lady behind the counter. I thought about it for a bit and decided I'd go ahead with the purchase. Being that the store had several of that style in stock, I ended up with a fresh one and not the one that had been handled by who knows how many people. The gun I looked at first had a minor issue with the magazine sticking, but that's mostly due to the synthetic stock being a bit tight in the magwell area. My 10/22 had the same issue, but I ended up swapping out the factory stock for a Hogue stock that's so much better than the factory one. Swapping the stock for an aftermarket one solved the issue with sticking mags. I had bought a Blackhawk Axiom stock for it previously, but I ended up with a stock that was poorly molded and off center by a very noticeable degree. So I went with the Hogue stock instead and haven't had any issues with that one. My gun came with a single 10 round magazine, but I purchased a couple of the BX-25 magazines Ruger has brought to the market in the past few years. These are factory made 25 round magazines and they have been getting great reviews from shooters like myself. Ruger also makes a BX-50 with is basically two BX-25 magazines molded together. They sort of look like someone took two BX-25 magazines and duct taped them together, to be honest.
2014 was the 50th anniversary of the 10/22 and all guns made that year had the 50th anniversary roll mark on the receiver, barrel and bolt. Ruger even had a design contest for a special edition rifle to commemorate the occasion. I'm actually trying to track down one of those rifles because it's such a cool little gun and incorporates a few features that I really like.
Now, I have yet to get out to the range and fully test these guns out, but rest assured that I will and that I will give you all a full range report afterwards. Actually, come to think of it, there's a bunch of stuff I've purchased recently that I need to get out and test.
It's a bit too early for me to give either gun my seal of approval, so check back within the next six months time and I'll update the site with my findings.
As always this is 12-Gauge Chimp signing off.
Friday, February 27, 2015
Thursday, July 31, 2014
Range Report #5: M+M M10 AK
Hey folks, 12-Gauge Chimp here with a brand new edition of Range Report
Well, I finally had a chance to hit the range with a friend and I brought along the M+M M10 AK that I reviewed a little while back. I only have three mags for the gun, so my time behind the trigger was a bit limited. With that in mind, I loaded up the rifle and took aim at my target set up.
We had various targets set up at a range of probably 100 feet or so, not exactly a perfect range to test the rifles accuracy, but good enough to see if the gun worked properly or not. I fired one mag through the gun and let my friend have a go with the second magazine. Both were loaded with 30 rounds of Wolf 123 grain Military Classic 7.62x39 ammunition that has been kicking around in one of my ammo cans for about five years. I did have a couple issues with the ammo, but more on that later.
There were no jams whatsoever in the first 60 rounds and I'm pleased with the rifle. Of course, it'll take many more rounds sent downrange before I'm ready to give the rifle my seal of approval, but overall I'm happy with my purchase and with the rifle itself. A few of the stock parts are going to be replaced, but that's mostly a matter of personal preference. I know one thing that's getting changed out and that's the muzzle brake. The thing sounds like a tuning fork after every shot and it gets annoying really quick. I also need to pick up a few more mags so my time behind the trigger is spent learning how to shoot the rifle better and not wasted loading magazines. All three mags I had functioned like they were supposed to and while going from a stripper clip loaded rifle to a magazine system was a bit weird, I eventually got the hang of it and was switching mags like it was second nature to me.
As I mentioned before I had some issues with the ammo I was running. Wolf is pretty much known for being cheap ammo and that's one big reason folks buy the stuff. My issue wasn't with the price (I'm sort of a cheapskate when it comes to ammo, by the way), but with the way my SKS functioned with the ammo. I've used Wolf in my SKS numerous times before and I've never had bright blue smoke pour out of the receiver after a shot. I've also never had a round fail to fire after the primer was whacked hard. I'm probably going to have a gunsmith replace the firing pin on my rifle anyway, so I hope the FTF's will cease after that.
Overall, a fun day at the range was had by all and I hope to have many more range days with my friends in the future. Now if I could just find .22LR ammo locally, that'd be awesome.
Stay tuned to the site for an upcoming video review of the KHHI Scourge kukri I reviewed awhile back. I'm hoping to get some good footage of the blade uploaded soon. I've had a few folks asking me for video of the blade in action and I'm not one to disappoint my fans. So, keep an eye on the site for an announcement soon.
As always, this is 12-Gauge Chimp signing off.
Well, I finally had a chance to hit the range with a friend and I brought along the M+M M10 AK that I reviewed a little while back. I only have three mags for the gun, so my time behind the trigger was a bit limited. With that in mind, I loaded up the rifle and took aim at my target set up.
We had various targets set up at a range of probably 100 feet or so, not exactly a perfect range to test the rifles accuracy, but good enough to see if the gun worked properly or not. I fired one mag through the gun and let my friend have a go with the second magazine. Both were loaded with 30 rounds of Wolf 123 grain Military Classic 7.62x39 ammunition that has been kicking around in one of my ammo cans for about five years. I did have a couple issues with the ammo, but more on that later.
There were no jams whatsoever in the first 60 rounds and I'm pleased with the rifle. Of course, it'll take many more rounds sent downrange before I'm ready to give the rifle my seal of approval, but overall I'm happy with my purchase and with the rifle itself. A few of the stock parts are going to be replaced, but that's mostly a matter of personal preference. I know one thing that's getting changed out and that's the muzzle brake. The thing sounds like a tuning fork after every shot and it gets annoying really quick. I also need to pick up a few more mags so my time behind the trigger is spent learning how to shoot the rifle better and not wasted loading magazines. All three mags I had functioned like they were supposed to and while going from a stripper clip loaded rifle to a magazine system was a bit weird, I eventually got the hang of it and was switching mags like it was second nature to me.
As I mentioned before I had some issues with the ammo I was running. Wolf is pretty much known for being cheap ammo and that's one big reason folks buy the stuff. My issue wasn't with the price (I'm sort of a cheapskate when it comes to ammo, by the way), but with the way my SKS functioned with the ammo. I've used Wolf in my SKS numerous times before and I've never had bright blue smoke pour out of the receiver after a shot. I've also never had a round fail to fire after the primer was whacked hard. I'm probably going to have a gunsmith replace the firing pin on my rifle anyway, so I hope the FTF's will cease after that.
Overall, a fun day at the range was had by all and I hope to have many more range days with my friends in the future. Now if I could just find .22LR ammo locally, that'd be awesome.
Stay tuned to the site for an upcoming video review of the KHHI Scourge kukri I reviewed awhile back. I'm hoping to get some good footage of the blade uploaded soon. I've had a few folks asking me for video of the blade in action and I'm not one to disappoint my fans. So, keep an eye on the site for an announcement soon.
As always, this is 12-Gauge Chimp signing off.
Friday, June 13, 2014
Guns and Gear Review #16: M+M M10 7.62 AK-47
Hey folks, it's your old pal 12-Gauge Chimp here with a brand new gun review.
It's been awhile since I've done one of these, but I've had good reasons as to why that is. You see, buying a gun is something that takes me awhile to do. Mostly because I tend to research my choices and try to narrow them down to what I can afford and what is the best choice for me. This gun purchase actually took the course of two years to accomplish seeing as how the gun came and went from various sites inventories (and at either really rock bottom prices or prices that made buying a $1,200 Arsenal a better option).
So, I finally found a site that had the gun in stock and at a price that was within my budget. I placed my order, called my FFL dealer to verify the purchase and transfer, and waited. A week later, I get a call from my FFL dealer saying my rifle was in the shop. I rushed over there and picked it up after filling out the 4473 required by the Feds and paying the transfer fees. It was at that moment, I became the owner of my very first AK-47 style rifle.
Getting to the rifle itself, it's pretty much an upgraded WASR-10, but instead of being made of used surplus parts with a few new US made parts thrown in for compliance reasons, this AK uses all brand new parts. Everything on this rifle is brand new and there's enough US made part to comply with the US 922r regulations. No surplus parts of dubious age, origin or wear and tear amounts here.
The M+M M10 features a 16 inch chrome lined hammer forged barrel topped off with a Tapco Razr muzzle brake. It's got the usual stamped AK receiver fitted with a Hogue pistol grip, a Hogue railed fore end set and a Phoenix Technologies 'Survival' stock with hinged buttplate that opens to reveal a space for survival items (I store an AK cleaning kit in the one on my rifle). It only comes with one mag, which is a plastic Bulgarian made mag, but AK mags are pretty much everywhere and are going for decent prices now. Granted, the mags aren't quite as cheap as the HK G3/CETME mags, but they're still affordable. The sights are RPK style, which means the rear sight is adjustable for windage and elevation. It takes some getting used to, but it's no harder than using the sights on an AR-15. The front sight is a bit different than the traditional AK set up because it's built into the gas block instead of on its own like on a regular AK.This reduces the sight radius a bit, but just like the RPK sights one can get used to them. Either that or add some different sights later on.
I haven't had the chance to get out to the range to shoot this rifle yet, but that's mostly because summer is officially here in my AO and that means temperatures that regularly hit 95 plus degrees and don't go anywhere near bearable until late in the evening. I think I saw a bird burst into flames just flying around the other day because it was so hot. Anyway, once the weather cools down (or I suck it up and coat myself in really high SPF sunscreen and risk a sunburn), I'll be testing the rifle and giving y'all a full review.
Would I suggest buying one of these rifles ? Yes, I would.
The prices are coming down from the insanely high prices we were seeing them go for last year and they're still a great bargain for those of us who want an AK, but don't want to roll the dice and buy a WASR-10 and hope we get a good one.
As always, this is 12-Gauge Chimp signing off.
Stay tuned to this site for a range review of the M+M M10 AK-47, folks.
It's been awhile since I've done one of these, but I've had good reasons as to why that is. You see, buying a gun is something that takes me awhile to do. Mostly because I tend to research my choices and try to narrow them down to what I can afford and what is the best choice for me. This gun purchase actually took the course of two years to accomplish seeing as how the gun came and went from various sites inventories (and at either really rock bottom prices or prices that made buying a $1,200 Arsenal a better option).
So, I finally found a site that had the gun in stock and at a price that was within my budget. I placed my order, called my FFL dealer to verify the purchase and transfer, and waited. A week later, I get a call from my FFL dealer saying my rifle was in the shop. I rushed over there and picked it up after filling out the 4473 required by the Feds and paying the transfer fees. It was at that moment, I became the owner of my very first AK-47 style rifle.
Getting to the rifle itself, it's pretty much an upgraded WASR-10, but instead of being made of used surplus parts with a few new US made parts thrown in for compliance reasons, this AK uses all brand new parts. Everything on this rifle is brand new and there's enough US made part to comply with the US 922r regulations. No surplus parts of dubious age, origin or wear and tear amounts here.
The M+M M10 features a 16 inch chrome lined hammer forged barrel topped off with a Tapco Razr muzzle brake. It's got the usual stamped AK receiver fitted with a Hogue pistol grip, a Hogue railed fore end set and a Phoenix Technologies 'Survival' stock with hinged buttplate that opens to reveal a space for survival items (I store an AK cleaning kit in the one on my rifle). It only comes with one mag, which is a plastic Bulgarian made mag, but AK mags are pretty much everywhere and are going for decent prices now. Granted, the mags aren't quite as cheap as the HK G3/CETME mags, but they're still affordable. The sights are RPK style, which means the rear sight is adjustable for windage and elevation. It takes some getting used to, but it's no harder than using the sights on an AR-15. The front sight is a bit different than the traditional AK set up because it's built into the gas block instead of on its own like on a regular AK.This reduces the sight radius a bit, but just like the RPK sights one can get used to them. Either that or add some different sights later on.
I haven't had the chance to get out to the range to shoot this rifle yet, but that's mostly because summer is officially here in my AO and that means temperatures that regularly hit 95 plus degrees and don't go anywhere near bearable until late in the evening. I think I saw a bird burst into flames just flying around the other day because it was so hot. Anyway, once the weather cools down (or I suck it up and coat myself in really high SPF sunscreen and risk a sunburn), I'll be testing the rifle and giving y'all a full review.
Would I suggest buying one of these rifles ? Yes, I would.
The prices are coming down from the insanely high prices we were seeing them go for last year and they're still a great bargain for those of us who want an AK, but don't want to roll the dice and buy a WASR-10 and hope we get a good one.
As always, this is 12-Gauge Chimp signing off.
Stay tuned to this site for a range review of the M+M M10 AK-47, folks.
Thursday, September 19, 2013
Guns and Gear Review # 15: Kershaw Shuffle
Hey folks, it's your old pal 12-Gauge Chimp bringing you a new knife review.
I know it has been awhile since I last updated the site and I have a good reason for that. The reason of that is that I literally had nothing to review. So I just took a break for a bit, but now I'm back with some new things to review and a quick update for y'all.
As you all might remember, I've been giving knives and other stuff my 12-Gauge Chimp Seal of Approval rather easily over the years. Well, starting today, that all ends. Effective immediately, I will no longer be handing out my approval on a product without actually doing a lengthy test on said product. I got burned big time by my Ka-Bar Agama pocket knife and it had me rethinking my whole review system. So with that in mind, new products will now be used by me for a period of no less than six months. After the six months is up, I will then decide to either give the product my seal of approval or not.
Getting back to the topic of this review special, it's been awhile since I've purchased a new knife. The last knife I purchased was the Kershaw Nerve that I reviewed a couple months back. The new addition to my Kershaw collection is the recently released Kershaw Shuffle.
The Kershaw Shuffle sports a 2 3/8 inch blade with a total length of about 3 1/4" inches closed and about 5 5/8" inches when open. The blade is made of 3Cr13MOV steel with a bead blasted finish, which makes it a perfect little companion knife to the Kershaw Nerve. The handle is made from glass filled nylon with a "K" textured grip. Its other features include a bottle opener and a lanyard ring that doubles as a light duty prybar and a flat screwdriver (I have actually used it to tighten the grips on my 1911). It's got a pocket clip that's adjustable for right or left pocket carry with the tip up only.
Now, I've got gorilla sized hands which makes using smaller knives kind of a pain, but the Kershaw Shuffle's size isn't too bad. Yeah, it's a bit smaller than I'm used to, but this is not a knife I'm going to go all Johnny Tactical with. Come to think of it, I'm not going to do that with any of my knives for that matter. For me, the Kershaw Shuffle is purely a utility blade and it does a pretty good job at simple tasks. Its size makes it perfect for places where you can't carry a knife over a certain size (like some states here in the US). It's also perfect for those of us who don't want to carry a bulky knife everyday.
All in all, I'd say grab one of these while you can. For less than 20 bucks (in some places it's a lot cheaper), the Kershaw Shuffle is probably one of the best values of 2013.
Well, that'll do it for this review. Keep an eye open for my next review and an upcoming special review of a blade I am extremely happy to be able to review.
As always, this is 12-Gauge Chimp signing off.
I know it has been awhile since I last updated the site and I have a good reason for that. The reason of that is that I literally had nothing to review. So I just took a break for a bit, but now I'm back with some new things to review and a quick update for y'all.
As you all might remember, I've been giving knives and other stuff my 12-Gauge Chimp Seal of Approval rather easily over the years. Well, starting today, that all ends. Effective immediately, I will no longer be handing out my approval on a product without actually doing a lengthy test on said product. I got burned big time by my Ka-Bar Agama pocket knife and it had me rethinking my whole review system. So with that in mind, new products will now be used by me for a period of no less than six months. After the six months is up, I will then decide to either give the product my seal of approval or not.
Getting back to the topic of this review special, it's been awhile since I've purchased a new knife. The last knife I purchased was the Kershaw Nerve that I reviewed a couple months back. The new addition to my Kershaw collection is the recently released Kershaw Shuffle.
The Kershaw Shuffle sports a 2 3/8 inch blade with a total length of about 3 1/4" inches closed and about 5 5/8" inches when open. The blade is made of 3Cr13MOV steel with a bead blasted finish, which makes it a perfect little companion knife to the Kershaw Nerve. The handle is made from glass filled nylon with a "K" textured grip. Its other features include a bottle opener and a lanyard ring that doubles as a light duty prybar and a flat screwdriver (I have actually used it to tighten the grips on my 1911). It's got a pocket clip that's adjustable for right or left pocket carry with the tip up only.
Now, I've got gorilla sized hands which makes using smaller knives kind of a pain, but the Kershaw Shuffle's size isn't too bad. Yeah, it's a bit smaller than I'm used to, but this is not a knife I'm going to go all Johnny Tactical with. Come to think of it, I'm not going to do that with any of my knives for that matter. For me, the Kershaw Shuffle is purely a utility blade and it does a pretty good job at simple tasks. Its size makes it perfect for places where you can't carry a knife over a certain size (like some states here in the US). It's also perfect for those of us who don't want to carry a bulky knife everyday.
All in all, I'd say grab one of these while you can. For less than 20 bucks (in some places it's a lot cheaper), the Kershaw Shuffle is probably one of the best values of 2013.
Well, that'll do it for this review. Keep an eye open for my next review and an upcoming special review of a blade I am extremely happy to be able to review.
As always, this is 12-Gauge Chimp signing off.
Tuesday, February 12, 2013
Guns and Gear Review #14: Kershaw Nerve and Brawler
Hey folks, it's your old pal 12-Gauge Chimp here, bringing you another two for one review.
Now, I first want to apologize for not being more active with the site in the last couple months. I am struggling for things to review that I think would interest you all. So, with that in mind, I bring you my review of the Kershaw Brawler and Nerve.
First up, the Brawler.
I purchased this knife for 20 dollars US just before Christmas last year at a local big box chain store and it came in a special "tactical" combo pack with an LED flashlight and a tactical pen. The light and pen were basically extras and they are fairly good for the money, but they aren't the focus of this review. The knife is what I was more interested in. So, let's get to it.
The Brawler (or the 1990 Brawler, as it's called on Kershaw's website) features a 3 inch modified tanto style blade, Kershaw's patented 'SpeedSafe' assisted opening feature, and a black glass-filled nylon handle. The steel used in the blade is 8Cr13MoV with a black oxide coating to protect it. It also features a four position pocket or belt clip.
My first thought upon buying the knife was "Did I make a good purchase ?" because I have made some boneheaded purchases in the past (See my purchase of the M-Tech/Maxam kukri). Well, my fear was unfounded because the Kershaw Brawler is a well made knife. It's part of Kershaw's budget line of knives sold at various sporting goods stores and big box stores along with some of Kershaw's more expensive choices.
I've done some cutting tests with the Brawler and have even carried it around as part of my EDC. Still, while it's a good knife in its own right, it didn't replace my CRKT Hammond Cruiser as my main EDC knife. That's mostly because I'm kind of stubborn when it comes to swapping out things that I feel work for me. I may just have to rotate my EDC knives, though.
Would I recommend getting a Kershaw Brawler ? Yes, I would. Even if you can't find the tactical pack I bought, the knife alone is well worth the 25 dollars you can find it going for. And if you look around, you can get the knife for less than that.
Now, onto the second part of this Two for One special.
The Kershaw Nerve.
This knife was actually the most recent purchase and it was also an impulse buy, one of which I'm actually happy with. I paid around 21 dollars US for it at a local sporting goods store.
Yet another part of Kershaw's budget line of knives, the Nerve features a 3 1/8 inch half serrated/ half plain edge blade with a bead blasted finish and CNC machined G-10 handle scales. The G-10 scales have a rough texture and almost a ripple type look to them. I'm actually kind of wondering why Kershaw didn't call the Nerve "The Ripple" because of the way the scales look. Of course, they probably already produce a knife called the Ripple, so that could be why. I should mention that both the Brawler and Nerve are liner lock style knives. The Nerve, unlike the Brawler, only has a two position pocket clip. Meaning you can only configure it for right hand blade tip up or blade tip down carry. It's not a problem for me since I carry my knives in my right jeans pocket. My left jeans pocket is reserved for other parts of my EDC, like my wallet. The 8Cr13MoV blade steel is the same used in the Brawler, but on the Nerve it's sharpened to a very scary degree. I'm not saying the Brawler isn't sharp (it is very sharp), but the Nerve's blade is scary sharp. Case in point, I did the same thing most guys do when testing a blades sharpness. I ran the blade over my arm and shaved off a good sized patch of hair with zero trouble. In that regards, I have no problem saying the Kershaw Nerve is the sharpest knife I have ever owned and this is a factory edge which makes it even more surprising. Most knives I get have decent factory edges, but the factory edge on the Nerve blows them all out of the water. Not even the Brawler had this sharp of a blade. Heck, not even my Kershaw Crown is as sharp as the Nerve and it's got a really sharp blade.
I've done more cutting tests with the Nerve aside from the arm hair shaving thing (which we've all done at one point in our lives, right guys ?) and it's awesome at every one of them. So, I'd definitely recommend getting a Kershaw Nerve while you can because I've been reading that Kershaw is actually discontinuing the Nerve along with a few other knives. So, I'll probably be picking another one up here in the next few weeks, assuming I still can.
Both the Kershaw Nerve and Brawler get the 12-Gauge Chimp Seal of Approval.
That will do it for this Two for One review special and be sure to check back often. Even though I may not have anything to write about, I still check the site from time to time and enjoy reading the comments you all leave. So thank you for stopping by and reading my posts and if you like what you read, become a Friend of the Chimp. Also, recommend the site to your friends, family and whoever you'd think would be interested in it.
As always, this is 12-Gauge Chimp signing off.
Now, I first want to apologize for not being more active with the site in the last couple months. I am struggling for things to review that I think would interest you all. So, with that in mind, I bring you my review of the Kershaw Brawler and Nerve.
First up, the Brawler.
I purchased this knife for 20 dollars US just before Christmas last year at a local big box chain store and it came in a special "tactical" combo pack with an LED flashlight and a tactical pen. The light and pen were basically extras and they are fairly good for the money, but they aren't the focus of this review. The knife is what I was more interested in. So, let's get to it.
The Brawler (or the 1990 Brawler, as it's called on Kershaw's website) features a 3 inch modified tanto style blade, Kershaw's patented 'SpeedSafe' assisted opening feature, and a black glass-filled nylon handle. The steel used in the blade is 8Cr13MoV with a black oxide coating to protect it. It also features a four position pocket or belt clip.
My first thought upon buying the knife was "Did I make a good purchase ?" because I have made some boneheaded purchases in the past (See my purchase of the M-Tech/Maxam kukri). Well, my fear was unfounded because the Kershaw Brawler is a well made knife. It's part of Kershaw's budget line of knives sold at various sporting goods stores and big box stores along with some of Kershaw's more expensive choices.
I've done some cutting tests with the Brawler and have even carried it around as part of my EDC. Still, while it's a good knife in its own right, it didn't replace my CRKT Hammond Cruiser as my main EDC knife. That's mostly because I'm kind of stubborn when it comes to swapping out things that I feel work for me. I may just have to rotate my EDC knives, though.
Would I recommend getting a Kershaw Brawler ? Yes, I would. Even if you can't find the tactical pack I bought, the knife alone is well worth the 25 dollars you can find it going for. And if you look around, you can get the knife for less than that.
Now, onto the second part of this Two for One special.
The Kershaw Nerve.
This knife was actually the most recent purchase and it was also an impulse buy, one of which I'm actually happy with. I paid around 21 dollars US for it at a local sporting goods store.
Yet another part of Kershaw's budget line of knives, the Nerve features a 3 1/8 inch half serrated/ half plain edge blade with a bead blasted finish and CNC machined G-10 handle scales. The G-10 scales have a rough texture and almost a ripple type look to them. I'm actually kind of wondering why Kershaw didn't call the Nerve "The Ripple" because of the way the scales look. Of course, they probably already produce a knife called the Ripple, so that could be why. I should mention that both the Brawler and Nerve are liner lock style knives. The Nerve, unlike the Brawler, only has a two position pocket clip. Meaning you can only configure it for right hand blade tip up or blade tip down carry. It's not a problem for me since I carry my knives in my right jeans pocket. My left jeans pocket is reserved for other parts of my EDC, like my wallet. The 8Cr13MoV blade steel is the same used in the Brawler, but on the Nerve it's sharpened to a very scary degree. I'm not saying the Brawler isn't sharp (it is very sharp), but the Nerve's blade is scary sharp. Case in point, I did the same thing most guys do when testing a blades sharpness. I ran the blade over my arm and shaved off a good sized patch of hair with zero trouble. In that regards, I have no problem saying the Kershaw Nerve is the sharpest knife I have ever owned and this is a factory edge which makes it even more surprising. Most knives I get have decent factory edges, but the factory edge on the Nerve blows them all out of the water. Not even the Brawler had this sharp of a blade. Heck, not even my Kershaw Crown is as sharp as the Nerve and it's got a really sharp blade.
I've done more cutting tests with the Nerve aside from the arm hair shaving thing (which we've all done at one point in our lives, right guys ?) and it's awesome at every one of them. So, I'd definitely recommend getting a Kershaw Nerve while you can because I've been reading that Kershaw is actually discontinuing the Nerve along with a few other knives. So, I'll probably be picking another one up here in the next few weeks, assuming I still can.
Both the Kershaw Nerve and Brawler get the 12-Gauge Chimp Seal of Approval.
That will do it for this Two for One review special and be sure to check back often. Even though I may not have anything to write about, I still check the site from time to time and enjoy reading the comments you all leave. So thank you for stopping by and reading my posts and if you like what you read, become a Friend of the Chimp. Also, recommend the site to your friends, family and whoever you'd think would be interested in it.
As always, this is 12-Gauge Chimp signing off.
Monday, October 1, 2012
12-Gauge Chimp's First Ever Gear Review.
Hey folks, it's your old pal 12-Gauge Chimp here with the first ever gear review in the sites history.
Now, I've done gun and knife reviews in the past and that's basically what I'm known for, but lately I've thought about expanding my site and doing different reviews in addition to the gun and knife reviews. I'll still be doing those since they're basically what makes the site, but I just wanted to try and review something that wasn't sharp and pointy or went bang.
On with the review.
As you all may know, I purchased my very first 1911 in February of this year ( I think I may have said March when I did the review, but looking at my records, I actually bought it in February.) Anyway, the gun came with smooth wood grips that were kind of slippery. So, I decided to replace them with something better. What I ended up with was a set of Ergo Grip brand 1911 grips in black. These things are awesome and really fit my 1911 well. Granted, I did have to trim some molding remnants off and trim down a sharp corner on the grips, but other than that the grips were fine. It was just a matter of personal preference. Not everyone will have to do what I did. Now, I haven't really tested the grips out at the range but a couple friends of mine are supposed to be headed my way at the end of the month, so I hope to have a field test done at that time. As for now, I'm holding off on giving the grips my seal of approval, but even though I haven't gotten out to the range, I'm fairly sure that I'll be giving the Ergo Grips my approval.
Also, here's another first for the site. I will actually be naming the shop where I purchased the grips from. Recently, I was in Albuquerque New Mexico on vacation and I stopped at a shop called "Kaufman's West", which is military surplus store based in Albuquerque. They sell mostly brand new tactical gear and other items, but they do have a pretty good amount of actual surplus stuff. Now, I had read some bad reviews on the internet about the store and I was a bit worried I'd have the same experience as some of the other reviewers. In reality, I had just the opposite experience.
When I walked into the store, I was greeted by an employee named Daniel, who would later go above and beyond to help me find a paracord bracelet big enough to fit my large wrists. When I had a question about the Ergo Grips, he directed me to another employee, who in turn directed me to yet another employee, who would later turn out to be the manager of the store. All three of them were very helpful and made me feel welcome in the store. I forgot to get the names of the manager and the other employee, but I'm sure if they read my site, they'll know who I'm talking about. After I decided to purchase the grips, I wanted to see if they had a left handed holster that would fit my 1911. I'm kind of weird when it comes to shooting guns as I shoot handguns as a left hander and rifles and shotguns as a right hander. This makes it a bit hard for me to buy handguns since few on the market are lefty friendly. That's changed a lot recently since more and more companies are making guns that are lefty friendly. Matter of fact, I found a company that makes a true left handed 1911. It's basically a mirror image version of the 1911 we all know. It's pretty expensive which is why I probably won't be reviewing it any time soon.
Getting back to the store, I found an employee stocking holsters and asked her if they had any left handed holsters for 1911's. She asked me what kind I was looking for and after she mentioned a few styles, I followed her to the wall of holsters the store has. She found a really nice Galco holster for me, which I sadly could not buy due to my lack of funds. We looked at a few more holster options and after we came to the conclusion I wasn't going to find one in my price range, I thanked her for her help and went off to look for other items on my list. I ended up leaving Kaufmann's with the aforementioned 1911 grips, a coyote tan paracord bracelet and an OD Green boonie hat which will replace my cheap desert camo one.
All in all, I enjoyed my experience at Kaufmann's West in Albuquerque and I will be back again one of these years. The employees were nice and took the time to answer my questions to the best of their knowledge and the employee named Daniel, who I mentioned earlier, went above and beyond to help me find a paracord bracelet that fit me. When I told him about my site, he was interested in it and asked me to write down the site address for him so he could check it out. As I was writing down the site address, it occurred to me that it might be in my best interests to ask permission to write about the store. So, Daniel called the manager over and I explained what I wanted to do. I told her that I wouldn't write anything bad about the store, which is true since I honestly could not find a bad thing about the store. I received permission to write about the store and I kept my promise to them.
So, if you ever find yourselves in Albuquerque New Mexico , stop by Kaufman's West and check out the store. If you all are anything like your pal 12-Gauge Chimp, there's bound to be something that you'll like.
As always, this is 12-Gauge Chimp signing off.
Now, I've done gun and knife reviews in the past and that's basically what I'm known for, but lately I've thought about expanding my site and doing different reviews in addition to the gun and knife reviews. I'll still be doing those since they're basically what makes the site, but I just wanted to try and review something that wasn't sharp and pointy or went bang.
On with the review.
As you all may know, I purchased my very first 1911 in February of this year ( I think I may have said March when I did the review, but looking at my records, I actually bought it in February.) Anyway, the gun came with smooth wood grips that were kind of slippery. So, I decided to replace them with something better. What I ended up with was a set of Ergo Grip brand 1911 grips in black. These things are awesome and really fit my 1911 well. Granted, I did have to trim some molding remnants off and trim down a sharp corner on the grips, but other than that the grips were fine. It was just a matter of personal preference. Not everyone will have to do what I did. Now, I haven't really tested the grips out at the range but a couple friends of mine are supposed to be headed my way at the end of the month, so I hope to have a field test done at that time. As for now, I'm holding off on giving the grips my seal of approval, but even though I haven't gotten out to the range, I'm fairly sure that I'll be giving the Ergo Grips my approval.
Also, here's another first for the site. I will actually be naming the shop where I purchased the grips from. Recently, I was in Albuquerque New Mexico on vacation and I stopped at a shop called "Kaufman's West", which is military surplus store based in Albuquerque. They sell mostly brand new tactical gear and other items, but they do have a pretty good amount of actual surplus stuff. Now, I had read some bad reviews on the internet about the store and I was a bit worried I'd have the same experience as some of the other reviewers. In reality, I had just the opposite experience.
When I walked into the store, I was greeted by an employee named Daniel, who would later go above and beyond to help me find a paracord bracelet big enough to fit my large wrists. When I had a question about the Ergo Grips, he directed me to another employee, who in turn directed me to yet another employee, who would later turn out to be the manager of the store. All three of them were very helpful and made me feel welcome in the store. I forgot to get the names of the manager and the other employee, but I'm sure if they read my site, they'll know who I'm talking about. After I decided to purchase the grips, I wanted to see if they had a left handed holster that would fit my 1911. I'm kind of weird when it comes to shooting guns as I shoot handguns as a left hander and rifles and shotguns as a right hander. This makes it a bit hard for me to buy handguns since few on the market are lefty friendly. That's changed a lot recently since more and more companies are making guns that are lefty friendly. Matter of fact, I found a company that makes a true left handed 1911. It's basically a mirror image version of the 1911 we all know. It's pretty expensive which is why I probably won't be reviewing it any time soon.
Getting back to the store, I found an employee stocking holsters and asked her if they had any left handed holsters for 1911's. She asked me what kind I was looking for and after she mentioned a few styles, I followed her to the wall of holsters the store has. She found a really nice Galco holster for me, which I sadly could not buy due to my lack of funds. We looked at a few more holster options and after we came to the conclusion I wasn't going to find one in my price range, I thanked her for her help and went off to look for other items on my list. I ended up leaving Kaufmann's with the aforementioned 1911 grips, a coyote tan paracord bracelet and an OD Green boonie hat which will replace my cheap desert camo one.
All in all, I enjoyed my experience at Kaufmann's West in Albuquerque and I will be back again one of these years. The employees were nice and took the time to answer my questions to the best of their knowledge and the employee named Daniel, who I mentioned earlier, went above and beyond to help me find a paracord bracelet that fit me. When I told him about my site, he was interested in it and asked me to write down the site address for him so he could check it out. As I was writing down the site address, it occurred to me that it might be in my best interests to ask permission to write about the store. So, Daniel called the manager over and I explained what I wanted to do. I told her that I wouldn't write anything bad about the store, which is true since I honestly could not find a bad thing about the store. I received permission to write about the store and I kept my promise to them.
So, if you ever find yourselves in Albuquerque New Mexico , stop by Kaufman's West and check out the store. If you all are anything like your pal 12-Gauge Chimp, there's bound to be something that you'll like.
As always, this is 12-Gauge Chimp signing off.
Friday, August 3, 2012
Guns and Gear Review # 13: Leatherman Blast multi-tool and Cold Steel Vaquero Grande folding knife.
Hey folks, it's your old pal 12-Gauge Chimp bringing you a very special review. It's the very first Two for One Review. I'll be reviewing two different things, in this case, two knives.
Now before I go any further, y'all are probably wondering just where I've been since April when I last made an entry to the site. Well, a lot happened between my review of my Rock Island Armory 1911 and now, but that's in the past and I finally have something to review.
First up, my Leatherman Blast multi-tool.
I was given this as a gift by a friend of mine and it's been on my belt ever since. Leatherman brand multi-tools have around since 1983. Leatherman also offers folding knives in addition to it's line of multi-tools. I don't yet own one of the folding knives, but as soon as I can, I will get one. The Leatherman tool I own is the Blast, which has been discontinued from Leatherman's lineup for some reason. I guess it's so Leatherman can focus on bringing newer tools and knives onto the market. Which is fine with me since I'm planning on getting a Leatherman Wave multi-tool sometime in the near future.
Anyway, the Blast features 16 tools and it's made from stainless steel with Zytel inserts for comfort when using the tool for whatever you may need it for. It comes with a leather belt pouch, although I have seen some that come with a nylon pouch instead of the leather one. In the years since I've had it, I have used just about every tool on the thing and it's still going strong and is as sharp as the day it left the factory. One really cool thing about the tool is that it has a 25 year warranty. All you have to do is register whatever Leatherman multi-tool or knife you buy on the Leatherman website and if the tool should somehow break or otherwise be damaged, Leatherman will fix it. Whether this is a free service or not is unknown to me since I haven't yet had to use the warranty service, so it might be a good idea to do a little research. Either way, it's still pretty cool.
Now, the 16 tools on the Blast are as follows.
1. Needle nose pliers
2. 420HC clip point knife blade
3. Regular pliers
4. Wire cutters
5. Hard-wire cutters
6. Wire strippers
7. Small screwdriver
8. Large screwdriver
9. Phillips screwdriver
10. Scissors
11. File (wood and metal)
12. Small bit driver
13. Bottle opener (this tool probably gets the most use for me.)
14. Can opener
15. Saw
16. and finally, a Phillips and flat tip eyeglasses screwdriver bit.
After all the years I've used the Leatherman Blast multi-tool and the fact it has not once let me down, makes me give it the 12-Gauge Chimp Seal of Approval.
Now, onto the second part of this review, the Cold Steel Vaquero Grande.
I purchased this knife from an antique store last month and it is by far the largest folding knife I have ever owned. Seriously, the knife measures out to 12 1/4 inches in overall length with the blade open and around 5 and a half inches or 6 inches when closed.
Now, Cold Steel has been around for a long time and the videos of Lynn Thompson, the president of Cold Steel, using the various products his company makes to hack through car doors, thick free hanging rope, whole sides of beef and other stuff, have been seen by practically everybody. Cold Steel stands behind their product and is not afraid to show how much abuse one of their products can take.
The Vaquero Grande is a lockback style knife, kind of like the old folding knives our fathers and grandfathers carried. Is it my preferred lock style ? Nope, but I'm not carrying this massive sucker around everyday or even using it as my primary knife. That job falls to my CRKT Hammond Cruiser knife.
The handle of the Vaquero Grande is made of glass reinforced plastic called "Grivory" in the Cold Steel site description. Now I don't know if my knife, since it's an older model, has that type of handle or if they simply made the handle out of glass reinforced plastic, like the kind used in making synthetic stocks or grips for firearms. The steel used is Japanese AUS8 stainless steel and it holds a pretty good edge. I bought my knife second hand and I have no idea how much use it saw with the previous owner(s), but it's still pretty dang sharp. I got the serrated edged model, but the newer Vaqueros are available with either a serrated edge or a plain edge. They retail for about 56 dollars US, but I was able to snag mine for a little less than 20 dollars US. If you look hard enough, you might even be able to find them for less than what I paid, but probably not.
Now, I haven't done much cutting with the Cold Steel Vaquero Grande, mostly because it's such a large knife and it's a serrated edged blade. All in all, it's not a knife for everyone, but it's still a good knife. I've heard of folks carrying this type of knife as part of their EDC, but I prefer a smaller knife. That's not to say I wouldn't use it as a camp knife, though. If one wants to carry a knife as big as the Vaquero Grande around, I say more power to you. That is if you have pockets big enough to fit the knife. When they mean 'Grande', man do they mean it.
In the end, I still give the Cold Steel Vaquero Grande knife the 12-Gauge Chimp Seal of Approval.
Thanks for visiting my site and I hope to bring you all more reviews, Random Thoughts and Range Reports in the near future.
As always, this is 12-Gauge Chimp signing off.
Now before I go any further, y'all are probably wondering just where I've been since April when I last made an entry to the site. Well, a lot happened between my review of my Rock Island Armory 1911 and now, but that's in the past and I finally have something to review.
First up, my Leatherman Blast multi-tool.
I was given this as a gift by a friend of mine and it's been on my belt ever since. Leatherman brand multi-tools have around since 1983. Leatherman also offers folding knives in addition to it's line of multi-tools. I don't yet own one of the folding knives, but as soon as I can, I will get one. The Leatherman tool I own is the Blast, which has been discontinued from Leatherman's lineup for some reason. I guess it's so Leatherman can focus on bringing newer tools and knives onto the market. Which is fine with me since I'm planning on getting a Leatherman Wave multi-tool sometime in the near future.
Anyway, the Blast features 16 tools and it's made from stainless steel with Zytel inserts for comfort when using the tool for whatever you may need it for. It comes with a leather belt pouch, although I have seen some that come with a nylon pouch instead of the leather one. In the years since I've had it, I have used just about every tool on the thing and it's still going strong and is as sharp as the day it left the factory. One really cool thing about the tool is that it has a 25 year warranty. All you have to do is register whatever Leatherman multi-tool or knife you buy on the Leatherman website and if the tool should somehow break or otherwise be damaged, Leatherman will fix it. Whether this is a free service or not is unknown to me since I haven't yet had to use the warranty service, so it might be a good idea to do a little research. Either way, it's still pretty cool.
Now, the 16 tools on the Blast are as follows.
1. Needle nose pliers
2. 420HC clip point knife blade
3. Regular pliers
4. Wire cutters
5. Hard-wire cutters
6. Wire strippers
7. Small screwdriver
8. Large screwdriver
9. Phillips screwdriver
10. Scissors
11. File (wood and metal)
12. Small bit driver
13. Bottle opener (this tool probably gets the most use for me.)
14. Can opener
15. Saw
16. and finally, a Phillips and flat tip eyeglasses screwdriver bit.
After all the years I've used the Leatherman Blast multi-tool and the fact it has not once let me down, makes me give it the 12-Gauge Chimp Seal of Approval.
Now, onto the second part of this review, the Cold Steel Vaquero Grande.
I purchased this knife from an antique store last month and it is by far the largest folding knife I have ever owned. Seriously, the knife measures out to 12 1/4 inches in overall length with the blade open and around 5 and a half inches or 6 inches when closed.
Now, Cold Steel has been around for a long time and the videos of Lynn Thompson, the president of Cold Steel, using the various products his company makes to hack through car doors, thick free hanging rope, whole sides of beef and other stuff, have been seen by practically everybody. Cold Steel stands behind their product and is not afraid to show how much abuse one of their products can take.
The Vaquero Grande is a lockback style knife, kind of like the old folding knives our fathers and grandfathers carried. Is it my preferred lock style ? Nope, but I'm not carrying this massive sucker around everyday or even using it as my primary knife. That job falls to my CRKT Hammond Cruiser knife.
The handle of the Vaquero Grande is made of glass reinforced plastic called "Grivory" in the Cold Steel site description. Now I don't know if my knife, since it's an older model, has that type of handle or if they simply made the handle out of glass reinforced plastic, like the kind used in making synthetic stocks or grips for firearms. The steel used is Japanese AUS8 stainless steel and it holds a pretty good edge. I bought my knife second hand and I have no idea how much use it saw with the previous owner(s), but it's still pretty dang sharp. I got the serrated edged model, but the newer Vaqueros are available with either a serrated edge or a plain edge. They retail for about 56 dollars US, but I was able to snag mine for a little less than 20 dollars US. If you look hard enough, you might even be able to find them for less than what I paid, but probably not.
Now, I haven't done much cutting with the Cold Steel Vaquero Grande, mostly because it's such a large knife and it's a serrated edged blade. All in all, it's not a knife for everyone, but it's still a good knife. I've heard of folks carrying this type of knife as part of their EDC, but I prefer a smaller knife. That's not to say I wouldn't use it as a camp knife, though. If one wants to carry a knife as big as the Vaquero Grande around, I say more power to you. That is if you have pockets big enough to fit the knife. When they mean 'Grande', man do they mean it.
In the end, I still give the Cold Steel Vaquero Grande knife the 12-Gauge Chimp Seal of Approval.
Thanks for visiting my site and I hope to bring you all more reviews, Random Thoughts and Range Reports in the near future.
As always, this is 12-Gauge Chimp signing off.
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