One of the most complete AR riflescope lines has expanded even further with the release of Nikon’s new M-223 1.5-6×24 BDC 600.  This new M-223 is made with a 30mm main body tube, giving it a wider adjustment range.  There is also an illuminated reticle version, making this compact riflescope even more effective in low-light situations.

Both of the new M-223 1.5-6×24 riflescopes come with Nikon’s BDC 600 reticle that is calibrated for the trajectory of the .223 Remington/5.56mm NATO round with 55-grain bullet.  It offers shooters unique open circle aiming points at 100-yard intervals and additional hash-marks at 50-yard intervals to effectively compensate for bullet drop.

The M-223 1.5-6×24’s illuminated BDC 600 reticle can be adjusted to different brightness settings using the push buttons on the eyepiece and has up to 32 different levels of intensity for the orange center dot. When the illumination feature is turned off, the last brightness level is saved.  The illuminated reticle operates on a 3V lithium battery. Read more

Jacksonville, FL- MEALSPEC™ who will soon to be the leading manufacture of flameless meal heaters, unveils their new MEALSPEC™ Heater Bag. MealSpec’s extensive passion for military and emergency food heating supplies have lead them to create the most reliable flameless meal heater available. MRE heaters & flameless meal heaters are not all created equally. MEALSPEC™ manufacturers a state-of-the-art meal heater, that reaches 220° Fahrenheit in 12 seconds! This flameless meal heater out performs every other flameless heater on the market with a run time of 12 minutes and the capability of boiling water. The MEALSPEC™ can hard-boil an egg and even cook fish fillets. This MRE heater is perfect for disaster preparedness, camping, hunting, and more. Using the MEALSPEC™ MRE heater is simple, first tear the top of the heater bag and remove the packaging. Next, insert the heating device, add your food or beverage, and remember, never cook food or drinks in MEALSPEC™ bag alone, they should always be in their own respective bag. Then, add water to the fill line to activate the heater. Quickly secure the top of the bag and wait five to ten minutes for a hot meal or beverage. When you are finished using the MEALSPEC™, discard and never drink the water that is used to heat. The MEALSPEC™ can also be used as a trash bag when finished cooking and eating. Read more

By Glen Wunderlich

After the most grueling Michigan winter in memory, the time had come for a dual-purpose trip to visit family and to work in a bit of coyote hunting in Arizona.  With desert temperatures already in the 90s, it was a radical departure from mid-Michigan’s slowly evolving spring.  Snowshoes were replaced with uninsulated hiking boots, snake gaiters, a rifle over my shoulder, and a pistol at my side.

Arizona respects the right of all U.S. citizens to carry a concealed handgun with or without a permit, or to carry openly while in the state.  Certainly, the cultural change is dramatic, when compared Michigan, where open carry is permitted but problematic; although legal where I come from, the only people who carry openly (other than law enforcement) seem to always be testing authority.  In Arizona, it’s common for many.

Long-time resident, fellow predator hunter and my informal tour guide, Eric Ahlstrom of Apache Junction, packed his bags for Arizona after a close friend was executed by robbers in Chicago, while in the performance of his duties at a pizza joint.  It scarred Eric for life, and as a result, now openly carries a .45-caliber pistol wherever he ventures. 

Nobody gasps or calls 911, either.  At first, I thought it might be best for me to carry my Bond Arms derringer concealed, but I wasn’t about to over-dress to hide the fact.  It became as natural as sand and cactus in the desert to carry it in plain sight in a belt holster.

My sidearm was stoked with 3-inch, .410 shotgun shells of 7 ½ shot – a perfect combination for quick, close-range snake defense. 

 

While Eric fueled his Jeep at a convenience store/gas station, I took the opportunity to stock up on some sandwiches for the long day ahead and proceeded inside.

I watched intently, as the female clerk rang things up, all the while anticipating some type of negative reaction.  Nothing other than a thank you came forth, however.  Nobody else freaked out, either.  And, for the first time in my life, I began to understand how natural it could be to exercise my Second Amendment rights.  I was much more than a few thousand miles from Michigan; I was in the old “wild” West.

However, there was nothing at all wild about this culture – maybe snakes, lizards, and mountain lions – but, not the common, natural, day-to-day existence.

As Eric and I proceeded farther and farther into the desert, it became obvious that self-reliance was essential.  While northerners prepare for cold, Arizonians prepare for heat – and, yes, it is a dry heat, but hot is hot – especially when shade is as scarce as honest politicians.  With no cell phone service, we were on our own.

The old Jeep aptly navigated remote, rocky two-track trails, while we signed ledgers provided at each gate we opened and closed to confirm our presence and reason for being in the wilderness.

The long day ended without our firing a shot.  But, the adventure was more than a hunt; it was a step back in time and a refreshing change of pace where freedom reigns.

For most people, April 15 is the annual tax-filing deadline. For people like Robert Heyd – and other forest health professionals – April 15 also marks the beginning of the yearly window when oak wilt can be transmitted from diseased to healthy red oak trees.
According to Heyd, forest health management program manager for the Department of Natural Resources’ Forest Resources Division, oak wilt is a serious disease of oak trees. It mainly affects red oaks, including northern red oak, black oak and pin oak. Red oaks often die within a few weeks after becoming infected. White oaks are more resistant; therefore, the disease progresses more slowly. Read more

Overland  Park, Kan. — Bushnell  Outdoors, an industry-leader in outdoor product  innovation, has introduced two new lanterns in its new RUBICON line of lighting products. From a family camping trip to a  backcountry adventure, the two new RUBICON lanterns are designed to  efficiently illuminate camp with comfortable, practical lighting  options.

Purposefully  crafted to offer brighter and more reliable light, the RUBICON  lanterns are outfitted with high-quality Cree LEDs that provide  maximum brightness and longer, more efficient battery life. Each  lantern also features a regulated circuit, which translates into  consistent brightness and less dimming throughout the battery  lifecycle. Read more

Typical rhetoric for the sheeple:  More money we don’t have for an initiative not supported by the vast majority of the public.

More nonsense here…

Tennessee Flag Tennessee Governor Bill Haslam has signed SB1771, Knife Rights’ bill repealing the state’s antiquated ban on switchblade (automatic) knives and possession of knives over four inches in length “with intent to go armed.” a vague law subject to abusive interpretation. As of July 1, 2014, there are no longer any per se illegal knives in Tennessee. Read more