Budget Guns and Gear Reviews brings you honest reviews of high value-to-cost ratio camping, hunting, and outdoors gear, plus firearms reviews and Second Amendment related commentary.
The NRA sent a letter to its members… and I just HAD to respond to it!
I’d like to start this post by clarifying something. I am NOT an NRA Hater. I haven’t always been a member, that’s true, but I’ve always been a supporter, and I’ve always believed in the stated mission of education, training, and defending the Second Amendment.
I believe that our country NEEDS a strong NRA. I believe that if the NRA had never existed our gun rights would be far lesser than they are now. The NRA has done a great job of SLOWING the decay of our firearms freedoms, despite what I perceive to be a lackluster performance at RESTORING what freedoms we’ve lost. I know there are people, perhaps some of you reading this right now, who say that the NRA has done nothing but compromise our rights away a bit at a time- and it can certainly look that way. However, I suspect that by sitting at the table when these laws are made and by being a part of the process the NRA has prevented far worse things from happening to our rights.
I say all of this so that the reader may know where I’m coming from when I talk about the current state of the NRA.
Like a lot of people, as I’ve gotten older my vision just isn’t what it used to be. As a shooter, that makes it harder and harder to get a nice crisp focus on my front sight without wearing my prescription glasses- which we all know isn’t exactly ideal eyepro! For me, solution was to get some top focal shooting glasses, so I poked around online and found these SSP Eyewear Top Focal Shooting Glasses.
In this video, the Hi-Point 995ts Range Report, we take a look at the very well thought of offering from Hi-Point, its 995ts carbine. This budget friendly pistol caliber carbine is an accurate, reliable, and affordable option for a home defense carbine.
I just got a CZ 82 pistol to replace the ones I used to own but had to sell in a horrible fit of “brokeness”! I’ve always loved this design due to it’s superior ergonomics and shootability. Chambered in 9mm Makarov, this pistol packs 12 rounds in the magazine. It has an ambidextrous magazine release and safety, and a chrome lined bore with polygonal rifling.
Several ammo makers produce modern defensive loads in 9×18, so this military surplus pistol remains a viable choice for concealed carry.
The Extar EP9 (check out the review HERE) is a fun little personal defense weapon (PDW) chambered in 9mm Luger. With a pistol this fun to shoot, you’re going to have to clean it often. Here’s how you take the thing apart!
Extar EP9 Upper and Lower Separation
Disassembly is accomplished by first ensuring that the weapon is clear (no magazine inserted and no round in the chamber), and then pushing out the rear takedown pin located in the same spot as on an AR.
The rear takedown pin is in the same location as on an AR-pattern rifle, and is removed in the same way.
Next, you place your non-dominant hand in a sort of firing
grip on the magazine well, then use your thumb to push FORWARD on the
handguard. The front of the upper receiver is NOT held in by a pin like the
AR-15’s- instead of going through a hole in a tab on the receiver, the pin
stays in place and the receiver has a hook that holds it fast to the lower.
Place your thumb on the rear of the handguard and push forward
Here you can see the hook that holds the front of the upper to the lower.
Extar EP 9 Bolt Removal
Once you have the upper and lower separated, you can draw back on the charging handle and remove the bolt through the rear of the upper receiver.
Pull back on the charging handle and remove the bolt.
If you want to take the bolt apart, all you do is tug rearward on the back half- this is a weight added to give the bolt mass. After it comes apart you can then see the firing pin. To remove the firing pin you must first take out the cotter key on the left of the bolt (as you’re looking at the pin), then the bolt will come free.
The bolt taken apart. Notice the cotter pin to the left of the firing pin. This must be removed to take out the firing pin.
Extar EP9 Buffer Removal
Instead of a plunger to retain the buffer spring, there is a plate located just in front of the buffer, which has a small tab that protrudes up in place of the plunger. To remove the buffer simply push in on it to relieve the pressure and pull the plate “up” and out.
The buffer retainer plate after removal.
In order to reassemble the weapon you reverse the process. Check out my video on the Extar EP9 disassembly/reassembly process for more details, and to see how to remove the handguard and muzzle device.
In this video, Yugoslavian Tokarev- Zastava M57 Range Report, we take a look at that former nation’s version of the venerable Russian TT33 Tokarev design. This pistol is chambered in 7.62×25 (7.62 Tokarev), which packs a considerable amount of punch for a pistol round.
In this video, ATI Titan LW Officer Model- Budget 1911, we take a look at this single stack Officer model sized .45 acp pistol from American Tactical Imports. I traded my Canik TP9V2 for it at my local gun shop, who had it listed for $319. This budget 1911 comes with features you’d expect on much higher priced pistols, like an extended beavertail, round hammer, skeletonized trigger, and Novak-style sights! If you’re looking for a wallet friendly compact 1911, take a peek at the ATI Titan Lightweight!
