Making your own Ballistic’s Gel- Guest Post by Palmer Frith

Making your own Ballistics gel.

This recipe comes from Myth busters Adam Savage, he points out a necessary step when making it. It’s very cost effective to the newer no melt gels which seem to be very pricey indeed, I admit they are really nice and have a few  more upside like not melting, but this is the most cost effective method if you shop smart- shop S-MART.

The ingredients you will need for this recipe are as follows.

Hot water

Unflavored powdered Gelatin – this can be bought online or in stores, online would most likely be cheaper but shop around local none the less, local stores always need support.

cinnamon leaf oil

propionic acid – Caution,this is an acid and can be omitted if you choose, if you do use it please where chemical safe gloves when adding to mixture.

Items needed for mixing and making your gel mold

Drill, corded or cordless with a paint mixer, this will give you the best results for a mixture, and also save your arm from falling off from mixing.

Mixing buckets, assorted sizes.

Thermometer.

Chemical proof or resistant gloves for the propionic acid.

Syringe, you can get this through most medical suppliers online or in a local pharmacy, it’s always good to support you local business’s.

A box lined with a plastic bag or any kind of mold as long as it doesn’t leak and will release the gel easily, you can make small batches to test release properties.

An old fridge in the garage if you have one, or a long drawn out argument with the miss’s about how she doesn’t want your shooting contraptions in the kitchen fridge. If you’re lucky like me and have A  and understanding supportive wife that lets you do cool stuff like this or B a Spare fridge you decided to keep when she bought a new one because the old one just didn’t fit her sense of style any more, then you should be al set.

Mix ratio is 10 to 1, meaning 10 pounds of hot water to 1 pound of Gelatin powder. I’m not sure about volume measuring so I won’t use cup measurement.

Weight of 1 US Gallon of water = approx. 8.35 pounds,  A pint of water  is close to a pound so you  can use 12 pints to 1 pound of powder etc. Mix as much or as little as you want as long as you figure out the proper ratio to the amount you desire.’

Heat the water but not to the boiling stage 160 to 170 ish will  be fine. Pour the hot water into the bucket, at this point you will want to insert the paint stirring tool in the drill that you put I your drill earlier and start it slow to medium speed, then pour, do not dump the powder in while continuously stirring the whole time, continue stirring until the powder is well mixed and completely dissolved into the water.  The drill with the paint stirrer is the step I mentioned above that is  a necessary step, it thoroughly mixes the gel much better then hand stirring will.

Now pour the mixture slowly in your prepared mold, it will foam but don’t worry we’ll deal with that in a sec. After your pour is complete add a few drops of cinnamon leaf oil, a little works well  and takes a few moments so no need to over do it, you’ll see the foam go away in a few minutes or less.

This part is optional, depending on how soon you will shoot your target I assume simply because the Propionic acid is a preservative for food, if you do add this wear chemical proof gloves and some type of syringe to add it and then gently mix it using a paint paddle. 

Now your form is filled it’s time to refrigerate your ballistic target, place it in the fridge and let it set for at least 24 hours minimum.

Enjoy your shooting experience.

Important note, this ballistic gel needs to be kept cold until it’s ready to be used, it has a useable life span of 20 minutes before it’s properties begin to degrade or in other words it begins to melt. I would suggest transporting it in a cooler with ice to your firing range to maximize it’s life span.

Palmer Frith

Buying a new Gun- By Clint Alexander

Buying A Gun Today,

 

Recently I have been in the market for a compact revolver as a concealed carry piece.  My wife and I both have semi-autos that we carry, but are looking to expand our inventory.  Here are a few thoughts about the experiences.

 

One of the few things I have identified with making this new purchase is there are so many places to purchase a new gun and so many opinions it can be complicated, particularly for a new buyer.  I have a gun closet full of guns and have bought everywhere from online, to gun shows, to pawn shops, and finally sporting goods and or discount stores.

 

So, my wife and I both know what we want.  We want a small revolver in 38 special +P or 38 special.  We want a light-weight frame, with a hammer.  Basically we have narrowed the field down to a Charter Arms Undercover Lite, Smith and Wesson Airweight, or Taurus Model 85 Ultra Lite.  All good weapons, and really now it all comes down to price for us.  By price I don’t necessarily mean cheapest, but I mean most gun for the best value.  For example the cheapest I have found the Smith is for $429 at a sporting goods store, but if I could find it for a little less I would probably buy it.  My wife likes the feel of the Charter UC Lite, but at the same store it sells for $369.  I’ve seen it online for $299.  So in that case, all things considered, if I chose to spend my money at the sporting goods store, the Smith is the better deal.  

 

So, with all those choices out there, here is what I would offer the newcomer.  

 

The Discount Store.  Thank God I live in Texas and Walmart still sells firearms (unfortunately only long guns).  I bought a shotgun there and it was cheaper than anywhere else I could find for the same model.  Although I’ve never tested it with a firearm, Walmart has a hell of a return’s policy also.  However, I have noticed that the clerk usually has less knowledge of the firearm than I do.  If you are new, it may serve you well to do some serious research before buying anything there or any other big discounter (remember when Sears and KMART sold guns).

 

The Sporting Goods Store.  In Texas we have Academy, Dicks Sporting Goods, and if you are near a big city maybe even a Bass Pro Shops, Cabellas, or other huge outfitter.  I would argue that the clerks knowledge ranks slightly higher at these stores on the products offered, and the price is usually as competitive.  However, maybe it’s just location, but also maybe it is having to pay for the overhead of a huge building, with lots of stuffed animals and waterfalls; but, the same guns in Texas run 40-50 dollars more at the big outdoor outfitters than they do at the local Academy or Dicks.  The selection is definitely more at the big catalog outfitter stores, but then again – if the same guns are available at both stores, why pay more.

 

The Pawn Shop.  This is one of my personal favorites.  I love Pawn Shopping.  It is truly like Forest Gump’s box of chocolates, as you never know what you will find in the display case each week.  Anyone who prices guns knows that a Pawn Shop always marks a pistol at retail value, even if it is used.  Why you ask, because some fool usually will go in and pay it.  However, most if not all Pawn Shops will barter with you, having secured a Springfield XD9 for $300 I can attest to that fact.  For example, the Smith we are interested in getting is $459 at one of my favorite Pawn Shops in like-new condition.  As mentioned above the Sporting Goods store is offering it for $429.  I already know, I can go bargain, and maybe get the Pawn Shop down to $400.  If so, I’ll buy it.  Cash also has a lot of weight at these places for some reason.  The trick here is to figure out what would they give someone off the street for the same gun (probably $200 bucks).  So they would be more than doubling their money, so negotiate from there.  I guess I love these for the surprise and negotiation factor; however, you never can be sure on a used gun how good it was treated.  So if you do not know a lot about guns, maybe take an expert with you to judge for wear, tear, and misuse.

Gun Shows.  I like these also for similar reasons as the Pawn Shops.  The struggle I have had recently is that some of these have been real let downs, while others have been gems.  Also, you may have some used one’s that could have similar problems of wear and tear.  One thing to factor in if you are traveling – cost of driving to the show, parking, and ticket cost.  This could add up to over $20 so keep that in mind on your overall purchase pric

The Gun Store.  These usually fall into two categories – strictly the gun store, and the tactical store.  As far as product knowledge, wide assortment of product, and service after the sale it is probably hard to beat a gun store.  However, most are overpriced.  Case in point, the local gun store has the Smith for $479, a full $50 more than the local sporting goods store and twenty more than the full Pawn Shop price.  All things considered why would I pay more?  A fairly new competitor to this market is the tactical store, although probably not as wide a selection in firearms, the additional kit and gear available is a big draw.  Our local Tactical Store is fairly competitively priced, but probably really makes their money on magazines, pants, holsters, knives and other cool gear that is just not available at other stores.  One thing I really like about these types of stores is the customer service, knowledge, and the fact they remember you when you come back in.  Also, the selection is a big sell.  For example, I have found a steal online for a .327 Federal Mag 6 shot revolver.  Problem:  Walmart, Academy, or any of the Pawn Shops around here do not have this ammo.  But the local gun store has it.

Online.  Lastly, you can find some great deals online either by auction or a dedicated site that sells guns.  Problem, you have to factor in shipping and any of the transfer fees.  The Charter I mentioned above is selling for 299 on a gun site out of Texas.  Problem, if I factor in tax, twenty bucks for shipping, and twenty bucks or more for a FFL transfer fee to one of the local shops, I may be better off just buying it outright at the store.  If you know exactly what you want and can find free or low cost shipping I would consider this a good deal.  Finally, you have to know a place that does a reasonable transfer fee.  I know of a place in South Carolina that only charges $15 at his tactical store for his transfer fee.  Fact is, he knows he cannot compete with the big discounters on guns, but the low transfer fee gets people in the door and then they buy up the tactical gear, ammo, and targets.  

Finally, when shopping, you probably get a million opinions.  My wife is a good shooter and knows a fair amount about firearms, but some of the advice you get from the so called experts is hilarious.  She politely just shakes her head and says OK.  The best advice I can give any new comers at the gun buying game is shop around, compare, and get what feels good to you.  Best of luck.

GREAT POST CLINT!! thank you-

Why you need to Train with your firearm Guest Post by Vantage Lipinski

I live in a small “safe” town in central Texas, last Friday the alarm company called me informing that the alarm was going off. I was near by and got there 10 minutes after the call, the front door was wide open, and police were nowhere near in sight (last time it took them six hours to show up). I had to clear my own house, two floors and 9 rooms five closets and three bathrooms. The thing that was most difficult was not not knowing if someone was going to surprise me, but not being fully confident in my firearm.

I just got a new derringer, and did not spend any time with it on the range. I’ve read about what it could do, but had  no idea what it would do in my hands. The alarm did its job and scared away the intruder, no one was in the house, but I will not be int he same situation again – I will be familiar with my gun, I will trust it, and I will trust myself with it.

-Vantage Lipinski