Shooting Illustrated.

The Shadow 2 is probably one of the most ergonomic metal pistols ever made. The grip itself is thinner than other handguns’ grips that use similar double-stack magazines. Adding to this, a generously undercut trigger guard also enables a sure shooting grip. On the frontstrap, there is aggressive checkering and because the large, squared-off trigger guard is undercut, the frontstrap does not feel crowded and provides plenty of space for the strong-hand’s fingers. The shape of the trigger guard works in tandem with the grip, as the trigger guard provides a parallel horizontal surface for the index finger of the support-hand to push up against. The backstrap is generously radiused to better conform to the web of the strong hand. Its upswept beavertail which is profiled similarly to a 191l to brace the firing hand and protect against slide/hammer bite. The Shadow 2 ships with thin, textured aluminum stocks. Because this gun is so popular in the action shooting sports, there is a wide selection of aftermarket stocks to suit all tastes making the gun ever more ergonomic and customizable for anyone.

The slide itself rides inside of the gun’s frame, so it is not very tall. Compared to other slides, there’s less surface area to grab onto in order to manipulate it. However, there are generous serrations both on the front and rear of the slide. The topmost part of the slide is flattened and ribbed to cut down on glare. Both the front and rear sights are serrated, match grade units. The front takes a 1mm fiber optic insert, and the rear sight is adjustable for elevation only. Changing windage means using a punch or sight tool to drift the unit.

The CZ Shadow 2 is eminently shootable for two main reasons: Its weight (46.5 ounces) and its inside-the-frame slide design. Both of these aspects help the entire gun keep flat while shooting. Not only does this slide configuration provide a lower bore axis, but the dust cover area has a considerable amount of metal which acts as a counterweight against muzzle flip. This makes it easier for the sights to return to zero during shooting, which is quite noticeable with the CZ Shadow 2 compared to other pistol designs. Combined with an easy shooting trigger, the Shadow 2 lends itself well to shooting very accurately, very consistently and very quickly.

They show the MSRP as $1099.  I’d like to know where they can pick up a CZ Shadow 2 for that little (after checking, I see that the price has dropped a bit so that may be right in the range for a pistol without the optics slide cut).  They’re used extensively for competitive shooting and are in constant demand.  Also, that pistol shown in the image doesn’t have an optics cut, and the cut generally goes for another $250 or more on top of the price of the pistol without the cut.

I can vouch for the shallow depth of the slide (which is the way it is in order to achieve the low bore axis).  If it weren’t for the cocking serrations, you would have a difficult time cycling the slide.

I can also vouch for the ease of use and quick return to sight picture.  My reaction after shooting it was, “Um, wow, holy cow, what in the world – I’ve never shot a pistol like that before!”  After handing it to a fellow shooter, the reaction was the same.

I’m surprised it took Shooting Illustrated this long to do a review of it.

All of that being said, the gun is heavy, and not ideal for something like concealed carry because of that and it’s large size.  It’s more of a truck gun/night stand gun/competition gun (and maybe an open carry gun).  In a gun fight I’d rather have it than any other pistol.  But because of the difficulty of carry, you’re more likely not to have it.

I ran across this video from three years ago and I like it when gunsmiths tell me they didn’t previously understand what’s going on but do now.  That shows humility and a willingness to learn.

Anyway, he’s very big on Sig Sauer 1911 magazines because of the design.  Do any readers have experience with Sig magazines?  I don’t, and none of my 1911s jam.

Govovnor, and traitor to freemen, Bill Lee, officially called his special legislative session on the 8th of August 2023 in an effort to usurp your God-ordained duties. The session is scheduled to start on the 21st.

Mental health major theme of Lee’s legislative package

Lee pledged to specifically support mental health reforms, a mental health coverage waiver and promoting safe storage of firearms, though he is blocking any legislation that would implement penalties related to safe storage laws.

“As our nation faces evolving public safety threats, Tennessee remains vigilant and is taking continued action to protect communities while preserving the constitutional rights of law-abiding citizens,” Lee said in a statement.

“In the months leading up to the public safety special session, we have listened to Tennesseans and worked with members of the General Assembly to identify thoughtful, practical measures to strengthen public safety across our state, including steps to support law enforcement, address mental health, prevent violent crime and stop human trafficking. I thank the General Assembly for its continued partnership and look forward to achieving meaningful results for Tennesseans.”

Lee’s administrative package includes:

• Codifying his executive order dealing with the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation and background checks. The proposal requires reporting of accurate, complete and timely records from court clerks to the TBI within 72-hours and requires electronic submissions of dispositions and expungements to the TBI.
• A TennCare mental health coverage waiver to allow federal matching funds for Medicaid to cover mental health and substance abuse services;
• Budget initiatives prioritizing hiring and retaining mental health professionals in the state;
• Eliminating certain practice requirements for psychiatric nurse training to expand access to mental health treatment;
• Greenlighting DNA collection at the time of arrest for felony crimes;
• Directing TBI to report on the state of human trafficking in Tennessee;
• Eliminating taxes on firearm safes and other safe storage initiatives.

“The Governor has requested and informed the General Assembly of the call for special session on Aug. 21,” House Speaker Cameron Sexton, R-Crossville, said in a joint statement with House Majority Leader William Lamberth, R-Portland, and House GOP Caucus Chair Jeremy Faison, R-Cosby. “We look forward to the opportunity to strengthen public safety and mental health resources without infringing on the rights of law-abiding Tennesseans.”

Good girl. Train and practice, practice and train, and then practice and train some more.

An Indiana woman shot and killed a man as he held a gun to her husband’s head, police said. Police said the incident happened at a home in Salem on Monday evening around 6:40 pm. Michael Chastain, 45, drove through the front yard of the couple’s home before grabbing the husband, forcing him to the ground, and pointing a gun at his head, according to investigators. His wife saw the situation from inside the home and shot Chastain with her handgun, the investigators said.

The criminal assailant has a record of being a scumbag; not a shock. The woman has not been charged. Deuteronomy 19 covers the Law of Innocent Blood; she did the right thing and should face no repercussions. More at the first link. Is there a specific drill for this?

I hate the NRA, but this type of information and certifying firearms courses and instructors really is what they should focus on, leaving rights advocacy to the adults.

We hear this term bantered about a lot when it comes to ammunition. But what exactly does it mean, and how does it affect your success in the field or for self-defense?

Terminal performance is how a bullet or other projectile reacts, and the ability of it to stop a human threat or take down an animal. In other words, hunters rate a bullet’s terminal performance in how quickly a projectile kills game animals. Soldiers, law enforcement officers and responsible citizens in self-defense situations rate terminal performance on how quickly a projectile neutralizes a threat. It all relates to how deeply a bullet penetrates to reach the vital organs and cause tissue damage.

Terminal performance is often referred to as “knock-down” or “stopping” power. It is not whether the bullet kills, but how quickly and consistently. Terminal performance has a lot to do with bullet design and the ballistics of the cartridge.

Target shooters are not as concerned with terminal performance as they are in punching holes in paper. They are looking for consistent bullet placement in a tight grouping where they are aiming. Those who use a gun for hunting, and those who carry a gun to defend freedom—like our soldiers, men and women in blue, or citizens who carry for personal protection—are concerned with the terminal performance of a bullet. Remember, if you use a firearm, you have the potential to use deadly force. Using a firearm should be your last resort if you have no other option and it is either you or the assailant. Stopping a threat, whether human or animal, is done in two ways: by causing severe damage to the vascular system and interrupting or stopping the flow of oxygenated blood to the brain; or causing severe damage to the central nervous system in the brain or cerebellum.

There are three things that a bullet needs for terminal performance: bullet expansion, bullet penetration and bullet velocity. All three are related to bullet design and all must work in concert to get the required performance.

The article doesn’t present charts or graphs, which is disappointing since visuals are both a handy reference and increase learning retention. More details are at the link.

After you “just get a Glock,” what handgun do you use?

What’s the deal with single action vs double action handguns? Well, it’s all about the trigger and exactly what happens when it’s pressed. The only thing the trigger of a single action (SA) handgun does is release a cocked hammer to fire the gun. With a double action (DA) handgun, pressing the trigger cocks and releases the hammer. We could leave the explanation there, but as they say in calculus class, it gets complicated. It gets complicated because both revolvers and pistols come as either single or double action, and because within these two distinctions there are variations that require some explaining. So, here is a full breakdown of single action vs double action handguns.

I don’t care for DAO only pistols. The article covers double action, single action, and DAO pistols and revolvers. It’s good for understanding and teaching the basics; the rest is at the link.

Well, except for the balancing act she alluded to in her decision, she got it all right.  Because she’s honest and did what she was supposed to do – follow where the superior court led.

Justices Thomas, Gorsuch, Alito and Kavanaugh would have maintained the vacatur Judge Reed O’Connor put into place rather than issue the stay, while Roberts, Barrett, and the others made the decision to issue the stay.  So in other words, all of the women on the court sided with the government.  Who is surprised by that?

Anyway, parts kits aren’t the only way to enjoy your 2A freedoms.

Recoil has given us a complete step-by-step guide for AR-15 lower receivers – with pictures.  He begins with tools.

Good tools are hard to find these days, but thankfully there are still a few options out there.

If you’re looking to do this as cheaply as possible, just get whatever crap is the lowest price on Amazon and call it a day. Honestly, it will probably be good enough for one build, but very likely only one.

If you think you might do this more than once, or you just don’t want to make yourself suffer while you build, invest a little more money and get tools from reputable firearm brands like RealAvid and Wheeler.

Personally, RealAvid is normally my go-to pick. Full disclosure, they’ve sent me a number of products to review over the years, including most of the ones from them in this article.

But I also put my money where my mouth is, I’ve spent a lot of my own money on their tools over the years because I like the product.

If you want a one-stop option, RealAvid’s Armorer’s Master Kit is pretty amazing but pricy. And it’s totally overkill for just one lower. If you want to go hard and build a lot, it’s worth it.

Ouch!  That is pricey.

My must-have tools are pretty simple, a Bench Block, a hammer and punch set, and an armorer’s wrench.

The bench block can be just about any model. The Smart Bench Block is simple, and I’ve been using mine for about 5 years, love it. The Master Bench Block is the one I used for this article, and it’s pretty nice but not a must-have over the normal block.

I really, really recommend a punch set that is designed for guns, especially the AR-15, since those sets are normally sized right, and some include punches built for the bolt catch – they make life easier and make not scarring your lower a lot easier.

RealAvid’s set comes with all the punches you need, a small hammer, and a nice case. Wheeler’s set is decent for most guns but doesn’t have the AR-15 bolt-catch punches. The AR-Stoner set I owned broke the first time I used it. YMMV.

The wrench is the tool I care the least about; literally, anything off Amazon will be fine. I’ve used the $5 one for about 4 or 5 lowers, and it’s fine. Wrap the handle with a shop rag for a better grip. If you want something a bit fancier, Magpul, RealAvid, Tapco, Brownells, and Wheeler, all make good options.

I disagree with that part.  If you don’t have a good wrench you’ll tear up your parts.  Magpul makes good AR wrenches.

So this is a good URL to tuck away.  I’ll return to this in time.  After reading it I wanted them to have done one on upper receivers.  At the end they say this.

We’ll do another guide soon for building an upper, but those require some more tools.

I’ll pass along the next article on lower receivers.

This video provides an excellent exposition of Romans 1, which starts at about the twenty-four-minute mark. Where I agree wholesale is that all of civilization hangs in the balance. Dr. Baldwin excels in doing expository teaching as here. The beginning of the video is also good; he starts in Genesis 1, briefly setting God’s revealed purpose for His pinnacle creation. Dr. Baldwin’s continual use of the term Natural Law is somewhat distracting, but he explains it well in the context of the verses.

However, there is nothing to so-called natural law that is not written in revealed law. We’ve covered this section and verse 20 similarly; in our nature, made in God’s image, we can see His creation in us and all around us and therefore have a sense of what nature demands as right and wrong for men and women.

Romans 2:14-15 shows again what Dr. Baldwin calls natural as being revealed law written in God’s holy law. Natural Law is not unique or additional revelatory knowledge of God apart from His Law-word. And Dr. Baldwin also states that he doesn’t think the State should be in people’s bedrooms, but don’t tell him Jefferson’s Virginia criminally (not civil law) forbade such acts in the Commonwealth. This remained true as recently as my lifetime when I lived there.

This video is not available on Youtube because it violates the blasphemy laws of the New Religion. But it’s available on Libertyfellowshipmt dot com and Bitchute if this won’t run for you.

Congratulations Trump.  Amy Coney Barrett votes with the communists.  Yet another failure.  You could have chosen Judge Don Willett instead.  This is on you.