Update on my dealings with the Southern Poverty Law Center

Got a letter from the Southern Poverty Law Center today. I thought it was the long-awaited answer to the question I posed to them six months ago ("When did I go from being an ally to an enemy just for standing up for everyone's right to bear arms?") but it was not. They want my donation. I just resent my question along with a link to my earlier blog post about asking them in the first place.

I'm not expecting an answer and I hope they dont need my money.

EDIT:  I did get a response after asking why I didn't get a response earlier.  They thought it was odd that I was taking offense at this since they didn't specifically name ME in their article, but didn't say much after I poitned out that I am an RKBA activist, a group they specifically called out and that I felt betrayed by them for this.  They had no repsonse nor appology.  I am done with the SPLC.

AR pistol build is done...for now.

Here's where my long journey has basically finished.  The last things I will add this month are polymer backup sights which I should have by 12/19.  I do have the laser that is mounted on the bottom in front of the MagPul AFG2 sighted in to be 1.5" low at 25 feet.  With luck, I will be able to get to a range to get it properly sighted in over this coming weekend.

Current parts breakdown is as follows:

• Smith & Wesson M&P 15 stripped lower receiver
• CMMG Lower Parts Kit
• MagPul polymer trigger guard
• Pearce Grips 1911 grip frame adaptor and low profile grips
• 'mil spec' sized six position buffer tube with Velcro loops cemented on
• Standard mass Carbine buffer
• Mark's Armory coated Carbine buffer spring
• 1.25" cane tip cemented onto the end of the buffer tube
• CAA Saddle with Velcro hooks cemented on
• Sling attachment secured to end plate
• Aero Precision stripped upper receiver
• Detroit Gun Works bolt carrier group (will get changed out for a better carrier but it works ok)
• Standard charging handle
• S&W M&P labeled 10" free float rail
• 11.5" 5.56 barrel (unmarked) with carbine length gas port
• ICE Arms Carbine gas tube
• Cut-down front sight base gas block (barrel drilled for the tapered pins on this, very sturdy)
• Standard A2 flash hider
• MagPul Angled Forward Grip model 2
• Green laser that runs on C123 batteries (extras stored in Saddle's battery tubes)

At this point, adding a red dot and probably a x3 magnifier will be done at some point this spring.  The barrel had 'rifle cuts' in the barrel extension and the upper had 'M4
 cuts', so I carefully expanded the barrel extension's cuts to meet the upper receiver's.  This has greatly increased the feeding of 'dummy' rounds after the first as the tips are no longer getting hung up.  I will know for sure after I get to shoot live rounds out of it as to whether or not I will still have failures to feed, a problem that occasionally cropped up with the previous upper receiver.

ICE Arms will be where I source my next bolt carrier from and quite probably my next barrel for a rifle build.  Please check them out here via my affiliate link.

This build has always followed the answers I received back in July of 2012 from the ATF Tech Department Chief.  Feel free to ask any questions on any part of my build. 

Update on AR Pistol build

No major updates, but I did manage to carefully remove the AK-74-style brake that made the barrel 16"+.  I cleaned up the weld point and recoated the barrel with flat black 1000 degree F grill paint.  Cut down the front sight base to allow it to fit under a free-float hand guard and mounted the KX3 muzzle device. 

<<I have sold off the Noveske KX3 and have installed an A2 in it's place.  Pics of the build will be updated after I get the rail I traded it for>>

The rails I have on in the picture are just some of the 'Made in the US' repalcements from Leapers and are hand guard replacements.  I hope to get a 12" keymod hand guard from one of the more reputable manufacturers as I now have a green laser that I plan on mounting and it isn't overly light weight.  <<10" S&W branded Troy rails are en route to me.  Yeah, Troy...but I diodn't pay anything for them and they are used.  ;)  >>

I did get a SureFire M900A weapon light in the trade along with the rails shown above.  My build's OAL is over 26" so in theory based upon my Tech Letter it would be legal to mount but some buddies checked in with their ATF contacts and were told it was illegal.  They did not seem to know about the Franklin XO-26 which the Tech Dept called a 'firearm' as opposed to an AOW.  To cut out the possibility to run afoul of the NFA '34 and GCA '68 I am going to sell off the VFG and install the AFG2 that everyone agrees is 100% legal since it has a steeper angle than 90.

The plan almost changed to have this become a rifle.  I think that I'll build a rifle seperate from this one.  I will get a 300BLK barrel at some point for this one.

Also, thanks to ICE Arms for the quick shipping on the replacement gas line.  I'll be doing more business with them soon!

Ice Arms link here

Q4 2013 update

I am a horrible blogger.  Mental note, need to post up far more often...

Just a couple updates.

All of the financial documents have been filed with the State of Missouri and several manufacturers and distributors of VERY good equipment have a copy of our license.  Many have some decent initial buy-ins, typically $500.

First order as a company was placed with Ace Cases (www.acecase.com) who are purveyers of VERY nice bags and holsters.  It was a fund raiser for the Liberal Gun Club (www.theliberalgunclub.org) and $90 was raised for the club via Pro Range Bag purchases.  These bags are made here in Missouri, are VERY high quality and feature three pistol 'rugs' and a removable magazine holding shooting pad.  All seams are double stitched, all velcro is industrial quality and all zippers are reenforced.

Another great company is Unique AR's, (www.unique-ars.com) who make freefloat handguards for AR-platform firearms.  Their design is very good, they use a proprietary barrel nut that is easy to install and the handguards are all made of high-strength aluminum with custom cut outs.  If you buy one through my link or because you saw it recommended here, please do me a favor and let them know that "Olsen Training Group" sent you.

Maxpedition (http://www.maxpedition.com) is another company that we will be selling.  Their high end gear bags and morale patches will be available soon and I will post here as soon as they become available as well as what we will be stocking.  I can get them for less than MSRP.

For survival supplies, we will be a stocking Thrive merchant.  More info on that, my lovely wife will be running that portion of the business.

As well as running firearms safety/CCW training I will be building AR uppers for sale and will be selling black powder cap-and-ball pistols.   AR uppers will be built around Aero Precision/Surplus Ammo stripped uppers, barrels from a few different sources (Alpha Shooting Sports, Black Hole Products, SSE Machining) and Midwest Industries handguards.  The Cap-n-ball pistols will be Armi San Marcos gift sets and single pistols.

Exciting stuff is coming!

Olsen training Group is GO!

We got our paperwork back from the State, Olsen training Group is moving ahead now.

Along with running classes for CCW in several states (Missouri and Illinois to start, Tennessee and Arkansas coming soon!), we will also be dealers for several quality companies that fit with our goals and interests.

Maxpedition, makers of very good bags and storage gear

Offhand Gear, women's clothing and other gear

Elzetta Lights - high-end flashlights that are tougher than nails and nearly indestructible

Deer Creek Products - black powder and antique  pistols and rifles

Thrive - survival and long term storage solutions.



Classes will be starting up in October, 2013.

Well, I've gone and done it

I took an NRA Basic Pistol Trainer course over this past weekend along with Gun Safety in the Home and FIRST STEPS Pistol.

This means that I can get my MO CCW and train folks for FL and AZ non-resident and MO Resident CCW permits.  

I need to write a business plan as there are several things I plan on selling along side the training courses.

My working name for the company is Armed Liberal Training Company but I will probably go a different route as I plan on keeping politics out of my classroom.

EDIT:  company name is Olsen Training Group and temp web page is http://www.facebook.com/olsentraining .  I've decided to go with a name that is as politically neutral as possible.

Range Report #2 - hung-up buffer ends the day early

We made it out to Ultimate Defense (http://www.udrange.com) on 6/11/2013 and shot both the P238 we picked up on 6/4/2013 and my AR pistol.

First magazine (TAC powder 55 gr FMJ hand loads) worked great  four round rapid fire strings all stayed on paper and the majority were on target at 20m - Holographic sights feel like cheating! - but 15 rounds into the American Eagle 55gr FMJ the bolt recoiled behind the bolt stop and stayed there.  I removed the magazine (still had 15 rounds in it) and since the bolt hadn't gone back forward yet there was no round in the chamber.

I tried to lever the bolt free by yanking really hard on the charging handle to no avail.  Thankfully, the armorer at the range was able to free the buffer whose roll pin had worked loose just enough to hang up on the recoil spring.  Since the bumper on the buffer was VERY brittle and rather cut up I ended the day and ordered a new buffer from the Equipment Exchange on ar15.com.  I got the replacement buffer on 6/14 and my pistol is back in serviceable condition.

Now to try out the 55gr soft points I have loaded over 24gr of IMR 4064 powder I got at the Machinist Hall gun show last weekend...