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Bulletin Boards |
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The following are forums and bulletin boards that I'm registered on. My user ID is LFOD1776. Not necessarily every crackpot with that handle is necessarily me, but if they sign NRA Life Member and use the Old Man as an avatar, then it probably is.
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FAL Files
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A forum concentrating on FN FAL variants.
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Nitro Express Forum
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A forum devoted to big-game hunting rifles. Unfortunately the site was taken down by a hacker around Christmas 2010 and hasn't recovered yet.
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Northeast Shooters
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A regional BBS for New England shooters.
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Perfect Union BBS
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Perfect Union has an especially active Mini-14 forum, where questions can be answered and interesting new product rumors are traded.
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Silencer Talk
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This forum is affiliated with AAC, but it's still pretty much the only place to get helpful information on the quiet corner of the NFA.
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Sniper's Hide
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Devotees of Remington 700s, McMillan stocks, and ultra-pricey optics lurk here. They have a very active classifieds section.
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The Firing Line
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Mostly a bunch of Glock fanboys in the semi-auto forums.
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The High Road
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Similar to TFL. Lots of cross-over membership between the two forums.
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War Rifles
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War rifles of all kinds are discussed here.
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Advocacy |
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NRA
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The National Rifle Association is the largest and most powerful gun rights advocacy group in the world. If you own a gun, you really need to be a member.
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NHFC
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The New Hampshire Firearms Coalition; my friend and class III dealer Jon Evans is the president.
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FCSA
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The Fifty Caliber Shooters Association, dedicated to recreational uses of the 50BMC cartridge.
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JFPO
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Jews for the Preservation of Firearms Ownership. I really like these guys, but personally I'm afraid to join for fear that I'll be put on some FBI watch list.
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Firearms Auctions |
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The management at eBay are in league with the gun-grabbers, and also quite possibly the devil. Vote with your dollars and steer clear if at all possible. That extends to eBay-owned businesses like PayPal.
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GearPay
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Seems to have been down for the past few years; I guess the dream died. At least you can use your credit card if you're dealing with a bona-fide merchant, and remember -- checks and money-orders still exist -- even if they are a bit old-fashioned.
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Gunpal
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Looks like a possible contender against PayPal, except they've been having an awful lot of problems actually getting money to people (including me!). I advise against using them.
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Elite Deal Seeker
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This site lets you search the for-sale listings of a bunch of different firearms-related bulletin boards at once! A really interesting way to find a good deal on something.
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Gunbroker
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Gunbroker.com is like eBay for firearms and related items. Except that they cater to gun enthusiasts.
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AuctionArms
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A less sophisticated site than Gunbroker, with a generally smaller selection.
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Guns America
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Guns America is a recently re-done, and therefore now somewhat buggy (although slightly more usable) classifieds site. You can find almost anything there, but the site itself provides few useful tools to evaluate sellers.
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Guns International
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Guns International is another gun classifieds site that NRA-ILA recently brought to my attention. They tend to have very high-end items.
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Class III Dealers |
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Autoweapons
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These guys have a great selection, but they're not the place to go if you're hunting for a deal.
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BDL Ltd.
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A dealer mostly in C&R items, but they also carry the occasional interesting Class III item. I will forever be greatful, in fact, for it was while looking for a nice SMLE that I stumbled upon a Vickers for sale on this site; that's how I learned that private citizens were allowed to own these things legally!
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Black River Militaria
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Specializing in Maxim machineguns, these guys are located over in Vermont -- which has somehow remained a gun-friendly state despite its having been occupied by communist refugees from New York.
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C & S Metall Werkes
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Not a Class III dealer per-se, but they do manufacture and sell uppers for the Mac-10 and M11 "budget" machineguns.
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Checkpoint Charlie's
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These follows occasionally carry a machinegun.
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David Spiwak
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David is a good guy; he sold me my AC-556. He carries a robust inventory of machineguns at prices so good that he doesn't make you call to inquire.
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Impact Guns
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Carries a good selection of machineguns, SBRs, DDs and accessories.
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JB Arms
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Usually has about a couple dozen machineguns at average prices.
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Kent Lomont
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Kent's not one for photos, but he has a very long list of very serious machinery -- with prices.
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Mr. 40mm
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Randy Shivak sells things you'll want to feed to your 40mm grenade launcher.
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Northern Maine Tactical Supply
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They've got a good domain name, I'll give them that.
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Ohio Ordinance Works
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In addition to stocking DDs of C&R interest, they also manufacture some nice-looking semi-auto BAR clones.
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Only the Best
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O.T.B. carries a nice selection of machine guns.
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Paladin Armory
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Mostly sells SBS's and the odd silencer.
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Ruben Mendiola
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Ruben's got his own website, but he posts his NFA ads on subguns.com; the link to the left will show you his inventory.
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S&S Firearms
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Small dealer in Texas, occasionally has a class III item in stock.
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Urban Armory
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Not a very well put-together website, but it looks like they've usually got a heck of a nice inventory. The only place I've seen selling a transferrable GE M-134 minigun!
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Western Firearms
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These guys have a nice site and usually a decent selection, but their prices are nothing special.
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Curio & Relics Dealers |
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Adam's Guns
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I bookmarked Bob's site because he once had a Webley Fosbery for sale. That makes a guy rank in my book!
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Antique Militaria
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Okay, the full name of the site is Antique & Collectible Firearms and Militaria Headquarters, but that's a pretty long-winded title. It's not very well organized, but if you're willing to dig in there, there's a lot of nice stuff to see. And naturally he's got his politics in order!
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Collector's Source
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For any Canadians out there looking for some nice C&R items.
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Gunboards.com
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I bookmarked a particularly lucky SOB's post where he documents scoring the perfect SMLE. The rest of us can only dream... or pay through the nose.
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Joe Salter
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Joe's business is web-only; I drove by his address and it appears to co-reside with a bike shop. I emailed him once or twice and never got a reply. But his site would certainly lead one to believe that he does a fairly brisk business.
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IMA
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International Military Antiques does not sell any actual firearms, but they sell accessories and various demilled-receiver parts sets.
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Collectible Firearms
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The Gasiors in Virginia have a nice selection of C&R guns, but for any given item they tend to price at the higher end of the usual range.
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Simpson Ltd.
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Clearly a force to be reckoned with, especially in the Luger market.
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M-14 Resources |
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Navigating the world of the M14-type rifle can be difficult, filled as it is with its share of scoundrels and thieves. Fortunately there are still a few vendors with solid reputations for excellence. This site is not funded by or affiliated with any of them; it is entirely the product of enthusiasts dedicated to the M14 platform. As a service to fellow collectors and enthusiasts, we provide the following links to vendors and other resources related to the M14 platform along with information about our experiences with each.
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Informative Websites |
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Different's M1A Site
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Lee Emerson AKA "Different" maintains this site with a wealth of useful and historical information on M14-type rifles.
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M-14 Firing Line Forum
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A useful and informative internet forum where enthusiasts of M14-type rifles gather and exchange information. They banned me for not liking SEI.
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Manufacturers and Parts Suppliers |
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Fred's M14 Stocks
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Major supplier of M14 stocks and related accessories, with an unfortunately mixed reputation for extraordinarily long waiting periods.
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Fulton Armory
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Well-regarded assembler of M-14 type tifles and distributor of its many attendant parts and accessories, including the SAGE stock system.
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J. Allen Enterprises
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Maker of the extremely nice JAE-100 stock system.
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LRB Arms
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Currently the only manufacturer of hammer-forged M-14 receivers (including their new model, the M-25, which features an integrated scope mounting system), based in Long Island. Also known for their extremely long waiting lists (although I was personally quite lucky and hardly waited at all).
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Sadlak Industries
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Mike Sadlak manufactures some very nice M-14 accurizing components and scope mounts.
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Smith Enterprise
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Ron Smith is a scumbag, and his Arizona company exemplifies all that can be done wrong in the area of customer service! In our experience, their intolerable arrogance and the-customer-is-always-wrong service policy far outweigh the quality of their work.
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Springfield Armory
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It is natural that the company eponymous with the famous (though for decades, defunct) US government armory of Springfield, Mass., should be the world's largest purveyor of M14-type rifles. Though at times spurned by the enthusiast community, there can be no doubt that SAI (as Springfield Armory, Inc. is commonly referred to) manufactures a consistently delightful product in its many M1A variants.
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Ted Brown
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Ted Brown dba Shooter's Den is a well-regarded M14 armorer.
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AC556/Mini-14 Resources |
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ASI
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Direct link to Accuracy System Inc.'s Mini-14 parts page. Pretty much every accessory that can be had is available here.
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AC-556 Review
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An interesting review of the AC-556 by Capt. Monty Mendenhall.
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M60 Joe
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M60 Joe will convert Mini-14 stocks for use with an AC-556.
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Silencers |
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AAC
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Advanced Armament Corp. is a leading manufacturer of silencers. Unless you're dealing with a stocking dealer, expect to pay up-front and then be subjected to extremely long lead-times despite any assurances to the contrary. Really nice products, though.
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Gemtech
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Gemtech is another leading silencer manufacturer. Their products are not quite as well engineered as AAC's, but they have superior customer service.
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Jarvis Custom
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You'll need a threaded barrel for your silencer, and Jarvis manufacturers a wide range.
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TROS
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The Riddle of Steel... lovely Conan the Barbarian reference. TROS manufactures silencers and (importantly) thread adapters.
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YHM
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Yankee Hill Machine, makers of the Phantom flash-hiders OEMed by AAC, and their own line of silencers.
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Large-Bore |
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MHSA
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MHSA is an authorized retailer of Accuracy International (AI) products. AI is a UK-based company that builds some pretty hard-core weapons systems, including the (allegedly) most accurate semi-auto 50 BMG on the market, the AS50. I got my AW50 from MHSA.
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Advanced Long-Range Systems
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ALS sells various 50BMG-related stuff, including some neat ammo-box organizers that let you transform your milsurp 50-cal ammo boxes into ... well, 50-cal ammo boxes capable of gently cradling your extremely expensive ammunition!
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Anzio Ironworks
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When .50 BMG just doesn't pack enough punch, it's nice to know you can always turn to Anzio's 20mm Vulcan bolt-operated rifle.
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Barrett Rifles
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Ronnie Barret's company manufacturers the M82A1 (M107) which currently holds a record for longest-distance confirmed kill by a sniper.
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EDM Arms
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Manufacturer of the highly-accurate Windrunner M96, and their own semi-auto 50BMG.
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FCSA
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The Fifty Caliber Shooters Association is like the NRA for the 50BMG shooter, except without the polish or media-savvy. They keep an eye out for anti-50BMG legislation, host competition matches and publish a quarterly magazine. I got a free 1-yr membership with my Serbu rifle.
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Serbu Rifles
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Tampa-based manufacturer of 50-BMG rifles, including the BFG-50 and the long-awaited BFG-50A.
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Mouse Guns |
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American Derringer
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The Derringer is the original mousegun. Interestingly, American Derringer currently owns the licensing and tooling to manufacture the enigmatic Semmerling LM-4.
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Kahr Arms
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Based in Massachusetts, Kahr builds a lot of mouse guns. My favorite of their models is the MK40 Elite.
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Mouseguns
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An awesome comparison of available mouse guns.
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Ruger LCP
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A supplier of Sturm-Ruger's new entry into the CCW market, the LCP, and related accessories.
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Rohrbaugh
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Makers of the R9/R9s, the world's smallest 9mm Parabellum. Just a little smaller than the Walther PPK.
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LW Seecamp
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The LWS 380 is the smallest 380 on the market. Quite pocketable. Check it out; it's the ultimate everyday-carry weapon.
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Vestpocket Pistols
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An interesting website cataloging vestpocket pistols from the days when carrying was fashionable!
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Transportation & Storage |
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Here is some information on protecting your gear in transit, and storing it safely.
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Pendleton Safes
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Pendleton manufactures a revolutionary (literally) gun safe that is bar none the most space-efficient and handy way to securely house your firearms collection.
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Ft. Knox
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Fort Knox manufactures gun safes and vault doors, for all your secure storage needs.
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Instructions
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Here is an excellent guide on how to cut the foam lining of your cases.
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Foam Cutter
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Here is a foam-cutter I found at the Hotwire Foam Factory website.
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Maintenance |
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These are the various products that I use on my firearms for regular cleaning and lubrication. Also, some information for people with obsessive-compulsive disorder, who really want to go the extra mile for their gear!
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Dewey Manufacturing
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Top-notch cleaning tools for your pistols and rifles, including coated rods, brushes, muzzle guides and kits.
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Hoppe's No. 9
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You might as well go ahead and buy this stuff by the gallon. I use it exclusively to remove fouling, etc.
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MD Labs XF7
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The latest "Gucci" grease for your weapons.
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Militec-1
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A metal conditioner, or penetrating synthetic lubricant, used by the US military (NSN: 9150-01-415-9111).
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Ammunition |
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These are the places that, in addition to the superstores, I turn to when I am looking for a good deal on ammunition. It's important to keep stocked in your major rifle calibers:
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AIM Surplus
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Decent prices on ammunition of all kinds. For those who like to buy in bulk.
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Akron Armory
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Pretty much the only place left stocking Talon 50BMG ammunition.
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Ammo Connection
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Bad selection (they have what they happen to have), good prices.
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Ammo Engine
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This is not a store, but a search engine for various calibers of ammunition that shows you prices across a number of different suppliers. They do not search everywhere (for instance, Widener's and Buffalo Arms are never featured in their results), and they don't have the ability to search for every exotic caliber, but they're a good place to start for many ammo searches.
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Ammo Man
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Purveyor of inexpensive bulk ammunition. I've bought from him a few times, and he has a mailing list so you can learn about deals as they come in. I have never had a bad experience with Eric the Ammo Man, but some folks complain about bad service.
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Ammo 2 Go
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A good source I found for big-bore ammunition.
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Buffalo Arms
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Purveyor of many hard-to-find cartridges, including 6.5x54mm MS!
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Custom Cartridge
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Purveyor of exotic and hard-to-find cartridges, from 9mm subsonic frangible to 500 Jeffrey hunting ammo.
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ExtremeShock
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Makers of advanced Talon-style munitions and the NyTrillium line of subsonic cartridges, including a 5.56mm advanced subsonic round that is supposed to cycle the action of an M4/M16, for that very quiet (and expensive) full-auto experience.
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Georgia Arms
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Their "canned heat" practice ammo is an excellent value.
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Keystone Arms
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Last known source for Portugese 7.62mm NATO surplus ammunition. Get it while you still can!
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Wideners
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Good deals on ammo, including the best price I've found on new-production 50 BMG (Igman 699gr).
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Gun Supply Superstores |
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The following are Internet stores that sell and stock a LOT of gun-related stuff. I've ordered products from each and every one of them, and haven't had a single negative experience.
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Boses Guns
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All sorts of goodies, including a great selection of Butler Creek flip-caps.
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Brownell's
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THE site for most gun parts and gunsmithing tools.
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Cabela's
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Cabela's is a Mecca for sportsmen, stocking everything outdoors-related from tents and clothing to kayaks and fishing supplies. They also have an impressive firearms and ammunition business, including a "library" of fine guns. Their stores are football-stadium-sized affairs where one can spend a pleasant afternoon with the entire family. If there's one in driving distance you owe it to yourself to pay a visit.
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Cheaper Than Dirt
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Decent prices on all sorts of items and accessories. For me, they've been a reliable source for M118LR, M855 and other hard-to-find ammo.
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Midsouth Shooters
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All sorts of stuff. I got a good deal on a high-end Leupold scope, and have purchased ammunition and hard-to-find sizes of scope caps as well.
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Midway USA
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Another great gun supplies superstore.
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Natchez
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Yet another excellent shooting supplies superstore!
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Numrich
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Numrich Gun Parts Corp. has a mediocre shopping site (especially compared to Brownell's), but they do have an extensive selection of parts and accessories.
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R & R Arms
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All kinds of great stuff. Another superstore.
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Specialty Parts & Accessories |
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These are Internet stores that stock obscure and harder-to-find items that you often can't find anywhere else. I've ordered products from nearly all of them, without any negative experiences. Vendors listed here that I haven't personally done business with come highly recommended.
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44mag.com
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Good source for CMI M-14 magazines.
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Accu-Shot
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Makers of the distinctive, unique Accu-Shot monopod. Shooting with a monopod... well, it's so easy that it feels like you're somehow cheating.
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ACE Ltd.
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Manufacturer of modular stock system parts, mainly for M-4 rifles, with adapters for other models.
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ArmyGear.net
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An excellent source for surplus ammo boxes.
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Clyde Armory
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Clyde's sells guns, SAGE stock systems, and invented the SCAR-CQB stock system for the AC-556.
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DSG Arms
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Purveyor of various stuff, including body armor, gas masks, survival gear and AR accessories. I've only ordered Magpuls from them.
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Elite Tactical
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Straps, packs, vests, etc. I bought a few nylon slings from them.
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JoCo Emprise
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Seller of pistol and rifle magazines of all kinds.
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Kramer
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The premier maker of leather holsters.
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M-14Parts.com
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Pretty much the only source for vintage USGI M-14 magazines.
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M1 Surplus
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A good source for magpuls, stripper clips, and assorted sundries.
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Operation Parts
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Operation Parts maintains a great inventory of otherwise hard-to-find high-end mounts, rings and M4-related accessories. The really nice thing is that their site accurately describes what is and is not in-stock. I've bought a lot of toys from them.
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Operationally Proven Tactical
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OPTactical stocks a wide variety of MOLLE and ALICE gear and accessories.
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RA Parts
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Good source for USGI M-14 parts.
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US Tactical Supply
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Purveyor of Badger Ordinance parts, Mildot Master sets, and other essential items for the sniper.
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Rifles Only
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Sole distributor of TAB gear, including the TAB shooting mat and SAS silencer heat shield. Also sell TacReady gear, including the LRF case.
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Tannerite
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Manufacturer of binary explosives -- to maximize your shooting fun at the local gravel pit!
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Wolff Springs
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Wolf makes replacement springs for almost every popular firearm.
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Survival Resources |
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Ready.gov
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The Department of Homeland Security's website for civil defense for the age of nuclear, biological and chemical terrorism.
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Hydration Technology Innovations
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Manufacturer of the X-Pack and other osmotic water filtration systems.
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MRE Info
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A great informational site about military MREs and their civilian equivalents. Four major manufacturers of civilian MREs are compared and rated.
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Survival Cache
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A pretty good blog for the paranoid.
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