The PPQ M2 is a true breakthrough in ergonomics for self-defense handguns. The sculpted grip meshes smoothly into the hand. The trigger is the finest ever on a polymer, striker-fired handgun. The styling is elegant and trim. What’s more, PPQ M2 has been updated for 2013 with a new traditional reversible mag release button. The leading edge just took another step forward.



1.  Low profile three dot polymer combat sights.
Rapid aiming and target acquisition. Rear sight screw adjustable for windage. Low profile won’t snag clothing. Optional metal self-illumination and metal Tritium night sights.

COLUMBUS, OH – The start of spring ushers in Ohio's annual wild turkey hunt, and hunters can enjoy the warmer weather in pursuit of this popular game bird. According to the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR), the 2013 Ohio spring hunting season opens Monday, April 22, with the youth wild turkey season opening Saturday and Sunday, April 20-21.

"Ohio has a good population of wild turkeys and offers some great opportunities for a spring hunt," said ODNR Director James Zehringer. "The wild turkey is a true conservation success story in Ohio, and we hope to continue to build on our turkey hunting tradition."

The 2012 hatch should produce more jakes (1-year-old male turkeys) this year and will help offset the poor 2011 hatch. However, the woods may be quieter with fewer 2-year-old toms (male turkeys). These turkeys are generally the most vocal gobblers and readily located by hunters.

Hunters harvested 17,657 wild turkeys during the 2012 youth and spring turkey seasons. The total checked in 2011 was 18,162 wild turkeys.

The ODNR Division of Wildlife anticipates as many as 70,000 licensed hunters, not counting exempt landowners hunting on their own property, will enjoy Ohio's popular spring wild turkey season before it comes to a close on Sunday, May 19. The spring and youth turkey seasons are open statewide with the exception of Lake La Su An Wildlife Area in Williams County, which requires a special hunting permit.

In a new tagging procedure implemented this year, hunters will need to make their own game tag to attach to a wild turkey. Game tags can be made of any material (cardboard, plastic, paper, etc.) as long as it contains the hunter’s name, date, time and county of the kill. Go to the Turkey Hunting Resources page at wildohio.com for more information on changes to the game check process.

All hunters must report their turkey harvest using the automated game check system. Hunters have three options to complete the game check:

• Online at www.wildohio.com or www.ohiogamecheck.com;
• By telephone at 877-TAG-ITOH (877-824-4864);
• Any license agent. A list of agents can be found at www.wildohio.com or by calling 800-WILDLIFE (800-945-3543).

Game-check transactions are available online and by telephone seven days a week and during holidays. Landowners exempt from purchasing a turkey permit, and any other person not required to purchase a turkey permit, cannot use the phone-in option.

Hunters are required to have a hunting license and a spring turkey-hunting permit. The spring season bag limit is two bearded turkeys. Hunters can harvest one bearded turkey per day, and a second spring turkey permit can be purchased at any time throughout the spring turkey season. Turkeys must be checked by 11:30 p.m. the day of harvest.

The youth-only turkey hunt is April 20-21 for those possessing a valid youth hunting license and youth turkey permit. Youth hunters must be accompanied by a non-hunting adult, 18 years of age or older.

Legal hunting hours are one-half hour before sunrise until noon from April 22-May 5. Hunting hours from May 6-19 will be a half-hour before sunrise to sunset. Legal hunting hours are one half-hour before sunrise to sunset during the two-day youth season.

Hunters may use shotguns, longbows and crossbows to hunt wild turkeys. It is unlawful to hunt turkeys using bait, live decoys or electronic calling devices, or to shoot a wild turkey while it is in a tree. The ODNR Division of Wildlife advises turkey hunters to wear hunter orange clothing when entering, leaving or moving through hunting areas in order to remain visible to others.

Wild turkey breeding activity is primarily controlled by the increasing amount of daylight. Hens typically start incubating eggs around May 1 in Ohio. Ohio's current wild turkey population is approximately 180,000.

Ohio's first modern day wild turkey season opened in 1966 in nine counties, and hunters checked 12 birds. The total number of checked turkeys topped 1,000 for the first time in 1984. Turkey hunting was opened statewide in 2000.

ODNR ensures a balance between wise use and protection of our natural resources for the benefit of all. Visit the ODNR website at www.ohiodnr.gov.

The handgun in our Trigger Action, logo isn't a Ruger, it really a version of the American made Browning Buckmark, made here in America.   Here is a review I found of the Buckmark:


Fit and Finish
 The Browning Buckmark Camper, is nicely assembled and immaculately finished.  The Camper’s Parkerized bull barrel is substantial, in a good way. The molded synthetic grip has a rubberized feel to it, but it isn't tacky. It’s every bit as comfortable from either the right or left hand, though the slide lock, safety and magazine release are all set up for righties only.

The  Buckmark is no lightweight. At 2 lbs. 2 oz.,  Not that the Camper is – in any way – a concealed carry gun. But it’s certainly tenable as a nightstand gun for someone who can’t handle higher caliber ballistics.

Features
This is an American-made standard blow-back gun with a single action trigger. As with almost every .22 lr pistol out there, the Buckmark has a 10+1 capacity and comes with one magazine.

And this is where Browning nicks you. Buckmark magazines are a good $7 to $10 more than Ruger Mark III mags, depending on the retailer. That’s a fair bit of change that could be much better spent on ammo.

The Buckmark’s sights are standard black and adjustable for windage.  Many Campers seem to come equipped with Hi-Viz fiber optic sights.  Both rear and front sights are easily swapped out for aftermarket alternatives.

While not quite in the Ruger’s league in terms of accessories, the Buckmark still has a wide variety of rails, replacement triggers, grips and more that can be used to customize the gun in any number of ways. 

Firing
The Browning Buckmark Camper’s best feature is the trigger. It has a light, crisp break that’s unusual for a gun at this price point. Combining a quick re-set with a .22’s soft recoil, the Camper’s incredibly easy to keep on target shot after shot.

The cracker-crisp trigger and the gun’s heft means minimal, Airsoft-caliber recoil. With the Camper’s long sight radius, a reasonably experienced shooter can achieve 1” groups out to 15+ yards.

Field Stripping
Not only is field stripping a minor adventure, it requires tools. Allen wrenches, to be specific. Two different sizes of Allen wrenches. Is it difficult? No, it’s not. But it’s not something you’ll want to do in the field.  To clean and lube the slide, you have to take the slide bridge off. This you do by removing two screws with one of the Allen wrenches. (Make sure to keep ‘em straight because they’re different lengths.)  Not satisfied running a BoreSnake through the barrel? If you’re going to run a cleaning rod through it from the rear, you have to use a different wrench to remove the barrel.

The Browning Buckmark Camper’s grips are attached to the gun with two flat-head screws. The grips also hold the mag release spring and part of the trigger assembly. Tip the gun the wrong way and out they come. In short, replacing the Camper’s grips is not exactly like putting a new set of Cocobolos on your 1911.

Summary
Face it: everyone needs a .22 pistol. The Browning Buckmark Camper is no race gun, but it’s a lot of fun in a well-built package at a nice price ($300 +/-). How great is that?

 

Specifications
Action                        Single
Caliber                       .22 LR
Barrel Length              5.5”
Capacity                      10+1
Safety                        Thumb and Magazine
Grips                         Synthetic
Sights                        Adjustable
Weight                       34 oz.
Finish                        Black Parkerized
Price:                         $379.99

Ratings (out of five)

Style * * * *
It won’t win any beauty contests, but it has a certain utilitarian je ne sais quoi.

Ergonomics * * * * *
Extremely comfortable to have to hold and to shoot.

Reliability * * * *
Find its favorite brands of ammo (and there seem to be a lot of them) and it’ll run all day long.

Customization * * * *
Plenty of plug-and-play options out there to make it in your own image.

Carry *
Um, no.

Overall * * * * *
Unless you need a super-accurate target gun, a .22 pistol should, above all, be fun and reliable. Mission accomplished.

Surviving a life-or-death encounter is the most intense emotional experience you will ever have. The physical effects are well documented.

Your body will release a massive dose of adrenaline to give you the strength to fight and survive. But like any chemical, it also has negative side effects, including time distortion, tunnel vision, hearing loss, and emotional detachment.

Even after you survive an attack, your body and mind will suffer from the effects of this dose of adrenaline for hours. You can experience nausea and vomiting, exhaustion, and the urge to pace, yell, or babble rapidly.

So just when police are questioning you about why you shot someone, your body and mind are both working against you. This is the time when you can easily say or do the wrong thing and get yourself into a world of trouble even if you have acted legally and responsibly in defending yourself.

That's why you should learn a relaxation technique like 4-square breathing.

It is worth noting that when police officers are involved in a shooting, they are often given several days to calm down and recover from the adrenaline dump and intense emotions of the incident. They are shielded from immediate questions and given time to consult with their union representatives or legal counsel before giving a statement.

Unfortunately, this is the not the case for civilians. If you are involved in a self defense shooting, the investigation begins the moment you dial 911 and police are trained to ask you wide-ranging questions and get you to talk. 4-square breathing can help you regain at least some control over your body and help settle your mind so you can think and speak more rationally.

How 4-square breathing worksThis technique goes by a variety of names, including square breathing, box breathing, 4-part breathing, and so on. And the details may vary depending on who is teaching you. However, the idea is always the same: slow your breathing to combat the effects of the body's fight-or-flight response.

Here's how it works:

• Breath in slowly through your nose for a count of 4.
• Hold your breath for a count of 4.
• Breath out through your mouth for a count of 4.
• Hold for a count of 4.

When you breath in, relax your chest and breath with your diaphragm. Your belly should move, not your chest. This will help you take air deeply into your lungs.

It may also help to close your eyes, but do this only if you are sure the immediate danger is over.

This technique is not magic. Don't expect it to completely reverse the effects you'll feel after a shooting. It can, however, help you relax enough to think more clearly, make better decisions, and remember your training before you call 911 and while you talk to authorities.

Most importantly, it can help you to avoid "diarrhea of the mouth," and do what most competent attorneys would advise in a situation like this: Shut up.

The Sig Sauer M11-A1 is a commercially available version of the military sidearm; upgrading the slide to stainless steel and adding Sig’s excellent Short Reset Trigger. The Sig M11-A1 comes standard with three 15-round magazines, and SigLite night sights. It does not have an accessory rail, so adding a WML is out, however it does use the standard Sig P229 grip profile, meaning you can swap the grips out for Crimson Trace lasers if you want, which I highly recommend on a carry gun.

That’s really what this gun is designed to be – a carry gun. The phosphate coated internals are more resistant to corrosion, and since it’s priced competitively with the rest of the Sig P229, this would actually be my first choice of the family of P229 sized guns to ride in a holster. Since I know you’re going to ask, my 2nd choice would be the P229 SAS Gen 2. Back to the Sig M11-A1 and it’s performance as a carry gun. The Sig is definitely a bit more difficult to conceal than the M&P Shield,  but it also holds twice the ammo and is much easier to shoot well, thanks in no small part to the Short Reset Trigger.

A carry gun also needs to be reliable, and the Sig nailed that category as well.  It can shoot a diet of pretty diverse ammo:

• 147 and 124 grain Federal Hydra-Shoks
• 147 grain Winchester Ranger/PDX bonded (my favorite carry load)
• Armscor 115 grain FMJ
• S&B 115 grain FMJ
• Federal Range and Target 115 gr FMJ
• Winchester Super-X 147 gr FMJ

The Sig M11-A1 is a great carry gun. It’s accurate, it’s reliable, and it’s just as easy to carry as any other gun in its class. Which brings us around to the one point of the gun that is a bit hard to swallow: the price. The MSRP on the gun is over $1100, and while it’s the same MSRP as the P229 SAS Gen 2, that is a lot of cheddar to ask for a carry gun. So if all you want is a Generic Gun 9mm, the Sig isn’t for you. But not everyone wants that, just like not everyone wants a Toyota Camry. So if you want a reliable, accurate carry gun with a little bit of military heritage and just a little bit more class than a Generic Gun 9mm, give the Sig M11-A1 a look. It’s like the difference between buying a suit at Target and a suit from Nordstrom. Sure they’ll both due the same thing, but one does it while looking a hell of a lot better than the other.

If your looking to get your Concealed Carry permit in Franklin County, here are a few tips you need to know before you schedule your visit.  Also, if you already scheduled your CCW class or in the process of selecting your date, you may want to make your next call to the County to schedule your appointment.  As of April 22, 2013 they are several weeks out with appointment's. 


Concealed Carry Permit - Concealed Carry Permit Office
410 South High St.
Columbus, Ohio 43215
(614) 525-5090

Business Hours Monday through Friday 8:00am till 2:00pm
Closed Saturday, Sunday and all Legal Holidays

Applications are accepted by appointment only. To schedule an appointment, call the Concealed Carry Office. Emergency Applications do not need appointments

How to ApplyTo qualify for a CCW in Ohio, you must:

• Be at least 21 years of age.
• Be an Ohio resident for at least 45 days.
• Be a resident of your home county for at least 30 days.
• Complete the required 12-hour course to obtain your Certificate of Competency.

Do NOT bring a firearm with you when applying for or picking up your license!

To obtain a Concealed Carry Weapon's (CCW) permit, first-time applicants must:

• Make an appointment with the concealed carry office (614) 525-5090 8:00am to 2:00pm Monday - Friday.
• Be a resident in Franklin County or an adjacent county for 30 days and Ohio for 45 days.
• Fill out an application completely to include your address dating back to the age of 18.
• Have a color photo, passport size 2"x2", taken within 30 days (many photo shops, drug stores, groceries, and similar businesses that handle photo development may be able to help you obtain this size photograph).
• Have a valid identification, driver's license, state I.D., or passport.
• Pass a criminal background check and mental competency check.
• Have an original Certificate of Competency or Prior Equivalent Documentation (We do not Keep the Certificate).
• Pay the non-refundable fee (cash, exact change only, cashier's check, or money order):
  • $67.00 New
  • $50.00 Renewal
  • $37.00 Emergency
  • Additional $24.00 for a FBI Background Check (If not an Ohio resident for last 5 years.)
• Submit to having your fingerprints electronically scanned or inked and rolled onto a card.

If you are a Franklin County Renewal, you will only need the following:

• An appointment
• Application filled out
  • 2x2 photo not require
  • Previous address portion not required to be filled out
• Your CHL permit
• Valid identification
• $50.00 Renewal fee

If you are a Renewal from another county in Ohio, you will be treated as a new applicant, but will be charged the Renewal fee.

If you have ever been prohibited from having a weapon under ORC Section 2923.125, you must provide court documentation granting relief for disability.

1. Simplicity. The Glock Family of Pistols have 34 parts. When field stripped they have 4- slide, frame, barrel, recoil spring assembly. For pistols that have more parts than this there is less chance something will break with the Glock.

2. Durability. Given the nickname “Combat Tupperware” by its competitors when first introduced Glock’s frames are made of plastic, which is not prone to rust and in a desert or hot environment get so hot you can’t touch it. The finish on the slide is a super hard finish called Tenifer, which is very corrosion resistant.

3. Required Maintenance. Glocks are rumored to shoot indefinitely without any maintenance at all. While this is something I am not going to attempt with mine, it is a very solid platform. According to a Glock armorer instructor it requires 2 drops of oil on the barrel when field stripped to none at all, to prevent over oiling.

4. Reliability. I have never herd of or experienced a Glock not going bang when the trigger was pulled unless it was bad ammo, not to say it can’t happen, its just highly unlikely and was probably due to human error.

5. Ability to Take Mistreatment. Glocks have endured torture tests that have made it legendary including salt water immersion, ice block, sand and mud immersion tests. All have ended with the pistol putting lead down range. This reliability has given Glock roughly 80% of America’s law enforcement market.

6. Size. The 19 is small enough to conceal in a Concealed Carry Weapon (CCW) role, yet large enough to carry as a duty / secondary weapon.

7. Multiple Magazines. Another very attractive quality of Glock family weapons the magazines of a larger frame weapon will fit the smaller frame weapons of the same caliber.

Whatever you decide to carry it is important to train and shoot frequently as possible with whatever gun you carry to become as proficient as possible with it because lets face it, lives are on the line and more often than not it will be yours.

So it is important to care for and train with your pistol whether it is a 1911, M&P, Sig, Beretta, or Glock. It is very important before going live to research the type of pistol you will be using and to train with it before it matters.

If you've enjoyed this Glock 19 Review, let your friends now on Facebook, Twitter, smoke signals or on the range!

We should still take whatever steps we can to protect ourselves as much as possible. And this starts with basic awareness, of both the physical characteristics of our environment, as well as who is sharing it.

It is surprising how often that otherwise intelligent people put themselves into what could only be called physical “traps” – an elevator, for example, or walking down a narrow, dark alley because it is a shortcut to where they parked their car. Instead, take the route that is open, well lit, and more likely to have other people around.

What I recommend is that we should always be alert, both consciously and unconsciously. As discussed above, we consciously note everything, and everyone, around us.

We should also listen to that internal “threat alarm” that we all have – that little voice inside that suddenly tells us “something isn’t quite right.” It may be a chill down our spine or the hairs on our neck suddenly standing up, or just a vague “uh-oh” feeling.  Either way, listen to it. Your intuition exists as nature’s warning system.

I use a simple system of just three alert levels. Imagine a traffic light: Green, Yellow, Red. We avoid condition “White” (i.e. virtually unaware) which describes most people today are talking on mobile phones, and of course, texting.

Green is not “stressed out” or anxious. It is relaxed, but alert and somewhat aware watching, listening, and paying attention to our “threat alarm” at all times. All permit holders should be at Green, all the time.

Yellow is  something in our environment might be a threat. Whether it is unruly guys in a restaurant who suddenly start arguing loudly, or a woman walking around a park who suddenly notices that two guys seem to be following her.

Red is when an instant threat becomes immediate. It could be someone overtly threatening or actually attacking you.

No one can foresee or anticipate every threat – the scenarios are endless. But by being at “Green” awareness in the first place, we can at least give ourselves a fighting chance.

During most of the 20th century, American combat handgunnery was carried out by men armed with a Colt 1911 chambered in .45 ACP. And what a marvelous choice in fighting weaponry it was. The pages of gun magazines have been swollen over the years with tales of how the U.S. government came to make the decision to contract Colt to make the 1911.

Most enthusiasts are aware that Colt outfitted the U.S. Cavalry with the Single Action Army in the early 1870′s and that it functioned almost flawlessly. The .45 Colt cartridge, spitting its heavy 250-grain slug, caused the demise of many enemy combatants. But in 1891 the Army decided that the SAA was no longer a viable fighting handgun and opted for the double-action .38 Long Colt revolver, which turned out to be a comparatively feeble choice.

During the close-range jungle warfare encountered by the Army in the Philippines, our boys made the unfortunate discovery that the .38 Long Colt cartridge was, to put it kindly, inadequate. Stories circulated about dope-charged Moro fighters resisting multiple .38-caliber wounds, then carving on our troops with lethal cutlery. As a result, the Army had the good sense to go back to the Single Action Army and its .45 Colt round, which was considerably more effective.

When Mr. Roosevelt took the White House, many things changed. He appointed General William Crozier as Chief of Ordnance of the Army. Gen. Crozier recognized the issues regarding the Army’s handgun choice and authorized the search for a new service pistol.

This involved the testing of a wide selection of available arms and cartridges of the time. Two men were in charge of the examination, Army Infantry Colonel John T. Thompson and Medical Corps Colonel Louis A. LaGarde. Some of their tests took place at the livestock yards in Chicago, Illinois, in 1904. They fired upon live cattle and human cadavers hung from the neck, tallying makeshift measurements of the results. In the end it was concluded that the reviewers were “of the opinion that a bullet, which will have the shock effect and stopping effect at short ranges necessary for a military pistol or revolver, should have a caliber not less than .45.”

Submissions of test guns were made by a number of companies vying for the contract, including Savage, Webley, Colt and even the German company DWM, of Luger fame. In the end, John Browning’s 1911 design chambered in .45 ACP was found to be the winner by a large margin.

Almost instantly the Colt 1911 played a starring role in America’s fight for freedom in many military conflicts and was also a great favorite of lawmen. The .45 ACP performed well, with no complaints from those who depended on it.

In the 1980s the government again came to a decision regarding its choice in fighting pistols, and the 1911 was discarded for the Beretta Model 92 chambered in 9mm.

Today we have several years of new-world combat experience in the Middle East behind us. The military has come to yet another conclusion The 9mm cartridge can be bettered when it comes to man-stopping performance. And so the United States government is now eyeballing the .45 ACP.

One of the most important aspects of any pistol, is the way it feels in your hands, and the M&P feels good. Smith & Wesson had a great idea in incorporating interchangeable palm-swell grips on the M&P – small, medium and large. By twisting and removing a pin from the butt of the pistol, the grip can be removed and replaced with one of a different size, thus accommodating the hands of virtually any shooter. The double-stack, 10-round magazine doesn’t cause the grip to be bulky; rather, it’s quite comfortable.

The March 2013 NSSF-adjusted National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS) figure of 1,501,730 is an increase of 26.3 percent over the NSSF-adjusted NICS figure of 1,189,152 in March 2012. For comparison, the unadjusted March 2013 NICS figure of 2,197,116 reflects a 28.1 percent increase from the unadjusted NICS figure of 1,715,125 in March 2012.

This marks the 34th straight month that NSSF-adjusted NICS figures have increased when compared to the same period the previous year.

The adjusted NICS data were derived by subtracting out NICS purpose code permit checks used by several states such as Kentucky, Iowa and Michigan for CCW permit application checks as well as checks on active CCW permit databases.

Though not a direct correlation to firearms sales, the NSSF-adjusted NICS data provide a more accurate picture of current market conditions. In addition to other purposes, NICS is used to check transactions of firearms sales and transfers on new and used handguns and long guns.