All posts by BigGunner81

Vid.ME & YouTube

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So many of you may know recently the BigGunner81 youtube channel received a community strike over a video we had posted several years ago featuring a bumpfire stock. With that strike we lost our ability to stream live on the BigGunner81 channel. So as we found out we can host a secondary channel on youtube that will still allow for us to live stream. That channel is BigGunner81 LIVE!.

Now of course with all the anti-gun antics of pulling advertising on gun channels, community strikes, ect. It’s time to start looking at utilizing multiple social media platforms especially for video hosting. Of course we have other forms of social media, facebook, instagram, twitter, and the list goes on. So one new site we starting using is Vid.me which is similar to YouTube, yet also very different. As of right now the Vid.Me seems friendly or tolerant to say the least of firearm related channels.

Stop by and check out / follow our new channel on Vid.Me @ http://vid.me/BigGunner81 currently we are adding our more popular videos and will begin adding some of the newer content as we go. We thank you all for your support of the BigGunner81 channel as well as The 50 State of AR-15. (stay tuned as we are still working on our new site for The 50 States or AR-15 project)

-Rick aka BigGunner81

HM Defense announces the HMBTM Bolt

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October 2017
Mt. Orab, Ohio – HM Defense announces the release of its all-new HMBTM Bolt, an enhanced durability bolt for M16, AR-10 and AR-15 rifles. The HMBTM Bolt corrects a natural weak point in existing Mil-Spec M16, AR-10 & AR-15 bolts where the cam pin hole passes through the bolt. Under extensive use, including the stress of combat, a standard Mil-Spec bolt can fail at the cam pin hole location.


The HMBTM Bolt by HM Defense eliminates the pass-through cam pin hole and replaces it with a cam pin socket and tapered cam pin design. This new patent-pending design eliminates the natural weak point of Mil-Spec bolts by significantly increasing the amount of metal (and strength) at the cam pin location. The result – No more broken bolts!
“The HMBTM Bolt design provides a substantial improvement in long-term durability over the existing Mil-Spec bolt,” said Clay Barker, General Manager at HM Defense. “Every M16 and AR rifle can benefit from our new HMB TM Bolt design”
Additionally, the HMBTM Bolt reduces contact between cam pin and firing pin, enabling smoother operation of firing pin, bolt lugs and aft gas rings. The new cam pin socket also retains lubrication for extended operations.
The HMBTM Bolt is 100% compatible with Mil-Spec M16 & AR-15 BCGs and can be installed as a drop-in bolt replacement in any existing M16 or AR-15 rifle. The HMBTM Bolt will be standard on all HM Defense HM15 rifles and available as an HM Defense bolt replacement kit or in a complete HMBTM Bolt Carrier Group starting in September 2017.

For more information on the HMBTM Bolt and other HM Defense technologies, please visit HMDefense.com.

The 50 States of AR-15 1st UPDATE – Mid-Evil Industries

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As we mentioned in the past The 50 States of AR-15 project is living project. That means the rifles may have updates from time to time, with new products coming out, and changes in legislation ect. So Here is our first rifle to be updated. The California rifle received the Mid-Evil Industries TX3 & 360 Degree Vertical Fore Grip (VFG). The 360 VFG is pretty slick and allows the user to further customize how they manipulate the rifle. The TX3 which comes with a Ambi QD end plate is a nifty tool that can be used to pop those tight take down pins. Check out the video for more info.

#HaveFunShooting #The50StatesofAR15

Rifle Rack or Guitar Stand?

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So I was looking at some options for a rifle rack, I recently picked up a wall mount rack however I decided for now I may not want to put holes in the wall of the rental home. Of course it has to be something relatively cost effective. (You know more money for ammo and all) So I remembered I saw a while back someone using a guitar stand for a rifle stand. So I started looking at options on Amazon of course. and came across the one above and ordered it. While I’m writing this my order has yet to arrive. Meanwhile I posted the link on my facebook page, and several friends thought it was a nice idea. Philip from Ground Zero Precision who supplied the photos below found a slight modification for the ones he bought which helped it work better for this application as shown below he moved the positioning of one of the cross bars at the bottom, a very simple modification of course to help cradle the stock of your rifle.

These can be purchased on Amazon by clicking the link below:

Want to build a cheap AR-15?

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So you want to build a Cheap / Low cost / Budget AR-15? Well here is a video dedicated to that… In this video we will show you how to build an AR-15 lower receiver for around $100. We use an FMK AR-1 Extreme Polymer lower receiver. We will be following this video with a part 2 building a low cost/budget upper receiver. Then of course we will be testing out the complete rifle.

Thanks for watching, and as always “Have Fun Shooting…”

-BigGunner81

Tuff Products – Organize your gear

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Tuff Products makes some excellent gear, especially when it comes to organizing your firearms. In the video above we take a look at their inline 6 double stack pistol mag pouch. Not only is their gear TUFF, it’s very versatile. These mag pouches are excellent for organizing your range bag, keeping your pistol mags organized, and can attach to a belt with it’s velco loops, or any M.O.L.L.E. compatible gear as well. They can also be used to help keep your safe organized as well.

Point Blank Range – Matthews, NC

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We recently moved to North Carolina and we will be taking our concealed carry class within the next month. But before we do that, I wanted to get a little more comfortable handling a pistol. So, I googled gun ranges near our area and found Point Blank Range. I was reading some of the reviews and all were stellar. I took note about the air filtration there as some places are known for not having good air quality. However, PBR lived up to the great reviews. I’ll expand on that a little more below.

When I entered the building through the sliding doors, there were several staff to greet me, first with a smile, then with a gasping look followed by them asking me to keep walking…faster. What I didn’t know was that there was a snake that had followed me in. The staff handled it in a very professional manner and they immediately removed the snake from the premise. I’m not sure if it’s a common thing in NC for snakes to hitch a ride with people and follow them into buildings, but they certainly knew how to handle it. They kept me calm, not alerting to me what was following me in until they could take care of it. (Note they also walked me out to inspect my vehicle for snakes after class as well) They were awesome! But my fondness of the range didn’t end there..

As I mentioned, I was there to take a class, specifically the Beginner Handgun Fundamentals course. The instructor, Greg Morris, was phenomenal! He was very personable and extremely knowledgeable. The first part of the class was classroom-based. Normally, classroom discussions aren’t that exciting, but Greg kept it interesting and engaging while helping us all learn. The second part of the class was hands-on in the range. Since there were six of us, he split us up into two groups of three, so he could better instruct us individually. After that, we went back into the classroom to review the progression and improvement of our shooting skills over the course of the 50 rounds. Before taking the class, my shots tended to be mainly lower right of the target. With the class, I was able to improve my stance, the placement of my finger on the trigger and the trigger pull, all which helped my shots get closer to the target, or on target. Also, unbeknownst to me, the way they had the targets set up was the same way they do it for the concealed carry classes. So, now I feel better about doing the shooting part of that class. Next, I’ll have to take a course there learning how to draw from a holster.

While most ranges charge an hourly fee for shooting, Point Blank Range does something different: you pay $20 and have access to shoot for the entire day! You can even leave and come back the same day and not pay anything extra. Their philosophy is that they don’t want you to feel rushed and if you aren’t constantly looking at your watch to make sure you aren’t getting close to the end of the hour, you will be more relaxed and shoot better too. I think that’s great! And so does my wallet! They also offer discounts to seniors and it’s $10 for ladies on Thursdays. I’m looking forward to taking several more classes there! Check out their website, given them a like on Facebook, and if you’re in town, go down and check them out in person and have fun shooting!

-Laura Lucado

Rock Island Armory Tac Ultra 45acp 1911

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The newest edition to my collection, and my first 1911. This is the Rock Island Armory Tac Ultra in 45acp, yes a single stack as well. So far I’m really liking this pistol with possibly the exception of the grips, of course that is personal preference. The grips are G10 with a really cool pattern, my issue is they are a bit rough for my liking, and I may need a thinner set with my smaller hands. Now The slide is smooth as butter on this one, and it shoots excellent. I say it many times over, the value offered by Rock Island Armory is excellent. Lower cost, and a lifetime warranty to back it up. I have been very pleased with the firearms I have purchased from them.