Been a while...

It has been a long time since my last post and this is due to a lot of factors. Some good and some bad but knowing that the only way to move forward is to keep your head up. Since my last post I have learned a ton in many different aspects of life and taken a new position in my life that I hope I can fill to it's highest potential. I plan on posting more coming up this fall so please let me know if there is anything you would like me to post about. Thank you.

Range Box or Storage

When it comes to doing something you really enjoy like target practice and hunting there is a lot of side things you need to think about. One of the important things that I found is proper storage for safety and useability. This may differ from the certain area in which you are living or traveling but here is a couple things I have found helpful so far. This will focus mostly on transporting and useability of the range bags and storage I have been using so far.

*First off, a firearm is only as dangerous as the person that is in control of it. Handling of a firearm at all times should be done with safety and concentration of ones self and surroundings. Please be safe. Brains before bullets.

In the leading up of gathering the proper supplies for my coming handguns I collected a travel case and cleaning case on more of an impulse rather than need but have found both more than useful. The gun cleaning kit I previously posted about was the Hoppe's Elite Gun Kit on the Go Cleaning Kit. Please go to that link for my original review. After using this kit I found that every piece of the kit is coming in handy in more ways than I originally planned. Like I said in the past the rod itself is mainly for smaller jobs and isn't suitable for heavy cleaning so I would suggest using it for range only. The gun cleaner and oil I have found is just as good if not better than original Hoppe's which I have been using forever and with the cleaner being a spray style head it makes it easier to use on the go. The final part that I have been using more and more is the case itself. It is a very handy small case that I have been using when I don't want to lug around a large case and with it having a lockable handle it has been a very useful small case.

While looking for a larger case I found the Sportlock Aluminumlock Series Double-Sided Pistol Case. This case having two opening sides with plenty of storage while being light weight made it a great buy. One side has foam on the bottom and top with a thick middle piece so you can fill both layers. The foam is the right thickness where you can use it for just one small pistol without it moving or you can pack 6 pistols safely. On the other side it has the foam top and bottom just like the other but has slots with dividers for storing ammo boxes or different things you might want while traveling. The dividers can also be taken out and you can place foam for more pistol storage. Both sides have 2 lockable latches on each side that keep it tight but not a great security feature as the holes for locks are very small and the latches could be broken off without much effort. While using this case to go shooting I normally carry 2 to 5 handguns on the padded side and the other is full of ammo and supplies. The supply side I found fits more than expected as I have packed it full of 4 50 round boxes of ammo, small ear protection, a bag for empty ammo shells, the entire contents of the Hoppe's Elite Gun Kit on the Go Cleaning Kit, cleaning rags, and various small tools. 

Both these items have proven to be more than useful and I would recommend for friends and buy again myself. They are starter kits and I will work my way up from here and keep you posted with my new additions. Thank you. 

My EDC pack

Finding the right pack to fit your needs is no easy task with all the different sizes and variations available these days. It is worth the wait to do your research to find the one that fits your specific needs. For me, I have been carrying a small "sling" style bag for a while now and have become accustom to the way it can be carried as the amount it can carry. That started my search for different sling bags with the messenger bag being the most common. These messenger bags have the sling style strap but often hang low and have minimal storage. I was looking for something that can fit larger documents or objects but still have the small profile. This led me to the Maxpedition series bags and from what I found looking into other similar companies is it seems you pay for the name rather than pure quality. That being said of course more expensive products most of the time carry the higher quality but you always need to think about the additional cost and what additional quality can that cost get you. After searching similar styles and price ranges I stumbled across Red Rock Outdoor Gear.  This company had exactly what I was looking for with the fair price range and great quality to go with it. The ramble pack is a very compact carry bag that gives you plenty of room for everyday ideas with numerous pockets to keep it very organized. I see absolutely no downfalls with this pack but I will repost about this after some time to explain its durability since I carry this everyday. A couple other items that I added to this pack are a stainless steel water bottle and a buck paklite knife. Other extras will be added slowly but this is my ideal start for my "every day carry" pack.

Here are the quick links:

Sorry for the absense.

It has been a while since my last post and I do apologize. With the winter season in its prime here in central New York my time has been switched to mostly home improvement type activities. I enjoy doing new things and trying to learn anything that can be of value in the future so with new home upgrades I have been thinking of other things I could post on here. In the next couple of posts I will be going through some of the different home improvement concepts that I have been thinking about that will not only make for a better living but can also cut utility bills and increase the value of your home.

First with the cold weather we are used to here keeping warm is always a key factor to the winter months while keeping utility bills at a minimum. Some might think that the heat source itself is the best part upgrade but it is also the many other factors that are much cheaper while having a greater impact. The best place to start is the windows and doors. Around the edges of these might not always have the best seals which can allow in drafts that lose heat and create a chill. I found if you have a window that is older the best bet is to clean out the older silicone seal on the inside and outside then reapply a new seal around the window. This might need to done and the inside of the window as well as the inside and outside of the window frame. Be sure to use the proper silicone for best results.

The next step I would take is to look at the insulation in your attic, crawl space, or the space directly under your roof. After a while insulation can break down and fall off its backing in places leaving voids where warm air can escape threw your roof vents. There needs to be air flow for your roof to last whether it be roof vents in the roof or at the top of your roof and the eaves. With this cool air from the outside you need a good barrier to keep the warm air in and the cool air out. Insulation is fairly cheap and can keep your house warm in the winter and cool in the summer so if you are replacing some older insulation or simply putting more up it is always a good route to go.

Those are a couple cheap things you can do to increase the efficiency of your house to keep your warm in the winter and save some money in the long run. One thing I have been looking at getting for a more impulse helpful gadget is the Nest Learning Thermostat. The Nest is a very cool interactive "learning" thermostat. This is the second generation which has been fine tuned but also can have software updates just like a smartphone. It also has an iphone app so you can have all the controls in the palm of your hand. This is a definite buy in my book and with the cost not being too insane at $250 and even cheaper for the first generation i think the long term advantages of this thermostat are well worth it.