Month: August 2014

Even though we don’t deal in ammunition, I get calls almost daily about .22lr ammo. “You don’t happen to have some .22lr in stock, do you?” Most of the time—like 90 percent of the time—it’s from a father who simply wants to take his kids out shooting for the afternoon. You know, teach them how to safely handle a firearm and develop a love for shooting.

Unfortunately, a comparatively small number of people are ruining what used to be an American tradition. All for the sake of a quick $20. These gougers seem to have nothing better to do with their time than to loiter around their local Walmart all day, waiting for somebody to put some .22lr on the shelf. As soon as they—and their two unemployed brothers-in-law—get their daily allotment of .22lr, they turn around and sell it on local firearms websites at a 100% to 200% markup.

Now there’s nothing wrong with wanting to make a buck. We do it every day. Most of us do. But there is something morally wrong in my opinion with continuing to perpetuate this artificial “shortage” of .22lr ad nauseum. All for the sake of a few measly bucks. They are literally ruining the American tradition of teaching your kids how to respect and safely shoot a firearm.

So what can we do? Everyone who reads this article can pledge to not buy from the local gougers. If we all make a concerted effort, we can end the “shortage” quickly. As soon as the gougers stop making their easy couple of bucks, they’ll move onto something else. Hopefully something a little more morally straight. We’ll all see .22lr on the shelves again—at sane prices. And we’ll be able to continue once again teaching our kids about the enjoyment of shooting.

Rant over,

Marty

I was inspired to develop the Blade AR pistol stabilizer after purchasing a competitive product, which was introduced to the market a couple of years ago. Like many, I am a military veteran with limited use of my preferred firing hand (my right hand). Also like many, I am very fond of the AR-15 pistol platform. However, with limited use of my right hand, I find it difficult to accurately shoot such pistols.

I purchased the competitor’s product to see if it helped with marksmanship. It did—somewhat. However, I was very put off by the product’s hard rubber cuff. It was incredibly uncomfortable. As a long-time firearms product inventor, I knew we could come up with something better. And I believe we have.

The patent-pending Blade AR pistol stabilizer incorporates a flexible stabilizing “fin,” which the user rests against the inside of their forearm when in the firing position. This stabilizes the firearm in the horizontal plane. The friction created between the user’s forearm and the fin stabilizes the firearm in the vertical plane. This provides the shooter with additional support of a firearm while it is still held and operated with one hand—without the discomfort of the competitor’s product.

Further, if a user wishes, they can wrap a standard sling around the Blade AR and their forearm and secure it with the thumb of their firing hand to further stabilize their firearm in both the horizontal and vertical planes.

Unlike the competitor’s product, the Blade AR weighs a scant 5 oz.

Like the competitor’s product, the Blade AR pistol stabilizer is neither designed nor intended to enable a user to fire a weapon from the shoulder. (And that’s what the ATF actually cares about for classification.) For one, the Blade AR pistol stabilizer has no buttplate or provisions for attaching a buttplate. In fact, its lateral cross-sectional area is less than half that of the competitor’s product.

Pending ATF classification, our goal is to begin selling the Shockwave Blade AR in March 2015.

To get on the Blade-AR waiting list, email us.

-Marty