Scottsdale Gun Club Warehouse Sale and Dog Days of Summer Raffle

Scottsdale Gun Club is selling dozens of items at cost during the next two weeks!  We have 30+ firearms on sale ranging from AR-15s, handguns, shotguns, and bolt rifles at the lowest prices you will likely ever see.  Our sale prices are available online at SGCUSA.com right now, DON’T DELAY!

In addition to our Warehouse sale, we are also excited to announce the our latest raffle giveaway, which starts today!

You remember our Mother of all Rifle give-away we did earlier this year? One lucky customer walked away with a Noveske Limited Edition MPL Light Recce. This time around, we thought we’d up the ante and give away an entire set-up. Instead of just a rifle, we are going to outfit one winner with one of the top rifles on the market, an assortment of accessories for the rifle, a hard case to store it all in, and lastly a case of ammunition so the winner can put it through its paces right away. This $4200 package will give the luckiest guy around a major head start into the world of AR-15’s or improve an already impressive arsenal.

Enough talk, here’s what is included:

(1) LWRCi M6A3 16″ Black Rifle

(1) EOTech 556

(1) SureFire M600C Scout Light

(7) TangoDown ARC Magazines

(1) Pelican 1700 Black

(3) TangoDown SCAR Panels

(1) Case of PMC .223 Ammunition

Contest Rules, Terms, and Conditions

SGC Dog Days of Summer Giveaway Contest

1. Sponsor: Scottsdale Gun Club (”SGC”).

2. Eligibility: The Dog Days of Summer giveaway contest is open to all legal residents of the United States of America 21 years or older as of June 1, 2009. Void in Puerto Rico, Canada and anywhere prohibited by law. Employees of SGC, LLC and LWRCi and their immediate family members and individuals living in the same household as employees are ineligible. Only individuals who are legally entitled to own a firearm under federal, state and local laws applicable in the jurisdiction of the individual’s permanent residence, are eligible to win a prize. All winners may be requested to sign an Affidavit and Release to claim a prize at the request of the Sponsors. This contest is subject to all applicable federal, state and local laws, rules and regulations. By participating in this contest, entrants agree to these official contest rules.

To be eligible to win the prize, participants must:

a. Purchase items adding up to or over $100 value through SGCUSA.com. There is an entry limit of one ticket per participant for each $100 unit of purchase amount [$768.99 = 7 entries] per submitted order. Multiple orders are allowed but dollar values are not cumulative. [Separate orders of $73.88 and $44.13 do NOT earn a ticket]
or
b. Fill out the online Official Entry Form found at http://www.sgcusa.com/entry_form.php. To enter the contest each participant must provide their complete name, mailing address, and email address on the Official Entry Form web page and click “submit” at the bottom of the Official Entry Form web page. Submission of the Official Entry Form signifies that the participant has read and agrees to the official rules of the contest.
or
c. Mail in an entry with their contact information or enter the contest by fully completing the form found at http://www.sgcusa.com/SGCUSA_giveaway_form2.pdf. To enter the contest each participant must provide their complete name, mailing address, and email address on the Official Entry Form and mail the filled out form to SGCUSA Dog Days Give-away, Scottsdale Gun Club, 14860 N. Northsight Blvd, Scottsdale, AZ 85260. Submission of the Official Entry Form signifies that the participant has read and agrees to the official rules of the contest.

All entries must be received before midnight, 31AUG09 to qualify.

Each entry will be entered into a random drawing from which the contest winner will be selected. Any attempt by any participant to undermine the legitimate operation of the contest will void all entries by such party. SGC shall not be liable for entries that are not received. Entry forms will be ineligible if the entry information is not complete and accurate.

Entry must be on the Official Entry Form. SGC does not assume responsibility for phone, technical, network, electronic, computer hardware or software failures of any kind, misdirected, stolen, incomplete, garbled, or delayed internet/email computer transmissions, or lost, late, misdirected, damaged, illegible, stolen, incomplete, or misaddressed entries.

3 Duration: The contest runs from midnight June 26, 2009, until midnight August 31, 2009. Entries must be received by 11:59 PM CST on August 31, 2009.

Duplicate entries by participant will be voided. Do not fill out the “No Purchase Necessary” page more than ONCE, and do not mail in multiple entries, only ONE “No Purchase Necessary” ticket allowed per customer.

Odds of winning will be determined by the total number of entries received.

4. The Prize: The prize for the random drawing is One LWRCi M6A3, One EOTech 556, One SureFire M600C Scout Light, Seven TangoDown ARC Magazines, One Pelican 1700 Black Case, Three TangoDown SCAR Panels, One Case of PMC .223 Ammunition. There will be no substitution of prizes and no cash will be awarded in lieu of merchandise or awards, except by SGC’s sole election due to prize unavailability.

5. The Winner: The prize will be awarded to a random drawing to be held at SGC on September 7, 2009. The drawing will be done by SGC and its decisions are final on all matters relating to this contest. If the winner is ineligible or SGC is unable to locate a given winner, an alternate winner will be selected by a second random drawing. The winner will be notified by posting the winning number drawn online at the SGCBLOG found at http://www.sgcblog.com. Allow approximately 4-6 weeks for delivery of the prize. All shipping and handling expenses will be covered by the winner.

6. General Considerations: If a firearm cannot be legally transferred to the winner, due to his or her ineligibility to own a firearm, or by any prohibition of the selected prize under state, county or city code or ordinance, then the awarding of the prize shall be null and void. No monetary or other prize award shall be made in lieu of SGC being unable to transfer any prizes. No substitutions, cash equivalents, or transfers of the prize are permitted.

Winners are responsible for the payment of all applicable taxes and transfer fees.

Entry constitutes permission to use the winner’s name (first name, initial and last name, city, state) on SGC’s websites or otherwise, and in any statements about the contest for publication purposes without any additional compensation.

By entering the contest, the participants (a) agree to the official rules and that the decisions of the judges are final in all respects; and (b) release SGC and its subsidiaries, affiliates, directors, officers, employees, and agents from any and all liability for any injuries, losses, or damages of any kind caused by any prize or resulting from acceptance, possession or use of any prize, except where prohibited by law.

Employees of SGC and LWRCi, and their immediate families are not eligible to enter the contest.

All federal, state, and local laws and restrictions apply. Offer void where prohibited, or otherwise restricted under federal, state, or local laws, rules or regulations.

7. Privacy: Other than as provided herein, SGC will utilize the names, e-mail addresses and/or phone numbers of entries only to notify the participant if they are a winner of the contest and to award the prize. Entries must also contain the name and address of the participant’s local FFL Dealer that can legally transfer the winning firearm to participant if the participant is selected as a winner. SGC reserve all rights, in SGC’s sole discretion, to use all information regarding participants for promotional purposes in the future. The prize winner’s information will not be released to general public.

8. Limitation of Liability: SGC is not responsible for printing or typographical errors in any contest-related materials; stolen, lost, late, misdirected, damaged, incomplete, or illegible entries; any use or misuse of the prize; or transactions that are processed late or incorrectly or are lost due to computer or electronic malfunction. SGC reserves the right to cancel or modify the contest if fraud or technical failures compromise the integrity of contest as determined by SGC in its sole discretion.

9. Disputes: All disputes arising out of the contest shall be resolved only in the federal and state courts of Maricopa County, Arizona, USA and all participants waive any rights or objections to the jurisdiction or venue of such courts.

Rookie Reviews… Magpul MBUS

We recently received our first shipment of Magpul MBUS front and rear sights in.  Since my rifle has a fixed front sight post, and I’m not yet in the market for a new flash suppressor, gas block, and rail I don’t really have a use for a flip-up front sight and I’m a fan of symmetry.  Luckily our fulfillment manager picked ‘em up the first day and installed them immediately.  He was then gracious enough to let me borrow his rifle for the day and play around with the MBUS.

The first reaction around the building is that they’re big.  And honestly, they are a little big when they’re flipped-down.  However, we tested it right next to a Troy Industries Flip Up Front Sight and flipped-up in the usable position they’re almost exactly the same height.  If you don’t have a lot of real estate on your top rail it might be a little crowded, though give it a chance.  Once mounted they don’t look nearly as big as they do when they’re just sitting on your desk.

Installation was cake, a few minutes time and you are good to go, however, installing them in the vicinity of a firing range helps because you have to install a small cotter pin in the front sight, but only after you’ve sighted it in.

Durability is another concern some people have voiced, and while I didn’t run around the building knocking displays over with the sights, they seem pretty rugged.  I really liked the release mechanism on the both sides of the sights.  They get released with some authority leaving no doubt that they are good to go.  You can just press on the front of the sight to release it, but it’s also a phenomenal way to relocate the skin on your finger, stick with the little release levers.  A few of the guys in the building were nonplussed that there was no release button necessary to fold them back down because it’d be “catastrophic if it happened in battle.”  Personally, I don’t view shooting at the range as “battle” but I can see the concern members of our Armed Forces may have.  Though I think you’d have to hit your rifle in a very awkward way to accidentally fold them down without destroying your rifle at the same time, which would be by all definitions “catastrophic”.

Lastly, and a huge plus, is the price.  To the best of my knowledge there isn’t an alternative that offers a complete set of quality back-up iron sights for roughly $100, and with the Magpul name to boot it’s hard to pass up.  Personally, when I get around to removing my front sight post I’ll have a set of the MBUS in flat dark earth, and be done modifying it.  Promise.

Knights Armament Company SR-15 E3 IWS PRESALE

PRE-SALE! We have only 20 of these rifles on the way, and these may be the last SR-15’s we see before 2010. If you want one of these rifles, do not delay.

Developed from the glorious history of the M16, a revolutionary Stoner Rifle SR-15 E3 IWS is not merely another M16 derivative.  KAC’s SR15 is the epitome of Eugene Stoner’s design magic, a living proof of the M16 design and its omni presence.

The KAC SR-15 E3 IWS is Knight’s latest offering in the AR15 category.  A 16″ chrome lined barrel with a mid-length gas system for increased reliability.  Featuring the Upper Receiver Extending (URX) free-floating barrel system, ambidextrous controls for the safety, magazine release, and bolt release, a match grade trigger, an improved mult-lug E3 bolt with dual-spring extractor and increased bolt web thickness for increased strngth.  A integrated front sight and sling mounts are also part of the URX rail system.

  • 7 Integrated sling swivel mounts: 5 at front, 2 on rear
  • Ambidextrous safety / selector
  • Ambidextrous magazine catch
  • Hammer forged 1:7″ twist chrome lined and bore barrel
  • SOCOM type sloping cheekpiece adjustable length buttstock
  • Integrated rail folding front sight
  • Integrated “Picatinny Rail” mid-length URX forend
  • Removable mid-length lower rail
  • Mid-length (battle rifle) gas tube
  • Gloved finger trigger guard
  • Two stage match-trigger (4.5 lbs)

U.S. Customs Wants To Ban Your Pocket Knife

We recently received some alarming news from Benchmade Knife Company regarding upcoming legislation regarding pocket knives:

Benchmade Knife Company, in support with The American Knife and Tool Institute (AKTI) opposes U.S. Customs’ attempt to classify assisted-opening knives and all one-hand-opening knives as switchblades.

U.S. Customs proposes to bypass Congress and expand the switchblade definition to include all knives that open with one hand. These include multi-tools, traditional pocket knives, one-hand openers, and assisted-openers.

More than 35 million law-abiding Americans now own one-hand-opening knives in one of the above four categories.

The majority of Americans who carry and use one-hand-openers every day need them for their jobs. They use them to save lives as well as for scores of recreational activities.

If U.S. Customs succeeds, it could lead to effectively banning all folding knives from interstate commerce.

We’re asking you to register your opposition to the U.S. Customs’ plan (19 CFR Part 177) to re-classify assisted openers and all folding knives.

Please address your comments to Customs.

19 CFR Part 177
U.S. Customs and Border Protection
Office of International Trade, Regulations and Rulings
Attention: Intellectual Property and Restricted Merchandise Branch
Mint Annex, 799 Ninth St. N.W.
Washington, D.C. 20229

Please also express your concerns to your state Senators and representatives.

For more information on this issue, visit:

www.akti.org and www.kniferights.org

Click here for model letters that can be downloaded and personalized with your story:

http://akti.org/legislation/uscustoms.html
or
http://www.kniferights.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=79&Itemid=29

Most people overlook the fact that the Second Amendment guarantees the right to bear arms, not just firearms.  While current state regulations forbid different types of automatic opening knives, US Customs is trying to make any knife that can be opened with one hand illegal everywhere.  Countless Americans carry pocket knives on them every day simply for utility.  How many Americans work in a shipping and receiving department?  How many are carpenters?  It boils down to how many Americans work with their hands on a daily basis, and its safe to say most of them value their pocket knife as one of their most useful tools.  If this legislation passes every one of them just became a criminal, myself included.  This shouldn’t have passed the laugh test, but it did and now its up to all of us to speak up in opposition.

Rookie Reviews… SureFire Pen

This week I thought I’d switch gears a bit.  Instead of tinkering in-depth with a new piece of gear I’ve slapped on my AR-15, I figured I’d go back to my roots and give a quick rundown on something I use everyday;  The SureFire Pen.

I’ve now had it about a year and have yet to have a complaint about it.  The best thing going for it is far and away its adaptability.  If you spend much time writing you’ll figure out pretty quickly what you like as far as ink types go, and while most high end pens fence you in forcing you to buy their replacement ink cartridge, SureFire decided they’d let you make your own decision and put whatever you would like.  Inside of a minute you can adjust it to take nearly every cartridge on the market, which is something my Mont Blanc does not allow.

While the “window breaking” safety feature on the end is nice, sadly it goes unused by me.  Not that I haven’t been tempted to take down a few windows just to verify SureFire’s claims, but the Rookie Reviews budget hasn’t expanded to cover panes of glass.  Yet (and that campaign starts NOW).  The real world benefit of it however, is the added weight.  I like a decently heavy pen to write with, and I can fill a legal pad with this pen and not suffer from carpal tunnel or some other hand cramp that a 19 cent Bic would grant me.  It’s got bulk but it’s not clownishly heavy, no one is looking for a forearm workout when finishing the crossword puzzle.

Ultimately, it is a pen that actually looks like a pen.  Personally I’m not a fan of writing instruments that bear a strong resemblance to melee weapons, I’m more concerned with comfort, and for a piece of anodized aluminum, SureFire got it right.

“Cali-Configured” Rifle Program

SGCUSA is proud to announce a California-friendly firearms initiative. SGCUSA has reconfigured some of our AR inventory for California buyers. Each of the selected firearms has the high capacity magazine removed and a Bullet Button installed to fully comply with California regulations. Our stock includes; Daniel Defense M4 Carbines, S&W M&P15T SGC Tactical Edition Carbines, LWRCi M6A2 Gas-Piston 16” Black Carbines, and LWRCi M6A3 Midlength Adjustable Gas-Piston 16” Black Carbines.

This online-only inventory is available as of June 16, 2009. California shoppers will notice that these firearms are not specifically designated as “Cali-Configured” on our website but will be fulfilled from our CA-friendly inventory. “Cali-Configured” rifles comply with legislation that requires the installation of a Bullet Button and limits the number of rounds a magazine may hold. SGCUSA’s California-based clients can be confident the firearms they purchase from us adhere to the law.

DEA/FBI Test and Approve LWRCi M6A2 for Personal Use

We had a press release arrive at the office this weekend, apparently the DEA and FBI did extensive tests on the LWRCi M6A2 and gave it their full approval.  The gun passed some pretty extreme durability and accuracy tests with flying colors and the DEA approved it as a “personal purchase duty rifle”.  It’s nice to see the different agencies coming up to speed and letting their agents use some of the best tools of the trade.  We didn’t receive any comparison testing, but it’s probably safe to assume this wasn’t the only rifle they tested but it is the one they ended up choosing.

Here’s the full press release:

US DRUG ENFORCEMENT ADMINISTRATION ANNOUNCES LWRCI M6A2 AS NEW AUTHORIZED DUTY CARBINE

Quantico, VA – June 11, 2009- The United States Drug Enforcement Administration has approved the LWRCI Carbine as DEA-Authorized Personal Duty rifle. During April and May 2009, testing was conducted on the LWRCI M6A2 (DEA Specified Semi-Automatic Configuration) by The DEA office of Training, Firearms Training Unit with the assistance of several DEA Primary Firearms Instructors, and the FBI Firearms Training Unit Ballistic Research Facility at Quantico, Virginia. The Testing included Extreme Temperature Testing, Corrosion/Sand Tests, Drop Tests, and Accuracy and dispersion tests. The weapons were also subjected to a Durability/Reliability tests specifying the Carbine be fired for 5000 rounds with minimal malfunctions. The LWRCI carbine passed all phases of testing. The DEA Domestic Configuration LWRCI M6A2 is authorized as a personal purchase duty rifle. A foreign service configuration has authorized for use OCONUS. For additional information, please contact Darren Mellors at LWRCI.

Rookie Reviews… Vltor Enhanced Modstock

The latest addition to my AR-15 is Vltor’s Enhanced Modstock, or EMOD for short. I had been running a standard collapsible stock with few complaints, but the EMOD is phenomenal. It is far and away the most visceral upgrade I’ve made to my rifle and would recommend it without a moment’s hesitation.  However, it took a complete about-face to even consider it.

Let me back up a bit.  Within a few days of starting at SGCUSA, I happened across the EMOD and instantly knew I wanted one.  I asked around the building and found the consensus was “Nice design, very comfortable, complete failure when it’s time to collapse or extend it.”  That’s a dealbreaker.  If you’ve used a standard collapsible, you know how it works. Put your butt of your hand on the top of the stock, pinch the lever with your fingertips, push or pull the stock to desired length,  and let go. Pretty simple stuff. The EMOD doesn’t have a wide lever, instead it has two 1/2″ tines that are split by the center of the stock.  It isn’t natural, it isn’t conducive to a quick change, and to do this properly you need to focus on it, which is pretty weak.

 However, it took our processing manager to point out you don’t pinch.  You grab the bottom of the clubfoot with your palm, and press down with your thumb.  Strangely enough, it worked and worked well.  Like it was designed to be used in that manne…wait a minute, it probably was.  It was a eureka moment for all of us.  Ok, it was a eureka moment for me.   One of our more seasoned employees remarked that while this method is much easier, it’s still counter-intuitive to every other stock he’s used, and he’d have to “relearn 46 years of use”.  I don’t have 46 years of use, I don’t have 46 months of familiarity with an AR-15, and as a result, it’s become very intuitive to me.

 Moving past that, the stock has a lot to offer.  The extended cheek rest does its purpose effectively with little fanfare.  First magazine down range I instantly felt more attached to the rifle.  Sure, it’s still a tool in my hands and not an extension of my body (check back in 46 years), but it felt very natural.  However, the expanded cheek rests use an interlocking system to attach to the stock and the small gaps are reputed to have a tendency of pulling out facial hair.  I know how to operate a razor near my face so it isn’t any concern of mine, but those of you with facial hair may want to start shaving your right cheek or the stock may do it for you.

 Near the QD swivel mount the EMOD has a small waterproof compartment which will hold a variety of different batteries (two AA’s fit fine, it will hold three DL123’s if that’s your flavor), personally mine will most likely always be empty, but for people using them in the field I’d say it’s a nice touch.

 Lastly, the rear of the stock has a metal plate wrapped in a rubber pad.  I’ve been fighting the urge to put the metal plate into use by breaking down the doors in my house, but I can say the rubber pad is great.  For the occasional shooter that feels like sending a lot of lead downrange, the comfort factor is exponentially higher than the rough plastic of a standard collapsible.  I’ve yet to spend an entire afternoon shooting my rifle, but I get the impression I could do so with little to no discomfort whatsoever.

 

EDIT UPDATE: I just spoke with a gentleman from Vltor who actually advised against using your thumb to press down on the release lever.  Apparently hinging the lever that way will allow you to release the stock completely off the end of the tube.

D-Day Sale! Save $350 on the LWRCi M6A3 for one week only!

To celebrate D-Day, LWRCi M6A3 Midlength Adjustable Gas-Piston Rifles are on sale for $2299.95 for one week only!

SGCUSA.com

The Scottsdale Gun Club is proud to announce the first release of the new LWRCi M6A3 Rifle. The M6A3 advances short-stroke gas-piston technology with a midlength adjustable gas-piston system. We’ve secured the first run of M6A3’s so that we can offer you an exclusive opportunity to own one of these impressive rifles before anyone else.

The LWRCI™ M6A3™ rifle is our Designated Marksman Rifle variant. It features our new midlength short-stroke gas-piston system that is the perfect blend of tactical carbine and sniper-capable rifle. The midlength operating system’s softer recoil allows for faster return-to-target and follow-up shots.

The M6A3™ rifle features our adjustable gas system. Four positions - (O-Off, S-Suppressed, N-Normal, A-Adverse), which allow for optimum performance in any situation.

Designed with optics in mind, the M6A3™ rifle is perfectly suited to accept a red dot sight or a high-powered scope. It features an integrated flip-down front sight and patented ARM-R free-float rail system. The easily removable top platform gives quick access to the barrel and piston system and reinstalls in seconds with no tools required.

The new M6A3™ rifle is the perfect all-purpose weapon for the modern warfighter or law enforcement professional.

Rookie Reviews… Tango Down SCAR Panels

Rookie Reviews is a new section of our blog where Jeff, our resident new guy, gives his take on different products we carry and he uses.  A little background on Jeff, he didn’t grow up a gun guy, he doesn’t own body armor, and he hasn’t been to private training facilities to learn tactics.  At 100 yards he’s better with a sand wedge than a .308 and he’s not bad with a .308.  Mostly he knows what he likes.  He doesn’t follow the industry buzz on why one product is better received than another, whichever one feels better in his hands and runs smoother is going to get his praise.  Ultimately he’s going to give us a fresh opinion, try not to trash him too badly. 

I’ve always liked when a company makes small changes to their product and that product’s usability goes way up.  Even better when a few minor tweaks leads to a revolutionary change, and that’s what Tango Down did with the SC-006 . For the last few months I’ve had the BP-4 on my AR-15, and while they were head and shoulders above the standard plastic handguards that came factory installed by Noveske, they weren’t amazing.  Evidently Tango Down thought so too because the newest iteration is treading the amazing line.

First and foremost, the size difference between the old and new is surprisingly small.  When you put the two panels next to each other on a level surface, the SC-006 ends up being slightly thinner, without grabbing calipers I’d say roughly 2mm difference, minimal stuff.  But, when you have three of them installed it becomes VERY apparent.  I’ve got a SureFire M73 Rail and with 3 SC-006 panels the circumference is exactly 8″ while its predecessor is a full inch larger.  The slightly more narrow profile gives you plenty of real estate to latch onto but is no longer oversized.

Second, the thinner profile ends up giving the panels more flex.  You don’t notice it while it is on the gun, but when it comes time for installation or removal the flex is a finger saver.  Taking the BP-4 panels off a rail is a fight for every single notch, each one nearly catching your fingers.  Ultimately you are probably applying so much pressure when the panel gets to the end of the rail you will fling it across the room. Deal breaker?  Not at all, just don’t do it facing a television or anything else remotely breakable.  The SC-006 is so easy it’s a joke.  Hold the tab up, apply some pressure and the panel slides down the rail like it should.  That doesn’t mean it’s a loose fit by any stretch of the imagination, you may find some small shavings around your rail system from the interior of the panel; these things aren’t going anywhere.  If you like to change the configuration of your forend on a regular basis the SC-006 is the way to go, especially if you prefer to keep skin on your knuckles.

Lastly, the texture change.  As you can see in the pictures, the SC-006 is one long uninterrupted texture that seems like a mix between fine grit sand paper and grip tape.  It won’t make you bleed, but you aren’t slipping off either.  I’d like to speak to the qualities in a natural setting like rain or mud, but lets face it, rain in Arizona is more scarce than ammo right now, so the best I could do was a bottle of water; no slippage.  Rain and sweaty palms shouldn’t cause any issues, the texture is that aggressive.  The BP-4 has a similar texture, but instead of being one uninterrupted surface, it has 6 textured panels each separated by a molded plastic divider.  Sure, they are significantly better than the standard plastic handguards of old, but they are still a little too reminiscent of a football Nerf made and canceled a week later when the hangover was over.  It never felt intuitive to me, while the SC-006 was instant gratification.  Try to grab them in an awkward position, you may be there for a little while.

This may sound like I’m bashing the old panels, but I’m not.  They are great panels that I used for months with very few complaints, but the SCAR panels are that much better.