Bryan Reo Writes To NATO- Small Arms Proliferation

http://bryanreo.blogspot.com/2011/05/bryan-reo-writes-to-nato-small-arms.html

By Bryan Reo

ALL RIGHTS RESERVED


I wrote a letter to NATO with my suggestion for how to safely dispose of various surplus stockpiles of small arms and ammunition in former Warsaw Pact/East Bloc nations and a few other nations that were not Warsaw Pact members. As some readers may note, the proliferation of "small arms and light weapons" -mainly via lack of oversight/control over surplus stockpiles/caches- is a concern for NATO and other international organizations (mainly non-governmental lobby/interest organizations).


My letter-

Hello,

I was wondering if NATO would consider taking advantage of the opportunity to work with the new members of NATO that were formerly East Bloc nations, and other former East Bloc nations that are making progress to join NATO, to dispose of their old stockpiles of Soviet ammunition calibers by selling them to American ammunition importers/wholesalers. There would certainly be ample money earned to more than cover shipping costs and make the venture very profitable for all concerned. The ammunition being shipped to America would assure it could not possibly fall into the hands of various rebel/terrorist groups or other NGOs throughout the developing world or in any other way wind up being used to fuel any regional conflicts. There are even some opportunities for NATO to work with non-NATO members such as Kosovo, Ukraine, Angola, etc, nations that have varying amounts of stockpiles of mostly Soviet/East Bloc calibers and Soviet/East Bloc weapons. Additionally there are likely opportunities to work with nations that recently joined NATO, such as Croatia and Albania.

Furthermore, with the possibility of NATO governments benefiting financially via taxes/fees imposed on the transactions, they would be able to generate revenue that could be used for the disposal of weapons (such as MANPADS, grenades, rocket propelled grenade launchers, rocket propelled grenades, and explosives) that have no commercial/civilian use. By selling ammunition (and perhaps some pistols and semi-automatic rifles -such as the SKS carbine) that are legal under the laws of the United States of America, to importers/dealers in the USA, NATO would remove those items from circulation, eliminate the possibility of those items being delivered to conflict zones, and generate revenue that could be used to destroy dangerous weapons systems such as MANPADS and anti-tank weaponry. There is absolutely no reason why an SKS carbine, TT-33 pistol, or M-44 Nagant rifle should be destroyed at the expense of the NATO member states when those items can be sold for a profit to responsible citizens. Even AK-47s and AK-74s can be permanently converted to semi-automatic and then sold to certain NATO member states, or at least they can be turned into parts kits and then sold.

Under present American laws, most surplus ammunition could be imported with minimal difficulties, and if NATO members were to hold talks with the US State Department, it is possible that the doors could be opened for the full importation of a variety of previously prohibited Russian imports such as the Russian manufactured TT-33 Tokarev, Russian manufactured SKS, Russian manufactured SVT-40, etc, in addition to a variety of mild steel core ammunition from some of the East Bloc nations. The opportunities are simply too massive to pass up, especially with the economic downturn and the need for many nations to cut budgets. It is likely that safe and orderly disposal of surplus stockpiles has become a very low priority when a nation is faced with having to decide what to cut from the budget. Working in accordance with American law and selling those portions of stockpiles that are lawful for American citizens to own, to importers in the USA, will benefit NATO, American shooters, the governments that are burdened by the security costs of having to maintain security for the stockpiles, and the people in the conflict regions who would be impacted by the addition of those stockpiles into their nations.

American hunters, shooters, collectors, and firearms enthusiasts of all sorts certainly deserve the opportunity to obtain quality military surplus ammunition that should be sold and delivered to responsible gun-owners in a responsible NATO nation, rather than being destroyed at a massive cost (direct cost and opportunity cost) to the taxpayers of the NATO member states. The direct cost in destroying surplus stores of former East Bloc ammunition is certainly high enough without factoring in the opportunity cost that exists in regards to the lost opportunity to sell the ammunition and make substantial gains in the process. Once the surplus stockpiles are gone they are gone, it is that simple, and if they are just allowed to be blown up or burnt up, then the opportunities to benefit from their sale, to responsible citizens in a responsible nation, will be burnt up as well. Please don’t let those opportunities burn up.

Bryan Reo's Present Investment Advice

http://bryanreo.blogspot.com/2011/01/bryan-reos-present-investment-advice.html

By Bryan Reo

ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

BUY AN HK PSP PISTOL! If it doesn't go up at least 30-50% in the next year or two (which it probably will) at the very least you can enjoy shooting the darn thing or you can use it help keep your home safe...



A large wave of surplus HK PSP pistols recently crashed ashore here in the USA and they are excellent shooters, available at reasonable prices for a highly reliable and rugged Heckler and Koch pistol... Prices are going up and availability is going down. Indeed when I bought my HK PSP a few years ago if I remember correctly I paid approximately $650 dollars, while today the HK PSP is selling for approximately $850 to $900 dollars (if you can still find them).

I recently wrote a review of the HK PSP and I stand by every word...


----

Heckler and Koch broke the mold when they brought the HK Police series of pistols to the market in the late 1970s.

The P7M8 and P7M13 are both excellent weapons for concealed carry, police use, or simply to collect. Although, both models command a high price and have become increasingly rare in recent years.

There is an alternative that is much more affordable and easier to find without sacrificing anything in the way of quality and reliability that HK is famous for. This of course is the HK PSP.

Act fast as the PSP is likely to become increasingly rare in the near future due to the fact it is reasonably affordable, rugged, reliable, very accurate, and it is a truly European pistol (as evidenced by the magazine release being located on the bottom of the weapon, amongst other things) and is thus likely to increase in value as the supply dries up across Europe.

The HK PSP fits neatly into the hand and is only cocked and ready to fire when you grip the pistol naturally in your hand by squeezing the squeeze cocking lever located at the front of the grip. Until you grip and squeeze the pistol in your hand it is not cocked and cannot fire, so it should be absolutely safe to have in any sort of holster or even in your pocket. Once in your hands with the squeeze cocking lever firmly grasped and held in, the pistol is ready to fire and it can deliver precise and accurate fire as quickly as you can work the smooth trigger.

It has a very natural balance to it and it seems at times all you have to do is align your body with the target and raise the pistol up to be eye level. The HK PSP is simply that well-designed and that accurate. The accuracy cannot be stressed enough; you would pretty much have to struggle to miss with the HK PSP.

Having owned an HK PSP for about four years and having fired at least hundreds (if not a thousand or more) of rounds through it I do not remember having ever experienced a single jam, failure to feed, double feed, misfire, hang-fire, squib, slam-fire, or any other sort of failure. The pistol functions flawlessly and is definitely a testament to the superb German engineering for which H&K is internationally famous.

However, be warned, after sustained fire of 50-100 rounds the pistol will get fairly hot and the trigger guard of the PSP model lacks the synthetic heat shield that the later P7M8 and P7M13 models have. Although the P7M8 and P7M13 also cost at least $1,000 dollars more than the PSP, so the lack of a heat shield on the PSP shouldn’t discourage you, particularly as it isn’t much of an issue, at least it hasn’t been for me.

The PSP is absolutely a winning choice, you can’t go wrong owning one be it for home protection, concealed carry/self-defense, police/security work, collecting, or even as an investment. There were only so many made, they’re not making new PSP pistols, the supply is dwindling, and the demand isn’t going to go away anytime soon. The PSP will make a wonderful addition to any collection.

So you should consider buying an HK PSP although note that the one Bryan Reo has is not for sale.

Bryan Reo Cannot Give You A Four Day Forecast

By Bryan Reo

ALL RIGHTS RESERVED (the lists of supplies may be republished and every picture on this single blog entry, except the one containing my cat, may be freely republished for educational/non-profit purposes to help people with winter safety preparations)

http://bryanreo.blogspot.com/2011/01/bryan-reo-cannot-give-you-four-day.html


As stated- Bryan Reo cannot give you a four day forecast...

So he'll give you his unsolicited opinion instead... Yeah, I'm really lame, aren't I?

Here’s what Bryan Reo has to say about winter weather and general preparedness as it applies to stuff you can keep in your vehicle…

http://www.newsnet5.com/dpp/weather/weather_news/groundhog-day-storm%3A-computers-now-focusing-heavy-snow-on-ohio

Of course step one to winter road safety is to drive safely, reduce your speed according to the road conditions and remember that it will take you extra time/distance to brake and to come to a complete stop. Even if you have 4WD you are not immune to the problems caused by icy or wet/slick roads.

As of right now it appears as though we are in for what may be a very memorable snow storm. Thus, I'd just like to take advantage of the opportunity this coming storm presents to offer some survival/safety advice for folks by discussing what I keep in my truck in the way of emergency supplies.

Firstly, I have a sleeping bag rated to -20 degrees Fahrenheit which I always keep in my vehicle (whatever the vehicle is, the bag goes with me, if I am using somebody else's vehicle the sleeping bag goes with me and goes in their trunk or the back seat).

Additionally, I have two bottles of water in spots designed for bottles (each spot being on the back doors) for a total of about 2 quarts of water there.

Anyway, I'd like to say that some of the things I may mention have little to do with winter survival/safety and are more about general preparedness since I keep them in my truck on a constant basis. Mainly that last statement has to do with the stuff I keep in the center holder or the glovebox of my truck or in the pockets of my coat. I will deal with those items shortly and include pictures.

The main thing is my "supplies bag" (which like the sleeping bag also accompanies me if I switch vehicles) which contains the following...

1- First Aid Kit

2- Wool socks (heavy insulated winter type)

3- Cotton socks (I know cotton is bad for winter, but I intend to wear them under the wool socks so I don't have to endure itching every second- don't use cotton socks in place of wool socks)

4- Spare change of undewear (yes I know people may ream me out over the cotton but if there is an issue where you get wet and are so messed up you cannot dry off and stay dry you have more problems than wearing cotton underwear, likewise if you are soaked enough that it goes through your outer garments and gets to your underwear, it makes little difference whether they are cotton or wool)

5- Mountain House freeze dried meals (three entrees, each serves two people for one meal)

6- Assorted MRE (Meal Ready to Eat) components including 4 wheat bread rations, 1 brownie ration, 1 rice ration, 1 beef ration, silverware, and 3 MRE ration heaters

7- DATREX concentrated ration bars (two bricks, each containing 18 bars with each bar consisting of concentrated protein with vitamins and minerals and a total of 200 calories, thus each ration brick is 3600 calories- note I have three more ration bricks in the truck at all times)

8- DATREX emergency water rations (about 20 pouches each containing 4.27 ounces of water)

9- Matches and a quick fire starting log

10- A packet of water purification tablets (each tablet purifies one liter of water)

11- Collapsible baton (this is more of a general preparedness item)

12- One box of 50 rounds of ammunition in caliber .40 S&W (this is more of a general preparedness item)

13- One box of 5 rifled slugs in caliber 12 gauge. (this is more of a general preparedness item and an item that is there so I never have a moment of "darn I can't believe I didn't bring my slugs with me" when going deer hunting)

Additionally I keep some items in my truck at all times that are just there for whatever reason. I have several packs of disposable ear-plugs in the event I ever forget to pack them before going to the shooting range, but they would also come in handy if I find myself with a sudden need to shoot out a window on my vehicle (so as to facilitate an escape from a vehicle sinking in water) without deafening myself in the process (admittedly an event the likelihood of which can best be described as very remote, but a possibility all the same).

I also have a can of pepper spray (for use in situations when potentially lethal force is either unwarranted or unnecessary), a spare magazine of ammunition in caliber .40 S&W, a .30 caliber rifle cleaning kit (for a .30 caliber rifle), and a QuikClot packet for any instance of traumatic external bleeding.

Finally, I have a pair of nail clippers because hang-nails are just really annoying and you want to keep your nails short so dirt doesn't get under them and six Imodium tablets because diarrhea is never welcome (in a safe home environment it is a nuisance, in a survival situation it may be a death sentence).

For winter issues make sure to have several days worth of food (something along the lines of MRE rations, DATREX emergency protein rations, granola bars, pouches of tuna fish, packets of beef jerky, etc) and several days worth of water (either in heavy duty plastic containers such as canteens or in emergency pouches).

If you are in your vehicle and become stranded in a blizzard or some other winter storm situation you may be best served by staying in your vehicle unless you are within sight of a structure of some sort. Make sure you have some sort of sleeping bag or multiple blankets that can be used to maintain warmth while inside of your vehicle. If you are going to run your engine you will likely have to periodically leave your vehicle to clear the exhaust pipe from any snow that may be clogging it (as an added precaution against carbon monoxide poisoning you may wish to leave some of your windows down an inch or so).

You should have some sort of personal defense weapon because you never know what may happen (this applies all of the time). Normal weather conditions always have the possibility of danger, but the possibility may increase in times of bad weather as nefarious individuals decide to take advantage of the chaos caused by the storm to prey on those they perceive as helpless or at least less ready and less able to resist. A firearm can also be used as a signaling tool, a much more effective tool than say a whistle. When using a firearm to signal a distress you fire three rounds and then wait for a reply, which would usually consist of two rounds being fired by a rescuer, if you hear the reply then you fire three more rounds, with a brief pause between each round. Also, try to make sure you're not firing at a time when gunfire would normally be expected (i.e. while the sun is still up and hunting is going on in the area) or else folks may not realize you are signaling distress.

Anyway, I promised to talk about what I keep in my coat (this is my main coat in spring and autumn and I use it in winter when the temperature permits, when the temperature does not permit I leave this coat in my backseat as a "secondary/backup" coat and I switch to a heavy winter coat) so here goes... Disclaimer: The cat is not kept in the coat, he simply wouldn't get off of the blanket when I was taking the picture.

What is in the coat:

Autumn/winter gloves

Autumn/winter hat/helmet liner (German military surplus) with ear-flaps

3.0 inch blade pocket knife (folding locking blade)

Swiss Army pocket knife

Lensatic compass

20 water purification tablets

Magnesium striker (for starting fires)

Pen (you never know when you're going to need a writing utensil, I probably should have a better pen but the pen is mostly so I can write down phone numbers and other information folks may give me when I'm out and about)

Finally, what I keep on my person and take with me everywhere (unless not permitted to by various laws).

1- Springfield XD caliber .40 S&W with three loaded magazines

2- Ruger LCP caliber .380 ACP

3- Incredibly bright handheld energizer flashlight that activates with a push button located on the bottom of the light.

4- 3.0 inch blade pocket knife (folding locking blade)

5- Digital audio/voice recorder (this has a number of uses, I leave it on when driving so it will record the audio of any accident I might be involved with, I leave it on when driving in the event I need to "write" down a list of stuff to buy or if I need to "write" down the name of a song I just heard that I liked without having to engage in the dangerous undertaking of trying to write on a notepad while driving, also and perhaps most importantly it will record any of my conversations and in the unlikely event I wind up in a confrontation it will record who started the confrontation/trouble/problem/etc- check your local laws and see if you live in a two party or one-party notification state, in my state you may record any conversation you are a party to and you do not need to notify the other party/parties that you are recording).

Bryan Reo On The Springfield XDM 9mm

http://bryanreo.blogspot.com/2011/01/bryan-reo-on-springfield-xdm-9mm.html

By Bryan Reo

ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

First I would like to start by saying that in addition to my Springfield XDM 9mm (4.5 inch barrel) I also own a Springfield XD sub-compact in caliber .40 S&W. Also, I previously owned a Springfield 1911A1 (caliber .45 ACP) and I have been at they very least happy/pleased with all of my Springfield weapons. I was satisfied with my 1911A1 (although I traded it for an AR-15) I am more than pleased with my XD sub-compact, and I am thrilled with my XDM.

I recently bought an XDM 9mm and it is of an absolutely stellar design. It is a great improvement over the XD series, which was already an awesome series to begin with.

Perhaps the greatest qualities about this firearm, the Springfield XDM 9mm, are the tremendous accuracy and reliability of the weapon. Out of about six hundred rounds fired thus far there have been no jams, double feeds, stoppages, or any sort of miss-feeds or failures to fire. The pistol is so incredibly accurate you almost have to try to try to miss.

I was able to put 19 rounds into the head of a standard B-27 target at about 20 feet without much effort.

At 40-50 feet it consistently provides accuracy and precision.

The range I shoot at isn't that long so I'll have to wait a while to see how it handles at 100 feet and beyond. Given what I've learned about this pistol from shooting it thus far, I fully expect that it will more than deliver at 100 feet, probably even 150 feet.

Springfield's XDM 9mm with the trijicon night sights (I probably should have mentioned earlier that I went with the model that has night sights) is an absolute winner, a pistol you simply cannot go wrong with.I haven't tried any low-light scenario shooting yet but I anticipate that the night sights will not let me down.

The best part is that I snagged it up for approximately $670 dollars. At the time Springfield was running an incentive offer of THREE free magazines when you filled out a form and sent it in with a copy of your receipt, their magazine offer merely sealed the deal when it came to my decision to buy the XDM 9mm.

Again, those of you who know Bryan Reo, know that when he endorses a gun, it is a winner!

http://www.the-m-factor.com/html/home.html

Update- as of January 2012 an additional quantity of rounds, approximately 1500 in total, have been put through my Springfield XDM 9mm and not a single failure or mishap has occurred.

Bryan Reo On The Ruger LCP

http://bryanreo.blogspot.com/2011/01/bryan-reo-on-ruger-lcp.html

By Bryan Reo

ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

I purchased a Ruger LCP .380 pocket pistol a few weeks ago and am thoroughly impressed with the weapon. It is reliable, accurate, and incredibly light in terms of weight.

Even though it is so compact and small it still handles well and is easily kept on target.

At a distance of approximately ten (10) feet it is just about impossible to miss your target. I consistently fired all seven rounds (six in the magazine and one in the chamber) into the chest/center mass of a silhouette target at distances between 8 and 12 feet. Arguably the pistol isn't for long range encounters but rather close up work when things have gotten nasty and it's time to get down to business. At a distance of approximately ten feet I posted two targets and fired three rounds into one and four rounds into the other, with all of the hits either being in the mid or upper chest and one hit in the neck/throat. You just draw and fire, it is that easy, and as long as you're lined up with the target it is basically impossible to miss.

The Ruger LCP can fit easily into any pocket you select, be it a front pocket or back pocket and it can be drawn out easily, particularly when used in conjunction with the Blackhawk holster made specifically for the Ruger LCP.

Just make sure to remember to take the pistol out of your pants at the end of the day because it is so light you might forget it is there! For an easy to handle and easy to carry light-weight pocket pistol, or for a backup/secondary carry pistol, the Ruger LCP cannot be beat.

Those of you who know Bryan Reo know that when he endorses a gun, it is a winner.

http://www.ruger.com/products/lcp/index.html?r=y

Bryan Reo Endorses The 2011 Toyota Tacoma

http://bryanreo.blogspot.com/2011/01/bryan-reo-endorses-2011-toyota-tacoma.html

By Bryan Reo

ALL RIGHTS RESERVED




I, Bryan Reo, having been a loyal Toyota customer/owner (my previous vehicle being a Toyota Camry) had a yearning for a truck and so it was only natural to explore the Toyota Tacoma as an option. I am glad that I considered the Toyota Tacoma and extremely glad that I ultimately picked the Toyota Tacoma.

Specifically I went with a V-6, 4WD, 4 door, double cab, short-bed, with an off-road package and a V-6 towing package.

I've put almost 5,000 miles on it in just two months and I can safely say it is a superb vehicle. It handles very smoothly and doesn't sway about in the winter as some people report that trucks do, nor does it seem impacted by wind that much. The Tacoma almost effortlessly glides over sand and is just about as effective when in mud. The off-road capabilities of the Tacoma truck are stunning, particularly in that the vehicle retains its crisp and smooth handling while off-road in 4WD and the ride itself is unexpectedly gentle.

A 5 foot short-bed is more than adequate for non-commercial and non-industrial hauling and helps reduce handling issues that might arise with a longer bed. The four door double cab arrangement is optimal for somebody who is more likely to need passenger space than hauling space, and not the sort of "good enough" passenger space that comes with an access cab, but real passenger space. The rear seats are real seats and the leg-room is real leg-room, you don't have to bend and turn about this way or that way to get into the back and fit in the back.

My only gripe is that my Tacoma is lucky to get 20-20.5 miles per gallon (on the highway), while my Camry consistently obtained 30-32 miles per gallon (on the highway), but then again it is a truck and it has more than 2,000 pounds in additional weight than my Camry, so it's not a legitimate complaint. I just wish Toyota could somehow make a truck identical to the 2011 Tacoma except with better gas mileage.

So for those of you out there who care what Bryan Reo has to say (and I know some folks from Mentor High and John Carroll University may very well care), the Toyota Tacoma has met with my approval.

I'm Bryan Reo and I approved this message...

Bryan Reo Has New Cats!

http://bryanreo.blogspot.com/2011/01/bryan-reo-has-new-cats.html

Note, unless otherwise noted, all rights are reserved, nothing in this blog may be republished or otherwise copied/distributed without the express written permission of the owner/operator (Bryan Reo).

After years of neglecting my blog (due to time constraints rather than laziness), I am pleased to make an announcement. Bryan Reo has new cats!

Tigger (tabby) and Puffy (gray)

Pictures are included