Wednesday, February 29, 2012

Option XYFI is 'world's smallest' personal hotspot -- we go hands-on!

via Engadget Mobile by Sean Cooper on 2/29/12

Option's XYFI (pronounced ex-WiFi) was announced earlier this week with little fanfare but piqued our interest with its claim to being the world's smallest personal hotspot. We had an opportunity to look and discuss it at a quiet table at MWC today, a nice change from a showy booth. Option has been out of the data connectivity game in any significant way -- for what seems like forever -- in a segment it once led with some 70% of market share. The XYFI is indeed small and at first glance looks like a simple USB modem and not an access point that can support up to 8 people's roaming internet needs via WiFi or 3G connectivity. The USB plug swivels open in switchblade-style -- we found that little button somehow so soothing -- and then pops into your desktop for a quick 4-step setup. As you've likely sussed, the XYFI doesn't have a battery of its own but rather relies on a beautiful 4000mAh xpal adapter the Option device plugs into -- and once connected we're told you can expect about 8 hours of battery life. Option's other accessories for the XYFI include a plug for the car and AC adapter. We'll admit that Option has a steep hill to climb in the mobile hotspot world, but we're sold already. Pricing should be sub $100 for the XYFI alone and we'll be back with details on the accessories and launch date as soon as can. Gallery of this really sharp looking device follows.

Option XYFI is 'world's smallest' personal hotspot -- we go hands-on! originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 29 Feb 2012 10:29:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Will Doctors Ever Cure Migraines?


Brain Pain Jonathan Carlson

My first migraine arrived in a fuzzy cloud of reds and purples, a stab of pain that left me bent over in the back of an auto-rickshaw, squinting and nauseous, on my morning commute to Connaught Place, in New Delhi. Months later, when I left India, I thought that the headaches would disappear along with the chaos of the overcrowded capital. They didn't. And finally, after months spent stumbling into my room, drawing the curtains, and lying in the darkness for hours wishing for sleep, I went to an internist, who prescribed a brain scan. When he found nothing, he told me what I already suspected: migraines. I asked him the cause, but all he could say was, "Stress, probably, which can mean any number of things."

It was an unsatisfying answer, but accurate-36 million Americans suffer from migraines, and no one knows why. In the seven years since my diagnosis, neurologists have come closer to understanding how migraines work. Last summer at a conference, David Dodick, a neurologist at the Mayo Clinic in Arizona and the president of the American Headache Society, explained that the thalamus, the region of the brain responsible for sensory information and sleep cycles, was "acting as a sort of railway station to transmit migraine pain to pain receptors throughout the brain." Scientists have also developed a treatment for migraines in which a tiny subcutaneous battery is wired to the patient's spine to deliver small pulses of electricity to the thalamus. The method, which falls under a broad range of treatments called neurostimulation, seems to derail the thalamus's pain transmissions during a migraine.

Despite this progress, the gulf between treating migraines and curing them is still broad. Neurologists in Belgium, Italy, Germany and Chicago have confirmed that neurostim prevents pain, but just why it works is a mystery. As a team at the University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf wrote, "underlying neuronal mechanisms are . . . still unknown." Even with treatments in hand, scientists appear trapped in a Zeno's paradox of research: The closer they come to discovering the cause of migraines, the more baffling the brain gets. They've found the railway station but don't yet understand its switches.

To better comprehend why scientists seem further than ever from finding the cause of migraines, I called James Fallon, a neuroscientist at the University of California at Irvine. Fallon teaches deep-brain stimulation, a method of treatment that's similar to neurostim. After nearly four decades studying the mysteries of the brain, he said he has come to realize that we may never have all the answers. Everyone's brain is different, he said, so a cure would have to be as unique as my migraines are to me. The aura I saw that day in India-a fuzzy cloud of reds and purples-had everything to do with my brain at that precise moment in time. I've never seen a vision like it since. Our brains are as singular as we are, so it's no surprise that the cure to their ailments may be beyond our ken.

Check out more from our Future of Medicine issue here.

Survival Shelter on a Budget

via @The Survivalist Blog by M.D. Creekmore on 2/29/12

This is a guest post and entry in our non-fiction writing contest  by Doc Wacholz

Welded door w/ door swung openIn April 2011, we saw one of the worst tornado outbreaks ever in the Southeast. On April 27th alone, there were 208 tornadoes with four being EF5’s tearing across hundreds of miles of the countryside, killing hundreds of people and destroying hundreds of millions of dollars in property across six states. This was the catalyst (amongst other things) to build a root / storm/ survival shelter.This is not the easiest way or maybe the best way build a shelter, but it worked well for me and my budget. First I live in a region of the country where I have hills to dig into. So I choose a location near the house, not too far away, in close running distance.I dug out (with my tractor) a twenty-foot wide swatch and twenty-foot back into the side of the mountain. I left the bottom of the hole about eighteen inches above the valley ground level, that is in front of the hole. This will help keep any water flowing into the valley, out of the structure area. To also help aid in water drainage, I cut a shovel wide trench above the structure area, so water coming from the ridge above is diverted away.Digging around the perimeter of my newly dug hole, where the “survival shelter” was to be built, I added a French drain. A French drain is basically a shallow trench with 6” septic drainage pipe, with holes on the top that allows the water to flow down and out. A nylon sock encompassed the pipe to keep debris and dirt out of it.This trench was dug where with a downgraded out flow. This French drain will direct water away from the structure and down into the valley. I then added about 8 inches of rock over the drain and in the area where the shelter was to be placed. This again allows for better drainage of water from under and around the structure.I contacted a local concrete septic tank builder and explained what I was doing. With a few pencil sketches of my shelter, he was able to add extra reinforcement steel where needed and vent holes for incoming and outgoing air. He placed a four-inch vent hole at the bottom left front corner for incoming air and one at the top right front corner for outgoing air.He also took the time to Dam Tight the bottom of the tank for me at no extra charge. The 10 foot by 6 foot by 6 foot high, 1500 gallon tank cost $750. delivered in place. The tank came in two pieces and weighed a total of twelve thousand pounds. The halves pieced together with a V groove and some thick rubber sticky material that acted as a seal all the way around. I added hydraulic cement on the seam to help water proof it a bit more. Before I cut the door way, I put two coats of Dam Tight and three coats of rubber roofing material on four sides and the roof top.Survival Shelter partially backfilled and complete

I rented a concrete saw, and then cut a door way into the structure, leaving the bottom of the door four inches above the shelter floor. Again helping keep any water from coming in. The thickness of the tank is four inches, with rebar and wire throughout the structure. “A car could drive over this structure with no problem”, according to the maker. Not that we are going to try it, but adding dirt to the roof does add weight so this was a bit reassuring.

Building the door took a little planning. I utilized four-foot by eight foot, 1/8” thick steel plates that would rise two feet above the roof line. The steel door hole cut, would be 1 inch bigger all the way around then the hole cut into the concrete structure. This way when the door closes, it will have a tight rubber seal to close on.

I considered using ¼ inch steel plate, but the weight would have been twice the 1/8 inch steel which still weighs 300 pounds or better. The inside lock has not been welded, but will done near the end of the project. There is an outside door lock welded on already. The door will be Red Headed onto the concrete structure.

Before back filling, I added pink foam for a little insulation on the back and sides with Liquid Nails. Now the back filling begins. At the point I took the pictures, with the back and sides being filled in. Once the door is in place I will place 4 inch by 4 inch PT posts stacked upright behind the door, on the roof, so the dirt has a place to stop. That is why the door is two feet higher than the roofline.

The dirt on top of the roof will be approximately four-foot deep on the back side and two foot on the front side to keep the slope of the ridge the way it was. Of course these 4 x 4 posts will be nailed, screwed and glued together as this holding wall is built. By the deadline of this article, I really don’t know if this structure will be complete, due to rain, snow and the cold, but I will entail the rest of my plans, like I just did.

Before back filling the roof, it will have insulation, plastic material plus roofing material that will help keep water off the roof and direct it one foot or better past the sides of the shelter. This will be in place before I back fill the roof area. Back filling the space above the roof and behind the structure will take nearly 83 cubic yards of dirt. I guess I made the hole a bit bigger then I really needed. Small over sight I’m sure you can correct!

With the door in place and the 4 x 4 lumber on, and the roof backfilled, now comes the front of the structure. I will do the same type retaining wall (as on the roof) on the sides of the door. I choose the same wood, 4 inch by 4 inch PT posts that will stack upright and go six feet out from the structure. These wood retaining walls will be on each side of the door, attached to the door and will hold dirt that will be covering up the front of the structure.

Utilizing the septic manufacturer again, he pours these two foot by two foot by four-foot wide concrete reinforcement blocks that weigh one ton each. I plan on stacking these four-foot out away from the structure. These will be stacked three high, making a six-foot high wall in front of my structure. Sure this is overkill, but that is my middle name!

After these blocks snug up against my 4 by 4 wood retaining walls alongside the doors, I will back fill that area with dirt. This will give me a 2 foot thick concrete barrier with 4 feet of dirt in front of my structure. Of course, I will paint the concrete blocks to match the surrounding foliage. When this is complete I will grow grass and ivy on the roof area to help keep the soil in place and blend and bushes in the front to hide it.

Now for the inside, I choose a thin layer of insulation for the ceiling and walls. This will keep the echoes down inside plus keep from getting a knot on the head when I stand up! For the floor I like the industrial rubber floor mats, as the dirt falls below the mat through the holes. As for the ventilation, I am exploring several options with no decision made yet.

Of course by now, I have all the necessary survival food, gear and tools in place and ready to move in. So we don’t get a tornado…we don’t have a mass extinction event…now I have a great root cellar and a fort for my 5-year-old to play in. All in all it costs about $2000 and some diesel fuel for my tractor to build. Not bad…for an old country boy in the mountains!

This is an entry in our non-fiction writing contest where you could win:

First Prize) Winner will receive a Nomad – 1 Person Standard Survival Package courtesy of Shepherd Survival Supply, a One Month Food Pack courtesy of Augason Farms, a $150 gift certificate for Remington Ammo courtesy of LuckyGunner.com  and a EcoZoom’s Versa Stove courtesy of EcoZoom stoves. A total prize value of over $875.

Second Prize) Winner will receive two (2) Rothco Sure Paks With Heater courtesy of Camping Survival, a Wise Food Vegetable bucket courtesy of LPC Survival and a Wonder Junior hand grain mill courtesy of Kitchen Kneads. A total prize value of over $509.

Third Prize) Winner will receive 3 – 27 Variety of Non Hybrid, Heirloom Non GMO Survival Seeds, 2 – Fruit Pack of Non Hybrid, Heirloom Non GMO Survival Seeds and 2- First Aid Kit with Sutures in a Waterproof Resealable Bag courtesy of  Be Prepared Now. A total prize value of over $215.

Contest ends on March 30 2012.


Originally at: The Survivalist Blog dot Net Copyright © 2012 · All Rights Reserved

More uses for your Box Account on Android

via The Gadgeteer by Ian Lim on 2/29/12

Okay, you’ve got your free 50GB Android Box Account, you’ve set your Box account up as a network drive, what else can you do with it ? If you use Dolphin HD browser on your Android device, then you can load the Box for Dolphin extension.  So while you’re surfing and you find a site that you want to save because you’ve run out of time, or your phone screen’s too small, or you don’t really want to play that video in public…  just click on the Box for Dolphin Extension in your right sidebar and save the link to your Box account for later. When you get home, open your Box account, click on the link and away you go. :)

Filed in categories: Android related, News

Tagged: ,

More uses for your Box Account on Android originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on February 29, 2012 at 9:00 am.

AT&T Customers Campaign Against Data Policies

via Phone Scoop - Latest News by Eric M. Zeman on 2/29/12

AT&T is facing a customer backlash now that it is enforcing certain network management policies. Last year, the company announced plans to throttle data speeds of the top 5% of customers. Though it varies market-to-market, many customers have reported being throttled once they reach approximately 2GB of data per month. One customer in California successfully sued AT&T in small claims court over the throttling and won an $850 judgement (AT&T is appealing that case). Now, another customer has started a campaign on Change.org in an attempt to get AT&T to alter its data policies. The customer complains that her account was throttled once she reached 2GB of data usage per month, even though AT&T offers 3GB plans. So far, 9,500 other AT&T customers have signed the petition. An AT&T spokesperson said the company had already throttled data speeds for about 200,000 of its customers who were using about 2GB of data per month. AT&T has some 17 million customers with unlimited plans who could be affected by the throttling policy.

The final resting place of Jesus found ?

via Unexplained Mysteries on 2/29/12

Archaeologists believe they may have located the final resting place of Jesus himself in Jerusalem. The team had been using a robotic arm to probe und...

Michigan - Romney Wins Popular, Santorum Wins Delegates

via Sean Hannity Discussion by Conservatizzle on 2/28/12

I'm guessing we won't see any publications at all with this headline tomorrow regarding Michigan, even though it is 100% true.

And considering that delegates are all that matter at the convention, I'd say the argument could be made Rick won Michigan.

Taurus Model 405 .40 Caliber Revolver Review

via The Firearm Blog by Phil White on 2/28/12

Note: For a fine selection of 40 S&W caliber Ammunition please visit Guns For Sale.com

A short while ago Taurus released a new revolver in .40 S&W. The model 405 uses moon clips in order to accommodate this semi-auto round. This is Taurus’s first venture into this type of revolver. The 405’s are slightly smaller than a S&W K frame in size with a two inch barrel. It holds five rounds of 40 caliber ammunition.

Construction is stainless steel with a fully shrouded barrel. The version I received for review has a hammer but I understand a hammerless version is in the works. The 405 comes with five moon clips as well as two keys for the safety system. The grips are standard Taurus ribbed rubber grips. The sights are fixed plain sights. The trigger is wide and smooth which felt good when firing the revolver.

DSC 0396 540x359 Taurus Model 405 .40 Caliber Revolver Review photo

The cylinder locks up tight thanks to the standard rear lockup as well as an additional lock at the front of the cylinder. Both locks are freed when the rear release is activated. The cylinder to forcing cone is a very close fit as it should be.

The fit and finish is very good. The single action trigger pull is good but the double action pull is rather heavy at 13.5 pounds. I imagine after a good deal of use it will lessen somewhat. The Taurus also has the usual transfer bar safety should you release the hammer while manually cocking the gun.

Specifications

Model: 405SS2
Finish: Stainless
Status: Available
Caliber: .40
UPC: 7-25327-60964-3
Capacity: 5
Barrel Length: 2″
Weight 29 .oz
Frame: Small
Order #: 2-405029

DSC 0399 540x359 Taurus Model 405 .40 Caliber Revolver Review photo

I did have a problem with this revolver. I’m not sure if it’s a combination of the ammunition brand and type or the gap between the rear of the cylinder and the frame and or the thin moon clips. I used both Federal 180 grain flat nose and Blazer 165 grain round nose ammunition. I started with the Federal 180 grain ammunition which, on average, locked the cylinder once every two cylinders fired. When I used the 165 grain Blazer there were no problems at all.

There are several possible reasons for these malfunctions. I noticed the moon clips are very thin and easily bent. On older S&W revolvers the moon clips are thicker and pretty sturdy. In fact most need a tool to remove the brass from the clips. This is not the case with the Taurus moon clips. The brass was very easy to remove after the rounds were fired. After experiencing this failure several times I loaded one clip with empty brass from the Federal ammo and one with the Blazer ammo. I held the gun close enough to hear any binding between the brass and the rear of the frame. There was a scrapping sound when I rotated the cylinder with the Federal brass while there was no sound with the Blazer brass.

Something else I noted with the Federal ammo was the empty brass was rather hard to eject while the Blazer came right out when ejected. Now this would tend to make me believe the ammunition not agreeing with this revolver caused the problem. Another thought that crossed my mind was the thin moon clips. These thin clips could bend just enough to bind with the 180 grain ammunition.

DSC 0397 540x359 Taurus Model 405 .40 Caliber Revolver Review photo

This revolver is an early production model but I hesitate to blame the gun considering the above rather unscientific test I performed. By no means would I say stay away from this revolver rather I would advise a new owner not to use the Federal 180 grain ammunition without test firing it extensively.

The revolvers unique size makes it difficult to find a holster for it at this time. Some universal holsters for medium revolvers will fit. I have a couple of these, which worked fine. I also tried a leather belt slide holster for a S&W K frame. The Taurus fit but a bit loosely. If you have a K frame holster with a thumb snap you should be good to go. I’m sure several holster companies will have holsters for the 405 fairly soon.

Range Time

I’ve covered the ammunition I used for the range session so there’s no need to be redundant.

All of my shooting was done from the ten yard line in double and single action. As I mentioned earlier the double action pull was rather heavy which hurt accuracy. The double action groups were on average three inches. In single action the groups averaged just under two inches.

The recoil was stout considering the 29 oz. weight of the revolver. In fact when firing the 180 grain load it was a bit unpleasant after 50 or so rounds. With some of the current defense loads in lighter bullet weights recoil shouldn’t be a concern.

DSC 0400 540x359 Taurus Model 405 .40 Caliber Revolver Review photo

Conclusion

While I did have a problem with the Taurus I tend to lean more toward an ammunition cause rather than the gun itself. Overall with the right defensive ammunition this would be a viable option for home or personal protection. The price is also half what a S&W would cost for those on a budget.

The use of moon clips is the fastest way to load and re-load a revolver. Granted it’s an older system that pre-dates speed loaders however it is a superior way to load a revolver. I would like to see Taurus make the moon clips a bit sturdier even if the shooter has to use a tool to remove the brass.

This Taurus fires a very effective round so for those who prefer a revolver you might want to check this model out.

Mayan Pyramid Fires Energy Beam Into the Sky or iPhone Sensor Glitch? YOU PI...

via Gizmodo by Jesus Diaz on 2/28/12

As if it wasn't enough with imbeciles claiming that the Earth will be consumed by a supernova or a hungry black hole in 2012, now we are getting photos of Mayan pyramids firing energy beams into the sky. Great. Just great. More »


iOS security loophole lets apps grab user photos

via CNET News.com on 2/28/12

A software feature that lets apps access user location has also been found to give developers access to that user's entire photo library.

Siri vs. Android: Which Is Better at Understanding Voice Commands? [Video]

via Gizmodo by Brent Rose on 2/28/12

Motorola created a bit of a stir yesterday when it released a video compared Android's Voice Actions on the Atrix 2 with iOS's Siri on an iPhone 4S. Fanboys screamed foul in the comments, so we decided to test it out for ourselves. And yes, there's a very clear winner. More »


Verizon Wireless Should Have Shared Data Family Plans Available By The Middl...

via Android Phone Fans by Chris Chavez on 2/28/12

This image has no alt text

Speaking at an investors conference, Verizon’s CTO Fran Shammo revealed that the long rumored “shared data family plans” will be made available to Verizon Wireless customers sometime in the middle of the year. Apparently, the carrier has spent a full year getting everything up and ready on their end. According to Shammo, the new plan wont include everyone at first with the carrier focusing on “long-term migration.” Instead, their new plans will be to made available for current 4G data subscribers initially.

He also revealed that while Verizon is quick to advertise their blazing fast 4G LTE network in just about every television ad, realistically, only about 5% of their customers are actually using it. Verizon has long been trying to move their customers and adopt 4G with discounted handset incentives, promotions  and marketing blitz. Verizon will continue rolling out their 4G network with plans to cover there entire 3G markets with 4G by 2013.

This news will most likely be music to many a Verizon customers’ ears. Shared data with single account billing could prove much more affordable if done right and echoes competing carrier Sprint, who has offered unlimited shared data family plans for years now. Still, it makes you wonder, with only 5% of customers currently using 4G LTE, how will their network hold up with 40 or 50% of customers using up all that bandwidth?

[FierceWireless]

 

The Next Generation Wi-Fi Looms | John C. Dvorak | PCMag.com

Dwight A. Hunt, Sr. A+, MCP
Desktop Support Specialist - Lead

Facebook and Twitter: dahuntsr

Sent from my iPad2 

Practice pays off

via Gun Nuts Media by Caleb on 2/28/12

I drill my reloads pretty consistently; for whatever reason I’ve always enjoyed working on getting the gun back into action when it’s out of bullets. This promo video we shot for Lone Wolf actually has a good example of a smoking reload in it from a couple of angles.

I actually got the second mag up to the gun quick enough that I hit the falling mag and bounce it off in a weird direction. To be honest, I probably practice reloads more than I need to, but at the Indoor Nationals I was very glad that I did. I had to reload in the dark. Not in low light or limited light, but just the dark. I couldn’t see the gun or the magazine or anything, but both of the reloads I had to do in no light I nailed just fine.

The point is that practice really does pay off. I’ve done hundreds of reloads in practice over the past couple of months. If there’s a particular match skill that you’re struggling with, drill it. Don’t overtrain, but drill it hard until you reach a level of automatic proficiency with it. I’ve actually over-trained my reloads at this point, and need to reduce the number of reps I do with those in favor of working on my draw for a little bit. Because reloads were my major weakness, and now they’re not…so it’s time to drill something else.

Video: Flamethrowing Navy Railgun Blasts Terrifying Projectiles Through Supe...


Railgun Blast The Navy is testing its newest electronmagnetic railgun, the first of two industry-built launchers to be delivered. Office of Naval Research
First test fire of new prototype is a success

A new prototype of the Navy's weapon of the future just completed its first test, blasting a chunk of metal through the air at speeds up to 5,600 MPH. Watch below as the Navy's electromagnetic railgun spews a formidable jet of orange flame.

The best part is when the air behind the speeding projectile blurs with heat!

Defense giant BAE Systems delivered the prototype railgun Jan. 30 and the Naval Surface Warfare Center Dahlgren Division just started testing it. The Navy has tested other designs in the lab, but this one is the first industry-built model. Tests will last two months, during which the Navy will check out the railgun's structural integrity and barrel life. Another model, built by General Atomics, is due to be delivered in April.

This one is a 32-megajoule demonstrator, according to the Office of Naval Research - for comparison, one megajoule of energy is equivalent to a 1-ton car thrust at 100 MPH.

The eventual goal is a ship-mounted 20- to 32-megajoule weapon that shoots a distance of 50 to 100 nautical miles. It shoots projectiles using electricity instead of chemicals, which would theoretically be safer because you would not have to tote dangerous gunpowder on a ship. It uses an electric field to accelerate a metal conductor between two rails and launch a projectile.

Here's a video of a previous test.

Web Blast Extra: Airguns

via Guns Magazine by guns on 2/28/12

More Airguns & Airsoft Semi-Silly Seriousness

If your interest is stimulated, no matter in which direction — airgun, airsoft, training, hunting, gaming or recreational plinking, you’ve got some studying to do. What does AEG stand for? What the heck is a “hop-up”? Do you want to run CO2, use refillable compressed air canisters or stick to spring-powered guns? There are different weights of softair BB’s — which is better for what application? You’ve got inert, marking, and even biodegradable BB’s.

The good news is, the choices are so many and the operating systems so different you can pretty much find exactly what you want and need. The bad news is the same — you’ve got a TON of options to go through and a lot to learn. But, your study time can give you big returns. Good luck! Now, more info on cool airsoft and airguns!
By John Connor

SMG

Close-up of the 100-round belt as it exits the Tippmann SMG .22 receiver. The SMG .22 is the first .22 caliber pellet-firing fully automatic airgun, and a real game-changer in the field. Workmanship is excellent, and Tom Gaylord, the original “Mister Picky-Picky” of airgun gurus, gives it a hearty good to go! With it you get two 100-round belts, one assembled and one in loose links, in case you want to use that one for spares or make different capacity belts. The aluminum body and steel rifled barrel are high quality and built to last.

You might think the belts would be a pain to load, but with the included belt loading tool, it’s not bad at all. The only reason you’ll have to be frustrated is when you DO have to reload after rippin’ off bursts at up to 12 rounds per second! See the print version in the May/June 2012 Handgunner for an over-all picture of the gun.

pws

Another high quality Mad Bull airsoft gun: The PWS Diablo.
Here’s just one of Mad Bull’s airsoft long guns, a licensed replica of Primary Weapons Systems’ 5.56mm short-barrel Diablo carbine. The firearm uses a hybrid operating system that looks like kind of a mix of the best features of the Stoner AR and Kalashnikov AK. The softair replica uses a rechargeable air electric motor (AEG) to feed 6mm BB’s from the magazine, fired semi or full auto. Many of the components Mad Bull uses are every bit the same quality as those found on their “real firearm” brethren, as evidenced by their other licensed products from makers like Noveske, Barrett, Daniel Defense and more. You can learn a heck of a lot from their websites at www.socomgear.com, www.echo1usa.com and www.madbull.com.

condor

The TalonP’s long-range big brother: The Condor. The folks at AirForce Airguns are serious about “passing gas,” and the Condor is proof of it. It is the most powerful pre-charged airgun available, capable of driving a .22 caliber lead pellet at 1,250 feet per second with amazing accuracy. The unique valve system assures consistent releases of air from the tank, and it’s easy for the user to dial the velocity up or down from 600 to 1,300 fps depending on power setting, caliber and pellet weight. Dial it down for target shooting at closer ranges and up for small game hunting at longer distances. An integral extended `scope rail provides plenty of room for optics and other accessories. The Condor is available in .25, .22, .20 and .177 caliber.

crosman1

crosman2

More Marine Corps licensed airsoft guns from Crosman! The pistol on the left is Crosman’s CP02, and I think it’s an even better airsoft gun than the SP01 you saw in the print mag. This one is CO2 powered, and a portion of the gas passed in firing powers realistic slide blow-back action as well as pushing those 6mm BB’s out at 275-300 fps. Capacity is 26 rounds, and the all-metal magazine ejects for easy reloading of CO2 and BB’s.

The gun at right is their ER02 carbine, which is dual-powered: spring for single shots on semi, and AEG electrically driven for automatic fire at 600 rounds per minute. It also shoots 6mm BB’s, and has a capacity of 76 rounds.

sw1

crosman2

A pair of airsoft winners from Umarex USA. The Smith & Wesson M&P R8 revolver we showed you in print is a steel BB shooter, so we wanted to show you that Umarex USA makes some nice airsoft guns too. The pistol at left is their Elite Force 1911, a CO2 powered popper with blowback action, a 16-round drop-free magazine, single and double action trigger, and 345 fps velocity. The carbine on the right looks like an HK G36, doesn’t it? That’s because it’s a licensed copy, the HK G36C, featuring a 400 round magazine, a high-torque AEG motor, blowback action and it matches the 1911’s velocity of 345 fps on full auto.

blackbird

Russian-American rolling thunder: TheDrozdMax Tactical Edition Blackbird. Like the SWAT Edition shown in print, this puppy started out in life as a stock Russian Drozd Blackbird, a cool and interesting BB gun in its own right, but enhanced to the max by the wizards at DrozdMax. First they added their BBMax rpm modification chip which boosted performance to 1,200 rounds per minute, then installed an upgraded 23 5/8″ rifle barrel and an AR-15 style adjustable buttstock. A high-capacity 48cu air tank combined with the increased barrel length results in 750 fps velocity and 600 full-power shots per tank of air. Just think about that for a minute… Yeah, it’s a BB gun — but it sure ain’t your grandpa’s boyhood BB gun!

For more info:
www.air-ordnance.com
www.socomgear.com
www.airforceairguns.com
www.crosman.com
www.marinesairsoft.crosman.com
www.umarexusa.com
www.drozdmax.com

>> Click Here << To Read More About Airguns in the American Handgunner May/June 2012 Issue