FEATURE
Between The Berms: Kool Thing(s)
Direct from the In Case You Missed It file, or the I Wasn't Really Looking For It In The First Place file, is a list of some cool things you might want to consider the next time you go shopping for the perfect Mother's Day, Father's Day, or Editor's Day gift. And yes, that's a totally legit if not fully appreciated holiday....
 Haters gotta hate and girls, well, they don't care. |
Don't Be A Hater... You don't know how appropriate this t-shirt is at the moment. While there seems to be a growing, and rather ugly, undercurrent online of those that don't feel female shooters deserve the credit they get for their shooting accomplishments - they pretty much go so far as to question whether or not they are accomplishments -
this t-shirt from B&T Industries sums up the collective response of the female shooting community. And fairly well, we might add. It reads "Don't Be A Hater Because I Shoot Like A Girl" and is a 100% Gildan tee available in sizes Small to XL. It comes in Pink, Pink or Pink and goes for $15.95.
 This is definitely not TSA approved. |
It's The Bomb... File this under the "I Gotta Have It" category. This
Joel Escalona designed
Bomb USB flash drive is, well, the bomb. Escalona's site artfully points out that his silicon 4Gb Bomb USB Memory is "a flash drive and a toy, not an actual bomb." He describes it as "a metaphoric and conceptual object designed to be shown on a desk or a work place not so much to carry around." Not so much, indeed. Leaving it on the desk is probably a good idea, assuming you don't wish to waste a couple hours of your life explaining it really isn't a bomb to your local TSA agent.
 Every time you pull the trigger it's like you're screaming God Bless America. |
All That Glitters... When Tracy Hughes decided to bling out her own M&P pistol for a zombie shoot by painting the removable backstrap orange with glitter, little did she know it would turn into a new business. First she painted a few for friends who took a liking to her gun. Then sometime around the first of the year, Tracy posted a photo of her work in response to a call for fan photos on the Smith & Wesson Facebook page, and that's when demand for her work exploded and
BrilliantBackstaps.com was born. Now Tracy carries all three sizes of backstraps for both the standard M&P and Compact M&P pistols. Turnaround time is 3-5 days - a little more for custom orders - and prices range from $30 to $50 depending on the number of colors. Currently the most popular design is the American Flag motif. While most of her customers are men, Tracy says that the majority of Brilliant Backstraps' end users are women. However, realizing that more men might want the custom look she offers, sans the girlie glitter of course, Tracy added to her lineup a texturized backstrap with a feel similar to grip tape. In addition to customized backstraps, Tracy offers magazine basepads to match the backstrap design, as well as bejeweled M&P slide cover plates. Like the backstraps, both products are regularly stocked and made to order. You can see more examples of current and future Brilliant Backstraps designs on
their Facebook page, especially you Glock owners as Tracy is looking at expanding into Gen-4 backstraps.
 Fear the Hello Kitty Glock. |
Hello Kitty Tactical... If you can't wait to dress up your Glock then check out
GunGodess.com where you'll find plenty of cool stuff including custom slide cover plates and magazine basepads. And nothing says "I'm a Badass-Deadly-Stealthy-Ninja-Killer" like a Hello Kitty accented Glock - the very definition of
tacti-cool. But if the ultra intimidating pink Hello Kitty theme isn't for you, there are plenty of other color and design options, like the Punisher logo. In addition to Glock bling, GunGoddess.com carries a wide variety of shooting themed accessories (including Brilliant Backstaps) that are sure to set off your 'that's cool' alarm. You can also follow the latest product news from
GunGoddess.com's Facebook page.
 Yeah, she shoots like a girl too. |
DreamGirls: The Book(?)... Author
T.C. McCarthy and his Maxwell Carbine returns - as does the art of the
shameless plug - with the second installment in his Subterrene series,
Exogene.
Publishers Weekly calls it, "Simultaneously heartbreaking and triumphant."
Kirkus Reviews says, "This exciting and thoughtful story marks McCarthy as one of sci-fi's most promising new talents." And
The Guardian notes, "A fascinating creation... Exogene is both disorienting and an effective portrayal of a protagonist with a broken mind." In the book description - or the best Match.com profile, ever - the book's protagonist is described this way: "Catherine is a soldier. Fast, strong, lethal, she is the ultimate in military technology. She's a monster in the body of an eighteen year old girl. Bred by scientists, grown in vats, indoctrinated by the government, she and her sisters will win this war, no matter the cost." Get your sci-fi fix with a copy of
Exogene, out now for $7.99 wherever awesome books are sold....I wonder if Catherine has a Hello Kitty carbine....
The Shooting Wire is always on the lookout for cool stuff so if you come across anything you think we should share with our readers be sure to
email us. And for those of you playing at home, help yourself to a few "walkin' like a panther" bonus points for catching the Kool Thing reference.
- Paul Erhardt, Editor, the Outdoor Wire Digital Network
Got shooting sports news? Send us an email at info@shootingwire.com.
