More photos from SHOT Show 2014

As usual, SHOT Show is a great way to see what's new and exciting in the shooting sports industry. We like to get a preview of all the new products and prototypes that manufacturers roll out at this show, and I'm sure that Stefan will have plenty to talk about when he returns to home base. In the meantime, here are a few more photos from the week.

Mil-Spec Monkey business!

The Mil-Spec Monkey and Stefan looking nice in a tie

Cool guy gear

New SOG Trident

Team Wendy Bump Helmet

Our friend, Shwell also got some great footage on media day that you can check out here:

V-J Day photo

On this day in history, August 14, 1945, one of the most iconic photos was taken in Times Square, NY:

Warms the heart, right?

The photograph, taken with a Leica IIIa, was published a week later in Life magazine among many photographs of celebrations around the United States that were presented in a twelve-page section titled Victory. (Wikipedia)

However, the official US celebration is not on this date. V-J Day is instead celebrated on September 2, the date of the formal signing of the surrender.

News from SHOT Show: New Glock 30s .45

Stefan just snapped and sent me this photo of the new Glock 30s .45 pistol, which debuted this week at SHOT Show. It's a slim .45, designed specifically for concealed carry, and more specifically to make plain-clothed officers' lives easier. Guns.com posted a short video of it in action at the range on media day, on YouTube:

DarkThreads, CRKT @NRA Annual Meeting & Exhibits

Photos: MegaCon 2011

The Christmas Truce, 1914

(photo credit)

"The Christmas truce was a series of widespread unofficial ceasefires that took place along the Western Frontaround Christmas of 1914, during the First World War. Through the week leading up to Christmas, parties ofGerman and British soldiers began to exchange seasonal greetings and songs between their trenches; on occasion, the tension was reduced to the point that individuals would walk across to talk to their opposite numbers bearing gifts. On Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, many soldiers from both sides – as well as, to a lesser degree, from French units – independently ventured into no man's land, where they mingled, exchanging food and souvenirs. As well as joint burial ceremonies, several meetings ended in carol-singing, or – famously – games of football." (Wikipedia)

(photo credit)

"As Mr Felstead remembered it, the peace overture came on Christmas Eve from enemy lines. Soldiers there sang, in German, the Welsh hymn “Ar Hyd y Nos”. Their choice of hymn was taken as a much-appreciated acknowledgment of the nationality of the regiment opposing them in trenches about 100 metres away, and the Royal Welch Fusiliers responded by singing “Good King Wenceslas”."

Read The Economist's profile of the last known survivor, Bernie Felstead, here: http://econ.st/eeyAHv

From Dark Threads, to the troops:

Where ever you are, we wish you peace, and a safe return home!

More photos from The Wasteland 2 event

Photos: AirsoftCon 2010, West Virginia Penitentiary

Check out my photos from AirsoftCon:

It was well worth the drive to West Virginia Penitentiary to attend this event. The venue is the former state penitentiary, but it is now converted into a law enforcement and corrections training and meeting facility. There were vendors, classes, pickup games held inside the old prison, and many opportunities to hang out and chat with fellow airsofters. I hope this becomes an annual event.

More Photos from Origins 2010

http://www.flickr.com/photos/mirvana/tags/darkthreadsorigins2010/

Photos: OP Vanguard, Battlefront, Ohio

Just posted up photos from another event we did last month at Battlefront Paintball in Hubbard, OH.

I had lots of fun that day playing with my airsoft sniper rifle;-) The field has an interesting history, too:

"In 1954, an explosion destroyed a gunpowder production facility located near Hubbard, Ohio. The Plant, which had been in production since the 1800's, was abandoned, and over the years the remaining buildings, bridges and rail lines became reforested and reclaimed by nature."

Photo: Dark Threads @ MAAPR event in MD

Photos: MAAPR Shattered Union event in MD

Photo albums:

http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v415/decayd18/Shattered%20Union%202010/?start=all

http://s789.photobucket.com/albums/yy179/BoxxyLuvNTroll/Shatted%20Union%201/?start=all

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=180070&id=259180445687&l=0e46455e9d - even includes a pic of us!

Videos:

Raffle and recognitions:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LvoSCAyA1xU

http://vholdr.com/node/88672 -Grenades and Humvees

http://vholdr.com/node/88674 -Close Call

Office Take Down - http://vholdr.com/node/88679

Friendly Fire - http://vholdr.com/node/88682

Taking the Field - http://vholdr.com/node/88693

End Game - http://vholdr.com/node/88684

All - http://vholdr.com/users/WhiteWhale

Another office assault - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bfsI0cKpSM8

Official USSMC photo gallery from MegaCon

Lots of great photos in here:

http://taylorphotostudio.com/MGP/USSMC/

One of my faves:


(c) Charlie Taylor

Photos/Review of Wasteland

It was in so many ways awesome, I don't even know where to begin. We arrived on site at Wayne's World of Paintball in Ocala, FL the day before the event to set up. We had trunkloads of props and equipment to put out on the field because we really wanted to capture the essence of the theme: Fallout 3.

I had never been to Wayne's before and got a chance to walk around the field. It's amazing and huge. There are dozens of plywood or concrete buildings and structures, vehicle chassis, and other installations scattered throughout the field, which is otherwise covered in dense foliage. It lends itself well to all sorts of scenarios. Check out the photos here on flickr.

Day of the event, I would guesstimate that we had around 170 players, plus a couple/few dozen staffers and NPCs. I was impressed with how many players and teams that showed up in good costumes and brought their own props to fit in with the theme. A lot of people really showed some effort. I set up the Dark Threads shop just briefly in case anyone needed anything. Surprisingly, we did make a lot of sales in that short time!


After the briefing, the players went onto the field and I took my position at "Craterside Supply" in "Megaton" as the character, Moira Brown. Sorry I didn't get any photos of myself in costume. Maybe someone else did and will share...but I did get a lot of photos of the players coming to me to purchase their weapons upgrades and trade relics for caps (the currency of the Wasteland). Players needed 50 caps to use their AEGs, and 75 to use a SAW. I also employed a mercenary or two, and gave players missions to find stuff for me. I didn't get to see much action outside of Megaton, but later in the afternoon, we were raided and there was a big firefight in Megaton.

The Enclave faction stole the "nuclear bomb" from the crater at the center of town, and some raiders looted my store. Fun times. As night fell, activity waned at Megaton, and I closed Craterside Supply for the night, and went to my tent to get some sleep.

Although we did break for lunch, the game was scheduled to go on through the night. I know that some teams and players took breaks for dinner, or to sleep, but in the morning, there was still a lot of action going on. I know there was a lot going on around "Paradise Falls," which was controlled by the Slaver faction. They occupied a three-story plywood structure, that they had lit up a like a Christmas tree, with strings of lights around the perimeter, and spotlights mounted around the compound, running off a generator that they brought into game. They even had a disco ball! From what I hear, the place was impenetrable, until someone fired a rocket launcher at the tower, and they shut off the lights to simulate a hit. Then, it was overrun.

I also heard that the Brotherhood of Steal obtained their objective - they found the GECK? - a techno device in a suitcase thingy (it was very impressive looking, actually) - in a vault-like structure on site that Mac (MGP) had rigged with a "secured" door. They had to connect some wires in an electrical box on the door, to trigger the cannon fuse, which released the latch on the door.

Of course, there were lots of Raider factions roaming about the field, harassing and robbing other players and merchants. Besides, Moira, there were other NPCs playing wandering merchants in the game.

It ended up being one of the most immersive airsoft games that I ever participated in, and a remarkable blending of an airsoft game with a post-apocalyptic themed LARP. I don't think there has really been anything else like it, and the feedback from the attendees so far has been unprecedentedly positive. Players are posting their AARs up on the Mindgame Productions forums and the Florida airsoft forums.

We are DEFINITELY doing something like this again.

Photos: Diamond Dogs @Camp Blanding

Weekend airsofting

It was a great day for airsofting, and I had a great time. The turnout was great, the field was challenging, the game was dynamic, and another remarkable thing was the unprecedented number of women at the game: at least seven out of roughly 70 players total (that's a guesstimate). I finally, really got to play with my CA M15 XM177, after it was upgraded by Amped Airsoft. What an amazing difference in the performance level! I am very happy with it.

[Work in Progress] PMC loadout

[Redacted: we're going to make some revisions and repost at some point]

D.I. and I are working on PMC loadouts. PMC = private military corporation (i.e. Blackwater). Specifically, we are basing it on the uniforms from the TV Series, Jericho.

D.I. is wearing the Tru-Spec 24x7 series black polo shirt and coyote pants, with a MultiCam rack vest, Wiley X Saber glasses - all available at darkthreads.com. He also has on the Wiley X hybrid gloves with removable knuckle plate, and we can get those for you (I just don't have them listed in the store yet).

Back from MegaCon

At least, D.I. is back. I didn't get to go this year :-(, but I just posted some of the photos that D.I. took. Apparently, a big group of people dressed up in BSG costumes went through the TerrorWerks simulation. It looked like a great time. I wish I coulda been there, doh!

Photos: WHFO2

Awesome and funny military photos

Just stumbled on this great collection of military photos, some funny, some interesting, some are just awesome. Includes images from around the world, and some really old vintage photos, as well.

http://www.darkroastedblend.com/2008/11/awesome-military-funny-pics.html

Which one is your favorite?