SOG Aegis

 

 

First of all...the specs:

 

Blade Length:          3.5"                                                               

Blade Thickness:    .125"

Blade Material:        Aus 8

Blade Finish:          Black TiNi or Satin

Blade Type:            Spear Point - Full Flat Ground

Weight:                   3.1oz

Closed Length:       4.75"

Overall Length:       8.25"

Handle Material:     GRN (With Black Rubber Inserts)

Pocket Clip:            Right or Left Handed - Tip Up Only

HRC:                      57-58

Price:                      $66 (TiNi Coated Blade),  $57 (Satin Finished Blade)

 

 

Pros:

 

Extremely lightweight - It's easy to forget that you're carrying this knife. This is not a blade that you'll leave home because of the weight. I just got done with a 20 mile bike ride before finishing up this review. I didn't even notice the Aegis in my cargo pocket (Nope...no stretchy bicycle shorts for me).

 

Blade Material - I like AUS 8 steel. It holds a decent edge and I really don't enjoy sharpening knives. The TiNi coating gives good corrosion resistance and I carry this knife a lot when outside or riding the bike. It gets exposed to a lot of perspiration. I haven't seen any rust along the edge. That's about the only place on this knife that is exposed.

AUS 8 is a Japanese steel that is supposed to compare to the Chinese made 8Cr13mov. If that's the case then it should hold an edge OK, be pretty easy to sharpen and have so so corrosion resistance. I've heard that the AUS 8 is a little better than the Chinese steel but I'm still glad that I got the knife with the TiNi coating. I've seen 8Cr13mov rust before and if AUS 8 is similar I would always prefer some added corrosion protection.

 

Blade Length - You get a nicely shaped 3.5" full flat ground blade. I almost always prefer the 3.5" blades  since you get a bit more knife without adding a lot of extra weight. They're still usually easily concealed.

I will say that if you have shorter pockets (Like in women's jeans)  you may have to go with a smaller EDC knife. I learned this when I got my daughter a Benchmade Mini Griptilian and found that it didn't fit very well in skinny jeans. I knew that there were different issues for women and guns but never considered that they may have a harder time carrying some pocket knives. Live and learn.

I don't have any trouble with the folded lengths of most knifes with a 3-4" blade so why not carry as large as possible? 

 

Blade To Handle Ratio - I HATE it when you get a short little blade coming out of a large handle. My Cold Steel Mini AK-47 is annoys in this regard. The SOG Aegis doesn't have any wasted handle length and the blade to handle ratio is just about perfect.

 

Pocket Clip - In my opinion SOG sets the standard for how pocket clips should be done.

The clip looks very pen like in your pocket. I like that. I don't really care if anyone knows I'm carrying a pocket knife but then why advertise it. A stainless steel clip will really shine against when sticking out of a pocket. 

Some people may work in an environment that's not very knife friendly. It's sometimes better to go low profile and the deep carry, dark clip and pen like appearance helps to cut down on the aggravation. It's funny. Some personality types will worry themselves to death about a coworker carrying a pocket knife yet they never even notice the fire axe in the hallway.

The blackened pocket clip is just about perfect. The Aegis carries deeper than my other EDC knives and I find myself comparing everything to the SOG.

It's also reversible for left or right hand carry. It is however only positioned for tip up carry.

 

Handle- The Zytel handle is lightweight and gives pretty good traction. There are a lot of interesting shapes and grooves molded into the grip. I don't find it all slippery. The small rubber inserts help a little. There is a little jimping on the back of the handle. It's OK. Every little bit is appreciated. 

The handle fits the hand very well and it's a comfortable grip. I can't imagine this sliding around in my hand even when wet.

 

Blade Shape - It's a good blade shape for normal use. I wouldn't say that it would work well for everyone. I don't know if I would pick this knife if I was a paramedic.

 My stepfather looks at every knife shape and judges it by how good of a skinning knife it would be. I haven't hunted in years so that's not an issue with me. I wouldn't use an assisted opening knife for that task anyway. The point is everyone has different criteria when buying a knife.

I just need an EDC (Every Day Carry) blade for normal jobs in an urban lifestyle. I haven't run across a task that this knife and blade shape cannot handle (Yet).

Blade centering is perfect BTW. There's also jimping on the back of the blade. I'd like it better if the jimping ran a little further down the blade but it's decent enough.

 

Deployment - Blade deployment speed is OK. I've seen other knives that were faster but I have no complaints. The thumb stud is easy to get to and the blade deploys with a normal amount of effort.

 

Ease Of Use - One handed operation is no problem. That's not always the case with EDC knives. There are a few brands on the market that are hard to operate single handed.

 

Sharpness - The SOG Aegis came very sharp from the factory. It's held a edge very well so far and all that I've had to do is touch it up a little.

 

Lock - I really like the Arc Lock on the SOG Aegis. Of course I'm a little biased since I prefer the lock in that position.

The blade locks out tight, it's easy to disengage the lock when you want to but I can't see myself unlocking the blade by accident.

 

 

 

Cons:

 

Blade Tip - The tip is thin and delicate looking. I think that it's strong enough for normal tasks and for jobs that need a  more precise point (Digging out splinters for example). This knife isn't the best choice for anything  requiring a hard use blade.  I don't think that I would pick this SOG for a camp knife and I definitely wouldn't use it to pull staples out of 2x4's or fence rails.

 

Lockup - Lockup is just a little loose from side to side. Front to back is pretty tight. Tightening the pivot screw on my Aegis slows down deployment so it's a bit of a balancing act between speed and lockup.

I recently gave a Mini Aegis as a gift and there was a little side to side movement in the blade on that model as well. I wouldn't consider that a deal breaker.  It is somewhat disappointing since I have knives (Kershaws) that cost a third of the price and still lock up tighter.

 

Strength - I haven't tested this knife that hard. I've cut up some cardboard, old nylon straps and used it in day to day tasks for several months. It's done fine but I make it a point to grab something like a CRKT if I need something more solid.

I see this knife as something like a gentleman's folder for the black gear crowd. That's the niche that I envision for it. Think of it as kind of like a CRKT Ripple for the guys that like the tactical (Looking) gear.

There are no liners and there's a little flex in the handle material if you try to squeeze them together. 

My CRKT M16-13Z only weighs 4oz more yet locks up much tighter and still has liners. It's kind of like comparing apples and oranges but I think that the knife could be a little stronger. Of course the weight would no doubt increase and I'm sure that the price would change.

 

Safety Lock - This is not really a con. It's there and some will hate it. It's unobtrusive enough that it doesn't bother me.  I don't use it and I've never accidentally found it locked when I needed it. The safety lock engages and disengages easily without being able to move on it's own when shifting around in a pocket.

As this knife only carries tip up some might like idea of having a safety. I have only had one assisted opening knife (S&W) accidentally open in my pocket but it was a shorter blade. I had spent the day rolling around under some furniture that I was sanding. Other than that one instance I've never had a blade open accidentally. It might be worth using the lock if you're changing your oil, crawling around under the house, etc. 

 

No Lanyard Hole - I don't really care about that but some might. I guess it depends on what you're using it for. You could get some paracord around the clip if you needed to.

 

There's not a lot that I don't like about this knife. I could have gotten other lightweight models such as the Benchmade Griptilian if I needed more strength in a folder. 

The Aegis lineup includes a tanto bladed model for those that need a stronger tip so that shouldn't be an issue if you use your knife a little harder than I do. 

As I said earlier, I see this as kind of a gentleman's folder. I don't see it being suitable as a  great tactical knife but it could easily be pressed into service for defensive use in an emergency.

 

I knew what I was getting when I bought this blade and am satisfied with it overall. I probably carry this about 50% of the time and rotate the rest of my EDC blades. I'd recommend it.

I guess the test would be if I would replace it if it were lost or broken. The answer is yes.

 

SOG Aegis on top, Mini Aegis on bottom

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What Is A Daywalker?

Surprisingly not everyone watches Southpark and gets the Daywalker reference. Sooooo...here it is.
According to www.urbandictionary.com "The Daywalker is a Ginger that does not burn in direct sunlight. Hated by true Gingers, the Daywalker can sustain extended periods in direct sunlight and even has traces of a soul. Because they are still part Ginger, freckles may or may not be present."

For a more detailed description:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ginger_Kids

Barrel Length And Muzzle Velocity

Here's a great site for looking up barrel lengths, muzzle velocity and a few related topics.

Ballistics By The Inch

Ruger LCR Review

  I've had this Ruger LCR for a few years now, and have put about 1,000 rnds through it. I have very few complaints about this gun.
  Actually most of my reviews are similar in this regard. I generally do a lot of research before buying a firearm, and try to buy what I'm looking for the first time. There's a lot of pros with this handgun, but I do have a few cons worth mentioning.

Let's start off with the specs.

Caliber:    .38Spl +P
Capacity:  5 Rnds
Weight:    13.50oz
Height:     4.5"                                          
Sights:     Notch Type Rear Sight
                Pinned Front Sight
Grips:      Hogue Tamer (Rubber)
Trigger:   DAO
Price:      $400-$440
Barrel Length:    1.875"

  This little revolver is intended for concealed carry, and it shows. The LCR is very lightweight, and easily concealable. The edges are all smooth, and there's little or nothing to snag on your clothing. The materials are corrosion resistant.

  Let's start with the trigger. It's definitely the best that I've seen on a snub nosed revolver.
  The Ruger's trigger is very smooth, and has a lighter pull than it's competitors. IMO, the trigger is MUCH better than those on the guns that I compared it to. It is, however, still a double action only trigger and will seem obscenely heavy for those used to M1911s or even Glocks. It is what it is.
  I was considering a S&W Airweight (Model 638), S&W Bodyguard, and LCR when looking for another CCW gun last year. All of them seemed like good choices, and I was very impressed with the Airweight. It came in second. I was unimpressed with the Bodyguard, and it took third place.
  Even though it wasn't a contender, I also compared a Taurus Model 85 to the Ruger. The Taurus is a heavier steel framed revolver.  It's also $100 cheaper, has the same 5 round capacity, and has a 2" barrel. I think that most people will check out the Taurus when it's sitting in the case next to the Rugers and S&W's, (even if it's not in the running).
  The trigger was clearly better on the LCR when doing a side by side comparison with the other models listed above. The S&W Airweight was close, and followed by the Bodyguard and Taurus Model 85.
  I own an older S&W Airweight (Model 38-2), and a family member has a Taurus Model 85. A new LCR still has a better trigger pull than these broken in handguns.  I'll eventually do a head to head comparison of all 3 guns.

  (I decided to come back, and edit this in after the initial Ruger review.
I had the opportunity to check out the polymer framed Taurus today. It's obviously intended as competition for the Ruger LCR.
  I prefer the sights on the Taurus over those on the LCR. Other than the sights, I cannot find much to like about the gun. It seems a bit "Clunky," and while I didn't get to do a side by side comparision, it feels a bit bigger than the Ruger.
I have to wonder what the aftermarket will be like for this polymer framed Taurus. I doubt that the J frame gear will fit it very well. If the model not a good seller then you'll be limited on holster choices.
I don't like the grips. They feel uncomfortable under the trigger guard. Of course this quick evalutation of the Taurus is based on handling the gun (and not shooting it). It may be a great gun, but after fondling it in Bass Pro Shops, I doubt that I would get one at it's current price point. I walked away from the counter even happier with my choice of the LCR).

  The weight was slightly better with the Ruger than the two S&W's that I was looking at. Naturally it's much lighter than the steel framed Taurus. For most of us, our carry guns have got to be lightweight. If they're not then the guns will be left at home once the novelty of carrying concealed wears off. There are a few people that don't mind carrying full sized service pistols, or heavy handguns. The vast majority of us don't fall into that catagory.
  The Ruger LCR is a VERY lightweight gun. The fire control housing is polymer, and reasonably attractive for what it is.The frame is aluminum, and the heavily fluted cylinder is stainless steel. The shape of the cylinder was a little odd looking at first, but it kind of grows on you. BTW, you can easily tell the difference between the .38spl version and the .357 magnum LCR by the cylinder fluting.
  Despite being so lightweight, this gun does not have a cheap feel to it. Often we equate  lightness to appearing cheap or toy like. This gun just "Feels" like a well made quality firearm. "Feel" is a hard term to describe, but anyone that has picked up a quality made tool and compared it to a cheaply made Chinese copy will know what I mean.

  Lockup is tight. The cylinder release and ejector rod work easily. Spent cases drop out without any problems, and I have yet to get an empty case under the ejector. Everything works. Nuff said.

  The sights are what you would expect on a snub nosed revolver. There is a serrated ramp type front sight, and a U shaped notch at the rear. The front sight, however, is pinned and changeable. Ruger offers a model with a tritium night sight on the front. There is also a version with Crimson Trace laser grips available.
  The factory sights are OK. I wouldn't say that they're anything to brag about. They are definitely on par with the competition. As usual, the black on black sights are hard to pick up when shooting at dark targets.
  Ruger recommends a 6 o'clock hold with this gun, and I found that to be necessary. I still shoot high with this handgun however.

  The target on the left is at 10 yds, and while the grouping is nothing to be that proud of, it's still OK for defensive accuracy. As I stated earlier the sights are very hard to see against a black background, and I shoot high with this gun.

  Excuse time:
  I generally carry my Kahr, and this gun is brought out when I'm in the mood for something different. It's not my regular shooter at the range, and only gets out every few months.
  The target pictured above is from one of my first range trips with this revolver. I thought about not including it, but reviews without targets are largely BS, so there it is.
  The LCR was shot at the end of a long day of shooting M1911's and blah, blah, blah, middle aged eyes, excuses, excuses.



2" Orange Center

  This target was shot a few months later. It's a good representation of what I usually do with this weapon now. 
 
  You've probably noticed that the front sight blade is different in some of the pictures. It was replaced several months ago with a night sight. I highly recommend the upgrade, and the new sight makes a huge difference for these middle aged eyes. I'll edit in a current target or two over the next month.

  The rubber grips work well for what they are. They're better than the normal boot grips that I've used on some J frames. Hogue did a very good job with these.
  Only two fingers will fit on the grips. Recoil is a little heavy, as is the case with most snub nosed revolvers.
  As I stated above, the grips are rubber, and if I had to describe them I would say that they are a medium softness. They're soft enough to dampen the recoil somewhat without being so soft and gummy that they cling and snag on clothing.
  Hogue offers some slightly larger (and more attractive) grips for the LCR. The G10 grips are making me think long and hard about an upgrade. If I was sure that pocket carry wouldn't be an issue, then those grips would already be on order.

  Most of the time, my LCR is carried with an Uncle Mike's pocket holster.  I have no problems with the factory rubber grips being too clingy in the pocket. The weight is also not an issue, and I don't feel like the gun is constantly dragging my pants down. This handgun is carried IWB when I want to do something a little different, or carry a third reload.

  Did I mention that this lightweight polymer and aluminum revolver is +P rated?

  This is a double action only (DAO) handgun. If you like to shoot your double action revolvers as a single action, then this is not the weapon for you. On the other hand being a DAO makes this gun a lot less likely to snag when drawing it under pressure.
  Buying a DOA revolver simplifies training. I see a lot of revolver owners shooting their guns only as a single action. This is usually more accurate, and they get better groups on the range. The problem is that they aren't really shooting as they would during a defensive encounter. It's hard to make everything realistic, but neglecting to practice with the double action trigger is a poor habit to get into.

  There is an internal locking device inside the grip. The standard grip is removed with a single flat head screw at the bottom.  It's not a fast procedure.
  Are you really going to come home, take the grip off of your handgun, lock it and then put it back together the next day when you go out again? Doubtful.
  I believe that it was probably added just to satisfy the laws of some of the more socialistic nanny states in our country. Some states require a built in locking device on new handgun models. I don't like them, and never use them. Others may appreciate having a device that is slow to disengage, and requires partial disassembly of the gun. Stranger things have happened.
  Let's be realistic about firearms with a built in key lock. If you quickly need to access a gun locked with one of these systems, you'll be out of both luck and time.
  It's likely that you're locking the firearm because of a fear of children finding the gun. That's admirable but...  they'll find the key.  Sorry, kids always know where everything is. I prefer using a safe for a firearm that needs securing, but that's just my opinion. To each his own. You know what your storage/safety needs are better than I do.


    The LCR is not a J frame. The trigger guard is different from J frame revolvers, so make sure the holsters will fit before buying them. Ruger's website has some decent examples of what's out there. The TK IWB model in the picture works fine for me. There's plenty of other options available. This gun is popular enough that finding a quality holster will not be a problem.

  The HKS speedloaders that I use in my S&W Airweight will fit this Ruger. But... they just don't work that well in my opinion.
  I use the outstanding speedloaders from 5StarFirearms instead. They're faster and work much better (http://www.5starfirearms.com/357_j_2.html). Of course they are also more expensive, and not available at every gun store from coast to coast as the HKS models are.
There are other speedloaders on the market. These are the only two types that I've used, and I generally stay with the HKS brand for my revolvers. If I liked the way that they worked with the LCR, I would never had looked at alternatives.

  There is a rattle in this handgun. Some people wonder about that when shopping for LCRs. It's normal.

  There's not much that I don't like about this weapon. I feel that one thing is worth mentioning for non shooters or beginners. The Ruger's recoil is normal for a lightweight snub nosed revolver. If this is your first gun or if you usually shoot full sized handguns, then you'll probably hate how it kicks.
  I'm a regular shooter, and think that the recoil is just heavy enough to make it fun and interesting at the range. It will definitely slow down my follow up shots if I ever use this gun in a defensive encounter.
 The Daywalker hates using this handgun, even though she's been shooting for several years. The DaywalkersMom will only practice with snubbies enough to retain proficiency. She doesn't like them either.
  A good friend of mine shoots regularly, and carries a Glock G23 (.40cal). He couldn't put this gun down fast enough, after firing his 5 rounds.
  Most people will love the size and weight of this gun. They'll be fans of the LCR's concealability, and ease of carry. A lot of them, however, will not enjoy shooting the weapon.
 

As much as I like the Ruger LCR, it wouldn't be my first pick for a primary home defense handgun. Something with more ammo capacity, better sights, and less recoil would be chosen. I'd much prefer a full sized service pistol, or 4" revolver for that role. If I could only afford one handgun at this time for a combination of home defense and CCW, I would pick my Kahr CW9, or perhaps a Glock 26.
  I'm fortunate enough to own several handguns, so I can pick and choose what gun I want for whatever activity I'm doing. That's the only good thing about aging. You get to build up a few decades worth of goodies.

  In conclusion, it's a good gun. I recommend it, and have absolutely no buyer's remorse about purchasing it. That's odd for me.
  It's reliable, and accurate enough for defensive work. The weapon is simple to operate, and easily concealable. This Ruger is not the least expensive snub nosed revolver on the market, but it's reasonable for what you're getting. The materials offer a lot of corrosion resistance which is important in a carry gun. This is my first pick for a snub nosed revolver  that is intended for CCW.

 
  The weapon comes with the normal literature, a lock, keys for the internal locking device, and this very mediocre case.







                   

Too funny.....my wife was looking at the rug that the LCR is sitting on in the pics, and was on the verge of shampooing our carpet. She thought that the dirty oil stained rugs in the pictures were from our dining room carpet. I should have waited until she finished before telling her the pictures were taken at the range.



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Tip O' The Day

Talking To The Police:     There's a lot of discussion on the Internet about not talking to law enforcement officers if you are involved in a self defense situation. Like all Internet talk there is a certain level of BS involved in this topic. Everyone is a lawyer, LEO, or CSI expert, and they all tell you not to talk to the police if you use your weapon in self defense.

Regardless of the situation, let's pretend that you had to show, pull, or use your gun in a legitimate self defense situation. The police are now there, and there's you, the bad guy, and the officers on the scene. The police have to figure out who to charge with a crime.

The bad guy isn't going to keep silent. He's going to be telling every lie possible to make you look like the instigator of the confrontation. He's probably going to be very convincing.

On the other hand  if you follow the popular advice you'll be standing there saying, "I want my lawyer."

Guess who is now going to be charged and have the burden of paying for a defense?
I am not saying that you have to give the LEO's your life history, but I think that it's common sense that you get on record as having defended yourself and fearing for your life before calling your lawyer.
This is just my 2 cents.