A neighbor who observed some of my DIY projects asked me how I learned how to do these types of projects.  While I cannot point to one single event in my life, in the mosaic of my memories one of the things that stand out is skateboarding.  Now you may be wondering how 7 layers of laminated maple veneer capped in adhesive sandpaper have anything to do with DIY projects? I started skateboarding in 1994, this is the genesis of the second wave of skateboarding, the one that eventually spawned the X-Games.  Well in the mid to late ’90s there were very few skateparks dotting our public parks landscapes. So shopping centers, business complexes, and public parks became makeshift skateparks for skaters.

Well being 12 and living more than 3 miles from the nearest of any of the above-mentioned venues my friends I decided to retrofit one of our backyards into our own private skatepark.  Ben’s house was nominated because he had a full-size basketball court and parents who were home the least. We went to work scavenging wood from construction site scrap piles, pulling pallets out of dumpsters, and using our parents' power tools without permission.  Looking back now with the skills and resources that were available to us from ages 12-15 (pre-driving age) we were able to build a pretty fantastic skateboard landscape. This is one of those influential events that started DIY for me, which ultimately lead me to build AR’s.  

What started you on the road to building custom AR’s?  Comment below.

Quote of the Day: "I believe that people should take pride in what they do, even if it is scorned or misunderstood by the public at large.”-Tony Hawk

Today is National Splurge Day. Being defined as indulging oneself in some luxury, especially a costly one. This got me thinking about how many different things there are to splurge on in life. There is nothing wrong with splurging, as long as it is kept in check by your wallet or your significant other.

I asked around and found that the most common thing to splurge on is definitely food. From sushi to steak, food is always something people use, so why not treat yourself from time to time? Another thing people said was ammo. It seems that when you go shopping, even window shopping, for gun stuff like holsters or magazines or even a new gun itself, people always like to stop by the ammo area to pick up a few boxes.

So, since today is splurge day here at Delta Team Tactical, why not binge a little bit as you check out our amazing sales.

It’s Father’s Day, a day for us dad’s to be spoiled by our loved ones by BBQing dinner for your family and also your wife’s dad, and in my case her 5 brothers also.  Yes, it is true, I am in charge of Father’s Day family dinner, and because I don’t want dinner to suck I am smoking a brisket. Brisket is the thing I make better than anything else.  Yes better than my AR builds, woodworking projects, and even better than the children I made that earned me the title of Father. Side note: I have great kids, my brisket is just that good.  

So in a departure from our tradition drivel of shooting, guns, and shameless product plugs I decided to share my fan favorite brisket recipe.  Brisket is something that doesn’t and shouldn’t be overcomplicated, my rub couldn’t be more simple two parts coarse black pepper one part kosher salt.  That's it, brisket doesn’t need anything else, it stands on its own four feet (cow pun intended). One of the mistakes I see people make is not trimming the brisket enough, you want to leave about 1/4” fat cap on the brisket, too much and it will be greasy, too little and it will have too dry of consistency.  

For the fuel I prefer oak, this can be done with wood, charcoal, or pellets.  I cook it at around 225 degrees for 7-8 hours (overnight) then I wrap it tightly in foil and throw it in the oven at 200 degrees for another 8 hours.  Yes, 16 hours is what I cook my brisket for. So happy Father’s Day to all you dad’s out there. We hope your family treats you right.

A common question that I have come across quite a bit is what is the twist rate in a barrel? what twist rate works with what grains the best?

What is a twist rate and why is it important? A twist rate on a barrel determines how many inches it takes the bullet to make one full rotation before it exits the barrel. As an example, if you have a barrel with a 1-9 twist rate, then the bullet makes one full rotation every 9 inches of your barrel. Why should I care about what twist rate I get? Well, different weights of bullets perform differently depending on what your twist rate it. You want a lower twist rate for the heavier bullet and vice versa.

What twist rate is best for my ammo? I found this helpful list to assist you in such a decision; 40-grain ammo is best for a 1:12, 55-grain ammo is best for a 1-9 twist barrel. 1-7 or 1-8 have the best results with 62-grain and 77-grain ammo. Last but not least, 1-7 is best for 80-grain ammo. Keep this in mind as you shop our wonderful deals at Delta Team Tactical.

The imagination is a wonderful thing. From when you were a child playing in the streets to being an adult and imagining how in the world you will fit all your guns into your safe. Something that I hear children tell me is that they can't wait to be older so that they can make their own decisions and they don't have to listen to anyone. Some adults I know wish they could be younger so they don't have to deal with adulting.

Honestly, you can have fun at any age. When you are a kid, you can go outside in the sunshine whenever you want and play street hockey then later at night catch fireflies and play night games. As an adult though, you can go on drives on backroads just to see where they take you. You can go stargazing at night or even try a new restaurant. Growing up is not a bad thing, as long as you remember to have fun.

Recently I wrote about attending the Rat Fink Reunion car show.  I was pleasantly surprised at how many of the rat rods used firearms decor. Quite a few used dummy ammo cartridges as accent pieces. A few had faux Gatling Guns as accessories.  Probably my favorite was the shotgun pistol grip as a functioning gear shift lever.

While I was genuinely pleased with the mashup of two of my favorite interests rolled into one (cars and guns for those who didn’t pick that up), I was utterly flabbergasted at how well the gun accents were received by the public (granted Manti, UT is NOT San Francisco).  We live in a day and age where bringing guns into the mainstream is a social faux pas. But we also live in a day and age where art is praised. So maybe we stumbled on the secret of having guns not be demonized is by turning them into works of art. If guns are art, and the anti-gun community loves art, will they then embrace guns?  

So to test this hypothesis I am planning out an automotive-themed AR build to see if the hoity-toity art community will embrace my work of art.

Quote of the day " Money Buys Wot Ya Want!. Not Wot Ya Need! "-Ed "Big Daddy" Roth

A few weeks ago I attended the Rat Fink Reunion car show.  If you are unfamiliar with Rat Fink he is a big ugly green rat that drinks oil and gas and drives hot rods and muscle cars.  The artist who created Rat Fink, Ed “Big Daddy” Roth, is credited with being a big pioneer in the hot rod/kustom car movement (yes I spelled kustom correct), as well as being one of the first people ever to screen print on T-shirts is on his long list of accomplishments.  

Roth looked at the car as his canvas whether he was doing a pinstripe job to building a completely original one-off that would be turned into a plastic model for kids to build with that glue that they loved.  As I was walking around the car show I couldn’t help but find comparisons to Cerokoted and other esthetically modified guns. Did these 2A artists draw some of their inspiration from “Big Daddy” in using a gun as their canvas as he did the car?

For any of you out there turning their guns into works of art and leave a comment below if you are familiar with Ed Roth, Rat Fink, and/or where you draw your inspiration from.

“Money Comes & goes But Rat Fink Is Forever! “-Ed “Big Daddy” Roth

We have some amazing deals on scopes right now.  One of our suppliers called us with an amazing "take all" deal on some awesome scopes.  We have a variety of powers available from indoor range to the next zip code and everything in between.  

We acquired these right before we found out we had to move out of our warehouse.  So we decided (since the marketing department is allergic to manual labor) to do a crazy blowout sale on them.  There is nothing wrong with these, they come from a very reputable factory, the supplier decided they would rather have them on our shelves rather than their shelves is all.  

So if you have an optic on your wish list at these prices you can't afford to not pick one up.  

What is the bravest thing you've ever done? Served in the military? Skydiving? Some may say having children is the bravest thing you've ever done while others may say buying a gun and not telling your wife is the bravest.

A great mentor once told me that the line between dangerous and stupid is a very fine line. What you consider living on the edge style fun, others may look at as you being reckless. Well, I say live on the wild side and buy yourself an upper from Delta Team Tactical. After all, what is more thrilling than putting a brand new upper together and putting that first round through it at the range?

Feel free to check out our moving sale by clicking on the link.

I had this girlfriend in college that was super high maintenance.  Fortunately for her, she both came from money and had graduated and landed a really good job.  Unfortunately for me, I was a fulltime student with part-time employment. The semester that we dated was one of the most expensive of my life.  We had a great time, we also did some lame things like go to the ballet (first and last time for me).

One thing that dawned on me after we broke up and observed the negative balance in my bank account, is while dating her I forgot to budget money to live on, you know things like the essentials: rent, gas, food, ammo and range time.  This brings me to building or buying AR's. I have seen guys go too big on their weapon choice that they forget to save some money for the other essential stuff involved in shooting like ammo, optics, range time, buying flowers for their wife, etc.  Therefore they are unable to shoot the new gun they have recently purchased or built.

So to make matters easier on your wallet we are having a special sale on budget builds today.  We have a larger selection than we ever have on uppers less than $155.

***Disclaimer: Budget Build Sale now over

Flipping through news feeds, whether it is on your phone or on the television is enough to make someone go insane. With all the stress that comes with keeping up with current events, it is important to know how to stay calm and get your blood pressure back down. 

There are many ways to relieve stress. For instance, taking a nap can help. It is literally you turning your body off and back on again. Can’t get to a place that will allow you to lay down for a bit? Not an issue. Another great way to relieve stress is to go shooting. Something about the satisfaction of hearing the explosion, seeing your round pierce the target, and smelling the gunpowder burning helps some people keep their heart rate down. Or.. you can get one of those desk stress ball things. 

Another thing that can be stressful is moving, which is why we would rather sell everything rather than move it. Make sure to check out our super low prices in our moving sale by clicking on the fun GIF below.

***Disclaimer: Moving Day Sale is only for a limited time

Technology is amazing. Looking back through history, it is amazing to see just how much technology has changed our lives. From indoor plumbing to electricity to construction to even the internet and cellphones, technology has touched every aspect of life and made it easier. 

The first recorded use of a firearm was in 1394. By the 1389’s, they were known all around Europe (can you imagine a pro-gun Europe?). The 1600s brought us the flintlock, the 1800s brought us the Gatling gun and the first AR rifle was brought to us by the mid-late 1900s. Thinking about technology, it is stunning to realize how far the gun industry has come from the first use. Combining guns with technology has created so many new opportunities such as going online to Delta Team Tactical and signing up for our text blasts to keep updated on the latest deals. It truly is the modern age when you can find what upper you would like and place the order from wherever you are… even in the bathroom.

Technology also has brought you this wonderful moving sale.

Quote of the day: “Failure is simply the opportunity to begin again, this time more intelligently.”-Henry Ford

***Disclaimer: Moving Day Sale is only for a limited time

So we are moving out of one of our warehouses.  When we learned that employees would need to help move the products, the marketing department decided we would rather sell the majority of the products instead of actually doing manual labor.  So we are trying to incentivize you, the customer, to help us with our move. We are going to be offering 1-2 insanely priced items per day. These items will also be featured in our moving sale category. This way it is a win-win, you get stuff at an insane price and the marketing department doesn’t have to soil our clothes and lift heavy things.  

Today is the 75th anniversary of one of the most well-known invasions in the history of the United States, D-Day. On this day, the allied forces invaded along the coast of Normandy to stop the German occupation of Europe. It is on days like that that we truly think about what freedom has cost and about the soldiers that have paid for it.

Men and women in the United States Armed Forces deserve to be celebrated whether they serve now or they served before. If you know a veteran or someone in the Armed Forces, make sure to thank them for their service on this day.

While shooting for the first time, it is almost guaranteed that you will miss. Practice makes permanent after all. After watching someone shoot, it occurred to me that they were keeping only one eye open when they took the shot, but missed every shot. When asked about their which eye is their dominant eye, they had no idea.

Shooting with the dominant eye is very important during shooting because when your dominant eye is closed then your aim will be off. Your dominant eye is not always the same as your dominant hand. One way to check for your dominant eye is to hold your hands in front of you in the shape of a triangle and focus both eyes on something in the center of your triangle. Slowly bring your hands towards your face without moving your eyes from the target in the center. Whichever eye your hands go to is your dominant eye and one you want to keep open when shooting.

One of the best things about summer has to definitely be the rain.. said no one ever. Most people enjoy the sunshine while lounging at the pool, others enjoy barbecuing with family outdoors and others enjoy the in-season fruit and fireworks that come with the holidays.

My personal favorite is going out and shooting with my new guns. Shooting in the outdoors vs shooting in an indoor range is very different. Outdoors is just so dynamic and allows for types of shooting that the indoor range doesn't provide.  Have you ever tried skeet shooting on a 4' wide indoor range? No, because it would destroy the place. So, get outside this summer and enjoy shooting with your friends and family. 

My kids started summer vacation this week.  Which brought me back to my childhood and the start of summer vacation.  I don’t know if anyone else out there had this experience at the start of their summer break, but we didn’t kick off summer vacation with popsicles and swimming.  No, we kicked it off with deep cleaning the house. It was like my parents were anxiously waiting for their own personal cleaning crew to finish up with school. I hated this, and as a result, I have developed a tongue in cheek attitude towards cleaning.  

Today only we are doing a special sale on Strike Industries products.  If you are not familiar with Strike Industries products they are some of the coolest looking products that you can put on your gun.  Unlike a lot of other cool looking accessories, the Strike products don’t break the bank, but they also perform amazingly.  

So today only you can save an additional 10% on all Strike Industries products if you use the code: striketen.  This coupon ONLY applies to the Strike Industries products found in the category featured below. So again at checkout use the code striketen to save 10% off anything in that category. 

To a shooter, nickel boron is the equivalent of gold to rap artists.  It is the metal of choice and the status symbol of bling. Like gold, nickel boron has some other advantages other than just looking cool in your gun. Nickel boron is far more restraint to wear and tear than other finishes. So, whether it is a BCG or a barrel extension, the friction caused by parts moving across one another will wear much better on nickel boron products.  

For you, hockey players (or figure skaters, no judgment from here #toepick) having nickel boron products in your gun is the equivalent of hitting the ice right after the Zamboni has just resurfaced the ice.  We all know ice is smoother than other surfaces but, after the Z does its job, it is smooth as silk. So this brings us to our ELD Performance Alpha Series Barrels. These are barrels that we have been having made for us that have nickel boron barrel extensions. We just got in a 6.5 Creedmoor who is joining the ELD Alpha Series, and Gallardo has one of these barrels (shameless product plug).

We will continue our discussion of nickel boron advantages in a future post.

Everything has an opposite; Day and night, cold and hot, rifle and pistol, etc. Some people say that to start shooting, you need to start with a pistol since they are easier to handle for new shooters. Others say that a rifle is easier since you don't have to worry about holding the pistol just right so that the slide doesn't tear your hand up. Honestly, it depends on what you feel most comfortable with. 

Not sure what to start with? Well, that would depend on your attitude. Want to get a feel for the smaller stuff and work your way up? No problem, start with a smaller caliber like a .22 or 9MM. Want to get it over with and work your way down? Start with a 12 gauge like I did. It will hurt but makes the smaller stuff seem so much easier to handle. 

No matter what you decide, remember that there is no wrong answer. Rifle or pistol, they both are really fun to shoot. We have a variety of both rifle AR's and pistol AR's here at Delta for insanely low prices. Make sure to check them out.

Continuing on our conversation of not being “that guy” from yesterday's post, I have witnessed where a large group of people turn into “that guy.” Working in e-commerce and using the internet to promote and ask questions about our company browse a fair amount of discussion forums and online groups that pertain to AR-15’s.  Quite a few of these groups it seems to be a member you need to be “that guy.”

To me, this is unfortunate on many levels.  On a personal level, I don’t like participating in groups with people like that, even if I set aside my professional interests.  Professionally that so many of the discussion groups have a massive elitist attitude that they don’t seem willing to help out the new guys.  And finally, on a sociological level, “that guy” can give someone who is ignorant seeking information a bad taste for the sport. Largely as second amendment enthusiasts we are worried about the idea of our gun rights being stripped away.  One of the ways we can combat this is through education and helping new blood come into the sport/hobby. If we are “that guy,” we are going to chase people away and a lot of those impressionable individuals may turn against us and threaten our rights.  So when you interact in person and online, think of the bigger picture so you don’t become “that guy.”

A few years ago a buddy of mine wrote an article for a wakeboarding magazine titled “Don’t Be That Guy.”  If you are unfamiliar with wakeboarding, picture waterskiing standing sideways. The premise of the article was don’t be the guy that is too cool for school on the dock and hassling other riders because they don’t have the newest board, lifejacket, or the right pair of board shorts. 

The whole purpose of the sport is to have fun, and if you have a new or newer rider that can have a negative impact on them staying with the sport or not in the future.  While the article was full of satire, and largely made fun of the guys who are “that guy,” it was an article that left an impression on me, asking myself am I ever “that guy?”