Northern Tool and Equipment adds Gun Accessories

Gun Watch ^ | 2 January, 2016 | Dean Weingarten

[marktwain]

Northern Tool and Equipment Company has started to include firearms accessories in its product line.  The company is noted for manufacturing products and tools that are less expensive than most competitors.  Many of the products are produced overseas in China, but other sources are also used.  Northern Tools also manufactures many products in the United States. From al.com:

The company builds a lot of its products at a 250,000-square-foot manufacturing facility in Faribault, Minn. The Hoover store includes a service center for product repairs.

It is interesting to see that Northern Tool is expanding its line into utilitarian gun accessories.  They have several items in their lineup that are aimed at guns used as self defense tools, including the new Tee Shirt holster shown above. The pistol looks to be a Bersa .380.   From Their "Packing Tee page":

Feel free to exercise your Second Amendment rights! Now you can conceal and carry your trusty handgun without the restricting discomfort of a typical holster. The Packin' Tee T-shirt uses a heavy-duty hook-and-loop fastening system with attachment strips on both sides of the shirt, coupled with your choice of small or large black holster (right- or left-handed, sold separately, see below), to secure the pistol at your side. No need to wear jackets or bulky outerwear to conceal your weapon. Extra-long T-shirt is made of 100% pre-shrunk cotton with reinforced mounting pads, shoulder and arm holes to prevent sagging. Holsters sold separately; order by the hand that you draw with (using cross draw). T-shirt sizes: M-3XL; order compression fit for gun's stability.

Northern Tool and Equipment Company is described by Bloomberg.com here:

Northern Tool & Equipment Company, Inc. retails and distributes various tools and equipment to industrial sized companies, small shops, and do-it-yourselfers.

For the last 50 years gun accessories have tended to be available from companies that were either firearms or sports oriented.  It is notable that a tool outfit is including these items in their product line.  There may be a number of specialty items that would be profitable for Northern Tool.    Perhaps heavy duty target stands;  or simple, lockable gun racks.

Here is one that I have not seen elsewhere, but which could prove useful. From Northern Tool online:

• Fully adjustable nylon strap fits nearly all vehicles and the holster features a quick release buckle.

• Small/Medium size fits .22, .25, .380 and small 9mm guns

The pistol in the catalogue picture is a KelTec 9mm.

These products from Northern Tool show how the new media is reasserting the gun culture as American culture.  Guns and ammunition were commonly available in hardware stores when I was growing up.  I could buy ammunition nearly anywhere, and a discount furniture store had barrels of Springfield surplus 03A3 rifles for sale at $29.95.

All that changed in the 1960s as the elite decided that Americans must be disarmed, and pushed through the 1968 gun control act on a wave of emotional appeals and media hype.  Crime rates skyrocketed; it is only now, after 20 years of success in restoring gun carry rights across the country, that murder rates are returning to the levels of the mid-1960s.

We still have a long way to go.  I want to see gun mufflers available in hardware stores, for sale across the counter, just as they are in New Zealand.

Remove the idiotic and draconian restrictions on gun mufflers in a reform of the National Firearms Act, and maybe Northern Tool will offer simple and effective .22 gun mufflers for $29.95.

©2016 by Dean Weingarten: Permission to share is granted when this notice is included.
Link to Gun Watch

[marktwain]

As the gun culture is restored as American mainstream culture, guns and gun accessories become more available in more stores.

[umgud]

That tee shirt might work for my scandium J-Frame. I wear Tactical 511 shirts for their inner pockets.

[cyclotic]

I saw one of those shirts at Wal-Mart a few months ago. Alas, it was in the clearance rack and not my size.

It must have been an out of state return. The peoples republic of Maryland doesn’t recognize the Second Amendment and there would be no reason for Walmart to carry CCW shirts.

[envisio]

Good. They got a Northern Tool right up above my work. I go in there at least twice a month.
I hope they include reload supplies as well.

[Dead Corpse]

Worked at NT’s headquarters in Savage for a year as one of their Network Administrators.

The family running it were good people. If it wasn’t a 45 mile commute, I’d probably still be there... Bought my wire feed welder, a new lawnmower motor, and a generator from there.

[theBuckwheat]

The 5.11 concealed tee is great.

http://www.511tactical.com/holster-shirt-v-neck.html

[oldsaw]

I received one as a Christmas gift from my son. Liked it so well, I bought another yesterday.

[wally_bert]

My next generator will most likely come from there.

[Sans-Culotte]

Bump

[GailA]

Skimpy male T Shirt would not even hold my Taurus Ultra Lite .38 revolver and it’s a small gun. Even the .22 pistol would fall out. And its in a awkward to reach place, A belly band would work better. Car seat one is also in a awkward position to reach for right handers. Which is most of us.

Now if you were talking strapping it to the steering column it might be a good idea, and you can turn it toward your dominate hand. Belt carry is the best way to go. Even beats my special purse carry or a fanny pack. Real nice American Flag, with a back compartment for my gun; found it on Amazon. We have a belly band, and a note book style carry case but it’s not going to hold a 9 MM. Might hold my revolver. The .22 sits in it now.

Personally I like it on my hip in a holster.

[umgud]

Here is another option, cheaper too. The gun looks like it rides in a better place here. It’s cheap enough I’ll try it, but I’m like Gail, I like my hip holster (OWB, not IWB).

[GailA]

Any one that is handy with tools and strapping could make one fairly cheap. You just have to remember to take it out of the car each time you get out. I solved the bathroom issue as I put mine down my bra when I need to go. And that sucker is not falling out.

[advertising guy]

bttt

[GailA]

Tennessee is now an open carry state, and I don’t shop places my gun is not allowed. Except when I have to go to the Navy Base for our Meds. DOD MANDATE. Same goes for that happy holiday crap. With 7 grands, 5 great grands, I buy gift cards when Kroger’s puts them at 4 times the gas points. Which they do shortly after Thanksgiving. Grab 18, 17 Amazon, 1 Game stop. 1% back on Discover which is paid in full each month. And hubby filled up for .69 this last fill, had enough pts to give our son and neighbor a $1. off too.

I don’t walk well due to back injuries. So shopping is a painful thing. Much rather get gift cards than use my credit card. Gas Pts are always double at least.

[archy]

Skimpy male T Shirt would not even hold my Taurus Ultra Lite .38 revolver and it's a small gun.

Back last August I went to a qualification shoot put on by our local cops, which included several first-timers including a pair of cop wives and a conservation cop rookie who hadn't had his department's handgun training yet, wanted to get a head start and really was trying hard, though he was fumbling loading magazines and making a lot of *new guy* mistakes- which, of course, is how those mistakes get corrected- hopefully.

But the instructor may have laid things on a little thick for the benefit of the rookies, cop and otherwise, and among other tidbits suggested that it was better to have a compact 9mm or .40 if wearing under a T-shirt, to avoid telling the world you're carrying a gun. Since I was one of the few using a revolver [2-inch barrel S&W M10] and the only one using an underarm shoulder holster, nobody said anything about my t-shirt, one of the course *gimme* t-shirts all attendees received.

And that afternoon, off we went to the range to shgoot, the morning's classroom basics having been nicely covered, followed by a catered lunch. And among the exercises we shot: empty pistol into target, reload [or transition to backup] and continue. Okay! I let fly with all six from my snubby, then, from an inside waistband holster under my t-shirt, on the same side as my shoulder rig [left] drew a .45 M1911A1 with my left hand and let go with all eight in it. Which happened to be tracers. Which set my target and corrugated cardboard backer on fire. Ooops.

So I reloaded my .45, popped the slide, and put one more in the head. Didn't want to see the poor fella suffer....

My line safety coach had gotten used to the little *pop* from my .38 wadcutters from the snubby, and being on the far left end of the line, didn't bother with putting his hearing protectors back on after the previous relay. That was the mistake he corrected.

[umgud]

Looks like an XD. I sometimes carry in my front Levi pant pocket, but not so much because the gun can’t be drawn when sitting.. So when I do, I have to take it out when driving.

[Last Dakotan]

The company is noted for manufacturing products and tools that are less expensive than most competitors.

China crap. Northern Tool is Harbor Freight with yellow signage.