Friday, May 16, 2014

New AK Furniture

Lately everything in the industry has became "tacticool". To me the one firearm that should never be changed is the AK47. 

I have long wanted an AK, ever since I first shot a MAK 90 as a child. Later on in life it would once again become a symbol of evil forbidden fruit as I sat late one night in the field at Camp Geiger for Infantry school getting an introduction to enemy weapons. The instructor held up RPG-7s, PK Variants and then finally an AK47. Immediately I thought back to my childhood of shooting the Mak 90 in the woods behind my house. I remember thinking "I need that firearm in my life." 

At first I was not a huge fan of the modern AK look however it has started to grow on me with Magpul now having their PMags available for the AK. Another cool modern upgrade for an AK is the AKuracy sight from Law Tactical, it allows the user to swap out the rear sight for a glock rear sight.

Now there is an even newer introduction to AK accessories. A stock made from human bone. I am not sure the authenticity of the item, as it can not be found on their website. What are your thoughts on this? Is it too morbid for the firearm that has probably taken more lives than any other in history?


Wednesday, February 19, 2014

Mom defends herself from thugs with a hi-point

Some of us may have to rethink our "I'd rather have a rock" argument.

An armed mother fought back against thugs trying to break into her home in Detroit. The incident was all caught on camera. Three teenagers busted down her door and gained entry to her home.

However, once they were inside they were met by an angry mother and her rusted Hi-point carbine. As she open fire and they retreated back outside one of the suspects dropped his hand gun on the snowy ground.

The teenager picked it back up and attempted to re gain entry only to be met with more firepower from the Hi-point. All three suspects were eventually apprehended by Detroit PD and charged.




Monday, February 10, 2014

Hell Bent Holsters CW2

With new people starting their journey in kydex everyday it is becoming harder to set yourself apart. Generally when you do it won’t be long until someone comes along and replicates it. Hell Bent Holsters is a kydex gear manufacturer that has come up with an innovative kydex product known as the combat wallet.

When I first saw pictures of the wallet I immediately thought two things. One it would be uncomfortable and two, the money clip would break. Hell Bent took me up on this challenge and sent me out two of their combat wallets. I am very glad that they did.

My first impression was that they were well made, however my cards slid out of the OD wallet at first then I realized the wallets range in sizes depending on the amount of cards you carry. Like a kydex holster the combat wallets are also available in a wide range of colors. The money clip that I initially had concerns about proved to be very flexible and very durable.

I am extremely picky when it comes to wallets and initially I didn’t think that I would like this wallet, however time proved me wrong. The only thing that I would say is make sure it is secure as it has a very slim profile. If you are like me and don’t clog your wallet up with a bunch of pictures and random garbage the combat wallet should suit you needs.

For more information on Hell Bent Holsters visit their website here


-Joe

Thursday, February 6, 2014

SIRT Training Pistol

Yesterday I attended the NRA's Great American Outdoor show. While I was there I went to a "Drawing from a concealed holster" seminar taught by Mike Hughes from Top Shot. Mike is also the founder of the SIRT pistol.

 I had no idea that the class was a hands on class, I figured that it would just be an hour of listening to him talk. The class actually involved equal time, listening to him teach as well as hands on training with the SIRT practicing trigger control, and drawing from the Armordillo Concealment Kydex Holster.

I was quite shocked and happy to use the SIRT to practice with as I had always been on the fence about them. They were extremely comfortable to me as my carry gun is a Glock 19 and the SIRT is slightly smaller than a Glock 17. There were a few guys in the class that you could tell were not familiar with the ergonomics of the Glock models.

The SIRT handguns that we used offered two modes. By switching a lever on the top of the slide you can activate a red laser to show when the trigger slack has been removed. The great part about this feature is that it will show you if you are taking the slack out of the trigger before your muzzle is pointed down range. Once you squeeze the trigger fully, a green laser is then activated showing you hitting your target. The mode can also be deactivated to where it will only fire the green laser.

I was so impressed with the SIRT pistols that I chose to bring a few in. Currently we only have five of the green/red laser models just like I used in class coming in. These models retail for $339.99 however we will be selling them for $299.99 and including a free DVD and training magazine. For more information on theSIRT pistols you can check out this months issue of RECOIL with a write up by Mike Hughes.

Buy your SIRT here

Tuesday, February 4, 2014

Gallow Technologies

For over six months I have been exchanging emails with the owner of an innovative product. Most of these emails had subject lines that made me feel like a secret squirrel working for an alphabet agency, (PLEASE DO NOT PASS ON, DO NOT SHARE). However, now that Brent has fully launched his product I am excited to share more details.

The product that I am referring to is the Gallow Rack from Gallow Technologies. It is one of those products that you look at and think “why didn’t I come up with this?” The Gallow Rack is a simple yet effective design to store, organize, and display your firearm collection.

he design reminds me of the peg board that we have all seen people display their guns on. Gallow has improved this design and manufactured a style similar to that of the peg board in the essence of how the shelves lock, but made specifically for a firearm application.

The main components are the wall panels, and various hanger and shelves. You can purchase all these separate or as a package deal and add on addition hangers. Gallow offers various panel designs to custom fit your application. The package deals generally include the 24” x 36” panel and hold between 5 and 18 firearms depending on the package. The most expensive package (1032) retails online for just over $650 and holds 12 long guns, 6 handguns, 8 handgun magazines and 8 AR or AK magazines. A more budget friendly package (1023) stores 7 long guns, 6 handguns, 8 handgun magazines, and 8 AR or AK magazines.

All of the hangers are made from 17 gauge steel; powders coated in tan and contain a rubber insert to protect your firearms from scratches. Currently the only color available is tan however previous correspondence with Gallow suggested that they plan to add more colors in the future.

Currently Gallow Racks are only available in brick and mortar retail locations. If there is not a location near you, they can be purchased online at Gallow’s website for the lowest price available. The price point is far lower than what I had imagined when seeing it as concept art. With packages starting at $130 as well as the ability to store 18 firearms for under $700 the price point can’t be beat. This is one product I am truly excited about owning.


-Joe

Visit Gallow Technologies here

Saturday, February 1, 2014

Super Bowl Giveaway

Predict the score for the super bowl in the comment section below. First person that answers correctly or is the closest wins our last 2014 calendar!














Wednesday, January 29, 2014

New Frontier C-4 Billet Lower

Very few items make me change my plans when it comes to firearm purchases. I had my mind set that my next project would be building or buying an AK as I already have two receivers. One day while surfing through Facebook I came across that product that would make me change my mind.

New Frontier recently released their C-4 billet lower receiver with an MSRP of only $120. As with most people when I heard New Frontier I immediately thought of their polymer lowers. The fact is that New Frontier has also recently launched a great product the Extar pistol. Buying a billet lower for $120 I knew I couldn’t go wrong, and if it wasn’t that great it wasn’t a huge deal.

My first impressions of New Frontier came when I contacted the owner. He was extremely friendly in getting me to the right people to set up the transfer to my local FFL. Even though the purchase took place during the same time that other companies were closed for SHOT show the lower shipped the same day. Two days later I had it in my hands.

The lower was of great quality. The machining was absolutely
flawless and I couldn’t believe it was only $120. The C-4 Lower is machined 7075-T6 Aluminum and sports a matte black mil spec anodized finish. As with many lowers on the market, the C-4 is marked in multi so you can use a wide range of upper receivers in conjunction with it. The safety is also engraved and machined to be compatible with BAS_ASS 45 or other ambi and short throw safeties.

I have since installed a Palmetto State Armory lower parts kit, as it is cheaper retail than what I can get wholesale. The furniture has been swapped for Magpul MOE. As expected the New Frontier C-4 accepted all the mil spec hardware without issue. Some parts were not used due to the fact that C4 also has threaded screws and a built in “winter” oversized trigger guard.

So far the New Frontier lower has exceeded my expectations for a $120 billet lower. As a previous Spike’s fan boy, I can honestly say I am excited to see what else New Frontier has in the works and can’t wait to complete the build and put it to the test.


For more information on this lower and how to order it click here. 

Tuesday, January 28, 2014

G2 R.I.P.

Chances are if you have been floating around on gun related pages this past week you have seen the latest ammo everyone is talking about. The demand is so high for the R.I.P. round from G2 Research that it is currently sold out.

When I first saw the picture I assumed it was purely aesthetic and did not think that the ballistic tests would be very promising. This argument was quickly shut down when I visited their website and noticed they had test videos of the round expanding through cinder blocks.

The website claims a 16” penetration with a 6” diameter spread. The bullet also separates into 9 separate pieces, each of which creates a specific wound. The round was also designed to not over penetrate or even to defeat level IIIA plates in an effort to not put law enforcement in danger.

Since watching the performance videos the only question that I would have for the ammo is how it fairs long term on the feed ramps of the weapons system you are employing. The G2 website claims that it was tested on numerous firearms in both full and semi without any issues. For a bullet that is CNC machined long term results will be interesting.

The price on the 9mm box of 25 was $40 while it was in stock for a short time on their website. Needless to say I will not be switching from Critical Duty at this point.

G2 is planning on releasing the ammo in
.380
.357 SIG
9mm
.40
.45

Shotgun Slugs




Friday, January 17, 2014

Active Shooter Bag Loadout

Recently I decided to put together what most refer to as an active shooter bag. The main reason that I decided to go ahead with this bag is not to prevent any Aurora style movie theater shootings where I could run to my truck and then back into the mall guns blazing, but mainly to and from locations if a need would arise.

Over the holidays there was a man gunned down on a highway that is only a few minutes away from where I work. The State Police claim that the incident was completely random, however have still not made any arrests in the case. The victim had made multiple calls to 911 as he crossed from Maryland into Pennsylvania. Originally he called to report a vehicle tailgating him, later he would call to report that the suspect was shooting at him. By the time the State Police arrived they found him dead in his vehicle crashed in the median.

As most of you know that have followed our other entries, I am a big fan of Fieldline bags and had a few lying around unused. For this project I chose my black sling bag. I chose the black for the same reason that my truck rifle’s bag is black, combined with the tinted windows and the black bags looking in the vehicle you can’t tell that there is even anything inside.

With many people starting to prep for various incidents a lot of people confuse the bags for one another. Active shooter bags should be just that what you need to deal with an active shooting incident, you are not walking miles afterwards, there is no need for food, water, compasses etc. Bullets and Band-Aids are the main components of this bag. You will notice that I added a few extra items and I will explain why. This is just my bag, feel free to customize yours as much as you would like.

On the outside of the pack I have three che lights, an Israeli bandage, and a patch with my blood type. The reason I threw chemlights on the pack is in case I ran into a situation on the roads you could potentially toss chemlights out the window leaving a trail or markers for police. Other people will use chemlights in a residential or urban setting for clearing rooms. Chemlights have a million uses and if you think outside of the box you can find any practical application for them.

On the outside compartment I have three spare magazines for my Glock 19, giving me a total round count of 61 rounds when combined with the magazine and round in the chamber that I carry as my ccw gun.
The main compartment contains the following:

10 - 4 x 4 gauze pads
I am not carrying the 4 x 4’s to provide simple care to those in need, as if they only need a 4 x 4 chances are they can treat themselves. The main advantage of carrying 4 x 4 gauze pads is that you can use the packaging in conjunction with the tape to treat a sucking chest wound. We will cover more on that in a later blog post. 

3 - Israeli bandages
Israeli bandages are great alternatives to tourniquets if you don’t absolutely need a TQ or don’t have one. Another benefit to Israeli bandages is the ease of use as well as the low cost. They can be found at my local surplus shop for $3.00 each.

1 – Roll of medical tape
As stated before, when used with the packaging from the 4 x4 can be an effective way to treat a sucking chest wound.

1 - Nasopharyngeal airway
Unlike the oral airway, the NPA is easier to insert, and will not stimulate a gag reflex from the patient. While the correct way to measure size is from the tip of the mouth to the ear, I keep trauma shears in case I need to trim it for a smaller patient.

2 - 30 round Pmags.
Combined with the 30 with my rifle, that gives me 90 rounds of primary ammo, while I would not go out on a patrol in Afghanistan with only 3 mags, chances are I wouldn’t get through one in an active shooter scenario. As history shows, unless you are the Hollywood bank robbers once the shooter is met with any form of resistance they generally take their own life.

1 - CAT Tourniquet
The CAT Tourniquet is great for single handed applications to yourself or others in the need that the Israeli wouldn’t be enough.

1 – Trauma Shears
As stated earlier to cut down the NPA, cut clothing or anything else that needs it.

I do not have a knife or flashlight in my kit as I carry a Spyderco Endura as part of my EDC gear. My rifle also has a weapon mounted light.


As with any other operation be sure to have the proper training before you run around administering first aid to those in need. If nothing else have someone that is at least BLS trained show you the proper way to use your medical items. 

Tuesday, January 14, 2014

Why I carry

Recently I have had several friends who have passed away, well two in the last week to be exact. Both died from unfortunate circumstances. Today it got me thinking. Time is precious. Life is precious. I don't want to miss any opportunities with my family due to an unfortunate or unforeseen incident.

I want to watch my kids grow up. Thats why I carry a gun to protect them, and myself so that I can see them grow up.

I want to be able to scare the HELL out of my daughters first date. Thats why I carry a gun so she and I can live to see it.

I want to be mad at my son when he comes home drunk or wrecks the car. Thats why I carry a gun. I want to be there for that.

I want to grow old with my wife and be a old horny man. Thats why I carry a gun, so that one day Ill be able to pop the little blue pills.

I want to be there for all the small moments that mean something. Thats why I carry and gun and choose to train with my gun.



Life is short. Don't be a victim. Choose to protect yourself. Be there for those moments.


-Mike

Wednesday, January 8, 2014

Thoughts on Imported Gear

With the polar vortex hitting the continental United States hard, people are donning their winter clothing in full effect. This created an opportunity for some people to get out the new jackets that they received on Christmas. While people go to social media to post photos of their new jackets I can’t help but notice the amount of comments people receive for their Condor gear due to the fact that it is made in China. As an owner of a Condor Tactical Fleece that I wear daily I felt the need to chime in however I chose not to, but instead make this entry on the Chinese gear that I have experienced firsthand.

Everyone is quick to jump to conclusions that just because Condor imports their items from China that they are terrible products. I am not a huge fan of their Operator Caps not due to the quality but rather because I prefer flex fit. I love the fleece of theirs that I own.  The fleece was shipped to my house for less than $50, and came with a free morale patch which I added to my patch panel from Orca Industries.  For the price the Condor Fleece can’t be beat for a warm weather resistant fleece.

One alternative to the Condor is the 5.11 fleece for about double the price and guess where that is made? If you said the U.S. you are wrong. Like most items 5.11 makes they come from either Vietnam or China. Looking online you wouldn’t know as it is not listed however any trip to a store such as Bass Pro Shops that carries the items in stock will show you. 5.11 recently purchased Beyond Clothing which features clothing made in America and you can get their fleece in MultiCam for the low price of $359.00. Seeing that most of the 5.11 gear is imported made me happy that not only did I not overpay for a fleece but I also saved a lot of money on a backpack.

As I have briefly talked about earlier I am a huge fan of the Fieldline packs. I actually own a total of 5 now that I received another one for Christmas. I have a large internal frame for hiking, 3 small alpha ops packs (2 B.O.B. and one is for work) and a new Sling Pack that I will be turning into a large trauma kit for my vehicle. These packs are made in China however are strikingly similar to the 5.11 rush packs. While the 5.11 pack which is made in China sells on average for $99, the Fieldline Bags were purchased for $19.99 each and have lasted through the daily abuse I put them through without a hiccup. They also have the same features as the 5.11 pack. For more information on the Fieldline bags read our old post here.
BLACKHAWK! Is another huge name in the world of tactical accessories. The company prides itself off of being founded by former Navy SEALs. Just in case you haven’t seen one of their 5,264 ads about how they were founded I will let you know. In 1990 as an active duty SEAL the owner was navigating through a minefield when his pack broke and fell, from that point on he decided he was going to make quality gear and so BLACKHAWK! was formed.

BLACKHAWK! is another company much like 5.11 that gives the impression that most of their stuff is made here in America however like 5.11 most of their gear is imported, mostly coming from Vietnam and Malaysia. The one benefit to those looking only for gear made in the U.S. is that they do have specific categories for all domestic made gear for that die hard purist.

Now let’s shift away from the apparel realm and talk about another important piece of gear that you should never be left without; knives. Gerber is one of my favorite knife manufacturers and believe it or not when you flip the back of the package over at the bottom you will notice “made in China”. While I no longer carry a Gerber knife it has nothing to do with the fact of them being made in China, but rather that I am a big fan of the Spyderco Endura. I am not going to get into the reasons or specifics on that now as that is not the topic of this discussion. A Gerber is more than capable of getting most jobs done. Their folders have never failed me in the field nor has the fixed blade Bear Grylls knife that I own. I also am still very partial to the Gerber line of multi tools. I have been using them ever since I attended Infantry school. At the time they were much cheaper than their Leatherman counterpart and worked just as well. The only reason I no longer have the one I purchased at the PX on Camp Geiger in January of 2005 is because I eventually lost it.


While as a small business owner I understand the aspect of wanting to buy American, however every order that you place for your Condor Operator Cap or a 5.11 belt, money does go to a small business in America that is selling you these items. Nobody should feel guilty purchasing what they can afford. Living outside of our means has what has landed so many people in trouble through these tough economic times. There is no reason to spend $500 you don’t have just to buy a jacket from the Canadian company Arc’teryx because that is what you saw in a magazine. Before you start griping about gear being made in China take a look at the clothes you have on your body especially your shoes, then look up where the computer, phone, or tablet was made that you are reading this article on. I would be more than confident with a Mak 90, 5.11 boots, a Fieldline Pack and a Condor BDUs if SHTF.  

Monday, January 6, 2014

Project 870

I’ve wanted to build a tactical shotgun for a while now and after receiving a Remington 870 Express as a Christmas gift from my parents it was game on. The primary purpose of this build was to create a home defense gun to keep bed side. The 870 is a great platform because there are lots of options available and parts are easy to get.

The Remington 870 Express was your typical looking shotgun.  It had a wood stock and a 28 inch barrel threaded for choke tubes.


 I have a Winchester 1300 that I use for hunting so the 870 was going to have a completely different purpose. First item I addressed was the stock and fore grip. There are many options available to fit your needs and appeal to your taste of styling. I opted for the Magpul SGA stock and Magpul fore grip, both in FDE. Best price I could find was on Amazon. The total for the pair came to $106 shipped.  I’m very happy with the fit and finish as well as the functionality. I didn’t take pictures of the install but it’s not difficult and you can find several instructional videos on YouTube.

Next items on the list were a magazine expansion tube and an upgraded follower. There are a few different brands out there with good reviews but I ended up choosing the Sage International +2 magazine expansion tube and GG&G follower. I liked the way the Sage looked, it was priced right ($50) and I couldn’t find anything negative about it. It came with a longer spring and barrel clamp. Installation was straight forward and I had zero issues. The original 870 follower was plastic and they are known to fail. The GG&G is made of billet and is one of the best replacements available. When installing your magazine extension tube and remove the stock spring, the follower should just slide out. Drop the new GG&G follower in, install the new spring and it’s that easy.  The GG&G follower ran about $25.


While surfing eBay I ran across some laser engraved trigger assembly pins. For $15 I picked up one with the punisher logo. This is just a cosmetic mod. The factory pin just pushes out with a punch and the new pin slides in.

So the 28 inch barrel just wasn’t cutting it for me. For a home defense gun, the shorter the better. When turning corners a long barrel is not ideal. I called two local gunsmiths and they quoted me between $20-$45 to have it cut down to 18.5 inches. That didn’t include finishing, crowning, or anything extra. That was just for a straight cut. After watching a couple YouTube videos I decided to tackle this myself. Worst case scenario I have to take it to the gunsmith and have them fix what I screw up. I used a bench vise, hacksaw, some cutting fluid and a file. I made sure the vise was level and also that the barrel was level inside the vise. I bought a brand new 18T hacksaw blade. I applied some cutting oil to the blade and the barrel and began cutting. It went pretty smooth and took about 5 minutes. I rechecked to make sure everything was level several times throughout the cut while also reapplying the cutting oil. Once it was cut I used a file to deburr all the edges. I then took some matte BBQ grill paint and touched up the cut. While it’s not perfect I’m more than pleased with the outcome.

The final step was choosing a flashlight and mount. I ended up going with L&M’s mount and for the time being a Maglite XL50 LED flashlight. The mount retails for around $40 and the flashlight was $29.99 at Lowes. The two work perfect together. I’ll probably hit the light with some matte black paint at some point. Install was simple and the outcome was perfect.


I built this gun in just over a week. I relied on user reviews from forums and YouTube videos to make most of my choices. Overall I couldn’t be happier.

*I apologize for the picture quality. At the time I was building it I hadn't planned on doing a review. I'll get better pictures and updated the blog later this week.

Thursday, January 2, 2014

Product Review: Tactical Universal Clip


I recently had the opportunity to try out the Tactical Universal Clip. The TUC System is essentially a holster for your rifle or shotgun. It attaches to your chest rig and allows the user to carry their weapon without having to use a sling. It’s a simple setup that’s very user friendly.

For testing purposes I chose my Stag Arms Model 1 AR-15 with Magpul MOE stock. It only took a couple of minutes to get the TUC System installed. The receiver attaches to your vest or chest rig and the male end attaches to the buffer tube. With the rifle attached, it hangs freely and comfortably, running parallel with your body. It keeps the rifle close and accessible. I ran through some different tactical scenarios and spent about 30 minutes with it. Here are my personal thoughts.
 
 

PROS

The biggest advantage of using this system is it allows the operator to have both hands free without having to worry about a sling. It doesn’t restrict the user.

Built of quality materials. While I only tested it for a short period of time, it held up well and I couldn’t find any weak points. Solid construction.

Simple Design. The TUC System is about as simple as they come. It’s practical and easy to setup.

CONS

For my setup, the male end was too close to the buffer tube. I did not remove my Magpul single point sling mount and the male end of the TUC System was in the way. I prefer the option of using either the single point or the TUC without having to install/uninstall mounts.
 

With the stock fully collapsed the male end “stud” was too close to my face for comfort. This will vary by individual and application.

Male end “stud” could easily obstruct access to the charging handle.

Final Thoughts

The TUC System is a quality product that offers a good alternative to using a sling. It’s a simple design and can be installed in a matter of minutes. As tested, I found a few draw backs with the system; however, these results will vary depending on the weapon used and how that weapon is equipped. Take that into consideration when deciding whether or not to purchase this product.

http://tacticaluniversalclip.com/