Boston Strong or Boston Stupid?

In light of recent events, including the Boston bombing’s, and increased number of school shootings, Boston’s finest has decided that it is time for them to increase their arsenal with the addition of 33 AR15 rifles.

The only problem with this idea is that one man stands in their way. Mayor-elect Martin J. Walsh does not like AR15’s and feels that his police department doesn’t need them to keep the people of Boston safe. “Mayor-elect Walsh is opposed to the AR-15 rifles,” his spokeswoman Kathryn Norton said in a short statement yesterday. “Unless otherwise convinced by the Boston Police Department, he does not think they are necessary.”

The proposal is for 33 AR15’s coming in at the amount of $2,500 each. They would go to two specially trained officers in each of their 11 precincts. It has not been stated where the other 11 would end up. It would be safe to assume that each precinct would have one backup rifle.

According to Boston police spokesman Sgt. Mike McCarthy the rifles would be strictly regulated and would not be used during routine patrol. Use of the weapons could include an active-shooter incident, firing on a suspect from a distance and confronting a suspect wearing body armor.

Evidently Martin Walsh has not seen the footage from the North Hollywood shootout in 1997 where officers were outgunned and had to resort to a local gun store to acquire AR15’s to fight the gunmen who had much more superior firepower available. Then again maybe he knows he can rely on the heavy police presence that was evident during the manhunt for alleged Boston Bomber Dzhokhar Tsarnaev.

Read the full story here.

Face Armor

Every once and a while a fad will hit the shooting community, the one I am talking about today has many names such as, tactical beard, face armor, combat beard, as well as a few other new names popping up every day. The ancient Greeks viewed beards as a sign of virility; Spartans even punished cowards by shaving off portions of their beard. Have you ever seen a picture of clean shaven Viking? I didn’t think so.

While some would argue that the origins of the modern tactical beard can be traced back to a Chris Costa, I believe it was a picture of a Green Beret, call sign “Cowboy” operating in Afghanistan in 2002. Many Special Forces operators would grow beards until their ban in 2010 to help build the trust of local elders in Afghanistan, in the civilian world the only tactical advantage that a beard offers is for dropping panties according to Matt Devito.

The disadvantage to those wearing a full set of face armor is that it may interfere with equipment such as gas masks, respirators as well as other medical equipment hence the military’s policy against facial hair. This is important to remember for those people that have gas masks as part of their preps. They will ultimately not be able to get a good seal on the mask.

Everyone wants the latest and greatest gear that SF is running. All you have to do is visit any forum or social media page and watch the pissing matches commence over gear. There is always the one guy that states “It’s what the SEALs use.” Face armor is just one thing closer to getting them to feel like they are real life SEALs. Just add thumb over bore shooting technique, rock tape, and they will be shooting better in no time.  

Who do you think has the best tactical beard?

New MultiCam Patterns

 Yesterday was a date that a lot of us have been watching for a while. MultiCam finally officially released photos of their new patterns, Arid, Tropic, Alpine, and Black. We leaked a photo a few days ago of the MultiCam black frog shirt a few days ago on our Facebook page and many people seemed intrigued.

While the original MultiCam pattern is known to be extremely versatile, MultiCam has decided to step their game up and build climate specific patterns. Personally I believe these are to be in direct competition to Kryptek on the commercial market, however MultiCam was recently awarded a contract by the Army to be their official camouflage pattern.

In a time when a lot of car manufacturers are going retro and simply updated older muscle car designs, such as the Challenger and Mustang; I feel this is exactly what MultiCam has done as their patterns are not much different than the camouflage that modern patterns such as UCP and MARPAT replaced.

Arid was designed to reduce the visual and IR signature in an open rocky desert environment. While it has a striking resemblance to the three color desert camouflage pattern that replaced the “chocolate chip” it has some green in it and pairs nicely with the original MultiCam pattern.

The Tropic pattern reminds me a lot of the rare ERDL uniforms during Vietnam. Unlike the ERDL the new Tropic pattern sports the MultiCam shapes that are more random and looks to be extremely effective in blending in the jungle environment.

Alpine is MulitCam’s new arctic or winter pattern. Like most winter camouflage, it is predominantly white with a few gray splotches ranging from light to dark. The MultiCam claims that it can be paired nicely with the original pattern however I don’t think that it would be a good idea to have winter camo in a snowy environment and an original MultiCam plate carrier on your person.

The last new pattern is MultiCam Black. The Black pattern was designed for law enforcement officers operating in high risk areas. The pattern is like no other I have seen before. MultiCam Black features black as the main color and has accent colors, ranging from sage green to gray. Originally I had heard that the black would only be available to LEO and military personnel, however it is available on their fabrics page for commercial use as well.

While the Arid, Tropic, and Alpine look to be great additions to the MultiCam family for military personel and civilians alike, I am not sold on the Black pattern. I feel that this will be about as useful as other black and urban camouflage patterns. What are your thoughts?

View the patterns here

Femme Fatale

When most people think of an AR15 owned by a female, they generally think the same thought, either pink furniture or a custom hydrographics or a cerakote job. Bryan at Average Gun Guy has vowed to change this in his latest product. Enter the Femme Fatale…

The Femme Fatale upper receiver that we tested, chambered in 5.56 has an MSRP of $950.00. It sports custom skull and crossbones free float handguards, heart shape fluted barrel, an ambidextrous charging handle, spiral shaped muzzle device and an Exo-treated BCG with buffer.

My first impressions of the upper was that it felt extremely well built, while it is not lightweight by any means it is not the heaviest upper I have handled either. The detail in the handguards really gives it a feminine feel while still allowing the “black rifle” look.

The fluting on the barrel was also very appealing as you could tell they were hearts however it was not too obvious as I would be embarrassed owning it.  

After gawking at the quality of craftsmanship on the parts and waiting for the weather to clear up it was time to hit the range. As the upper ships stock with no optics or flip up sights, we slapped it on a Stag lower receiver and added a Vortex Strike Fire to hit the range.

Once we got to the range it was time to sight in the optic, The first 2 or 3 shots rang out without a hiccup, after that the muzzle device had actually worked itself off of the threads. I put it back on and fired a few more shots only to have the same outcome. Luckily when I am testing products I carry extra gear on hand. 

The crush washer was replaced and muzzle device tightened back down only to have the same result as the muzzle device is round all the way around, hence not allowing it to be tightened with an armorers tool. I finally decided to switch it to an A2 to complete the testing.

After the A2 was installed it performed flawlessly. The accuracy was even impressive at 50 yards, with majority of the rounds of 62 grain XM193 American Eagle ammo fired landing inside the black of the NRA rifle target.  Of the 120 rounds fired through the Femme Fatale I experienced 0 malfunctions that impeded the use and effectiveness of the weapon.

In the end if you are or know a female that is serious about having a quality AR15 that doesn’t scream “I’m a girl” than the Femme Fatale is a great option. If the model still comes with the spiral device I would either add some Loctite, or replace it with a muzzle brake of your choice. While the price point is high for those looking to enter the market on a budget, this is by no means a low end budget rifle.

To purchase this upper receiver and to see Bryan’s other products visit them here

-Joe

JP Leather Works 1911 Holster

Mr. Joe Price from JP Leather Works recently sent us one of his 1911 holsters to test and evaluate. Joe began making leather goods earlier this year and we were excited to get our hands on one of his holsters. Joe's proud of his work and takes pride in the quality of his products.  They are hand cut from the hide and feature Joe's own custom patterns. He molds the leather to fit the firearm and each holster is hand sewn with double stitching. The leather is waxed and polished for ultimate protection.


Right out of the box I was super impressed with the overall quality and softness of the leather. It felt as if it had been fully broken in. We had opted for the Spartan design. The spartan pattern was stamped in the leather and burned to add color and character. The leather was beautiful and had a realistic wood grain look to it. So far so good, moving on...

The gun that would be calling the Spartan Holster it's new home was an Auto Ordnance 1911. The AO 1911 slid right into the holster with ease yet still very snug. It held the gun securely. To really test out how well the gun was secured I went for a little jog. The gun never moved and was very comfortable. Next was the vehicle test. Getting in and out of the truck the holster held the 1911 up tight to my body and didn't get caught up on anything. While driving I couldn't even tell I had a gun on my side. Joe really nailed the ergonomic aspect of this holster. Even though it's an outside the waist band holster it can easily be concealed with a jacket or longer shirt. The way the holster hugs your body reduces any bulk or bulging.

The last area that was tested was drawing the firearm from the holster. The design of this holster puts the firearm right where you want it and your hand goes right to it in a natural motion. The 1911 releases with ease and you are ready to rock.

In conclusion, I am extremely happy with the 1911 Spartan holster from JP Leather Works. It looks great and functions extremely well. It has become my new "go to" holster for the 1911.

For more information visit...
www.etsy.com/shop/jpleatherworks
jplworks@gmail.com

Law Tactical Gen 2 Folding Stock Adapter

If you have been following our Facebook and Instagram for a while it is no secret that I have been dropping pictures showing off the Law Tactical Gen 2 Folding Stock Adapter. I have had my eyes on them since I saw the first generation of their products featured online a few months ago. Being able to be used on any AR platform from .223 to .308, direct impingement or piston as well as full auto. Law Tactical has produced a game changer.

My first impressions when unboxing the adapter was that it was extremely well built weighing in at around 6 ounces; it does add slight weight to your rifle. Included in the package are very detailed instructions, the adapter, and a small package of Loctite.

What is not included are the hex keys needed for installation, however if you watch the installation video on YouTube they put together installation is much easier than using the instructions as part of the hinge needs to be taken apart for assembly.

Once the adapter was installed I couldn’t wait to get it to the range and test it out, although Mother Nature had other plans. Finally after a few weeks I was able to make it out for some testing. I had no plans to shoot the rifle while the stock was folded as it clearly states not to, and there is already a video posted of this and the destruction to the adapter afterwards. Installation has already been covered flawlessly by Law Tactical, so I decided to focus on the one question I had been asked the most; “Is the bolt carrier group exposed to dirt and debris when the stock is folded open?”

To answer the question the adapter comes with an adjustable steel bolt carrier extension that fits in the back of your BCG whether it is a 5.56 or .308. This extender allows the BCG to function normally with the added distance through the adapter while firing. It also prevents dirt from entering into the BCG.

To test the effectiveness of the bolt carrier extender as if you were exiting a vehicle with the adapter folded and dropped the weapon on the ground prior to firing. We have been getting hammered with rain lately and the ground was a sloppy sandy mess on the shooting lanes where the rifle was dropped. I then picked up some sandy soil and threw in the back.

The first shot I was a little nervous but it went off without a hitch, just a ton of smoke exiting the ejection port. Subsequential shots showed less and less smoke caused by the moisture of the soil exiting the rifle.

In the end the adapter performed flawless under the conditions of the test. 

I believe that this product is a must have for anyone owning an SBR. Even with a 16” barrel the Law Tactical folding stock adapter allowed me to conceal the rifle inside of my pack I take to the range.  From the crew of an aerial platform to the everyday citizen that can now easily conceal their rifle in their vehicle, Law Tactical brings to the market a product that is simple yet very useful.

Watch our test here

For more information visit Law Tactical here

MCS Holsters

Recently I put out the offer to have some more admins join the page.  I received a few emails and selected three new people. One of which is a full time firefighter and paramedic. I was extremely excited to have a paramedic on board to help with medical items. However, when he offered me a holster I happily agreed to his offer.

At this point I noticed his Instagram only had a few holsters on it, so I really couldn't judge the quality.  He asked what my carry gun was and if I wanted IWB or OWB. I told him and we continued to discuss other matters.

Fast forward about a week and I get a bubble mailer in the mailbox with no return address on it. I was not expecting what was inside. When I opened the package I was instantly blown away at the feel and look of this holster.

While the holster does have the look of the SIK peep show, Mike has started painting one eyelet as a way to set his apart.  I instantly fell in love with the two tone color pattern, especially the carbon fiber on red. As a former volunteer firefighter it reminds me of the firefighter “thin red line”.

All the edges of the holster are very smooth with no rough edges to be found. The belt loops look as if they are made out of kydex as well and fit easily on my 2” belt. They are also thick enough to accommodate most belt types.

Having a holster so detailed could be its Achilles heel. The only potential downfall that I have found is that the inside the trigger guard is indented. For some that want a smoother draw this may be an issue. Myself, coming from a Blackhawk Serpa OWB this does not bother me at all, and I kind of like the feel of it as it almost clicks when placing the weapon back in the holster. I have no doubt that my Glock will stay put while holstered due to this.  

Overall I really couldn’t be happier with my holster from Mike at MCS holsters. If you are looking for a great quality holster, that is affordable and the most important to me quick turnaround time look no further than MCS.

-Joe

https://www.facebook.com/MCSHolsters

http://instagram.com/alfiremedic1