Best hat…ever!
What? Are we talking about a hat? Not a top hat or sombrero, but a ball cap no less. Well, unless you’ve been in a cave (Taliban?) for the past decade, the ball cap is part of our tactical wardrobe. But..not all caps are the same. Continue reading
I was recently introduced to the product line of Diamondhead USA by a teammate. I was really drawn to the VRS-T rail so I decided to set up one of my older 14.5” Colt uppers with a 13.5″ model and try it out. The rebuild also included their T-Brake and Diamondhead folding sight set. I was initially drawn to the VRS-T rail due to its triangular shape, which reminded me of my old M16A1. The rail is pretty slim and the scalloped cuts on the sides give a very comfortable and secure grip without being too aggressive to hands or gloves. The T-Brake was added at their suggestion. I’m not normally a muzzle brake or compensator fan but, I figured there was no harm in giving it a try. Installation of the rail was pretty straight forward although it does require a bit of skill and planning to do it yourself. The rail mounts to a proprietary barrel nut and also requires removal of the delta ring. Depending on length, you may also need a low profile gas block or cutting of your front sight base. The T-Brake installed easily and comes pre-drilled for pinning if that is needed for your situation. It is long enough that it will bring a 14.5” barrel over 16”. The profile is triangular and blends nicely with the VRS-T rail, making it aesthetically pleasing, if you are concerned by that kind of stuff. Continue reading
Bushmaster . 308 ORC MOE Carbine. Nikon 1-4 Scope with Nikon P Series Mount. Magpul M3 PMags, Vltor Scout Mount with Surefire G2 Light, HST Sling, MDFA Kydex FDE .308 Mag Pouch.
Having been a long time user (37 years) of the M-16/AR-15 family in 5.56, I decided that it was time I tried one in the caliber that the weapon was originally designed for .308. I’m a proponent of 30 caliber weapons and the .308 and 30-06 are my favorites. While the 5.56/.223 work well within certain situations, I wanted a more versatile caliber, with the ability to penetrate barriers as well as one that has more effect on target in a defensive situation. We also have large animals here in Maine and the 5.56 is somewhat lacking in it’s ability to address those situations.(Ever have to shoot an injured Moose?) Continue reading
And in comes the next innovative product from SPD Tool, the SPD Range Rod. Continue reading
I first met Tom Allen at the SHOT show seven or eight years ago. At the time, Tom had a small-ish firearms/accessory business in Chesterland, Ohio. Tom and I made some small talk and he told me if I ever needed any SIG related stuff to give him a shout.
I got home and needed a set of sights a few weeks later, and went onto the Top Gun Supply website and ordered a set of Meprolight Night Sights for a P220. I remember I ordered the sights on Monday. They got to my door on Wednesday. Whoa. That was quick.
Over the years, I’ve watched Top Gun Supply grow into the largest supplier of SIG Sauer parts and accessories. Tom and Michelle have dedicated much to the SIG Sauer line of products. Continue reading
The “proof” that a 7.62×39 pencil was not used
I recently had a range experience that dispelled one of the greatest urban legends of the firearms world. That the 7.62x.39 AK 47 is incapable of the accuracy level of the AR-15…. or much of anything else. While that may be true in most cases, I just found that to be a myth. After much experimentation down the AK47 path, I settled on what I believe is the finest AK pattern rifle ever made. This is the Arsenal SAM7SF. Continue reading
Whether flat or rolled, they take up little space, and weigh almost nothing. Proven highly useful in everyday civilian aid, search and rescue, military, sports, and back country applications. From the sammedical website: “Built from a thin core of aluminum alloy and sandwiched between two layers of closed-cell foam, the SAM Splint can be bent into any of three simple curves, becoming extremely strong and supportive for any fractured or injured limb.” And yes, there is a guy named Sam — he’s an MD, and the company’s founder and CEO. Continue reading
Last week, I was out at the SIG Academy teaching a class when one of my friends who is one of their engineers showed up with all kinds of cool stuff.
One of these items was a suppressed SIG MCX in 300 Blackout. I didn’t have a lot of time due to teaching, but I ran enough ammo through it to say without a doubt…….wow. Continue reading
I come here today to review some of those super awesome belts that make your life better. I’m guessing that someone smarter than me realized that wearing 50 lbs of mags, med kits and more mags on your chest rig led to pain and encumbered movement. They came up with MOLLE on a belt so you could carry more stuff on your waist and still have room for more mags on your chest. They called it a “battle belt” (how cool…) So now, if you want to be tactical, you need to “run” your gear on these new belts. I do admit, it is more comfortable and functional than a standard “bat belt” I wear as a LEO. Depending on your agency or unit, you might be able to ditch the old “leather” gear for one of these beauties.
The first one I’d like to talk about is the HSGI Battle Belt $79. http://www.highspeedgear.com/hsgi/sure-grip-padded-belt-31PB.html
First Spear’s Missing Links turns any MOLLE attachment accessory into a belt mounted accessory. The pictured pistol magazine pouch offers excellent combination of speed and retention.
Back in the day, I was a huge fan of Eagle Industries, a family-owned “tactical” nylon company with then forward thinking designs. They brought us products such as the MC-CIRAS releasable vest and an excellent modular plate carrier system that I still use today. The company was eventually sold to ATK, who also bought out Blackhawk Industries and also owns Federal, Speer and CCI. They still make tactical nylon, but most of their products go straight to government contracts and is generally unavailable unless purchased on the secondary market.
One of the products I liked quite a bit was the FB magazine pouch. This kydex reinforced pouch features a cloth backing for retention. A velcro secured strap folds back to front which allows the user to decide whether each pouch needs the additional security of the flap. These are now hard to find, especially in a belt mount model. Most pouches now are made for MOLLE type webbing. Continue reading
Having rekindled my love affair with the wheelgun, I found it necessary to procure a quality holster. My usual, off the shelf, brand turned out to be a dismal failure. Again, I turned to the Internet for answers. While there were numerous high end options available for wheenguns, pricing and wait times were more than I was willing to endure. I also saw Garrett Industries mentioned frequently in the same sentence as “fast”, “quality” and “customer service.” I took a look at the website and saw the Silent Thunder OWB holster and felt it would be well suited to range and class duty. The website listed a 7 business day turnaround time. Seven business days later I had a shipping notice in my email and tracking information to show that the holster actually shipped, not just a label printed. Continue reading
The Vertx EDC Gamut (shown here in Smoke Grey) is functional and fits into an urban setting without screaming “I’m tactical!”
For as long as I can remember I’ve had a sickness for backpacks. I’ve gone through the variety of tactical packs to include Eagle AIII packs in every conceivable color, the popular RAID pack, and countless other brands. One of my longtime favorites was the 5.11 COVRT 18 pack, which had quite a few well thought out features. Build quality wasn’t terrible, but it still left me wanting more. So when Vertx released their EDC Gamut pack, I had to have one. My first impressions after receiving the pack is that the build quality exceeds that of the 5.11 pack by a noticeable margin. It has a semi-flexible frame sheet that helps the pack stand and keeps its shape. Zippers glide smoothly (the 5.11 never had a problem in this regard) and materials are rugged where needed. So what about the design? Continue reading
I was lucky to receive the other day a pair of the new Vertx Phantom Ops Airflow pants. If you don’t know who Vertx is, well then you’ve been asleep behind the wheel of the tactical fashion industry. Vertx (from their website) “is the tactical brand of Fechheimer, owned by Berkshire Hathaway, Inc and makers of Flying Cross military and law enforcement uniforms.” I also heard the name Arc’Teryx mentioned at SHOT one year as having input into the design (haven’t got confirmation yet..). Continue reading
Robar/10-8/MSW Glock with Streamlight TLR-1HL WML, Lasermax Guiderod Laser and MDFA Kydex Carry Gear
In a previous article I revisited my Robar/10-8/MSW Glock. At that time I had installed a LaserMax LM1141P Guide Rod Laser and a Streamlight TLR-1 WML. Since that time I have fired approximately 1500 rounds with them installed. The Laser came from the factory shooting POA/POI and has had absolutely no issues. I find that I sometimes activate the Laser when my trigger finger is in register on the frame of the pistol, before I intend too however. My fault not the Laser’s.
I really like the fact that the LaserMax is internal. This means your holsters will all fit, you won’t block the Laser with your hand or finger when gripping the pistol, and the sight/barrel offset is minimized with the system. Continue reading
Here are a couple holsters made by our very own MSW contributor Bob Henckel of MDFA.
Our loyal readers will recognize the name Bob Henckel as one of our regular contributors here at MSW. Bob owns and operates the Maine Defensive Firearms Academy and has recently reincarnated his Kydex holster operations. I was happy to discover this, as I’m always on the lookout for intelligently designed, functional kydex holsters. MDFA makes each holster to order, and the customer can select from over 50 colors and/or patterns available. The holsters are formed from .080″ Kydex, and can be had with 1.5″ or 1.75″ interchangeable belt loops. I chose two different rigs to try out: an IWB and OWB rig. The fit and finish are excellent, and every edge is hand finished. I’ll be carrying both over the next few weeks and will report back with my impressions. MDFA is still working on adding the holsters to the website, but you can order directly through them by hitting them through the contact portion of their site. Continue reading