Author Archives: Tim Lau

About Tim Lau

Tim Lau has over a decade of experience as an end user, armorer and instructor. He has worked for several well known firearms training organizations, and holds multiple firearms instructor certifications. He owns and operates 10-8 Consulting, LLC, which provides industry consulting services as well as marksmanship and specialized firearms training to qualified civilian, law enforcement and military personnel.

Back Up Iron Sights: Do You Need Them?

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The MagPul MBUS front and rear sights are inexpensive and functional for almost all purposes.

There was a time when optics were not nearly as dependable as they are today. Nowadays, non-magnified sights such as the Aimpoint Comp M3, M4 and T-1 have battery lives more easily measured in years than hours. The durability of modern optics have also improved to the point where in hundreds of thousands of rounds fired downrange, I have yet to see an Aimpoint fail (though I have heard of it from trusted sources.) But, that does go to show that even though it happens, it is a fairly rare event. I have seen iron sights get damaged or knocked out of adjustment more often than an Aimpoint lose zero or stop working.

So, do back-up iron sights (BUIS) still have a place on your carbine? Over the past decade, despite the tedious process of zeroing the RDS and backup irons, I have yet to need to deploy them. Not to say I will never need them, but with the cost of many quality sights sets exceeding $200, outfitting every training gun I build can get expensive. I have had great success with the MagPul MBUS sights. They hold zero inside of 100 yards, and for a CQB gun they are an excellent choice. For a dedicated range gun, I may just go without the BUIS.

The point is this: examine the purpose for which the gun you are setting up, and don’t just accessorize based on what your friends on Facebook tell you. If you’re building a precision or 7.62 caliber rifle for extended ranges, perhaps a set of quality iron sights like the offset Knights or Troy Industries flip ups will be worth the additional cost. For most purposes, the Magpul MBUS is the most economical and functional solution. And don’t feel bad not running one at all on a range-only gun unless you have a specific training purpose for it.

REVIEW: TangoDown Glock Gen4 Magazine Catch

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TangoDown magazine catch for Gen4 Glocks. Inset: factory Glock mag catch for comparison.

Glocks are pretty much ready to go right out of the box, especially if you opted for a set of steel sights. However, that doesn’t mean you can’t improve on “Perfection.” After a set of 10-8 sights, one of my favorite modifications has been the Vickers Tactical magazine catch produced by TangoDown. They are available for the small and large frame guns, and are available for all generations of Glock pistols.

Looking at the Gen4 factory magazine catch, there is a pronounced sweet spot near the front of the magazine catch button, much like the Gen3 factory catches. The Gen4 magazine catch is wider, and not too hard to release, but there is room for some improvement. The Vickers/TangoDown catch widens the sweet spot and the serrations are placed near the rear of the catch to reduce the reach distance for the shooter’s thumb. The catch itself is made of the same robust material as the factory catch; no cheap, soft plastic here. A flat blade screwdriver and five minutes is all you’ll need to remove the old catch and install the new one.

Will this one accessory turn you into a ghetto gunfighter? No. But it may add a few percentage points to the consistency of your reloads (as it did mine), and in this game, I’ll take every point I can get.

SOURCE: TangoDown

PS. The catch is now available in the Glock factory black or tan/FDE color.

First Look: Safariland’s 5197/5198 Range Series Holster

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At SHOT 2013, I got a look at Safariland’s latest “Range Series” holsters. These are designed to compete with the myriad of open top style Kydex range holsters popular with competitive shooters, and it is by no accident that these holsters are IDPA approved. It’s relieving to see these are not cheap injection molded holsters, but rather, thermo-formed Kydex. Like most holsters in this class, a tensioning screw adjusts the level of retention. The pistol seats into the holster with a distinct click thanks to the detent in the trigger guard. The belt attachment is secured to the holster via the familiar three hole pattern compatible with Safariland’s modular belt attachments. The Range Series holsters can be purchased with a paddle or belt loop attachment. Continue reading →

AR15/M4 Gas Block: The Simplest Option

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A common and popular modification to M4/AR15 platform these days is to install a narrow diameter tube style free-float rail (or any other long rail) system to replace the stock hand guards. If you are buying a new upper receiver, it is fairly simple to specify a low profile gas block. However, if you are starting with a service grade carbine like the excellent Colt 6920, you are going to have a standard A-frame type front sight base. What to do? Continue reading →

REVIEW: Multitasker Series 3 M4 Multitool

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The Multitasker Series multitool is one of the most popular firearm oriented multitools on the market, and for good reason. It is the Swiss Army Knife of multitools and contains nearly everything you need to maintain most common modern weapon systems used today. Hilton and I have been using the Series 2 tool for quite a bit, and found that it is not only handy on M4s, it is a great tool for performing many maintenance tasks on Glocks, M&Ps and even 1911s. Not long ago, the Series 3 tool was released, which incorporates a few features the designer felt was missing from earlier generations.

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Colt Reliability Out of the Box?

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We test fire 10 Colt 1911 pistols right out of the box without so much as lubrication.

Here at MSW, we get the question all the time: what is the best 1911 to get for out of the box reliability? Hilton and I have felt that recent production Colts probably did the best job in this regard. Last year at a 1911 class in Los Angeles, Jason Davis brought a brand new Colt 1911 to the class and shot the entire class, without any malfunctions, including the 1911 Extractor Test. This year, I brought a brand new Colt Rail Gun to our Seattle 1911 Armorer’s Course and it also passed all our function tests with flying colors. My good buddy and Factory Colt 1911/M16 Armorer Instructor Dean Caputo and I came up with an idea: What if we tested 10 random brand new, out of the box Colt Government Models and see how they ran? We agreed we wouldn’t even lubricate the guns. So not long ago, we did just that and here’s what happened:

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REVIEW: Combat Optic Tool by Patriot Products

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The lightweight and extremely versatile Combat Optic Tool should have a home in everyone’s range bag.

Our good buddy, Lt. Col. of Marines (ret.) Freddie Blish, of Patriot Products AZ, recently sent us an early sample of their latest product, the Combat Optic Tool. Freddie is a hard shooter, and having worked at Aimpoint, LaRue Tactical, and Gunsite Academy, he has a firm understanding of what shooters need, and what they don’t. It is no surprise, then, that he is the brains behind this extremely handy little device. At about 3-inches long, it incorporates several extremely handy adjustment tools for anyone who uses a modern optical sight on their pistol or long gun. Regardless of what optic or mount you run, this neat little tool will work with your sighting system. It will adjust windage and elevation on all Aimpoint, EOTech, Trijicon ACOG and RMR sights and tighten the mounting nuts on LaRue Tactical, GDI and ADM mounts as well.

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PHOTO OF THE DAY: Nighthawk 10-8 1911 On Duty

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Around 2006, we at 10-8 Consulting, LLC worked with Nighthawk Custom and commissioned the 10-8 Model 1911 to be built by the smiths at Nighthawk. Built to our specifications, it was designed to have all the features we wanted in a service ready 1911, including a Dawson Light Speed Rail and then-brand-new 10-8 rear sight for the 1911. Pictured above is one of the very first test pistols Nighthawk sent us for our evaluation (which I purchased myself.) Paired with it is an old school SureFire W117D Military Light. Yes, it is heavy and not nearly as bright as the new X300U, but old habits die hard. Plus, I like having a system disable switch on board. I have rebuilt this pistol twice, refinished three times, replaced the extractor three times, went through countless recoil and FP springs, and put nearly 30,000 rounds through it. With strict maintenance, this pistol continues to serve me well.

PHOTO OF THE DAY: Mk 262 Ammo from Colt?

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Not long ago, Colt introduced a new line of ammunition they call their “Hunting and Defense Match”, which is manufactured for them by the renowned ammunition company, Black Hills. Loaded to 5.56 NATO specifications, the 77 grain variant is essentially the Mk 262 Mod 1 Black Hills offering in a Colt box. It’s currently distributed by Midway USA and was in stock until recently. Let’s hope more comes in soon.

UPDATE: 15% Off All SIRT Products Thanks to Next Level Training

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We at MSW have been big proponents of Next Level Training’s SIRT pistol since we discovered them a couple years ago. With current ammunition shortages and prices, training with the SIRT to maintain marksmanship and gun handling skills is a no-brainer. Even with an endless supply of ammunition, the SIRT pistol helps replace bad habits formed by recoil management.

Thanks to our friends at Next Level Training, the discount offered to all MSW readers and 10-8 Consulting / 10-8 Performance fans is now 15% OFF. To receive your discount, simply enter the code 10-8 in the coupon code box after adding at least one SIRT product in your shopping cart on the Next Level Training website.

Enjoy!

Tim

Review: Blue Force Gear’s RACKminus Chest Rig

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BFG’s RACKminus loaded with Helium Whisper pouches

At SHOT Show, our friends at Blue Force Gear released the RACKminus, a super lightweight chest rig made of a high tech laminate they call ULTRAcomp that is extremely strong, durable and lightweight. A while back, Blue Force Brittney sent out a sample of the RACKminus along with some of their Ten Speed pouches, which use Helium Whisper technology. I had a chance to run it on the range for a bit and thought I’d share my thoughts.

Continue reading →

Photo of the Day: M45 Spring Testing

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Our friends at the Colt Custom Shop graciously supplied us with some of the dual recoil springs and guide rods for long term testing in other 1911 platforms. As seen in my earlier article on the M45 Spring System, the dual spring system does function in a standard 1911 platform, but we will be looking at long term results, such as long term reliability and whether or not there are adverse effects on the slide and frame. Stay tuned!

10-8 Consulting’s 1911 Armorer’s Course

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Okay, I admit a little bait and switch. This is what we WON’T be doing in the Armorer’s Course. But we WILL be fitting extractors, safeties, and working on triggers.

After our recent series of articles on the 1911, many folks have gotten the impression that I am down on the 1911 platform, but this is not the case. I have carried a 1911 on the job for better part of 13 years, and dedicated countless hours and dollars to learning about and supporting the 1911 system. I think I speak for Hilton when I say our hope is to ensure potential end users go in with both eyes open should they choose to carry a 1911 on the job, or adopt it for team or agency use.

To this end, we offer the 10-8 Consulting 1911 Armorer’s Course. This is by no means a gunsmithing course, but goes significantly further than our 1911 Operations/Diagnostics curriculum in that it covers the skills necessary to perform basic maintenance and parts replacement. Unlike factory armorer’s courses, this class gives the student a broad spectrum approach to understanding how the 1911 works and will go beyond replacing factory parts. Included in the curriculum is a full overview of the cycle of operation as it pertains to the 1911, pistol and magazine maintenance, a full limited technical inspection worksheet, extractor replacement and tuning (geometry and tension), basic trigger work, and reliability modifications. We also provide an in depth explanation of the 10-8 1911 Function Test Protocol, where it came from, what it means and what it doesn’t mean. Continue reading →