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.

Photo of the Day: Visiting with an Early 1911 Build

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Today’s photo of the day is one of my early projects from almost 10 years ago. I built it on a Colt 1991A1 with all the Series 80 parts in tact. I spent a lot of time on the trigger and adjusted the timing of the S80 parts so that they are transparent to the shooter. After about a year, the original Ed Brown thumb safety sheared, so it was replaced with a strong side only CMC unit that I had in the pile. I also replaced the slide stop with an early 10-8 unit for good measure. All the parts were addressed by hand, including removal of all machine marks from the frame and slide, thorough dehorn, and polishing of all the pins. The S&A magwell was also blended by hand with external recontouring inspired by a build I had seen from Larry Vickers. I can’t take credit for the scallops; they were done as a favor to me by Stan Chen back in the day. This pistol has some good honest wear on it, which looks nice on the satin blue finish. Bluing doesn’t protect nearly as well as modern polymer finishes, but boy it looks a lot better when it wears. Just don’t keep it around salt water.

Photo of the Day: Goldmember’s 1911?

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While visiting my buddy’s local gun shop, I saw this in the repair bin and knew I had to share it. The pistol appears to be plated with actual gold, and fully engraved. You get exactly ONE guess as to what caliber for which the pistol is chambered. You’ll notice even the sights are plated. Just goes to show you that the taste some people have exists only in their mouth.

Our Take on Online Firearm Resources

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GunUp Magazine represents the new generation of sophisticated gun owners and is run by those who truly care about the people who read their membership and the content they provide.

As with all technology, the good always comes with the bad. With modern advances in communication technology, we are more connected to each other than ever before in human history. Information exchange can take place with fewer barriers and we are not at the mercy of publishing companies to get the word out when we want to say something important (or not-so-important.) But with this comes a downside. Now, anyone with an Internet connection and beyond 3rd grade writing capability can start their own website or start posting on an online forum as if they are an authority on any particular subject. Unfortunately, firearms topics seem to draw out some of the worst the Internet has to offer.

Continue reading →

The Real Truth About 1911s

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This photo was taken from a 1911 course we taught in Bellevue, WA. Three quarters of the 1911s experienced failures during the test firing phase of this class, which is about average for our courses. We make it a point to get all these guns working reliably by the end of the class, and barring a dimensional issue that requires machine work (which is beyond our the scope of our mobile class format), we are usually successful in reaching this goal.

Recently, another blogger has apparently taken offense to the statement I made in a previous article. I wrote something to the effect that those who have been around 1911s know that they are finicky and requires a dedicated end user and strict maintenance. Before I go into a few technical details, I’d like to point out a few facts. Despite my comment, believe it or not, I am a 1911 fan. It is safe to say that I love 1911s and there are more of them in my safe than any other pistol I own. It was a revolutionary design that was way ahead of its time. The 1911 has influenced nearly all modern service pistols subsequent to its development. That being said, the gun is over 100 years old, and believe it or not, we have learned one or two things about building reliable, affordable pistols for duty use in the last century.

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Colt M45 CQBP: Shooting the Gun (Does it work?)

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The Colt M45 is fitted with a National Match Barrel which yields very good accuracy. I shot this group at 20 yards, standing, freestyle. I was fighting a nasty flinch from all the function testing earlier.

Earlier this week, Hilton published a series of articles that gave us a detailed look at the Marine Corps’ new M45. This begs the question, how does it shoot? Those of us who’ve been around the 1911 platform know it is a finicky gun that requires a dedicated end user and strict maintenance schedule if it is to be relied upon. Many 1911 style guns on the market won’t even work well out of the box. So how does the Marines’ new 45-caliber pistol fare? Continue reading →

Photo of the Day: Hornady Match 308 Ammo

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Finally getting ready to do some accuracy testing on the S&W M&P 10.

Not long ago, I purchased a Smith & Wesson M&P10 .308 rifle and my initial impressions of the gun were extremely positive. It features quite a few nice features, and the aggressive price point makes it an attractive addition to the market. Most importantly, the gun actually works well. I’ve been meaning to get to the range and do some accuracy testing, but other commitments got in the way (and I really hate zeroing optics.) Hornady was generous enough to send out a few boxes of their excellent 308 for the test, so look forward to an accuracy report here.

Colt M45: A Closer Look at the Dual Recoil Spring System

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The geometry of the M45 guide rod head is quite similar to the GI version. The protrusions are the same diameter according to my digital calipers.

Recently, there has been a bit of interest regarding the dual recoil spring system included with the Colt M45 CQBP. The spring system is designed to improve the service life between replacement cycles, though the Marine Corps still specifies that the springs be replaced at 5000 rounds. This spring setup is not completely new, as a similar setup is used in the Delta Elite, albeit the guide rod in that system is polymer. So the question remains, can we expect the system to work if put into a standard 1911? Continue reading →

Review: Geissele G2S Trigger

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Geissele’s new G2S trigger offers the same feel and function as their popular SSA trigger at a significant savings.

Readers of this site know by now that most of the contributors here are big fans of the Geissele High-Speed Triggers. A few weeks back, MSW writer Joe wrote a review of the Super Dynamic 3-Gun Trigger. And earlier this week, Scott Ballard reviewed the Super Tricon Trigger. The major downside to the Geissele trigger systems is that once you have one in your rifle, you want one in every one of your M4 rifles.  Continue reading →

Magpul Releases Their New MOE Fixed Carbine Stock

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Magpul just announced today their new fixed carbine stock is shipping to dealers and distributors. The MOE Fixed Carbine Stock is a non-collapsing stock that will fit most A5 length buffer tubes (a.k.a. receiver extensions.)  Installation is non-armorer level and does not require the removal of the castle nut. The stock weighs 8.9 ounces and has a 12.375-inch length of pull, and will be available in mil-spec and commercial receiver extension models. Initially available in black, with other standard colors to follow.

SOURCE: http://store.magpul.com/product/MAG480

Review: MagPul iPhone 5 Field Case

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MagPul’s iPhone Field Case offers a good compromise between functionality, protection, and a low profile. Here it is shown above in Foliage Green.

The smart phone has become as much of an important part of everyone’s “everyday carry” as car keys, flashlight, folding knife, and handgun. While MagPul has established itself as a household name in the tactical market, MagPul’s iPhone cases have even become a favorite of mainstream iPhone users that have no knowledge of MagPul’s “tactical” products. This is simply because it’s a great case.

One of my complaints about most of the “hard use” iPhone cases on the market is that they make the otherwise sleek iPhone into a bulky, heavy mess. Protective plastic screen covers detract from the attractive, high resolution display the iPhone is known for. For those who need extreme protection against dust and immersion in liquid, look to the LifeProof Case. For those who want good protection against everyday bumps, bruises and drops, the MagPul’s iPhone 5 Field Case is a great choice. Continue reading →

Alternative Carbine Training Options on a Budget

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Two excellent training tools to compensate for the ever increasing cost of .223 or 5.56 training ammunition: Next Level Training’s SIRT AR Bolt and Smith & Wesson’s M&P 15-22 .22 caliber rifle.

Thanks to the recent push by politicians to capitalize on the public’s emotions and institute further restrictions on law abiding citizens, along with the ever increasing cost of raw materials, ammunition is more expensive than ever. Around January, a 1000 round case of PMC .223 caliber ammunition was selling for nearly $2000 a case. Thankfully, costs have come down, but it is still difficult to come by, and a 1000 round case of factory training ammunition still costs upwards of $600-800. Training organizations have responded by allowing students to attend courses with .22 caliber rifles or conversion kits.

Here, we’ll take a look at a couple options that can help us maximize our training efficiency without breaking the bank on ammunition. Continue reading →

Photo of the Day: Meet Elle

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We got a lot of positive feedback on our Facebook page so we thought I’d share this pic with all of our website readers. The beautiful Elle is from the South and is not a stranger to shooting or firearms. She joined us on the range last week and is wearing the 10-8 Performance SSV t-shirt. Here she is checking out the new Centurion Arms lightweight CMR 12-inch hand guard system on a Colt 6920. It looks like she’ll be shooting guns with us a bunch more, soon!

Photo of the Day: Centurion Arms CMR 12-inch Rail

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Tim checks out Centurion Arms’ brand new, lightweight and narrow diameter CMR 12-inch tubular rail.

Centurion Arms has developed its latest hand guard system for the AR platform for 5.56mm and 7.62mm rifles. Boasting an extremely narrow diameter, it is approximately .120″ narrower in diameter (side to side) than a Troy Industries VTAC rail. The lightweight, custom barrel nut can be installed with a standard adjustable pin spanner wrench. Rather than attach sections of picatinny rail to the hand guard, Centurion Arms will be releasing mounts that will screw directly into the hand guard eliminating the need for an intermediate interface. The mount system is a hybrid design. It borrows the concept of the locking cross bolt system found in the H&K 416 and combines it with a clamp to the barrel nut. The tolerances are held tight and the hand guard is about a slip fit on the barrel nut prior to tightening. The mount mechanism is rock solid. As with all Centurion Arms hand guards, there are integral sling swivel attachment points at the front and rear at 9 and 3 o’clock. The entire rail is cleanly machined, extremely ergonomic, and attractive to boot. They should be hitting the market at any moment so look for it at your favorite dealer.

SOURCE: http://www.centurionarms.com

Edited to add weights:

CMR 12-inch with barrel nut and screws: 10.7 ounces

CMR 14-inch with barrel nut and screws: 11.6 ounces

Photo of the Day: Shooting the LaRue PredatAR 7.62

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Here’s one from a while back when I was testing the LaRue PredatAR 7.62 for an article I wrote for Soldier of Fortune. Weighing in at under 8 pounds unloaded, this handy big bore rifle is extremely pointable and easy to shoot. I later added a BattleComp BABC muzzle device which does an amazing job of keeping the muzzle level between shots. The only downside to the PredatAR is the insane demand. Get your name on the list and own one of the finest lightweight, modern battle rifles available.

SOURCE: http://www.larue.com

Another Look at the Wilson Combat 620BP 1911 Ambi Safety

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After initial fitting of the engagement surfaces of the safety, it was time to trim the extra wide paddles so they were suitable for a duty/carry gun. Left is the “before” photo, and on the right is the “after”.

A few weeks ago, MSW Contributor Scott Ballard wrote about Wilson Combat’s latest iteration of their Bulletproof Ambidextrous Safety for the 1911. Originally available with tiny little levers, many of us were waiting for a version with longer and wider paddles that are more consistent with what we are used to. Thankfully, Wilson Combat answered the call and produced the 620BP, which has oversized paddles. Continue reading →