PHOTO OF THE DAY: APEX FAILURE RESISTANT EXTRACTOR FOR GLOCK

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As mentioned in previous posts, many current production Glocks suffer from extraction/ejection issues. Some of my recent production Glocks have been great right out of the box (such as my FDE Gen 4 Glock 19). Unfortunately, my brand new Gen 4 Glock 34 had an ejection pattern that looked like a lawn sprinkler. Thanks to Apex Tactical Specialties, this is no longer the case. If you have an extraction/ejection issue with your Glock, check out Apex Tactical’s Failure Resistant Extractor.

SOURCE: Apex Tactical Specialties

 

 

A PRIMER ON USE OF DEADLY FORCE (PART ONE)

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“Can I shoot someone if (hypothetical scenario then provided by questioner).”  I suspect that is the most common question posed to classroom trainers having legal expertise or law enforcement agency risk management responsibility.   My usual answer sounds like that of a smart aleck lawyer, but actually it isn’t:  “I don’t know, can you?” If prior to the question I have not explained my use of deadly force paradigm, I do so then.  It is framed by four words which identify concepts to be examined seriatim:

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AR Issues? Use MEAL to solve your problem.

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Recently, I received a call from a local department armorer that had attended a course I a taught several years ago. He needed my help. He explained his problem: During qualifications they suddenly began experiencing malfunctions with several carbines while qualifying. The armorer described that he had found a piece of the bullet inside of the lugs on the barrel extension. They tried different types of ammunition and were still experiencing the same issue.

I asked him to stop by the range and bring the carbines and ammo in question.
When he and his partner came by, I looked at the carbines and immediately disassembled the weapons. I felt we should change out the gas rings on one and the extractor springs on both. However, I wanted to shoot the carbines before making any changes so I could diagnose the specific problem. Continue reading →

So what do we do now?

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I do not typically make political statements on social media or our website, but we as law abiding gun owners find ourselves in quite a predicament. Emotions are running high, and those against civilian gun ownership are poised to take advantage of recent high profile crimes and horrific events to further their agenda. Continue reading →

My EOTech works flawlessly on Modern Warfare.

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A while back, my 9 year old son and I were playing Call Of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 on XBox, and I came to a realization.  The EoTech on my M4 on the screen was working “flawlessly”.  So, it became the running joke that the only place I’ve ever witnessed an EoTech run 100 percent is on Modern Warfare.  I’ve made this comment a couple of times in front of different shooters and it usually erupts into laughter.  Some get angry.  The “Aimpoint versus EOTech” is the ultimate “Ford versus Chevy” debate, and in the worlds of the interwebs it can get heated. Continue reading →

CARACAL F 9mm Pistol – Range Day 1-1000 Rounds

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I ran the first 1000 rounds through the Caracal F 9mm pistol today.  The good news is that it ran all 1000 rounds without a single issue.  Using Aguila 124gr FMJ, I was concentrating on running the gun, and how it extracted and ejected.  Extraction was perfect and there were only a few erratic ejections.  Most of those landed either on the top of my head or in the hood of my sweatshirt.  Thankfully this was in less than 2% of the rounds fired.  I did note that the ejection pattern settled down and became consistent between 3 and 5 o’clock somewhere between 200-300 rounds. Continue reading →

Chambered Round Verification, aka the “Press Check”

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Benicio Del Toro performs a one-handed press-check in a scene from Way of the Gun. Veteran LAPD SWAT Officer and firearms trainer Scott Reitz provided the technical direction for the firearms in this film.

Recently, I’ve read some discussion on the Press Check, with some firearms instructors stating that it is unnecessary, that instead of a Press Check, one should simply conduct a tactical reload. Let’s start by defining what it is. A Press Check is, quite simply, the act of verifying that the weapon has a chambered cartridge and is ready to fire. On a semi-automatic pistol, this usually involves moving the slide rearward by about 3/4 of an inch and either visually or physically confirming that there is indeed a round in the chamber. In this article, I will discuss whether or not I feel this action is ever necessary to perform.

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Grip Force Adapter: Making “perfection” a little more perfect

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For years I suffered from slide bite when shooting Glock pistols, especially the mid size guns like my issued 23.  Between fairly large hands and an aggressive grip I was almost assured to have the web of my shooting hand ripped open by the slide serrations by the end of the day.  The Grip Force Adapter has changed all that.

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The Bill Drill………

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Depending on which luminary of modern shooting you speak to, the Bill Drill either came from Bill Wilson, or Bill Rogers.

It was a simple drill, shot on a timer.  Six shots from the holster into an eight inch circle from seven yards.  All shots must remain in the eight inch circle.  It is also shot on the IPSC target and considered clean if all shots remain in the “A” box.

Today it is still a mainstay in my personal training, and a drill I use a lot in teaching.  The reason I like the Bill Drill so well is because it tests many things at speed.  It tests the draw, driving the gun on target efficiently, and breaking six smooth shots at speed.  A shooter can cheat their way through the draw, and muscle the gun, slapping the trigger through a couple of shots but not through six with any kind of reliability.  That is why I love this drill so. Continue reading →

CARACAL F 9mm Pistol – The Magazines

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The Caracal came with two, 18 round metal tube magazines.  The follower and base pad are plastic and seem reasonably durable.  The spring is a nesting style with the final three coils reduced to nest inside the lower coils while under compression.  What’s different from most other magazines is the lack of an internal base plate.  The absence of this part means that the spring rests directly against the plastic base pad and that the final coil of the spring locks the base pad into place.  It was easily disassembled using a thin blade of a flat tip screwdriver tip.  I’m not sure if it really matters if there is a metal base plate inside the mag or not.  We will see as things progress.

The mag bodies are smooth and well finished with no sharp or jagged edges to hang up on things. The ambi mag catch holds the mag in via a centered notch on the mag body.

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CARACAL F 9mm Pistol – The Insides

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Takedown is exactly like that of a Glock, so yes, you do have to press the trigger to de-cock the gun before disassembly.

This group of pictures are of the Caracal F as I received it.  It arrived very dry and I suspect if it had been shot that way, it would have lasted about 200 rounds or so before it began to have problems.  I have since cleaned it all up and Frog Lubed the gun so it is ready to go for the range tomorrow. Continue reading →

AR15/M16 Magazine Drop Test: Plastic vs. Aluminum

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L to R: NHMTG USGI Magazine, PMAG, PMAG GEN M3, and TangoDown ARC Mk2.

One of the weak links of the M16 platform has always been the magazine design. The double column feed makes the system prone to malfunction should there be any dimensional problem with the magazine. Thankfully, there are more options for good magazines than ever before. Aluminum GI magazines have better springs, followers, and are built to as high a standard as ever, and we now have excellent choices in polymer magazines.

With that in mind, I decided to do a simple durability test of four popular magazines: the USGI aluminum magazine, the legacy PMAG, the new PMAG GEN M3, and the latest TangoDown ARC Mark 2 magazine.

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CARACAL F 9mm Pistol – First Look

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A work requirement has caused me to take a long and hard look at the Caracal F 9mm.  A full size, 18+1 9mm, the Caracal is designed and built in the UAE and marked specifically from Abu Dhabi, UAE.  It is the standard service sidearm for most of their military, including the Special Guard of the United Arab Emirates.    I will be working this pistol through a series of tests to see how well it can hold up.  This is the first of several pieces I will write on the gun, with updates following as I reach milestones in the testing and evaluation process.  My ultimate goal is to get at least 10,000 rounds through it and as many hands on it as possible.

The Caracal comes with two, 18 round mags, manual, lock and plastic case for about $449 retail. MSRP is slightly higher.

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20 PERCENT OFF XMAS SPECIAL FROM NEXT LEVEL TRAINING

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Next Level Training is having a 20% off Christmas Special on all products for MSW readers and 10-8 fans!

 

As many of our readers know, Hilton and I are big fans of Next Level Training’s SIRT Pistol. If you are not familiar with it, read Hilton’s Intro to the SIRT.

In celebration of the holiday season, our friends at Next Level Training is offering 20% OFF ALL PRODUCTS to the readers of Modern Service Weapons and fans of 10-8. To receive your discount, enter 10-8XMAS into the coupon code box during checkout. This applies to all NLT products. Due to the time required to process your order, you need to place your order by December 13, 2012 to guarantee delivery by Christmas. Even if you miss the delivery deadline, this offer will be good until January 1, 2013.

Visit Next Level Training at http://www.nextleveltraining.com

 

Hearing Protection… Pay Now or Pay Later

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I thought I was going crazy. It started with and occasional high pitch ring in either one of my ears and was soon accompanied by vertigo. I would be carrying on a conversation and the next thing I know I’m almost falling over. After a little research, I realized that I was suffering from tinnitus, a common malady amongst returning combat veterans. I had known since returning from Iraq that I suffered from diminished hearing, especially when trying to isolate sounds, like when my wife was trying to talk to me while the TV was on…(Insert your own joke here), but the tinnitus was starting to affect my quality of life. Even though there’s not much I can do about fixing my hearing issues, it got me thinking about what I could do to keep them from getting worse.

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