Compensators: Range Toy or Legitimate Tool?

Posted on 04/09/2012 by Tim Lau

A well-used BattleComp 2.0

Back in August 2011, I was introduced to the guys over at BattleComp while at a shooting course. The thing that immediately stood out about them is that they are shooters. Not only do they have many decades of law enforcement experience, but they love to shoot and train. And they are good at it. I couldn’t (and didn’t) pass up the opportunity to try a couple of their products.

Now before I go any further, I have always been skeptical about using compensators for anything other than gun games or range toys. I have tried half a dozen different types and shot next to many more compensators and all have shaken my fillings loose to one degree or another. Recently, I was zeroing an optic next to a shooter with a rifle equipped with a SureFire MB556K and it was like being punched in the face every time he pulled the trigger.

Compensators reduce muzzle climb to varying degrees, but experience has told me that they also act as flash, noise and concussion enhancers. So despite really liking the BattleComp guys, I didn’t have high expectations; my bad experience with all other compensators for the AR/M4 platform had left me underwhelmed at best. I expected the BattleComp to tame muzzle rise a bit, but also enhance the flash and produce unacceptable concussion to the sides. In a single man competition, this may be annoying to bystanders. In a tactical entry or team environment, the enhanced blast could render your partner unable to fight. Continue reading →

Glock 17 vs. M&P 9?

Posted on 04/08/2012 by Tim Lau

Glock 17 RTF vs. S&W M&P 9

A couple days ago, the Vuurwapenblog responded to GunNuts Media blogger Shelley Sargent’s question: Why the M&P?. Shelley eloquently highlights some of the advantages of the M&P over the Glock, including truly ambidextrous controls, interchangeable backstraps to accommodate different sized hands, and location of manufacture.

I own both, and having put many rounds through multiple copies of both models (and with all due respect to Shelley, whom we at 10-8 hold in high regard,) I have to side with the Vuurwapen blogger on this one, mainly due to the accuracy issues of the M&P 9mm. With nearly any box stock Glock 17, I can hold better than three inches at 25 yards using factory ammunition. With most M&Ps, my groups at the same distance using the same ammunition is around eight inches.

To add insult to injury, most M&Ps come with nearly unusably bad triggers out of the box. The end user must either send the pistol back to the S&W Performance Center for a sear upgrade, or purchase the excellent Apex Tactical Hard Sear to have a pistol with a decent trigger. Glocks consistently come with workable triggers right out of the box.

Continue reading →

Laser Devices Visible and IR Lasers

Posted on 04/04/2012 by Tim Lau

Laser Devices DBAL-I2

Just got a pile of Laser Devices products in for evaluation. I have long been a fan of visible lasers on pistols as a secondary sighting system for asymmetrical positions or special circumstances where the use of traditional iron sights is difficult or impossible. Laser Devices offers visible and IR laser designators for various applications for LE/Military and now offers various products with FDA approved “eye-safe” output.

Stay tuned for a comprehensive review of the DBAL, OTAL, and the CQBL. Yeah, my life is tough…

Glocks Available in Flat Dark Earth

Posted on 04/03/2012 by Tim Lau

For you Glock shooters (I am a closet Glock fan as well), Lipsey’s has contracted a run of Glock factory pistols in Flat Dark Earth. They will be available in nine different models that span both Gen 3 and Gen 4 lines.

Due to the expense involved, it is not likely they will be CA approved.

Reworked: Springfield “Long Beach” Operator

Posted on 04/02/2012 by Tim Lau

Springfield Armory “Long Beach” Model Ready for Duty

Recently, a K-9 officer I had worked with when I was a Gang Detective purchased a Springfield “Long Beach” Operator model 1911. This model is was made at the request of Long Beach (CA) PD officers who essentially wanted an MC Operator but in an all black package. It is built with higher grade parts (and workmanship) than the typical “Loaded” model pistols, and is pretty close to being ready for duty. However, it still needed some intervention by skilled hands before it was ready for duty.

At a recent 10-8 Duty 1911 (Transition) course, this pistol could not pass the 10-8 Function Test Protocol. The factory extractor would not hold tension, and had to be replaced with a Wilson Bulletproof unit. Once the new extractor was fitted, it was good to go until the gun got hot and dry. Then it would hang up in the feed cycle. The owner asked me to look it over and I agreed.

The first thing I did was check headspace, which was in spec. Then I ran a Manson Finishing Reamer, which will recut the chamber to SAAMI spec. I have yet to drop this reamer in a factory barrel and not have it remove metal. In my opinion, this is cheap insurance to help the gun chamber and lock up when hot, dry and dirty. I looked at the barrel throat and saw it could use a little reprofiling. While I gave it a pretty high polish, this is not necessary. It is critical to have correct geometry as no amount of polishing will fix poor feed ramp or barrel throat geometry.

Here is what the throat looked like prior to reprofiling.

Here it is after:

One look at the feed ramp and it was obvious it was out of spec. The bottom of the ramp should be around .400″ below the top of the frame rails. An easy way to eyeball this is to see if the bottom edge feed ramp is about even with the window for the slide stop lobe. As seen in the photo below, this one wasn’t even close. You can get away with this if all you shoot is ball ammo, or non-aggressive hollow points, but if you want to shoot a variety of aggressive bullet profiles, this is a recipe for a feed way stoppage.

Here is the same frame after the feed ramp is recut and polished. Again, the polishing is really a feel good measure, and not important. Much more critical is the proper angle. Since I lack machines, this feed ramp was recut by hand with a Dremel. Polishing was carefully done by hand with paper and then a felt wheel.

Other mods include changing out the torn head grip screws with flat head ones (I don’t carry torx drivers with me on the range) and relieving the grip panels to exposed the MSH pin. This particular pistol did not have enough trigger travel rearward to clear the sear for the safety shelf. Without going into a long treatise, this is a dangerous situation that could result in a broken sear nose. In this case, I had to clearance the grip safety arm as the trigger bow was running into it.

A couple hours of work and the pistol was ready for test fire. It passed the 10-8 1911 Function Test Protocol with flying colors. I am confident that with the proper preventative maintenance cycle, and good magazines, this pistol should serve its new owner well for many years to come.

Tim L

10-8 Consulting, LLC

SIRT Performer Training Pistol

Posted on 04/02/2012 by Tim Lau

Next Level Training’s SIRT Performer

There is no excuse not to own Next Level Training’s SIRT (Shot Indicating Resetting Trigger) Pistol. It has all the features of the SIRT 110 Pistol, but utilizes a red shot indicating laser and a red take-up indicating laser. It is perfect for indoor training. Instead of the machined from bar stock slide, the Performer’s slide is made of a lightweight polymer. The result is a training pistol that has a street price of about $200!

We at 10-8 have been training quite a bit with the SIRT pistol over the past several months and have attributed our increased skills directly to the addition of the SIRT to our training regimen. When it comes to effective training, it really does come down to training quality movement in high volume. The SIRT removes barriers to dry practice training. Because it is not an actual pistol, it does not pose a safety hazard and there are no worries about dinging up your walls with airsoft pellets or worse yet, unintentionally launching a round into your wife’s priceless grandfather clock.

Visit NextLevelTraining.com and check out all the SIRT products to find out which one is right for you. A hint: red/red works great for indoors and green/red is better at outdoor training as the green laser is much more visible than the red laser in bright outdoor conditions.

When you order, use the “10-8” coupon code to receive your discount. If you are active duty Law Enforcement, email SIRTPromo@10-8performance.com for a special code to get an additional discount!

Tim Lau
10-8 Consulting, LLC

Latest Custom 1911 Build Back From Ion Bond

Posted on 04/02/2012 by Tim Lau

A couple years ago, I started building on a Colt Series 70 Reproduction I had purchased through the Colt Armorer’s Program nearly 10 years prior. I managed to get a hold of a rare IMI Match barrel which I thought would be perfect for this project. Springfield Custom did a beautiful job with the machine checkering of the front strap and welding of the Legacy Custom magazine well, which adds no net length to the frame yet nearly doubles the margin for error for a magazine change. The front is relieved so that stuck magazines can be yanked out by the toe of the magazine. It works great with the 10-8 Performance base pads.

Other parts include an EGW HD Hammer, Sear and Disconnector, 10-8 flat trigger, 10-8 rear sight, 10-8 fiber optic front, 10-8 mag catch, 10-8 grip screws, 10-8 slide stop, 10-8 recoil spring plug, an aggressively recontoured Wilson Combat ambi-safety, CMC grip safety, and STI hammer strut.
Thanks to Monty at Centurion Arms for his help with the recessed barrel crown and flush cut slide stop pin. Having him help me with the machine work for these operations sure beats doing it by hand.

After a comprehensive test fire, I used the pistol in the white at the LAV/Hackathorn 1911 Centennial Class in Chino, CA. It ran perfectly, so I got it ready for refinishing. I sent it off to Springer Precision in Bend, OR, one of the big resellers of Ion Bond’s Diamondblack finish. I normally do all my own surface prep, but Ion Bond requires very specific preparation which includes no glass in the abrasive media and no oil on the gun. I did the initial prep, but had Springer Precision do the final blast with glass free media.

It isn’t cheap, but DiamondBLACK offers some of the best abrasion resistance of any coating on the market. it is applied via Particle Vapor Deposition and adds very little thickness (only a few microns) to the surface, which is handy for painstakingly fitted parts such as the slide/frame fit. While it does not have great inherent corrosion resistance, the surface readily absorbs lubricants and will release it over time.

Due to the many hours of hard work invested, I am always hesitant to send away work for refinishing, but I bit the bullet and sent it off. Seven weeks later, I received the pistol and I must say it looks great. The satin black finish is even and attractive. The price tag was kinda steep, but if it holds up as well as I have heard from trusted sources, it will have been worth it.