ARCA, originally named Arca-Swiss but now everyone in the firearms industry just says ARCA, is the name of the game these days when it comes to precision shooting. Everyone is looking to change their rails, bipods, and binos to be ARCA compatible due to adjustability. It mainly started in the bolt gun world, however with the Gas Gun Precision world heating up there began a need for ARCA compatible rails.

Shooters started, at first. to install their own ARCA rail on the bottom of their existing MLOK or Picatinny handguard. With that though comes more parts that can loosen up. Shooters needed a full ARCA rail, not just an attachment. Along came IWI’s full AR-15 ARCA Handguard.

What is ARCA?

The easiest way to explain ARCA is to think of it as another attachment system such as 1913 Picatinny or M-LOK. All accessories need to be compatible with that style of attachment system and each attachment system has its advantages and disadvantages correct? Same with ARCA.

The history of the original Arca-Swiss first started in the camera industry in the 90’s by a company named Arca-Swiss. It is an easy way to mount their camera to a tripod and be able to adjust it. To learn more about that history Precision Camera Works lays it out pretty well. Although still widely used in the camera industry, the firearms industry saw it’s advantages and started using it in our world pretty recently due to a company called Really Right Stuff (RRS). They now set the standard of ARCA as a 1.5″ dovetail.

ARCA is mainly a quick release clamping system. Due to the system just using tension to the 1.5″ dovetail, it is an easy off by unscrewing a knob, and easy adjust by unscrewing a knob and sliding the item back and forth without losing the entire piece. No more having to use an Allen wrench to throw accessories on.

Options for the AR platform

ARCA Attachment

A lot of chassis in the bolt gun world now have ARCA built into the entire stock or chassis. However in the gas gun world that is not the case due to running with the AR platform. This means that rails will be Picatinny, M-LOK, or Key-Mod. To get around this shooters will simply install an ARCA rail to the bottom of their current rail system. The drawbacks of that is that will all of the stress put on that piece during use, such as pushing into the bipod that is attached to the ARCA, hitting the bipod on things, improper install, the rail can often come loose. You also often lose rail space with an attachment due to it needing to be attached to the rail in a certain spot. An integrated ARCA rail into the handguard allows for the entire bottom to be ARCA.

ARCA Handguard

The other option is a handguard that has the ARCA built into it, just like a bolt gun chassis can. This means no loose extra parts and all of that stress is now transferred to your entire rail to handle. Sadly, not many companies are offering this in the AR world yet, until…Isreal Weapon Industries (IWI) working closely with Cross Machine and Tool (CMT).

IWI now offers both a 15.5″ and 17″ ARCA compatible handguard. The rail still offers your standard M-LOK slots at the 3, 6, and 9 o’clock however on the bottom of the rail is the shaped ARCA 1.5″ dovetail.

IWI ARCA Handguard

Many rails today require the user to lose all M-LOK sections and other attachment points along the bottom of the rail in order to attach a separate ARCA section. Now being fully integrated into the rail, the Z15ARCA17 gives the shooter confidence in the ARCA’s durability that it cannot come loose during hard usage. The ARCA Swiss design gives the shooter the unique ability to quickly adjust configurations of accessories such as tripods, bipods, and supportive shooting bags on the rifle and to remain secure during firing and movement.-IWI

Features/Specs

Price: $249.99

Installation

The handguard package includes

The IWI website gives you the suggested torque values as well which is a much appreciated thing due to not all companies providing that information.

Suggested Torque:

Side bar: The fact that companies don’t provide torque values or an instructional how to install video is bad business practice in my opinion. To give a good review and have a good experience with a product it needs to be installed correctly. If someone doesn’t konw how to properly install a companies product and then just wings it and later it becomes loose or breaks, that user now thinks that the product is trash when actually it just eneded to be installed correctly. Hey firearms companies…MAKE INSTRUCTIONS FOR INSTALLING YOUR PRODUCTS EASIER TO FIND.

Tools Needed

Install was pretty easy. In my case, I had to remove my KAC URX4 Rail. After the previous rail is removed clean the threads on your existing receiver and clean the new barrel nut at the same time. After everything is clean, regrease your receiver extension. Now, slide the barrel back into the receiver and start threading your new IWI barrel nut on until finger tight. Now, ensure that the dimple on the wrench is placed all the way into the hole that is machined into the barrel nut and apply evenly/up and down pressure of 45 ft lbs of torque. Do not over-torque, this rail was tested and designed with this amount of torque, don’t change it up.

Now that the barrel nut is tight install your gas tube and block. Now, time for the handguard. Slip the handguard over the barrel nut and line up to your receiver. You will see that the nut has slots for the handguard screws. The handguard comes in the package with the screws and mounting bar installed so just follow that format. Screws go in from the right side of the handguard. Feel free to apply your loc-tite/vibratite of choice. I used loctite 248. Now apply 45 in lbs of torque and bam, you are done. Don’t forget to install your flashhider/comp..

To Purchase

Go to IWI.US to purchase.

When it comes to the slimmer 9mm striker fired polymer pistols, I do not have any particular favorite, nor have I really shot anything else besides a stock Glock 48 and the original M&P Shield. For the most part, it’s fair to say that all sub-compact striker fired 9mm pistols tend to be on the snappier side of felt recoil due to their smaller size and more diminutive weights; as result, they require a more assertive shooting grip. But recently I got to help a friend take his brand new Springfield Armory Hellcat Pro OSP on its maiden voyage at a local indoor range.

Hellcat Pro OSP First Impressions

The Springfield Armory Hellcat Pro is a 9mm Luger chambered striker fired semi automatic pistol originally made in Croatia. As a member of the Springfield Armory Hellcat product line, the Pro version specifically differs by virtue of its slightly larger frame, a longer barrel (3.7 inches vs 3.0 inches), accessory rail and the fact that it ships with 15 round magazines. Its slide is also optics ready from the factory, and it ships with a footprint for sights like Springfield’s own Hex Wasp or the Shield RMS-C (four lugs, two screws). Looking over the whole package, Springfield Armory is blurring the threshold between a sub-compact pistol and the slightly larger “Glock 19” form-factor pistols. The Hellcat Pro’s dimensions clearly stop at that margin allowing shooters to get the benefits and handling of those slightly larger pistols while remaining extremely easy to carry–with a total capacity of 15 + 1. Although the Pro is the largest member of the Hellcat family, this pistol is still only one inch wide. The Hellcat Pro’s closest rivals in terms of form and function are going to be the two larger members of the SIG-Sauer P365 family: The P365 XL and the P365 X-Macro. In my geographic area, the Hellcat Pro has a real world retail price at most gun shops and big box sporting goods stores of about $600 dollars not including tax.

For my normal sized hands, the Hellcat Pro’s grip did not feel too small, and the grip’s contouring is certainly geared towards every day carry and it seems like the Croatians did their homework on it. I was able to comfortably build a two-handed freestyle grip. Mild texturing that feels fairly grippy without being overly coarse or sharp wraps this grip, and it lacks any finger grooves. Like other modern striker guns in its class, the fact that such a pistol uses a magazine that crams 15 rounds of 9mm Luger into such a compact package is still something I marvel at. The pistol ships in in a small soft sided foam case and includes two magazines.

At a glance my single favorite thing about this pistol in particular are its factory night sights. The front sight is a thick and has a luminescent eye-grabbing laser yellow ring that surrounds a vial of tritium. The rear sight is a very generous U-notch with a white outline. Lining up the sights takes little effort and these make a lot of sense on carry gun. I have a minor reservation about the white outline of the rear sight. I think it is too busy, can be distracting to the eye and completely unnecessary. I found that when using either target focused or a front sight focused shooting technique, the white outline simply did not add anything. If I were to own and carry one of these pistols, I would personally use a permanent market to cover up this outline.

The Springfield Armory Hellcat Pro On The Firing Line

During our impromptu range session, we christened this new Hellcat Pro with three boxes of 115 grain 9mm CCI Blazer range ammo. I’m very comfortable using this cartridge across pistols and find it to provide very reasonable accuracy. Again, due to its smaller overall size and weight, the relatively mild Blazer round starts to feel somewhat warmer when fired from this pistol. It is not a big deal and it is only part of the territory of slimline 9mm pistols optimized for carry. At least it is easier to shoot than an Airweight J-frame! The Springfield Hellcat Pro’s trigger break is very reasonable and easy to manage; it does not have any spongy feeling or creep. I took some shots at 3, 5, and 7 yards just to get a feel for things. At one point, I decided to hang a clean target with an NRA B-8 sized ring and have the indoor range’s pulley system move it all the way back to their 25 yard line. I must admit that the result of my 10 round group at 25 yards using “range ammo” and a pistol I had never handled or fired before impressed me. More so because the Hellcat Pro’s night sights are great for defensive carry and shooting scenarios but are not necessarily ideal for precision shooting. Honestly, the Pro’s “shootability” is what prompted this review.

The Springfield Armory Hellcat Pro And Its Rivals

My review only covers first impressions and 3 boxes (150 rounds) of shooting should not be considered in-depth. This specific pistol appears to be extremely competitive against its SIG-Sauer P365 rivals, the XL and X-Macro versions. I’ve never shot any P365 so I cannot comment, but compared against a stock Glock 48, the stock Hellcat Pro not only comes with better sights and a better feeling trigger, not to mention the five extra rounds of magazine capacity and the fact that it includes an accessory rail. From a general real world retail price standpoint, this pistol is competes against the the P365 XL and the Glock 48, maybe with a marginally higher price. Compared to the real world retail price of the P365 X-Macro There are many holster companies that support this specific Hellcat variant. One of my favorite, Dark Star Gear, is currently developing an Apollo holster shell that is compatible with the Hellcat Pro’s slight larger frame.

Fort Worth, Texas (December 19, 2022) – XS^® Sights is pleased to introduce new Lever Rails for Henry Big Boy carbines chambered in .357 Magnum (HN-6001R-N) and .44 Magnum (HN-6002R-N).

The XS Sights Lever Rails are machined from aircraft-grade aluminum and hard coat anodized to provide a lightweight mounting system that is tough enough for a lifetime of service. The rail bolts on to round barrel models of the Henry Big Boy – no gunsmithing required – for a quick, do-it-yourself upgrade. Machined to Mil-Std 1913 Picatinny specifications, the XS Lever Rail extends from the rear of the receiver to the front sight dovetail cut to allow mounting of any optic – red dot, scout scope, or low-powered variable optic (LPVO) – giving you the most versatile mounting platform available.

The XS Sights Lever Rails for the Henry Big Boy carbines are designed for carbines with steel receivers and round barrels. Due to differences in barrel contour, the rails and sights are caliber specific.

The XS Lever Rail will not fit carbines with brass receivers, and it will not fit carbines with octagonal barrels.

Retail Price: $72.00

For more information, visit www.xssights.com.

About XS Sights

XS Sights is known for making the fastest sights in any light. For more than 25 years, the XS team has created some of the most innovative sights on the market today for pistols, rifles and shotguns. Whether used for personal defense or hunting, these sights are designed and built to be the absolute best for their specific purpose. American Made. Texas Proud. 2A Strong.

Let’s face it, women are different than men. In more ways than just the size of their hands..ha.

Editor’s Note: I snort laughed too, its ok.

Women have smaller hands yet the firearm industry is still very behind on ensuring that each range glove that comes out also has smaller female sizing. Many times even the small size listed for men is still too big for us. Below are the options that I have found and used to cover these little trigger pullers.

Note: This may be a small list because I am only sharing the ones that I have personal experience with. I will not recommend something that I personally haven’t tried. Especially when it comes to handling firearms. Even so though, this short list shows how behind the industry is as well..

Daily Range Use

When buying PIG gloves I highly recommend following their sizing guide as they can get TIGHT. Which is good, but it needs to be comfortable. For the Women’s Glove I went with XS due to it being my main shooting glove and wanting it tight. For the Utility Glove I went with Small due to wanting more room and using it for work more so instead of shooting.

Both gloves feature a thumb and pointer finger material that is compatible with touch screen devices (and actually works) and has a bar tacked loop to hang the gloves off of your pants when not in use.

PIG (FDT) Charlie – Women’s Glove

Price: $44.95
Sizing: Xsmall, Small, Medium, Large, XLarge
Colors: Black, Coyote Brown, Carbon Grey, Multicam, Ranger Green, Multicam Black

PIG (FDT) Echo – Women’s Utility Glove

Price:$29.95
Sizing: Xsmall, Small, Medium, Large, XLarge
Colors: Black, Coyote Brown, Carbon Grey, Multicam, Ranger Green, Multicam Black

The only downside with both of these gloves are that they don’t come up the forearm and wrist much to protect from hot brass. That can be fixed with separate sleeves or long sleeved shirt though.

Remember, FOLLOW THE SIZING GUIDE HERE BEFORE PURCHASING.

Winter

Women’s Arete II GORE-TEX Gloves

Price: $99.00
Size: Small, Medium, Large
Colors: Black, Red/Tan

These gloves are the best I’ve had when it comes to winter gloves. They come with a Merino liner that is easily to slip on and can be dawned separate of the main glove. They have shown to be waterproof and VERY warm. Coming from a company like Outdoor Research I expect nothing less. OR has a very full line of Women’s gloves specifically which made them a top contender.

Hand Muffs

When looking for warm shooting gloves I’d recommend instead looking for a hand muff. Instead of having big clunky gloves or freezing your hands by having to take them off every time you want to shoot, just dawn your normal shooting gloves and in between shooting iterations throw your hands into a muff.

Most muffs come with a belt that will attach to the waist. Many hunters use muffs, and more shooters are starting to jump on that train. It can be spun to be in the rear of you not to get in the way or the front if you are sitting and waiting. Many types of muffs also have a pocket in which you can throw hand warmers in, both the shake kind and battery.

Sitka Incinerator Muff

This muff is super soft and lightweight, but bigger than others on the market. I myself like the size because it keeps my butt warm when I spin it to my backside. I haven’t had to use handwarmers inside of it yet. It is on Amazon prime for the same price.

Price:$139.00
Size: One Size Fits All

“Your micro isn’t everybody’s macro”

This is a favorite expression of friend and mentor Cecil Burch of Immediate Action Combatives.

Without putting words in his mouth, my understanding is that this comment is born out of people’s tendency to view things through the lens of their own experience and use that to determine viability and validity, whether that be a technique, piece of equipment, or lifestyle choice.

This is going to be a short series on my observations of that saying’s applicability in various segments of the gun world.

I will preface this by saying that these articles are not intended as any sort of hit piece or critique of any specific individual, merely my observations having spent time in various segments of the defensive space, as well as seeing how some ideas are received by folks outside of the self defense community. 

My hope is to help bridge some perceived communications gaps that result in people talking past one another, to facilitate the transfer of the best possible information in the easiest possible manner.

GUN GUY MICRO ISN’T EVERYBODY’S MACRO:

There’s different flavors of “gun guy”. You hear a lot of epithets thrown around like “Fudd”, “Timmy”, “Gamer”, and the like, but I think that Prof. David Yamane quantifies it pretty well:

You’ve got Gun Culture 1.0 where people grew up with firearms as a part of daily life as much for sport or sustenance as defense against criminal violence.

Gun Culture 2.0 are the ones that may not have been the recipient of a .22 or .410 on their 6th birthday. Their childhood exposure to firearms may have been limited to non-existent. As adults they’ve felt compelled to pursue firearms as a means of protection.

The major thing that these two groups have in common, at least to some degree, is the acceptance of firearms ownership as logical, sensible, and relatively normal.

Especially given that gun ownership at large is vilified within certain segments of society, it’s not uncommon for gun owners/carriers to socialize and associate primarily with other gun owners. The challenge is that this creates a subculture that has definitions of “normal” and “acceptable” that don’t necessarily resonate with those outside their circle.

This, in and of itself, isn’t really a problem. After all, society is made up of lots of differing viewpoints. The challenge lies in the absolute incredulity that many gun owners/carriers have that people don’t see gun ownership as normal.

This issue is further compounded by the fact that all too often, when met with opposition, the 2A community likes to drape itself in this cloak of righteousness, and simply rebut critics with uncompelling talking points like “The Constitution is my carry permit” or “Shall not be infringed!”.

While they may be technically correct, they’re tactically ineffective. Zealotry, regardless of the actual position, does nothing but polarize the issue, and make the proponents seem unreasonable/unapproachable.

If someone’s having an interaction with a person that isn’t a staunch supporter of gun ownership, labeling them as a sheep or a coward does nothing to make the armed lifestyle more appealing or relatable.

While you’re likely never going to change the mind of someone who is adamantly anti-gun, the hardline ideologies will serve to alienate people who are otherwise gun-agnostic or possibly gun-curious.

If there’s an interaction with someone who’s managed to get this far in their life without being the victim of a violent crime, or otherwise experiencing something that would drive them to gun culture, trying to bully or shame them into ignoring the past 30+ years of their experience isn’t an effective way to build allies.

I don’t carry a gun out of fear, so why try and scare others into seeing things my way?

Missed Parts 1 & 2? Read them here and here.