Facebook Instagram Twitter Youtube
Advertisement

The Dank Robber – The Tiny Little Chest Rig That Can

By
Travis Pike
-

I’m a man who appreciates minimalist gear. I’m a Florida man, it’s hot, and wearing plate carriers all the time isn’t fun. Little rigs can be a blast, especially when I want to LARP as a modern-day version of Neil McCauley. Since the Forgotten Weapons Heat vests sucked, I had to settle for the Dank Robber. 

Settled sounds mean. The Dank Robber is an awesome rig that would do any larper proud. Beyond LARPers, I could certainly see something like this being fairly handy for police officers who might need to employ a patrol rifle on occasion. The rig is small and easily stowed out of the way until it’s needed. When ended, the Dank Robber provides enough at-hand gear and ammo to stay in the fight. The Dank Robber comes from Unobtainium Gear and is one of their many awesome rigs. 

Its small size and broad adjustments make it easy to squeeze over armor and deploy in a flash. Its design also allows it to be fairly versatile and be used for more than stacking mags. 

The Dank Robber Defining Minimalism 

I don’t think a minimalist rig gets much smaller than the Dank Robber. It’s ultra-small and is basically the sum of its many pockets and attachments. It’s hanging pockets essentially, and that’s not bad for a minimalist rig. The base of the Dank Robber is three layers of mil-spec elastic. These three layers form two rows of pockets. 

The straps are just simple straps without anything fancy on them. There is no padding, just buckles and adjustment tabs. You can utilize the strap in a few different ways. I set the rig up using the two rear straps as an X strap, but you can wear it any way you want. 

Keeping Things Versatile 

We have the rear, larger pockets designed for rifle magazines, and the front panels designed for smaller, handgun-sized mags. The larger pockets are big enough to hold AR or AK magazines. These pouches are fairly large, and you can fit a variety of tools in them, from H bandages and beyond. 

The front pockets are perfectly sized for handgun mags or similar-sized tools. Shove your favorite sheathed knife, multitool, tourniquet, or whatever in here. These smaller pockets are also big enough to fit SMG-type magazines. If you want to ignore the reach pouches and make this an SMG-themed rig, you easily can. 

To the side, you have two large pouches that allow you to fit radios, a small IFAK, a Nalgene bottle, or dang near anything else you can shove into it. It’s a little extra room that allows you to fit a variety of goodies. Below the mag pouches sit a few elastic loops that will fit a tourniquet just right, but you can also shove a pair of gloves in there, a light, or whatever you need. 

For such a small kit, it has tons of potential and room to store goodies. The Dank Robber provides in a surprisingly gracious way. 

Feeling the Heat Around the Corner…. 

None of the above matters if the kit just doesn’t work. The elastic is fairly tight, and retention doesn’t seem to be an issue. I’ve used the rig for several months now, and I leave it loaded. That keeps things fairly reliable. Even under different levels of movement, the mags don’t move. 

Jump, run, kick, and practice your sweet karate moves with the faith that your magazine is staying put. The elastic eats up most of the mag, but enough is left exposed to make grabbing and going easy. Reloading isn’t hard, and you can get a good grip on the mag before it gets tossed in the gun. 

If you are an extendo fan, watch how long your magazine is in regards to your magazine. It can get in the way if it’s too long. 

With the Dank Robber, your pistol and rifle pouches are clung together. My SIG 21-round P320 mags seem to be just the right length to stay out of the way. On the flip side, you might find that Glock 19 mags and those of similar size are just too short to easily retrieve. You have to find the right balance to make it work. 

When you have three loaded 9mm mags and three loaded 5.56 mags, things can feel a little heavy. It’s no combat load, but the thin straps let you feel that weight. You pay for minimalism sometimes, and straps show that. 

Still, even with my meager complaints, the Dank Robber is one of my favorite minimalist rigs. It’s ultra-light and very small. Easy to keep tucked away in a go bad but always ready. It’s about as small as you can go without getting ridiculous. 

2A Rights Taboo For Medical Marijuana Patients?

By
Lars Smith
-
2A Rights and Guns
Photo Credit: Shutterstock
Biden DOJ Must Explain ‘Insulting, Illogical’ Motion In Medical Marijuana Patients’ Gun Rights Lawsuit, Filing From Florida Official Says

In pushing to keep people who comply with state law (instead of going around it as can easily be done by anyone motivated enough) from exercising their constitutional rights, Biden’s DOJ has really laid their animosity for gun owners and legal cannabis users bare (link above). Federal arguments that historical revocation of 2A rights by “dangerous groups” like Native Americans and Catholics allow the current American government to bar gun ownership by legal potheads aren’t even the wildest part.

In the ongoing lawsuit against the DOJ, the department recently filed a motion to dismiss, in which, the government described law-abiding citizens choosing to use cannabis products as ‘tramps,’ ‘mentally ill,’ ‘criminals,’ ‘lunatics,’ ‘panhandlers,’ and ‘unvirtuous.’ and unworthy of the 2A rights we grant to the average alcoholic?

Florida Commissioner of Agriculture Nikki Fried, who is party to the lawsuit in her official capacity, has responded to the uncharitable characterization as “…as ‘contradictory and unstable’ as their overall marijuana policy…”. Merrick Gardland, the listed defendant in the lawsuit, has spoken publicly on the topic, and described cannabis use as “nonviolent” and that it “does not cause societal harm”. Other states have figured this out, and made their own rulings. Oregon settled the issue internally in 2011, with the state supreme court ruling that simply having a medical card could not disqualify someone from exercising their 2A rights. Apparently the Feds don’t care.

So where do we find the meeting of the truth and federal policy? The DOJ might organizationally believe what they are saying (though one would hope that they don’t actually think referencing a ban on catholic gun ownership is a valid argument), but the people in charge apparently don’t. Is the institutional inertia of the drug war too great? Is the 2A aspect of this making them twist themselves in knots to justify something the don’t believe? Are the financial interests and political influence of the Private Prison system too great? Is this schizophrenia just part and parcel of the current justice system?

Review: SIG C3 1911 – .45 ACP

By
V. Caldwell
-

In the 1911 world there are several frame sizes. The Government Model, Commander, and Officer’s Model are the most common. Both steel and aluminum frames are common. These handguns feature 5, 4 ¼ and 3 ½ inch barrel lengths.

The Commander has the full size firing grip of the Government Model with a shorter slide. The Officer’s Model features a shorter grip frame. Then there are new variations. The four inch barrel which eliminates the barrel bushing and uses a belled barrel for lock up is used in many modern handguns. Then there are 3 inch barrel variants.

One of the more interesting variants is the CCO. This is the Commanding Officer’s Model. At first this was a non standard lash-up by custom gunsmiths. The Commander length slide with its 4 ¼ inch barrel with barrel bushing was used along with a short Officers Model frame. The pistol was the best of both worlds they said with a Commander length slide and sight radius for balance and accuracy and an Officer’s Model frame for concealed carry. Some of the custom guns ran well and of course some did not. Colt made a short run of these pistols in factory form.

Enter SIG Sauer doing what they do best, manufacturing a reliable and accurate pistol at an affordable price. 

The Comfortable Concealed Carry SIG C3 features a Commander length slide with Officer’s Model frame. This comes off the best of any CCO type in my opinion. The stainless slides features a slide contour unique to SIG. The barrel is 4.25 inches long and uses a standard 1911 type barrel bushing. If you design a pistol shorter than 4.25 inch you must use a bushingless lockup to allow the barrel to tilt sufficiently. The C3 neatly uses the standard length. The ejection port is generous. It allows not only easy ejection of spent cases but ease in removing a full length unfired cartridge from the chamber, something that is iffy with original small slide windows. The pistol features a trouble free external extractor. Cocking serrations are well cut. The hammer is skeletonized. The beavertail grip safety leads the hand into the frame, reduces the bore axis slightly, and even helps spread recoil about. The slide lock safety is positive in operation.

Trigger compression is a smooth consistent 5.5 pounds even. The slide is stainless steel while the aluminum frame is nicely anodized. The pistol features nicely done front strap checkering. The mainspring housing is also checkered. The grips may be rosewood or cocobolo. They are nicely checkered. The combination of checkered grips and properly checkered front strap and mainspring housing make for a good gripping surface. The pistol’s short grip fits most hands well and conceals easier than the true Commander length. Be careful and take your time first in dry fire and then in live fire as you fire the pistol. There is a tendency to fire low for those of us used to the full length handle. It is easily adjusted to. 

On the range the C3 was fired with Remington 230 grain FMJ load. This is my usual outdoors load when hiking and makes a formidable anti personnel loading. While we should take advantage of expanding bullet technology the .45 is an effective cartridge with hardball loads. The pistol comes on target quickly. Combat accuracy, firing quickly, is good excellent. The pistol is controllable and allows fast follow up shots. Slow fire accuracy isn’t as important but always interesting. The pistol is properly sighted for 230 grain loads at 15 yards using the six o’clock hold. I fired a five shot group at 15 yards with both the Remington 230 grain FMJ and Federal’s 205 grain Syntech hollow point. Three shots went into 2.0 inch on average. The pistol is reliable, fast handling, and features SIG reliability. It is a formidable handgun for those who prefer the 1911.

Specifications 

1911 single action type

CCO – type configuration 

Barrel Length 4.25 inches

Magazine capacity with SIG Magazines 7

Caliber .45 Automatic Colt Pistol 

Length  7.7 in. OAL

Height   4.8 in. 

Weight  29.5 oz. 

Gunday Brunch 70: Cyberpunk Fire Team

By
David Reeder
-

In this episode of Gunday Brunch, the boys are describing their “I wish the industry made this gun” and accidentally end up building guns for a cyberpunk fire team.

But this week we have a special giveaway! Post your “I wish the industry made this gun” in the comments and you could win a gift certificate for a free slide milling from C&H Precision!

Deep Concealment? So Deep.

By
Lars Smith
-
Deep Concealment Illustrated
PHLster makes excellent holsters and concealment systems Photo Credit: PHLster.com

Rhett Neumayer of Demonstrated Concepts LLC has been pushing the boundaries of what concealed carry, especially deep concealment looks like for several years now. Not only does he offer low or no cost training to people with little disposable income, but plenty of problems in their lives, he also does things with small handguns and Mossberg Shockwave style firearms that most people would consider crazy. If you’ve heard of the “cheek pistol” lately, this dude is why, and a lot of people are skeptical, but he’s got the video evidence to… uh… demonstrate these concepts, if you will.

In the above video, he provides evidence that NPEs (Non Permissive Environments), casual, hot-weather clothing, and a one-handed draw+firing grip need not be considered a hindrance to effective deep concealment, or armed self-defense. Using the Clown Car of carry guns, known for its sharp recoil as much as for absurd capacity, carried in the versatile PHLster Enigma, he teaches a B8 to sit the fuck down at 15 feet under sub-ideal conditions.

Concealed carry is commonly taught to be a series of compromises between comfort, efficacy, and firepower. Certainly a slung rifle would be a better choice for putting down a threat, but since most of us can’t, or won’t do that, it’s good to see what remains within the realm of possibility for people willing to put in the work, and think outside the box. Everyone looked at the stockless shotgun offerings that hit the market following the Shockwave, and we all laughed at the “Dumpster Defender” until Rhett showed us all how wrong we were. Then he did the same thing with large frame pistols clearly intended to use a brace, or be SBR’ed, carried in a shoulder bag. With the right grip and enough time on the gun, you can turn what was once broadly considered a gimmick range toy into a wildly effective SD gun.

Check out his YouTube channel if you’d like to see the crazy shit Rhett gets up to in Colorado, and hit up his website if you’re interested in taking a class from the Rocky Mountain Space Wizard.

ICYMI: Taurus® Introduces the New GX4XL 9mm EDC Pistol

By
Anna Martinez
-

Press Release: August 2022 (Bainbridge, GA) – Taurus, manufacturer of premium handguns for defense, hunting, and sport shooting, is pleased to announce the release the second model iteration in the company’s popular GX4 series pistols. The new GX4XL combines all the performance features of the original GX4 micro-compact 9mm with a new slide and barrel configuration for enhanced accuracy and terminal performance.

The GX4XL is built on the same award-winning polymer receiver as the GX4. Hailed for its exceptional handling characteristics in a micro-compact profile, the GX4XL’s hybrid stainless steel and polymer receiver includes a modular grip with standard or high-swell backstrap options for a custom fit, industry-leading grip texturing for optimal firearm control, an ergonomic and reversible magazine release to promote no-fumble mag swaps, and a class-leading flat-face target trigger with a generous trigger guard to accommodate all hand sizes.

What separates the GX4XL from the GX4 is its extended barrel and slide assembly. The GX4XL barrel is .64 inches longer than that of the GX4. This extended length translates to an increase in muzzle velocity and harder hits downrange. With this increased barrel length comes a longer slide profile and subsequent extended sight radius. Already noted for its remarkable accuracy, the GX4XL further tightens the point-of-aim/point-of-impact ratio. In short, the deep-conceal GX4XL’s micro-compact design gives up nothing in the kind of terminal performance, accuracy, and handling serious EDC practitioners demand.

The carbon steel slide found on the GX4XL is treated with a gas nitride finish to enhance surface hardness and reduce wear—a key consideration for a handgun intended for reliable everyday carry. Equally protected from wear and corrosion is the DLC-coated stainless-steel barrel. Not only does the Diamond-Like Coating boost surface durability, the coating’s inherent lubricity also reduces friction for smooth, reliable operation in the most austere conditions.

As with the GX4, the GX4XL comes with a serrated blackout steel drift-adjustable rear sight and a fixed white dot front sight. The rear sight dovetail cut and front sight mounting hole are compatible with that of common aftermarket sight systems, making tritium night sights an upgrade option.

Taurus GX4 9mm: Upping the Ante
For your comparison pleasure with the GX4 and GX4XL

For those who favor a micro red dot for their EDC handgun, the GX4XL is also available with the T.O.R.O. (Taurus Optic Ready Option) slide. This optional slide features a direct-thread (no plate) mounting system that accommodates the most common micro red dots on the market today:

  • Shield RMSc
  • Holosun HS507K X2
  • Sightmark Mini Shot A-Spec M3
  • Trijicon RMR® cc Red Dot (with adapter plate P/N: 10028170)

The GX4XL comes with two magazines—one 11-round and one extended 13-round magazine in both standard and T.O.R.O. slide configurations, and two 10-round magazines in standard and T.O.R.O. configurations for capacity-restricted states. All feature magazine and grip cuts to aid in magazine stripping, if necessary.

In keeping with the Taurus G-series handguns’ industry-best performance-to-price ratio, the new GX4XL pistols are priced at a consumer-friendly $429 MSRP for standard slide models and $459 for the T.O.R.O. slide option.

Taurus GX4XL Specifications

  • Caliber: 9mm Luger
  • Capacity: 10/11/13 rounds
  • Magazines: 1×11 + 1×13
  • Firing System: striker
  • Action Type: SAO
  • Front Sight: fixed
  • Rear Sight: serrated drift adjustable
  • Safety: striker block, trigger safety
  • Frame: stainless steel frame insert and polymer grip
  • Grip Material: polymer
  • Slide Material: carbon steel
  • Slide Finish: gas nitride coating
  • Barrel Finish: black DLC coating
  • Barrel Length: 3.7 in.
  • Overall Length: 6.43 in.
  • Overall Width: 1.08 in.
  • Overall Height: 4.40 in.
  • Weight: 20 oz.

The Epitome of 90’s Rifles

By
Keith Finch
-

The G36 has had a rough few years after its controversy about accuracy with the German military. It is still, and will remain, the iconic 90’s rifle. It was forward thinking and slickly designed and built to the standards of the time in the typical German overengineered way.

It has been thoroughly and independently proven that the assertions, like those made by certain members of the US Military that the M4 was a death trap for its soldiers, were hyperbolic in nature. The guns were built to spec, the guns are in the hands of professional soldiers not professional shooters. Professional soldiering is a multi-tool approach, competency with a rifle is a mere single bit within the whole.

When you consider the whole of the circumstances that surround the alleged controversy it becomes easy to see the series of events that triggered the inquiry. To be fair, the Germans were in need of either updating the 36’s with a few more modern creature comforts and ditching some of the good idea fairy items the 90’s spawned anyway, but ditching the 36 as a whole was probably unnecessary. An A1 variant with an updated accuracy requirement and modern ancillary compatibility would have done it nicely. But it is possible that the costs of doing so and the design itself would not be conducive to the changes, although the aftermarket has certainly shown it is feasible to do physically.

The Germans are very likely joining the US in an AR pattern rifle, HK416, that has been announced. Until they’re in Bundeswehr hands, that’s just something someone has written down and maybe spent a little money on.

The G36 typified the Kraut Space Magic image started by the G11, with the extensive use of polymers and the profile of the rifle looking distinct and futuristic. It used ambidextrous controls earlier than most people, folding stocks, an advanced optical sight system (for the time), and runs on the proven AR-18 short stroke piston setup. This gas system and barrel setup are used by the majority of modern service rifle variants.

The G36 has served a long time, and its phase out will probably not be hurried. The M16 is another well served weapon that won’t be gone for a very long time, especially with the M4A1 in service. These rifles were well designed, well built, and do their jobs, and the modern refinements are just that, refinements of working systems.

SIGs new MXC SPEAR LT doesn’t game change, it’s just doing its best to be ideally built for the current game.

The G36, like the M16, is sunsetting into a classic instead of a contender, and that’s alright. Appreciate the classics, they still do work.

Go follow 1911 Syndicate and James Williamson on the Tube of You’s if you aren’t. Good places to watch.

Gunfighting Footwork – Shooting, Moving, and Winning

By
Travis Pike
-

Footwork wins fights is a phrase I’ve heard way too many talented boxers say to ignore. I’m not a boxer by any means, but I do recognize the value of good footwork. In any fight, your footwork is pretty important, including in a gunfight. Having to move and shoot or just move while being shot is an important skill to have. The last thing you need to do is trip in a gunfight. Today we are going to explore what boxing can teach us about footwork in a gunfight and talk about a few drills you can practice to improve your footwork. 

The Basics of Footwork 

The basics of boxing footwork easily apply to gunfighting footwork. Obviously, they are two very different things, but the basics are largely the same. Like a boxer, you generally want to be facing the direction. You are moving with your head and feet oriented in the same direction. Lateral movements are important but should be used only for short movements. 

When moving laterally, do so with a purpose. When taking a lateral step, lead with the foot that is already in that direction. So if you need to take a lateral step, right lead with the right foot and have the left foot follow. 

When possible, you want to avoid crossing your legs. Crossed legs can make you off-balanced and make it easier for someone to knock you over, and increases your chances of tripping. It’s not necessarily bad footwork to cross your legs and sometimes can’t be avoided.

 

Move onto the balls of your feet. This helps you do a few things. First, it allows you to detect and potentially avoid tripping hazards. Second, it makes it easier to keep your knees bent, your weight balanced, and your body weight forward. If you bend your knees, you can absorb and cushion your impact, resulting in less upper body movement, which makes accurate fire easier. 

To help you maintain control of your gun, lean forward slightly as you walk forward. This allows your body weight to help resist recoil. With your body bent forward, tighten your core to lock into the position. Avoid taking large steps and keep them short and steady to limit movement in the upper body. 

Practical Footwork Application 

It should go without saying that you have to walk before you run. With shooting footwork, it’s more like you have to walk really slow before you walk at a normal pace. This takes effort and practice just to accomplish basic accuracy standards. There is also the fact you are wielding a gun while moving, and there is some inherent danger in that, so practice with dry fire, and when you go live, I’d suggest doing so under competent instruction. 

If dry fire is a bit too boring for you, then check out an air gun that’s semi-auto. Maybe an airsoft gun, or something like a SIRT. I’m a huge fan of the Mantis Blackbeard if you want to take the AR rifle route for this training. 

There are also two drills I like to practice footwork with that can be sued with dry fire, air guns, and dry fire devices fairly well. 

The Box Drill 

This isn’t the box drill you are used to, but a literal box. It can be made of cones or markers or anything that can create four corners anywhere from 7 to 10 yards apart. 

Start at the left rear corner and move forward with good form, with your gun up, dry-firing at the target. When you hit the front corner marker, begin making right lateral steps to the next corner. From there, make backward steps until you hit the final rear right-hand corner. From here, make left lateral steps to the rear left corner. Then repeat. 

Keep the gun up and practice dry firing at a target, or you can use four different targets for each piece of movement. Keep the gun up, focus on the basics of good footwork and keep moving. This drill gives you four different basic methods of movement. 

Mike Seeklander’s Shooting and Moving Multidirection Live Fire Drill 

That’s a mouthful, but this drill comes from Mike Seeklander’s Your Defensive Rifle Training Program book. The whole book is rock solid, and this particular drill is perfect for practicing more dynamic footwork. You’ll need two obstacles. They can be big trashcans, blue barrels, or poles. 

They should be spaced about five feet apart but in line with each other. Now with your stance assumed and practicing those footwork drills start walking in a figure 8 around the obstacles. You’ll face one direction the entire time and practice dry firing as you walk through the figure 8. 

This drill is a little tougher than the box drill because it constantly changes directions, and the movement is more complicated. Still, it’s easy to set up and practice even inside the home for your nightly dry fire practice. 

Keep Moving 

The good thing about having a gun is that you can hit a bad guy from a distance, so moving isn’t always required. However, it’s smart to be well versed in a multitude of skillsets, and being able to move and accurately shoot is certainly one of them. Like everything, it takes time and practice, but you’d be surprised by how effective you can be at landing shots while moving your feet if you get some practice in. 

Texas Carry Ban Shot Down

By
Lars Smith
-
TX Carry Ban
Photo Credit: Erich Schlegel/Getty Images

Citing the Bruen standard of constitutional-era law, and the vital role that young men under 21 played in the military and political efforts to form this nation, FPC (Firearms Policy Coalition) lawyers successfully made the case for striking down a ban on handgun carry by young Texans aged 18-20.

Precisely what threat legally vetted, law-abiding young people with firearms present to the general public is still unknown. What we do know is that Bruen is here to stay, and the consequences for arbitrary gun laws like this are dire. In this specific case, the law is not gone, but currently “on hold” for 30 days, to give the state time to appeal, and seek a stay of its own. In a state like Texas, one would imagine the argument is going to have to be pretty convincing to elicit much support from the general public, or their elected representatives.

Thanks in large part to national and regional pro-rights groups like FPC, the courts are currently filling with cases filed against the unconstitutional restriction of 2nd Amendment rights, such as this carry ban, and it’s looking like things are going to go the way of RTKBA for some time.

AWB Laws Taking Fire in Colorado

By
Lars Smith
-
AWB
Photo Credit: Samuel Corum/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images

It hasn’t even been 3 whole months since the Bruen ruling took the legs out from under most of the gun control objectives of organizations like MDA, the Brady Campaign, and Giffords. In that brief span, it seems like the gun-grabbing crowd continues to throw AWB (Assault Weapons Ban) and concealed carry bills that Bruen would seem to obviously preclude at the wall, hoping anything will stick. Why they want to get as many nails in their own coffin as quickly as possible is anyone’s guess, but you love to see it. NY and CA have garnered the most attention for their attempts to regulate shall-issue concealed carry into oblivion, generating an absurd circus of requirements, restrictions, and obligations on legal concealed carriers.

Colorado seems to want to join the club, getting in line behind California and New York to eventually get slapped by SCOTUS for their blatantly unconstitutional laws. Two such bills recently passed on Boulder and Superior county have had Temporary Restraining Orders placed on them by judges in a flurry of lawsuits filed by Rocky Mountain Gun Owners. The prognosis for these cases seems more and more to be in favor of liberty, especially for wildly onerous concealed carry regulation and of course the much vaunted AWB.

The anti-gun orgs seem to want to use Bruen to disarm it, claiming that what Clarence Thomas meant when he said that regulations on especially “dangerous” or “unusual” weapons, was AR-15s. You know, the most commonly purchased and owned longarm in the country? Somehow they are supposed to be unusual, if you listen to the gun-grabbers. While this interpretation could fall either way for state or federal judges, its impressively unlikely that SCOTUS would agree with any AWB, which effectively smothers these efforts in the cradle, no matter how long their zombie corpses wander the legal landscape.

Whether these recent middle fingers to Bruen die in lower courts, or make it to SCOTUS, it seems more and more likely that the anti-gun lobby is eagerly shifting into 6th gear as they speed toward a brick wall.

HUXWRX Safety Co. is now on Expert Voice

By
Anna Martinez
-

Just when we thought Expert Voice was a lost cause due to more and more brands being removed off the special pricing list they redeem themselves with adding suppressors!

Expert Voice, a well known website that offers deals for industry professionals on various brands is now offering the previous OSS now HUXWRX silencers we know and trust for 30% off MSRP.

The Products Available

In short, it looks like almost everything that is currently listed on the HUXWRX website.

This includes Suppressors, Accessories such as muzzle devices, and various merchandise.

Expert Voice HUXWRX Product List

So What’s the Catch?

In the past Expert Voice is known to not allow returns of products bought off their website. Due to a suppressor being a very different item versus say shoes, tents, etc, there may be different rules when it comes to this. Currently the website lists standard restricted states and FFL transfer rules. If you want to be sure how it will work when it comes to defects etc, it may go straight through HUXWRX but it is recommended to give expert voice a shout just to be sure in case something does arise.

Who Can Qualify for Expert Voice?

After checking the website for the latest in who can qualify it looks like almost anyone can have access to these deals. Previously they would ask for military, LE, first responder proof. While they still do that they also allow company email addresses with any company in any industry almost. They also state that even if you don’t have a company affiliated email to prove you are working with them a picture will suffice. Also to all the “influencers” out there. Look what they have to say about you.

“If you’re an influencer, pro athlete, personality, or just someone who talks to people every day about the products you love, you still can get in. Submit an application to verify your status.”-Expert Voice

See here to see who qualifies and sign up. The worst that can happen is they respond with a no.

Below is how the affiliations with Expert Voice works to get access to certain brands.

NEW RELEASE: PHlster Modular Holster Wedge Kit

By
Anna Martinez
-

PHlster, a company known for rethinking the concealment game and educating us about it with each launch. First came the PHlster Floodlight, an inside the waistband universal holster that retains based off of the light not the gun. Then came the Enigma, a holster that wears independent of your clothing and now has a whole community of Yoga Pant and Enigma wearers. Now, the PHlster Modular Holster Wedge Kit.

Why the Need?

We all know the pain of finding the right wedge when it comes to holsters. No one wedge will work with all holsters and sometimes it takes 6 tries to find that certain wedge that does work. Sometimes it even leads to us building our own out of yoga blocks. (PHlster released a self help video of this too) It could mean three different orders, three different shipping payments, and a plastic bin of wedges before finding the right wedge for that one holster. Truly frustrating..

PHlster solved these issues with giving us a MODULAR wedge KIT. Modular, meaning they can be stacked, stuck side by side, or switched out. Kit, meaning there is more than one. FINALLY RIGHT?! An order that can be placed once that comes with twelve wedge modules.

Two modules from the kit being used by stacking on eachother. Each module is sticky on the back.

The Kit

“The Modular Holster Wedge Kit provides a variety of stackable shapes which you can use in any combination or configuration to quickly and easily get the comfort and concealment results you need, with no permanent modifications to the holster. 

Each kit comes with two base pads, two spines, four half-circles, and four “bean” shapes, pre-cut hook tabs for each shape, and two pieces of adhesive loop. For a total of 12 wedge modules, this is enough to adjust two holsters, with enough modules and material left over to fine tune an extra magazine carrier or knife sheath.”-PHlster

Due to this being a kit the extra small modules within the kit can be used as mag holder wedges.

The Material

“Each module contains a proprietary viscoelastic foam encapsulated in stretchy plastic, RF welded in a fabric cover. Based on the technology from state-of-the-art ballistic helmet pads, the Modular Holster Wedges are extremely comfortable, retain their shape, reject sweat and moisture, and reduce uncomfortable rubbing and skin shear compared to other wedge materials. The fabric outer layer glides over the foam capsule and feels more like a firm gel than the typical foam wedge. “-PHlster

A screen grab of the product launch video. Jon is showing the gel on the inside of the wedge modules.

Basing off experience of helmet pads and wedges ordered online, there truly is a difference to the moldable shape of each. Wedges are often of a foam type that is stiff and will not conform to your body and can cause some annoying hot spots. However helmet pads do have more of a gel feel and will shape to your head. The material of this wedge kit has the conformity but still the strength to retain it’s shape. The sweat and moisture rejection is an added plus.

The Pricing and Availability

Currently in stock on PHLster.com the wedge kit prices at $44.00 for a kit of 12 wedge modules and 2 pieces of adhesive loop.

Note: “The Modular Holster Wedge Kit has a 12 month warranty. Think of them like underwear and expect to refresh or replace them after some reasonable period of time. If you need to return your kit for reasons other than defect or error, please keep in mind that kits that have been cut and worn are not eligible for a return. If you need individual assistance getting your kit dialed in, please email us at info@phlsterholsters.com or join the PHLster Concealment Workshop Facebook Group.“

The Product Launch

Below is a live stream of two days ago when the product was launched. Jon and Sarah Hauptman go over the product pretty in depth and answer questions.

Better Style = Better Concealment

By
The Suited Shootist
-

Men, especially “alpha” or “macho” men reject the idea that there’s value in understanding style as somehow frivolous or unmasculine.

What if I told you that there was a tactical reason to improve your understanding of clothes?

This extends well past the tropes of “shoot me first” vests and 5.11 pants. The truth is, once you understand how clothing is supposed to fit and drape, it’s a lot easier to pick out irregularities.

While some people will use this knowledge as an excuse to judge people, you can leverage it to your advantage.

Firstly, how someone dresses is a form of communication. If you’re in tune with stylistic cues, it’s easier to identify if someone’s behavior doesn’t jive with their attire. Here’s a prime example:

Sometimes these irregularities can be obvious, like mirror-polished wingtips on a convict, or sometimes they can be more subtle.

I’ll draw another example from my trip to Las Vegas:

During that trip, we went and saw Penn & Teller, and they were really good seats. We were maybe 6 rows from the stage, tops. Well from that distance, when Penn & Teller took the stage and started going their act, I was able to see every gimmick and hideaway that they had built into their stage costumes.

The show was still incredibly entertaining, but it definitely took a little bit of the wonder out of things. It was that much more obvious how they did a given trick.

Penn talks about how magic is, at its core, criminal. The only difference is that the “victim” a) knows what they’re in for and b) the “bad guy” isn’t doing it for nefarious purposes. That said, magicians and criminals use a lot of the same tactics. Misdirection, social engineering, and so on.

We all like to joke about the “grey man uniform” for concealed carriers, but when it comes to the criminal side of the equation, they’re much better at it, and have had far more practice, because they’re under an umbrella of much more severe consequence for getting it wrong.

So why not give yourself as much of an advantage as possible? With everyone striving to be stronger, faster, and more accurate than the bad guys, why not also develop a skill set that gives you x-ray vision as well? At best, you can avoid the problem entirely, and at worst you have more advanced warning before things kick off.

Seems like a no-brainer to me.

Maintain Balance

By
The Suited Shootist
-

Whether it’s Travis Bickle’s preparations in Taxi Driver, Vin Deisel’s “500 Street Fights” monologue from Knockaround Guys there are plenty of examples of how the pursuit of capability can overrun the rest of your life, and become this all-consuming initiative that can consume the very life you’re trying to defend.

It’s important to keep these things in perspective because, especially for those of us that have managed to get this far in life without having been directly impacted by criminal violence, there will always be this nagging doubt of “how ready am I really?”. This doubt, combined with the pervasive mantra of “good enough is never good enough” can drive someone into an unhealthy mindset if it’s not tempered correctly, and negatively impact your quality of life.

I’ll use examples from my own life:

Example 1:

For my 30th birthday, my wife took me to Las Vegas for the first time. We hit a bunch of great restaurants, I had a lucky streak at the tables as a first-time player, and we caught a couple of shows. Since we don’t visit Vegas regularly, she also wanted to take the opportunity to catch Britney Spears’ show back when she had a residency. It was the only thing she really wanted to do while we were there, so of course, I obliged.

Now, as with many young self-defenders of the era, I didn’t like crowds and I didn’t like that many people being so close to me. It wasn’t really a problem before or during the show, but afterward, when it let out I found myself in the middle of a sea of bodies, and it resulted in what I can only assume was an anxiety attack. I was overwhelmed with a sense of dread, even though I was in absolutely no danger. But “you’re not supposed to let people get close to you” and all those other cliches had conditioned me to fear this situation, so my system responded accordingly.

Example 2:

I was friends with several very capable shooters who would describe themselves as “ok” or “passable” in terms of their shooting ability. The problem with this was that they simultaneously were putting out content of them shooting at a level way higher than I could perform. This created a serious disconnect in my mind. I remember thinking to myself “If these guys are ‘just ok’ and they’re lightyears ahead of me in terms of shooting ability, then what does that mean for me? Do I even have a fighting chance, or am I as good as dead?” At that point in my development, I’d had maybe 100 hours or so of open enrollment training.

I reached out to another friend who I knew had first-hand experience with criminal violence, and could offer me a realistic perspective. His advice to me essentially was “You don’t get to pick the day or the enemy. If your number is up, can you die knowing you gave it your all and that the other guy had to work for it? Tier 1 dudes with millions of dollars in training with the latest guns and gear sometimes get got by illiterate goatherds in sandals with 60-year-old rifles.”

It helped me accept that there are aspects of this whole thing that are outside my control. More importantly, I would have missed out on some of the most fulfilling experiences of my life if I’d allowed the gun to dictate my life. I got to attend a dear friend’s wedding in New York, I took my wife to the Dominican Republic for our honeymoon, I had dinner with a Broadway cast in Chicago while they were touring, and I’ve seen The Pietà in person.

Cecil Burch tells a story about a student who, after taking Immediate Action Combatives’ coursework, finally took his wife to Rome after years of her asking, because he no longer feared traveling without his firearm.

Melody Lauer says “the gun is supposed to be an enabler, not a disabler”. Let your defensive capabilities allow you to live your life, not chain you only to the activities where you can bring a gun.

The Kolb Small Frame First Model – Tiny Inside and Out

By
Travis Pike
-

Who doesn’t love tiny guns? I’ve always had a thing for the little NAA .22 revolvers. Say what you will about their effectiveness, but they are well made. I also have an interest in the early days of small carry guns. Vest and pocket pistols are fascinating to me. When I ran across a Kolb Small Frame First Model at a local gun show at a low price, I jumped on it. It’s a great mix of all the things I love. 

The History of Kolb 

The Kold Small Frame First Model is an early concealed carry weapon that weapons like the NAA were certainly inspired by. These guns date back to the first few decades of 1900, and they have a rather complicated history. It starts with a gun company called Foehl & Weeks. They made small, inexpensive revolvers and had the first patents that would lead to the Kolb. After a few years in business, they went bankrupt. 

In a rather shady business move, the bankruptcy referee for Foehl & Weeks purchased the company and retitled it Columbia, and began producing firearms. They produced the same guns Foehl & Weeks produced and may have produced the first few super small 22 revolvers. Although this is unconfirmed and Columbia went out of business in 1898.

Henry Kolb came around in 1910 and began producing guns. He never occupied the same facility as Columbia, and there is no information he purchased their equipment or machinery. However, he began producing the Kolb Small Frame First Model, which was identical to the early versions of the gun that lacked a manufacturer’s mark. Foehl from Foelh and Weeks worked with Kolb, and the two took out patents on several of the mini-revolvers features.  

Kolb made the majority of these mini-revolvers. The smallest is my example, the Small Frame First Model. They also produced a Large Frame, but take Large with a grain of salt. It’s Large compared to the small, but it was still a pocket pistol. 

The Little Kolb That Could 

The Kolb Small Frame revolver was an interesting little firearm. The Baby Hammerless lacked a hammer and, like most hammer-free revolvers, had a pronounced humpback at the rear of the gun. These were double-action-only guns. The cylinders held six rounds of .22 Short and were tiny little guns. 

A small loading gate allowed you to load the gun a round at a time, but the process to do so doesn’t reflect modern, safe gun handling procedures. To unlock the cylinder, you have to place a little bit of pressure on the trigger. This unlocks the cylinder and allows you to rotate and load the cylinder. 

To unload (and safely load) the gun, you can just remove the cylinder. In front of the cylinder and on the frame sits a small release. Hit the release, and you can remove a pin. With that pin removed, the cylinder just pops out. The pin can also be used to punch out the spent rounds. 

The trigger is rather interesting. It folds forward and out of the way, much like the old Velo Dog guns. The folding trigger and lack of a trigger guard make the weapon incredibly compact. It can squeeze into the coin pocket of my jeans. 

The Kolb is 4.125 inches long, .8 inches thick, and 3 inches tall. It’s super small, and I could easily see it drop into a vest pocket. Across the front is a very optimistic front sight, but hey, it’s something to adorn the 1-inch barrel. 

The .22 Short Conundrum 

The gun was made for self-defense. It could disappear, be unseen, but heard when necessary. With that said, how much oomph does .22 Short offer? Well, not a whole lot. It most certainly lacks serious penetration and won’t reach established standards. The little 29-grain round moves at less than 1,000 fps from a decent barrel. I imagine it’s just chugging along from the 1-inch Kolb barrel. 

It certainly stings and could still be lethal. Even so, I wouldn’t trust the cartridge for anything more than squirrels. Even the .22LR runs laps around this cartridge. Although I probably wouldn’t want to shoot anything larger than 22 Short through the Kolb. 

The cylinder gap sits right above your finger, and the Shorts produce such a little bang that it doesn’t singe your finger. It doesn’t get your trigger finger nice and dirty. 

To The Range 

This over-a-century-old gun isn’t a spring chicken, so I only fired 24 rounds through it. Impressively the gun fired every round without issue. They all went bang. It’s not quiet, but it’s got a cute burp to it. The little gun moves a slight bit, but there isn’t real recoil. 

The trigger pull is a very long and heavy one. At ten pounds, it’s no Ruger LCR. It’s not exactly a great trigger, either. There is probably a ¼ inch of takeup before we get to the ultra-stiff double action. 

Accuracy…well, if the bad guy was right in front of me and I jabbed it into his belly, I’d likely hit him. I exaggerate, but it’s not an exceptionally accurate gun. It doesn’t group…it patterns. Still, it’s a fun little gun. 

I probably won’t shoot it much, but it’s a great conversation starter. The little gun is seriously cute and an interesting part of concealed carry history. Is it a great choice today? Oh no, but it’s an interesting curiosity. 

1...119120121...399Page 120 of 399
© All rights reserved © 2023 GAT Daily. Designed by GAT Marketing