“We build Marksmen”. A phrase coined by two men who went to work each day living by another phrase, “one shot one kill”. With precision rifle growing immensely around the country, and our U.S. Army Sniper School curriculum getting more advanced each year, there is a vast amount of knowledge that needs to be shared between two very separate entities. CR2 Shooting Solutions wants to bridge that gap between civilian and military precision shooting.
The Beginning of CR2 Shooting Solutions
CR2 shooting solutions was started by two former U.S. Army Sniper School instructors that had a desire to spread the knowledge that they have gained to those outside of their sniper community. Christopher Roberts and Christopher Rance, founders of CR2 Shooting Solutions, arrived at sniper school and got certified around the same time. They worked together on advancing the curriculum and competed at various precision rifle matches, such as Mammoth Sniper Challenge and overseas at the Isreali Sniper Competition, ultimately taking back various marksmanship techniques to the states.
Building a strong foundation with students at U.S. Army Sniper School
Through their time in the precision rifle community, Roberts and Rance saw great instructors teach current information while also seeing one track minded instructors teaching old instruction from aging military programs. The need for a course with current information that can create well rounded students was there.
Meet the Instructors
Christopher Roberts Throughout his 18 years in the Army, Roberts performed sniper operations both domestic and globally. Ending his Army career as a Sniper Instructor, he then moved to advising the Army on current and future weaponry and tactics that will advance us on the future battlefield.
Christopher Rance In Rance’s 17 years in the Army he has served in many facets of sniper leadership, instructed students from different branches and law enforcement entities, including foreign allies, and authored Sniper TC 3-22.10. Throughout his career serving as a Sniper Instructor in the Army he has been awarded Best Instructor of the Cycle numerous times. Rance has also worked with Kestrel Ballistics as a Military Field Consultant.
Assistant Instructors Scott Peterson, Jeremy Frazier
Classes look to be pretty plentiful with more being added to the schedule. See the schedule here.
Classes can also be tailored to the individuals within the class. For example, recently CR2 held a LE Designated Marksman course due to the students employing their weapons in a LE DM application which can use very different techniques than Mil snipers or civilians.
What Does a Student Need to Bring
One thing that this class may do that many won’t is focus on the gas guns that we know and love. The precision rifle market has made bolt action precision rifles the highlight of most courses and matches. Gas gun matches, that companies like Quantified Performance give us, showcase the capabilities of the AR-15/AR-10 type rifles. CR2 Shooting Solutions also wants to expose you to those capabilities, those that you may not have known your rifle could achieve.
QP Homepage
With that being said, here is what you will need at the minimum for a 2-3 day class from CR2 shooting solutions.
Any rifle that can hold 1.5 MOA. This means that your rifle can shoot and repeat a 1 1/2 inch group at 100m.
Two magazines
Scope with mil/moa turrets
Rear bag
200 rounds of match ammunition
Eye and ear protection
Ballistic solver (a kestrel will be provided at the class but your ballistic app will also work)
Due to the current state of affairs and ammunition issues don’t be afraid to reach out to CR2 if you’d like to take their course but are having issues with the equipment list.
Previous Classes/AAR
When asking about how the previous courses went Roberts stated, “Our last class was held at Arena Training Facility in November, 9-11th. It went off to great success. Students ranged from beginning shooters, competitors, and active duty military.”
A previous class going over rifle set-up.
Who Should Go/What Disciplines?
“All shooters and disciplines are encouraged to go to the course and walk away with an increased skillset.” -Christopher Roberts That statement shows that this course wants to build a foundation within any type of shooter. Roberts goes on to talk about how many shooters are thrown into higher skilled shooting styles such as barricade work without obtaining a foundation that can help them in all scenarios. CR2 wants to build shooters that don’t let their equipment allow them to get away with shots, or only know how to “game” a type of stage. Build a foundation, learn your shot process, call your shots, know the wind calls so well to that you can make that first round impact. If you have a foundation that sets you up to advance in those areas you can make impacts in any application. Beginners, hunters, competition shooters, Mil/LE, all are welcome.
TC 3-22.10 Authored by former Sniper Instructor and CR2 Instructor Christopher M. Rance
The Goal
“We want to build marksman and what a marksman is, is a shooter who knows how to properly set up their weapon system; who can group, zero and confirm at distance; who can build a profile and extrapolate data and build a hard data chart; who knows the shot process and who can build a foundation and can read, assess and call wind down to +\- 2 mph.”- Christopher M. Rance
The term standard was brought up many times when talking with CR2. They want to create a standard within the precision rifle world. The Goal of CR2 Shooting Solutions is to give you the training to engage in any form, any environment, any stressors, any equipment, and impact your target. Because well.. that’s the standard that a true marksman should strive for each day.
I want to circle back to Josh & Henry’s live stream, this video is longer, nearly two hours so be certain you have a moment to sit and listen. Vlad Onokoy, a notable Russian in firearm circles, joins the team to talk about the embassy evacuation problem.
I discussed my thoughts here. The Personal Security Detail evacuation plan.
This is the most real world relevant scenario I’ve seen come across the ‘Pick One’ format. While the format is for fun and educational purposes, it spurs discussion and gets the wheels turning, this particular scenario has real world applications for the average viewer, even if the level of firearms experience you currently have is limited to your concealed carry class and relevant range time.
Why?
Evacuating a VIP, or VIP’s, doesn’t change much tactically from evacuating your family. Taking into consideration that you are (probably) the only shooter and the one for whom the burden of making those life or death calls may rely on, this is an important thought exercise in its modified format.
How would you evacuate your family/those you are responsible for, from a violent and hostile environment?
If you’re thinking riots, so am I. 2020 was a banner year for them and you don’t know where the next “Autonomous Zone” is going to pop into existence. Having a plan to move your people, and logistically support that move, is a good thing. Having plans for both short term and long term moves is a good thing.
Are you getting your mother out of down town because things are getting hot in her neighborhood for a night or two? Or is this something where mom and dad are essentially moving somewhere else? Maybe you’re going in to get your sister and her young kids and she doesn’t believe in all this tactical Timmy stuff you do and think about and watch videos on, but here we are now. Husband has a J-Frame in the sock drawer lock-box, “for protection” since you two talked about it but he never took steps following the safety trail into competence, magic talisman theory, so he’s about useless for protection in a scenario as scary as civil chaos.
After the year 2020, and as we look to a troubling 2021, these are more than just thought experiments to flex the fat between your ears. These may be plans you have to implement because someone you care for, that you are responsible for, needs to be removed from somewhere bad.
This could be any number of reasons, and it might not (hopefully won’t) be “13 Hours, Heavily Armed Group of ‘Operators’ ” type of moving your family/friends so much as a “Let’s go, get in the van/truck/SUV” and the stuff for more hostile social interactions stays tucked away safely while your people ride with you to a safe location. Hell, young kids might never know if you pull it off right. Imagine pulling them out late at night to get away from whatever but safe locations are next to a waterpark, you just covered an escape as a surprise vacation and kept mental health (especially for the kids) in proper order.
The “3-Day” Evac Plan
If you are looking for a place to start, start here.
The most useful variation on this theme is the short-term evacuation. You leave the area for a few days and will return. You can also stretch 3 days worth of clothing very easily with wash facilities.
Encourage your important people to keep a ‘3-Day‘ bag packed.
Clothes for 3 days, double up on socks/undies
At least one good layer of environmental protection
Hot/Cold
Wet/Dry
Hygiene
Spare durable footwear
Power considerations: Cords & Chargers
Have this list handy (even if just in memory) so you can help pack it with them, because some aren’t going to listen. You can’t predict who this will be relevant with or when.
Know that you are going to be herding lost scared puppies, even if they were formally adults
You are now responsible for checking everything
One of the easiest ways to check is have the list and make everyone show you. Ye Old Military Inspection style.
Keep calm, heard the puppies
High likelihood that adults will be more scared than the kids, the adults have a grasp of what is happening and are not prepared. The kids are blissfully ignorant. You can use both to your advantage to herd your folks out.
Calm efficient movement is always faster than loud, excited, or panicky fearful. Excitement overwhelms and overwhelmed people make mistakes, often
If this sounds like packing for a generic vacation minus the swimsuits… it is, basically. Heck, pack the swimsuits
We are talking about moving people out of a localized problem spot to a safe place with modernized resources
They will have power, food, communication, maybe even room service and distractions for the good of their mental state
With what they brought with them they should be able to sustain 3-Days will minimal additional effort and upwards of a few weeks with laundry service and modern resources.
I double up my use of my 3-Day bag as my generic travel bag. When I go somewhere, it is already packed to come with me with almost everything I need.
Going for business? Add appropriate suit.
Going for class? Add the range bags.
Last second adventure or casual trip to anywhere for just about any reason? Grab and go. It’s not just an “incase of emergency bugout” item, it is a practical piece of consistently used gear. Plus that keeps the clothes inside it constantly checked on and clean after each trip. It’s something I see in rotation so it gets checked and updated.
This is not your old budget ambi-charging handle. Aero Precision has decided to ‘breach’ (yeah I did that, +1 dad joke point) the market of premium charging handles where three names heretofore reigned supreme.
The BREACH is a dual latch 7075-T6 offering, in both large lever and small lever configurations for AR-15’s and AR-10 types that match their M5 (SR-25/DPMS, not the SIG716) rifles. A robust simple design that does away with the thin drop in latches of earlier days, the BREACH follows the market standardization of offering end users the two latch configurations. One with a larger profile for easy one handed manipulations from either shoulder with either hand and one with a more reduced profile to minimize snagging or other interference against gear while still allowing one handed charging handle use.
This isn’t a new ground breaking concept, it is a market expansion of a proven one. And since I haven’t seen a BCM ambi in a blue moon, one the market can use with demand so high.
Discriminatory practices against the firearms and self defense community are nothing new. They are not so subtly covered in the nebulous policies of social media companies and their sharing software user agreements. You cannot post this, or post that, because it goes against our “Community Standards” in some manner.
Now, I am not saying a platform shouldn’t have standards. They should, they must, they should have the freedom and empowerment within their sphere to remove a beheading video titled, “What All Men Deserve,” or a post depicting a sexual assault saying “Women Get What They Earn,” or a solicitation for child pornography, or a solicitation to traffic that child.
The reality of social media has a dark and venomous under-dungeon that most users with a run of the mill “flagged post” don’t see. Most of us don’t see it because moderators catch the truly “WTF!?!” stuff early on and it generally circulates in small ‘interested’ circles. That vile venom, plus the clear tech political lean, plus zealous algorithmic automation, means that your meme gets tagged, flagged, and removed even if probably didn’t violate a ‘community standard,’ because they would rather not take the chance.
Because the 2A community is constantly speaking about the topic of violence (that’s the point) the fact that we run afoul of posted standards (sometimes genuinely, sometimes not) is par for the course. This is the nebulous realm of mass communication. That is social media.
But what about something foundational? Like Commerce?
Caleb posted this morning about the PLCAA, The Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act. This shields companies like Aero Precision, SIG Sauer, or anyone else who makes or trades in arms, ammunition, and related goods from being sued into oblivion just because one of the products they made was used criminally.
It does not protect any of them from willful negligence, it doesn’t dissolve their liability for making an unsafe or faulty product, it doesn’t protect them if they made a social media post saying “Its time to take it back” and that was put over a field of people charging the Capitol Building or the White House with rifles in their hands.
But it should protect their ability to do business lawfully and make changes to the law suffer strict and careful scrutiny.
This is a topic I’ve been meaning to get to for nearly two weeks, ever since Shannon Watts, head of the demanding mothers who demand things demandingly, posted on Business Insider that Credit Card companies and other financial institutions should interfere and ‘do their part’ to combat gun violence.
No Shannon, they shouldn’t. In fact they should be actively prohibited from taking action, and I believe an amendment to the PLCAA would be the best method for assuring compliance. Anyone offering a stand-in for currency or a method to move currency around should be prohibited from denying payment or collection services to someone engaged in lawful sales regarding firearms, ammunition, or related items.
Firearms, and arms in general, are a lawfully protected at a level that no other produced and manufactured category of product is, in the Bill of Rights. Only arms are specifically enumerated, everything else that could be a product or service is inferred. In practice, we know that there is no rule prohibiting blocking the sales of or preventing a host from not taking an advertisement or sales page. We’ve seen this everywhere from the Superbowl rejecting a Daniel Defense ad to Facebook banning all accessories remotely related, including armor, optics, and holsters, during the 2021 Biden inauguration.
Funny, items purchased during the inauguration weekend wouldn’t possibly arrive in time for anything, but whatever. It’s more about looking like you’re taking a stand than doing something effective. Gun control at its finest. Now let’s dive into Watt’s reasons for asking Credit Card companies to block lawful commerce in constitutionally protected items. I’m sure it is brilliant.
We’ve made undeniable progress when it comes to keeping guns out of the hands of people who shouldn’t have them. Since the mass shooting at Sandy Hook School renewed calls for sensible gun laws eight years ago, 13 states have passed laws requiring background checks on all gun sales or strengthening existing background check requirements. 29 states and D.C. have passed bills to strengthen the laws that keep guns out of the hands of domestic abusers, and following the shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in 2018, 14 states and D.C. have passed extreme risk laws, which let family members and law enforcement ask a court to remove firearm access when there are red flags that someone poses an extreme risk to themselves or others.
I think she managed to get about half the buzzwords into a single opening paragraph while praising a bunch of policies that didn’t do what she is claiming and admitting the laws don’t work all that well. Impressive opening.
29 states and D.C. have passed bills to strengthen the laws that keep guns out of the hands of domestic abusers,
Convicted domestic abusers, even at the misdemeanor level, are federally prohibited persons. What laws were needed to make it more illegal than that? Does making it more illegal than federally illegal actually curb the number of instances? Would more stringently enforcing sentencing cut down on the number of domestic incidents more effectively than telling convicted individuals that they cannot have a gun, but they can’t have it even more now.
Passing that off like it was progress…
But despite this life-saving progress — and the prospect of historic action from Washington after this week’s election results in Georgia — the reality is that someone who would be legally prohibited from buying a gun is able to whip out their credit card and order one online as easily as they could order an air fryer from Amazon.
Yep, she said that was progress. What she doesn’t add to this little *OMG Shocked Face Emoji* declaration is that the felon getting caught with the finished 80% is no different than the one who grabbed a new heater from their associate the day he or she got out of their incarceration. This is the equivalency of asking gas stations to stop selling alcohol and gas, or rather asking the Credit Card companies to stop processing transactions from stations that sell alcohol and gas because people might drive drunk, especially people previously convicted of driving drunk.
American companies have for years been shipping firearm kits through the mail that require only the most basic tools and a few hours to put together. Despite the fact that federal law requires serial numbers and background checks for all firearms sold by commercial sellers, these so-called “ghost guns” are sold without either. Because they don’t have serial numbers, they can’t be traced by law enforcement, making them particularly dangerous.
Yes, they can become firearms. Yes, they are designed to become firearms. But legally speaking, they aren’t. And the onus for following the law regarding not turning non-firearms into a firearm is ultimately on prohibited individual, like drinking and driving is. Remember this, we are all, every single one of us, prohibited persons from drunk driving. The law, and law enforcement, cannot make you drink and drive anymore they can stop you for doing so though, they can only penalize you if you get caught in violation.
The penalty for assembly of a P80 by a prohibited person is the same as going to the hardware store and throwing together something from the available parts there. If the end result is able to shoot a live round of ammunition and the possessor is prohibited, they are violating the law. But the law doesn’t stop them. The only thing we are debating is the investment time, not the act.
It shouldn’t be this easy to get an untraceable gun, and it doesn’t have to be. With federal regulators falling well short of their obligations to the public, credit card companies have an opportunity — and a responsibility — to be part of the solution by refusing to process these dangerous and illegal sales.
Not. Illegal. The very definition of not illegal. If they were illegal, as stated here falsely, they would be regulated as a firearm and subject to FFL transfers. But once again. They. Are. Not. Firearms. The sale is not illegal.
The illegal act is not performed by the seller. The illegal act is performed by anyone who completes one, or take possession of a finished one, and is a prohibited person. The illegal act is in finishing one and knowingly giving it to a prohibited individual. The sale isn’t illegal, stop saying that it is. Next she will call it a loophole.
Ghost guns are the fastest-growing gun safety threat in the United States and the government has done far too little to address the deadly risks they pose. Federal regulators have failed to act, and now these building blocks for guns can be purchased online and without a background check by anyone, anytime.
I can also buy raw forgings and machines to finish them into any shape I want, or a 3D printer. I can then source unregulated pieces and finish my spooky scary “Ghost Gun” with no one the wiser. Firearms are simple machines, because of this they are very hard to prohibit. Ask any nation that has tried, look at their actual crime rates.
People are exploiting this loophole every single day. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives estimates 10,000 ghost guns were recovered by law enforcement in 2019 alone. And amid a surge in gun sales during the coronavirus pandemic, the problem has just gotten worse, with so many ghost guns being purchased that many companies reported that their kits were backordered.
Ha! She said it!
Okay, so “10,000 Ghost Guns” were recovered. Assuming all of the reported items were in finished and working condition how many of those had been used to further a crime? How many confiscated from a prohibited person under circumstances unrelated to the possession? How many prosecutions did this result in? And most importantly, did this show a significant uptick in criminal misuse of firearms overall or just the preferred method of acquiring a firearm?
Because if this is just the flavor of the week for getting a gun, stopping it does jack, followed by squat, to improve crime rates.
In a legal brief supporting a lawsuit brought by Everytown and several cities to force federal action, the city of Los Angeles disclosed this week that in 2020 police there have recovered more than 600 ghost guns, at least 231 of which were used in serious or violent crimes. The San José Police Department, for its part, seized 142 ghost guns during criminal investigations between January 2015 and April 2020 — nine during homicide investigations.
So San Jose California, which has an overall much lower than average homicide rate compared to the state as a whole recovered 9 of these vicious and terrible plague bearer pistols in a 5 year span ‘linked’ to homicides. But with a population of about 1,000,000 and around 25-45 homicides a year that means they were “recovered during the investigation” of well under 10% of total homicides. So what did the other 90% use? If this is such a loophole why don’t we see higher incident rates. Why use the language “recovered during investigation” instead of a more firm “method of injury,” is it because that already paltry number of 9 would drop lower? Did San Jose recover a single “Ghost Gun” that was confirmed as the method of injury in a homicide?
They can’t ‘ghost’ the ballistics. This thing is just missing an assigned stamping of numbers and letters, not leaving untraceable evidence. In any of those homicide investigations, did the lack of a serial number prevent a charge of homicide, aggravated assault, prohibited possession of a firearm, or any other similar charge? Did the lack of a serial number hamper that in any meaningful way?
Or are we just pulling this out of our asses to make a problem sound worse, because if the data was considered objectively it would amount to, “well.. people who don’t follow the law still don’t when it comes to these guns too. Surprise.” If we could correlate and causeate (the act of determining causation) that these were a significant threat above and beyond other firearms we would have something to work with, but the data is saying otherwise… it is just another gun. And unless you have an effective method to remove firearms as a threat category then all we’re doing is arguing about branding.
Last year, a ghost gun was used in an ambush shooting of two LA County Sheriff’s deputies, and the shooter who opened fire at Saugus High School used a ghost gun to kill two students and wound three others. Ghost guns and crime go hand in hand; they are ideally suited for criminals seeking to avoid scrutiny and in need of an untraceable firearm. Ghost guns are undermining our country’s laws and our communities’ safety, and we are paying the price of inaction with American lives.
In 2015 a Japanese man burned 36 people to death at a studio, on purpose. Fire and crime go hand in hand. Fire is ideally suited for criminals seeking to avoid scrutiny and in need of an untraceable weapon. Fire is undermining the safety of the Japanese people and the laws against arson.
See? See what I did there?
Just weeks before it will have to answer in court to Everytown’s lawsuit over its failure to act, the ATF last week executed a search warrant at Polymer80, a leading manufacturer of ghost guns whose products make up more than four in five of the ghost guns being recovered in multiple cities. In the process of obtaining the warrant, ATF acknowledged for the first time in federal court that it is illegal for the company to sell complete ghost gun kits without serial numbers or a background check.
So now you are taking credit for scaring the ATF into action? By the way, did we read what the ATF actually took on? It was the complete kit SKU’s where you bought all the parts together, instead of adding them to your cart as separate items. Hardly an iron clad case. And no, it isn’t illegal for Poly80 to do this. This a shot the ATF is taking that is treading on thin ground definition wise, all it will take is a judge asking what the definition of 80% means (and which part it applies to) in order to sink this case. They are alleging that having all the parts of a firearm be purchased at once, bundled with the 80% receiver, actually constitutes the firearm being more than 80% complete, when 80% complete only refers to the receiver itself and not any of the unregulated parts.
The ATF raid was an important step, but the agency has far more to do. Until it asserts full regulatory authority over this dangerous and illegal end-run around our gun safety laws, we need to fight the problem on every front, and that means declining to process payments for illegal and dangerous ghost gun kits.
Again. Not. Illegal.
Dozens of websites that advertise Polymer80’s ghost gun kits and similar all-in-one products accept MasterCard, Visa and American Express. But if these companies were to block illegal ghost gun transactions, many manufacturers would likely find themselves out of business. That’s why we need credit card companies to stand with us and save lives.
And that is why we need to add financial discriminatory protections to the PLCAA
No company that offers to process payments should be allowed to refuse the transaction for a lawful product or service. Most importantly in the case of the constitutionally protected right to keep and bear arms. It should be made unlawful, and a heavy penalty assessed, against any financial payment service which refuses to process lawful debt transactions made to purchase arms and associated goods.
A private company can refuse to sell themselves, refuse to advertise, refuse to allow advertisements for firearms and related gear on their platforms. That is arguably within their rights, if not their best financial interests, to do. But any company offering a service where they allow the transfer of money for a good or service should be prohibited from refusing a lawful transaction.
“This note is legal tender for all debts public and private.” – Federal Reserve Note
If your business is in the business of helping facilitate the transfer of money, you should not be allowed to refuse a transaction for lawful goods or services. Especially Constitutionally Protected Ones.
With Wednesday’s inauguration of President Joe Biden, gun rights activists and firearms enthusiasts alike are rightly concerned about gun control legislation. While those are legitimate concerns, there’s an existing law you may not have heard of, and it’s a law that President Biden favors overturning: The Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act.
In layman’s terms, the Act, often referred to as the PLCAA provides the same liability shield to firearms manufacturers and retailers that Ford or a Ford dealer would get. For example: if a person gets drunk, hops in their Ford Mustang and kills someone, Ford isn’t liable for that because the drunk person was committing a crime and using their product incorrectly/illegally. Up until 2005, gun companies didn’t have that sort of protection. When PLCAA passed in 2005, it provided a legal shield for manufacturers and retailers against lawsuits stemming from criminal or negligent use of their products.
How it works
The PLCAA doesn’t stop people from suing gun companies. Let’s construct a fictional narrative to explain this. Let’s say there’s a mass shooting, and the shooter uses a BlastoMatic 9000. The families of the victims get together and sue BlastoMatic. BlastoMatic’s lawyers file a motion to have the suit dismissed because of the Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act. A judge then decides if PLCAA applies in this instance, and rules accordingly. There have been lawsuits tossed because of PLCAA, notably in 2010 and 2012; however other suits have been allowed to continue. The Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act is specifically designed to protect manufacturers and dealers from civil liability actions stemming from criminal or unlawful misuse of their products. “Criminal or unlawful misuse” is the key phrase, because as you’ll see, not all uses of firearms or ammunition are covered.
What’s not covered
Specifically not covered in PLCAA is negligence or criminal acts on the part of the firearms industry company. For example, in 2016 a gun store in Missouri settled a lawsuit for $2.2 Million dollars because they had sold a gun to a woman with a mental disorder. The judge ruled that PLCAA didn’t apply because the store should not have made the sale. This is referred to as “negligent entrustment,” and occurs when an industry company sells or transfers guns or ammo to someone that they clearly shouldn’t. Manufacturers and dealers can be held liable if they commit negligent entrustment, or if they commit negligence per se.
Why it matters
You may be thinking “why should I care about this law? I’m not an FFL, I’m not a manufacturer or a retailer.” You’re right, you’re not. However, the whole reason that NRA and NSSF lobbied for this law was because the firearms industry was being targeted by frivolous lawsuits funded by the deep pockets of gun grabbers. The policy goal of these lawsuits was to cause “death by a thousand cuts” according to then HUD Secretary, now Governor of New York Andrew Cuomo. If you can’t get gun laws passed in Congress, just sue them until it’s prohibitive to do business.
Joe Biden and you
President Biden has repeatedly stated he’s in favor of repealing PLCAA, and now he has the means to do that. It will be a tough road, since the law passed with broad bipartisan support in 2005. But the political landscape has changed a lot since then, and then Senator Biden was one of the 19 votes against the bill. Fortunately, PLCAA can only be repealed by an act of Congress, or the Supreme Court overturning it.
Be on guard
We’re writing this article specifically because PLCAA isn’t a well-known law, and a repeal would be disastrous to our community. But because it’s not a well-known or well understood law, an attempted repeal won’t get people writing angry letters to their Representatives and Senators. So if you see this, share it. Educate your friends. Get them ready to write those angry letters.
EAGLEVILLE, PA, January 21, 2021 – Streamlight® Inc., a leading provider of high-performance lighting and weapon light/laser sighting devices, introduced the TLR®RM 1 Laser and TLR® RM 2 Laser tactical lighting systems for long guns. Packaged as a system, each rail mounted light features independently operating push-button and remote pressure switches; the kit provides everything users need to mount to long guns. Also available in light-only models, the TLR RM 1 Laser and the TLR RM 2 Laser deliver 500 and 1,000 lumens, respectively.
“The TLR RM 1 and 2 Laser versions offer a precise red aiming laser for tactical and military users, along with a convenient mode select toggle switch,” said Streamlight President and Chief Executive Officer Ray Sharrah. “They also deliver a powerful beam with extensive range and solid, good peripheral coverage.”
The rail mount systems include an ergonomically friendly, multi-function tail switch, along with a remote switch input option. The remote switch is designed to exit the weapon at a 90º angle, improving wire routing to preserve rail space. The lights feature three modes: Laser only, LED illumination only or both, operated by the new side toggle switch. The facecap offers a ‘Safe off’ feature to prevent unintentional activation.
The new models are designed to quickly and securely attach to any long gun with a MIL Standard 1913 or NATO Rail, without the need for hands in front of the muzzle. The lights offer highly accurate sight repeatability when remounting. Each light includes a key kit to securely fit the light onto a broad array of weapons.
The lights each feature the latest in power LED technology, and include a custom TIR optic that produces a concentrated beam with optimum peripheral illumination. The TLR RM 1 Laser offers 500 lumens, 5,000 candela and a beam distance of 140 meters; the TLR RM 2 Laser provides 1,000 lumens and 10,000 candela with a 200-meter beam distance. The lights also include a selectable strobe feature.
The TLR RM 1 Laser includes one (1) 3 volt CR123A lithium battery, measures 3.2 inches in length and weighs 2.97 ounces. The TLR RM 2 Laser includes two (2) 3-volt CR123A lithium batteries, is 4.6 inches long and weighs 4.95 ounces. Both feature 1.5 hours of continuous run time and three hours on strobe.
IPX4-rated for water-resistant operation, the TLR RM 1 and TLR RM 2 Lasers are constructed with durable anodized machined aircraft aluminum with an impact-resistant Borofloat® glass lens.
Available in black, the TLR RM 1 and TLR RM 2 Laser Lighting Systems have MSRPs of $398.00 and $415.00, respectively. The TLR RM 1 and TLR RM 2 Laser Light-Only models have MSRPs of $360.00 and $378.00 respectively. Each comes with Streamlight’s Limited Lifetime Warranty.
About Streamlight Based in Eagleville, PA, Streamlight, Inc. has more than 45 years of experience making tough, durable, long-lasting flashlights designed to serve the specialized needs of professionals and consumers alike. Since 1973, the company has designed, manufactured and marketed high-performance flashlights, and today offers a broad array of lights, lanterns, weapon light/laser sighting devices, and scene lighting solutions for professional law enforcement, military, firefighting, industrial, automotive, and outdoor applications. Streamlight is an ISO 9001:2015 certified company. For additional information, please call 800-523-7488, visit streamlight.com or connect with us on facebook.com/streamlight; twitter.com/Streamlight; instagram.com/streamlightinc; linkedin.com/company/streamlight-inc./; and youtube.com/streamlighttv.
You read the title, and you might think, “Travis, you love shotguns, how can you say that?” I am indeed a shotgun nerd. I enjoy shooting shotguns more so than any other firearm, and I even choose to use one for home defense. The thing is, if you can’t look at your favorite weapon and see its flaws, you likely don’t have a proper grasp on it.
Shotguns have lots of flaws, especially for the home defender. If you want a home defense shotgun you must understand why, it’s downsides, and address the deficiencies.
Home Defense Shotgun Loads Overpenetrate
In a home defense scenario, the two loads you’d use to shoot bad guys are buckshot and slugs. Both will rip through the interior and exterior walls with great force. They are man stopping rounds (yes, that term is apt here), and a miss is sending potentially nine pellets freely through your home and potentially at your neighbors. 5.56 is the best choice for limiting over penetration damage.
The Fix: If you are using a shotgun for home defense, learn all about angles. Taking a knee and shooting at an upward angle or aiming from the top of some stairs or at the pelvic area for a downward angle sends buckshot into the dirt or the sky. Mastering angles limits the harm an errant round of buckshot creates.
The Recoil Can Be Mighty
Shotguns are not egalitarian weapons, and any thoughts of equality are thrown out with the shotgun. A 12 gauge shotgun hits hard from both directions. Smaller framed shooters, heck regular-sized shooters, can have trouble with the gun. The heavier recoil isn’t just the inconvenience of shoulder pounding pain, but it makes follow up shots slower and can easily take you off target.
The Fix – Training will be the best way to counter heavy shotgun recoil: training and properly selected ammunition. Take a class from Fisher, learn to run the gun and proper recoil mitigation techniques. Reduced recoil tactical loads deliver plenty of stopping performance and help cut down some of those home defense shotgun blues.
Low Ammo and Slow Reloads
Your modern tactical shotgun holds anywhere from 4 to 7 rounds of 12 gauge 2.75-inch ammunition. Compared to a 30-40 round P-MAG or the D-60, this seems low.
Admittedly the low ammo and slow reloads would only be a problem in the most extreme circumstances. However, it’s still an issue that needs addressing. You can reload a modernized rifle platform or a handgun anywhere from 3 to 10 times the capacity in moments. The same can’t be said for the shotgun.
The Fix – Learn the make your shots count and learn to reload with some gumption. Side saddles help, and lots of Snap Cap practice can shorten the gap. Proactive reloading is also a must-have, and it’s ability to reload your home defense shotgun before the gun ever runs empty.
Home Defense Shotguns Tend To Be Long(er)
Without dipping into the world of NFA shotguns, it’s easy to see that shotguns are rather long. Longer than your standard carbine by a good bit. Part of this is their barrel requirements, and the other part is the often longer stocks and longer receivers to accommodate shells as long as 3 inches. Add on the fact that shotguns with 8 to 9 round capacities often have a 20-inch barrel for the extra capacity, and that length is compounded further. Factory configured shotguns are longer, bulkier, and often less maneuverable indoors.
The Fix – Outside of a 14-inch barrel and a tax stamp, the best thing you can do is get something with an adjustable stock. Magpul’s SGA stock makes pump guns shorter and easier to handle. Learning how to “short stock” is another technique but is one best-taken advantage of when learned properly.
If You’re Deadset on a Home Defense Shotgun
If you want to run with a home defense shotgun, then the best I can do is suggest that you get a high-quality semi-auto shotgun. Semi-autos have become quite reliable these days. They have lower recoil, faster follow up shots, and are often more modern than one of the old pump guns floating around.
There are lots of downsides to the home defense shotgun, but at the end of the day, it’s still a devastatingly powerful weapon. It delivers more lead per trigger pull than any other shoulder-fired weapon. Addressing your weapon’s downsides is the only way to become proficient with it, so never get stuck on the idea your gun is a magic totem without weakness.
Haenel, the company who won, then had their win revoked, then was sued for infringement by H&K, and at last known appearance had been caught with a suspicious number of allegedly cross compatible parts between the H&K 416 and their own submitted rifle, has entered a partnership with the Swiss B&T to bring the rifle to the US as the B&T-15.
This is highly curious. I wonder, quite honestly, if this isn’t a way to recoup on the loss of the German Bundeswehr contract after getting slapped down and hedge their legal fees. I don’t know enough about the case between the two German arms entities to know if this would be some sort of violation, or if H&K could shut this down with an S&D letter, or if they would even want to do that because it would or would not be in their overall best interest.
I just know that the B&T-15 is the H&K that isn’t an H&K but was sued for being an H&K and the suit produced a severe reversal of contract after the investigation.
H&K never stated the rifle didn’t run. They never stated that it didn’t match their submissions in performance. They said Haenel copied their homework, in so many words. They allege that Haenel made the HK416 to compete against the HK416, just with Haenel’s name on it and a couple superficial changes.
So, is this Haenel cutting their loss and dumping quality “H&K““clone“ stuff onto a hungry US Market?
“Never attribute to malice that which is adequately explained by stupidity”.
Also attributed as Heinlein’s Razor, or “The Devil Theory” Fallacy. This simple published wisdom has been around since at least the 18th Century. It’s modern title attributing to Hanlon is from 1990 while the Heinlein attribution came from 1941’s Logic of Empire and the character ‘Doc’ therein, “You have attributed conditions to villainy that simply result from stupidity.”
We as a nation are suffering. We have forgotten this wisdom.
Stupidity and Ignorance are closely tied phrases that are used, and often misused, interchangeably. They are not the same.
Ignorance, when used correctly, describes the condition of someone lacking information, usually critical information to the understanding of a topic at hand.
“The NRA is moving to Texas from New York.” “Oh? I heard they went bankrupt.” “They filled for bankruptcy proceedings in New York State as part of their move, to dissolve their ties and obligations to New York and reestablish under Texas.” “Ah, I was ignorant of the reasonings.”
Stupidity, or acting stupidly, is a person or group making poor decisions based on the information they have, often in good faith but very bad judgement. Stupidity often results from rejection of information for any number of reasons, including past held beliefs of earlier information, instead of just from ignorance alone. Stupidity requires applying known information and/or misapplying it.
You [reader] not knowing the muzzle velocity of M855A1 ammunition out of the M4A1 rifle is ignorance. You then stating a ridiculous assumed “fact,” or being mad you don’t just know it, or are in somehow someway in a fight surrounding M855A1, while simultaneously holding or pocketing a device that can give you information… that would be stupid.
The term ‘Preconceived Notion’ is one that can describe ignorance and stupidity. Stupidity can be born of ignorance, but ignorance isn’t a requirement. Someone can know something, misapply the information or not properly sort the information with the other information they already possess and come to a bad end result. Often, this is the difference between knowing something and understanding something. Not, mind you, the belief you understand something but objective understanding.
*tires slide a little on the road* “Woah, perhaps I should slow down a bit so I’m not driving faster than road conditions and my equipment allow for… nah, I haven’t slid off the road yet or slid really badly. It’ll be fine.” *Crashes* “Well… that was stupid of me.” -The person you will see in the ditch in two to four miles. We all know the one.
Save your anger. Engage your head.
It does not pay dividends to be angry at voters for voting. It does not pay dividends to look at the electors and elected Democrats and call them evil. It might feel good, but especially in the case of the voters themselves it is almost assuredly incorrect. Joe Biden is the same symptom as Donald Trump was, given a new form. The reason we aren’t seeing reasonable politicians win is because we are being highly unreasonable people right now.
All of us.
So what I am saying, dear readers, is that as we shift into a difficult administration under Joe Biden and Kamala Harris, remember two things.
Your fellow citizen is not your enemy. They hold a differing opinion and are likely ignorant of the reasons you hold yours. If they are not ignorant then perhaps they are simply stupidly stubborn. Education and civil discourse are our greatest friends, still. They will remain so even if we get to the true “shots fired” moment and the hellfire of civil war engulfs the United States for a second time (statistically speaking we are past due, and that is a terrifying thought) so please do not hasten the day.
We’ve lost elections before and held firm, gained ground even, do your civic duty and diligence by staying involved at your local, state, and the federal level for every rule change you can. Keep the information browser tabs open and keep track of your discussions. Reason and recordkeeping are powerful tools, more so than the rifle alone ever can be.
Biden is President now. I, as honestly as I can speak, hope that every negative policy aspiration I ascribe to his and his administration’s goals is wrong. I want him to be a good President. I wanted Trump, and Obama, and Bush to be good Presidents. Whether they were in your or my minds is largely a matter of where we started and where we ended up under their tenure in the office.
I want this to be a good four years. I know it will be a challenging four years.
But let us not be the ones to make it more complicated than it is already quite likely to be. Stay civically engaged and keep your neighbors well, no matter who’s dumb sign they had in their yard a few week ago. A person’s character and value should never be diminished down to judgement of a binary red/blue choice in a polling booth.
There is plenty of stupid on the way
That doesn’t make it malicious or evil. It does mean it needs to be opposed still because the result of these kind-hearted morons getting their way will be bad. They just do not see, or refuse to see, evidence because that evidence is mean spirited or some such nonsense. It’s the same misguided overcorrection which states that things like logic or objective standards and criteria are prejudiced. Assuming that a barrier to entry is in place to be mean, and is thus evil, is stupid.
Objectivity is never and has never been prejudicial. But just as it has no malice against you, it has no motivations for you either. Accept also that you are never completely objective, neither is anyone else.
Understand that, and as you begin these next rounds of policy discussions and debates, understand that many are coming at this from a place of strong emotion and misguided stupidity. Just read anything Shannon Watts has written, I’m sure it sounds great to anyone who doesn’t know better.
Her blathering on about how credit card companies should stop processing transactions for firearms for the safety of the children is about as nonsensically moronic is a blog telling you that shoving a Petoskey stone between your toddler’s buttcheeks is will align their auras properly to fight COVID-19 and make them a star student. Same dumb, different wrapping paper. Stating a farcical wish as a fact is still a farcical wish.
But don’t make the mistake of automatically assuming that theyknow how stupid it is. A colossal and repeated mistake we make as people, over and over again, is that we assume ‘they (whomever that ‘they’ is)’ know and understand the things we do. They almost certainly do not, that is why they are saying what they are saying. Ignorance and stupidity, not malice.
So be kind to them, they’re trying hard too.
Guns Guide to Liberals will be an excellent resource in the coming year(s). It is an utter shame more people have not looked into the information in the series.
EAGLEVILLE, PA, January 20, 2021 – Streamlight® Inc., a leading provider of high-performance lighting, introduced the Wedge™, a USB-C rechargeable everyday carry flashlight with a thin, compact design for deep pocket carry. Featuring an intuitive rotating thumb switch, the Wedge provides two modes: 300 lumen Constant On mode and 1,000-lumen momentary THRO™ (Temporarily Heightened Regulated Output) mode.
“With its unique ergonomic design, the Wedge sets a new standard for EDC pocket lights,” said Streamlight Vice President, Sales and Marketing, Michael F. Dineen. “It’s both slim and flat so that it can be carried comfortably, features a reversible pocket clip and allows for full concealment in a pants pocket. It’s the ideal EDC light, whether for patrol duty or tactical maneuvers, outdoor uses, or automotive, industrial and DIY jobs.”
On the THRO momentary setting, the Wedge delivers a 35-second burst of 1,000 lumens and 3,000 candela over a 110-meter beam distance. In Constant On mode, it provides 300 lumens, 1,200 candela, a beam distance of 69 meters and a 3-hour run time.
The Wedge uses a 1500 mAh Lithium Polymer cell battery that recharges by plugging a USB-C cord into the light’s waterproof rear socket. Red and green LEDs indicate charging status.
Made from rugged anodized aluminum, the Wedge measures just 5.46 inches long and 1.0 inch high, and weighs 3.3 ounces. The new light is IPX7-rated for waterproof operation to one meter; it also is impact-resistance tested to one meter.
Available in black and coyote, the Wedge has an MSRP of $149.95 and comes with Streamlight’s Limited Lifetime Warranty.
About Streamlight Based in Eagleville, PA, Streamlight, Inc. has more than 45 years of experience making tough, durable, long-lasting flashlights designed to serve the specialized needs of professionals and consumers alike. Since 1973, the company has designed, manufactured and marketed high-performance flashlights, and today offers a broad array of lights, lanterns, weapon light/laser sighting devices, and scene lighting solutions for professional law enforcement, military, firefighting, industrial, automotive, and outdoor applications. Streamlight is an ISO 9001:2015 certified company. For additional information, please call 800-523-7488, visit streamlight.com or connect with us on facebook.com/streamlight; twitter.com/Streamlight; instagram.com/streamlightinc; linkedin.com/company/streamlight-inc./; and youtube.com/streamlighttv.
I’ve been a slow adopter of appendix carry. Not because of some conceived danger, but because of comfort. I’ve carried some small guns appendix and found that comfortable, but I’m a fan of full-sized carry guns. I didn’t just find carrying a full-sized weapon appendix uncomfortable, I found it downright painful. After listening to tons of peer pressure and holster advice, I settled on a Phlster Floodlight IWB. I’ve heard nothing but good things over tons of various channels regarding Phlster holsters and figured if I was going to do this, I might as well do it the right way.
The Floodlight is not just an appendix holster, it can be worn strongside IWB should you feel the need to. The Floodlight is also a quasi-universal holster designed to accommodate a weapon light. Two models exist, one for the TLR-1 and one for the Surefire X300. Phlster describes how the holster works as such:
…many features are smoothed, radiused, and regularized to accommodate the different shapes, sizes, and dimensions of this wide array of firearms.
The Floodlight seems to squeeze in the majority of firearms I own that are service sized pistols. Since I’m talking full-sized pistols that accommodate a light, I might as well go really big. By that, I mean Glock 17 with TLR-1, with KE Arms Comp, and Aimpoint Acro. It’s about as big of a handgun as I can go.
The Big Guy Conundrum
I’ve heard big guys have a problem with appendix carry, and that was initially what I chalked it up too with me. I made that my excuse and figured I’d lose weight and then look at appendix carry. That turned out to be half true. I lost 65 pounds, but I’m still a big guy, both height and width wise. At 6’5’’ and 280 pounds, I’m still well into that big guy title.
Once the Phlster came in, I started working to find a means to make it work. I scoured forums, searching for those big guys who carry AIWB. That’s when I realized being a big guy with a beer gut didn’t really matter. My discomfort came from a combination of not knowing how to wear an appendix holster correctly and poorly made appendix holsters.
The biggest way I found to increase comfort was to adjust the height of the gun. I went with a higher height and found the pain that was dug into my thigh completely gone. I also implemented a slight reverse cant that pushed the bottom of the holster a little more inwards that made it even more comfortable.
Then I broke a cardinal Marine Corps rule and moved my belt to the left side of the zipper. My actions broke the precious gig line. I found that this allowed me to properly tighten my belt, kept the buckle from pressing on the holster, and kept my pants from sagging. That’s what I did to improve comfort. What having a good holster does is completely different.
This worked for me, and the point you should take away get an AIWB rig you can adjust and tailor. Try various heights and cants and see what makes the carry experience comfortable.
The Phlster Floodlight and Comfort
My Phlster Floodlight came with a modwing that pushes the grip into the body for better concealment, but there seems to be increased comfort too. There is no twisting, movement of the grip back and forth to rub you raw.
The Phlster is also super smooth with no edges to pinch, poke, and prod when worn. The design provides plenty of room to adjust height and cant and to add a wedge or not. The design is brilliant and doesn’t tell you how to wear your holster, allowing you to pick and choose the right way for you to handle it.
The Phlster Floodlight does the basics right for making a comfortable holster and then allows you to customize it for your needs for comfort, access, and concealment. This accommodates a wide variety of different body types and allows the end-user to fit the holster to their individual comfort level.
The Phlster team is smarter than I and seemed to realize that carrying a gun is a personal experience. It’s an experience that should be tailored to the individual user.
Popping and Locking
I’ve been carrying my Phlster Floodlight for two weeks with 19 rounds of 9mm, a TLR-1 HL, an Aimpoint Acro, and KE Arms comp. Not only does the Floodlight accommodate all this, but it makes carrying it comfortable. This includes driving, sitting, typing at the computer right now. The same goes for walking and living life as it comes. I can’t say I’ve forgotten I’m wearing the Floodlight, but I can tell you know it’s far from uncomfortable. I’ve worn it day in and day out at home and around town. I wake up, slap it on, and it stays there until I shower before bed.
I’m not saying the Floodlight is the only option for proper appendix carry, but hell, it’s the best I’ve ever used. It’s a buy once, cry once affair, and you can see the difference the investment makes. Thanks to GunMag Warehouse For supplying this holster for test and review, check ’em out for all your Phlster needs.
EAGLEVILLE, PA, January 19, 2021 – Streamlight® Inc., a leading provider of high-performance lighting and weapon light/laser sighting devices, introduced the ultra-compact and low profile TLR-7® sub, a weapon-mounted tactical light with an ergonomic on/off position rear switch. It is available to fit select GLOCK®, SIG SAUER®, Smith & Wesson®, Beretta®, Springfield Armory® and Heckler & Koch® railed subcompact handguns.
“The latest addition to our popular line of TLR-7 weapon lights is an extremely compact and low profile model that can be mounted on railed subcompact weapons,” said Streamlight President and Chief Executive Officer Ray Sharrah. “Like other models in the line, it has a high power LED that provides extreme brightness for maximizing visibility and targeting capability in personal defense and other tactical situations. And its rear switch on the left and right of the trigger guard allows for ambidextrous operation.”
The new light is available in three different models to fit the GLOCK® 43X MOS/48 MOS and the GLOCK® 43X RAIL/48 RAIL, with slim mounting rails; the SIG SAUER® P365® and the SIG SAUER® P365® XL; and select 1913 short railed subcompact handguns including the Smith & Wesson® M&P® M2.0™ Subcompact, Beretta® PX4 Storm Compact/Subcompacts, Springfield Armory® XD-E™, Springfield Armory® XD-S® and Heckler & Koch® HK45 compacts.
The TLR-7 sub features an LED that delivers 5,000 candela and 500 lumens over a beam distance of 141 meters. Its custom TIR optic produces a concentrated beam that provides both extensive range as well as optimized peripheral coverage. It offers two lighting modes, LED only or LED strobe, each with a run time of 1.5 hours. The light is energized by a single 3 Volt CR123A lithium battery.
The new TLR-7 sub features a one-handed, snap on and tighten interface that keeps hands away from gun muzzles when attaching or detaching them. The light also includes a Safe Off feature, locking it so it cannot be turned on accidentally. Each model of the TLR-7 sub features a specialized clamp system for mounting to rails, using the provided key kit.
Constructed with 6000 Series machined aircraft aluminum with a black anodized finish, the TLR-7 sub weighs 2.39 ounces and measures 2.51 inches in length. It features an IPX7-rated design, making it waterproof to one meter for 30 minutes, as well as impact-resistant construction.
The TLR-7 sub has an MSRP of $225.75, and comes with Streamlight’s Limited Lifetime Warranty.
All Rights Reserved. GLOCK®, SIG SAUER®, M&P®, Beretta®, Springfield Armory® & Heckler & Koch® are registered trademarks of GLOCK, Inc., SIG SAUER, Inc., Smith & Wesson, Beretta, Springfield Armory, Inc. & Heckler & Koch. Streamlight has not sought endorsement of this product from GLOCK®, SIG SAUER®, Smith & Wesson®, Beretta®, Springfield Armory®, Inc. or Heckler & Koch®.
About Streamlight
Based in Eagleville, PA, Streamlight, Inc. has more than 45 years of experience making tough, durable, long-lasting flashlights designed to serve the specialized needs of professionals and consumers alike. Since 1973, the company has designed, manufactured and marketed high-performance flashlights, and today offers a broad array of lights, lanterns, weapon light/laser sighting devices, and scene lighting solutions for professional law enforcement, military, firefighting, industrial, automotive, and outdoor applications. Streamlight is an ISO 9001:2015 certified company. For additional information, please call 800-523-7488, visit streamlight.com or connect with us on facebook.com/streamlight; twitter.com/Streamlight; instagram.com/streamlightinc; linkedin.com/company/streamlight-inc./; and youtube.com/streamlighttv.
Let’s talk light placement on Tavor Rifles, as I’ve seen the topic pass a few times.
The T7, and to a lesser degree the X95, are a different geometric beast than the Z-15, ACE, or most “conventional rifles.” The T7 especially exhibits this, it is a deep bodied rifle. This “tall” geometry and resulting handguard means we must reshape our thinking away from the concentric handguard design we can wrap our hands around. This compounds the already limited front space on bullpups, because they are bullpups. This also, conveniently, sums up most arguments against the Tavor design. They just don’t gel with the shape.
But back to lights. I have found three methods of light placement that workout well on the T7.
Tape Switch: This is my least preferred method simply due to hand comfort, the same reason I run BCM Mod3 grips and matching shorty VFGs on most platforms. But it is likely the most workable of all three solutions for most users.
Mounting the light in an out of the way space and using a tape switch at roughly 3 o’clock or 9 o’clock positions allows use of the rail space economy and a way to activate the light with both your support hand and your shooting hand, if swapped.
The downside of this method is mostly the environmental vulnerability. Tape switch wires are more vulnerable to snagging, the wire interfacing egress is more vulnerable to moisture and dirt intrusion, and tape switches and their wires usually wear out much faster than their host lights. No, these should not deter you from trying a tape switch, they are just factors you need to note for your maintenance needs.
12 O’Clock Mount, Mirrored Switch: This method works well with two particular and popular light body styles. The Surefire X300U A/B and the Streamlight TLR7A/8A/9 (and the announced today 10)
These lights feature a mirrored left/right switch that activates for both momentary and constant on with upward and/or forward pressure from your thumb (which would be downward and/or forward pressure from your thumb or trigger finger on a handgun)
While the T7 design makes it more difficult to reach over the top rail and press down, into the rifle, for a light activation, it lends itself handily to upward and forward activations. The activation is mirrored so firing from the off/support shoulder and with your hands swapped is a mirrored use your light, along with the rest of your body position.
Downsides to this method are primarily switch vulnerability related. The activation switches are in a location they can be bumped on, there are methods to mitigate this risk though. Secondarily this will result in a somewhat occluded sight picture depending upon your optic choice as the light will sit in about the same position as a front sight and will have a higher profile than that sight (folded). I did not find either of these to be a significant problem, just vulnerabilities to account for in choosing a method, just like the tape switch.
Support Side Mounted, Offset Up: My preferred method and the one that is pictured. It works with Modlites, Surefire Scouts, and Streamlight ProTac series lights.
Using an offset mount, the light is held at about the 10 o’clock to the handguard (2 o’clock for lefties), in a position where my support thumb can activate the momentary/constant tailcap comfortably. The tailcaps offer the most environmental resistance to water and debris and are crowned to help prevent negligent activation.
I can shoot this and work the light from both shoulders, most easily by only switching shoulders and not switching my hand placement (something I prefer not to do unless I am going to be shooting or holding off/support shoulder for an extended period) and activation can still be done by reaching across the top rail to the tailcap.
The weakness of this setup is using it off your support shoulder, with your hands swapped. It is doable but requires the most movement from your hand to reach the switch. While your hand is across the top rail you will also partially occlude your sight picture, though not to an useable level. With a magnified optic, either fixed power or dialed up, you will probably not see your hand, I don’t with the Elcan set to 4x.
So, there you have it, the three most comfortable and functionally ambidextrous ways I have found to run lights on the T7, and by extension deep bodied rifles in general. I run a very similar setup on my X95, but as an SBR my thumb tucks behind the charging handle where on the T7 there is plenty of space in front of it.
Of final note, yes there will be a little carbon build up on the lens of longer bodied lights in the shown configuration, with the stock muzzle device. Changing the device and/or adding a suppressor will eliminate it entirely if you don’t like wiping the lens every now and then.
GLOCK Perfection. The GLOCK is a widely known and trusted gun. It has proven its ability to perform under strenuous circumstances. One of these circumstances are incorrect operator care.
In case you don’t want to read the whole article here is a break down of what to do and what not to do.. Before doing any of this…CLEAR THE GUN. You will need to pull the trigger to remove the slide…CLEAR THE GUN. Now that you have CLEARED THE GUN remove the slide, barrel, and recoil spring
[Editor’s Note: For those unfamiliar with the phrase ‘Clear the gun’ (Yes, I do get emails asking. No, those folks should not “know better,” they are asking to learn and should feel welcome to do so of myself or any of my authors) it means that you must assure that the gun is EMPTY of all ammunition. All brass, bullets, powder, and primers should be out and away from the gun before continuing with any maintenance.
When in doubt on a phrase, part name, location, etc. The internet search engine is your friend. We are from the Internet, and we are here to help.]
YES (DO’s)
Holding the firing pin safety down shake the slide up and down, you should both hear and see the firing pin moving freely in and out of the firing pin hole. If it does not move freely or moves slowly there may be excess lubrication inside the firing pin channel. Strip the gun down. Depending on if it is a type of lubrication that turned sticky you may want to use a type of solvent or CLP to wet it down and then dry. If it is just overly lubricated take a dry cotton swap and dry it out ensuring that you didn’t leave any of the swab.
Ensure that the breech face and extractor claw are free of any obstructions.
Ensure that the tip of the firing pin has no debris.
Ensure that the firing pin safety moves in and out.
When lubricating anywhere on a Glock go by the “one drop” rule of thumb. Only use one drop at a time for the place you are lubricating.
Ensure that the slide stop moves freely up and down.
Function Check
NO (DO NOT’s)
Do not put lubrication down the firing pin channel.
Do not squirt lubrication everywhere on the gun as you would AR type rifles and such..
Do not put the gun away after using solvent without proper lubrication.
Do not forget to dry the gun after cleaning with lubrication.
Lubrications
When referencing lube in this article it will mean any lubricants designed for use on firearms. I lean towards CLP (cleaner lubricant preservative) and brands such as G96 or Radcolube. These are all used in the Military as they meet the set specifications. I also like to use a bottle that allows a straw to be inserted. This really helps with applying one drop at a time.
Applying CLP to the inner slide rails using “one drop” from a bottle with straw inserted.
Out of the Box
The first thing that you will notice when unboxing a Glock pistol is a type of coppery grease that is on the rails of the slide. Leave it there. This is a “high-temperature, factory applied lubricant for new pistols. It should be allowed to remain until it naturally wears away to assure long-lubrication of this area.” –Glock Armorers Manual
Before first firing, run a clean patch through the barrel and repeat until clean. Always going with the rifling, as the bullet would travel.
Look for any large residue on the breech face and under the extractor claw. If there is any, you can use a CLP wet brush with the muzzle down to wipe away. Ensuring that none of your lubrication enters the firing pin channel.
Helpful Hint: One thing that is seen that can affect the end users experience when firing their Glock are dry rails. Help the gun out. Put one drop of lubrication on the inside of each rail and let it drip down the entire rail or cycle the gun a few times after assembling. This will also spread the lubrication.
Post Firing Cleaning
Before lubrication and storage, use a dry cotton swap, brush, or pipe cleaner and wipe the caked on carbon off of the slide and frame. Don’t scratch, just wipe. Use dry due to the fact that lubrication is not wanted on every part of the gun that needs cleaning. The only place you may want to lubricate when cleaning is inside the barrel. Run a wet bristled brush through the barrel and then a dry patch.
Caked on carbon that can be removed with a dry cotton swab.
Now that carbon is removed, lubricate.
Where to Lubricate..One Drop Method
the outside of the barrel, barrel hood and lugs, and the ridge where the barrel hood rubs against the slide
entire length of slide cut rails
exterior surfaces of the inside of the slide(less is more)
right rear corner of the frame, where the rear of the trigger bar touches the connecter
These Glocks are life saving devices and meant to run..The one time I have seen them not want to run is when an operator used an improper type of lubrication inside of the firing pin channel thus seizing the firing pin. That is why it is so vital to always check the firing pin for free movement. Less is more with these Glocks. If you are weary of an operator tell them to use dry tools.
As the finale of Magpul’s “Magpul Week” came to a close, the 10 products listed were topped off with the return of the coolest gadget of 2008. The FMG-9 was a folding Bond Gadget type of coolness that just screamed two things, interesting engineering, and fun for the hell-of-it. It brought the total to 11 items.
Now thanks to a partnership with ZEV the FMG-9 is coming to life for 2022. The FDP/FDC will emerge as a commercial product.
Not only is this a cool throwback to the early skunk works style innovative days of Magpul, it is a fulfillment of past hopes. Not promises, just hopes. And with this fulfillment comes another that I want to voice.
Will this also mean a return of the Masada? Could I run a Masada with a Masada as backup?
Not the ACR, not the disappointment that the mishandled project became.. that finally landed at an alright product, way too late and already surpassed…
(Yes, I own one. Yes, it’s an alright functional product… now. Yes, Bushmaster and Remington crashed and burned in the 4th Quarter of development and release on the ACR so badly that the Detroit Lions called to see if they wanted to try out)
… I am talking about the Masada. Something that Magpul could absolutely pull from the darkness and deliver a rifle worth competing against with the likes of H&K, FN, SIG, LWRC, LMT, IWI, and KAC.
But that is purely fantasy at this point… but… so was the FMG-9 until a few short days ago.
Meme credit Armed.Asian on IG.
Mmm.. waffles.
But back on the topic at hand. The FMG-9’s triumphant return in a commercial format is a move the company can capitalize on. If the product performs. In the case of the ACR, Magpul had largely divested themselves from the final item and only produced the contracted parts. In this case Magpul is a full partner in the release with ZEV. It isn’t a hand-off, it’s a joint effort. I think it will pay dividends, and if it does we could see more returns and updates.
