SIG NGSW Shipped!

By

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June 2, 2020

Sig Sauer has shipped their submission for the NGSW to the United States Army’s Ordinance evaluation and have announced the move with a video and soaring fanfare of exciting string instruments… I’m not kidding, hit play, they have the track on repeat and it wouldn’t be out of place in a superhero movie during a build up battle montage of some sort. I think they needed a longer sampling of music, personally.

But anyway, the emotional evocation is certainly there among the soaring notes as the video highlights the work they SIG team did even through COVID-19. They put together the NGSW-AR and NGSW-R with their new hybrid bi-metal ammunition and their take on a flow through suppressor design and locked them into cases as shipped complete systems. Thus begins the next chapter of the US Military service rifle trials.

The other branches are paying attention, especially the USMC as the only other branch with a significant ground combat mission, and I am certain NATO has an eye on the trials too as they may follow suit over time. However the STANAG and cross NATO standardization of 7.62 and 5.56, along with certain amounts of supporting equipment, do not seem to be as much of an immediate priority this time around. This is likely taken from the lessons learned by coalition forces in both Iraq and Afghanistan about the overall problems with cross compatibility even with “standardized” items like SS109 ammunition and the lack of need since logistically they were able to provide. This isn’t to say the new US Round might not become a third NATO standard and the fact the 7.62 magazines and dimensions seem to be adhered to makes it easier but the US Military has long left the realm of “standardized” ammunitions even without changing calibers.

SIG’s video highlights the NGSW-AR, the belt-fed 6.8mm select-fire machine gun that incorporates the recoil mechanics of its larger sibling, the MG338. Multiple improvements over current belt-fed individual systems have been integrated into the AR (Automatic Rifle). It’s longer range and slightly lighter weight than the M249 with a chassis built around accepting force multiplicative optics and integrative aiming systems. It is a belt fed weapon but SIG did develop a soft skinned ‘magazine’ and M-LOK magazine well to hold belts of the 6.8 ammunition for quicker and smoother reloads. The top cover doesn’t need to be opened to reload either and when it does open it hinges to the side and not forward, optics won’t hit each other or the receiver. Finally the NGSW-AR, like the MG 338, is select-fire, it has a semi-automatic setting with a AR/MCX style thumb selector to enable easy optic zeroing and single shot accuracy if needed by the user.

The NGSW-R is a scaled up version of the MCX VIRTUS carbine that SIG has teased in the past. The two major differences from the current MCX are the receiver and operating system are built around the 6.8/6.5/7.62 NATO cartridge frame and that they’ve added a non-reciprocal folding left-side charging handle. Other than that, the MCX SPEAR as they’re titling the carbine, is a very conventional take on a basic carbine. The barrel length is interesting in that they are 13″ guns, similar to the popular MK17 CQC loadout, but that 6.8 and even 6.5 Creedmoor loads do better operating out of shorter barrels than 7.62 loads. The 6.8×51/.277 Fury that SIG has come up with is designed for that 13″ barrel and operates at a very high internal pressure comparatively. This higher pressure allows it to achieve the range and penetrative capabilities enumerated in the solicitation but it did illicit some maintenance concerns as parts replacement rates were rumored to be higher than current M16 and M4 rifles.

Higher pressures and the Army’s required, I believe 180gr, EPR projectile would make barrel life a challenge. The enhanced projectiles used in M855A1 were causing greater than expected wear in the M4A1 and M27 rifles. I haven’t read if M80A1 had a similar effect but it was also only ever for M240 and possibly M60 utilization.

The brilliance of both the Rifle and Automatic Rifle designs from SIG is how conventional they kept the designs while meeting the project goals and providing significantly upgraded platforms. Hand any soldier or Marine the MCX SPEAR and they’ll figure it out in about 60 seconds. It’s a familiar rifle. It feels like their rifles. The changes on it are logical progressions from their rifles that are intuitive and logical.

Even if you explained none of the new features on the MCX to an M4 user, they could load the MCX, unload the MCX, shoot the MCX, and clean the MCX to an acceptable field grade standard without issue. Folding stock, side charging handle, gas piston, suppressor, and 6.8 range could all be figured out as you go but the rifle itself will make immediate sense. They didn’t reinvent the wheel on anything, they just made a damn good wheel.

The MG 6.8 Automatic Rifle is the same way. Anyone who has spent time an an M249 SAW or M240 would easily orient themselves on the MG 6.8 NGSW-AR. The selector lever would make sense. The soft magazine system would make sense. The whole thing is going to feel fairly intuitive and natural coming from the M4 and M249. Both systems would be natural extensions of what soldiers know, not 90 degree turns in operational logic with strange changes in configuration, cartridge design, or mechanism complexity.

It comes down to this. The only thing SIG’s guns have to do… is run. Even if Textron and General Dynamics submissions run too, their oddity departures from the conventional soldier’s understanding will hinder them in selection unless they show a clear decisive edge in operational characteristics. I honestly don’t see that happening with how hard SIG is working on their end product.

The 2000 Round Challenge: Kimber Pro Carry II

By

Caleb Giddings

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June 1, 2020

It’s time for the Kimber to complete the 2000 round challenge. The idea behind the 2000 round challenge is to take the gun out of the box, clean it, lubricate it properly, then fire 2000 rounds over the course of however long it takes. Most modern service pistols can complete 2000 rounds without failing even once.

The idea behind the 2000 round challenge was created by Todd Green (RIP) of Pistol-Training.Com. Todd’s idea was that 2,000 rounds is probably more than the average gun owner will fire over the course of owning a gun, so if a test gun can handle that workload in a couple of weeks or a month it’s good to go. The Kimber Pro Carry II 9mm didn’t do great, but it didn’t do awful either. It had a total of 5 failures to complete the cycle of operations over 2012 rounds, for a failure rate of 1:402.5. That’s well below the industry standard of 1:2000, but also not bad for a Commander-sized 9mm 1911.

Later this week we’ll have a final review of the Kimber Pro Carry II, but for now let’s focus on the shooting info from the 2000 round challenge. During the challenge, I found the Kimber to be easy to shoot, like most 1911s. Of the Commander-sized 9mm 1911s I’ve owned, it had the nicest sights for fast shooting, and the second best recoil impulse.

One important note: Kimber recommends firing 500 rounds of ammo through their guns before using them for carry or competition. While I don’t agree with the idea of break-in periods, it’s fair to note that 4/5 of the Kimber’s failures on the 2000 round challenge happened during the first 500 rounds. After the break-in period, there was exactly 1 failure in the next 1500+ rounds. That is important to note, and it’s also why in my final review of the pistol I have some kind words. Come back on Friday to catch the review!

Aero Precision Lo-Pro Adjustable Gas Block

By

Keith Finch

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June 1, 2020

The Aero Precision Adjustable Gas Block allows the user to finely tune their gas system for any application. This is particularly useful for managing excess gas to reduce blowback on suppressed firearms, or competition builds where the shooter is looking to mitigate recoil.

Standard low-profile design provides great fit under slim profile free float handguards including the Aero Precision ATLAS series of handguards
Adjustment screw is held in place by a spring and detent, providing repeatable audible “clicks” upon adjustment removing the need for secondary set screws that can come loose under recoil
Custom machined stainless-steel adjustment screw provides 15 gas adjustment settings
Carbon fouling is channeled to a sacrificial chamber to help prevent carbon locking, as well as provide an access point for solvent in the event carbon locking does occur
User-serviceable design allows for service and cleaning of the gas system

Specifications:

Machined from 4140 hardened steel
Nitride coated
Compatible with barrels utilizing a .750 gas block journal (.625, .875 and .936 coming soon!)
Attaches to barrel via 10-32 x 3/16 knurled set screws

Includes:

Assembled Adjustable Gas Block
One 6″ 3/32 adjustment wrench for easy gas block adjustment underneath installed handguard
Replacement spring and detent included

Aero Precision is known for their innovations in user friendly parts. Not only do their designs work but they make the assembly and use just that much easier. The threaded bolt catch pin is the best thing ever and machined in trigger guards just make more sense then smashing on the side of narrow awkward bit of the lower with a roll pin punch and hammer. This new gas block continues in that vein and parallels the use of the ATLAS with it’s detent locking system. It allows more measurable adjustments. It allows the user to know that “right 8 clicks” or “left 5 clicks” can take them from their ideal suppressed setting to unsuppressed and vice versa. It allows settings to be known and easily found for different ammunitions, one for 77gr SMK and one for 55gr ball. Heck, even one for notoriously undergassed and irregular steel case.

This is an exceptiona l part addition.

Swampfox – Liberty & Justice

By

Keith Finch

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June 1, 2020

Swampfox Optics announces the Liberty and Justice, next generation red dot sights optimized for every day carry and law enforcement use on reciprocating pistol slides. Liberty is the standard window size variant with a 22mm wide window. Justice is the “big window” variant with a 27mm wide window. These optics represent a significant step up compared to last year’s Swampfox “Kingslayer” model and show that this new brand is on the attack in 2020.

Reticle and battery life:

3 MOA red dot
Top Mounted CR1632 battery: no re-zero needed
Shake ‘N Wake motion sensing auto on/off
No timer based auto-off
Ten brightness settings via flush push button
Real world battery life: one year

Swampfox Product Marketing Director Michael Branson:

“These are the same emitters that other companies claim 50,000 hours of battery life with, but nobody really carries around their optic on setting #3 all the time, so that’s not real world. No circle dot or green reticles, the 3 MOA red dot is the only emitter that gave us the battery life boost needed for every day carry. With Shake ‘N Wake helping avoid waste, you can carry either Liberty or Justice every day at a daylight bright setting, and never have to push a button if you don’t want to. It wakes up when it’s on your body and sleeps when you put it down. Change your batteries every Christmas just in case.”

Construction:

7075-T6 aluminum
Hardcoat matte black finish
Rated to 1500 G force shock
IPX7 Waterproof
RMR footprint
Scratch-resistant, fully multicoated glass

“If you’re going to look police officers and serious concealed carry guys in the eye and tell them this scope is ready for that use case, you better make it tough and you better really test it. We figured out that the old side tray battery setup was a failure point during drop testing. Going to a blackened stainless steel top cover was much stronger and made the whole body more narrow, so Liberty and Justice function perfectly in ALS law enforcement holsters. Departments aren’t going to adopt your product if they have to go custom holster hunting. Liberty will be the first to have the stainless steel Ironsides Shield available for purchase separately. Ironsides surrounds the optic and diverts all impact forces around the optic and straight footprint. So if you rack your slide on a barricade, if you drop your pistol, if you have it on a shotgun and it falls out of the vehicle, those hits beat up on Ironsides while the optic inside remains safe. Even without Ironsides attached, we’ve never rated any optic at 1500 G of shock before, so the toughness level achieved there is groundbreaking for us.”

MSRP for Liberty is $249, with Justice at $259. Swampfox has an aggressive discount policy for law enforcement and military customers and a T&E program for departments who want to “try before they buy.” Both optics are available now at www.swampfoxoptics.com.

Riots and ‘Rona

By

Dr LateBloomer

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June 1, 2020

4279A2F0-2B40-4716-8947-6131E222AEBC — Thank Gawd he was wearing a mask. Probably made by some sweet little old lady in his church who was worried about his health.

The fires burned, the protests raged, and the talking heads made excuses. Despite the fact that all of this chaos is merely feeding my inner misanthrope, I think there is one thing we might be able to thank all of those rioters for in the end. They’ve proven that the “panic buying” of firearms during a pandemic has logic at its root. There’s also a second reason to thank them that I’ll get to in a minute.

Are any of these events really and truly a surprise?

People kept cooped up and jobless for months are motivated to protest and riot even if they are geographically a thousand miles from the apparent inciting event. Regardless of the “virtuous” reasons for the lockdown, who might have guessed that making people even more anxious and angry might provide a tinderbox for unrest? Who could have seen that coming?

Although there were some legitimately 1A-honoring peaceful protests and responsible citizens showing up to clean up the messes that others left behind, sadly, many of the “peaceful” protests turned into riots, arson, and property destruction. Who saw that coming? Armed Citizens did.

Armed citizens showed up with America’s favorite rifle to help protect private property and lives when the police couldn’t. The Modern Sporting Rifle as Defensive Tool – an illustrated guide. Can we say we told you so?

All of this in the middle of a serious infectious disease outbreak – but at least some of the looters wore masks – model citizens that they are. Is that a surprise either?

If nothing else positive comes out of this civil unrest, we’ve got our in-living-color justification for AR ownership, for 30 round magazines, and for self-defense laws. Because the po-po ain’t coming. Not that we really needed a justification per the Second Amendment, but it’s sometimes helpful to have PowerPoint slides available for the slow kids in the class.

And then there’s my second reason to be “thankful” for this chaos.

At least we’ve now got an unintended test case in the spread of COVID-19 under mob dynamics. IF the infection numbers don’t explode across the country within the next two-week incubation period, then you’d think we should have a reasonable basis for reopening schools in the fall, and continuing the return to normal-ish.

I’ll bet the rioters never imagined that they’d just volunteered to become part of the nation’s largest real-time public health study. See? They really are just altruistic citizens doing their duty after all. Maybe we should thank them for contributing to herd immunity for the rest of us.

Kimber Pro Carry II Review Part 3: 10-8 Performance Extractor Function

By

Caleb Giddings

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May 29, 2020

It’s time for Part 3 of our ongoing review of the Kimber Pro Carry II. In this episode, we run the Kimber through the 10-8 Performance Extractor Function test, and give you a little bonus footage where I stop the slide from cycling.

The 10-8 Performance Extractor Function Test is, in my opinion, one of the most important tests that a 1911 should be able to pass. Unlike modern handguns which use a spring-loaded multi-piece extractor, the traditional 1911 uses a solid piece of spring steel as the extractor. To ensure proper function, a 1911’s extractor must be tensioned by hand. To do this, the gunsmith carefully bends the extractor until proper tension is achieved, which is tested by seeing if the extractor retains an empty case flush against the breechface. This process is equal parts witchcraft and science, which is why the extractor function test exists.

A 1911 with a properly tensioned extractor will pass the 10-8 Performance Extractor Function test with flying colors. By firing the gun with the magazine removed, we focus the entire test on the extractor itself, essentially isolating its function. In this test, the Kimber Pro Carry II failed the 10-8 test, failing to fully extract a round. Any failure to complete the cycle of operations is a failure of the entire test, and means that the gun isn’t suitable for duty or carry use until the extractor is fixed.

By part 3, the Kimber Pro Carry II has fired 1,010 rounds, and experienced 5 failures to complete the cycle of operations. That gives us a rate of failure of 0.495%, or 1 in every 202 rounds. While that sounds good on the surface, military and duty pistols are required to have a failure rate no greater than 1:2000 rounds, which is 10 times better than the Kimber is performing. There are still 890 rounds left to fire, so make sure to come back for Part 4 where we’ll hit the 2,000 round milestone.

Why you need an AR-15 – Reason #Riot

By

Keith Finch

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May 29, 2020

Armed Minnesotans protect businesses in their neighborhood from rioting looters

The recent string of highly publicized deaths, and perhaps future convicted murders, have pushed an already stressed population over the brink in locations across the nation. George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and Ahmaud Arbery’s deaths have reignited the narratives that the police are not held accountable for deaths at their hands. That a badge gives one free license for murder. That LE connections will protect you from questionable actions that lead to someone’s death.

The justifiable anger for mistakes, mismanagement, perhaps even coverup and possible racism has spilled over from protest (like we saw recently here in Michigan with raised voices, blaring horns, and yes open carriers too) into a riot. Arson, mass looting, destruction, uncontrolled assaults, and probably more deaths.

In Minneapolis nearly 200 buildings have been wrecked, looted, or put to the torch, including abandoned police precincts. Injuries accounts are unknown as a tally, but the video of a disabled woman being attacked, struck, and blasted with a fire extinguisher while the someone in the crowd watches and someone shouts, “She got a knife.” seems indicative that injuries are certainly occuring.

This has spilled forth. In St. Paul, where 50 or so structures are damaged, anger is swelling. Several people have been shot in the various locations although it appears no more have been at the hands of police so far. A few incidents have been property owners defending themselves but many remain unknown. In Louisville Kentucky, where Breonna Taylor was killed during a wrong address no-knock raid, seven people have been reported shot among the other damage.

Rioting and looting are out of control in Minneapolis, where the mayor just seems to be okay with it. ‘The anger is not only understandable, but right.’ He has no plan to control the destruction. Way to swing for that fences on the minority vote, Mayor Frey. I’m sure your business owners appreciate the support since they’re livelihoods are being sacrificed to opportunists who are “angry”. I’m certain your ivory tower of safety, where you aren’t at risk, makes it very convenient to prosthelytize to the Minneapolis citizenry about just how racist they are in their hearts and how all this can be a good thing in the end if we end up loving each other. That this is retribution for 400 years of evil deeds that not a single living soul alive participated in or was hurt by.

Mayor Jacob Frey said that the riotous destruction “is a reflection of the truth that our black community has lived.”

What in the actual fuck… Sheer fucking hubris. Does Frey really believe that all the population needed to become harmonious was a good riot!? That if he just declares “no hard feelings” that will take care of all the loses!? Sheer. Fucking. Hubris. Oh, and he admitted that they don’t have an extra dime to pay for any of this allowed and encouraged devastation so the tab will have to be picked up by the State and the Fed. Because Rona.

Let’s compare

Armed protesters show up at various locations to show their displeasure for governmental policies or laws related to the 2A or lockdowns, and do so while breaking nothing, looting nothing, and harming no one, and this is some sort of terrifying symbol of how out of control the ‘right wing’ extremists are (because no one who leans politically left could possibly be angered by the loss of their business, or harm to their employees, or the removal and curtailment of their rights.. way to paint with broad strokes) … I saw the effigy of the lynched governor, it was a horrible gesture and did nothing to advance the protest but in the grand scale of things it’s just vile graffiti. The “extremists” are so dangerous with their gathering, a constitutionally protected right of petitioning grievances as people suffer and doing so carrying… guns (but not using them on people). Just horrible, really. Two constitutional rights exercised simultaneously. Unthinkably despicable.

But in contrast a protest about the death, perhaps murder, almost certainly manslaughter, of George Floyd, a man that accounts call one of common sense and decency, turns into a full blown riot and that’s just… fine? The city is out of control with wanton escalating destruction and its okay because its a “reflection of the truth that our black community has lived?” The fact that hundreds, perhaps thousands have turned this from the protest it needed to be into a gutting of their city through arson and theft is just okay, because riots and protests are the same now!?

Anyway, here is the point.

They are right to be angry. But anger is an emotion, not an action.

The people who demand the officers involved in Floyd’s death be held accountable are angry. The people who pursued and pressured for the investigation of Arbery’s death at the hands of the McMichaels and subsequent handling by the police there are angry. The people calling and demanding accountability for Taylor’s death and the imprisonment of her boyfriend who justly and understandably thought their home was being broken into and defended himself and attempted to defend her are angry.

They have the right to that anger and to put it to righteous purpose.

What is righteous about firebombing a housing complex and looting Target and Autozone? How is this “righteous” anger worth tolerating and encouraging. How does the horror of these deaths and the pursuit of a just conclusion morph into ‘burn it ALL down indiscriminately?’ and that’s just okay.This is the city leadership equivalent of a parent saying, “they’re just expressing themselves” when your kids just burned down your house, stole and wrecked your car, and beat up the elderly neighbor.

Nobody is coming to save you…

When a protest, no matter how noble or just the initial cause, becomes a riot you are now on your own. The police in Minneapolis have abandoned precincts and pulled back to protect themselves. That means convenient geography will make or break whether or not you, your home, your business, and your community are safe from the Rage Mob. It doesn’t matter who is in the riot, it doesn’t matter how righteous their individual anger or ideas were, it doesn’t matter anymore because they aren’t individuals right now… they are the Rage Mob.

This has essentially turned into a SERE problem. Survive any contact, Evade when at all possible, Resist if evasion is impossible, and Escape at the earliest opportunity. Realize that when your town becomes a riot ground zero, life has altered drastically. The politics don’t matter to the Rage Mob, not anymore. The politics, the cause, those things are the excuse, the justification during and after the fact. They don’t really matter to the Rage Mob. The Rage Mob is a force of the moment.

Mayor Frey already said it. He gave the city to the mob already. He’ll justify it with some more pseudo intellectual bullshit platitude but that doesn’t matter to anyone in the path of the Rage Mob.

And that is why you need a fighting gun. That is why you need an AR-15. Because if evasion doesn’t work you are now on resist and escape.

Remember, nobody is thinking rationally in the Rage Mob. Normal societal parlance and courtesy are gone. Even if every single one of those folks were a reasonably respectable person the day prior, they aren’t now. And this is now a problem you have to navigate and solve. It is a problem the may require force against them because they are now essentially a roving, chaotic, opportunistic, and destructive force and not individuals. You may have to run them over or off with your car…

You may have to shoot them.

The norms of society do not exist in a riot, they are pushed to the fringe and will only be recalled haphazardly as the anger of the Rage Mob dissipates. You are on your own. Your allies will be those closest to you in the community, if anyone. Like the title image above it may take a raw display of naked force to turn the tide elsewhere by folks with their heads on straight still. This is counter to the Rage Mob and in the only language the Rage Mob is likely to recognize. The Rage Mob is instinctual, animalistic, it judges risk like a pack of hyenas might. Avoiding is your safest option, but if that no longer is an option you need others.

Remember, it does not matter the righteousness of the anger, there is always a segment of opportunistically violent people waiting for the right conditions. They might not even recognize it in themselves during normal life, they will likely justify it to themselves and others based on the anger source’s original perceived righteousness regardless of the severity and mistargeting of their own actions.

Protests and Riots

Anger is your right. A protest is your right. To express yourself, to express displeasure at injustice, incompetence, and mistakes is your right. It is your duty even as a citizen of this nation.

A riot is none of those things. A riot is a force of nature. A tornado or typhoon made of incensed human flesh made into ravenous opportunists.

A riot is destruction.

Reports of firearms confiscation have been coming out of Minneapolis, confiscation from licensed legal owners… depending upon how long this goes we could see events and abuses by power like we haven’t since Katrina… this is just manmade storm.

Tourniquets and the CoTCCC

By

Travis Pike

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May 28, 2020

The internet is a fantastic place, and it provides you an outstanding amount of free information, and I mean college-level education on certain subjects. However, on the flip side, there is also a lot of bullshit out there. Some provided by ignorance, some information is just outdated, and some is purposeful misinformation aimed at selling a product. Medical gear of any kind is a product that should not be subject to bullshittery. Products like tourniquets, unfortunately, seem to be plagued by snake oil information. The good news is we have the CoTCCC.

The CoTCCC, also known as the Committee on Tactical Combat Casualty Care, is a Department of Defense committee formed in 2002 and has a legacy far beyond that. The CoTCCC is a committee made up of doctors, nurses, medics, PAs, and more who study traumatic injury and suggest the best practices for trauma care in the field. TCCC is all about giving soldiers, sailors, airmen, and Marines the tools they need to save lives on the battlefield and conduct prehospital battlefield care.

The CoTCCC is responsible for the gear servicemen find in their IFAKs. They are a great group of people who do amazing work. They deserve all the credit in the world, and their work has saved countless lives. Since the beginning of the GWOT, their work has been published and studied the world over. Their work has translated to the law enforcement realm as well as to us good ole civilians. Their guide books offer lots of excellent information, and for the purpose of this article, we are going to talk about their views of tourniquets.

Why You Should Care About the CoTCCC

If everything I just said above isn’t enough to convince you of the CoTCCC’s effectiveness, then we have plenty to talk about.

In the push to Bagdhad, an Army surgeon published an article in Army Medical Department Journal proclaiming that, “Tourniquets played a decisive role in quickly and effectively stopping hemorrhage under fire and keeping a number of Soldiers with serious extremity wounds involving arterial bleeding alive until they could eventually undergo emergent surgery at the Forward Surgical Team (FST).” The author also stated that “The adoption and implementation of the principles of TCCC by the medical platoon of TF 1–15 IN in OIF 1 resulted in overwhelming success.”

The 75th Ranger Regiment achieved the lowest preventable death rate in the history of modern warfare through the Ranger First Responder program. This program was built on the principles taught and established by TCCC.

The CoTCCC and the use of tourniquets dropped the rate of death by hemorrhage from 7.8% in Vietnam to 2.6% of all combat casualties up until 2011. That’s a 67% drop in fatalities, and if that doesn’t sell you on the effectiveness of the CoTCCC, then nothing will.

Also, keep in mind they are working within the military, an organization that runs slowly and inefficiently. That makes their work even more impressive in my eyes.

Tourniquets and the CoTCCC

There are various different kinds of tourniquets out there, and today we are specifically talking about non-pneumatic tourniquets. For a very long time, the CoTCCC suggested only two tourniquets, the CAT and the SOF-T. Both were proven in the field, and I bet any person who served in the military is at least familiar with one of the two. In May 2019, the CoTCCC published a new list of approved tourniquets.

The list still includes the classic CAT and SOF-T, but we are now also seeing the following:

Ratcheting Medical Tourniquet
SAM Extremity Tourniquet
Tactical Mechanical Tourniquet
TX2 and TX3 Tourniquets

I have no opinions on the new tourniquets, and it wouldn’t matter if I did because I don’t know jack compared to the CoTCCC. Personally, I use the CAT and have lots of training on it, and I own several CAT Gen 7s, as well as multiple means to carry them.

My opinions don’t matter, but other studies have been conducted. Here are a few links worth browsing on the SAM and TMT tourniquets. The CAT seems to outperform the SAM, but the TMT and CAT seem to both be tied for effectiveness. One study points out that the Ratcheting Medical Tourniquet may be more effective than the CAT.

SAM vs. CAT

TMT vs. CAT

RMT vs. CAT

What if a Tourniquet isn’t Approved?

Simply put, if a Tourniquet isn’t CoTCCC approved, I wouldn’t recommend using it. That’s not to say it’s a bad TQ, but it’s not an approved one and TCCC approval does matter. Some companies are selling hogwash, and if it’s been around for a few years now and hasn’t been approved by now, it’s likely worth dropping from your kit.

Most tourniquets will work in a controlled environment and even under a doppler in controlled conditions. That doesn’t make it battlefield ready or even civilian first aid ready. Has there ever been a first aid condition under a ‘controlled’ environment?

Stick with proven life-saving options, which are all approved by the CoTCCC. I feel for entrepreneurs in the medical world. The difficulty in getting their gear tested and approved is high. It’s a tough market that won’t and shouldn’t change for them. Stay safe and stop the bleed.

Viva La FAMAS

By

Keith Finch

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May 28, 2020

The FAMAS G2 was the final iteration of the French Bullpup service rifle that is slated to be replaced by the H&K 416F and thanks to Ian we know far more now than we would about the FAMAS variants, including this G2.

The G2 is the “NATO” variant in so far as the French Navy wanted a rifle that could be supported NATO ammunition supplies. This gives the G2 STANAG compatibility for magazines and SS109/M855 ammunition, the receiver and 1:7 twist barrel reflect this change. The original FAMAS, like the M16A1, was designed to use the faster and more terminally effective 55gr ammunition out of a 1:12 barrel.

Belgian SS109 was chosen for semi-penetrative capability (SAE 1010/1020 Mild steel at 800m) but required a 1:9 twist rate for stability and M856 Tracer ammo needed a 1:7 twist. So if you’re wondering why most NATO nations use 1:7 twist barrels even through slower twist rates like 1:8 might be ideal for all loads 55-77gr, blame tracers. It’s all their fault. They still look cool fired en masse though.

But back to the FAMAS.

The G2 was set up as a variant that could be sold and exported but like the FAL, it was expensive to make… and unlike the FAL’s time the nations armed forces and LE organizations of the world were not looking for a new standard rifle. Most had one they saw no reason to give up like FALs and G3s or were Soviet supplied and running AKs. The NATO nations almost universally picked a domestic rifle solution, or at most a licensed one they could make domestically like Australia making a variant of the Austrian AUG.

In short, an interesting and rare rifle.

Kimber Pro Carry Review, Part 2: the 100 Round Challenge

By

Caleb Giddings

-

May 28, 2020

In Part 2 of our ongoing test of the Kimber Pro Carry II, we’re doing one of my favorite staples: the 100 Round Challenge. The idea behind this test is to shoot 100 rounds as fast as we can out of the gun. What this accomplishes is it shows how well the gun holds up during sustained fire. When parts start to get hot, especially in small handguns, sometimes weird things happen.

There isn’t any training value from a shooting standpoint to running 100 round challenge through a gun in a minute. You’re certainly not honing any marksmanship skills, you’re just hammering bullets into space. You don’t even need a target, really. You could just shoot at a pile of dirt and accomplish the same thing. The entire point is to test the gun’s mechanical function.

Right off the bat, the Kimber Pro Carry II had a problem – three magazines in the test, the 9mm 1911 had a classic stovepipe malfunction. This occurs when the spent casing fails to fully eject from the gun. In 1911s this indicates that the extractor isn’t tensioned correctly, or that the magazine pushing the next round up has a very weak spring…or both. Since the goal of the 100 round challenge is to finish in a minute with no failures, that’s a fail.

The Kimber isn’t the only gun to not make it through the 100 round challenge without a failure. In fact, a brand new Gen5 Glock 17 didn’t pass the test either, because its front sight flew off during the rapid fire. I don’t know about you, but I definitely don’t want the sights falling off my gun when I’m shooting it fast. Fortunately, the Pro Carry II didn’t have any parts breakages, just one failure to complete the cycle of operations.

Our next episode we’re going to run the Kimber through the 10-8 Performance extractor evaluation protocol, which, as the name implies, is designed to test the pistol’s extractor. The reason we’re testing this pistol so hard is that it’s a very popular choice for concealed carry, and we want to know if it’s reliable enough to carry.

Beyond the Meme – The 5.7x28mm

By

Travis Pike

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May 27, 2020

If you had asked me in 2019 what nearly dead caliber, the gun industry would be bringing back in 2020, I’d probably guess 10mm, or maybe even 16 gauge because it’s an excellent shotgun round. As we’ve seen, I was entirely wrong, and for some reason, the industry said let’s bring back the 5.7x28mm round. The round was initially designed for a NATO PDW project by Fabrique Nationale. Well, the project died, but the round and FN’s 5.7 pistol and PDW lived on. Since then, it’s been boutique with just a few small companies producing some 5.7x28mm weapons.

We saw that weird AR that used P90 magazines, hell it even showed up in Venezuela. All of a sudden, in a short period, we saw CMMG, Diamondback, and even Ruger releasing 5.7x28mm handguns and subguns. Speer released a defensive loading to join the fray, and it seems like the 5.7mm round is coming round once more. At my local gun store, they sold 8,000 rounds of 5.7 in March alone.

From a purely defensive standpoint, does the round hold merit? Let’s go behind the Meme and see if the 5.7x28mm could be a good round for practical purposes.

Why the 5.7x28mm Could be a Good Round

Wisely enough, most people would look at the ballistics of the round, ammo available, and the like before deciding to carry or use a 5.7x28mm gun for home defense. Before we talk about ballistics, let’s look at some external features of the round that could make it a good defensive or even a hunting cartridge.

Recoil

These guns have hardly any recoil and can be made to be very lightweight. Although compact variants don’t exist, the FN Five-Seven and Ruger 57 are big, but lightweight guns. The recoil is maybe a little bit more than a 22 Magnum. It’s comfortable for shooters of all skill levels and sizes.

Capacity

These rounds are long but thin. Like a skinny nerdy tall guy you can shove a lot of them in one space. The Ruger and FN magazines each hold 20 rounds and are flush-fitting in their respective pistols. The P90 has a fifty round top sitting magazines, and the DBX and Banshee use pistol magazines.

Range

Even from a handgun, the round is impressively flat shooting. These rounds can go out to 100 yards before they start dropping. From longer barreled carbines like the PS90, they go even further. Perfect for popping coyotes and other small varmints and predators.

The Downsides of the 5.7x28mm

There is no such thing as a free lunch, and the 57x28mm certainly has downsides outside of ballistics.

Ammo Price

It’s expensive, man. Costly when compared to your average defensive round like 9mm. Costly ammo can mean less training overall.

Grip Size (For Handguns)

That long and skinny round gives you lots of options, but that same long round gives you a long grip. That can be uncomfortable for those with small hands. The overall length is nearly a half-inch more than a 9mm round.

Ballistics

How does the round perform? That’s the biggest question, right? Well, the answer can be complicated.

Foot Pounds

From a pistol, the average 40-grain loads give you almost the same foot-pounds of energy as a 115 grain 9mm JHP. That’s not bad, but that’s about the heaviest round you can get in a defensive loading. The new Speer Gold Dot load is a 40 grain round and would be my choice of defensive ammo.

Rounds like 9mm give you heavier rounds like 124, 135, and 147 that might give you more oomph, especially from a full-sized gun.

Penetration and Expansion

Expansion is not the strong suit 5.7x28mm load. The rounds tend to expand only slightly. They do penetrate to FBI standards and deal with thick layers and clothing with little issue. The Speer loads may do better, but there isn’t much information on their expansion capabilities just yet.

From a Defensive Standpoint

This round luckily tends not to overpentrate. The problem with not having significant expansion is you reduce the round’s capability to stop a threat.

Typically a threat is stopped in three ways by a bullet. First and foremost is shot placement, so with the 5.7x28mm, you can probably not only get proper shot placement but fast follow up shots. Hit one of the CNS off zones and off the threat goes.

The second way a bullet stops a threat is via blood loss. A small wound means less blood unless you hit something vital like an artery. An expanding round creates more bloodloss, and that’s an important consideration.

The third is pain, but we can’t necessarily quantify that. Pain compliance is a voluntary stop on the part of the threatening individual and isn’t subject to things like wound diameter and kinetic energy. A .22LR might produce a compliance stop while a 10mm against another individual may need a bloodloss or CNS hit to produce the stop.

5.7x28mm also has some of the same characteristics of 5.56 through drywall. It tends to lose energy quickly, and this can be a good thing when you have to worry about overpenetration.

Overall the round could be a capable defensive cartridge, but it doesn’t appeal to me as much as the more affordable and standard rounds like 9mm. This could change as the round becomes more popular. Price could drop and make logistics less of a hassle. I think a compact handgun may be an excellent defensive handgun for those with poor hand strength due to the reduced recoil and higher capacity. However, no such gun exists just yet.

The 5.7x28mm vs. the World

The 5.7x28mm round lived a long life as a meme round due to its high price and the high cost of the Five-Seven pistol and the PS90 carbine. While cool, it almost faded into obscurity. The release of several new firearms in the caliber seems to be propelling the round back into the collective consciousness. I think it’s a round worth watching, and I’m curious to see what the industry will do with it now that it’s receiving so much attention. In about four years Glock might even catch up and produce a 5.7x28mm pistol.

More on the SIG MG338 w/ TFBTV

By

Keith Finch

-

May 26, 2020

As a parallel to the ongoing NGSW program SIG has fielded a few of their MG338’s through USSOCOM for the Marine Raiders. MARSOC has 11 of the trend setting new weapons that greatly enhance what a general purpose machine gun is capable of.

The MG338 is notable for several reasons, it’s a modernization on the proven M240 series, a variant of the FN MAG design has international renown as what a solid GPMG should be. The SIG takes many of the lessons learned on the 240 as it evolved and implements them to great effect and benefit for the machine gunner and machine gun team.

Caliber: .338 Norma Magnum

The most obvious difference between the MG338 and the M240 is the caliber. 338 Norma Magnum has a far greater effective range and far better terminal ballistics than the 7.62×51 NATO/.308 Win. The increase is so drastic that the MG338 can operate in roles that previously would require the much heavier M2 or M2A1 heavy machine guns.

System Weight: ~20lbs

Despite its ability to bridge the significant range gap between the M240 series and the M2 series the MG338 is a lighter system than the 240 by a few pounds. The “standard” variant of the M240 is the M240B or “Two Forty Bravo” with 240L’s coming out for weight savings later on. Both systems are above 20lbs with the B at 27.6lbs and the titanium receivered 240L coming out at 22.3lbs.

“Variants” ‘The M240_?”

The M240 comes in several different models for different purposes. Some are for vehicles, some are for aircraft, some do both… It’s kind of a mess actually. There is the M240, M240B, M240C, M240D, M240G, M240H, M240N, and M240L, and the unofficial Barrett TDP M240LW and M240LWS…

Many of these are mission specific “kits” of parts so that the 240 could go from a mounted role to an infantry mobile role in fairly short order… “fairly” being the operative word.

With the MG338 mounting and dismounting the system for mobile use will be a significantly simplified process that in most cases won’t even require parts to be changed. If there’s enough room, the buttstock on the MG338 can simply be folded instead of removed. If it needs to be removed, the stock is attached via picatinny rail and doesn’t require a replacement buffer piece of any kind.

Ancillary attachments from inception.

The M240 was designed in the 1950’s and fielded in 1977. Every optical system, rail system, grip module, or other ancillary attachment was a bolted on afterthought around the core of the gun. This has led to problems. The feed tray, while robust, was never designed to wear an optic. It was designed to open and close while wearing an optic. The front of the M240 was never designed to wear rails, aiming modules, or any of the extraneous force multipliers we run in 2020. They had to be worked around.

The MG338 integrates these from inceptions. M-LOK, side opening feed trays, feed from a closed tray, removable ‘magazine well’ for soft ammo carriers, and a redesigned and rebalanced barrel change handle to better carry the weight while swapping barrels. Ergonomic lessons learned and implemented can be see throughout the MG338’s design from muzzle to stock. Everything we’ve learned from five decades with the 240.

Select Fire

More machine guns are implementing this feature (the IWI Negev series are another notable select fire MG) and the MG338 takes a hint from the Kalashnikov on this one. Safe – Automatic – Semi, the MG338 is an automatic weapon but for zeroing, low volume suppression, suppression at great range, and any number of other applications a semi-automatic selector setting is present on the ambidextrous AR-style safety selector lever. It brings the MG338’s controls far more in line ergonomically with the service carbines the squad will be moving with.

Streamlined, simplified, expanded capabilities.

Lighter is hard. But farther… that we can do.

The NGSW Program is showing us pretty succinctly that an 8-10lb rifle and 12-22lb machine guns are about what we’re going to be dealing with for the foreseeable future. That’s honestly fine in portable individual and small team small arms. We’re reaching hard material limits in most circumstances. So instead the NGSW-R, NGSW-AR, and MG338 seek to open the direct fire envelope by about roughly 40% with increased terminal effects. Individual weapons that can control a kilometer and a portable GPMG that can control a mile.

Kimber Pro Carry II Review, Part 1

By

Caleb Giddings

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May 26, 2020

The Kimber Pro Carry II is a 9mm 1911 with a 4-inch barrel and a full size grip. In part one of our multi-part review, I take the Pro Carry II to the range and shoot Dot Torture, a 50 round course of fire designed to strengthen a shooter’s trigger control and sight alignment.

Because the Kimber Pro Carry II is a “carry” sized 1911, one of the things we want to make sure of is that it hasn’t sacrificed shootability for concealability. Luckily, it hasn’t. While the aluminum frame reduces weight over a steel frame, the gun is still relatively heavy at 28oz unloaded. That’s good, especially when doing a precision drill like Dot Torture. Dot Torture, as mentioned, is a 50 round course of fire that you shoot at a series of 2 inch dots. It’s designed to be shot slow fire, with no time limit. Once you can consistently get 50 hits out of 50 shots at a given distance, move the target further away.

In this video I’m shooting the Kimber Pro Carry II at 5 yards. That’s my “challenge” distance for Dot Torture, as I can clean it most of the time from 5 with most guns. The Pro Carry II has good sights and a pretty solid trigger out of the box, so being accurate with it isn’t a problem. Even though I’m shooting on an indoor range, which I hate, I’m still able to focus on the front sight and get quality hits.

This is part 1 of a review series that we’ll be doing on the Kimber Pro Carry II. Over the course of the series I’ll fire 2,000 rounds through this gun, and in the final video will assign it a letter grade based on how it performs. In addition to Dot Torture, we’ll run it through a series of evaluations, including a 100 round rapid fire test, the 10-8 Performance evaluation, and more. Make sure you follow these updates to see how the Kimber performs.

Installing the Spuhr Tactical Mount System

By

Anna Martinez

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May 26, 2020

Why the Mount?

This is the first time I have installed and used anything Spuhr. I chose to use a Spuhr mount for the installation of my Vortex Razor HDII 1-6×24 Variable Optic due to the overwhelming recommendations of reliability and quality. I have also seen an amazing ability to gunsmith come from Spuhr. My main purposes for the gun, home defense and some gas gun training running an LPVO as primary.

My Sphur package also included red dot attachments. This is the kind of mounting system you want if you will be using offset optics.

Why the Optic?

Best AR-15 Scope Options – A Q&A With Steve “Yeti” Fisher

ARBuildJunkie.com

and..

Placement

Stock– Ensure that your stock is at the correct length of pull for how you run the gun before installing the optic

Eye Relief– In different applications this may differ. Place the optic in its mid range magnification. Place your head in its natural shooting position and ensure that you see a full field of view with no scope shadow.

Cant– In this application, place your head on the gun and ensure that the reticle looks level to YOU the shooter. Remember that tops rails and mounts are not always perfectly level.

Placement on Picatinny rails – Depending on the design of rings that you order and the optic you are using you may need to remove your rear sight. Ensure that the mount is properly seated in a slot on the rail and not canted or displaced by anything. When installing anything on a Picatinny rail always push forward (towards the muzzle) against the next slot when tightening down the accessory, you want the recoil lugs (the machined bits and screws that fit in the rail slots) to be against the front of their rail slots.

Leveling

The mount includes a Wedge which helps ensure that the optic is level. As stated before, in this application you want to ensure that the reticle looks level to you. For further distances and more precise shooting, the optic should be 100% level.

Using the wedge is super simple and the instructions cover how.

Torquing

Each screw has a number on it indicating the correct order for tightening the screws. I torqued the clamping screws (mount to rail) to 45in/lbs and the scope rings to 15in/lbs as stated by Vortex as optimal for the Razor.

I used the Wheeler FAT torque wrench to torque after hand tightening. Don’t go crazy

If removing the mount, ensure that you mark the screws and mount, as stated in the instructions, to go back to the previous torque value when re-mounting. This will ensure that your optic gets as close as it can back to the verified zero. Doing this properly will usually result in less than a minute of shift from previous zeros and may require no adjustment at all.

One thing with torque, lubrication matters. Talking to Spuhr before the installation, he specifically stated to lube the picatinny rail under the mount. He has seen that without lubrication, dry pic rails end up giving up about a .4-.5 mil shift. He also stated the friction loss with dry screws. Spuhr’s screws are pre-waxed and can be installed with no added installation aids or compounds.

Impressions

Overall, with just the unpackaging and installation, I’m impressed.

I’m a sucker when it comes to the instructions. Spuhr doesn’t skimp on the proper installation of his mounts. This attention to detail shows passion and care for his product. He also talks on the subject of bedding the rings within the instructions. Personal preference however, with this mount I don’t believe that it is needed. The clamping quality is exceptional due to machining details.

The ease of installation also shows the quality of the optic. The fact that the mount comes with a way to level it is very nice. I only needed my Multitasker Series3x for hand tightening then the Wheeler FAT wrench for torquing.

In the next article we will talk on info directly provided by Hakan Spuhr about his mounting system. Also, his background and his place in this industry.

Stay tuned!

Memorial Day 2020

By

Keith Finch

-

May 25, 2020

It’s a beautiful warm day here in Michigan. The sun rose bright, early, and with vigor. It is a perfect day to remember.

And that’s what today, the unofficial start of summer, is for. Remembering the honored dead. Those who gave their lives in service to this nation.

For those firing the grill up today, you’re doing it right. For those heading to the open beaches, you’re doing it right. Taking advantage of sale to get something you’ve wanted or needed for awhile, you’re doing it right too.

For those breaking out old photos of lost loved ones, family and friends, you’re doing it right. Visiting burials and attending ceremonies, you’re doing it right. Joining with the living to remember the dead, you bet you’re doing it right.

Because those lost, the venerated souls whose tombs and graves fly the colors of this nation and their services, would see us live instead of mourn. They are gone but they are not forgotten. Their sacrifice lives strongest when we live well.

So go forth today, and each day, and live well.

Be good to each other.

And remember.