I’ve been running the Striker Control Device from Tau Development Group for the last few years.
I think that if you’re carrying a Glock pistol it’s an invaluable addition, especially if you’re carrying appendix.
The idea behind “The Gadget,” as it’s known, is that a shooter can now “thumb the hammer” during re-holster, as they would with a traditional double action gun.
After playing around with it, I discovered that, for me at least, there was one very specific consideration that I had to factor into my re-holstering procedure.
The pad of my thumb didn’t provide sufficient resistance against the backplate of the Gadget and the pistol could still discharge with sufficient pressure on the trigger.
So, when putting the gun away, I make sure I’m pressing with the TIP of my thumb, with the fingernail perpendicular to the backplate instead of parallel.
If you don’t have one already, you really should.
If you do, I encourage you to play around with it and see if this is something you want to work into your process.
Sometimes, I get the idea that some things are universally known throughout the gun world. Then, I get exposed to the internet again. Typically, it’s low-information groups where training isn’t heard of, but sometimes you’ll be surprised by what you consider a high-information group. Recently, the discussion of SERPA holsters came up.
In my opinion, it’s well known that the SERPA series with active retention finger release devices had serious flaws in their design. This isn’t a chance to beat up Blackhawk—I do like the T-Series holsters and even the Omnivore. However, the SERPA series are simply not good holsters and certainly not acceptable for duty use.
This whole article is inspired by a few conversations on a social media post portraying the SERPA series. There were more than a few people either defending the SERPA or asking what’s the problem with the SERPA. Some of the statements in its defense included the classic “The SERPA is fine; it’s only considered bad because all the cool kids say it’s bad.”
It’s as if the world forgot about the flaws of the SERPA as the GWOT ended. Let’s take a moment to review why the SERPA series has fallen out of favor.
My Credentials and the SERPA Series
I try to stay in my lane as much as possible and listen to those more experienced than myself. There are very few topics in which I consider myself an expert, but I feel like an expert in SERPA. I even used to call myself a fan of the SERPA before I knew anything about holsters. I defended the holster when I thought I knew everything about guns and there was nothing left for me to learn.
Call it the follies of youth. My expertise on the SERPA series comes from around five years of using the SERPA. Well, less than five when you take away boot camp, SOI, and my first fleet position. I still have years of experience with the rig. I normalized and accepted its flaws, and due to the gun issue, I rarely ran into those flaws. It was like dating an abusive partner.
When you’re wearing rose-colored glasses, red flags just look like red flags. My rose-colored glasses came from the fact that I was issued a Bianchi holster in what I assumed was 1945. In reality, while the Bianchi wasn’t high-speed, it was still a fairly decent holster compared to the SERPA.
Problem 1 – Negligent Discharges
One of the big defenses I, and others, used to make was that NDs caused by the SERPA series were skill issues. In reality, I carried a DA/SA Beretta M9, and having the safety on was required. I wasn’t going to ND my Beretta.
Having the gun release where the trigger finger falls creates a fundamental problem. When you press the firearm release and pull upwards, you are creating the possibility of your trigger finger falling into the trigger guard and firing the weapon.
When we famously watched Tex Grebner give himself 1911-leg the problems started to become more obvious. With the rise of striker-fired pistols that lacked manual safeties, the problem grew. It grew enough that numerous competition circuits banned the rig, as did tactical instructors.
You can argue it’s a skill issue, and to a degree, it is. However, if the holster presents the possibility of an ND when you draw, then we have issues. Safariland doesn’t create that issue with their numerous holsters, so I don’t see why the SERPA warrants defense.
Problem 2 – The Button
One of the reasons I like the SERPA is the button. The button we press with the trigger finger to release the gun is quite intuitive. It becomes a natural part of your draw. I will say the button makes sense ergonomically but not practically. I carried an M9 as a grunt because I was a machine gunner.
We issued SERPA holsters with thigh rigs. An M240 is fired primarily from the prone or some form of rested position. This often exposed the gun to dirt and rocks, and all sorts of crap. The button, as great as it was, left a big gap between it and the holster body. This big gap was perfect for getting clogged with dirt, debris, and rocks.
In fact, one very frustrating problem I had was when a rock got stuck under the button. I couldn’t draw my gun, and I couldn’t get the rock out. I had to grab my bayonet, pin the rock into the corner of the slot, and start using a bigger rock to tap the bayonet. Eventually, I chipped enough of the rock away to dump it out and free the gun.
I eventually moved the holster from my thigh to my flak with an adapter. Admittedly, I also went with the chest-born gun because it was easier to cross water with, easier to use in vehicles, and kept dirt and grime off my gun and holster.
Problem 3 – The Mounting System Sucks
So there I was, Djibouti, Africa. It’s 0230 AM, and I am toting a 28-pound machine gun on a night patrol. It’s dark, and the PVS-14 is doing its best. We are on a long movement that traced the entirety of our bivouac. It’s a simple security patrol.
I suddenly felt a shift in weight on my thigh. The SERPA and my M9 had fallen loose and swung downward. Two of the three locking screws had unthreaded themselves. The patrol isn’t halting, so I’m trying to figure out what the hell to do in the dark while moving and toting an M240.
U.S. Marine Lance Cpl. Chevon Ferrel fires at her target with an M9 Beretta pistol during a deck shoot aboard the amphibious assault ship USS Essex (LHD 2). Ferrel is an ammunition technician with Combat Logistics Battalion 15, 15th Marine Expeditionary Unit. These Marines executed a pistol qualification during Female Engagement Team training. The 15th MEU is embarked on the Essex Amphibious Ready Group and deployed to maintain regional security in the U.S. 5th Fleet area of operations. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Anna Albrecht/Released)
I am able to free the gun and eventually dump it into my kangaroo pouch on the front of my flak. I managed to find the little screws, still attached to the holster—somehow—and pocketed them. This wasn’t the first time this had happened. I’m long out of loc-tite, and the super shallow attachment screw seems to wiggle its way out often.
I’m always checking the rig, but I must have missed it before we stepped off. This wasn’t an isolated event. Another machine gunner in a sister squad had the same problem. I eventually moved my M9 to my chest and made tightening the screws part of my PCC/PCIs before any operation. The other gunner just tossed the SERPA into a sea bag and used his kangaroo pouch to tote his M9.
The mounts sucked, were always breaking or coming loose, and were a serious source of frustration.
The SERPA Today
I’m not sure why anyone would use a SERPA today. We live in an era where even the manufacturer of the SERPA series makes a better-competing holster. Even the notoriously cheap military moved to the Safariland series holsters, and so should you.
I don’t have a military or law enforcement background. I shot my first gun at summer camp when I was a kid, but didn’t start shooting with any level of frequency until high school.
About Me
I bought my first handgun on my 21st birthday, and started carrying almost immediately. Like most folks out there, the only formal instruction I had (or thought I needed) was my state Concealed Handgun Permit class.
A couple years after that, I was exposed to my first formal “tactical” shooting class, and it started to crystallize the need for continuing education.
For a time, I was your typical “gun guy”. You’d regularly find me in 5.11 pants. I thought that you HAD to have a full sized pistol, at least one extra magazine, a tactical folder, and a backup gun in order to be “prepared”; anything short of that and you clearly didn’t take your safety seriously. Well when you’re working at a gun shop in your early twenties, it’s easy to get away with that kind of thing, because your lifestyle and social circles allow it.
Like most folks, I matured and evolved. During that evolution, I also pursued additional training, and came across some other great resources in the form of blogs & podcasts. They started helping me understand what’s really important, and where I should direct my training efforts.
Fighting Shape
Fast forward a few more years, my hobbies are now fully entrenched in personal protection: I’m taking a couple training classes ever year, I’m at the shooting range regularly, I start getting into BJJ, and I’m improving my physical conditioning to get into “fighting shape”. I’m what you’d consider reasonably competent with a firearm. Not winning any awards, but definitely part of the 1% that Karl Rehn talks about in some of his writings.
Then, I find myself confronted with what felt like a pretty significant challenge: all the content I’d been consuming, all the YouTube videos, all the articles, all the gear that’s being advertised to me through various channels is all geared towards casual street clothes! My world were colliding. My chosen lifestyle was now conflicting with my chosen profession, and something had to give. The chosen profession was what funded all the gunday funday stuff, so that meant I’d have to find a way to work the gun into my daily life, and not live my life around carrying a gun.
My understanding and proficiency of both style and self defense have progressed significantly over the past several years, to the point where I feel I’ve managed to strike the most effective balance between the two. My hope is that this is enough of a shared experience that others can benefit from my trial and error.
As I’m writing this, I am barely crossing the one-year mark of actually shooting handguns with red-dots. Were it not for the fact that I write about guns and shooting, it would have taken me longer to get started with dots, honestly. Instead, I took a deep dive headfirst into the dot topic and I’ve been shooting and conducting dry-fire with them pretty regularly since.
Red-Dots Aren’t As Complicated
My first red-dot and optics mount (Holosun HS407CX2 on a Trijicon RMR/SRO pattern Allchin revolver mount). This sight is presently mounted on the S&W M&P 2.0 SPEC.
Until I started shooting with dots, I had been under the impression that they were supposed to be more difficult to shoot with than they really are. This came from all manner of chatter I had been hearing online over the years and also because I see many new people are not only confused but also intimidated by them. I was certainly intimidated which is why it wasn’t until the spring of 2023 that I bought my own first red-dot sight (for my Smith & Wesson 686-5 no less). Between the different makes and models of dots, their footprints and mounting schemes, etc — it was overwhelming. I’m glad I took the plunge and dove in headfirst, because 90% of what I write concerns handguns and being a writer that’s ignorant about dots in 2024 is foolish.
A year later, I’ve concluded that dots aren’t really that complicated. There’s no need to mentally prime new students into thinking dots are any harder than normal sights. I’ve informally and unofficially proven this too, to a degree. I was shooting with a close family member during the long Thanksgiving holiday last year, and we brought two pistols, a bone-stockGlock 19 (no dot) and one of my Walther PDPs with a dot. He knows next to nothing about dot-shooting and doesn’t care because it’s not his thing. Yet, it was easier for him to make basic shots with a dotted PDP compared to the iron-sighted Glock 19. We were shooting at a 5-inch circle at 5 yards, nothing too complex.
Next time I have the chance to run this informal experiment with another “non-gun” person, I shall. This isn’t to say that the right coaching could help a new dot-shooter perform and understand their sighting system better, but it’s also not that complicated.
Pay The Dot No-Mind
In hindsight, I know that avoiding and ignoring all the noise concerning dots was helpful to me because when I started shooting red-dots, I did so without overthinking (something I’m typically guilty of) and without any mental baggage of what dot-shooting was supposed to be. I was already tuned into the concept of target-focusing and it’s something I already observe with iron sights. This leads to the next point I wanted to make, actually.
Treating Red-Dots & Sights The Same
Even before I bought my first dot, I made the decision to treat dots and iron sights exactly the same way due to target-focusing. By treating iron sights and dots the same way, it also makes it extremely easy to switch gears between the two. In the end, they’re just two different means to do the same thing with the handgun. Both are merely alignment-reference interfaces for guns, regardless of how short or all they are or how they’re fastened to the gun. Though red-dots and sights are fundamentally the same, the one aspect in which they differ is their presentation on the draw–even when conjoined to the same gun. This is non-negotiable and there’s no getting around this. Some bit of work will be required for presentation, namely drawing and pointing. Fortunately practicing this in dry-fire is free.
The Dot As Your Personal Coach
One of the latest red-dots I’m evaluating, the 6-MOA Mecanik MO3The Holosun EPS Carry On Loan From Big Tex Ordnance. Shown mounted on a Taurus Gx4 XL from its original review.
In addition to making shooting easier, dots provide excellent feedback with regards to handgun control, grip, trigger manipulation, slide tracking, etc. For example, the Ameriglo Bold front sight on my carry-gun (Glock 45) is .140” wide. When the gun is fully extended in hand, the front-sight measures approximately 17.2 MOA. On the other hand, most dots measure between 2-6 MOA which is considerably smaller than my front sight . This is why I can perceive certain nuances and micro-movements during shooting or dry-fire when practicing with a dotted pistol. Doing so to the same extent would be visually impossible with the aforementioned carry-gun.
This level of feedback allows one to tweak and modify things like grip pressure and trigger manipulation and see (and practice) how the dot reacts in real time. From a self-training and dry-fire perspective, this is invaluable. After training with both Green Ops and Hunter Freeland and learning about the importance of support-hand pressure, I’ve been relying on this more than ever before.
My pair of Walther PDPs, two guns I’ve been shooting often. Shown with the Holosun HS507Comp and the Trijicon RCR.
Mounting Hygiene
This sub-topic warrants its own feature length-article, as understanding footprint patterns, screws, thread pitch, threadlockers, mounting plates, torque values, etc is critical for dot success. I’ve seen both plate-mounted and directly mounted dots fail and fall off in the middle of USPSA stages. And I’ve also experienced loose screws falling out never to be seen again. Besides the practical aspects of dot-shooting, understanding how dots are properly mounted is crucial to successfully shooting with them.
A year later, I’m of the opinion that the lack of proper mounting protocol is actually one of the largest frustrations new shooters face with dots, especially in terms of reliability and confidence in their gear. I’ve derived this take from not only my own observations out in the real world, but because of my personal involvement and the fact that I must mount all manner of red-dots in various permutations on firearms from various makes and models. If someone like myself who does this frequently enough needs to pay close attention, then I can see how some subtle details could slip by someone else who isn’t used to mounting optics on a regular basis. Furthermore, sometimes the supplied hardware and/or instructions aren’t up to the task. I’ve definitely had to get creative to make things work.
Closing Thoughts
Steiner MPS direct-mounted on a Gen5 Glock 17 sporting a Boresight Solutions Advantage Precision aftermarket 9mm barrel. This is one of the first guns I started messing with dot-wise in 2023 too. Next to that Glock 17, the Canik Rival-S with the Trijicon SRO was another early dot and pistol combo from roughly a year ago.
There’s no such thing as a free lunch. Yes, there’s a bit of a learning curve to dot-shooting and dot improvement, but it doesn’t have to be complicated. The honest truth is that most of it can be absorbed and worked on with frequent and meaningful dry-fire practice
I won’t dispute that dots truly are a performance booster, and they certainly facilitate longer distance shots. Notice for example how shooting NRA B-8 targets at 25-yards reached a fever pitch after the “fad” of dotted guns took off. This is why I think that anyone truly interested in performance pistolcraft ought to shoot with dots if they don’t already. As I keep learning, exploring and asking more questions, I’ll keep writing about life with dots.
The Russians and the Ottomans really didn’t get along well. They had over a dozen conflicts before we arrived in 1877, where our article starts. The two empires clashed constantly and likely would’ve continued if World War I hadn’t ended that thread. The Siege of Plevna doesn’t seem like a story that belongs at GAT, but for gun nerds, it’s an important battle.
It’s the battle that introduced repeating rifles into European armaments. It created a new standard for military rifles across Europe and even the Middle East to a degree. However, the story starts in America—Connecticut, to be specific. Oliver Winchester was a genius at marketing his lever-action rifles, and he knew the Ottomans tended to find themselves in scraps.
His genius came down to sending select Ottoman generals and politicians his Winchester rifles. He got guns to the right people, specifically the people who made decisions. Someone must have been impressed because a small order of the Winchester 1866 rifle was placed. That small order turned into a big order; between 1870 and 1871, over 50,000 Winchester 1866 rifles were ordered. These rifles were chmabered in .44 Henry Rimfire. A few years later, the Siege of Plevna began, and the rifles made history.
The Siege of Plevna
The Russians were raising hell for the Turks in Bulgaria and ended up taking a fairly decent-sized city. The Ottomans had minimal forces in the area so their response was delayed. A small army of Ottomans responded and began fortifying the city of Plevna. They avoided detection long enough to establish some fairly capable defenses.
The Turks came ready to scrap. They were armed with their Turkish Contract M1866 Winchesters. These rifles were not too far from the standard Winchesters. They had full-length magazines, as well as bayonet lugs mounted to the side of the gun rather than under the magazine tube.
(Orenburgsky)
Alongside the Winchesters, they had Peabody-Martini rifles, which offered a greater range than the Winchesters. Finally, the Krupp German breech-loading artillery weapons were also quite modern for the era.
Eventually, Russian intelligence gathered that the Ottomans were in the area, and the Russian Army responded. By then, the Siege of Plevna had begun. The Russians outnumbered the Turks, and the fighting was fierce.
It was fierce enough that the Russian forces had to call for aid from their allies, the Romanians. There were four main battles and assaults, plus an attempt by the Ottomans to break the siege. Ultimately, the city of Plevna fell to the Russian forces after five months of fighting. However, the Russian-Romanian forces suffered heavy casualties.
The Small Arms Difference
Small arms rarely make a significant difference in warfare. This battle in 1877 was the right time for small arms and infantry tactics to be major movers of warfare. The Russians came to fight with outdated single-shot conversions of rifled muskets and some more modern but still outclassed Breda rifles.
Here is an example of a Turkish Contract rifle (Military Rifles)
The fast-firing Winchesters and Peabody-Martini rifles were a real game changer. Mix that with the tactics of Field Marshal Osman Pasha and the Russians had their hands full. The first conflict made good use of smart tactics and weaponry.
The Russian force of over 7,500 men met minimal resistance when they entered Plevna for the first time. They overran some trenches and considered the situation settled. As the Russians trotted into Plevna, they must have let their guard down. The Turkish forces hid in the houses of the city.
This Winchester had a bayonet lug (Military Rifles)
At the call of a bugle, the Ottomans sprung their trap and poured lead into the Russian forces. The fast-firing Winchester rifles offered them a significant advantage over the slow-firing single-shot rifles, especially up close. The Turks killed nearly three thousand of the Russians, including multiple officers, and captured over 40 wagons of ammunition.
Smart Tactics
The Turkish tactics during the siege were fairly simple. They would use the Peabody-Martini rifles at longer ranges. These were falling block rifles. Falling block rifles were single shot, but still quick and easy to operate. A trained soldier could lay down 17 aimed shots in a minute.
At long range, the Peabody-Martini rifles were the weapon of choice. When the fighting got close, within 200 yards or so, the Winchester 1866 rifles began to fire.
Unlike most military forces, the Turks weren’t shy about issuing ammo. Soldiers were encouraged to carry relatively large amounts of ammo and encouraged to fire it.
According to Richard Trenk Sr. of Man at Arms Magazine, the Turkish soldiers had their Winchester rifles loaded with 14 rounds of ammo and a box of 500 cartridges close at hand. They weren’t stingy with the lead, and the Russian forces certainly felt it.
After Plevna
While the Russians eventually broke through and took the city, they did so with some degree of humility. Field Marshal Osman Plash was called the greatest general of our time by his Russian opponent.
The real massive change was the renewed interest in the repeating rifle. Military forces took note of the effectiveness of the magazine-fed rifles and began to research, adopt, and even convert their single-shot rifles to magazine-fed rifles.
The Siege of Plevna showed that the army with the most repeating rifles could do an absolute ton of damage to fighting forces, and it became an arm’s race to obtain repeating rifles for military use. It’s a thread that can be traced to modern rifles in the current era. As Americans, we saw the introduction to the repeating rifle much earlier and certainly understood the appeal. But with the Siege of Plevna, the world knew the importance of faster fire rates and quicker reloads.
“Revolutionary” and “Game Changer” and “Innovation” are buzzwords that get bandied about, especially whenever a new piece of concealment tech hits the market. More often than not it’s either a minimal tweak on an existing design, or worse, some poorly thought out gimmicky BS that’s somewhere between a practical joke and criminal negligence. The PHLster Enigma is a true “Game Changer.”
PHLSTER ENIGMA
Now Jon and Sarah will be the first to tell you that they were improving upon the previous incarnation of the Runcible Works YP (Yoga Pants) Holster, but they truly revolutionized. With updated materials and a deep understanding of the mechanics of concealment PHLster set out to create the most modular system possible, so the concealed carrier was no longer limited to what they could hang off of their belt.
When my career change necessitated the daily wearing of suits, I had to overhaul my EDC, because gun belts were too overt, and soft loops & overhooks were an unacceptably conspicuous method of attachment. So at that point I opted for the mouse gun in a pocket holster, understanding that I was sacrificing performance for discretion.
In instances where I was going to black tie events, my solutions were either a J-frame with a Barami Hip Grip (not the most secure option), or a Shield in a fabric kangaroo pouch like Smart Carry (that was more challenging to access)
I personally never had much success just wearing a belt underneath my clothing, although I know that’s how some chose to solve this problem.
CCW With The Enigma
Well now instead of working around various appendix-ish placements I’m able to run the exact same rig whether I’m in my tuxedo, slacks & a sport coat, loungewear, or nothing by my drawers!
Aside from the attachment method itself, the true beauty of the system is the ability to control and adjust the level of tension that’s exerted on the grip & slide sides of the holster independently of one another, allowing the carrier to tailor it to their own morphology and truly maximize the concealment potential.
It also offers the most consistent placement possible. When mounting a gun to your pants belt, you’ll occasionally have to work around belt loops as well as pant rise. These two factors can result in inconsistent access. With the Enigma, that’s no longer an issue. You can always keep the pistol in the optimal position on your body, regardless of wardrobe.
This is just an introduction to Enigma and its potential. Please let me know if you have any questions, or if there’s any configurations/applications you’d like to see!
If you are in the southeast United States, you entered the first week of spring to a pollen storm mixed with being tossed back in the freezer for a final week of winter’s wrath. Admittedly, it’s not as bad as some of your weather, but hey, we didn’t sign up to be marinated and put back in the fridge. To deal with that sudden cold front, I grabbed my new 5.11 Adventure Primaloft Insulated Jacket.
The Adventure Primaloft Insulated Jacket, which is hereby known as the Primaloft because that’s too much to type, is a lightweight, low-profile warming layer. The jacket appears pretty standard. It comes with a hood and a full zip design and is available in black or brown. Mine is the black model. The outside is polyester plain weave, the inside is nylon ripstop, and in between the two sits the 100% polyester PrimaLoft gold insulation.
The jacket has two front pockets that act as hand warmers, and the inside of the jacket is massive and easy to drop items into. That’s the basic rundown of the jacket, and it might not sound special, but trust me, this thing rocks.
The Primaloft Origin Story
SHOT Show has all kinds of meet and greets, parties, and the like, and I was able to attend the 5.11 pre-show meet and greet. Upon leaving, I was given a goody bag, and inside, I found what might be my new favorite jacket. What captured my attention at first was how seriously lightweight the jacket felt. I don’t mean when worn; I mean the overall weight of the jacket is crazy lightweight. Not only that, but it’s super thin and soft. This makes the Primaloft easy to fold up and stash in any kind of bag.
The Primaloft would be a perfect hiking companion or general outdoor jacket. You start in the morning when it’s cool, but you warm up as you move and groove and want to ditch the warming layers. The Primaloft can be stuffed away with ease in your pack. It doesn’t require a ton of room. Or it can be carried into the wild or field on your back without ever taking up much room and then deployed when night falls and the temperature drops.
In my case, I got hot and draped it over my laptop bag as I maneuvered through SHOT Show, airports, and other similar Vegas-born adventures. As the spring cold front rolled in, I tucked it in my daily backpack in the front pocket, and it never disturbed my day. The convenience sold me almost immediately.
But Is It Warm?
Is it warm? It’s downright cozy. The jacket is crazy lightweight but still super warm and comfortable. It gathers and holds heat very well. It punches above its weight class, for sure. It’s not a parka aimed at sub-zero temperatures, but around freezing, you’ll keep warm. When you zip up the jacket and toss the hood on, you’ll be toasty before you know it. In fact, there has been more than one occasion where I have to unzip the jacket to let a little heat out.
I didn’t realize it while in Vegas through January and February, but during this last week of the cold front, an important revelation dawned on me. The Primaloft jacket is a poncho liner turned into a jacket! The poncho liner is my all-time favorite piece of gear. It’s a super lightweight blanket that is incredibly warm and issued throughout the military. The USMC always called it the poncho liner, but it’s also known as the wooby.
The classic field jacket liner was also a poncho liner turned into a jacket, but it lacked a hood, zipper, and pockets like found on the Primaloft. The Primaloft is the field jacket liner turned modern and made handy for the average user. If I were 5.11 Tactical, my first line of advertising copy would be, “It’s a poncho liner you wear!”
Under the Hood
The Primaloft has a few extra features worth mentioning. It’s the little things that separate it from other attempts to create a poncho-liner jacket. First, the chin guard protects you from zipper rub when you’re all bundled up and warm in the field. The hood is elastic for a slightly more form-fitting design that helps retain heat.
Inside the right pocket, you’ll find a piece of elastic cordage. Inside the liner of the jacket is an easy-to-locate locking nut. Press that locking nut and pull that cord, and you can cinch down the bottom of the jacket. This keeps the jacket tight against the body and, again, helps retain heat.
Inside the big pocket of the jacket is a mini dump pouch. You can use this to protect and retain goods. It also adds another layer of moisture protection for phones and other electronics. It’s a feature-filled jacket that adds a different layer of versatility to the design.
The Primaloft jacket has an excellent overall design. It’s lightweight and easy to compress in your pack. The jacket is downright toasty and offers a variety of modern features that make it a next-level field jacket.
The Russians really cling to the AK design. In my opinion, it’s not that the Russians can’t create and adopt a better, more modern rifle. They just don’t really want to. The AK is their brand, and they sell it all over the world. Those sales might drop if the Russian Army stopped using them, plus they are cheap to produce. That’s why the Russians are still using the AK in the form of the AK-12. I know they can make a better rifle because they have an innovation they constantly reject called balanced action.
The few folks who know about balanced action rifles likely know it in the context of the contest in which the AN-94 succeeded. The An-94 beat the balanced action rifles but ultimately didn’t replace the AK-74. It was issued to some special operations and federal forces, but it’s still a fairly rare rifle. That was in the 1990s, but the balanced action idea goes all the way back to the mid-1960s.
The First Balanced Action Rifle
The first rifle that used the balance action recoil system was the AO-38. There isn’t a lot of information on the AO-38. We know it used the BARS system, which was designed in 1965 and fired the 5.45 cartridge. The designer was Peter Tkachev, who would become a rather out-of-the-box thinker when it comes to small arms design. At first glance, the AO-38 looks almost identical to the AK-74. Upon close inspection, the gas tube and receiver cover are a bit different.
(Modern Firearms)
The gas tube is different due to how the balance action system works. On your normal AK, you have a gas tube with a gas port. The gas port redirects gas from the previously fired cartridge and redirects the gas into the gun and against the long-stroke gas piston system to allow the weapon to cycle. Long-stroke gas pistons are pretty hefty, and that weight being shot rearwards increases felt recoil.
On a balanced action rifle, there is a gas tube with two gas ports. One gas port works like a standard AK and redirects gas rearward and against the long-stroke gas piston system. The second gas port redirects gas to a secondary piston that moves a weight forward. The rear moving long stroke gas piston and the forward moving weight move at the same time. The forward weight counteracts the recoil of the long-stroke gas piston.
(Modern Firearms)
The two moving parts are kept in sync by a fairly complicated gear system. This requires some extra room, and the two moving parts require some offsetting to work right.
Evolution of the Balanced Action Rifle
Over time, the balanced action design evolved but was never widely adopted. The AL-7 and AL-4 rifles were designed in the 1970s as a competitor to the AK-74 but were too expensive to produce and lost out to the AK-74.
During the Akaban competition, the balanced action system was on full display. Several entries used the BARS design, including entries by Victor Kalashnikov, like the AL-9 and AKB-1. We also saw the AEK-971 and AEK-978 make their debut. The AN-94 ultimately won the contest, but the AEK series had some minor success.
(Gun Wiki)
The AEK rifles were adopted in small batches by the MVD Internal Troops and various Russian police agencies. Military forces also adopted small numbers of the improved AEK rifles, now designated the KORD 6P67 and KORD 6P68.
The AEK is where we really saw success with the balanced action. I’m not sure how we designate success since the rifle was only ever produced in small numbers. The Russians expanded the AK 100 series with the 107, 108, and 109 rifles that use the balance action design with 5.45, 5.56, and 7.62×39. These rifles were primarily designed for export. Saigia produced a semi-auto-only MK-107 for sport shooters.
(Modern Firearms)
The A-545 and A-762 evolved from the AEK and KORD series of rifles. The A-545 competed with the Russian AK-12, ultimately losing to the cheaper, less complicated AK-12. However, the rifle saw some limited adoption, and it even popped up in Ukraine.
Downsides To The BARS
The BARS system does complete its intended task of reducing recoil. Impressively so. Our best exposure to these guns in the West is the Polenar Tactical video on the MK-107. It seems to be very easy to shoot. The Balanced Action system isn’t without its downsides. As you’d imagine, it’s fairly expensive to produce. It removes some of the simplicity of the AK series.
(Space Battles)
The gear system is complicated, and I imagine if it fails in any way, the gun is done for. This gear system and the small parts used to secure it would seem to be a weak point. Would money and time invested in the system improve it? Maybe, but the small orders of the balanced action guns aren’t going to cause some great innovation.
Admittedly, it’s a complicated way to reduce recoil, but it is still a fascinating system. It makes me wonder, after all that effort and complicated design, did the Russian designers outside of Dragunov every consider a short-stroke gas piston?
Anything that makes my life easier is always a welcome addition. Case and point, being able to open a knife one-handed is a must, and if it can be done with speed, that’s even better. Recently I was able to try out two speedy steel knives that I am completely smitten with for different reasons. Make sure you check with your local laws regarding, blade length and types, and what actions are legal in your area.
Speedy Steel: Benchmade
The moment I opened the box to the Benchmade 3300BK-2001 Infidel I knew I was going to like it. Based on Benchmade’s popular Off-The-Front (OTF) Infidel platform, what makes this line special, is that it is only being offered for 2020 with blue anodized handles. And the 3.91-inch double-edge blade features CPM-S30V steel with a black DLC finish. With some OTF knives you’ll have some play with the blade and surprisingly to me there was almost zero play.
The main attraction to this Infidel, besides the blue handles, is how incredibly quick it is. The Infidel deploys and retracts with an extremely easy to use switch that has a very positive feel to it. Carrying it for a couple of weeks I didn’t have any accidental deployment of the blade. Which is good, considering how sharp the blade is.
The knife weighs 4.9 ounces, is 8.91 inches opened and 5 inches closed. The tough 6061-T6 aluminum handles are 0.59 inches think and feel great in the hands. The clip is Benchmade’s Deep-Carry, with the tip pointed down. Visit benchmade.com for more info and check secondary markets to get your hands on one.
Zero Tolerance
ZT’s 0357BW assisted opening knife completely caught me off guard. It has quickly become one of my favorite go-to knives. The opening action is ZT’s Assisted SpeedSafe and it is quick, it caught me by surprise the first time I pulled back on the flipper. It feels great in the hand and has this understated look — it’s a working knife built for tough conditions.
The 3.25-inches CPM 20CV blade has cut through anything that I have thrown at it (within reason). I really like ZT’s deep-carry pocket clip (which has taken a beating) for ambidextrous carry in the tip-up position. I like that the knife doesn’t stick so far out of the pocket.
The knife weighs 4.3 ounces, is 7.625 inches opened and 4.4 inches closed. The G10 black handles feel great in the hands and offer the right amount of retention. The handles are 0.47 inches thick and blade is finished in ZT’s BlackWash coating. Check it out for yourself at zt.kaiusa.com
I’m guilty of it. I’m guilty of telling people the amount of finger they put on the trigger matters; in fact, I used to think it mattered a lot. The problem was that I never really went out and tried it myself. By the time I considered myself a decent shooter, I had forgotten the importance of the trigger finger. I remember the classic graph someone made that said if you’re using too much trigger finger your rounds will hit here. If you use too little trigger finger, your shots will hit here. Does finger position matter?
Remember those diagnostic targets that were popular a decade or two ago? They advised the same thing. The question is, does it matter? Does it really? To what degree does it matter, and is it universal or maybe applies more to one weapon and one task than all of them? Before we go out and find out, I have a theory. I’m betting with a handgun within 25 yards. It doesn’t matter at all. I grabbed the Sig Sauer P365 I carry everyday and a few boxes of ammo, and went to the range.
Finger Position — Too Little & Too Much
I started with a simple printed Sage Dynamics target at a mere ten yards. I began with too little finger on the trigger and fired a simple three round group. My finger was on the trigger only enough to pull it. Not bad, fairly typical. I repeated the process with way too much trigger finger, literally as much as I could put through the triggerguard. I fired my three round group and it was near identical to the first group.
Finally, as a control group, I fired three rounds with what I figured was the perfect grip. Again, the groups were identical. I seriously have a problem keeping one round tight to the first two. I’m not sure why, but with each group, I dropped a round a good bit away from the main two rounds. That’s a major annoyance for me personally, but it’s not tied to my finger position.
I backed off to 25 yards and used a steel gong. I repeated the three-round test, with my finger position in the too little, too much, and just right positions. The end result was the same. I landed all three shots on target without any issues. Even at 25 yards, there isn’t a variable that is big enough to cause a miss. So, does finger position matter, specifically with a handgun?
No, but yes.
Let Me Explain
My finger position doesn’t matter for overall accuracy. Regardless of where it is, I can still hit the target and generate the same accuracy. When it comes down to our accuracy testing, there isn’t a problem. However, that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t try to use just the right finger position. You don’t have to be incredibly specific, but you should be somewhat specific.
I did a little more than accuracy testing slow fire. I ran a few Bill Drills and 10-10-10s and discovered there are some limiting factors with improper finger position.
Too little finger on the trigger means you are going to lose control of your trigger and it will slip off the trigger. When it slips off the trigger your firing cadence goes to hell. Then you have to find the trigger again and get back on target and resume firing. You’re losing fractions of a second and risking speed.
Too much trigger finger, especially on a small gun, is just uncomfortable. Too much trigger will find your finger rubbing on your support hand in a not-so-comfy manner. Plus, it might catch on your support hand and prevent you from fully pulling the trigger or allowing the trigger to fully reset.
Finger position matters a little. When it comes to accuracy, the most important thing is grip. A strong, consistent grip is what allows you to shoot accurately and consistently. You can pull the trigger any which way but loose and still shoot accurately, as long as your grip is steady.
Outside of Handguns
When it comes to precision rifles, I’d assume the trigger finger position matters a good bit more than with handguns. I’m no precision shooter, but I did some research and found plenty of precision shooters with accolades advising of proper finger position. To the degree it matter I can’t rightly say. I’m willing to bet it is more about consistency than the measurement of position. It just turns out pulling with the pad of your finger is the easiest way to be consistent.
Overall, if you want to shoot accurately, worry less about your trigger finger position and more about your grip. However, make sure the trigger finger can consistently pull the trigger without unintended interruption. It’s that simple.
The saying always goes something like “The AR-15 isn’t a military weapon, the M4/M16 are totally different.”
Really?
They are totally different? So when the US Air Force purchased select-fire AR-15’s they weren’t military weapons? The US Army adapted those into (eventually, after a snag and snafu or two) the Technical Data Package for the M16A1, and in that instant it became a totally different gun?
It magically materialized mystical military might when the ‘M’ designation got tossed on the front of it, eh?
Stop. No More.
The M16 and M4 are AR-15s. They are just specific AR-15s.
M16 Vs. AR-15
It is astonishing to me how many groups online, especially veteran groups full of people who carried these professionally, will shout at the top of their caps lock about how the M16 is totally different than the AR-15. Vastly different. Not even remotely the same. Leagues and leagues apart. Two totally separate machines that bear only surface deep resemblance.
Now if we were talking about the M1 Garand and the M14 you could be onto something. But the M16 and most commercial AR-15’s have nearly universal parts interchangeability. How is that so if they are totallydifferent?
In instances where the parts are not interchangeable, this was usually done for one of two reasons. Reason one, the part is proprietary and looks to enhance a function through its departure from the conventional design. The KAC E3 Bolt for their SR-15’s for example. Reason two is that the company is leaping through hoops of flaming pedantism to separate their product justenough from a ‘military model’ to satisfy some arbitrary rule emplaced upon them by government busybodies, while notalteringthefundamentalmechanicsofthefirearm. An example would be the Heckler & Koch SL8, which is just an HK G36 dressed like a dork because a dork makes the export people happy.
I blame the industry’s ‘Modern Sporting Rifle’ phase. Where we went so out of our way to show that these normal firearms are.. well.. normal.. that we avoided certain terms like the plague. We hid so snugly in our “Wellll ACHuaalllllyyy…” rabbit holes that we got lost within.
This is compounded by the fact that people pontificating upon the vast gulf of difference in ARs and M.. Rs? should not be doing so. They don’t know. These same folks will proudly and confidently enter Ye Olde Local Gunstore, grab literally any brand of cheap AR-15 off the wall, and then proudly proclaim how it is “exactly what I carried in _______.”
Bro, that is an ATI. The receiver is plastic and the barrel is steel in mostly a notional sense.
You can get a near 1:1 copy of your issued rifle, from a company that actually makes that issued rifle, using nearly all of the same exact parts. But it isn’t $569.
What did they change so it isn’t a “weapon of war” anymore?
Well, nothing that makes it any less useful. Just some stuff to make the folks in D.C. smugly happy they did something.
Differences
Difference one, lack of auto or burst components. These are a small selection of springs, a lever, and slightly different trigger group parts that allow the gun to fire in full auto safely. Yes, safely. You can totally turn your semi-auto AR-15 into a “fully auto” bullet hose with “a file” like the rumors say, but that is literally breaking the safe function of the rifle and is hellaciously not safe to do. Screw the illegality of it, you’re risking an unsealed detonation of 50,000 psi rightnexttoyourface because the auto/burst components aren’t there to safely regulate the automatic setting. Don’t do that. It’s dumb.
Difference two, because the M4 uses a 14.5-inch barrel, per its specification, this consumer facing model must have a “permanently” (not removable by hand or simply a wrench and torque) attached muzzle to make the arbitrary ‘safe’ length of 16 inches. This is to comply with the National Firearms Act.
In every single other respect, that is your M4. Except it is new and hasn’t been dropped repeatedly, stacked, lost, found, left in a port-a-potty, left on a mountain, cleaned excessively because staff had nothing better for troops to do, and so forth.
You can also build out a better rifle than the M4, one that uses higher quality materials, higher quality coatings, is better attuned to commercially available ammunition, better accuracy because you can use a floated barrel, and many manymany other personalizations that can enhance how this very simple and effective personal firearm fits into your life.
“But, Keith… War..”
Shut it. Stop. The AR-15 is a personal weapon and we haven’t fought wars with only personal weapons since… ever. Siege engines are in their 28th century. We’ve had siege artillery for about 24 centuries. Even when the personal weapon is the primary method of injury it is using those personal weapons in some manner of coordinated formation that facilitate the conduct of warfare. The AR-15s physical existence does not make it a weapon of war, its use in warfare by regular and irregular forces conducting their operations does.
The use in warfare does not in any way, shape, or form make something unsuitable for use by an individual not participating in a war. The AR-15 is so good as an individual rifle because it is… a good rifle. It is well designed, light, reliable, and simple to learn and use. Well designed, reliable, and simple to use are traits we desire out of every one of our tools, if at all possible. Phones, cars, computers, ladders, DIY furniture items, all of these that are worth the money you spend on them share those same traits with the AR-15.
So… Enough
2024 we stop the mind numbing madness of the M4 being this ‘wholly different machine’ (yet somehow with all interchangeable parts) from the AR-15. It’s an AR. The M16 is an AR. The Military uses ARs and so do we.
You ever have one of those days where you open up the internet and ready what has to be the dumbest thing you’ll read that day? Typically it’s a Twitter hot take, but this time it came from the mouth, or well, desk of an elected government official. A government official making $174,000 dollars to represent the great state of Florida. His name was Maxwell Alejandro Frost and he’s introduced a bill focused on closing the Zombie Guns Loophole.
Frost represents Florida’s 10th Congressional District, is a Democrat, and has worked as the national organizing director of March For Our Lives. He’s worked on numerous Democratic campaigns and received over a million dollars from Ponzi-scheme enthusiast Sam Bankman-Fried and his associated Super-PAC.
The Rise of the Zombie Guns
Yep, first it was ghost guns, now it’s zombie guns, and apparently a loophole. Of course, anything gun grabbers dislike becomes a loophole because it’s a war of vocabulary rather than actually just using any form of factual and logical arguments. If you, like me, are quite confused about what a zombie gun is, could be, or how we can close a supposed loophole.
Frost defines it for us: “zombie gun is exactly what it sounds like – it’s a gun that should not be living, it shouldn’t be able to operate, it shouldn’t be in use, and it shouldn’t be able to harm or claim another life – but it does,”
According to Representative Frost, the zombie gun loophole is a loophole that allows “gun disposal companies to only destroy one part of a gun before reselling the remaining parts as a kit that could be used in the next act of gun violence that devastates a community.” I didn’t realize there were gun disposal companies. He later clarifies via his website that:
…government agencies across the country are unknowingly fueling a secondary gun market when they send retired, seized, and surrendered guns to gun disposal companies that destroy one small part of the gun and resell the rest. In most cases, purchasers are even able to avoid the most basic requirements, such as a background check.
Oh Wait, Zombie Guns Still Don’t Make Sense
Oh, so he’s talking about companies who agree to destroy seized guns in states that mandate that and actually destroy the serialized portion of the firearm. They destroy the frame or receiver of the firearm but sell the pieces from the gun on the secondary market. Make no doubt about it. Like most anti-gun politicians, Mr. Frost knows nothing about guns. A lawmaker should know that the frame or receiver is the firearm. These companies are destroying the firearm.
The second part, regarding background checks, is laughable. Do I need a background check to buy grip screws for my gun? What about a magazine follower? He continues to elaborate by saying:
“Closing the loophole that has allowed gun destruction companies to collect taxpayer dollars for only destroying one part of the gun and not the whole thing is undoubtedly contributing to the gun violence we are seeing in our communities today. I refuse to see another life taken or another family devastated because of gun violence. We need to destroy zombie guns now.”
Education Optional
Knowledge of firearm laws would help Representative Frost immensely. If he had a little bit of an education on this, he’d know the companies are destroying the gun. That ‘one part’ of the gun is the portion considered the gun. In most cases, all of these parts can be found elsewhere and purchased as parts. Closing this supposed loophole won’t have any effect on gun violence.
The effect will just be shutting down a fairly small stream of niche parts being sold on the aftermarket. The press releases and several co-sponsors state that this bill will be effective in stopping gun violence. Do they, at any time, point to a single time when a zombie gun has ever been used in a crime?
Nope
Do I believe that Representative Maxwell Frost believes this will stop any gun violence? No, I don’t think so. It’s a vanity bill. A bill that targets a very niche thing that will get Frost media attention. I live in Florida, and I’ve never heard of this guy til now, so it’s working. Sadly, he picked one of the dumbest things he possibly could to be a vanity bill.
Is all press good press? Maybe, but man, oh man, I wouldn’t want my name on this bill. Do I think it will pass? Not a chance, but I’m betting Frost thinks the same way and he can get a double dose of fame when the bill fails and he can complain about zombie guns again. Good gosh, maybe they can target werewolf guns next. You know, those guns that become more dangerous under a full moon.
At SHOT Show 2024, Canik unveiled the new 9mm Canik TTI Combat, a gun designed and produced from a collaborative effort with TTI (Taran Tactical Innovations). This isn’t a full-on review, but I wanted to share my first impressions of the gun because the first batches are arriving from Turkey and starting to ship to dealers. I’m far from ready to pen my official review, but I picked mine up a few days ago. The next day, I had the chance to not only zero the dot but also put some rounds through it. This gun was certainly one of the most attention-grabbing items at the Century Arms booth this year.
The Canik TTI Combat on display at the Century Arms SHOT Show 2024 booth.^
Canik TTI Combat
All Canik handguns including the new TTI Combat 9mm are based on a simplified version of the Walther P99’s proven semi-auto striker-fired action. In fact, Walther itself still uses a very similar P99 action, as seen in both the Walther PPQ and the Walther PDP. And although I had some issues spring up with my steel frame Rival-S after the initial review, I still very much enjoy this pistol and think it makes a fine shooter. (These issues had more to do with the challenge of taking a polymer-frame based design and translating them into the production of a metal-framed pistol. As far as I know they’re past that learning curve, because I’m still seeing the Rival-S showing up at matches or other shooting events).
In the case of the new Canik TTI Combat, it takes after the Canik METE series. Everything about the new TTI Combat has been spec’d out by Taran Tactical Innovations themselves and this gun is also the first Canik factory handgun to ship with a compensator along with a spiral fluted ported barrel. I plan on shooting/reviewing this gun with Canik’s Mecanik MO3 reflex sight: this is their big window, competition-focused reflex sight with a 6 MOA dot. The Canik TTI Combat on display at the Century Booth [pictured above] also had the Mecanik MO3 mounted. The MO3 itself also intrigued me because I don’t see or hear much about these in general.
Canik TTI Combat Details
The Canik TTI Combat’s unique slide serrations and lightening cuts along with the combination of bronze Cerakote contrasted with black polymer frame makes the TTI Combat stand out. It’s outfitted with a very nice trigger and compared to the METE’s moderate default grip texture, the TTI Combat’s is considerably more aggressive. Lastly, the standard iron sights are fantastic and provide the shooter an awesome sight picture. The rear sight is plain with horizontal serrations and wide square notch while the front sight is tall and comes equipped with a green fiber optic insert. I fell in love with this sight picture and almost felt bad having to mount the dot, but it’s 2024.
For optics, the Canik TTI Combat’s slide is cut the exact same way as the Canik METE slide is, so it can take a Trijicon RMR-CC directly on the metal. Like the METE it includes the standardized Shield RMSc plates. Last but not least, it does include a thin plate with the Trijicon RMR/SRO footprint which is the pattern that matters to me the most, especially because that’s what the MO3 uses.
A view through the fairly-new (launched last year) Mecanik MO3 reflex sight. It has a roundish window similar to the Trijicon SRO but has a 6 MOA dot and cat ears instead.
TTI Combat Downrange
My single range session (so far) consisted of zeroing the Mecanik MO3 at 10 yards and confirming zero at 25 yards. With the zero confirmed, I shot the Canik TTI Combat off the bench along with both my handloads and factory loads next to my Labradar chronograph in order to get muzzle velocities and some groups. Once I finished gathering this data ahead of the official review, I also had some fun. I did what came naturally and shot some NRA B-8 targets at 25 yards. I shot 40 rounds for practice and warm up and then shot two 10-round strings at two separate targets for score, for fun and to see what capabilities my handloads gave me.
With my “standard” 115-grain 9mm load that consists of Berry’s 115-grain plated bullet over 4.5-grains of Hodgdon HP38, I shot a 97-1X. I shot the second target with a new load I’ve been working up that consists of 5.2-grains of Alliant Blue Dot under a 147-grain Berry’s plated RN bullet. I shot a 97-5X with a very annoying and disappointing “flyer.” But I’ll take both scores especially considering how new I am to both that red-dot and pistol combination. I know my pistol handloads won’t win any matches on the 50-yard line at Camp Perry but the confidence from knowing they can nail a B-8 at 25-yards is crucial for my purposes in cranking out these handloads.
Looking Forward
Shooting two fairly high scores (for me) with the TTI Combat on its first day out certainly gave me a great impression. With an easy trigger, aggressive grip and excellent iron sights stood out. Furthermore, having never handled any Mecanik reflex sight, my initial good impression of the SHOT Show floor is still true after mounting it and shooting it 150 rounds in. I’m really looking forward to putting this pistol through its paces. In a rush to get out to the range, I also forgot to wipe down and lube prior to shooting, but the pistol didn’t seem to mind.
I’ve recently taken a renewed interest in the idea of a civilian PDW. The term PDW, or Personal Defense Weapon, has evolved over time. At first, it was a class of firearms that sat somewhere between a rifle and a submachine gun, a notable example being the P90. The Russians were the first to say let’s just make a super short rifle with the AKS-74U, but America has caught up to them. Guns like the SIG Rattler in 300 Blackout redefined the military PDW. In my opinion, the civilian PDW is a bit different, and I’ve been chewing on the idea since SHOT 2024.
(HK)
Ever since the nationwide brace ban injunction, we’ve seen a new rise in braced firearms. The new P365 Raider from Flux Defense, aka the Panty Raider, is what piqued my interest in the idea. At SHOT, we saw the release of the MP7 from Tommy Built Tactical, a Rock-based MP7 lookalike from PSA, and even a dress-up kit from FarrowTech for the KelTec CP33 that kinda filled that same roll.
These and others, fill that Civilian PDW role and got me thinking about the usefulness of a civilian PDW, what the parameters of one should be, and how would you carry, deploy, and utilise the weapon. With this all in mind, I wanted to explore the concept in a series of articles, starting with this article that lays the general groundwork for the concept.
Putting In The Research
This isn’t an original idea, and I certainly didn’t come up with it. In doing my research, I found it’s been around in a few different forms for quite some time. Arguably, the concept of a truck gun isn’t too far from this idea. YouTuber Brass Facts has a video that I watched during my research. If you’re interested in the concept, watch his video. He lays out some great reasoning, suggestions, and more.
I started with the initial concept of the PDW, which was started by NATO. The idea of a weapon that sits between a pistol and a rifle made sense. It should be small and compact but capable, easy to shoot, and reliable. For the civilian market, it would also need to be concealable for daily carry.
With this loose set of rules, I was able to come up with a few different genres of potential civilian PDWs. My plan with this series is to explore each of these categories with a series of tests that will involve accuracy, speed, ease of carry, deployment, and overall ease of use.
Potential PDWs
I’ve broken down potential PDWs into four categories.
Braced Pistols
By braced pistols I mean kits that are enveloped or engulfed by braces. This genre is mostly dominated by the Flux Raider series and the RT 20/20. I am not including the Roni kits or similiar apparatus. While those are fine for plinking and fun I don’t thing they are fantastic for serious use.
(GunMagWarehouse)
Subguns
Subguns are technically and legally pistols, but I’m separating them for clarity’s sake. These are guns like the CZ Scorpion are pistol-caliber weapons that mimic SMGs. The smallest models, sometimes known as the K models, are candidates for a civilian PDW.
Quick Attach Pistol Systems
An underrated but practical option is a quick-attach brace or stock design that can be attached to your handgun in seconds. This type of system has very limited options, but hopefully, we’ll have more than one to test. It’s pretty far from the civilian PDW but it might be capable.
Folding Rifles
Everyone knows what I mean when I say folding rifle. There are only really two, and that’s the KelTec Sub 2000 and the S&W FPC. These offer a rifle option for a PDW.
Carrying & Testing
I won’t be using a super tactical or specialty bag. I aim to use a fairly standard-looking bag. It can be tactical in some ways but should appear plain and not overly large. I have a few in mind. We plan to get this series kicked off in the next few weeks, so stay tuned and drop in to see where we’ve landed on the civilian PDW.
I recently reviewed the Tisas 1911A1 ASF single-stack .45-caliber M1911A1 pistol elsewhere which naturally entailed live-fire. The Tisas 1911A1 ASF is neat because it’s a modern replica based on the most common Second World War M1911A1 military pistol, the variant produced in Syracuse, New York at Remington-Rand.
M1911A1 Pistol
While Remington-Rand is tangentially related to the original Remington Arms Company of Ilion, New York, Remington-Rand’s core business was the manufacturing of typewriters. During WW2, they took on a government contract to produce M1911A1 pistols for the war effort. Out of the five different manufacturing concerns that made such guns (Colt, Ithaca Gun Company, Singer, Union Switch & Signal and Remington-Rand), Remington-Rand by far produced the most units from 1943 through the war’s end. As such, Tisas modeled the 1911A1 ASF on this commonly produced Remington-Rand variant. Besides the profile of the grip-safety, they did a very good job. Assembled parts fit well, slide-to-frame fit is very reasonable with only a bit of rattling, and the manganese phosphate (parkerized) finish.
There’s very few things that aren’t faithful to the original pistols made during the war. One is the omission of the original style steel firing pin for a more modern [and safer] titanium unit. The other is that the supplied magazines are different in the witness hole pattern and follower shape. Of course these magazines are also modern production items from Mec-Gar. For a gun that has a list price of $479 MSRP, it’s really not bad for the money at all. And unlike other Tisas M1911A1 catalog offerings, this handgun is parkerized instead of Cerakoted. Not only does it look right and feel right, but I think it helps in reliability. When it comes to certain critical dimensions and the differing thicknesses between surface treatments, things can get funny. Historical underpinnings aside, this might be the Turkish gunmaker’s best USGI style 1911.
NO EXPECTATIONS
This post isn’t about the Tisas per-se. Honestly, when I took on the assignment to do the main review elsewhere, I was primarily interested in the gun’s historical angle. Initially, I was indifferent at the notion of shooting yet another plain-jane pistol with crappy USGI sights and basic features. Including the lack of ambidextrous safeties. After all, this isn’t the first M1911A1 clone I’ve shot, and it probably won’t be the last.
I’ll confess that I pulled up to my gun club with no expectations. I actually ended up enjoying the review and had some fun shooting and running a vanilla 1911, even with the grip-safety burrowed into the back of my hand and rubbed my skin off in that spot. I even ran it under a shot timer for a couple of runs and managed to shoot .21 splits with 230-grain ball ammo (power factor 190.44) on some Bill Drills.
THE EPIPHANY
Again, showing up to shoot a plane-jane with bad sights and a standard 16-lb recoil spring that favors reliability over smoothness, made me feel somewhat ambivalent about it. Nonetheless I applied the finer details on handgun shooting that I picked up from Hunter Freeland while shooting this review. Freeland is a talented shooter and the way he drove his Staccato-P left an impression on me. Since I was shooting a 1911, this was subconsciously on my mind.
After all, what is a Staccato, but a modernized 1911 with double the capacity?
So as I’m mindfully going over the various skills from his course in drawing, gripping, prepping and shooting this 1911 for the review, it hits me: The true beauty of this 113-year old design. The core elements of the 1911 really do make for a wonderful shooting pistol. The 1911 draws well, presents well and points well. The proportion between the size of the trigger guard and the rest of the fronstrap is conducive to an excellent support-hand grip. And the trigger–oh man, even the basic GI trigger on this pistol is hard to complain about. In spite of the fact that it has the shorter A1 style trigger shoe, it consistently breaks at 4.5-lbs and has such a lovely reset.
Without her “make-up” and extra add-ons in the way of extended beavertails, ambi-safeties, magwells, better stocks, etc, the 1911’s true beauty and utility shined through and made itself known in a way I had never before seen. But it’s not something I’d have been able to pick up until reaching a certain level of experience. Even though this plainjane gun leaves much to be desired in almost every category such as sights, capacity, on-board features, tuning, etc, I also began to look at it in a different light after recognizing the gun for its basic virtues.
STATING THE OBVIOUS
I suppose you can summarize this whole post by simply saying “shooter of the new generation discovers what the geezers have known since the dawn of time.” But in all seriousness, it’s cool to see from my modern perspective how an ancient design can clearly show all the underpinnings needed in a performance pistol.
