Brightest Addition to Tactical Light Series Offers 3,500 Lumens, Multi-Fuel Options
EAGLEVILLE, PA, February 15, 2018– Streamlight® Inc., a leading provider of high-performance lighting and weapon light/laser sighting devices, introduced the ProTac® HL 5-X USB rechargeable system, the newest and brightest addition to the ProTac® series of tactical lights. Delivering up to 3,500 lumens, the new light comes with two of Streamlight’s new 18650 lithium ion batteries with an integrated micro USB charging port and a charge cord. A ProTac HL 5-X with four CR123A batteries is also available.
The ProTac HL 5-X USB offers three selectable programs and is powered by either two rechargeable 18650 USB batteries or four 3-volt CR123A lithium disposable batteries. This multi-fuel capability enables users to charge the light on the go, or insert cell batteries when a charging source is not available.
“The ProTac HL 5-X USB is one of the brightest tactical lights on the market, with flexible battery options for every situation,” said Streamlight Vice President, Sales and Marketing, Michael F. Dineen. “The ideal hand-held flood light, the ProTac HL 5-X USB lets you see what is all around you, including hard-to-reach perimeters and corners.”
The ProTac HL 5-X USB uses the latest in power LED technology for extreme brightness. When using 18650 batteries, it delivers 3,500 lumens on high, and a run time of one hour and 15 minutes. It also provides 2,500 lumens and a run time of 1 hour and 30 minutes on the high setting when using CR123A batteries. Run times on low are 10 hours and 30 minutes, and 11 hours and 30 minutes, respectively.
The light features a TEN-TAP® programmable switch, which allows for user selection from among three programs: high/strobe/low (factory default); high only; or low/medium/high.
Fabricated from 6000 series machined aircraft aluminum with an anodized finish, the ProTac HL 5-X USB features a multi-function, push-button tactical tail switch that permits one-handed operation. It also has a “sure grip” rubber sleeve to ensure users never lose their grip.
The ProTac HL 5-X USB is 9.53 inches in length and weighs 1 pound, 2.4 ounces with four CR123A batteries and 1 pound, 3.4 ounces with two 18650 rechargeable batteries. The light has an IPX7-rated design for waterproof operation to one meter for 30 minutes, and is impact resistance-tested to one meter.
Available in black, the ProTac HL 5-X USB and the ProTac HL 5-X have MSRPs of $175.00 and $145.00, respectively. Both come with a lanyard and Streamlight’s Limited Lifetime Warranty.
About Streamlight
Based in Eagleville, PA, Streamlight, Inc. has 45 years of experience making tough, durable, long-lasting flashlights designed to serve the specialized needs of professionals and consumers alike. Since 1973, the company has designed, manufactured and marketed high-performance flashlights, and today offers a broad array of lights, lanterns, weapon light/laser sighting devices, and scene lighting solutions for professional law enforcement, military, firefighting, industrial, automotive, and outdoor applications. Streamlight is an ISO 9001:2008 certified company. For additional information, please call 800-523-7488, visit streamlight.com or connect with us on facebook.com/streamlight; twitter.com/Streamlight; instagram.com/streamlightinc; and youtube.com/streamlighttv.
X-Products CEO James Malarkey believes in the Second Amendment but…
But believes that right is actually a privilege. Believes that licensing is not an infringement.
Apparently believes the $350 50rd magazine that his company designed and sells is a right but not a right to own because there should be a heavily regimented process to acquire it… like a National Firearms Act or some other series of stringent controls on this inalienable right that he so strongly supports.
Mr. Malarkey seems awful full of his namesake.
Malarkey; Noun, informal.
meaningless talk; nonsense.
“don’t give me that malarkey”
Soldier Systems has two full pages of Malarkey’s malarkey where he lays such pearls of wisdom as:
“Instead of outright banning it, allow people to have some kind of licensing,” he said. “I think it would weed out a lot of crime.” – from an earlier interview he did with CNN
“…I also believe gun ownership is a privilege and that is nearing a tipping point.”
That which is a right is not a privilege, James. That which is a privilege is inherently not a right.
“… however there should be a regimented well-regulated structure to how you should achieve those rights.”
You keep using that word… right… I do not think it means what you think it means.
We regulate the abuse of rights.
We illegalize a right’s violation.
If we “structure” how you use the right, it is not a right.
He then goes into his full licensure layout of this fundamental inalienable right we should not give an inch on… he says that too, I’m questioning his abilities in english comprehension at this juncture.
You can read his whole plan about how to regulate a right through license here at the SSD Screen Captures.
I will say… James, I disagree vehemently. I’m far from alone in that view. Good luck in the immediate sales future within the firearms industry.
Magpul makes an awesome drum magazine that holds ten extra rounds for a third the price and loads easier by the way. Oh and they do not heart the gun control.
A crucial part of modern rifle systems is their optical suites. Optics enhance the ability of the shooter to take advantage of the rifle’s base capabilities. However, optics are specialized instruments and their individual designs reflect their specializations.
Picking an optic, regardless of quality, that does not fit your rifle’s mission profile is a good way to waste resources.
A red dot or holographic sight is valueless on a 400-600 meter prairie dog rifle. A 3lb 35x zoom rifle scope will do nothing for you efficiently hitting targets inside 25 meters.
There are two methods for covering the optical choice conundrum.
The first is picking a primary optic and supplemental solutions. A variable power optic, a red dot (offset or top mounted on the scope), and iron sights is an often utilized set up. Many optics suppliers sell a combination of an optic and red dot as a package.
The second is picking one optical solution that covers the widest spectrum of performance and recognizing that you are making a compromise.
In actuality you’re compromising in either case.
If you utilize multiple optics you are increasing the size, weight, and complexity of your system. More possible failure points have been introduced. More maintenance and system checks are now involved to keep the optical system accurate. Utilizing the combination takes a more disciplined shooter who needs be able to decide between those optical system components quickly to address a shot.
If you utilize the single optic system you a compromising on the specializations the multiple gives you. You’re limiting control complexity and failure points. Simplifying an interface but removing a degree of flexibility by putting limitations on the capabilities of speed and/or precision.
The end user must make a careful study of not only the rifle’s required capability but the user capability and what system will allow the user greatest ability to meet the role requirement.
This choice was, in all honesty, the most difficult on this project.
The MOD1 is a modernized service rifle concept. It’s role is jack of all trades. It needs to be able to stretch its legs and effectively reach to 500-600 meters with an acceptable hit percentage. Equally it needs to perform in a close quarters setting.
The choice was the Trijicon ACOG Model TA31. While LPVOs continue to emerge as excellent optical solutions with increasing adoption and reflex optics are also very accurate in their own right, the ACOG is still my preference 10 years after I started using them.
Reflex optics were dismissed. The MRO, RMR, EXPS3, and CompM5 all posses strong merits and would serve the role but I felt they underutilized the accurate range potential. To increase that range potential a magnifier must be added. I did not want two optical mechanisms on the rifle to limit complexity. Reflex optics under performed on the requirement of simplified range and accuracy exploitation. The addition of magnifiers added more complexity and bulk than I deemed advantageous to gain back the range. Astigmatism was a contributing factor in the decision too, with the ACOGs solid reticle interacting better with my eyes than any projected or holographic reticle. I am able to utilize the reflex optics but I am more comfortable and confident with the ACOG.
Low Power Variable Optics (LPVOs) were dismissed. There is an increasing use of LPVOs within the serious rifle employment fields of special operations and competition. Several DoD solicitations are currently open for increased development and potential deployment of these optics. The merits of the optical system are strong however three factors placed the ACOG ahead. The rifle is not being employed in a precision or semi-precision role. The ACOG is a fixed system requiring very minimal manipulation to zero and none during operational use. The ACOG is a smaller and lighter system than any current LPVO.
I own one LPVO system with a second on the way. The rifle that optic is on is currently in a semi-precision role. The second optic will be going on a rifle in a precision/semi-precision role. The optics will allow easier exploitation of the maximum effective ranges on both rifles for the trade off of a mild increase in control complexity.
The reflex optical systems I own serve their purpose very well also. The practical range limits the systems are employed on are 200 meters and 300 meters respectively with 50 meters being the optimum target range. They are fast and accurate but begin to lose precision exploitation capability at range. That isn’t their operational strength and the carbines they are on reflect that mission and aren’t set up to be used in that role.
The SCAR MOD1 project is, again, building a service rifle. The target optimum range is 300 meters with capability to strike with effective sustained fire at 500-600 meters and be utilized in close quarters reflex style shooting. The system needed to be as minimally complicated and durable as possible while still offering increased ability to engage and exploit targets at any viable distance.
The TA31 best suited all these role requirements. It increases the ease of effective shots at distances greater than 100 meters through magnification and reticle design. Once properly zeroed it requires no manipulation to use the full optical feature array. Using the BAC the optic is effective in CQB and offers distinct advantages over iron sights in both speed and accuracy.
I have decided that 2018 is my year to become better acquainted with a certain piece of family property – one that no living family member but myself has ever been to. I am hoping to use my new knowledge of the topography to begin hunting deer and turkey there. The problem is, that I’ve only visited the property twice – armed only with a small printout from Google maps, and a tax map.
Enter MyTopo.com, an online customizable map service located in Billings, Montana. Prior to finding this service, I would have had to purchase several topographic maps of the required USGS quadrangles and piece them together to get a full view of the property. MyTopo.com does also offer USGS quads for purchase, as well as GMU/hunting maps, but I wanted a custom map of the property.
MyTopo.com is so easy to use that even the proverbial direction-challenged second lieutenant that my vet friends joke about could use it (Editor’s Note: They are NOT proverbial. They are very real.). To begin, the user enters an initial search for the area of interest. In my case, I entered the name of the closest town. I then zoomed in and moved the map around the screen until the area I was searching for came into view.
I then chose the type of map (topo, aerial, satellite, or a hybrid of topo and photo), the scale of the map, and whether private and public property lines should be included. There are a variety of map sizes available with the largest being 5 feet by 8 feet.
The basic level maps are waterproof, but the user may also choose to have their map laminated. One may also choose whether the map should arrive rolled or folded. I chose the folded option so that it would fit in my daypack more easily.
After the ordering process was complete, including the option of “naming” my map, MyTopo.com printed and mailed the map directly to my door. My package arrived inside of three days.
I could not have been more pleased with the finished product. My maps were printed on heavy, tear-resistant paper, which had a nice smooth finish. I opted for three maps, and they all turned out wonderfully, with the family property centered neatly in the middle.
I cannot recommend this service highly enough, and I plan to use MyTopo.com again in the near future for another piece of family property. Now, I just need to work on my land navigation skills!
Often in our efforts to practice our essential skills we short change round counts. We use less ammunition for one simple reason, it saves us money.
There are a number of training options that help us in that endeavour. I’ve detailed them a few times here https://gatdaily.com/skills-maintenance-limited-resources-using-deliberate-practice-low-round-counts/
But whether we use dry fire, low round count drills, training programs like MantisX or Targetize, or any combination thereof we cannot lose focus on the fact that in a fight we aren’t counting holes in an A zone and checking out phone apps and the shot timer.
In our practice we must remind ourselves that fighting is a ‘fire for effect’ event. Mentally notating the difference and pairing it with a live fire drill helps reduce the complacency bleed that can result from good scores in qualifications and competitions.
Half the battle is the conscious game. We are easily lulled into a sense of security based on scoring metrics. If we score well we like to translate that as we will fight well. But cleanly clearing an IDPA stage and cleanly drawing and addressing one or more moving and armed aggressors are not the same.
Using the competitive fields to test yourself and scoring metrics to grade your performance is valuable data but mentally compartmentalizing those scores and not letting them gain any artificial influence on your defensive mindset is critical.
So remind yourself constantly fire for effect, the only true scoring metric that will matter in the moment is an out of commision adversary. Not a single beat buzzer, A zone strike, or ring of steel impact matters nearly that much.
Plate carriers are useful items. They place life saving ballistic protection between you and direct hits from incoming gunfire to your core. It carries your gear, spare ammunition, and medical supplies. Stopping an otherwise debilitating or lethal hit allows you another chance to move, to get cover, to return fire.
But unless you are rolling out in an MRAP with an armed and armored team you’re probably not EDCing a plate carrier. Unless you are sitting with a badge in an office or a police cruiser you are probably not EDCing a vest.
Armor makes you a harder target. Carrying armor is not always easily accomplished.
AR500 Armor has made it easier to accomplish in two ways.
The AR500 Backpack Armor series has three pieces designed to fit into any space you could place a 15″ laptop with room for the laptop too. The rear panel of most backpacks has a laptop space or a hydration pocket where the soft armor and/or plate can slide in.
The Rimeleg panel is 1.6lbs and .46″ thick of IIIA magnum handgun rated protection.
The Level III 9.5″x13″ Coated Plate varies between .26″ and .48″ thick depending on the coating thickness selected. It adds 8lbs but can stop rifle fire up to 5.56/.223 and 7.62/.308.
The Hybrid gives you the same level IIIA magnum handgun rated protection but at a lighter 1.5lbs and .25″ thick. Pairing it with a plate and the 9.5lbs .51″ thick package covers both pistol and rifle impacts with the Hybrid padding the torso from the kinetic transfer through the plate.
Wear the bag across the chest to advance or while facing a threat. Worn properly on the back move away quickly.
Having the options is the first way AR500 is aiding.
I hate this topic. I hate the immediate politicization. I hate that 17 families have had a hole ripped into them by the violent choice of one oxygen thief.
But above all I hate the sphincter torrent of valueless bloody shirt waiving.
There is a small group right now that has every justification to be emotionally rent. The families, students, and faculty in Parkland who are living this nightmare. I do not expect a level head from any of them, not right now. Those wounds are still fresh and deep.
When the father of a victim stands in front of a camera, voice breaking from grief, saying “Do not tell me there is no such thing as gun violence! It happened right here in Parkland.” I will not offer a word of rebuke, condemnation, or correction. They can hate my position. They can be angry at me. They are wounded and grieving.
I grant no such leeway to the politicians who pick up those grieving people and use them. They know better.
There is no such thing a gun violence. It is violence and its motivations are always the same.
Violence comes from a select few motivations.
Acquisition
Retribution
Statement
Defense
An individual’s or group’s reason for using violence will fall under one or more of those categories.
In the case of Cruz, this appears to be retribution. While the authorities in Parkland investigate further and the mental health aspect will be dissected and speculated on cyclically by every outlet that believes they have a “solution” the basic motivator appears to be planned punitive retribution.
Revenge for slights perceived or real is among the oldest of violent motivations. Vengence isn’t going anywhere. It’s a trait of human nature and when that trait surfaces, disregarding the sanctity of human lives, the mind rationalizes violence.
What should we do? What can we do?
We can do just about anything. We can ban. We can limit. We can regulate. We can confiscate.
In each of those cases we will fail to prevent violence. We will not limit violence. We will not alter the motivations for violence.
What else can we do?
We can take the threat of violence seriously and realize that our responses are entirely devoid of any need to know the motivation. The motivation does not matter.
It does not matter if the person or persons threatening me and mine want my wallet, want revenge, or want to harm me for being American, male, white, tall, thin, or for a differing view on God. My response will follow the same progression in any of those cases.
What should we do?
Tend to the wounded. Mourn with the grieving. Take the threat seriously.
There continues to be no softer nor more vulnerable target than free society. Part of the reason is we DO NOT take this risk seriously. We continue to prefer believing it won’t happen. We continue to accept half measures and window dressing security in place of effective responses.
It starts with us. It starts with us asking what the plans are? Who have they vetted those plans with? How often is it rehearsed? How often is it updated? What does it realistically cover?
There’s no school nurse aid station that can handle a mass casualty event, not even when paramedics arrive. Why? They make trauma kits orderable online that cover everything from splinters and sprains to gunshot wounds and shrapnel in multiple people.
What real security was in place that this shooter could walk in with a rifle and pull a fire alarm? Why was there access? Why wasn’t there physical and digital observation? If there was what was the failure point or weakness that he exploited?
Now what are the answers to those questions in your school district? If those answers suck, fix them.
If violence comes to you… can you get violent?
The answer should be yes. You will live longer.
How effectively can you become violent? How well armed are you? How well armed can you become?
Again, if the answers to those question suck, fix them.
What shouldn’t we do?
We shouldn’t listen to anyone who says there have been 18 school shootings this year. Only two fit that description, 19 dead total. The rest of the incidents range from random rounds coming through windows, to suicide, to a 3rd grader discharging a police officer’s sidearm (yes, really). Using any event that happens on our near a school to pad the number of school shootings does nothing to address any of the specific incidents.
We shouldn’t listen to anyone who believes our violence is more violent than someone else’s somewhere else. The motivations remain consistent. Twenty one dead in Chicago since February 1st. France currently has a higher mass casualty count and a drastically higher rate (including just shootings) than the U.S. from 2009 onward. Our violence is not unique and we need to stop wasting energy pretending it is.
We shouldn’t listen to anyone who is advocating a half measure like a high capacity magazine ban, an AR15 or assault weapon ban, or any variation on the language surrounding “high powered assault weapons”. They are either lying or stupid. If they believe the problem is firearms the only viable position that mitigates that threat is a total ban and confiscation. While it isn’t a solution to violence nor a remotely executable possibility it is the only logical position for someone to hold if they rationalize firearms held privately as the threat.
It is a tale. Told by an idiot, full of sound and fury,. Signifying nothing.
Let our hearts do the hurting for those lost and injured. Let our heads come up with the solutions. Real viable effective solutions to save lives, end these events more quickly, treat the wounded, and prevent more of these incidents by fostering a culture where human life is too valuable to take.
Welcome to We Like Shooting’s Double Tap, Episode 49, Tonight we talk about gun tech, we’ll answer your questions on Dear WLS, we’ll talk about NOT GUNS, and revisit past gear
The modern rifle market has been updating at a pace that parallels digital technology. The new developments for the AR15 specifically has been ludicrous.
If you don’t understand this reference culture yourself
The AR is a ubiquitous platform being produced in the millions by hundreds of sources in varying volumes. More proprietary platforms have had a slower developmental pace.
The SCAR, first deployed in April 2009, is among the most popular 21st century platforms and its commercial 16S and 17S models command a premium while AR15 prices tanked. Quality AR offerings can be had for between about half the price of a SCAR16s up to and exceeding the SOCOM contracted modular carbines.
I won’t argue that a well made AR can’t pace the SCAR16 in many respects. FN’s M16A4 and M4 served admirably in my hands for years and companies like LWRCi, Daniel Defense, and Bravo Company all produce excellent duty grade rifles.
None of them are quite a SCAR though. The ugg boot stocked 50 shades of flat dark earth carbine has an exceptional reputation for reliability, accuracy, and an almost mythical durability from data collected by the USMC and Battlefield Las Vegas independently.
But again, the SCAR is a proprietary system. It’s commercial price and market coverage combined with its development for SOCOM and the other Department of Defense entities had kept its technical data package stunted compared to the wider viability of the AR15.
A Technical Data Package (TDP) is the specific list of components, their properties, and their sources within a given tool. There are both military and commercial TDP’s. One exists for every product these companies produce.
Compare commercial offerings on the AR15 market to the SCAR and and you see the SCAR continues to use older technology in it’s TDP layout. If AR’s had stayed similarly they would all be sporting quad rails and fixed front sights still. The SCAR’s factory TDP is still, in practicality, the 2009 offering with only the standard product improvements companies roll out gradually and without fanfare done internally by FN.
The aftermarket, however, has worked very closely with both FN and end users and the optional upgrades have become very well developed. From that selection of upgrades I have launched my own private product improvement program (PIP) to develop a SCAR MOD1.
A new SCAR16s will be the base for this commercial of the shelf (COTS) PIP.
Not every part of the rifle will receive attention but the ultimate goal is to have a simple list of parts that bring the SCAR rifle parallel to premium AR offerings. I will keep you apprised.
MOD 0.2
This PIP has already been set into motion.
Geissele AutomaticsSuper SCAR trigger was installed. This is probably the single most effective modification that can be made to the SCAR rifle improving weapon performance. The factory single stage triggers are crisp, effective, and reliable but the break weight is heavy beyond even mil-spec AR15 offerings.
Geissele is a company that works closely with serious rifle end users. They hold several DoD project contracts including their select fire improved two-stage trigger for the M4 and MK18 rifles.
Paralleling this development Geissele has developed an extensive line of upgraded triggers across multiple platforms for different applications. At their core the designs revolve around increased combat reliability, a component of which is accuracy.
The Super SCAR Trigger and SCAR Heavy Hammer Spring replace the stock components of the trigger group to deliver a lighter crisp two-stage trigger which will aid accuracy without compromising the trigger’s reliability.
A Hogue overmold grip, this one modified for the SCAR by Hi-Desert Dog, is more a comfortable alternative to the A2 style factory grip. I prefer a grip with a sharper angle and it will likely change in a later upgrade series but the Hogue are my preference for A2 angled grips.
These two simple upgrades, grip and trigger, already alter the feel and performance of the SCAR16 in a noticeable positive direction. Improvements to barrel layout and mounting space require a greater investment in time and material.
Several possibilities exist and as the rifle progresses you will see it here. The selection process for each and reasoning behind inclusion will be detailed.
Our apologies to anyone who experienced any oddities online with us today. We have just completed a system wide update. That’s good news for you all moving forward!
Our primary concern was with load speed. We’ve laid some enhancement work behind the scenes to drastically reduce article load times. Some minor formatting changes have been imbedded also and you may find a few items in different spots.
As our readership continues to increase we need to shake things up on the servers to make sure everything continues to flow to you all as you want it and when you want it.
Editor’s Note: There is prevailing attitude that the medical community and the gun owning community in the United States are diametrically opposed. While it’s true many major medical community groups are allied and associated with gun control the medical community is diverse and holds its own collection of repressed firearms owners and advocates. Like Second Amendment advocates in gun control heavy states, doctors and medical professionals wage a quiet information shadow war where their pro-2A views can have serious professional consequences.
From Dr. LateBloomer
Sometimes, life as a pediatrician AND firearms enthusiast can make me feel as though I am some sort of double-agent. That feeling becomes magnified when it comes to political activism.
Despite the stance held by my organization, I personally have managed over the past nine years to become a safe and accurate shooter with semi-auto pistol, revolver, semi-auto rifle, and shotgun. I participate in local matches and have made friends all over the country because of the shooting sports. I’ve sought out additional instruction – attending classes from Kay and Jerry Miculek, Kathy Jackson of the Cornered Cat, and even Gunsite Academy. Last year I obtained my NRA Basic Pistol Instructor credentials. I am almost as serious about my firearms training as I am about my continuing medical education.
Yet, I work very hard to keep these two parts of my life as separate as possible. I don’t mind if my gun friends know what I do for a living, but I’d rather my shooting hobby not become well known (or even notorious, given my sometimes scathing online rants) amongst the medical community. I am frankly afraid of professional push-back.
As an illustration of my frustrating situation I received an email update last week from my state citizen gun rights group regarding some upcoming legislation involving campus carry. The email urged me to contact my legislators in support of the bill.
In the very same batch of email, I received an urgent message from my state chapter of the AAP with a headline of “Protect our Children!” (Yes, literally). This urgent notice begged me to contact my legislators to protect the state’s college students from dangerous guns on campus. A link was provided to propaganda from Moms Demand Action.
The names included in the letter were physicians I trained under in residency, who are well-respected in the state and at the University medical center.
It is incredibly hard for me to accept that these respected physicians can be so ignorant, and blind to hard data. Let alone so susceptible to propaganda. I had to grit my teeth and vent to some friends, to keep from replying to this letter with the blast of rebuke it deserved. That would have been a career-ending move for me. It was incredibly frustrating.
This is the oxymoronic position I exist in.
Don’t get me wrong – I have great respect for these physicians in a professional capacity, but their obvious blind spots when it comes to firearms frustrate me to no end. Especially when they buy into and promote propaganda from the “Demanding Mommies”, without any critical analysis whatsoever. In my mind, that’s almost as bad as if they’d let Jenny McCarthy be their vaccine spokesperson.
I’m feeling the kind of disappointment one experiences when first realizing that one’s parents are not omnipotent, but are merely human beings with faults of their own. It makes me sad as well as frustrated.
Contributing to my frustration is my inability to speak out publicly against this kind of academic medical propaganda. These people are well-respected in the state medical community and are highly placed in the large state academic medical center. My voice means nothing compared to that and speaking out publicly would put an end to my professional reputation, and therefore my career and livelihood. It leaves me grinding my teeth.
But all is not lost. A few years ago, I became a member of Doctors for Responsible Gun Ownership, which is a project of the Second Amendment Foundation. DRGO is a group of physicians and other health professionals who work to dispel the myth that firearms are a public health hazard. In them I have found kindred spirits.
I am not the only physician who shoots. There are many more of us than most people realize – of many ages and specialties. The challenge lies in encouraging these professionals to find their voices and stand up to the misguided and emotion-driven propaganda of Organized Medicine.
The modern materials of the firearms industry are polymer, aluminum, nylon, and steel. Proprietary blends of these materials dominate the market space forming our guns and their accessories.
I had a discussion a few weeks ago and during that discussion out came an interesting statement. “Modern gunsmithing is a machinists game.” In many respects that is true. The art is evolving as more and more platforms are mode modification capable.
But as the industry evolves certain classics remain. The 1911 handguns. Beautiful single action revolvers. Wooden stocked hunting rifles. Artistic over and under shotguns.
Quality leather holsters to carry your sidearm.
Kydex and the other hybrid polymers are the modern holster materials of choice and I have my share. They have significant factors in their favor including chemical resistance no break in period.
None of those factors eclipse the allure or function well made leather still gives you.
1791 Gunleather is a brand new company with two major goals. Manufacture simple high quality leather holster systems and make a true functional line of multi-fit holsters to simplify the holster search process. In the two years since opening production they have made tremendous efforts toward both goals.
The first goal is accomplished through material quality and detail oriented craftsmanship.
The second is a feat of engineering that has been so elusive the typical response to the advertisement of ‘multi-fit’ is one size fits none. 1791 claims to have solved this with a couple holster designs.
To back up their claim they sent me two holsters. Their model BH2.1 and model BH2.3 are their strongest contenders in a multi-fit crafted leather holster.
I have a Glock 19 and a Sig P226 to test the claims. In most conventional fitment respects Sig Sauer P22X series and Glock models are too dissimilar in frame to fit well in one holster.
BH2.3, 1791 Gunleather with P226 Legion
Before the holster arrived I did a once over of the 1791 product line and website. I found a continuous stream of gushing pro-2A advocacy and amourous enamorment with handcrafted gun leather products. Even the name 1791 Gunleather is used to invoke the Constitutional Ratification and patriotically armed Americans bearing arms patriotically.
It felt almost comically overdone… and then I spoke with the 1791 crew on the phone and at SHOT Show and found out that they aren’t overdoing anything. The webpage is a toned down version of 1791 in person. They possess a passion for their products and the exuberance of a young company looking to firmly entrench their name in the industry.
The staff has the attitude but did the product live up to it?
BH 2.1, Deals well with Glock 9mm/.40S&W Models and many similar frames.
Both the 2.1 and 2.3 arrived in storefront quality transparent plastic display boxes. An 8.5×11 sheet with the standard warranty (Lifetime), terms, and safety information was folded inside the holster bodies.
I had no expectations for these holsters beyond the baselines. 1791 was an unknown entity with no prevailing reputation. They were challenging a market space held by names like Desantis and Galco who both make several products I recommend.
From my conversations with 1791 the BH2.1 would suit my G19 best and the BH2.3 my Sig P226. I decided I would carry with the BH2.3 first.
Both holsters exhibited excellent initial characteristics. Leather was thick, well formed, and unblemished. The stitching was tight, even, and unfrayed. The base material quality and effort put into crafting felt excellent.
As new leather should be, the holsters were stiff. Sliding the P226 and the Glock 19 into the BH2.3 resulted in a firmly held pistol without any belt or body support. The BH2.1 is not crafted with a railed alloy gun in mind so only the G19 would fit but it was the same experience, hun held firmly.
Leather requires break in. I knew this but I wanted to evaluate the factory state. Putting the BH2.3 on my belt felt like wearing something akin to a brick. The leather was rigidly holding its original form. Sliding my P226 into the 2.3 pushed the slide out of battery, I corrected this with my thumb. With the added weight of the gun the brick comparison became more accurate still.
I tried drawing my P226 and was rewarded for my effort with my pants firmly seating themselves much higher and the BH2.3 firmly retaining the pistol. A second attempt with a full fledged wedgie freed the P226.
Believe it or not these are all things I wanted the holster to do.
Leather stretches and forms around the gun and your body as it gets used. If leather starts loose it will fail at retaining the pistol much more quickly. 1791’s holsters did not exhibit that often mischaracterized flaw.
To break in leather I use my Sig Sauer Sock. The very same product doubles as my Glock Sock. It is, in fact, just a clean thin sock you can wear on your foot. Leather flexes and compresses at a fair rate but a thin dress sock will accelerate the flex and compress process. Placing the sock over the gun and seating it into the holster provides a soft non marring layer that exerts additional outward pressure on the holster body. This increases the speed the leather will break in. Using the gun’s shape as the base inside the sock provides a more even expansion and does not over stress or under stress any one part of the holster.
After an hour of sock clad break in I could feel a difference. After a night the holster was usable. After a second night the holster was right where I wanted it and has remained so in the months since.
The broken in 1791 holsters are more comfortable than paddle or belt mount equipped plastics. The leather hugs the waistline with firm pressure from the belt and conceals well under a sweatshirt or jacket very comfortably. Due to the angle of carry and how close the holsters keeps the pistol to the body OWB concealment is possible with minimal printing, especially with compact and subcompact pistols.
The compatibility list 1791 gives for the 2.1 is broadly encompassing but vague.
Think links go to the applicable 1791 products for that pistol or brand
They don’t have an equivalent list right now for the 2.3 but the largest change between the 2.1 and 2.3 is the inclusion of railed alloy frames so it is likely a greater compatibility list.
From my own use I found 1791’s claims to be accurate within my testing capability. The BH2.3 worked equally well with my Sig P226 and my G19. Retention was comparable on both pistols resulting in similar draw strokes for both from the same position. When I picked up the P229 it’s results were comparable to the other two sidearms.
Wearing the BH2.3 for 6 weeks, working usually 12-14 hours with it on, the stitching and leather have endured beautifully. The only sign of wear is the fact it is worn in and more giving to body contour. It is the most comfortable OWB holster I currently have now that the early stiffness has been worn into a sturdy flexible form.
Ultimately I’m a kydex and polymer holster fan. I carry IWB most days with a G-Code INCOG Eclipse. On the range I use a G-Code Optimal Drop and an RTI OSH. I don’t often deviate outside these two holsters and I have several alternatives that see no use at all because of that.
A pair of bucks ran across the rolling sandhills of Nebraska, making their way towards the woodlot I was watching. There had already been an abundance of doe and small buck activity, and as the sun made its way into the western sky, the big boys were making an appearance.
The lead buck had my attention with five even points stretching off each antler. My heart rate quickened in anticipation at the opportunity to level my crossbow at his big body. The bucks entered the cedars and deer started moving in every direction. Does were running through the trees, and smaller bucks were getting out of the way and watching carefully. I caught glimpses of antlers moving through the dense cover and eventually spotted my target buck about 200 yards down the fence line freshening up a scrape and raking the bark off an adjacent tree. The rut had obviously kicked it.
I worried the buck had run through the thicket and checked the does, and would continue his way to the next block of cover when a commotion caught my attention. The two biggest bucks were chasing a doe, and they ran right to the edge of the small field I was situated on. The doe kept looking back, and my target buck edged his way up the fence until he was right in front of me. I ranged him at 72 yards and dropped my crossbow to my knee.
The buck was perfectly broadside and busy working on a new rub. I had plenty of time to level my crosshair, double check the range, and let an arrow fly, but it didn’t seem right. Any shot at a whitetail over 50 yards is risky business. To begin with, they are spooky creatures that can jump a string at 20 yards, let alone 72. The arc on the arrow would make it more susceptible to the gusting prairie winds, and all the deer had to do was take half a step in the time it took for my arrow to get there and my season would be over with no deer to show for it.
I let the buck carry on, and he was soon chasing does and letting every creature in the woods know he was boss. The doe that had drawn his attention early tried to sneak back down the tree line, and the buck resumed his chase. This time he passed in front of me at 61 yards but never stopped walking. I reminded myself to be patient.
As the sun started to set below the horizon, I thought my day was done. I had watched the buck off and on for nearly two hours, and although he was close, he wasn’t within my comfortable crossbow range.
I was taking in the pastel-painted skyline and couldn’t believe my eyes when the big buck returned, jumped the fence and focused on his stomach instead of the ladies. I felt like I was in the chess game of my life, as the buck would feed towards me only to turn and not offer a shot. He would wander too far away, then tease me by feeding back into the field. With light fading fast, the buck finally stopped at 46 yards, offering a perfect quartering-away shot. My arrow found its mark and the buck only traveled 50 yards before piling up.
Targets Are Not Wild Game
Patience is a virtue, but ethics help define a hunter. With the long-range crossbow craze getting attention, some good advice would be never shoot at a live target in a hunting situation at yardages you have not practiced and are not comfortable with at the range.
Fact: A crossbow shooting a 400-grain arrow at 400 fps will drop 92.8 inches to hit a target at 100 yards. That is a significant arc, from what would be the fastest bow around.
My 50-yard maximum forced me to pass the big buck I hoped to harvest. Anything beyond that has so many elements of risk that I can’t justify trying it. I owe it to the animals I pursue to make clean, ethical shots every single time.
Anyone that thinks they can make a 100-yard shot when hunting needs to run some tests. Set up at the range and shoot your crossbow so you can see the actual arrow flight. It should astonish you how big the arc is, looking like a bold rainbow after a good rain. Video the exercise and play it back in slow motion. The time it takes for the arrow to get to the target should make it clear that it isn’t an ethical hunting shot.
Have fun target shooting at extreme ranges, as it will only make you more accurate at distances you intend to hunt, but don’t confuse long-range target shooting with how far to push a crossbow when hunting.
This article was originally published on Shoot-On and is reposted by request.
The Riftcore has been on the market for roughly two years now. It debuted with their AGR line. Standing for Advanced Gear Research the AGR line was a departure from the brutal bomb proof 1000 Denier Cordura bags they built their company on. The pros of 1000D Cordura is that is nearly indestructible. The downside is that it is heavy and, in a pinch, can double as light duty sandpaper. The AGR line is billed as a smarter design. Still utilizing 1000D where high durability is needed it substituted the lighter yet still strong 500D hex weave in most places. Gone also is the 1000D heavily stitched PALS webbing. It is replaced by a Nylon-TPU composite in an ATLAS configuration. Also replacing the traditional adjustment strap fabric is a new seatbelt like material. The intention being a bag that is as durable if not more so for real world use while being lighter and more comfortable to live with. Sounds great but when you are being asked to pay north of $200 for a relatively small backpack you want to make sure the fancy new materials and design lives up to the billing. I will attempt to answer that in this article.
As the name of the article suggests I’ve used the Riftcore daily for now over a year. Now I am no operator dragging this bag around the world from one covert mission to the next. I am an IT professional and shooting enthusiast that takes self-defense and personal protection seriously. The day I purchased it the bag became my daily use bag. It has carried my laptop, headphones, various cables required to do my job, sunglasses, flashlight, first aid kit, Glock 19 and two spare mags with me to work every day. It is on me or in my truck 100% of the time. It even made it to Costa Rica with me for some hiking in the Manuel Antonio National Park. I am by no means extremely hard on my gear but I’m not gentle either. I have dropped, kicked, scuffed, stabbed, this bag and even had my 80 pound black furball drool all over it. I think I have accumulated enough data to assist you in making an informed buying decision.
The Good:
The biggest positive of the Riftcore is the bag’s structural design. This thing bends the laws of physics in what it allows you to cram inside. Then the yoke like shoulder straps and padded back make it extremely comfortable to wear. In its daily carry configuration my bag weighs over 20 pounds and it easily is the most comfortable bag I’ve daily carried. This is due to the aforementioned straps but also the design that keeps things very compact and tight to the body. Once you get it up on your shoulders and cinched into place you forget about it until it’s time to get something out.
I will commend Maxpedition on the choice of fabrics. The softer materials are easier to live with and their lighter weight allowed Maxpedition to pack more features. Interior pocket utility and waist strap comfort and utility are greatly increased over the comparable legacy pack. The end result however is a pack that weighs a little more. That’s definitely a knock against the original concept however you do get more for the weight at least in my opinion.
You’ve also lost nothing in durability by the selective use of 500D CORDURA over 1000D. 15 months of daily use loaded to capacity and there are no signs of fraying or structural wear. The grab handle is still solidly attached. None of the mesh on the padding is even showing a hint of wearing through. Even the seat belt material is holding solid despite constant adjusting. This bag has been rained on, peed on (incident with the dog that we’re not going to go into), dragged through dirt and mud, had a pygmy goat climb on and chew at it, and grabbed at by monkeys with hardly a mark to show its age.
All in all my complaints are largely superficial and minor. They just eat at me because of simply how much this pack gets right. It’s clear a lot of thought went into the details. The pull tabs on the zippers are perfect. The loops given at the end of the adjustment straps are exceedingly useful. The compartments are well laid out and either mesh or semi transparent. The middle compartment with the soft side velcro lining is eminently usable even if you do not take advantage of the velcro. The way each compartment opens completely to fold flat is brilliant. The back padding provides just the right combination of pad and airflow to keep you comfortable even in the humid jungles of Costa Rica. Well as comfortable as is possible in 90 degree heat, 80%+ humidity, and no breeze.
The Bad:
First and foremost is the cinch strap material. This seatbelt like material while soft and comfortable is awful in the roll of adjustment strap on a bag. When you reduce the natural friction of a strap and put it in the same friction based buckle as the previous straps you are setting yourself up for annoying the hell out of your customers.It is good they put the handy pull tabs on the bottom of the shoulder straps because you will be using them a lot. As a cruel joke played on those of us more OCD inclined they have placed elastic keepers on these straps to contain the tails. Same friction based problem applies. If you are like me you will find yourself adjusting strap lengths and keeper placement at least once a day. In their credit, while in use they do not move. It is when the bag is taken off and put back on repeatedly where things find their way out of place.
The next biggest complaint is the lack of laptop friendliness. The pocket in the back that is ostensibly designed to hold the water bladder or a laptop comes far too high up on the back panel to be of use as laptop storage. The elastic keepers along the front of that flap are stitched in the middle so as to preclude any securing of a laptop in the main compartment. “But it’s not designed to hold a laptop.” you may argue. My counter to that is why not? Who is not carrying some form of electronic computer with them on a daily basis now days? Especially when you have an admin panel clearly designed to accommodate office supply type objects. It is baffling to me that the opening of the back pocket was not lowered enough to allow for a laptop to easily slip in. As it sits even putting a water bladder in there is an exercise in frustration. On the topic of water I would have also appreciated an exterior water bottle pouch rather than an accessory you have to purchase.
The final gripe is with the bag’s CCW compartment. My complaint here is two fold, first the opening is not spacious enough to allow quick and easy access to your weapon. Second while sounding nice on paper accessing the compartment from both sides of the bag creates a potential for confusion under stress. For this reason I regularly practice getting my weapon out of the bag with it in various starting positions both on and off my body. I highly recommend if you choose to carry in this method that you do the same.
In conclusion, in my position at work I’m given a lot of tech oriented backpacks. Five high end packs have been given to me in the last year in fact. My Riftcore that I paid for with my own money is my daily pack and I don’t see that changing anytime soon. I can thoroughly recommend it for anyone who wants to bridge the gap between tech/business and preparedness/self defense. It comfortably lives in both worlds and will not let you down.
