Daniel Defense Gets Into The Ammunition Business With ‘First Choice’ 300 Blackout

May 1, 2016

A company that was all 300 Blackout before 300 Blackout was cool has just introduced its first line of ammunition bearing its name.

And you guessed it, the first caliber is 300 Blackout.

Daniel Defense — which makes some of the finest AR rifles out there and has been a longtime favorite of Army Special Forces troops for years — just released its “First Choice” ammunition line in 300 AAC Blackout subsonic. The company has long made AR-pattern rifles in the silencer-equipped, SBR-optimized chambering and now adds its manufacturing acumen to bullets for its guns.

The new Daniel Defense 300BLK (7.62x35mm) subsonic ammunition is designed for target shooting and home defense. It is manufactured using the highest-quality components available, including durable brass cases and precision 220-grain Lapua- Scenar-L OTM bullets, the first choice for serious target-shooting competition, the company says.

“We’re passionate about the launch of our 300BLK ammo,” said Cindy Daniel, Vice President of Marketing. “It represents a whole new era for our brand—one where we can now ensure that the ammo that goes into our firearms is as high quality as the firearms themselves.”

The new Daniel Defense First Choice ammo will run about $50 for a box of 30 rounds. The company says it will be offering 5.56 and 7.62×39 rounds soon as well.

Source: http://www.shootingsportsretailer.com/2016/03/24/daniel-defense-gets-into-the-ammunition-business-with-300-blackout/

Why We Love HPR Ammo For Our Rifles And Handguns

248 Shooter

May 1, 2016

At Shooting Sports Retailer we run a lot of competitions. While we’re not the best team in the world by any means, these outings prove a great way to test products from our editorial partners and really put them through the wringer of stress, accuracy and durability on the clock.

One of the most dependable products we’ve added to our inventory is the line of rifle ammunition from HPR. The Arizona-based ammo maker offers a full line of rifle and pistol rounds for every type of shooter. Whether its for personal defense using HPR’s Jacketed Hollow Point pistol ammo in everything from 10mm to 380, real-deal operators who need to engage targets indoors using the frangible Black Ops line or competitors like us who need rounds to feed well and hit their mark every time, HPR offers an affordable alternative with premium components.

The HPR 55gr 223 ammunition is a go-to round for running and gunning, with a blistering 3,223fps muzzle velocity, the round keeps much of its speed even out to 300 yards at 2,112fps. Each round is made with premium components and is hand inspected at HPR’s Payton, Arizona, plant.

We’ve fired nearly 1,000 rounds of HPR 55gr FMJ 223 ammunition through a wide variety of test guns — with a wide range of magazines as well — and never had a hiccup. That’s enough info for us to recommend HPR’s line to just about anyone.

And don’t forget HPR’s pistol lineup either. Whether it’s 38 Special, 45 ACP or big fat 10mm, HPR has a round that’ll feed dependably, shoot straight and do what it’s supposed to on target every time.

Source: http://www.shootingsportsretailer.com/2016/03/30/why-we-love-hpr-ammo-for-our-rifles-and-handguns/

The Original Muck Buck Company Men’s Arctic Excursion Tall

Eric TGL

April 30, 2016

We give our thoughts on Muck Boot’s Artic Excursion Tall Boots

Link for boot details: http://www.muckbootcompany.com/produc…

Music used: Derelict Ship by Per Kiilstofte https://machinimasound.com/music/dere…
Licensed under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/b…)

You can find TheGearLocker.net @

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-Eric

Source: http://www.thegearlocker.net/2016/03/original-muck-buck-company-mens-arctic-excursion-tall/

The Elite Survival Covert Pack Is Just That

248 Shooter

April 30, 2016

Elite Survival Systems might be one of the best pack makers you’ve never heard of.

While the company has a full lineup of tactical gear like pouches and soft holsters, it’s also taken a swing at the discreet carry and transport trend. One of the more interesting packs they’ve introduced this year is the Covert Operations rifle backpack.

Others have tried this before, but the thing that sets the Elite Survival offering apart is its sheer modesty. This thing looks like a slightly larger school book bag, but has all the attachments inside to secure and carry a broken down AR and all the goods that go with it.

The story goes that Elite Survival got a request from a few law enforcement officers who live in condos in the suburbs of Saint Louis and didn’t want to be obvious about it when they took their long guns to the range. So Elite Survival responded and produced an awesome option for shooters who don’t want to scream “tactical” when they go for a little steel banging.

The Covert Operations bag comes in at an MSRP of $224.95.

Source: http://www.shootingsportsretailer.com/2016/03/31/the-elite-survival-covert-pack-is-just-that/

GEMTECH Suppressor Company Announces New Ownership

248 Shooter

April 30, 2016

Boise, Idaho-based Gemini Technologies, better known as GEMTECH, makes some kick butt cans for the civilian shooter and military market. Since 1976 they’ve been turning down the volume on firearms and helped chart the course for today’s booming suppressor market.

We learned several months back that the company was in the midst of a sale, but had no further info on who the buyers were. Now it turns out former bank exec and self-professed “firearms enthusiast” Ron Martinez is part owner and CEO of GEMTECH. According to his LinkedIn bio, Martinez is also the CEO of Crossfire Elite, which makes shooting accessories like holsters and belts.

Also at the helm and part of the new ownership team is Mark Thompson, who’s now the company’s CFO. President Tom Collins says the new GEMTECH will focus on international sales, better pricing and better on-time delivery.

Check out the company’s promotional video to see more.

Source: http://www.shootingsportsretailer.com/2016/04/05/gemtech-suppressor-company-announces-new-ownership/

BUILDING THE FIGHTING MINDSET

248 Shooter

April 29, 2016

When we think of training, we tend to focus on the more tangible elements involved: the skills and tactics, the drills, and, most commonly but incorrectly, the gear and equipment that we will use. These factors are like the visible part of an iceberg that we can see above the waves. However, like an iceberg, there is a huge chunk hidden below the surface that we don’t see – the fighting mindset that supports our efforts and from which everything else flows.

I was originally introduced to the Combat Triad, consisting of Marksmanship, Manipulation, and Mindset, by Bill Jeans of Morrigan Consulting in the mid-1990s when I was a young police officer. I now use it as an umbrella concept to guide proper training. The Triad encapsulates the skills and conditions necessary to win, and not just survive, a gunfight. The first two components are easy to explain and understand. They represent the visible part of the iceberg. Marksmanship is the ability to hit a desired target and manipulation is the consistent, efficient running of the gun. These two elements form the basis for gun fighting skills and need to be constantly practiced and refined.

Mindset, the third point on the triad, is a much harder concept to teach and to learn. It requires discipline and work. It must be embraced by the individual and incorporated into daily life.

Mindset can be broken down into:

Mindset towards a threat. This is the easier of the two ideas to explain and is simply the willingness to do whatever is needed to win the fight. Words matter – we want to win the fight. It is not enough that we survive the encounter; we must strive to completely dominate it.

Mindset towards training. This is a more difficult concept to convey. It is made up of the discipline and commitment to seek out quality training and subsequently engage in the proper practice of fundamental technique at all times. Manipulations and techniques must be performed consistently, all of the time. This constant, consistent repetition will lead to the ability to properly run the gun under times of extreme stress, the kind of stress that might be encountered in, say, a gunfight. We need to remember that, in a critical incident; a person will not rise to the occasion but rather will default to their level of training. By striving to always shoot and manipulate the gun in the same way, shooters can develop “unconscious competence” or the ability to perform necessary actions reflexively under stress without conscious thought.

History is replete with examples of when proper mindset was not built and instead was replaced with what was easier. There was the infamous shootout in Newhall CA in the early 1970s, where the last trooper was found shot to death with an empty revolver and a pocket full of spent brass. More recently, an encounter was caught on video where an officer performed a weapon disarm of a suspect holding him at gunpoint and then started to hand the weapon back to the bad guy. Both of these incidents happened because of lapses in focus during training. When short cuts are taken during training for expedience or simplicity, those practices become the standard.

I teach my students to be mindful of what they do because what they do can become habit. I structure my skill building drills to work towards the worst case scenario and work to keep consistency between manipulations. For example, in an administrative load the core movements mimic those of a proper presentation, a proper emergency reload, and a proper immediate action drill. We also see this methodology in longgun to handgun transitions. Rather than ending with the shooter re-holstering the sidearm and then simply running the charging handle on the carbine to reset the action, we teach to end by inserting a new magazine and loading a round, thus getting the carbine back in the fight. This method is more time consuming as it requires the weapon to be unloaded in order to set up for the next run of the drill but it is absolutely correct because it forces the shooter into the proper habit of getting the primary weapon back into a fighting condition. When I was the lead instructor for my agency’s rifle team, this was the way we ran the drill. We did so because we knew that it was not enough to tell our shooters that they should get the carbine back into the fight; they had to train to do so.

Building The Fighting Mindset

Teaching someone to have a proper mindset is difficult in the extreme. A frequent topic of discussion amongst my fellow instructors is, if such a thing can even be accomplished, how does one best go about doing do. My feeling is that it must be explained and then shown by example. There are, however, several elements that are necessary and which will always be present in the fighting mindset.

The first element of a proper mindset is to seek out a proper foundation. The internet is, for the most part, not the best place to find “training.” As convenient as online surfing may be, so much of the available information is improperly explained or demonstrated, or is just outright wrong. The best opportunities for learning will come from attending a class with a vetted instructor. Select your teachers carefully and do not be afraid to ask questions. Look for an instructor who can explain what they teach and who will demonstrate the lessons. Check your ego at the door and be willing to learn.

Train with different instructors. So many in this industry teach from the same basic playbook but there are different perspectives and variations of techniques and principles. Another benefit to training with different people is in the way that information is presented. Two instructors may teach the same technique but may explain it in different ways. One way may resonate and make more sense than another. Not all techniques will work for all people. Training with a broad spectrum of experiences and backgrounds allows the student to take everything in, compile it, and end up with a system that works best for them and their circumstances.

In class, keep an open mind but don’t be afraid to ask questions. A good instructor will be able to back up what they teach and will strive to make sure information is flowing in both directions. I tell my students that “this is your class, not my class.” None of us know everything and everyone is capable of learning. We just have to be willing to invest our time and money into the process. Be willing to evolve. New information is constantly coming available. Avoid the latest fad; find what works for you and your environment. Evaluate your technique as you progress. As one’s abilities increase, so does one’s frame of reference and capacity for understanding. As a long time practitioner of Aikido, I experienced many instances where I was told something by my teacher that I simply wasn’t ready to hear. It wasn’t until later in my development that I was able to understand and incorporate the lesson into my practice.

The second element is to practice proper technique in a consistent manner. There is no single class out there that one can attend and emerge a gunfighter. Training is a journey, not a destination. Constant, continued practice of proper skills in a consistent fashion is critical. We need to understand that every time a shooter fires or handles a weapon, they are training. Whether the training is beneficial or detrimental depends on the mindset and discipline of the individual. Bruce Lee is often quoted as saying “I fear not the man who has practiced 10,000 kicks once, but I fear the man who had practiced one kick 10,000 times.” The point being made is that simply performing a technique over and over does not necessarily produce a competent result. The skill must be consistently performed in order for it to become an accessible habit. Inconsistent repetitions are wasted repetitions. Worse, incorrect repetitions can build bad habits and produce training scars with deadly results. In order for our training to be beneficial and assist in building reflexive habit, it must be consistently executed and proper in its methodology. In other words, we have to practice the right techniques the proper way. The old adage that “Practice makes perfect” is a vicious lie; perfect practice makes perfect, practice alone only makes permanent.

A crucial, and oft overlooked, part of a practice regimen is to have a plan. The unfortunate reality is that most folks’ training sessions are really just plinking. In order for training to be beneficial, it must be directed and trackable. Start with a clear plan, outlining both the skills to be worked and the standards to be met. Incorporate uncomfortable skills, such as support hand only manipulations, malfunction clearances, or unconventional positions. Left to our own devices, we tend to work more on things at which we are good. Having a training plan forces us to push ourselves and move out of our comfort zones. The use of standards allows us to quantify and track progress. Get a shooting buddy and a shot timer. Both will keep you honest about your progress.

The third element is one of applicability. Everything is fundamentals. As shooters progress up the ladder of skill, they discover that “advanced” training is nothing more than the fundamentals applied at speed and under stress. However, too many students confine themselves to the square range and never avail themselves of the opportunity to apply their skills to different environments and situations.

As an individual’s command of the fundamentals increases, we need to start pushing the limits of our comfort zone, in terms of speed and complexity, and ultimately begin to apply the fundamentals to realistic scenarios. I have structured my courses over the years to begin with skill building, expand to combination of skills, and finally graduate into applied exercises. Each of these stages offers its own sort of stress which forces the student to grow in order to be successful. I base my training on two measurements: what is the most likely threat scenario and what is the absolute worst case threat scenario. The majority of my practice is geared towards the first standard but I do not neglect the second.

Finally, we have to think. Gunfighting is problem solving. All too often, I see students on auto-pilot and just going through the motions while on the range or becoming emotionally overloaded in more complex scenarios and losing the ability to process. We control the fight, not the other way around. Another instructor and I were recently discussing different range commands for initiating a sequence of fire. A concern was raised about the possibility that certain words, “shoot” or “gun” for example, might condition a shooter to reflexively fire their weapon upon hearing similar words shouted from a crowd. My answer to this was that a student is not engaging on my command, whatever word or action I use. I tell my students that the command is simply the stimulus that tells them there is a problem. It is up to them to decide what the appropriate response will be. In a shooting class, this typically is for them to fire but, the point is that they should be thinking their way through the problem that has been presented, from the decision to fire, the number of rounds to fire, and decision to stop shooting once the threat is determined to have been neutralized.

On the other end of the spectrum, in more complex environments, such as a live fire shoothouse, we are constantly reminding the students to keep control by slowing down, breathing, and not moving beyond their ability to process what they are seeing.

The fighting mindset is a critical part of training. Without it, we see students who search and assess a situation without actually seeing what’s around them. We see trainees who shoot to slide lock and then mindlessly holster an empty weapon and who take shortcuts in order to “win” at a drill. With mindset, we see shooters who are processing and problem-solving, who push themselves to their limits and beyond in order to get better, who keep their minds open and engaged, always looking for the edge.

Source Article from http://248shooter.com/index.php/building-fighting-mindset/

We Like Shooting 139 – Run Aaron, run!

We Like Shooting

April 29, 2016

Our guest tonight is Mac Steil of Hill & Mac Gunworks!

We Like Shooting is a hilarious panel discussion about safety, guns, gear and gadgets and the issues that affect responsible shooters everywhere.

Welcome to the We Like Shooting show, Episode 139 – tonight we’ll talk about Strike Industries, Ergo Grip, Lyman G5, DEZ Rifles, Alien Gear Holsters, Heritage Arms and Hill & Mac Gunworks!

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: iTunes | Android | RSS

Source: https://welikeshooting.com/show/139/

Changing the Narrative Of Gun Rights

248 Shooter

April 28, 2016

It became clear to me it is time to change the narrative about gun rights when I was asked the other day how many live shooter incidents in the U.S. had a concealed weapon carrier come to the rescue. He was looking for statistics over multiple years that show how many people with concealed weapons stopped the criminal. And likewise, how many concealed carriers were victims because they tried to stop the carnage. To complete the trifecta, he wanted to know how many concealed carriers were criminals themselves.

I think I smell a set-up.

Well, the last one is easy. There are too many to list. All, or at least almost all, criminals hide (conceal) their weapons. Although perhaps that’s not what he meant, so I then went where he was heading.

While there aren’t a lot of licensed carriers who stop crime and shootings outside of the home (relatively speaking), there are still a fair amount. I replied that he had to remember that relatively few people carry a gun every day so you aren’t going to see lots of examples. Only 3% of Americans—less than 5% of adults—even have carry licenses, so the odds of a shooter encountering one are slim. Add to that many licensed carriers don’t carry every day and that number gets smaller. And further add to that many shootings happen in places where carrying a gun is often illegal—places like churches, schools, shopping malls that are posted, etc.—and the number becomes even smaller yet because law-abiding gun owners surprisingly enough don’t want to break the law and carry firearms in those places. They have something to lose: their licenses, their money, and possibly their jobs and even their freedom. Criminals? Not so much.

In spite of that, when criminals with guns do encounter armed citizens, they lose just about every single time. This has been documented time and time again. If more people carried guns, there would be less crime. If we eliminated gun-free zones there would be less crime. As they say, that’s settled science.

I then pointed out that all of that is not the point. It is not my job to defend you if you get attacked. I don’t carry a gun to stop or defend all attacks. I carry a gun to stop or defend all attacks on me. I am neither paid to defend you nor do I have qualified immunity like police do so don’t expect me to. That doesn’t mean I won’t, but don’t depend on it. If you choose to go about life defenseless, that’s your choice.

I then asked why he thought it was important for someone with a firearm to wait until there was an active shooting where people were getting murdered, particularly the gun-owner him or herself, to act. I asked why he wasn’t concerned with all the times a gun owner stopped a criminal with a gun before people started getting shot. Isn’t that more important? And that happens all the time. But those stats are routinely ignored because it doesn’t fit their agenda.

That begs the question, “Are we letting the left define the narrative?” We should not allow the enemies of freedom to present these strawmen, these false dichotomies as legitimate reasons for gun control. If we let them frame the argument we are fighting an unnecessary uphill battle. On an even playing field, history, statistics, and human nature are all on our side. The left endeavors to skew that by framing the view such that the other side doesn’t even consider all the facts.

We should refuse to be a part of that twisted view of reality. The best way to do that is to have the facts on our side. I know it’s hard to memorize laws and statistics and raw numbers, but if we’re going to effectively refute the lies of the “feeling” we’re going to have to do it with facts, not just our own feelings. Our feelings don’t trump their feelings, and they are better at emoting than we are.

Source Article from http://248shooter.com/index.php/changing-the-narrative/

We Like Shooting 141 – White girl wasted

We Like Shooting

April 27, 2016

Welcome to the We Like Shooting show, Episode 140 – tonight we’ll talk about Laser tag, nikon p308, JP’s 308 Cazador, Alien Gear, Gunfighters Inc., ZK-22 and more!

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: iTunes | Android | RSS

Source: https://welikeshooting.com/show/141/

XM25 Punisher is the deadliest infantry weapon in US Army

248 Shooter

April 27, 2016

The years of development have finally come to the end as the US Army is ready to introduce XM25 CTDE grenade launcher. A new shoulder-fired grenade designated as the XM25 Counter-Defilade Target Engagement System (CTDE) is a semi-automatic grenade launcher designated to fire ‘smart’ grenades which are set to explode in mid-air or near a target, peppering enemy fighters with shrapnel.

The box-shaped XM25 is equipped with various gadgets, including a laser range finder, and a grenade can be adjusted to detonate at a range of up to 10 feet or more. The Pentagon have secured funds for more than 100 of these grenade launchers to be available for US Army.

The US Army has prioritized the XM25 as its “number one meterial solution to mitigate a critical capability gap” for dismounted soldiers in combat and is officially kicking off the program in its fiscal year 2017 (FY 2017) budget request, which includes 105 of them.

“[The] army has requested $9.764 million in FY 2017 for the program and hopes for $14.852 million in FY 2018, $24.930 million in FY 2019, $32.158 million in FY 2020, and $25.798 million in FY 2021,” IHS Jane’s Defense Weekly reported.

The XM25 is a semi-automatic weapon which gives the user a 300 percent to 500 percent boost in hit probability.

“The XM25 is…designed for effectiveness against enemies protected by walls, dug into foxholes or hidden in hard-to-reach places, the weapon features revolutionary high-explosive, airburst ammunition programmed by the weapon’s target acquisition/fire control system (TA/FC),” according to the website of Orbital ATK, the producer of the XM25.

The US Army has already finished testings of the XM25 grenade launcher. It was tested during 14 months of battlefield combat in Afghanistan, where the US Army 101st Airborne Division began field testing it in 2010, with five weapons along with 1,000 hand-made air-burst rounds, which led to further testings and finally approval for the first standard-issue grenade launchers.

Source Article from http://www.special-ops.org/16969/xm25-punisher-is-the-deadliest-infantry-weapon-in-us-army.html

Watch an RPG-28 shell penetrating a reinforced concrete bunker

248 Shooter

April 27, 2016

The Russians are masters of the handheld anti-tank rocket launchers. A handheld RPG-28 Klyukva (Cranberry) is one of the deadliest weapons of this type on the market. The Russian Zvezda media network has released a test firing video of the RPG-28. The test featured the RPG-28’s shell easily piercing through a reinforced concrete wall two meters thick.

“The shock wave was so powerful that we could hear the tremble of the bunker from where we watched the test. Also, a car alarm system was set off a few kilometers away due to the grenade launcher firing,” journalists said.

The RPG-28 Klyukva is first unveiled in 2007, and since then it has become one of the primary handheld anti-tank rocket launchers designed to defeat modern and future tanks as well as fortified infantry with advanced reactive and composite armor. It is a portable, disposable anti-tank rocket launcher with a single shot capacity, closely resembles the RPG-27.

The overall weight of the loaded weapon is 12-kg. The RPG-28 has a larger diameter round which allows it to achieve higher armor penetration performance. The grenade launcher’s round is a 125-mm tandem shaped charge with a range of 300 meters. It’s one of the deadliest weapons for the armor.

Source Article from http://www.special-ops.org/16972/watch-an-rpg-28-shell-penetrating-a-reinforced-concrete-bunker.html

G-Code Contact Series Belt Review

248 Shooter

April 25, 2016

The single most important part of EDC if you carry a gun is often a piece that people cheap out on. It’s not your flashlight, gun, knife or reload. It’s your belt. A proper belt is a requirement if you plan on carrying all that gear and double if you’re carrying a gun.

We have reviews a few belts in that past that worked great as EDC, but all had one fundamental flaw. Items needed to be removed from the belt as you changed pants and then threaded back in between belt loops for the new pair.

Police officers solved this problem a long time ago. Most belt rigs run outside the belt loops by attaching to a thinner inner belt via Velcro, belt keepers or both. You thread on a simple inner belt via the belt loops, then strap around the heavier and loaded down duty belt.

G-code has recently perfected this system IMHO with the new contact series Operator belt. These are adjustable belts that allow for 4 inches of adjustment per size from 28” to 56”. They are available in 5 colors Black, Coyote Tan, OD Green and Air Force Grey. These American Made belts are fastened by your choice of Cobra Buckles with or without a D-Ring.

What’s so special?

Think about how much time you spend changing gear from one pair of pants to another. Also, as you change pants, the belt loops may move and interfere with holster positioning. With these belts, you can fit your holster, magazines, med kit, etc. to the belt one time and get perfect positioning.

Range usage

No matter how much money I spend or training I take I will never be Batman. I have given up on building the perfect utility belt to be prepared for everything, I mean do you know how hard it is to find Sharkoff?

The one exception to this is when I take training courses. In pistol classes, I carry 3 reloads, OWB Holster, medkit and often a flashlight. If we are running Carbine classes its 3 AR mags, 2 pistol mags, and a medkit. At lunch time, I face the dilemma of unloading all that gear or going out looking like Mad Max.

With the G-Code Contact Series belt however I can pop off the outer belt. Slide an appendix carry rig into my pants secured via the inner belt and be on my way with a reload in my pocket.

The evolution of my belts

When I started taking training courses, I went and bought a ton of gear, which now sits in my closet. Train like you fight an often quoted motto that I have learned to appreciate. I carry more mags in class then I carry for efficiency of the class based on the round counts. However, the holster, gun and mag carriers I run are the same ones I wear every day. It only makes sense that the belt I should use is the belt I would use every day. There was a big push for “War Belts” a few years back. However, those belts are MOLLE gear that is usually not compatible with your typical load out. More importantly, they are much larger and higher on your body than a standard belt. So all that effort of training is thrown out the window when you don’t have access to your fancy “War Belt” on the street. The contact series even if you decide not to wear it every day will more closely represent what you would have on you in an actual self-defense scenario. That said there is no reason that as long as your corporate dress code allows that you can’t get away with wearing this in a civilian environment.

Does it do what it’s supposed to?

Yes, it does. The belt is rigid enough to be used as a proper gun belt. I mentioned earlier that belts are one of the most under-appreciated pieces of gear. I see concealed carriers often wearing some cheap piece of crap Wal-Mart belt to support an OWB holster and it makes me cringe. You can see the belt warp at contact with the holster. This is impractical and dangerous. Even if you don’t buy the Contractor Series Operator Belt from G-Code, please buy a quality gun belt that fits your wardrobe needs but is designed for carrying a pistol.

Practical Usage

I have been wearing this belt off and on based on my environment for the last 2 months. It is heavier and more rigid than my previous EDC belts which took some getting used to. The largest hassle is having 2 belts to undo when taking a deuce. As long as your bladder control is more advanced than a 7-year-old the extra 10 seconds to get undressed is manageable.

It’s important to note that the belt size you buy is not your waist size. The belt has to go around your waist, pants, inner belt, and your gun if IWB. I was sized right on the edge of the sizing and went for the smaller size as I am trying to lose weight. This was a mistake that thankfully G-Code was excellent about correcting. If you’re close, get the larger size. It is far easier to make these belts smaller than it is to expand them past the listed measurements.

If you keep these things in mind when ordering the belt then likely you will be very pleased. I have 2 of these belts now. One is set up in my range bag and is used only for range trips and classes. The other is configured for everyday use and has been a real morning time saver. I’ll also mention that when you configure the kit for the range the RTI wheel setup G-Code uses makes changing holsters super easy. We will have more on this in our upcoming holster review in conjunction with the new G-Code car kit.

You can buy your Contact Series Operator Belt direct from G-Code here: http://www.tacticalholsters.com/product/BELTS/GSG001.html The belt retails for $85 up to 48” and $5 for larger sizes.

You Need a Glock 19, Part 2

248 Shooter

April 24, 2016

Several weeks ago I published a short article on choosing a defensive handgun that was, in a tongue and cheek manner, implying shooters need a Glock 19 and on a more serious note a peer handgun of some sort on par with the Glock 19.

In that article, I cast a fairly wide net on the definition of a ‘peer firearm’ and covered a broad selection of 9mm handguns I’d call Service or Duty 9mm’s

Here’s the list by manufacturer. It isn’t an all-inclusive sampling but covers the styles I was talking about.

Glock: G17, G19
Sig Sauer: P226, P229, P320, SP2022
Smith & Wesson: M&P9
Heckler & Koch: P30, USP9, VP9
FNH: FNX9, FNS9
Walther: PPQ
CZ: 75B, 75BD
Ruger: American (in theory, very new pistol)
Springfield Armory: XD, XDG (Mod2), XDM
Beretta: 92, 92FS, 92G, M9A3, PX4

Rob Pincus, a well-noted shooting instructor, took issue with my article and posted about it on Facebook. I follow Rob, and so does my publisher, so we saw his post about my article.

A discussion ensued and in short, I do not agree with Rob. It’s a simple difference in opinion.

I do see Rob’s point. I listed twenty-four firearms under the monikers Simple, Consistent, and Reliable. I stand by those descriptors, but the firearms are not created equal in those regards, they just fit a baseline minimum, and the rest is buyer preference and comfort.

So let’s break these twenty-four down further into three tiers. Tier 3, Tier 2, and Tier 1 with Tier 1 guns exhibiting the most simplified and streamlined characteristics overall as defensive firearms. Firearms not listed but exhibiting parallel characteristics can be tiered accordingly. This is not intended to nor should it be taken in place of individual shooter comforts and preferences. I would much rather train somebody who brings a Tier 3 gun or any sidearm for that matter, and who shows up ready to learn and grow as a shooter than turn them away because they didn’t bring a Tier 1 gun.

CZ75B

cz-usa-cz-75-b-9mm-black

FNX9

fnx-9_large

H&K USP9

HK-USP-9mm-right

H&K P30

HK-P30-V3

Beretta M9A3 (92, 92FS)

M9A3

Beretta PX4 Storm

px4storm

These firearms in their most common commercial variants are Double Action/Single Action (DA/SA) and have manually operated safeties. They also have a decocker feature to safely reset the trigger and hammer forward to the double action position (minus the CZ75B)

While these firearms are well built, reliable, and are often very comfortable for shooters, they are the most mechanically complicated of the listings by having the widest array of possible manipulations.

The DA/SA trigger has two distinct pull weights and reset points. The first pull weight is usually between 9-12lbs with a long trigger travel. After the first shot and slide cycle, the hammer remains set, and the trigger pull weight and travel both significantly decrease. If the shot does not fire the reset for the trigger is all the way at the front of its original travel distance. Shooters choosing a firearm from this tier have to learn both trigger pull weights, resets, and the individual idiosyncrasies of the gun.

Added to that learning requirement, the firearms have manual safety controls. That lever on the weapon that enables and disables the function of the gun adds additional mechanical complication and steepens the learning curve for the firearm. The same lever often acts as the decocker on the firearm as well and steepens the learning curve for the firearm even further. If by sweeping the safety too far the firearm can drop from the expected single action shot into double action that changes what the shooter needs to expect from the firearm while taking their next shot especially if it wasn’t done intentionally.

Military and LEO organizations have often requested and sometimes required this list of features for their service sidearms. This was never due to the designs being simpler or superior and mostly due to the concepts of liability for negligent discharges or a perceived consistency with a different service weapon.

I consider these Tier 3 guns to be fine self-defense firearms should the individual buyer desire to make that choice. However, buyer beware that these are the most complicated end of the spectrum. Buyer’s choice but learning these guns is more challenging and involved, end of discussion.

NOTE: Certain production models of Tier 3’s, especially of the H&K pistols, can be placed in Tier 2 or Tier 1 respectively based on features.

Tier 2

Beretta 92 G (WC Brigadier pictured)

beretta-brigadier-tactical-1

CZ75BD (Also SP01 Tactical variant)

cz-usa-cz-75-bd

Springfield XDG (XDm, XD)

XDG9

Sig Sauer SP2022

E2022-9

Sig Sauer P229

E229R-9

Sig Sauer P226 (My personal carry)

E266R-9-XTM

FNS9 and M&P9 with manual safeties (not pictured)

With the Tier 2 guns, we move into simpler and smoother mechanical layouts. The lion’s share are DA/SA handguns. The increased simplicity allows shooters to focus on mastering the trigger they’ve chosen and removes the disabling effect of the manual safety. These DA/SA guns will fire when the trigger is pulled, the trigger will transition to single action for subsequent shots. No control (safety) will purposefully or accidently disable the DA/SA trigger system. The accuracy and ability to rapidly deliver follow up shots make these DA/SA systems well-liked choices while maintaining the long deliberate first shot pull of the double action trigger.

These Tier 2 firearms are simpler and in my opinion superior to the Tier 3’s as defensive firearms.

The FNS9 and M&P9 make the Tier 2 list briefly in their manual safety models. The safety is an additional mechanical control but, combined with the simple triggers, the overall mechanical complications are vastly simplified over the Tier 3 list. Shooters add the disabling of the safety on firing and the enabling of the safety on cease-fire to the list manipulations under practice.

Finally the XD models from Springfield Armory. The XD variants do possess all of the qualities of the Tier 1 firearms. I place them in Tier 2 because of personal experience with the design specifically related to the passive safety located on the grip. In shooting competition, admittedly as an amateur competitor, I’ve had the firearm fail to discharge on two occasions on the clock. My grip on my XDm was entirely to blame, the fact remains my shot didn’t go off and in a fight that could be catastrophic. I have never experienced a related or parallel issue with Glock, M&P, or Sig Sauer pistols, and I corrected the issue with practice. But as the possibility is ever present of a poor grip in a bad situation I can’t put the XD series in Tier 1.

Tier 1

FNH FNS9

FNS9L

Smith & Wesson M&P9

M&P9

Walther PPQ

Sig Sauer P320

Image originally from The Truth About Guns

Heckler &Koch VP9

HK-VP9-left

GLOCK G19/G17

glock19profile

Ruger American (Honorable Mention, unproven)

Finally, we have the Tier 1 firearms. The mechanical characteristics of the Tier 1’s make them the most simple to use, traits especially useful under stress. They present the shooter the least number of controls and manipulations necessary to gain proficiency on the platform.

What are these characteristics?

No manual safety control is present on these guns. Pulling the trigger will fire them when loaded, and no other control switch is necessary.

Striker fired actions with consistent, repeatable trigger pull allow the shooter to understand and equivocate firing their pistol with one type of trigger pull, not two like my personal preference of firearm the P226. This shortens a shooters learning curve by having one relatively short movement and moderately pressured trigger pull. Even if the weight or travel is altered (new trigger) it will always be the same after that deliberate alteration.

Polymer construction on minimalist chassis designs with generous tolerances for dirt and debris keep the guns running even while fouled up and keep weight down. Machined designs, despite having other advantages, result in higher weight and costs (find a new P226 with a $570.00 price tag, good luck)

These firearms are the top of defensive and fighting pistol design right now, they coalesce around the efficiency of their simple operating concepts. The Glock is arguably the king of the Tier with the longest track history and widest acceptance under some of the harshest testing and longevity in real world use.

While anecdotal, two Glocks we’ve had as rental and training guns lasted well beyond 100,000 rounds before a critical parts failure. The G17 develop a hairline fracture on the slide by the ejection port, and the G19 broke the spring under the takedown tab.

So in conclusion, buy a Glock 19 (yes still tongue and cheek).

Do yourself a favor picking a defensive pistol and invest in your system once you pick it, understand the practice and training realities of the system you are choosing. Pick the firearm you want, but with realistic expectations of how it operates.

And for the love of all things go shoot it. If your investment in your handgun doesn’t include time and ammunition on the range, you’re doing it wrong.

Source Article from http://248shooter.com/index.php/need-glock-19-part-2/

Take A Closer Look At FNH USA And Its South Carolina Factory

248 Shooter

April 23, 2016

COLUMBIA, South Carolina — Recently I had the opportunity to tour the factory that makes the greatest home defense weapon ever conceived – the MK-19 automatic grenade launcher. Strangely, my wife disagrees. Apparently, the thinks that the blast radius is excessive and will wreak havoc on the furniture.

Yes, I’m talking about the FN factory here in sunny South Carolina. Located just outside of Columbia in the central part of the state, this FN plant makes all the fun stuff, not just for the military, but for the retail market too. Depending on the current government contract load and retail orders, you might see anything from M16A4s to FN-15s to handguns to M240 machine guns and even the MK-19 Automatic Grenade Launcher.

As a side note, FN is working on a small contract now for more MK-19s, so we did get to see some of that process while we were there. As we’ll see in this pictorial tour, FN goes to a lot of trouble to make quality guns – especially the barrels. Additionally, each and every one of the 3,500 guns that roll out of this factory every month is test fired for function and accuracy.

This plant opened in mid-1980 and by January 1981 was making M240 machine guns for Uncle Sam. At that time, those machine guns were destined for tanks – one coaxial with the main cannon and another mounted on the turret. Now, the facility has expanded its operations to include commercial guns too. Let’s take a closer look.

There are two starting points in the production process. Rough forgings arrive here for machining into receivers, bolts, side plates and various other parts. Barrel blanks arrive in the form of large steel bars. Both are drilled, cut, milled, hammered, polished, finished, and assembled into completed rifles, pistols, and machine guns.

First, let’s start with the machine line process. Receivers start as large, and very rough forgings. Through the process, over 80 percent of the metal is removed from the initial forging by the time a receiver is complete.

Something unique about the FN process in the machine shop is that each operator is responsible for specific lots of components. As a result, you’ll find measuring and gauging equipment throughout each work area. The operator who performs the machining steps is responsible for maintaining quality control along the way. However, all of their output is subject to additional quality checks by independent quality control engineers. Think of it as a redundant quality process. As an operator’s “name” is on each lot of components, it’s very much in their interest to deliver perfect results to the independent quality control staff. Not only is this facility ISO approved, but it’s also certified to manufacture parts for aircraft – a much higher level of quality certification.

At one point we strolled by some steel blocks destined to become bolts for the MK-19 Automatic Grenade Launcher. Our tour guide JP challenged us to try and pick one up. After a quick hernia surgery, I estimated the starting weight to be somewhere near 100 pounds. Now that’s a serious bolt. Of course, by the time it’s completely machined, it’s only going to weight somewhere in the tens of pounds. Yeah, only.

The CNC machining sections are impressive, but what really captivated me was the barrel shop. I’ve toured a number of factories and seen different takes on the process. What stood out here was the number of steps involved in producing each and every barrel. As a result, FN has become a supplier of barrels to a number of other companies. About the time of our tour, the FN folks were just starting the process of stamping their logo on all barrels supplied to other gun makers, so in the future, you’ll know for sure whether the barrel on your rifle originally came from the FN factory.

Barrels start their life as bars approaching two inches in diameter by my eyeball estimate. Whether destined to become rifle or pistol barrels, they all start as two to three-foot long rods. The first step is deep hole drilling. This process is completely automated, with a conveyor placing four barrels at a time into the boring machine. A rough bore is then drilled through the length of the bar stock.

The interesting thing about the barrel drilling process is that it’s silent and motionless. During the 10-minute drilling process, you can’t feel the machine move. That’s by design and the idea is to gain maximum consistency and precision even during the initial rough boring process. Part of the reason that the process is fairly fast is that drilling is done counter-rotationally with the barrel spinning one direction and the top-secret drill bit turning opposite.

The automation continues to the next step. As the groups of four drilled bars come out of the deep hole drilling machine, they’re fed by another conveyor into the next phase of the process, reaming. The reaming process finishes the bore by making the exact desired diameter and smoothing the interior finish.

At this stage, barrels face a fork in the road. Military guns with specific contract specifications may head to a button-broaching process. After reaming or honing the interior, a button is pushed through the bore to form rifling grooves. Other barrels, like stainless pistol barrels and those for guns like the FN-15 DMR head down the hammer forging line. First, these barrels are honed or reamed to establish exact diameters and interior finishes. Only then do they go to the hammer forge machines. FN obtains better overall results with stainless barrels, as on their pistol lines, by hammer forging. They’re somewhat unique in that their pistol barrels are hammer forged instead of button-broached or cut.

Hammer forging is a miraculous process that makes you appreciate the raw power of modern machinery. The simple explanation is that barrel blanks pounded with incredible force from the outside, thereby pushing the interior of the bore onto a shaping mandrel with an imprint of the desired rifling pattern. The steel literally presses inward to the mandrel and assumes the rifling shape. Ouch.

The four hammer carriers, with hammers attached, surround the barrel as it’s pushed through the hammer forge. A series of 12 rollers rotate at high speed, knocking the hammer carriers down towards the barrel blank as they pass by. Rather than discrete individual pounding, the operation resembles an electric mini-gun as compared to a semi-automatic. As the stock is literally beating into shape, it stretches because that steel has to go somewhere. This allows the FN folks to start with a bar that’s several inches shorter than they need because they know the final length after the hammer forge will be correct.

Once hammer forging is complete, it’s back to the CNC machines. Excess metal is removed and shaped depending on the desired final barrel type. One of the reasons that pistol barrels start out so thick is that there needs to be enough material to machine the chamber as the barrel and chamber are all one solid piece of stainless steel.

Rifle barrels also follow a progression of machining and measurement steps from this point on. As in other production areas, operators are responsible for their own quality control before items move onto a second independent quality control step.

Most of the complexity in the process is related to the production of parts. If they’re made to exact specifications and maintain tight tolerances, then final assembly is a pretty straightforward process. Workers assemble guns in small cells equipped for specific models.

Once assembly is complete, every rifle heads to the test range. Yes, every single rifle. Technicians perform live fire tests for both function and accuracy before a gun is certified for delivery.

I think we can all be thankful that FN’s guns for the commercial market are packaged differently than those ordered by the military. Military contract rifles are dipped in a giant vat of oil then allowed to drip dry. Without any further drying or cleaning, they are then packaged in sealed plastic bags. Presumably, new recruits get all the joy associated with cleaning them for the first time. At least they don’t use cosmoline!

Next time a prospective FN-15, Collector Series rifle, or FN pistol customer shows up at your store, you can share a little extra information about its origin.

Source: http://www.shootingsportsretailer.com/2016/04/11/take-a-closer-look-at-fnh-usa-and-its-south-carolina-factory/

The Original Muck Buck Company Men’s Arctic Excursion Tall

Eric TGL

April 23, 2016

We give our thoughts on Muck Boot’s Artic Excursion Tall Boots

Link for boot details: http://www.muckbootcompany.com/produc…

Music used: Derelict Ship by Per Kiilstofte https://machinimasound.com/music/dere…
Licensed under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/b…)

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Source: http://www.thegearlocker.net/2016/03/original-muck-buck-company-mens-arctic-excursion-tall/

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