All posts by Soda_Pop

Elite Survival Holsters worth checking out

Elite Survival Systems is one of a few companies we are a dealer for that I personally used their products before we actually carried them.  Just about all of their gun cases are in my personal inventory and many of their holsters.    Some people frown on leather holsters, but it all depends on what your needs are.   Nylon holsters hold up better in some climates much better than leather.  Have you ever seen a leather plate carrier? Nylon has more abilities to be modular and there recently have been some changes to the Elite Survival Holsters that are worth mentioning.

Number one, the Elite Survival Pocket Holsters have been remade with a slightly different finish, I used their previous design for several years and it held up well for only being $12.   There are some preferences that people have voiced about comparisons in pocket holsters, but we have gotten very little complaints about their designs.    The Elite Survival Holsters that we move a lot of, are the BCH or Belt Clip Holsters.   Recently, a removable belt clip strap has been added to this design and makes it a versatile, IWB, IWB with retention, or OWB, or OWB Retention holster.  The belt clips they use can be changed to make it a right handed or left handed holster.  The Elite Survival Ankle Holsters and Elite Survival Shoulder holsters have very comfortable designs and we have a 99% satisfaction rate while many other Ankle Holsters and Shoulder Holsters get returned.

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Eotech Optics what was that lawsuit all about?

There have been a ton of local police departments that took advantage of the Eotech trade in after the military sued L3 over the falsification of what the optics operated under.  Apparently Eotech fixed the problem to some degree but if wood has fluctuations and variables with 10F and 120F, you better bet your bottom dollar that electronics do too.   I’ve heard from companies like Vortex and Trijicon that there is always going to be some level of “thermal drift” but the 6moa point of impact shift that some older models of Eotech had were disturbing.  What should you know if you are looking for a wide field of view and still like Eotech optics?

Well,  Eotech took over 26 Million dollars of Eotech optics back and claim to have great fixed the problem, but if you were not running your optic in drastic temperature or humidity conditions, you would never have noticed.   I am in the boat of people that sent their Eotech 512 back but I still long for the field of views that Eotech optics had.   You will not find many red dots that have the speed that the holographic gun sight have and there is still something that they do right that you should consider.   The F16 gun sight heads up display works for fighter pilots and it still works well for operators running M16 or AR15 Carbines.   I still wish Eotech would come up with a better battery life and improve on that technology.

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Magpul Stocks and Accessories improving proficiency

Several years ago I sat in on an Appleseed Project and watched people learn basic riflemen skills.  It’s a science to put a bullet in the same hole, just in the same way NASA puts a space probe on mars.   Getting the trajectory and figuring out your bullet ballistics are all the same science.   Velocity, drag, windage, gravity all have the same affect on any object, whether it’s on Earth, Mars or Jupiter.   There are known factors in accuracy and it’s all about “getting” there.  One of the things we can help you out in is getting the right fitting accessories that help you gain proficiency and Magpul Stocks and Accessories can help you get there.

I don’t like to tell people what they should buy, but tell them what they should consider.   I’m still running a quad rail on my primary which is something that is often considered an over-kill or outdated, but it’s still what I call practical.   I’m not sure sure key-mod and M-Lok accessories are going to be around 10yrs from now, but I can tell you there will still be quad-rails.   Magpul Stocks and Accessories will give you the right length of pull, the right grip, the right cheek weld, and also help you illuminate a target and if you figure  out what the perfect match is, help you get on target every time.

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Make sure you have the right Gun Cleaning Supplies for proper cleaning

And also make sure you aren’t damaging your firearm.   There are a lot of in between calibers that you might be able to get away with using a similar caliber, but it doesn’t always work.  Anyone that reloads ammunition is going to know the difference between a 9mm bullet, 38 Special, 357 Magnum and a 7.62×39 caliber.  You are talking about .311-.355 bullet diameters which all put them in 30 caliber ranges, but if you are trying to clean the bore and riflings, you aren’t going to clean them as well unless you use the correct brush. I’ve tried to cut corners in the past and noticed in some of my .357 revolvers that there was still lead build up in the chambers and the barrel if I didn’t use the correct gun cleaning supplies.

Gun lubrication is something you should seriously consider auditing in your inventory.   Much of the older stuff isn’t as good or it’s toxic and you should consider a total clean out.   Modern lubrication like Slip 2000 or M-Pro Series lube is far superior to the old gun oils.   Corrosion protection has also dramatically improved and that really makes a huge difference on blued guns especially many hunting rifles and shotguns.  Check all the Gun Cleaning Supplies like cleaning brushes you are using and consider making sure you are matching the calibers to the guns, if you are using too big of a brush you might end up scratching up the throat or chambers of a firearm.

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Chip McCormick Magazines, flush fit or extended base plates

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

There are plenty of new things I’ve learned just by watching the guys that are running IDPA or even 3 gun matches.   Some of the things they train and practice with are things people should consider getting into their CCW platforms.   When you are carrying a firearm for protection, one of the first things  you need to know to defense yourself is situational awareness, the next thing is having the ability to get your gun out quick.  While that’s a whole other discussion, the other thing to think about is being able to quickly reload.  If you have to fumble around with grabbing the Chip McCormick Magazines with flush fitting base plates before you even think about inserting it into the firearm for a mag change, then think about getting magazines with extended base plates.

Some magazine base plates can be too long for CCW, but there is a balance you should consider.  If competition shooters like extended base plates for faster scores, maybe you should consider slightly extended base plates.   Some of the Chip McCormick magazines are available with extended pads which make grabbing magazines, both inserting and removing much faster.   Sure you can just let a magazine drop free, but you can remove magazines faster than gravity if you practice.

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Streamlight TLR-1S Flashlights still going strong and still improving

Some Streamlight flashlights are probable never going to go away and one of them is the Streamlight TLR-1 series.   There are a few variations of this light they might fade out because the standard model has become so versatile and improved output, that it can be used on either a rifle, handgun or shotgun.    I recently tested out the Streamlight TLR-1S (which has the strobe) and tested it in total darkness on a camping trip on my LWRCI Rifle.   The beam on this was excellent out to 100yds I was shocked at how at 300 Lumen output it had better throw than my Streamlight Protac HL USB that had an 850 Lumen output.

There seems to be the most competition between the Streamlight TLR-1S and the Surefire X300, I find them to be different in price, and the feel of the toggles are different.   One has a 300 Lumen output for a little over $100 and the other has a 500 Lumen output for under $200.   Nothing wrong with Surefire, but you are paying for the name.   I do highly suggest the strobe feature for handgun and rifle flashlights because it does come in useful in some defensive situations, it’s also another tool you can use to avoid having to pull the trigger on someone.

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Sig Factory Magazines rarely should you deviate

I’ve been around long enough to have tried out all kinds of magazines in various firearms to see if I could get around having to pay full price.   Back when the assault weapons ban of 1994 was in full affect, there were way more after market companies out there.   I still have 10rd extended magazines for a few of my 1911 models that worked for a few times and then the springs stopped functioning.  Cheap springs.  Followers are another thing that have to be properly designed to avoid tilting, and this will become more of a problem when you start trying to use defensive ammunition.   I tend to see a lot of people try after market magazines for 22LR rifles and reliability often quickly deteriorates.

The one thing people many people don’t understand with firearms is “timing” because that’s where reliability “is” or “isn’t”.  When you go to extended capacity magazines, if it’s a cheap company, the magazine springs get weaker and weaker, which translates to slower and slower and when the slide cycles, it is out of its operational window and jams occur.   If you are using Sig Pistols or Rifles, some of their magazine costs are higher than Glocks, but they are part of the reason why Sig Sauer has such a strong history of putting out reliable handguns and rifles, stick with Sig Factory Magazines for your Sig firearms and about the only deviation I would suggest would be Sig AR15 style rifles and using Magpul P-Mags and Lancer Magazines.

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Rothco BDU Shorts a very inexpensive option for summer carry.

Rothco is a new product line for us this year and we expect to be picking up more of their product lines, but when it comes to shorts that work with our customer base, this is something we think will be a new option for them.  The Rothco BDU shorts come in 9″ inseam to 13″ Inseam which may or may not be your thing.   The point is that they are all like the military pants and have deep pocket for stowing gear.   The Camo pattern options give you a broad selection of new patterns or vintage options like the traditional Woodland.

While the shorts are going to be as stiff as the military BDU pants, this means they will be durable.  This is probable the least expensive tactical clothing brand that has a shockingly good value.   The one trade off is the pockets are as modernized as many of the other tactical shorts we sell, like knife pockets, cell phone pockets ect, but if you want to wear something different this year, see the multiple Rothco BDU Shorts styles we recently listed.

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Tru-Spec 24-7 SERIES ECLIPSE TACTICAL PANTS

If you’re looking for something extremely light weight while we transition into hot weather clothing season, this is the best thing besides wearing shorts.  The pocket designs are completely different than anything else in the Tru-Spec inventory but it is something I personally wear and highly suggest for hot weather.   The 100% nylon pant is so lightweight that I would not recommend it for pocket carry unless you put a piece of cardboard or or something that helps avoid printing because you will print in these.  There is a 65/35 poly cotton ripstop version of this pant but I don’t find it as cutting edge. Tru-Spec 24-7 SERIES ECLIPSE TACTICAL PANTS is best worn in the nylon style but it is extremely forgiving in hot weather.

I always have to transition my knife to the side leg pockets and my Kimber pepper blaster to the other leg pocket but theses are extremely popular in the lower half of the Country.  Tru-Spec 24-7 SERIES ECLIPSE TACTICAL PANTS is highly breathable and when it’s in the 90F range, the difference in sweating and fatigue is considerable.   This is something I consider as a trade off for much of the 100% cotton ripstop pants that were in my inventory.   There is no elastic waistband so you are going to have to be more accurate in finding your actual size and if you are going to be carrying IWB you are going to have to consider a size up.

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Don Hume Leather Holsters still something to consider

The firearm holster market that is probable best compared to Amelda Markos’s shoe collection, it’s endless and not all of them are that popular, but once you’ve been in the actual functioning industry, there are some gun holsters that are high volume and are never going away.   There are endless styles of leather holster makers and the prices are all over the place, there is still a demand for customer holster makers but the Kydex industry really took a chunk of business away from it.    Kydex has it’s flaws but just because it’s made of leather, doesn’t mean it’s going to be that expensive.   It’s kind of like that girl with a great personality that you love to be around, but she’s not the prettiest one in the group.    We never get complaints about people not having Don Hume Holsters hold up, they are sturdy and last a very long time.

We expect to be expanding our Don Hume Holsters in 2017 because so many people have been asking us to carry more of the Glock holsters with the body shields, this is something that can help keep your holster dry and your firearm clean from moisture and sweat.  The most popular holsters we carry from Don Hume Holsters is the H715 IWB holsters, lots of small and medium frame guns fly out out the door from Glock 19 to Glock 42 and Glock 43.   Most of these holsters are under $30.   I am a fan of the Don Hume Jit holsters for my J-Frame because it sits up high and the barrel does not protrude below the holster and it has a good fit.

 

 

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