All posts by Soda_Pop

Meprolight Nights Sights standard issue?

Back in the day it use to be that night sights were for your bedside gun or the gun you kept in the closet for home invasions.   Now, many police departments including my home town Police Department are issued their Glock 21’s with Meprolight Night Sights.  They are probable better described as high definition sights because they work very well during the day time.  It’s not all about how bad your eyes are, it’s all about how fast you can pick up the sights when aiming a handgun and how fast you get a sight picture.    I’ve found Glock factory sights and Sig Factory sights work well for me when I have light out, but in low light, these sights are outstanding.

The Glock 42 and Glock 43 have become extremely popular off duty firearms and it’s an easy transition from a Glock 21 or a Glock 27 to just a smaller version.   Meprolight Night Sights are available for all of the Glock Pistols as well as the extremely popular  Smith & Wesson Shield.    There are also very common on 1911 Variants and the majority of the Sig Sauer P Series handguns.  There is a lot of debate and comparison between Trijicon and Meprolight as far as the clarity and definition of the sights, but it’s the same as the Glock vs Sig comparisons.

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Customization of 1911s with Wilson Combat Parts and Wilson Combat Magazines

I don’t think there are firearms out there besides the 1911 and the AR15 that are ALWAYS customized.  It’s rare for me to find a firearm that is just a stock version.  There are quad rails, MOE rails, M-lok rails, Key-Mod.   With 1911s, there are so many slides, triggers, grips, extensions, magazine base plate, barrels and on and on.   There are ways to make these competition shooter guns or precision rifles, but there are always combat versions.   The 1911 isn’t going anywhere, even though there are high capacity firearms in 45acp like the Glock 21, but the accuracy and fun you get with 45acp for competition won’t disappear.

I’ve found that Wilson Combat Magazines always work best in my firearms but I keep it simple with ball ammo.  There are modifications to the throat of a 1911 that you can make to feed hollow point ammunition but I’ve only done that to one of my 1911s.   I consider the Wilson Combat 8rd Magazines to be “standard capacity” for my 1911s and don’t notice any reliability differences.   Many in the competition shooting world use the Wilson Combat 10rd magazines but I find extended magazines to be uncomfortable for CCW.   Extended magazines tend to get caught on clothing and are more likely to snag.   If you own a 1911, and you haven’t discovered Wilson Combat Magazines then think about adding them to your collection because they work.

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Adams Arms Complete Upper Receivers now taking Pre-Orders

There were some changes with one of our distributors regarding Adams Arms parts and receivers so we ended up going direct with them.  The one thing I have to say regarding Adams Arms is that they have filled a “niche” in the piston driven AR15 world in a certain price range.   There isn’t much a debate about whether something is good, or works anymore because there are so many different DI AR15 designs in different price ranges that are all quality products.   The metals have improved, the lubrication has improved and the magazines have improved.   Barrel life is also something that has dramatically advanced over the last 20 years.

Suppressed firearms is all the rage right now and there are many reasons to consider getting into it, but if you do, there are some issues that can arise depending on barrel lengths.   If you have an AR15 that is over 14.5 inches in barrel length, you won’t have a reliability issue, but if you go shorter, the majority of people i talk to still say piston driven AR’s still own it.   I have shot enough suppressed firearms to know that I prefer piston guns because there is not all of that gas being blow in your nostrils.   If you are considering building an AR, and only have a certain price range to work with, Adams Arms Complete Upper Receivers are something to think about, they have adjustable gas settings for suppressors.  There has also been a big increase in .308 AR and Adams has several options, one being the Adams Arms Small Frame .308 – PATROL BATTLE RIFLE UPPER,  

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Flush fitting gun magazines vs. extended base plates, Wilson Combat Magazines and extended magazines/Glock Magazines

Glock 26 Magazine Grip ExtensionThere are always pros and cons for every firearm and accessory, and it’s all about trying to get you to hit that X.  The best analogy to developing your shooting skills with accessories is the game of Golf.   You use a driver when you want distance, a sand wedge when you want the ball up and out, and a putter when you want short distance and  control.  Keep in mind that all of those golf clubs have to match up to the proper length of the user, and so does a firearm to you.  Now that there is such a thing as competition shooting, we’re seeing more gear and accessories being used for fun and training, but that’s doesn’t always transition over to CCW.  When you are talking about drawing a firearm from concealment, things change.

There’s nothing wrong with keeping extended capacity magazines around, I’ve found the Glock 26 to be too small of a handgun for my tastes, but with the  Glock 26 +2 extended capacity magazines, the extra length actually improves my grip on the gun.   For many other guns, the magazine extensions can help you strip the magazine clear and reload quicker, but I have found in many cases, that extended capacity magazines and base plates make you more likely to print your gun, or cause snagging of clothing.   My 1911s max out with Wilson Combat 8rd Magazines, with Glocks I stick with all standard capacity, except for the Glock 26.   But with all this being said, this is about  the magazine in the firearm, not the spare magazines you might be carrying.  Lot’s to think about and only training and testing will help get you to your comfort zone.

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Are Cold Steel Knives dangerous weapons or are they useful tools?

cs_logo_whiteCold Steel KnivesI’m sure I’m preaching to the choir here, but sometimes we need to remember, that with all of the stupidity in our society, that all those dangerous looking Cold Steel knives or any other tactical knife that you see on a tactical store, or hunting store website, are probable already in just about every household in the Country but with a slightly different handle or blade.  Any knife can be used for something productive, or something destructive.  How many people keep an axe in the shed, but having a Tomahawk in your car makes you a nutjob.   If you do some research you’ll find that many of the Tomahawk or Axes that we sell are actually considered rescue tools.  Any of your leftist anti-gun friends notice that many building keep an axe on the walls of buildings, RIGHT NEXT TO THE FIRE ALARM.  Gee, I wonder why?  So you can break down a door or a wall and save your life?

I recently got back from a Boy Scout Troop meeting where 11-16yr old boys were being shown all about the types of knives and how to hold, carry and deploy them.   God Bless America!   Cold Steel Knives can be use for cutting seat belts and pulling people from burning vehicles, it happens more than you think, and that guy you see carrying a knife with him, EDC, might be the one that saves someone.   I’ve even heard of people rescuing dogs that were being strangled on leashes or even a female that pulled a blade and held off a potential rapist.    You always have to balance your EDC knife with what is legal in your State so don’t get carried away and keep it out of sight.

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Do your research, the end result might be Raven Concealment Phantom Holsters

Raven Concealment Phantom HolstersIf you think trying to decide what holster you should be using and trying to buy something online without being able to hold it in your hands, well, why don’t you apply for a job in the purchasing department at Rogue Elite Tactical.    We go through the same issues that our customers do because we’re always trying to find those niche products that have good review, good factory warranties, and don’t break easily.   We’ve brought in a few bad products and quickly stopped listening to sales pitches from Reps. for companies that talked about how great their products were.   Usually, our customers tell us what they want us to carry and what we should be selling.   Recently there has been a lot of talk about Raven Concealment Systems, G-Code and Alien Gear.   While we can’t carry everything, we have picked up Raven Concealment Systems because their holsters are very different from what we have been carrying before.

While a holster isn’t going to be a magic trick that solves your problems, you want to think about the versatility of a holster.   There are plenty of really nice products out there,  the Raven Concealment Phanton Holsters give you the ability to have an IWB holster or OWB holster just by changing the belt loop attachements, there are some good Youtube videos on how this is done.   The belt loop designs tend to be the major failing point of most Kydex Holsters and we’ve done enough product testing to prove this.  It doesn’t matter if the holster maker has name recognition, some of them make some pretty crappy holsters that don’t hold up.   There market has changed a lot and it’s not all just about CCW, it’s also about competition shooting, IDPA, Steel Match, 3 Gun and plenty of other fun stuff, and you might find Raven Concealment holsters cover most of your demands.  We recently listed some of their products on our website for all of the popular Sig Sauer pistols and Glock Pistols. Raven Concealment Holsters

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Sig Sauer no longer importing Sig P232 Magazines

Sig P232 MagazinesIf you are a Sig P232 owner you may want to hit the next gun show and start looking for used Sig P232 magazines.  We recently had a large number of requests to email customers when we got in more of the Sig .380 magazines for this firearm, and, after so many requests we contacted our distributors and they all told us they were discontinued.   We called up Sig Sauer last week and asked them what was going on and they informed us that they are no longer importing this gun or it’s magazines from Germany.  While this firearms has a long history of service, there has been a huge increase in the number of .380 pistols and I guess given the size of the Sig P232 it’s not really the most compact firearm in this caliber and not as popular.

Several years ago I was looking for something smaller than the 1911 and Beretta 92FS that I was carrying and decided to look for something smaller.   Ironically it came down to the Sig P232 and the Sig P239.  I shot both guns side by side and figured the ballistics of the P239 was superior and went with that.  The size and recoil was almost the same in my hands, but there are plenty of happy Sig P232 owners out there.  If you are looking for replacement magazines, the only option for you according to Sig Sauer, is to get the Sig P230 Promag Magazines.   Everyone once in awhile stuff like this happens so if you like the gun, start looking for parts and accessories now before they become even more scarce.

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Surefire G2 Flashlights, still extremely versatile

Surefire FlashlightsThe first tactical flashlight I actually owned was a Surefire G2 Xenon bulb flashlight.   I was very impressed with how bring it was, considering, the previous tactical flashlight I had was a D battery USGI flashlight with different lenses.  High output was pretty cool, but those Xenon bulbs did not last very long and I did not like the idea of a flashlight that needed bulb replacements as much as battery replacements.   Eventually the LED conversions came out and I upgraded to that and then I was really impressed at how much a the technology had improved.   I have always been a fan of varying output flashlights.   I still go back and forth about whether or not it’s good to have a rechargeable or battery light, but even that has changed and there are a growing number of flashlights that have both options.

The G2x is basically the new version and has a slightly different body, but with a 320 Lumen output with a 15 Lumen low.   Once most people start using these lights, they quickly realize they don’t need all that output in most circumstances and 15 Lumens is enough to get you around in the dark the majority of the time.   Surefire Flashlights have an excellent reputation of being sturdy even though there are less expensive flashlights out there.   We still the vast majority of Law Enforcement are sticking with Surefire and Streamlight due to their warranties and durability.

 

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Trijicon MRO Red Dots 2016 Sales Data

Trijicon MRO Red DotsTrijicon MRO Absolute Co-Witness Trijicon MRO Red DotsWe’ve been carrying the Trijicon MRO Red Dot optics for almost a  year.   When they first came out we were shocked by the fact that we didn’t have “sticker shock” compared to the rest of the Trijicon product line.   Ever since the Eotech lawsuit last November, everyone seems to be looking for something else, I can tell you it’s been almost a year since someone called me on the phone and asked if we sold Eotechs.  I still have no idea what’s going on with that company since the lawsuit.    All I can tell you is that Vortex, Aimpoint and Trijicon MRO sales have been through the roof and I would have to say that all 3 of those I just mentioned are excellent red dot optics.

Do you need night vision compatibility? Most people don’t.  Do you want 3 year or 5 year battery life?  Then we’ve narrowed it down to Trijicon and Aimpoint.  Do you want something that doesn’t make you feel like you are looking through a rifle scope?  Then you’ve arrived at the Trijicon MRO red dots.  The MRO stands for Miniature Rifle Optic and it really is a smaller version of the Trijicon ACOG housing.  Since we have so many competition shooters and see what they are using, this optics wider field of view usually means improved speed.    There are plenty of mount options available from Larue, Bobro Engineering and also the low, 1/3 Co-Witness and Absolute Co-Witness that Trijicon Inc. offers.    We have seen so many Law Enforcement switch from Eotech to Aimpoint and Trijicon that, that’s pretty much what we tell people they should be considering.

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Gunvault Gun Safes how many do you need and what size should you buy?

Gunvault Gun SafesThere are other options out there for people to choose from, but I won’t get into that right now.   One thing I have learned in this industry is to be real careful about being the first to buy something, sometimes when you are making an important decision, stick with the products that have a long history of work.   Gunvault has been through several changes at the Corporate level, and on the design level, and they have been around a long time and I would have to say that I do recommend them even though I have used, and have seen some of the older designs failings.    With all of the people out there that are CCWing,  it’s important to teach people firearm safety because they don’t always get that when they purchase a firearm and walk out of a gun shop.

Firearms should always be locked up, sure, that’s your personal decision if you want a gun next to your bed in the drawer, but I’ve seen too many times about that one time a house was burglarized or the son’s screwball friend came over and did something stupid.   Gunvault gun safes can be bolted to walls, hidden behind picture frames, bolted to drawers and screwed into the floor.  They don’t have to just sit there out in the open.  As a matter of fact, it’s really a good idea to always have your gun safe out of visible sight.  Always over estimate with the size you buy.   There are plenty of people that walk in our store and think they only need a “one gun” safe and then they quickly realize they wish they had more room for a holstered firearm or magazines.   If you are carrying a firearm all day it’s probable a good idea to stow it with the holster, and that means a bigger safe.   The Nanovault safes are really only good for a firearm and really meant for cars or traveling and won’t fit the gun and the gun holster.

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