Archive for August, 2011

Announcing that you are there with all of those things on your M4

There was always something that bothered me about the Trijicon ACOGS when they first started hitting the civilian market in the 1990s.   I couldn’t really figure  out why I didn’t like them at first and it wasn’t just that they cost as much as an actual Bushmaster AR15.   It finally dawned on me a few years ago when I was at a gun club, about 500yds down range and I saw the glint of someones rifle scope.   What i never liked about the Trijicon ACOGS was that the loun neon colors announced that you were there and it was my hunting instincts that were trying to tell me that.  When we are bow hunting we have on cover scent and camo but when you send the military into some parts of the world they have neon strands on their guns.  Something wasn’t right about that.

With all firearms and accessories there has to be a balanced achieved between prevailing in a fight and and not compromising your ability to defend yourself or take cover or concealment.   When it comes to using gun magazines, the hottest sellers are the Magpul Pmags with the window, but again, this is something that can announce you are there when the shiny brass cases are showing on the side of your black firearm  and the sun hits in on that perfect angle.   That is something that can be picked up from hundreds of yards away.  Flashlights, optics and gun parts can help you in getting your bullets on target but be careful they don’t compromise your ability for concealment.

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Holsters that don’t cut it

I have a long list of things about various holsters makers that I don’t like and really wish they would fix, but it just doesn’t seem to happen.   I still don’t get these clip on IWB holsters that pop off of you when you bend down and get up.   I guess some people are as flexible as I am at my age, but I’ve tested a few IWB holsters this year after carrying a Glock 26 for a few months and 2 of them failed the first day i wore them.   Even with a good gun belt you can still have failures with IWB belts.   I believe I saw an instructor at Gunsight tell me that he sees failures with IWB holsters at almost every one of his training classes.

The failures usually occur when you draw your gun from your holster in a manor that you don’t normally do when you are moving slowly and something makes the clip hop off the belt.   The next thing you are doing is point a holster firearm at a target and you won’t be able to get to the trigger.   I have a pile of  Galco holsters and some of them are really nice and others just don’t cut it.   The Stow-n-go holsters are very comfortable but once you draw your gun, it’s very difficult to get them back in and that’s not a good thing.   Being able to holster your firearm after an incident is very important.

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Do you have a favorite combat optic?

I think it’s safe to say that if it comes down to the wire, it’s between Trijicon, Aimpoint and Eotech.   I’m still amazed at how well Eotech holds their own even though we are on the verge of a technological shift with gun accessories.  The first combat optic that impressed me was the Leupold CQT because it gave you an optic that was meant for close up fighting that didn’t get dead on  you when the batteries died.   The CQT is a nice optic but nobody gives you the field of view that the Eotech gun sight gives you.   Field of view in a gun sight means faster target acquisition.  It only takes a 2 second test on a firing range.

Even at ranges under 100yds you still might be at a disadvantage with anything other than an Eotech.  There is one optic that I think is my favorite other than the Eotech.   The Trijicon TA01NSN  gives you the medium range gun fighting ability, but the trusty iron sights mounted on the top get you back to the basics.   If you learn to shoot properly with both eyes open your field of view is as good as your eyes and this is something that can get lost in the realm of combat optics.   Don’t forget to keep your iron sights on your M4 Carbine.  It might be tempting to just put a scope on it, but the what ifs do happen.

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Holsters and locking systems

For anyone that has experience in carrying a firearms for a few  years, there is the knowledge that no one holster is going to work for every situation.   Sometimes a Blackhawk Serpa holster is what you are using, but when summer comes and you don’t have the outwear to cover the firearm, it’s time for IWB carry.   IWB is not for everyone,  I’ve never had a problem with it until recently when I started doing more summer work and was coming home with bruises.   I then started carrying in a pocket with a j-frame revolver but you can’t do that or downgrade to that small of a firearm if you are on duty.   It’s normal to have 2-3 holsters to get you through the year if you a 7 day a week gun carrier.

We’ve recently expanded our gun holster line because there are so many good holster companies and much of it is about preference.  If you are looking for a holster that will work with more than one firearm, check out the Elite Survival holsters or the Safariland holsters.  Safariland holsters have a stiffer feel than nylon holsters but they are for duty holsters and one of our top sellers to the military.   The Safariland ALS gives you a locking system in a different configuration as the Blackhawk Serpa, it’s all about preference.

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New Polarized Smith Optics Elite in stock

I just got done going through all of the Smith Optics Elite Division tactical eyewear that has been out of stock for a long time now.   I’m not sure if it was a production issue or a demand, although I’ve heard a few rumors that there were some issues with the manufacturing them.   Polarized lenses that can take an impact are in high demand and especially for our private contractor clientele.   Smith Optics are one of the five authorized eyewear for military purpose and the designers of the eyewear already have experience working with some of the other competitors.

The Aegis eye shield is still  probable the best tactical eyewear for military use because it’s not as heavy as wearing goggles but it gives you full eye coverage with zero obstructions. Smith Elite eyewear is something you’ll want to try out in a stocking dealers shop.   Ordering sunglasses online is probable just as difficult as ordering clothing or apparel because the look and fit of them is very much about preference and style.  The lifestyles give you the street cool guy look, but not the best thing to wear at a shooting range or in a combat situation.   I personally prefer no frames when I’m working with my Carbine.

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Philadelphia Mob’s it’s only a matter of time

Today I was listening to a local talk radio host who had a local reporter on and they were talking about the Flash Mob stuff that was going on there.   In some people’s minds these incidences are not racial, but that is absolutely absurd.   We’ve had at least 3 mob incidences against young white males or old white men and it’s always black on white.   In some camps of our society, racism only applies to things that a white man can do and not the other way around.  Racism exists in all societies and cultures but only those living in the world that Political correctness has created think it only exists when a victim is black.

One of the callers challenged the local news writer about what the news article would be if a gun owner shot one or more of these individuals when they were committing the crime.   The news reporter basically said it at this point it would say something about a “gun owner defends against a mob” I’m paraphrasing, but I thing it was bullshit.  We know that if a gun owner shot one of these individuals and reloaded with using spare gun magazines that it would be excessive or bull  shit that someone that trained to shoot shot 5 or 6 of the criminals and it was unfair that someone would do that against un armed youth.   Considering the ages groups of some of these Flash mobs it would probable not sound justified if a 65yr old man shot 11yr-19yr olders, but the reality is it may well be if things keep up like this.

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Is pepper spray and mace a thing of the past?

I have been fortunate to have attended plenty of tactical conferences over the last year and it came up several times during training sessions that there is a move away from using mace like Sabre Defense products and towards  using tasers.   Tasers don’t have the blow back that mace has and of all of the times I have every trained with pepper spray or mace, my lips and eyes always got a little bit of it.   It’s still a very good thing to have on you if you want a less lethal and lower legal liability to use in a bad situation.   If I could name all of the times I have ever felt uneasy dealing with someone or was in a hostile situation, it was almost in or around a place serving alcohol.

Now that there is a lawyer  hiding under every rock, if you choose to carry a firearm for self defense you better be prepared to deal with the legal consequences of every action.   Streamlight flashlights are even being sold as defensive weapons for the strobe feature or the striking bezel.   Until tasers become smaller and more compact, I find them to be  a little too impractical to carry, but the time will come.  One of my favorites to this day is the Kimber Guardian II which looks and feels more like a gun but lasts much longer than bottles pepper sprays.   They are going to cost you more, but they are worth it.

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Did they take your Legos away from you too?

I have noticed for a very long time that there is a strong correlation between the guys that can’t stop accessorizing their M4 Carbines or AR15s and there previous childhood hobby of playing with Legos.  One thing that I always consider when putting something on a firearm is knowing if it is combat worthy or not.   There are a lot of things that are sold at gun shops and gun shows that are just downright trash, and others will hold up if you mount them properly.  Now that everyone has a rail or A3 model, you need to buy rails to protect them when not in use.

Now that you need new rail skins or rail covers, you have to pick out the pretty colors you, do you want Field Green, Dark Earth, OD Green,  Black or Tan on your M4 Carbine?   Magpul Pmags also come in many colors and sometimes people can get pretty particular about which colors they want.   I guess you want your gun to look nice when it’s pointing at someone.   I admit that it does get a little messy when you have mismatched color firearms parts and accessories, but as long as you don’t have rainbow colors on them it won’t be the end of the world.

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Magazines that aren’t flush fitting

I have never really liked the feel of having a pistol magazine protrude out of the bottom of the gun unless it is because the gun grip is too small for me.  I’ve seen a few of my friends do this on their Glocks, namely the Glock 26 because it is such a small gun.   I did put an extension on a Sig 239 which is the  only gun I currently own that has this.   The first gun that I owned was a Colt 1991A1 and it only came with one pistol magazine.   It was a Colt magazine which i thought would be the best gun magazine to have, but that turned out to not be true.   After having a few problems with the slide stop not catching, I found out the magazine tab was bending and causing the issue.

I believe it was at a gun show that I picked up 2 Wilson Combat magazines and my Colt 1991A1 ran flawlessly with ball ammo.  The gun magazines really ran well with hollow point ammunition but I found the gun to be too picky with hollow point ammo that I pretty much gave up on worrying about it.   If you look at the velocity that a 45acp is flying at, I don’t think you’ll have massive over penetration issues compared to 9mm ball.   Wilson combat magazines have varying base pads and from my experience this is mostly a concern for competition shooters.   If the magazine drops free I don’t need to worry about gripping it and pulling it out for a fast reload.

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Looking for an axe to put in the car?

That may sound funny, but this is actually one of the biggest selling items we have in the tactical knives and edged weapons categories.   It’s funny to know that hundreds of years after people ran around fighting battles with battle axes ect, that people are still finding the need to keep an axe in the car.  There are plenty of times that LEO have to show up on the scene of an accident and break somebody out of a car or cut down trees or branches to search and rescue someone.     The SOG Fusion Tactical Tomahawk gives you something to chip with and on the flip side of it, you can use it to break glass.

I would highly recommend keeping something like this is your car because it’s a great thing to keep around for camping and for emergency situations.   There should always be something in your car for breaking open glass or cutting a seat belt.   SOG Knives has a broad spectrum of edged knives and weapons as well as utility knives that rival Swiss Army Knives.   Some of these are hard to shop for online, but stop in to the new Rogue Elite tactical store this fall and you will get an eye full of tactical knives for CCW, utility and Emergency applications.

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