Archive for January, 2014

New Tru-Spec jackets from SHOT show

Tru-Spec jacketsWe were not fortunate enough to attend SHOT Show this year but we’ve been going through all of our top selling product brands and checking out what is coming out in 2014 in their Facebook pages.   Tru-Spec has been our chosen product line for outfitting our local Law Enforcement, primarily because they have really backed us and we have seen tremendous growth compared to many other tactical clothing and CCW product lines.  While many companies just didn’t get their foothold in the industry, Tru-Spec has increased their manufacturing and has really show some aggressive competition against the giants like 5.11 Tactical.

Tru-Spec’s combat shirts have been around for a long time but many are transitioning over to the new 1/4 Zip combat shirts and even though the new Winter Combat Shirt is just being launched, we have been selling them to County Tactical Teams for the last 8 weeks.   There are more Tru-Spec Jackets coming out, from the Tru-Spec Element jacket with a liner, which gives it more usefulness than just a heavy winter jacket, that in some parts of the Country might only be used for a few weeks or even days out of the year.   The new higher cut tactical softshell was designed so Law Enforcement would have easier access to duty gear on the belt line.   New hooded sweatshirts with built in holsters and more are in store for 2014.

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Beware of buying tactical gear at gun stores

Surefire flashlightsUnless you are lucky to have a really good gun shop that moves a lot of tactical clothing, flashlights and modern gun accessories,  you might end up with products that are out dated and not up to modern standards.   We pay attention to the recalls on firearms every year and on why certain accessories fail.    We’ve seen several Generations of Magpul magazines and accessories and not all of them have been launched with initial success.   We have cleared out lots of Magpul Gen 3 magazines in recent months and put a hold on some of their magazines until we are confident they  have the manufacturing in order.   Some of our distributors have had floods of Pmags coming in but didn’t weed out the faulty production that nobody seems to want to admit to.

In the past 3 months we had to do our own inventory monitoring on Pelican, Streamlight , Surefire and many more products.   We’ve seen product flaws with Trijicon optics that were sent back as well as some completely out dated Surefire flashlights as well as Streamlight flashlights.  Flashlight technology has grown from 85%-90% with some brands and if you buy a flashlight that has been collecting dust in a gun store that doesn’t move inventory, you might be getting a flashlight that is 2 or 3 generations out dated without knowing it.  Not all product codes change from manufacturers when they do the updates to it’s really a good idea to keep an eye on all of the modern specs and get the most out of your money.

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Epsilon shooting mat shooting experiences

Elite Survival Epsilon shooting matThere are a lot of things you can do to get down and prone at a firing range and protect you from the ground beneath you but in the real world, you might want something like this to avoid rocks, thorns, and broken glass from cutting you.   Another reality about shooting on the ground is you are going to end up with a cut elbow if you are shooting off the ground for a long period of time.   For thing you will notice about the Epsilon shooting mat is the quality of the nylon, and the second thing you are going to notice when opening it up and laying on the ground is that it’s not going to roll up or curl on you when like most mats.   I have moved away from using bipods on firearms because the best ones are expensive and a good shooting  mat and backpack can give you a very sturdy platform for placing consistent shots when out on in the field.

I like to pack my gear up and leave important items like binoculars, appropriate magazines (loaded) and various molle pouches attached to my platform.   The Elite Survival Epsilon shooting mat is $159.95 and is available in black or tan.   We usually keep some of these around our showroom so we can display it for our customers which usually sells the product.   This is a much larger shooting mat and folds up in a solid construction and can also be attached to  a backpack or drag bag.    For anyone in the 6ft and above height category,  you will get very good coverage for both your arms and your legs and you won’t be going home with dirty knees. This mat, when opened up is almost 6ft long and 3.5ft wide opened.  A very good accessory for anyone and wants a more comfortable day at the range.

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Rotating your magazines, it’s more important than you think

Wilson Combat MagazinesWe have a lot of gun owners that stop in our store, usually it’s for a holster for their first purchase and they are looking for something, but don’t have any idea where to start form.  We highly recommend that people consider shooting IDPA when they are going to be CCW a firearm because it’s usually a very good way to get some street smarts and to understand that not every shooting experience is going to be on level ground with stationary targets.   If you are in the Delaware County look into Double Action Indoor range in Yeadon PA for their next shoot and you’ll learn as much there form the person competing in front of you as well as shooting the competition yourself.

In some circumstances it’s best to just got to an event and ask people why they chose the firearm they are using and what kind of holster and magazine setup they have.   One thing that has picked up for the people shooting 1911s are the Wilson Combat magazines called the Elite Tactical magazine.  These have number markings on the bottom of the magazines so you can use them in a rotation and wear the magazines in a consistent manor.   Some people don’t know that even though you may have gotten one or two magazines with your gun, it’s not a good idea to go to the range with small quantities of magazines and use them in self defense without risking finding out that you now have a malfunction because your magazine is cycling too slow.   We highly suggest having atleast 3 magazines for any gun you shoot frequently and rotate them.

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Things to think about when choosing a primary firearm

Trijicon Night SightsEverything needs to becoming modular, whether it’s your tactical vest or M4 Carbine, your Smith & Wesson M&P or a Glock Gen4.   Adjustable stocks, MOE handguards, interchangeable molle vests that you can customize for rifle magazine, pistol magazines or for medical pouches.   There are all kinds of things that you can choose from that will fulfill your needs.   We see a lot of people come in our store, whether it’s Law Enforcement or Private Security that have backup guns or firearms that they have added lasers, grips, or sights to and are looking for a new holster.  If you see a cool new gun in a gun shop and you are thinking about using it as a primary, have the forethought to know if you are going to be able to find a holster to carry it in the manor that you want to.

We have a lot of quick fixes to find a holster for you but there are always pros and cons of each holster design, whether it’s nylon, leather or kydex.   One of the items we have strongly suggested for people looking to improve there shooting proficiency are the high definition Trijicon Night Sights  (or Trijicon HD Sights).   These have a very bright illumination during the day and considerable brighter than the previous Tritium night sights that existed.   Trijicon has these sights available for guns like 1911s, Glocks, Beretta, Colt, FNH, H&K, Ruger, Sig Sauer, Smith & Wesson, Springfield Armory XDs and Walther.

 

 

 

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The Connecticut Shooting and what guns owners should be doing

gunvault gunsafesWhile the rest of our media went into a hi-jacking over the entire incident, there is something beside the “mental health”  discussion.   Even though gun owners are by far, in the “more responsible” category of society, there is a large number that should do some examining on how guns fall in the hands of bad people and how just locking up EVERY firearm in your home is something of an added insurance if you do have a break in.  Not letting people know what you own and where you hide is a good idea, but even if you have a bed side firearm or a gun hidden in a part of your house, the quick access and modern technology that Gunvault safes have to offer can prevent theft or prevent a family member you don’t trust from finding them and and acquiring it.

I personally don’t think the Biometric safes are anymore effective in restricting access to firearms than a keylock or push pad but if it fits in with your comfort and you want that type of access it’s better than just hiding a firearm.    I have already witnessed several generations of Gunvault gunsafes and the modern versions are far more reliable than previous generations so be careful about how long ago you may have read any negative reviews.  Biometric technology has improved greatly but that doesn’t apply to everyone.   The Minvault is a good starting point if  you are only locking up 1 or 2 handguns and the Multivault is the next step up for locking up more than 2 handguns, jewelry or any other important items.  The Nanovault and Microvault are big “car safes” sellers.

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The Red Dot Market

Trijicon RMR sightsWe have been adding more and more products to our website in the last year, moving from 18,000 products to well over 31,000 products in 12 months.   When you are cater to the broad customer base that we do, it’s really easy to expand your product line, but the one thing we don’t want to do is expand it with 2nd rate products.   We have people driving up to 3hrs to stop in our store because some of the products we sell like Trijicon, Aimpoint and Eotech and Surefire can sometimes be pricey products to buy online when you haven’t been able to look through it and know for you sure that it’s the correct item for your AR15  or Glock firearm.  Some products like Eotech and Aimpoint have some moderately price optics that have a very good entry level that aren’t crap.

Our phone and email boxes are loaded with new products from various companies going to SHOT SHOW out in Las Vegas that are asking us to stop by their booth, but if we never heard of their Flashlights or Optics, we’re really not that interested in deviating from staples like Trijicon RMR sights , ACOGS,  Aimpoint red dots and Eotech sights.    We have a good selection of the Eotech 512 and 516  optics as well as the Aimpoint Patrol Optics inbound because the reputation of these optics that have been battle proven insurmountable.  Thee optics work well on Russian AK rifles, Remington 870 shotguns, Mossberg 500 and AR15 variants.

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You’ll need more than 1 gun and 1 holster for CCW

gun holstersMuch of the Concealed Carry world is about personal choice and our diverse product line of Don Hume gun holsters should fulfill most of our customer needs.  If you are not looking for a locking holster and want something fast and easy to and comfortable to wear, try the Don  Hume Jit holsters for your Glock 19, Sig 239 or whichever semi-auto or revolver you need.  The Jit holster sits securely on your belt and sits at a very comfortable level for easy retrieval.  Pocket holsters are  must to avoid problems with firearms rotating and the pocket holsters will place your holster in a secure upright position and help keep lint and other nasty things a pocket can hold away from your handgun.

If you’re looking for a durable, clip on holsters it’s hard to beat Don Hume holsters. Don Hume holsters in soft pocket clip on, waistband clip on with thumb break, front pocket ambidextrous, Ankle safe and much much more. Don Hume holsters are made for your concealed carry gun or duty holster needs and are made for your revolver or semi-auto. IWB is hands down the most concealed carry friendly method and the IWB clip on gun holsters are very reliable if a good gun belt is used. Pocket carry is becoming more and more the norm these days with more reliable compact semi-auto guns. The pocket protectors are a must for anyone trying to keep lint off a firearm which can affect the reliability and performance.

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Bushmaster firearms and upper receivers for builds?

Bushmaster upper receiversI remember back in the day it seemed like everything was either Bushmaster, Olympic Arms or Colt when it came to AR15 rifles.   There were cheap AK’s, Cheap SKS’s and the guys with the AR15’s were the guys that had money.   Now that the AR15 is the number #1 most popular rifle in the Country, it’s the difference between lincoln logs and legos as far as the changes they’ve made.   Every AR15 out there is made of metal that is sometimes 7x’s stronger or more than barrels made 10yrs ago.   I still have a Bushmaster XM15E2 that I got which is the heavy barrel AR15 and that is almost a dated firearm.

Most operators are going for lighter firearms, but lighter does  not mean weaker.   The Bushmaster upper receivers that we get in now feel and look nothing like the gun I had from 15years ago and the price points still make them a competitive firearm for those that want something new, are doing a new AR15 build or just want a quality AR15.   There are many calibers of AR15’s from the 450, 5.45×39 and the 556mm and now 6.8SPC.    The 308 has really taken some ground now that companies like Magpul are putting out quality 20rd magazines which was something that was pretty scarce previously.

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It’s about the quality of the ammo you use, not just maintenace of a firearm

gun cleaning suppliesThere are a lot of myths about gun cleaning and one of them is that firearms need to be cleaned after every use.  I remember the times going to gun clubs with friends and some of them would bail out because they didn’t want to shoot on a rainy day and get their guns wet.   That cracks me up becaues 90% of the handguns, rifle and shotguns they own are all used in military style situations and can surely be used out in the field for long periods of times.   One reason composite firearms have an advantage in certain environments is their low maintenance and need for lubrication.    Over cleaning according to many expert firearm instructors can cause more damage than not cleaning it.

When comes to something like an AR15, it’s fact that lubrication has far more to do with proper function that cleaning it all the time.   I have a large cache of gun cleaning supplies and some of them are things I probable should throw away if they weren’t toxic.   I have been a big fan of M-Pro7  gun cleaning supplies although I have yet to test out any of the copper cutters or copper removers from them.  I really think I may  only have 1 gun that can benefit from it and it’s not something I’m really worried about because it’s still an MOA rifle.  There are lots of new cleaning kits and gun lubes for you to consider buying because the new gun oils ect.  really are much safer and better for you.

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