Looing for eyewear but not sure what to buy?

We have been very happy with the Smith Optics Elite eyewear and in 2012 the product line has gotten even better with the low profile googles and our favorite the Boogie Regulator.   I have gone through piles of safety glasses over the years and mostly because they got so scratched up it affected my visibility and interfered with my targeting of things while on the range.  I have had some issues in the past where if I did not have protection I would have been blinded.   There’s nothing like having a 7.62 nato round go off in a magazine 10 inches from your face.   Googles tend to be pretty bulky and there are wide variations in fit and sizing.

If you want an easy fix for a product that has several ways it can be attached to your helmet or head, check out the Smith Optics Elite Boogie Regulator.   This piece of eyewear won’t break the bank and the Boogie Regulator from Smith Optics Elite comes in a gray, clear and ignitor.    There is a lever on each side of the eyewear that opens and closes so you can allow air to move through it and reduce any fogging.   I would consider these to be the best ballistic eyewear to use for new shooters because it’s very secure and not bulky for shooting through rifle scopes.

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Getting use to these TruSpec pants

It was a big change for me to switch over from what I have worn for almost 7yrs and then try a different pocket design and different materials.   I started out like many with the 5.11 tactical pants and my first pair of pants had horrible shrinkage.  So many of  our customers have made the same statements and always say they are looking for something else but afraid to order them online.  We often get asked “what are my sizes for TruSpec, Blackhawk, Vertx” ect. if they wear X with 5.11.   There are sizing variations and fit differences and it’s just one of those things about buying clothing, you really need to try them on before you buy.

The pocket designs on the TruSpec 24/7 pants took some getting use to but now that I have adjusted my gear and taught myself how to carry my knife, flashlight and weapons, I have been very happy with the quality.  The polyester cotton ripstop material makes these lightweight tactical pants and somewhat of an easier product to just wash and go.  I don’t like having to iron clothing that much and if you are in a professional environment and don’t have the time to let your 100% cotton ripstop pants de wrinkle themselves, TruSpec pants are an easy switch for anyone wearing 5.11 tactical pants.

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Trijicon ACOGs and thinking ahead

Trijicon optics are probable the most complicated rifle optics we sell.  Not only has there been a major trend away from red illuminated reticles towards green reticles, there are so many reticles that if you don’t think about what you get ahead of time, you might spend $1200 and find out you should have gotten something else.  Being a showcase dealer for the Trijicon product line means getting listed on their website and having traffic directed towards you, but we still get a lot of confused customers and always have to break out the Trijicon catalog and explain it to them.  It really helps to have product in stock because a good look through is really what sells the product.

Which reticle should you choose?  The horseshoe and donut reticles seem to be very popular but for those that want the tradition crosshairs the Trijicon TA01NSN is the best option.   Many people realize that the ACOG is mostly a medium range optic with some long range applications but it is definitely not a close combat optic unless you mount a red dot or iron sights on it.   The good thing about the TA01NSN is that it has the tradition reticle and has a night sight iron sight on it.   This is an easy sell for those that don’t want to get too fancy with the reticles.

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Full size guns and holster options

I have stacks of gun holsters in my closet but in all honesty I still use most of them.   I carry for work but sometimes I just feel like carrying something different and I’ll break out a Beretta 92Fs in a shoulder holster or a Sig 226 in a Miami Vice Classic holster.   Sometimes its just fun to put one on and get the gun out of your waistband.   I personally prefer to carry a firearm inside the waistband for concealment but when you have to do heavy lifting or bending over a lot.  Sometimes  you can develop bruising or soreness depending on the holster you are using. Kydex is great and so are some of the Kingtuk style holsters but there are body movement limits.

When I just want to get moving and I have a concealment vest or jacket on, I have a lot of fun with my Fobus holsters.  I never understood why people bash Fobus holsters as being inferior because for $20 they make a darn good holster.  I have never had fit issues with them and I have yet to have ever broken one.  They are very easy on off holsters if you think you have to do banking or go into a Government building and remove your firearm.   Fobus holsters are very well balanced with full size firearms but a bit of an overkill for j-frame revolvers.

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Blowing money or just having fun with a rifle?

There are several AR15 guns that we’ve seen come out that were basically a novelty.   I wouldn’t trust some of the direct impingement 5.45×39 guns with my life because it’s just a flat out bad idea to expect a gun to run on ammo that dirty and in a firearm like an direct impingement AR15 for very long.   Some of the differences in barrel life vary from firearm to firearm and the machining and matching of parts can mean the difference between a hobby gun and a combat firearm.  From my experience putting a gun together properly is a big deal and i’ve seen many imported firearms just not cut it because the gunsmithing and assemble were so bad a firearm like a FNFAL can get a bad image.

Century Arms was notorious for making cheap AKs and FAL amongst other things and there have been some dud companies that made AR15s.  AR15 rifle have improved and there are many guns that can become great hunting rifles with Bushmaster upper receivers that have the configuration that you might want for deer or varmint hunting.   I have a Bushmaster XM15E2 that is the second firearm that I train new shooters to use.  The iron sights on a carry handle and the long 20inch heavy barrel are very good training guns.

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Otis gun cleaning systems and the easier way

You won’t find a more compact cleaning kit for your firearm than an Otis gun cleaning kit. They are specialized for various types of firearms and not just caliber specific like many other cleaning kits. You can get a Universal cleaning kit for multiple calibers or get one that is specific to an M16. Everyone knows how much a chore the M4 and M16 family of firearms are to clean and carrying a cleaning rod with you is impractical. There are videos on the internet and CDs that you can watch while you learn about your Otis gun cleaning kit. They will take a little time to get use to using because the gun cleaning kits are mini tool boxes that can vary depending on the configuration you order.

The military configurations are very practical for anyone that owns an AR15 or M4 variant. You can cut down on the amount of gun cleaning supplies you use and the time you spend cleaning and get more use out of your cleaning patches if you properly use your Otis cleaning kit. The Otis product line is geared towards the hunter, the target shooter, the gun collector and military applications. The Otis M16 butt stock cleaning kit fits where it says it goe. You will appreciate being able to clean a pistol or rifle out of something that can fit in your hand and can easily be stowed in a range bag or tactical vest. Cleaning brushes and cleaning patches are all in there so do some research into what you really want in a cleaning kit and pick amongst the kits that are available.The Otis sniper cleaning system is a great companion to a DMR or bolt action rifle.

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Gun cleaning supplies, gun lube and Sigs and Glocks

My favorite handguns are the ones that I like to shoot the most and it’s not always what I consider to be the toughest or most reliable.  One thing people need to have a grip on with handguns is the statistics don’t lie.  Handguns really do suck at stopping threats and shot placement can’t be underrated.  Although I love shooting my 1911’s and reloading 45acp.  I do find that the weight of a 45acp does add up and I’d much rather have more physical comfort carrying than worrying about accuracy and whether my 45acp FMJ has more stopping power than a 9mm FMJ.   The Glock 21 is a great gun but to darn heavy for me to carry even if it was a duty gun.

Many, many firearm instructors will tell people that you’re better off practicing with a 9mm because it’s softer to shoot and costs less money.   I remember the days of the assault weapons ban when glock factory magazines cost close to $100 a pop but now they are mostly under $25 if you get them online.   For longer deployments or the times of year when I really don’t feel like cleaning my guns, I’m always carrying a Glock 26 or a Glock 19.   The less gun cleaning, the less lubrication you have to worry about draining off of you, really makes you think it’s time to carry a Glock.

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Feedback on Timberline knives

We’ve been stocking the Timberline Tactical knives in our store for over a year now and had a great experience working with the Gatco product line at the NRA convention a  year ago.   We consider ourselves to be new to the whole knife thing, but this is another big niche in the industry that we are learning about.  Knives are very useful tools and it’s not a secret that many in the concealed carry crowd carry knives.  It’s not that we use them as weapons, but it’s more for utility purposes.  There are many things that can be opened up and sometimes the strength and sharpness of the knife can be the difference.

One of our favorite things about the Timberline knives is we are well covered for boot or neck knives, folding knives, and emergency knives.   One of our most popular Timberline knives at the moment are the Timberline SOC knives.  The finish on them is eye catching and the combo edge knives are the ones we have trouble stocking in the store.  The Delta knives are the hardest to keep in the store because they are very good defensive knives.  The ECS knives are a huge  hit for military and swat teams and their small ecs knife.  We do stock many of their knives in store so you can stop in and check them out.

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Climate changes and and carrying firearms

I’ve been carrying firearms for well over 2 decades and I’ve “been there done that” on most of the typical CCW mistakes.   There’s nothing like getting a nice winter jacket in the middle of the winter, carrying your Beretta 92FS while Christmas shopping using a Fobus or Blackhawk holster, and after 5 minutes of being there, realizing you’re going to sweat to death if you don’t take your jacket off but you can’t because you’re carrying in a paddle holster.   I learned that and realized that for the most part, I probable never would need a winter coat unless I was standing outside all day.   Modern synthetic materials are getting so good that fleece and wool are really going to be a thing of the past.  There trend is that body armor and armor plating will get thinner and lighter, it’s only a matter of time.

We’ve been watching the Vertx, Blackhawk and TruSpec product line for a long time and can see an obvious trend.  This Fall we are working on a TruSpec jackets and outwear promo and there are many cool things we can’t wait to see come in.  Vertx is kind of pricey but really good stuff, we’ve been happy with the Woolrich Elite outwear especially the Twill Jacket.  Unfortunately last year was a  bad year for outwear because of all of the warm weather.  From a retail standpoint, hopefully we get a Fall and Winter Season.

 

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New guns vs the old guns

We got a lot of weird questions about firearms and clothing and some things just aren’t worth our time pursuing.   There are new products  coming out every couple months and there are always new guns after SHOT Show or the NRA Convention that we basically have no interest in buying up holsters or gear with.   We normally wait for our customer to give us feedback on products and if there is enough interest in them, then we’ll bring in holsters, tactical lights or keep standard capacity magazines around.   Tactical lights are becoming a major headache for some manufacturers because there are fit differences between each tactical light.

Lately there seems to be a trend from local police departments to go back to Glocks just because some of the products have become so complicated it’s just not worth the hassle being the first to pick up a new handgun.   One thing that seems to be true is everyone goes back to Safariland holsters for their Sigs and Glock pistols.  Today a local police department asked us to look into getting them holsters for the Sig 220 handguns that are issued to them.  It was odd to hear that that gun is still in service locally, but it is.   There are polymer Sig pistols and even if they have an advantage, in the market place, there just aren’t as many options for them.

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