5.11 tactical pants vs TruSpec tactical pants

To this day I am still not happy about what I saw happen with Woolrich Elite and the rise and Fall of the Eotac product line.  I’m amazed that some of the product improvements never took place with the Woolrich Elite tactical pants and the demise of Eotac partially because the pants just never were available.   We had a completely confused customer base and now that price increases have occurred many people are shopping around for something close to their price range.   From what we are seeing there has been a big shit towards TruSpec and Vertx because so many of our customers were disgruntled 5.11 clothing wearers.   Much of my expereinces with the 5.11 product line have been good and they were and are the pioneers of the tactical clothing market.

We like seeing companies that actually have warranties on their product lines because with a bad economy and an over loaded tactical clothing market, we’d rather see the companies back up their products than have to deal with complaints about durability ect.   When going from product line to product line, The TruSpec tactical pants that we’ve been selling have had a  good reputation and after selling the product for almost a year, we’re seeing more and more repeat customers.  The TruSpec womens pants and shorts that we  have been selling have a 100% positive response so far and the sizing is very good.  Recently we started stocking the TruSpec EMS pants because so many people had sizing issues with the 5.11 version and were happy to find something else.

Top

The 1911 is a better gun

I started out with a Colt 1991A1 over 20yrs ago and at the time I thought I was getting a second rate 1911 but it was a good price so I got it.  I fell in love with the gun immediately and It just fit my hand that the first time I shot it I thought I was missing paper and it turned out I was shooting out the center of the target.   After shooting the gun for 3 range sessions I started having problems.   I had a good relationship with my gun  shop and when I went back in I talked to him.  He told me I should be using more than 1 magazine with the gun and talked about magazine rotation.  Then I picked up a few more Colt 1911 magazines and after a few range sessions the gun started closing on an empty chamber.

This whole issue was apparently very common with 1911s and many of the GI magazines were actually meant to be thrown away on a battlefield and not re-used.  I tried the quick fixes but they didn’t hold up, I later found out about Wilson Combat Magazines and now the Wilson Combat ETM magazines are my primary 1911 magazines.  Barrel designs and more durable parts have made the 1911 a superior firearm than it’s original GI version.   Although the guns are still pretty heavy compared to composite materials, many people still find the 1911 guns to be the most comfortable 45acp to shoot.

Top

Competition shooting and

That seems to be one of the biggest gag lines I hear coming from people in the industry.  We had a Navy Seal come in here talking about Glocks and how he had to modify his slightly because he started out as a 1911 guy and had issues with the grip angle.  Recently I purchased a Glock 17 because it’s still widely used in our local Law Enforcement community.   I have a Glock 19 because I got tired of my Sig Sauer guns rusting out on my in the Summer but it did take me awhile to find the correct grip.  Luckily I had an instructor in here that gave me some pointers.   Handguns need to modified for the shooter if the shoot wants to be proficient with it.   I watched a Bob Vogel DVD about Mastering the IDPA and he mentioned several things he did that helped make him a more accurate shot.

Bob Vogel  uses a Glock 34 in his competition shooting and he is also a Police Officer.   One of the great things about Glock firearms is many of the Glock magazines work in various Glocks of the same Caliber.   I personally don’t like Glocks but I have a lot of respect for the design and I do agree that they are tough guns that have a proven track record.   If I was deployed and had to be issued a Sidearm it would defanitely be a Glock.   I’m a big fan of the LWRC gas gun designs but having to deal with a standard AR15 or an M16 and all of that gun maintenance and then another firearm.  I don’t want another gun to clean, just give me a Glock.

Top

Are there better things than bottle pepper sprays?

We’ve seen all types of people come in our shop at various levels of knowledge about firearms or defensive devices.  We’ve had women that did not want to carry firearms but they wanted to buy pepper sprays or mace.  Guys come in and buy it for their wives or they come in and ask questions about concealed carry products.   People that have been robbed or had bad experiences in life get into this business looking for ways of carrying defensive products without buy a pair of 5.11 tactical pants and having a knife and Blackhawk Holster on them.  They just want to know how you actually do it.

Bottle pepper sprays are convenient but not very practical to carry, everyone knows by now that if you grab a cylindrical device you’re going to have trouble knowing which direction it is pointing.    Our line of ASP Pepper sprays are very reasonable priced, but there are things out there like the Kimber Pepper Blaster II, which use to be called the Kimber Guardian Angel, and there is a Ruger has a new pepper spray that has a better grip control than bottle pepper sprays but after watching some of the videos, all those strobes and sirens are more bells and whistles than what I think is practical, but if it gives you comfort than spending $20-$40 on it is worth the security.

Top

Another reason brick and mortar stores are still viable for buying accessories

This topic was discussed before about the differences between shopping for footwear online vs walking into a store.   Nobody wants to deal with returns for many reasons and it’s not just all about wasting money.  Even if the online dealer that sold you the product has a good return policy and allows you to return the item, they still burned up money.   Many years ago there was a Cabela’s store that opened up in Pennsylvania and it was a really big deal.   It’s about an hour and half outside of Philadelphia but people drive for hours to get there.  The biggest reason they do is because they want to shop with their hands and not with a keyboard.  There are so many things you can’t explain very well just by showing a picture.  Youtube has been a big help for us to sell products but sometimes people still want to hold it.

So many gun shops and gunsmiths have been put out of business by much bigger dealers with fancy websites, but eventually there are still the same issues.  Not being able to explain something look through magpul sights before you buy them might mean having to return them if they don’t work for  you.  I’ve had issues with my Eotech sights and had to either return them or spend another $100 to buy new sights.   I opted for the lower profile LWRC rear sights so my Eotech magnifier would work.  There are many things to consider when buying AR15 accessories and it’s still nice to be able to look through it before you buy.

Top

Surefire Vs. Streamlight

I guess that sounds like the beginning of a gun forum post but we get asked about this all the time.  There are many things that I prefer to not divulge to customers because so much of this is about preference and the job at hand.   If you are going to be using a flashlight for any length of time, and you have access to a charger, then you obviously want a flashlight that is rechargeable and has the appropriate battery packs.  Most of the Police around here are using the Streamlight Strion and Streamlight Stinger because they can charge them in their vehicles or the office and know where they are starting from, unlike batteries that have been in the flashlight that are already diminished.

If you have serious use of a flashlight, the differences between having a flashlight at 80% vs 100% is considerable.  If you are using streamlight flashlights for more than 8yrs, you’ll be able to relate to the improvements that have taken place with LED technology.   I originally had a Streamlight scorpion with a xenon bulb that only lasted a few battery changes before it need to be replaced.   I’ve had every ready Radio Shack flashlights that were tougher than that, but things have changed.   Surefire came in stock because of all of the requests for Carbine and Shotgun lights.  The Streamlight TLR-1 Flashlights are still king in this business, but Surefire has the hold on most AR15 and shotgun mounted lights.   We are actively monitoring requests for Veridian lights, but we’ve had very little experience.

Top

More info from walk in customers about guns and gear….

I have been told I’m an old soul because I’m far more mature than most my age and I’ve been that way for probable most of my life.   Many of the good things I remember about growing up was getting all the info I wanted from my Grandfather and all of my Uncle’s.  I only had a couple of Aunt’s so it was not very balanced in having sources of information.   When it came to Astronomy, Science, Politics and Religion, I got input from so many different views that I was forced to pick  one or think about it and come to a conclusion.  The same goes now for all of our customers that tell us about the gear and gadgets they use.

One of the best things I got from both of my Grandfather’s was the ability to always ask questions.   I always ask customers about the fiasco over the Blackhawk Serpa holsters and the recent bans that are taking place all over.  My own thoughts on it are that a less trained shooter is more likely to happen with a Serpa holsters than a Safariland holster but I still use the Blackhawk Serpa holsters, and I have them for all of my combat sidearms.   Those debates about what can happen to a Serpa holster are true, but try jamming the same dirt and snow in your AR15 bolt and tell me if that locks up the same way.  Yep, it does.

Top

Leupold AR optics

Along with defensive ammunition improvements, one of the largest improvements we have seen in the industry is with combat optics. 20yrs ago there were only a handful of optics that could hold up to the abuse that real hunting and shooting gave them. With the advent of military rifles being issue with scope rails, more and more of our soldiers are getting the most out of the M16 and with the re introduction of the designated marksmen, Leupold rifle scopes are even today being used for combat duty. We are seeing M16A4 being used with Leupold 3-9×40 optics just because the troops are familiar with their hunting skills in America and know that Leupold scopes are dependable. For long range and medium range shooting, there are a great many options on the table.

Our favorite things to come from Leupold are with their close quarters. medium range and extended range rifle scopes. These aren’t your fathers hunting scopes, the compact  Leupold rifle scopes aren’t the high profile optics that will force you to adjust your cheek weld and the close quarters CQT won’t have a disappearing reticle if the batteries go out. With the now growing number of .308 AR showing up, Leupold medium range optics with Mil-dot and medium magnifications won’t slow down your designated marksmen. The Leupold AR riflescopes are specifically designed for the AR15 owner that may be doing varmint work in his backyard. While the .223 seems to be over looked by many in the varmint community for the 22-250, with the correct platform, the AR15 can be a DMR or Varmint option.

Top

Great Deals for combat or paintball gloves

I’m amazed at how many operators and military persons do not use any kind of fancy tactical gloves.   What amazed me was the number of people that are using gloves that you get in a sports store.  The truth of the tactical glove market is nobody wants to wear something where they can barely feel there hands.  For products where a cop has to worry about needles sticking them with hepatitis C or HIV, they they need frisk gloves like the turtleskin Alpha or Bravo gloves.  Sure you can shoot firearm with frisk gloves on but nobody is going to like that.   Many snipers do not want gloves to cover their trigger fingers  and most of the time those areas of the gloves get cut off.

We don’t know the real story on why Eotac disappeared but one of the casualties to the Eotac and Woolrich Elite history were the Vickers tactical gloves.   The Vickers duty gloves were barely on the market, but now word has gotten out and people are using  them as paintball gloves as well as what their intended purpose was.  These gloves were very well received and once Eotac acquired these gloves and then went out of business they are starting to disappear.   We have a large selection of the duty gloves but the OD green colors are dry up quickly.  Who knows if anyone will make them in the future but your best bet is to get them while you can.

Top

Are lasers useful or just cool?

That’s an easy answer for anyone that has been on a range as long as I have.  My first experience with a firearm with a laser was with one of my friends and he mentioned that he had bad eyes and need it.   That was about all I needed to know about why somebody would put a laser on a firearm.  Look at the changes that have taken place on firearms and the way people put hi visibility sights on Glocks and rifles.   I’ve seen AKs glowing sights and watched how well someone could shoot with them.   Even though you may turn your gun into something that has pink and yellow sights, you will find the contrast will improve target acquisition.

Lasers are showing up on everthing and now that most handguns being issued to police and military have rails on them for flashlights, lasers are also put in the mix.  We are seeing lights like the Veridian flashlights and we’ve been moving plenty of Crimson Trace Laser grips for concealed carry pistols.   The LCP is hands down the most popular concealed carry gun, but I still have issues with the .380 caliber and what it does for the average crackhead.  Do some research on what type of holster you want and make sure it works with your laser properly, lasers are are good when you need them.

Top
1 … 70 71 72 73 74 … 194 Page 72 of 194