All posts tagged best prices

Smith & Wesson gaining with Glock with Law Enforcement?

Smith and Wesson magazinesM&P MagazinesSmith and Wesson Compact magsWe always are noticing trends in this industry because it has a big impact on what we will actually bring in to our store and stock.  There are always the Fad guns and Fad accessories that once the cool factory goes away people move on to something else.   We noticed that trend more than a decade ago, go from heavy barrel AR15s to lightweight upper receivers and even now the lowers are getting lighter and lighter.   Smith & Wesson has always had a big foot in the Law Enforcement and gun community but Glock has clearly gotten a huge foot to stand on because it was a major improvement technologically and in reliability.

The Smith & Wesson M&P was the first gun I personally shot that had the interchangeable back straps and if you are doing a purchase for your entire department, certain guns like this will help you decide on what to buy because there are always going to be hand size differences and caliber tolerances and control are not going to be a problem if you have the proper grip.   We notice that a large number of people have been buying the Smith & Wesson magazines for the M&P 9mm and M&P 40 and the Smith and Wesson Shield has been one of the most asked about gun holster in our store.  It always is a good idea to take  your time and use other peoples experiences when shopping for a firearm but the M&P rifles and handguns are here to stay.

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AR15 Complete Upper Receiver Piston designs

adams arms uppers9We get phone calls from customers maybe 1 out of every 500 we sell that ask us things that we thought were obvious to them when they purchased an upper receiver from us, but it didn’t click with them.  The reason your LWRC upper receiver came with a buffer spring is because YOU NEED to replace the buffer spring when  you go from a direct impingement design to a short stroke upper receiver.   The same thing happened we sold the Smith & Wesson 5.45×39 upper receivers and the LWRC M6AK uppers.   All of the 5.45×39 uppers we have sold so far came with a new hammer spring because you need more energy to strike the primers on the 5.45×39 ammo that most people were shooting.

We have been a parts dealer for LWRC for a long time now and still very big fans of their product line especially after taking a tour of the manufacturing facility.   In the last 2yrs we have to say the Adams Arms company has done a very good job of getting a durable piston design that is different than LWRC but seems to be well received.    All of the Adams Arms Uppers we sell are complete upper receivers and their 5.45×39 uppers have been the most hunted upper receiver in the last year.  If you look at the cost of the 5.45×39 ammunition in comparison to the 5.56 in cost, there is a big difference and  you’ll get the money back  on the upper receiver you purchased in just a couple thousand rounds.

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Magpul Pmags 10rd,20rd,30rd and 40rd

Magpul PMAGSThere has been an expansion of the Magpul Pmags in the last year which kind of got smothered while so much of the Country.   Magpul PMAGS are now available in Gen 2 and Gen 3  while the panic buying and hoarding went on, many customers were keeping them in their wrappers and not using them but we found out from many of our local customers that there was an issue with the Gen 3 PMAGS being out of spec.   After a little bit of research we found lots of info on AR15.com and other places like Youtube.com where people said they had issues with the mags not dropping free.  It was a minor fix but a major problem for someone finding out during a life fire test that it was an issue.

Most of our customers tell us they never use the “dust covers” and I guess Magpul put this in their marketing strategy because the Magpul MOE PMAGS are sold for a few bucks less than what they previous sold for.    We’ve checked out companies like Lancer for their magazines but most people are familiar with the Magpul PMAGS which aside from the recent issues with the Gen 3 PMAGS are a big improvement over the USGI magazines.  Whether you choose to use the PMAGS with windows is your personal preference but I would not be in the  habit of mixing window magazines with standard magazines.   The 20rd PMAGS seem to not sell as much as the 30rd but for some reason people forget how well balanced an AR15 is when you are only using them.  I highly suggest getting at least 2-20rd PMAGS in your rotation to see what I mean.

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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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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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Elite Survival Systems tactical gear and range and duty bags

Elite Survival BagsThe first thing we tell people when pushing this product line on our customers is that the majority of their gear is made in the US.   This is not that common of a thing in most gun shows.  I’ve been to enough gun shows to have a closet full of the less expensive tactical nylon gear, holsters, bags ect and there is a noticeable difference in the material.   When we compare even 5.11 tactical nylon gear from cell phone cases for Blackberries, I-phone case, we see the differences in the clasps and the stitching.   We have a lot of people looking for range bags and if you want something that stows all of your gear so you don’t forget it on your range trips.  Check out there medium range bag, it’s really an awesome bag.

With about a 4yr relationship with this company they are are stable for Police Duty bags and even Department of homeland security and CIA and FBI customers.   The bags we stock are everything from Elite Survival bags for storing firearms like the M4 Roller or the Double agent dual rifle case.  This is  a great gun case for 3 gun shooters.   The Messenger bag is being used by many in the State Police as well as Fire and EMS personnel do to  the waterproof compartment that the bag has built into it. Utility pouches, Flight bags and hydration systems all in use and were even featured with some at the US Open here in Haverford Township.

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I love my 1911s but chose not to carry

Every once in awhile I have broken out some of my first handguns just to make sure they were cleaned and lubricated, but now that I have switch to using more modern lubricants like Slip 2000,  I have a lot of confidence that the lube is going to stay on there and I don’t need to check on them as much as I did with BreakFree CLP.    I’ve learned that over cleaning does more damage than under cleaning and have learned to treat my combat handguns and rifles with that respect.    My Colt 1991A1 is still my favorite handgun even thought I chose to stop carrying in almost a decade ago.   Last night I broke it out and practiced trigger control by using a pencil with a good eraser so it could be used in a training exercise I from a World War II and Korean Vet.

Using a pencil I would load it through the barrel and fire it like a rocket by using the rubber eraser that reacted to the firing pin striking it.   This type of hammer/firing pin design works well with this but I removed all Chip McCormick Magazines from the room and tripple racked the slide to make sure it was clear and safe.   The Trigger on my 1911 could afford to drop a few pounds but I still love the way it feels in my hands.   The only down side to the 1911 in my book is the slider release safety.   I know several people that agree with me and since moved on to Sig Sauer handguns for CCW. Chip McCormick magazines

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Lasers on firearms, not only for point and shoot

crimson trace laser gripsThere has been much debate about lasers, flashlights, magnification and other accessories on firearms being unsafe or useless in certain situations.  Well, over compensating with the brakes on your car can cause you to loose control and crash if you don’t use it properly.   What about the parking brake on your car if it’s not used properly?  The same thing goes for any accessory you put  on your firearm, whether it’s your Remington 870 12gauge shotgun, your Glock 19 with a TLR1 flashlight or your AK 47 with a laser on it.  Sure a flashlight on your firearm is something you should not use to search with but if it’s all you got, your trigger discipline is what is going to keep you from firing on an innocent person if you are moving in a low light situation.

I have lasers on some of the CCW guns but those are for point and shoot or for intimidation if I were to be in a close situation.  Lasers have pros and cons but Crimson Trace laser grips have sold very well and if you do a little training with it and think about all of the ways  you can use it in some combat or self defense situations, it might be a tool that helps you win a fight.  For team operations, lasers on firearms can be a way of communication for pointing to doors or for movement.  If you can not speak and only are giving hand signals, how would you point to a team member or a family member on where the threat is.   Laser pointers in classrooms are  use for pointing to things on a wall so people can follow where they are at, same goes for other needs to communicate.

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1911 Range review on gun magazines

Wilson Combat MagazinesI have several 1911 handguns that I have run over the years and still prefer the GI M1911 styles with some slight changes like the sights.   I’m a big fan of the Trijicon HD or high definition sights because they are so much better than the traditional tritium sights.  Much brighter in the day time, too.  I’ve messed around with the Glock 30 and the Glock 21 but I find the Glock 21 to be entirely too big of a handgun for CCW and just something so well balanced as the 1911 just can’t be beat.  The Sig 220 is a close second but the trigger pull differences between a single action and a SA/DA is considerable if  you are looking for first hit accuracy.  I love my Sigs but they are not going to be as consistent with the first shot being so much hard to pull.

Wilson combat makes a lot of gun parts for the 1911 and  you can customize this gun in just about any way you want.   Hand sizes can vary so customization of a firearm is important but the one thing that I find constant is my Wilson Combat Magazines are always going to be running in all of my 1911 handguns.  I prefer the 8rd ETM magazines because they feel a little stronger and with the numbers being printed on the bottom of the magazines its easy to keep a track record of my magazine rotations when I am shooting IDPA or other competition events.  I’ve also noticed a much better knock down ration with 45acp ball ammo on steel plates and that’s really just what is so good about the 45acp.

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More Tru-Spec outwear and tactical clothing for Winter 2013

2673-1We just had our Tru-Spec Rep in our store and he showed us several of the items that we did not currently stock.   It’s funny that customers tell us they are afraid to order certain things online, and we tell them “we are the same way when it comes to bringing in new inventory”.   We see new tactical clothing products listed on some of our distributors websites but all it is at first is an image and a bunch of words.  We still don’t know what the big deal is about various tactical jackets or winter clothing because it’s not until somebody walks in our store or gives us positive feedback on a softshell jacket, parka, or rain coat that we actually take a serious look into whether or not we should stock it.   The 24/7 Series is a very good product line but it still has some room for grown.  Various camouflage patterns have come and gone and now just about everything is going multi-cam.

Digital pattern and some tradition camo patters are still available from Tru-Spec but we are watching that closely.   The TruSpec outwear is really geared more towards law enforcment becaues of the badge designs but the Softshell tactical jackets have a much broader appeal.  We offer Free Shipping on orders over $150 and now have a rewards program running on all of our product and with the Tru-Spec line, we offer a free 1 time exchange.   There are varying degrees of warmth for each of these items but a medium weight jacke that keeps you dry and is of good quality is not that common.   We see lots of military surplus gear but even though TruSpec has a military look, the quality is much better than what you’d get at a traditional Army Navy store.

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