All posts tagged Tactical Gear

Adding tactical gear you can really use

When people talk about tactical gear, it usually pertains to the stuff they are hanging off of their M4.  One of my biggest pet peeves in the  tactical accessory market is something I refer to as the tactical gear snag.   I have torn tactical pants in the kitchen of my home because the pockets get caught on everything that a kitchen has to offer, and slings, pressure switches ect are all extra things that get caught on the same things, I’m definitely not a fan of pressure switches because if you have the right size flashlight and mount it in the right position, you should  be able to turn it off and on with your finger without the need for running wires.

One thing that I have found to not be a drawback are gloves, having a good set of tactical gloves like the Larry Vickers tactical gloves from Eotac, will not be as heavy and hard to feel like Kevlar gloves and the Vickers tactical gloves can be customized to what you want with your trigger finger.   If you do not like the idea of  having your trigger finger wrapped in a glove, you can cut these down to where you want your trigger finger to be exposed and the glove will not fray or fall apart.  This will work for left or right handed shooters.

Top

Pocket carry the way for the White collar

I got a recent phone call from a few LEO’s that were getting moved to investigations and it was time for them to rework their working attire.  I think it’s safe to say that wearing a uniform all day is not as comfortable as wearing jeans or your preferences in shirts, pants and shoes.   I’ve had to wear boots all day for 5yrs straight and when I get a rare occasion to wear sneakers my feet and legs feel like they move faster.   Carrying a gun is something very similar to wearing boots.   If you have to carry a full size Beretta 92FS, you’ll feel the same way when  you are carrying a Rohrbaugh R9S in your pocket.

I have watched many of my LEO friends go from street work and SWAT Team apparel to white collar “is that the same guy I knew before” looking individuals.  Blackhawk holsters do make a pocket carry holster for the white collar work.  Guys that have to carry briefcases or laptops aren’t going to want to carry 50rds or more of ammunition when their job is to do office or investigations work.   You want to be able to show up at doors and not notify the neighbors of the people you are talking to that a cop is investigating a grim in the area.

Top

Favorite guns for IDPA

I’ve been fortunate enough to attend some of the IDPA National competitions in recent years and it has still amazed me that the 1911 is the number one firearm that is being  used.    I’ve spent enough time on the range to know that the 45acp is more consistent in knocking down targets and makes bigger holes.   The triggers on the 1911 design can be sweetened and even though there are some draw backs to the 1911 design, for competition, there aren’t any.   Glocks have a good showing because they have a consistent trigger design like the 1911, but they are very different to shoot.

I understand that many shooters will probable shoot a 9mm more proficiently over a 45acp and I have done personal evaluations of novice shooters and done comparisons.   The 9mm is easier to shoot and will most likely get you a higher hit percentage. For more advanced shooters, they won’t have problems with the 45acp.  Wilson Combat magazines are still the number one 1911 gun magazine that I see at these events followed by Chip McCormick.   Every 1911 design can be tweaked and modified just like a pile of Legos.

Top

Gun cases for the gun enthusiasts

If you are new to collecting firearms, I have some advice for you.   Keep your guns, ammunition, magazines and accessories organized.   This may even mean that you have to spend money on gun safes or gun racks, but considering how much damage can occur to your firearms and especially rifle scopes, good organization means preservation.    I have on many occasions seen guy show up with rifles and bring the wrong gun magazines or the wrong sight in tools and from my experience, all of that should be in a range or gun bag at all times.   It’s better to keep everything in one place and bring it all with you then having to worry about if you have your AK sight in tool, M1 Garand sight in tool or your AR front sight adjustment.

If you have several long guns,  consider buying the same type of gun cases and write on them which gun case if for which rifle.   It can be a real headache if you are constantly trying to remember which gun is in which case and if the assault rifle case is for a Mini 14 or an AK.   If you own both guns, get 2 gun cases.   Allen gun cases are very inexpensive and for the most part, once you know the length of your firearm you should know if it will fit in the case.  High mounted optics or flashlights can make it problematic on knowing if a gun case will work.   The Endura pistol rug is easy to file away and can also be easily written on or marked.

Top

Gun alterations make affect your holster

There are now so many things you can do to a firearm that you better be real careful that you think things through before you find out at the wrong time that  your guns and gear don’t match up very well.  One of the most common problems I am starting to see on the firing line while watching defensive weapons training with handguns is this.   Operator replaces the front sight on his handgun to a slightly higher version, gun fits in holster.   When the operator walks onto a firearm line and tries to quickly pull the firearm out, the front sight snags on the holster on the way out and the gun spins forward out of the operators hand, and then flies forward.

The obvious issue with gun holsters is adding on laser grips, something like the Crimson Trace Laser grips may mean tweaking your holster or having to buy a new one, be real careful about the gun sights though.  Many holsters don’t give you the specs on what kind of sights it will tolerate and this is something you’ll have to do on your own.   Lasermax laser grips will not be an issue due to the fact that there is nothing protruding out

Top

Kahr firearms and .380 pistols

I remember the first time I ever shot a .380 pistol and it was an NAA Guardian gun.   They seemed so small that my initial impression was it was just a step up from a fly swatter.   I’ve done some not so scientific ballistics tests on metal fence posts and saw the penetration differences between a .38 Special and a 9mm, and there is a substantial difference between those calibers and penetration.  The .380 is practically a 38 Special short and people need to be realistic when they want to consider what a firearm engagement will be with a pocket pistol such as this.   Worrying about accuracy ans sights on this gun IMHO is pointless because this is the type of firearm that will only stop a threat if it’s put into the main reactor of the Death Star or  you unload the whole  thing and hope the bad guy isn’t wearing body armor.

I have shot a lot of Kahr firearms and I think the 9mm pistols are very well made and I see no reason to change the caliber to a smaller one when the 9mm already fit in your pocket.   Kahr magazines are what you want to use in the gun and I would not compromise on this issue with a concealed carry firearm.  There is  nothing wrong with having range magazines so you don’t wear out your primaries, but it’s mostly only with 1911 firearms would I stray from factory magazines.   If you have a semi-auto that holds 5-7rds and can carry a backup magazine,  and you’ve done some training, you should be good to go.

Top

Getting into a good firing position

There are plenty of times that I have wondered why  certain people even bothered to spend so much money on firearms when they were afraid to get them dirty or wet.  There is nothing wrong with being a bench rest shooter because that in itself is a skill of it’s own.   Some people don’t realize how much talent it takes to make a bullet, and the hard thing to do is make multiple bullets hit the same impact point.   I have moved away from bench rest shooting because I’ve found my accurate loads for most of the 45acp, .308, .303 and 30/06 loads I shoot.  If you really want to become proficient, you really have think about getting off the bench.  Using a rifle sling is important, but it’s not the only option.

Serious tactical shooting skills will require you to get off a bench rest, but learn how to make your own in the field.  I have a few good shooting mats that work as rifle cases and they can unzip and fold out to be shooting mats.   I suggest getting a good backpack that can act as a shooting rest and if you learn to get yourself into good physical condition and be able to move your body, you should be able to stay in the position and shoot accurately.   The US Peace keeper shooting mat is 72″ long and 36″ wide and will give you something to lay on other than mud and dirt.

Top

2011 SHOT show is here

This year there will be several new Eotac products coming out.   The new Direct action smock and the Recce pant along with the new A-tacs cam pattern that will be made for the Style 201 lightweight pants and the Style 407 long sleeve tactical shirt.   We got a glimpse of the A-tacs pattern last June at the Police and Security Expo in New Jersey and got a lot of good feed back on the pattern.   Digital patterns have come a long way in recent years and it really has good darn good.   I remember as a kid thinking that most of the woodland cammo made you stand out just as boldly as if you were wearing regular clothing and it all didn’t make sense to me.

You can ask many of those serving in Iraq and Afghanistan what they thought about the camo they had back in Desert Storm vs. the stuff that is now.   The Style 201 tactical pants are lightweight combat pants that are very much meant for a Carbine operator.   These 100% cotton ripstop pants have a unique fitting that gives you more maneuverability over similar designs.  There are some really cheap knock of pants that look like this and go for under $30, but they will not feel the same.   If you have a chance to stop by the Eotac booth this year.  Check out the new A-tacs pattern camo.  If you aren’t in the military, you may want these for hunting.    Very good for the American bow hunter.

Top

The importance of practicing with your CCW

There are many times in our life when we just won’t have time to get out and go shooting, married life and children can always shorten your free time, but lack of gun maintenance and shooting rehearsal will affect your performance.   I recently read an interview with the Philadelphia Phillies Manager Charlie Manuel and he mentioned that he won’t let anyone walk up to the plate during the regular season unless they have had atleast 75-100 pitches in batting practice.   The hand eye co-ordination is something that get’s lost and even the best guys are terrible at bats if they haven’t had practice, shooting skills are no different.

Regular cleaning atleast once a month in the summer or hot weather depending on the type of gun and holster you are  using and I strongly suggest you put 50rds through your firearm atleast once every 3 months.   Fobus holsters will work for you for CCW, but you will need a vest or long jacket to use such a paddle holster. Considering how inexpensive these holsters are, I would suggest getting one even for something like a J-frame which tends to be a pocket gun.   Practicing from concealment is good practice as long as your gun range allows it.

Top

Take your gear camping and get back to me

I always enjoy watching the weekend warrior guys show up with their $4000 worth of M4 and accessories that are the first ones to panic and want to leave the range if it starts to drizzle.   The idea that your $4000 rifle will some how get ruined in the rain and the majority of firearms like it are expected to be combat reliable.   Well… what is combat reliability?  Combat reliability is a gun that will take a level of abuse in bad weather and dirty conditions without malfunctioning.  If you have a military issued rifle, the gun better darn well be combat reliable and a little bit of rain shouldn’t concern you.

Combat optics are are also given this description because they better take the abuse and still hold zero.  The gun should work if it gets dropped and the glass better not break.   I’ve retired a few rifle scopes because they would fog up and I learned the lesson of wiping all of my hunting rifles down with a light amount of CLP whenever I brought them back from a trip. Take your gun cases and your firearms out on a day when the weather isn’t that great and have some confidence.   A good nylon rifle case should protect your firearms from moisture and dirt and there’s nothing to cry about if you know your gear.

Top
1 … 12 13 14 15 16 … 19 Page 14 of 19