Review

5.11 Defender Flex jeans and Hunter Plaid Shirt

 

 It doesn't really matter who you are, you need clothes. Even though 5.11 is mainly known for tactical clothing, they also offer a wide array of “not so tactical” clothing. For instance, they sent me a pair of their defender flex jeans and a hunter plaid shirt to try out.

 I have literally been wearing these clothes for 6 months. They both have worn extremely well. The fabrics 5.11 uses are as comfortable as any of my other jeans or shirts. As you can probably guess, I am not a clothes reviewer, but I will tell you what I like and dislike about these.

 First up is the jeans. These have worn very well for me. They pretty much look the same as the day I received them. The defender jeans did bleed some color the first 4 or 5 washes, after that I could wash them with other clothes. The fit is as advertised. I ordered the size I wear, and they fit great. One huge dislike, about the jeans, is the front pockets are way too short. For being advertised as “tactical clothing”, you can't hardly put a 2 cell tactical flashlight in them, yet alone a small pistol or revolver. The back pockets are fine. Now one of my favorite features is the extra pockets. These pockets are just rear of the center line on each side. These extra pockets also blend in with the seams of the jeans. So unless you know they are there, no one will ever be the wiser. These pockets are excellent for carrying a tourniquet or extra magazine, or both. Since the extra pockets are somewhat wide, an AR magazine will also fit, but it will stick out the top. The defender flex jeans also are made with a blend of stretchy material, hence the “flex” in the name. This makes them very comfortable to move around in. 5.11 also did a nice job putting enough, but not too many, belt loops on them. The belt loops will accept a 1.75” wide belts. Last up is the YKK zipper, which should keep stuff closed up until you decide otherwise.

 Now that I have bored you with the Defender jeans, it's time to get your shirt on. 5.11 also sent one of their Hunter plaid shirts. This is a short sleeve, button up style. As said about the jeans, the sizing on the website is spot on. When I say button up style, what 5.11 has done, is to use snaps that appear to be buttons. What does this do for the concealed carrier? Well, since this style of shirt doesn't stretch. When you yank up the shirt to draw your defensive firearm, the snaps will undo and make it possible for the shirt to get out of the way of your draw stroke. Pretty smart on 5.11’s behalf. The shirt is lightweight. Has a nice pocket in the front. It even looks good tucked in or just hanging out. Plus, the plaid design helps break up shapes that might be hiding under the shirt.

 I really like these 5.11 clothes. They fit well. Serve a functional purpose. And are designed to make you blend in with your surroundings. Go check them out if your in the need for some “non tactical”, tactical clothing.

Insider Reviews - 8 Key Points

Claim to Fame:

Tactical wear that blends in with society

Target Market:

Anyone wanting clothes that do not look tactical

FNBs (Features & Benefits of this product):

Defender Flex Jeans

  • Button top fly with locking YKK® zipper
  • Dual back patch pockets
  • 10 oz. mechanical stretch denim (76% cotton / 24% polyester with Lycra® T400 Tough Max™)
  • Five pocket styling plus two rear hip pockets
  • Double needle construction with bar tacks in high-stress areas

Hunter Plaid Shirt

  • RAPIDraw™ placket
  • Branded metal ring snaps & neck tape
  • 60% cotton / 40% polyester 3.1 oz
  • Regular fit

What other aesthetic options or finishes are available?

Too many to list

What others are saying?:

From Midway

Will buy a few more

The most comfortable pair of jeans I own. Look great. I have two as of now. Belt loops work with all my tac belts. Extra deep "Coin" pocket is perfect for my knife. The low vis mag pockets in the back were handy when I went to the range to work re-loads with my AR and forgot my mag pouch! Still got my reps in! Negatives: Front pockets could be a bit deeper. Having had these for a few months now, the seem to shrink faster than normal jeans, even washing in cold. My 34 lengths now feel like 33/32 length. Might go up in length on the next pair and see how that goes. Neutral: The blue will run for a while. They say that and they are right. Wash three or four times by themselves to mitigate this. If not, you will get blue on your hands or other clothes. I'm okay with this as there is a warning on the tag.

 

Link to other reviews:

OffGridWeb

Price point:

MSRP = $69.99 Defender Flex Jeans

              $39.99 Hunter Plaid Shirt

Retail = Same as MSRP at Midway

I need it now! Availability:

5.11 Tactical

Our Rating:

Pros:

  • Extra pockets in jeans

  • Comfortable

  • Look like everyday clothes

  • True sizing

  • Snaps on shirt

  • Plaid design on shirt

  • Lightweight

Cons:

  • Front jean pockets too short

  • Jean color bleeds a lot

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Score:

7.00 jeans - Good

           

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7.50 shirt - Good

 

 

Favorite Link:   Thor Targets

Stngr 15" Rptr handguard

Written by: Zane M.

  There are hundreds if not thousands of choices for Handguards and rails for the ar15. Everyone has their own opinion as to what a rail should offer. Personally I like to have as much rail as I can in relation to barrel length, so for a 16” gun that means a 15” rail.

  A few months ago I had a STNGR (pronounced “stinger”) RPTR sent to me to take a look at. At first glance, it looks good. Seems a bit heavy but considering it has quad at the muzzle end not overly so. In the box is the handguard, the barrel nut, and proprietary “wrench” or installation tool.

  Installation was simple. The low pro barrel nut required no timing, a welcomed feature and the provided tool was adequate. The barrel nut is made from aluminum, while I encountered no issues I would much rather have a steel barrel nut. Luckily, they offer one as an upgrade and I will most likely replace mine should I decide to stay with this hand guard.  I feel this should be standard but i understand the need to keep the price and weight down for the casual plinker. It’s worth noting that the anti rotational wings that “lock” the rail in place could need removing for use with a billet upper but I installed it on a forged receiver so I encountered none of that. But more on those wings later.

  The 15” officially licensed Mlok rail comes in at 11.64 oz not including the barrel nut and is made from 6065 aluminum. It will require a low profile gas block or in my case a cut down a2 front site base. At 1.35 inner diameter not too many silencers are going to fit under it if that’s your thing but for people with small hands that don’t like vertical foregrips it’s quite comfortable to grab.  Two QD sling points at the either side towards the receiver end don’t offer much flexibility in using QD slings. Since I don’t use a QD sling this wasn’t a concern for me.

The gun, a colt 6920, still points good, this rail is much thinner than the previous one I had and, as mentioned earlier, makes for a much more comfortable grip. After a day of shooting I noticed two things: 1, the rail has quite a bit of flex and 2, it heats up quick. Then as the day went on I found I had a tendency to oversteer the gun. Let’s address these one by one.

  Flex, the rail flexes. It’s a 15” free-float so that’s to be expected. From the prone at 25yds using only sling tension I was able to move the backup irons enough to shift the strike of the round 5-6” That’s a concern of you’re going to use rail mounted aiming devices like irons or lasers.  If your primary optic is receiver mounted, this is obviously much less of a concern.

  Now let’s talk about heat, after two quick mag dumps, the rail was almost too hot to hold. Midway through the third mag I put a glove on. I definitely wouldn’t put this on a full auto or bumpstocked lower but since I don’t have either and magdumps aren’t really my thing, this is less of an issue. I don’t know how it would hold up on a full day class as I didn’t have opportunity to run it in a class.

  My last minor concern is the weight towards the end. In all fairness I requested the rail with quad at the muzzle, this obviously increases the weight a bit at the muzzle end causing me to ever so slightly oversteer the gun. They offer rails that don’t have the quad rail portion and if I did this over again I would  forgo it.

  The next range trip I brought some range barrels (55gal drums), barricades and a homemade notch wall along to purposely try to break the little bitty anti rotational wings off. After several hundred rounds and several dozen overly aggressive slams into different positions, I was unable to do so. I’m sure if I beat it as hard as I could on the concrete I could bend or break it but I don’t know much that I couldn’t break at that point. My concerns with the wings seem unfounded judging by the last several months of range trips and they’re still holding up just fine. However, they do seem to have about 1/32” extra space so take care in lining the rail up before wrenching it down. And at some point in the testing process I was able to twist it every so slightly. I am chalking this up to user error since I didn’t use a torque wrench to tighten the clam screws to the recommended 20-30 inch lbs. why? You ask, because I don’t have an inch lbs torque wrench. I realigned it and went hand tight-er and didn’t rencounter this problem.

  At $135 it’s hard to beat for a made in America, aluminum handguard. While I’m not sure I would recommend it for duty use, for the hobbyist or for a home defense rifle it seems like a fine choice.

FIREARMS INSIDER REVIEWS - 8 KEY POINTS

 

CLAIM TO FAME:

Made in America aluminum freefloat handguard/Rail

TARGET MARKET:

Anyone with an AR-15

FNBS (FEATURES & BENEFITS OF THIS PRODUCT):

  • Free floated
  • Mlok
  • 2 QD attachments
  • Full length
  • Quad rail at muzzle end
  • Lifetime warranty

WHAT OTHER AESTHETIC OPTIONS OR FINISHES ARE AVAILABLE?

They make rails from 7”-15” in Mlok or keymod, with or without a 3slot quad picrail at the muzzle end

What others are saying:

From STNGR’s website

08/07/2018

Jeremy Koop

First AR build

I’m building my first AR, and want everything on this one to be good quality. I’m enjoying seeing it come together, but now that I got this handguard on, it looks amazing. I did a lot of research and was going to spend 300 dollars on a handguard, before stumbling on to STNGR, that being said, it was a perfect fit, everything is so clean, A++.

 

Price point:

MSRP  - $134.99

At time of writing blemish rails are available for $119.99

Other rails and lengths vary in price

I need it now availability:

STNGRUSA.com

Our Rating:

    Pros:

  • Does the job
  • Price
  • Made in America (if that matters to you)
  • Freefloat
  • Easy installation

   Cons:

  • Has a lot of flex
  • Gets hot fast
  • Very small tolerance issue on the wings

 

Score: 7.5 Good

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NightStick TWM-850XL Weapon mounted light

  NightStick lighting products are fairly new at weapon mounted lights. Don’t let that fool you, these lights are robust and powerful. Nightstick is a division of Bayco products, who have been doing portable lighting products for over 30 years. I saw them at SHOT 2018 and they were gracious enough to send out one of their new TWM-850XL weapon mounted lights for review.

 The TWM-850XL is a full size light. Not the mini’s that are made to fit the smaller handguns. Being that it is full size, it is a comparable size to the common TLR-1 HL. So much so, that many holsters made for a pistol with the TLR-1 will fit the Nightstick. The TWM-850XL does not have the strobe option, but they do make the same light with a strobe option.

 Let’s get into what makes the Nightstick weapon light shine. As with pretty much all high output lights, it uses a CREE LED rated at 850 lumens and 15000 candela. Bright enough to go 245 meters, or so they say. But identifying something at that distance is not something I would try. The house at the end of the street, about 125 yds away, probably hates me now. Even with street lights on, the 850XL did a decent job of lighting up their house. Could I identify someone? No, but make out figures and trees, yes. As with most lights, they appear to work better at distance without much ambient light. In the pictures you can see the spill pattern to some extent and also how the different distances affect detail.The light wasn’t on a firearm when I shined it down the street or at the shady person on the side of the road.

Approximately 75yds Dark

Approximately 75yds. This also does a decent job of showing the beam pattern

Approximately 25yds

Approximately 50yds

Approximately 35yds

 Nightstick did a pretty good job putting in lots of useable features. The first one that comes to mind is their switch mechanism. The switches are made from a glass filled nylon to give them strength and are ambidextrous. Probably my favorite feature, is how the switches operate. Pushing down on either side operates the momentary on. Yes, down on either side, unlike the TLR-1. Pushing up on either side turns the light on. To turn the light off, just push down on either side of the switches and it turns off. When turning the light from constant on to off, It will go to momentary on the opposite side from which it was flipped to on, then just let up and it is off. If you switch it off on the side that it was turned to “on”, it will go to the off position. I found that, in this case, the switch just passed off and went to momentary also. Not a big deal, just something to mention. Once I got use to the way the switching worked, I really liked it.

 I’ll try not to bore you to death with the specifications, because most are listed below. The 850XL does use a hardcoat anodized aluminum housing. For now, it is only available in black. It is water resistant. It also uses 2 of the CR123 batteries, which are supplied. One must take the light off of a handgun to replace the batteries. If you have it mounted on a rifle, it is possible to replace them with the light still mounted. The battery door flips down once the screw is loosened that holds it on. The lens is made out of polycarbonate, the same material many safety glasses are made from. Nightstick also adds an anti scratch coating to the lens. Battery life is specified at 1.75 hrs. After about 1.5 hrs, the output started dying off for me. Yes, it does get hot if left on. Each weapon light is also has its own serial number.

 When mounting to a pistol, or rifle, the 850-XL came with 2 cross rail inserts. These cross rails allow the user to mount the light on different types of rails. On the top of the light, where it mounts to a rail, are 4 tiny slots. The slots are used to position the light onto the rail by installing 1 or both of the cross rail inserts. Depending on who’s rail you are using. I just held the light up to the rail and lined it up with the appropriate cross rail slot. The instruction tell you what handgun to use with what slot, but that’s no fun. I put a tiny amount of threadlocker on the screws holding the cross rail in, just for added protection.

 I have tried the 850XL on a few firearms. Typically I use it on my Polymer80 compact. The light does extend out about an inch past the muzzle. But I have had zero problems with it at all. I did mount it on an AR to try out. It wasn’t as weird as one might think. I just put my support hand right behind it and was able to operate the light with my thumb. I didn’t put many rounds downrange with the light mounted on the rifle, but I did run around the house with it mounted up. Nightstick does make a rifle version that uses a push button end cap.

 I think it is good to have another weapon mounted light in the market. The Nightstick TWM-850XL has worked well for me. I think it is on par with the TLR-1. The quality is nice, it won’t break the bank, and it’s bright. Go take a look at the Nightstick line, they might have something worth using.

 

Firearms Insider Reviews - 8 Key Points

Claim to Fame:

High output weapon mounted light

Target Market:

Those wanting a high output weapon mounted light

FNBs (Features & Benefits of this product):

  • 850 Lumens

  • 15000 Candela

  • 2 m drop rating

  • IP-X7 Waterproof (1m for 30 min)

  • Flashlight Runtime: 1.75 hours

  • Length: 3.75 in (95 mm)

  • Width: 1.5 in (38 mm)

  • Depth: 1.5 in (38 mm)

  • Weight: 5.4 oz (155 g)

  • Head Diameter: 1.2 in (30 mm)

  • Ambidextrous toggle switch

  • Momentary or constant-on flashlight

  • Aircraft-grade 6061-T6 aluminum housing

  • Glass-filled nylon polymer toggle switch

  • Type III hard anodized finish

  • Beam distance rated at 245 meters

  • Impact & chemical resistant

  • Serialized for personal identification

  • 2 CR123 batteries (included)

What other aesthetic options or finishes are available?

With Strobe option

What others are saying:

Chris K. at Bayco Products: 5/5 stars
Absolutely AWESOME FELLAS!

  This thing feels SOLID as a rock, and the light output is INSANE...I can see why Police/First Responders would use this - because the controls are ingenious and easy, and the amount of "light 'em up" it produces is, well, GREAT!!! 

When I'm out with my dog at night, I've got this on my M&P Pro 9mm and if a coyote pack is lurking, simply point and hit the light and it's almost like a car's headlight on high!

  Thanks for making an excellent product! ABSOLUTELY WORTH $100 - NO DOUBT! I now want this in a flashlight form, and the light for my long guns! 100% endorse - get this bad boy if you do ANYTHING REQUIRING LIGHTING AND GUNS!!

Link to other reviews:

Ammoland TWM-850XLS review

Price point:

MSRP = $150.96

Retail = $85.87 on Amazon

I need it now! Availability:

Amazon 

Our Rating:

Pros:

  • Bright

  • TLR-1 size

  • Adjustable cross rail inserts

Cons:

  • Must take off to replace batteries

  • Size

Score: 8.00 Great

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Favorite Link:   Polymer 80

Grey Ghost Precision Glock 19 Slide

Written by: Kenny Ortega
 

It seems like everyone is making Glock slides these days. Walking the aisles at the 2018 NRAAM and exhibits this year, glock slides were plentiful. As I was perusing the wares at the Tactical Tailor booth, I saw that their sister company, Grey Ghost Precision, was sharing the booth with them and had slides and barrels on display. I happened to get the opportunity to chat with the Marketing Guru at the Grey Ghost Precision, GGP, side of the booth as I ogled some of the slides available there.

At first glance, I noticed that the slides were not overly adorned with features that didn't offer any benefit other than aesthetics. Unlike most slides at the show, they were made to perform and look good, not just look good. There is an elegance to a product that is made to perform first and look good second. Who cares how good it looks if it doesn’t do what it’s supposed to do? At first glance, it appears that Grey Ghost got both areas right.

I had a number of questions for the marketing guru and after some discussion back and forth, he offered to send me a unit for review. Of course I said yes, their products were impressive. When the slide arrived, I was pleasantly surprised to find that he included one of their threaded barrels as well. That was a bonus that I had not expected. The slide that I chose was the Version 1 as it offered a bit more traction for slide manipulation. That factor became very important to me after another slide that I used to carry failed miserably in that area.

Some time ago, I purchased this slide from Zev and it had great visual appeal albeit it at a high price tag. Although, after running the slide on my gun under tough conditions, I reverted back to the factory slide as it proved more functional under real world conditions. The real test with the GGP slide would be whether it can overcome the shortcomings of a more well known and higher priced race gun slide. The only area that the GGP slide didn't surpass the race gun slide was in the flashy looks department. This comparison is a bit unfair though, it’s like comparing a Corvette to a Jaguar. Both are good looking cars but the Jaguar has a reputation for failure and requires expensive maintenance. GGP made a Corvette. It runs and looks good, at a fraction of the cost.

First Impressions

Upon opening the box, I noticed that the slide was packaged nicely and came with assembly and RMR installation instructions. Also included were the proper length screws for use with an RMR. Closer inspection showed a slide that was well machined, all the lines were crisp and sharp, there were no tool marks that I could see. The finish was deep and even. Overall, the slide had the look of a quality product and not something that was slapped together and rushed to market like many others. I felt that this slide was something I could trust and have complete confidence in. The slide did come stripped so I had to order some parts to complete the slide.

A couple of credit card number entries later and I was just waiting for parts to arrive. I kept all the parts stock to most closely mimic what the average builder might use. While race gun parts might have made the slide more desirable to some, I wanted to keep the budget minded builder as the target audience. The one item that I would highly recommend to complete the slide assembly is  a channel liner installation tool. Trying to install a channel liner without one is like trying to put on your socks without holding them. You might be able to do it but it’s a lot more work than it needs to be. Just spend the few bucks on the tool. You’ll be happy you did.

All the parts installed in the slide without any fitting or modification. To me, that speaks volumes. It means that the tolerances are held close to specifications on the slide, a sign of quality and attention to detail. I was glad to see that. When I went to mate the slide to the frame, I noticed that the fit was tighter than that of the factory slide and the alignment of the two had to be more precise. The slide to frame fit, while tighter than factory, moved freely and smoothly once the parts were mated. The barrel to slide fit was also tight and inspired confidence in the accuracy potential of this parts combination.

Checking the fit of the RMR cover plate, I found it to be snug and well fitted to the cutout for the sight. There did not appear to be any hand fitting of either the plate or the slide to mate the two parts. These items are obviously held to tight manufacturing tolerances with machines that have repeatable accuracy. Their friction fit was impressive. As someone who has been around machinists for decades, I know that tolerances like these are no small task without talent and expensive, well maintained, equipment. GGP obviously has both and it shows.

Range Testing

I was skeptical about how the slide would perform on my normally flawless Glock 19 frame and I was right to be skeptical, initially. The tighter than normal slide to frame fit did result in some failures to go fully into battery and failures to fire. To be honest though, I did do a sort of a torture test on the slide, I ran it dry to try and get it to fail. Using Winchester white box 115 grain 9mm ammo, not known for its reliability, and running the slide to frame interface dry initially, the slide did much better than other slides I have seen. The hiccups did cease after about 100 rounds and, with proper lubrication after that, the slide has yet to malfunction after several hundred more rounds.

In order to try and induce malfunctions, I added a TBRCI micro comp to the barrel. The slide just kept on performing flawlessly. I haven’t been able to induce a stoppage regardless of how hard I try. I have shot the slide in strong hand supported, strong hand only, weak hand supported, weak hand only, and had less experienced shooters shoot it as well. It performs with the notorious reliability of a Glock. They certainly go well together. If I had to find fault anywhere, it would have to be with the RMR. I am not a red dot shooter so I don’t shoot as well with one as I do with iron sights. That’s no fault of the slide though except that it gives me the ability to use a sight that I need more practice with. I’m an old iron sight guy and that’s a hard habit to break.

The slide/ barrel combo shot equally as well as the factory slide does with the aftermarket Silencerco barrel that I normally shoot. Having turned 50 last year, my eyes are not what they used to be and focusing on the front sight is difficult. You would think that a red dot would work better for me but I guess old habits die hard. Even with my old eyes, and other physical compensations I have to make, I was able to shoot 1” groups at 10 yards with ease. More importantly, when I ran ball and dummy exercises to simulate failures, the well defined, sharp edged serrations on both the front and rear of the slide allowed me to easily and effectively manipulate the slide. This was the biggest issue I had with the Zev slide that I ran in a recent class. That slide did not give me enough traction on the slide to clear simulated failures. The GGP slide traction was excellent and allowed me to clear the malfunctions with ease.

After discovering that this whiz bang slide that I bought, for almost twice what the GGP slide cost, would probably get me killed if I ever needed to clear a malfunction, I went back to the factory slide. Running the GGP slide in the same manner, I found that I could count on it to provide the necessary traction needed in an emergency and, even when my hands were sweaty, I could still manipulate it. The GGP slide restored my faith in aftermarket components on a carry gun. The V1 version of the slide has more aggressive texturing in my opinion while the V2 has a more aesthetic design. Either way, at a price point of $418.95 to $449.99, you can’t go wrong with either option.

Conclusion

GGP components are well made, aesthetically pleasing,  and reliable. The cost is on par with several other lesser known slide manufacturers on the market that try to compete solely on price. The prices are well below several other vendors that can easily venture into the $700 price range and beyond. Their threaded barrel with an MSRP of $189.99 is also a good deal. Their products, barrels included, are quality offerings and are priced well for the quality they provide. I am so impressed with their offerings that I am considering buying a Glock 43 just so I can modify it with one of their slides.

If you’re looking for a slide and/or barrel for your Glock, look to Grey Ghost Precision, you won’t be disappointed.

Rating: 8.75 Great

 

For a rating, I would say an 8.75. If it had been just a tad more reliable initially, I would have rated it higher.

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Blacklist Glock Ultra Match Barrel

 If you’ve been around the aftermarket Glock seen for awhile, then you probably have heard the name Blacklist Industries. They make barrels and a few other parts. Blacklist sent me a G19 drop in Ultra Match barrel for review. I opted for the Chameleon color.

 First things first. This Blacklist barrel is great looking. Almost enough to just set it around and look at it. Blacklist has a great attention to detail. So much, that the barrel comes in its own little padded hard case. With a patch and some stickers. The “Blacklist” logo is engraved on the outside of the chamber area. The caliber and model are marked on the hood of the barrel. All of the barrels have column fluting, which are straight cut flutes down the length of the barrel.

 The barrel fit in my Grey Ghost slide was a little bit tight. Not enough that the firearm doesn’t function. But tight enough to cause some finish wear around the hood area. This of course is good because a tighter barrel fit gives better accuracy. It is bad because the pretty chameleon finish wears off some. Since the barrel is made from 416R Stainless Steel, the wear is only cosmetic.

 The Blacklist barrel has the normal features. It is “drop in” and runs a full supported SAAMI spec chamber. This allows it to run any 9mm load, including +P. I really like how Blacklist uses broach cut rifling in these barrels. Besides being an accurate way to rifle barrels, it allows the use of all the common bullet materials including lead. The muzzle end has a recessed crown to help protect that rifling. The 9mm version is a 1 in 10 twist rate to better stabilize the heavier bullets like the 147 grain ones.

 Let’s get into how it shot for me. All of the ammunition used was your run of the mill target variety. All targets were shot at 15 yards with the pistol rested on a bag. They are 5 round groups. So probably not a perfect test, but useful for real accuracy. My best group was 1.75” with Aguila 115gr. The worst was around 2.75”. I really was impressed with how well the Blacklist barrel shot most of the ammo I ran through it. There were a bunch of groups right around 2” as you can see in the pictures.

Aguila 115gr

Remington 115gr

Sellier & Bellot 115gr

Buffalo 115gr

Sig 115gr

Speer Lawman 124gr

  If you are thinking about getting a replacement pistol barrel, check out Blacklist Industries. This is a really nice barrel. Now, if you are in a hurry, don’t be. These take around 6-9 weeks to get after ordering. Are they worth the wait? That is a personal decision, but I would say so. Plus sometimes, online retailers have them in stock. This barrel shoots just as good now as the day I received it.

Firearms Insider Reviews - 8 Key Points

Claim to Fame:

Match grade Glock barrel

Target Market:

Shooters wanting better accuracy or builders of Glock style pistols

FNBs (Features & Benefits of this product):

  • 416R Stainless Steel

  • 1 in 10 twist

  • 9mm

  • Drop in

  • Pulled Broach rifling

  • Full supported SAAMI chamber

  • Column flutes

  • Gen 1-4 compatible

What other aesthetic options or finishes are available?

Stainless Steel, TiN (Gold), Armor (Black)

What others are saying?:

From Blacklist Ind. 5/5 stars

WORTH THE WAIT.
Serious attention to detail, presentation, packaging and build quality. Customer service is second to none (also, hilarious). Getting better groups at the range. And the presence it brings to my G19 is well noticed. I learned that the barrel travels to several states around the country for each phase of manufacturing, I like that; shows the research behind finding out who does what best. You can feel/see the American pride, that is so lacking in the industry lately

Link to other reviews:

Brian Enos’s Forum

Price point:

MSRP = $219.99

Retail = $209.99 at AIM Surplus

I need it now! Availability:

Blacklist Industries or AIM Surplus

Our Rating:

Pros:

  • Drop-in

  • 1 in 10 twist rate

  • Broached rifling

  • Accuracy

Cons:

  • Delivery time

  • Finish wear

Score: 8.50 Great

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Favorite Link: US Tactical Supply

Peltor Tactical 500

 Peltor has been making hearing protection for many years. The Peltor Tactical 500’s are one of their newest releases. They sent me these after talking with them at SHOT show. As we all know, hearing protection is very important. Especially if you do a lot of shooting. The Tac 500’s will help with that and even give you some bonus features.

 I am not new to electronic noise cancelling hearing protection. I’ve used a set of Peltor tactical 6-S’ for almost 20 years, as well as other manufacturers also. These new Tac 500’s have way more features than my old trusty 6-s pair. They have a noise reduction rating of 26 dB while reducing any sound above 82 dB. In order to reduce the sound of loud noises, the tac 500’s use what Peltor calls “Dynamic Suppression Time” technology. What this means to you, is that the electronics monitor the harsh sounds and echoes to determine how quickly and how much to mute the volume. This feature works outstandingly well. I really liked how it only cut the gunshots or loud noises to a manageable level. While still being able to hear them. They do not cut out the sound completely like my 6-s or some of the less expensive hearing protection.

 Another feature that somewhat resembles the Dynamic Suppression, is the “Clear Voice Tracking.” The Clear Voice tracking also appears to work very well. What it does is sense voice levels getting input from the microphones. It then enhances them so that you can clearly hear what others are saying. Ant time I was wearing the Tac 500’s at the range, I had zero problems understanding or hearing people talk. It sound almost as if I didn’t have the hearing protection on at all.

 The Tactical 500’s were comfortable when worn. Except the headband can press in the top of your head some and cause discomfort. I noticed this a little when wearing them without a baseball hat. But when wearing them over the hat, they were comfortable to me for long periods of time (6+ hours). The headband is vented some, it has three vent squares in the top. One of these vent squares is made to clear the button on top of a hat, so that the button doesn’t press into your head and start hurting. The ear cups were also comfortable for me. They also sealed over my glasses pretty well. I believe the gel cups that 3m sells will fit on the Tac 500’s also.

 Hearing protection that rides up, or opens up, when shooting rifles can be a real problem. Peltor has made the Tac 500’s with a cut-out, or scoop, on the bottom of the ear cups. This cut-out help them sit lower when putting your cheek on a rifle. The 500’s worked well for me when shooting rifles and shotguns. They didn’t try to lift up like my Howard Leights do. Even though the 500’s are larger, size wise, then my 6-s’, I didn’t notice any differences in comfort.

 Possibly one of the coolest features of the Tactical 500’s is the built in BlueTooth. This allows you to pair your smartphone to the hearing protection. I think most people have missed a phone call or text while at the range. Having the bluetooth feature allows for you to hear incoming notifications from your phone. You can even answer a phone call by pushing the center of the right ear cup. Because of the dual microphones in the headset, people can actually hear you talk, within reason, you are still at a shooting range. This particular ear protection has an annoying whine or static when turned on. It happens with the bluetooth on or off. If you up the volume, it just gets louder. If these didn’t have that whine, I’d give them a much better rating. Having the bluetooth also allow me to listen to music when I wear these around the house, lawn mowing and the like. These are not music headphones, so the sound quality of music is pretty blah. Another feature with the bluetooth, is being able to use it with a shooting app on the smartphone. It makes it super easy to hear the tones, or beeps. If you want to use them without bluetooth, they have a 3.5mm audio jack and come with a cable.

 The Tactical 500’s also fold up into themselves. Of course this is for storage. But they also include a nice bag for putting them in. A rechargeable battery pack is also available and can be charged with a micro usb plugged into the right ear cup. Otherwise it uses 2 AA batteries. But don’t worry, it has an auto off feature for people like me that forget to turn stuff off. The Tac 500’s will also alert you, by talking, that your batteries are low or when you “power on” and “power off” the hearing protection.

 I probably missed something that the Tactical 500’s do. I have a love / hate relationship with them. I love all the features, but hate the annoying static sound when they are turned up. Go check them out if your in the market for some electronic hearing protection.

Firearms Insider Reviews - 8 Key Points

Claim to Fame:

Noise cancelling over ear hearing protectors

Target Market:

Shooters, Hunters, anyone needing hearing protection

FNBs (Features & Benefits of this product):

  • 26 dB NRR

  • Dynamic Suppression

  • Clear Voice Tracking

  • Bluetooth

  • Auto shut-off

  • Recessed Microphones

  • Cheek cutouts for rifle stocks

  • Vented Headband

  • 3.5mm Audio Jack - Cable Included

  • Carrying bag

What other aesthetic options or finishes are available?

None - You get Black

What others are saying?:

From 3M -  ⅘ stars.

ToddInTexas
  
Dynamic supression great, but odd interference

I bought these a few months ago and use them at indoor and outdoor ranges and also while I'm woodworking (both handtool for chopping mortises and dovetail waste) and when using power tools. It is great to be able to hear sounds and voices. In fact, these have an uncanny way of amplifying low level sounds, which is kind of cool. As to ear protection, these work well for both indoor and outdoor ranges as well as in woodworking. As others note, the headband can be uncomfortable. It appears that 3M simply didn't user test these, which is very odd. If I am careful about positioning I can usually wear them for hours, but if they are slightly off the top of my head starts hurting. For me though, the main issue is the strange audio signal that I hear. I'm not sure what it is from, perhaps bluetooth, but it is almost always there and detracts from the experience. As to music quality, these are only OK. My Bose QC35s blow them away. Listening to music through the Peltors is not a great experience--it all sounds flat and compressed. But I didn't really buy them for music--that's just an extra for me.

From Amazon - ⅗ stars

Mychajloon

A lot of unnecessary feedback and buzzing in the headsets

Bought so my kids could go hunting with me. A lot of unnecessary feedback and buzzing in the headsets. Any solutions to this would be appreciated.

Link to other reviews:

Gun Holsters & Gear

Price point:

MSRP = $199.99

Retail = $119.99 on Amazon

I need it now! Availability:

Amazon

Our Rating:

Pros:

  • Excellent Noise cancellation

  • Uses AA batteries

  • Bluetooth

  • Auto Shut-off

  • Fits over hat button

Cons:

  • Static sound

  • Headband comfort

Score: 7.50 Good

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Favorite Link:   ABC House Benefit Match




 

Werkz M2 holster for Polymer80

 Werkz holsters is a small kydex company located in Princeton Idaho. I first heard of them on the Handgun Radio podcast. Werkz makes of variety of formed holsters and accessories. From custom to off the shelf, they have you covered. Werkz sent me one of their M2 IWB holsters for a Polymer 80 PF940c and a M2 magazine carrier for this review.

 The M2 holster is a taco style design with some other features. A taco style holster is one that is made out of one piece of material, then folded over a mold, hence the taco name. A feature that I didn’t think I would use was the ability to convert it to an outside the waistband (OWB) holster. I found this actually quit useful when I realized that this was the only holster I had for my Polymer 80 and needed it OWB. I switched the clip to the other side. To do this, one just removes the two screws holding the clip on, and moves it to the other side. The M2 has clip locations at two heights and an angled location also. I ran the holster IWB with it angled or canted forward. This resulted in the main dislike of the holster. The clip doesn’t completely rest against the holster. It hangs about halfway off. When wearing it in this config, I felt as if it didn’t have as much surface area holding onto my belt and was also easier to take the holster off of the belt. When using the M2 in the straight upright position, this was not a factor.

 I must admit, this is one of the nicest finished holsters I have used. The edges are smooth, and I mean real smooth. It has some sort of texture on the outside. The Werkz logo is etched or laser engraved into the kydex. There are bosses where the clip is screwed on. It is open at the bottom so that a longer, or threaded barrel, will fit. The sight channel is really tall to clear suppressor height sights. It is even clearanced for a micro red dot sight.

 I’ve worn the M2 on and off since receiving it. It holds the pistol very nicely with good retention. One can adjust the retention somewhat by tightening or loosening the tension screws. The M2 does seem to print some under a T-shirt, or any thinner shirt. That is why I only wore it off and on. If I had a jacket on, no problem, but I usually just wear a T-shirt as a cover garment. I mainly wore it at the 2:30 to 3 o’clock position. Angling the pistol/holster combo forward didn’t seem to make it print any less. After about 3 days of wearing the M2, my body adjusted and it was comfortable, at least somewhat. I like how the M2 only has one wide clip, it makes it easier to locate exactly where it is the most comfortable. The M2 is a small holster, Werkz even calls it minimalist, and I’d have to agree.

 As I also mentioned, I wore the M2 as an OWB holster also. This is also when I mainly used the M2 mag carrier. I wore the M2 at a local Steel Challenge match. I was concerned using it with just the single clip. After 25 draws and reholsters, I am no longer concerned at all. It performed well as an OWB rig.

 Now a little about the M2 magazine carrier. The mag carrier is also a taco style and holds the magazine vertically. It is currently only offered for 9mm/40 Glock style magazines. As with the holster, the mag carrier clip is also reversible for IWB/OWB. I never reversed the clip, I just turned the magazine around and it worked fine. The M2 mag carrier is of the same high quality as the M2 holster.

 If you are looking for a good quality, and inexpensive holster, give Werkz a look. If the M2 is in stock, it is one of the “quick ship” holsters. So you can have it quickly also. They will also do custom holsters, if that’s what you’re looking for.

Firearms Insider Reviews - 8 Key Points

Claim to Fame:

Minimalist Kydex Holster

Target Market:

Those needing a decent holster

FNBs (Features & Benefits of this product):

  • IWB - OWB convertible

  • Kydex

  • Adjustable clip height

  • 1.5” belt clip

  • Straight or canted

  • Adjustable retention

  • Useable with slide mounted optics

What other aesthetic options or finishes are available?

With or Without some rail mounted lights and colors

What others are saying?:

One holster to do it all. 5/5 stars on Amazon
By Dan S
Awesome holster. Ambidextrous carry options for every situation and adjustable retention. So far this is the only holster I could find that can AWIB and strong side OWB carry without replacing any parts, just moving some screws and bushings. Comfortable and has minimal printing. Also, you can't beat this price. Nearest comparable product from a reputable source is going to cost more for less features.

Link to other reviews:

None for this particular holster

Price point:

MSRP holster = $42.50

MSRP mag carrier = $30.00

Retail = $50.00 on Amazon

I need it now! Availability:

Werkz or Amazon

Our Rating:

Pros:

  • Great construction

  • Adjustable retention

  • Adjustable cant

  • Convertible between IWB and OWB

  • Price

Cons:

  • Holster prints

  • Clip

Score: 7.5 Good

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Favorite Link:   Triggrcon




 

Werkz M2 w/TLR-1 Holster

Written by: Zane Mungillo

     Finding a good holster can be hard.  It’s such a personally dependent thing. There is a reason I have two large drawers full of them.  What is a great choice for me may be entirely wrong for you. It’s for that reason I approach holster reviews a little differently than other products. All holsters, in my opinion, should have the following qualities to even be considered for concealed carry:
•completely cover the trigger/guard
•allow for a full firing “master” grip on the gun while holstered
• have positive retention of some kind
•be made of either leather or kydex (not both) 
•allow for one handed reholstering. 
•firmly attach to the belt or pants
    
 Had the Werkz not “passed” these requirements, I would not have continued the review. 

     The Werkz holster took me on an emotional roller coaster if you will. A variation on their m2 iwb (customized for my gun and light) the holster, at first glance, appears to be very well crafted. All edges were buffed and perfectly smooth. It’s comes with a 1.5” injection molded clip that can be mounted at two different ride heights, straight draw or canted forward or backwards. It also has two tension screws for adjusting how much passive retention is on the gun/light combo. Retention is good when set to my preferred stiffness and a solid audible and tactile click is present when the gun is inserted, I knew I was going to love this holster. 

     That is, until I put it on, while extremely comfortable I couldn’t conceal the gun. The grip printed horribly in my typical dress, shorts and a t-shirt. Standing a boring 5’10” and weighing in at around 150 lbs I realize that I’m asking a lot of a holster to conceal a g17 in my extra medium t-shirts.  To give the holster a fair shake, I wore a slightly larger shirt a few days a week and carried around the house and at the range where I’m much less concerned with printing. 

     After about 2 months, when taking the gun and holster off I noticed the two tension screws had completely backed out and where nowhere to be found. The gun still had plenty of retention while in the waistband but this was concerning to me. To be fair I didn’t apply loctite after setting the desired retention so I chalk this up to that.  Since I used to make holsters in my shed, I have plenty of Chicago screws and such laying around so I replaced them and applied loctite this time (like I should have as soon as I got the holster).

     I decided to “modify” the holster at this point to make it more concealable so I superglued a pair of Dr. Scholls pads  to the inside portion and glue a furniture slide pad to the front inline with the belt clip. This both tilted the grip into my stomach but rotated the grip around. Werkz now offers a claw to accomplish the rotation of the grip and a quick google search of “the aiwb holster hack, Limatunes” will show you how to do the Dr. Scholls hack. I in no way removed material or heated the holster as to compromise the function of it. I simply added a wedge and a claw. 

     The holster now works fine with my typical dress and I’m very pleased with it.  I have over a thousand drawstrokes from it over the course of much dryfire and many range trips as well as about six months worth of  carry. I’m carrying it everyday for now until the next new hotness comes around that I have to try. 

FIREARMS INSIDER REVIEWS - 8 KEY POINTS

CLAIM TO FAME:  

Holsters made with little extra bulk and fast turnaround time, even on custom orders

TARGET MARKET:  

Concealed carriers 

FNBS (FEATURES & BENEFITS OF THIS PRODUCT):  

  • Meets my requirements for a good holster
  • Well made

WHAT OTHER AESTHETIC OPTIONS OR FINISHES ARE AVAILABLE?

Black, Blue, coyote brown, dark gray, FDE, olive drab, carbon fiber black, carbon fiber blood red, carbon fiber coyote, carbon fiber fde. 
Firearm and light options
1.5” or 1.75” clip 

What others are saying:  

Couldn’t find anything for this particular setup (g17w/trl-1) 
The only other reviews I found were on amazon and they tend to be hit or miss. 

Price point:  

MSRP - $42-80 depending model and options.

Retail - Same

I need it now availability: 

Werkz.com - Ships next day on in stock, 2-5 days for quick ship customs and 10 business days on completely custom orders.

Our Ratings:

Pros: 

  • Works as advertised
  • Holds gun securely


Cons: 

  • Not as concealable as other holsters I’ve tried 


Score: 7.50 Good

6.5 before modifying 8.5 after for an average or 7.5

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Faxon Firearms Glock Barrel

 It seems as if everyone is getting into the custom Glock barrel making business. Faxon Firearms is no exception, or is it? Faxon has been making rifle barrels for some time now. What’s the next logical step, pistol barrels, of course. Faxon was gracious enough to send me 2 of their Glock barrels. One for a G19, and then one for a G17. We will mainly be talking about the G19 barrel.

 The G19 barrel that came in was the TiN (titanium nitride) one. This coating gives the barrel a great looking gold plating. Not only does it look good, but it should last a lifetime. Not only does the barrel have Tin coating, the Tin coating is actually done over a QPQ salt bath nitride. These “Match Series” barrels are made from 416-R Stainless Steel. Faxon also does a flame style fluting on the outside of the barrel. On this type of barrel, I would have to hear some really good data as to why, except that it looks good.

 These barrels are what they call “Drop in”. Yes, it did drop into my slide without any fitting, and I would expect it to for almost any slide. Because it has tighter tolerances than a stock barrel, the lock up is tighter and the fit in general is better. According to Faxon, it has a 9mm SAAMI chamber. It doesn’t mention a “match” chamber. The barrel also runs a 11 degree target crown. Faxon uses a conventional button rifling. This means that you can shoot any type of bullet out of it, including lead. The lock up was nice and tight. The barrel has very little, if any, noticeable movement front to back or side to side. There are some wear marks around the barrel, but that is to be expected. I guess those tight tolerances are working correctly without being too large to cause problems.

 I want to mention difference that I noticed with this barrel. The hood of the barrel (the top part that fills up the ejection port) has a tapered cut at the front. This allows the slide/barrel to unlock more smoothly, at least in my opinion. Other “match” barrels that I have are just squared off in this location. After a little use, they show a wear mark, but the Faxon barrel does not.

S - Sig 115gr. 3 rounds shown, other 2 rounds are covered by tape measure

 Now that I’ve bored you with the details, how does it shoot? My answer would be good. I tested accuracy with 7 different ammunition manufacturers. These groups were shot at 15yds with me resting the pistol on a bag. I used a Polymer 80 frame with a Grey Ghost Precision slide. The 5 shot groups ranged from just under 1.5” to around 7”. I also shot the same ammo through a different barrel and the 7” stuff was just as bad. Most of the groups averaged around 2.5” - 3”. This barrel has worked great from the first round and on up. The best group was with Sig 115 gr Elite ball FMJ, and the worst group was HSM 124 gr. I know this is not a Ransom rest accuracy test, but I thought it was more practical and probably gives a better idea of real world accuracy.

A - Aguila 115gr

L - Speer Lawman 124gr

H - HSM 124gr

B - Buffalo 115gr

R - Remington 115gr

 If you are in the market for a new, or replacement Glock barrel, look into Faxon. Besides the one here, they make different color options and threading also. Plus, they are made 100% in the USA in Faxon’s production facility. A great barrel option for Glock style pistols.

 

Firearms Insider Reviews - 8 Key Points

Claim to Fame:

Drop in match grade barrel

Target Market:

Pistol shooters wanting a better barrel

FNBs (Features & Benefits of this product):

  • 416-R Stainless Steel

  • SAAMI chamber

  • Conventional rifling

  • 11 Degree target crown

  • Button rifled

  • Flame fluted

  • 1 - 10 twist for 9mm

  • Salt bath nitride coating inside and outside

  • TiN PVD coated

  • Made in USA

What other aesthetic options or finishes are available?

Threaded, Black, Chameleon

What others are saying?:

AJ M. at Faxon. 5/5 stars

G19 Barrel

this barrel is awesome, lockup is great and fit and finish are top shelf

Link to other reviews:

AmmoLand

TFB

Price point:

MSRP = $199.00

Retail = $189.00 at Rainier Arms

I need it now! Availability:

Faxon or Rainier Arms

Our Rating:

Pros:

  • Drop in installation

  • Tin gold coating

  • Flame fluted

  • Conventional rifling

Cons:

  • Non-match chamber

Score: 8.5 Great

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Favorite Link:  Freedom Flag Products




 

Velocity Triggers MPC (Marksman Performance Choice) Trigger

 

 I have been trying to get my hands on a Velocity trigger for some time now. It finally happened when they sent me their new MPC (Marksman Performance Choice) trigger. Velocity Triggers has been making cartridge style triggers, for the AR platform rifles, for awhile now. They are based out of Phoenix, AZ and their triggers are 100% made in the USA. 

  The MPC trigger installs much like any other AR cartridge style trigger. With the exception of the trigger shoe. First remove the old trigger parts. Which includes removing the pistol grip and taking out the safety. Now you can drop in the MPC without the trigger shoe on it. Yes, I said it, without the trigger shoe. As one big feature of the MPC is the changeable shoes. Install the trigger pins, tighten up the two side screw on the trigger cartridge with the supplied allen wrench. This puts pressure on the trigger pins and keeps them from wandering out. Now that the trigger is in, Take the other supplied allen wrench and install the trigger shoe to the little nub sticking through where a standard trigger would be. The new trigger shoe has a little bit of twist built into it. What this does is make the MPC shoe pivot slightly left to right on the trigger shaft. This way it can be set for personal preference and then tightened down. One can install the shoe with the trigger guard on, but I found it easier to remove, or pivot the trigger guard out of the way. Once the safety and grip are reinstalled, check the trigger for proper function.

 The straight smooth with finger stop, is the trigger I received. The finger stop is just a little hook, on the bottom of the flat trigger, that helps keep your finger from sliding down and rubbing on the trigger guard. Velocity Triggers has multiple options for trigger shoes and colors. The smooth triggers are also radiused across the shoe, from left to right. This makes for a very comfortable feel. If you don’t like smooth with a radius, they offer a serrated (grooved trigger) also. I felt the serrated ones, and the are nice also,  just not my cup of tea, I do know people who like the serrated over the smooth. Now along with the textures, you can also get curved or straight (without a finger stop). Oh, and all are available in a number of colors. One really nice feature of the MPC, is the availability to buy extra trigger shoes for a whopping $14.95 each. All of the options, as well as the purchased trigger, use a ⅜” wide trigger pad. This is a little wider than a stock trigger and much nicer.

 Now that I’ve bored you with everything, I’ll get into how it feels. Velocity has two different pull weight options, a 3 or 4 lb pull. I received the 3 lb one. It measures right at 3 lb’s on my trigger scale, and does it consistently! I thought 3 lbs was going to feel heavy, but that is not what I found with the MPC. It has nearly zero takeup. I can’t even see any, yet alone feel any. So when shooting, one just applies pressure and the trigger just fires. The break on this MPC is fantastic and super crisp. There is a slight bit of over travel, yes slight, but hardly noticeable. Then there is the reset, strong and very tactile. I really liked the crisp reset. Some other triggers I’ve used can be somewhat mushy, this is definitely not the case here. The MPC is a single stage trigger, if you hadn’t figured that out yet. Because the MPC uses a different style of trigger shoe, the trigger reach is longer. I liked the longer reach as it placed my finger more on the pad, and less on the knuckle. If you have a really short trigger reach (think children) it may not be the best option. If you are looking for a super fast trigger, the MPC might just be it.

 I have shot lots of rounds through this trigger. Even used it with my .22lr conversion. It has enough hammer energy to have reliably fired the .22lr rounds and anything else I ran through it, including steel case 5.56. The MPC feels exactly the same as it did new. I mention this because some other triggers I have used felt better after using them for awhile. I attribute the “feel” to the hammer and disconnector being plated in NP3. NP3, by Robar, is a Nickel Teflon coating that creates low friction and high wear resistance. Either way, it performs well.

 If you are looking for a new trigger for your AR style rifle, look into the Velocity MPC. I was really surprised at how well I like this trigger. Plus the added benefits of a longer reach and wider shoe make it feel much better than your standard trigger. Even though the price is a little higher than I would like, I think it is acceptable for the quality and options the MPC has. If you are in the market for an AR trigger, the MPC from Velocity Triggers might be the ticket.

Firearms Insider Reviews - 8 Key Points

Claim to Fame:

⅜” wide AR trigger with changeable shoes

Target Market:

Anyone wanting a better AR trigger

FNBs (Features & Benefits of this product):

  • ⅜” Wide Trigger Shoe

  • Different Trigger Shoe’s available

  • 3 lb pull weight

  • Drop in installation

  • Crisp trigger break

  • Short reset

  • MP3 Coated

  • Made in USA

What other aesthetic options or finishes are available?

4 lb, Curved, Straight, Smooth, Serrated, Red, FDE, OD, Pink, or Blue

What others are saying?:

Nothing found

Link to other reviews:

Nothing found

Price point:

MSRP = $189.95

Retail = $172.99 at Brownell’s

I need it now! Availability:

Velocity or Brownell’s

Our Rating:

Pros:

  • Changeable trigger shoes

  • ⅜” wide

  • Long trigger reach

  • Radiused

  • Short pull

  • Short reset

  • Easy installation

  • Finger stop

  • MP3 Coating

  • 100% made is USA

Cons:

  • Only available in 3 and 4 lb configurations

  • “Velocity Triggers”  writing on trigger

  • Price

Score:  8.5 GREAT

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Favorite Link:  AR 15 Podcast

Vortex Viper PST GEN II 5-25x50

 Everyone who has looked in to buying optics probably already know the name Vortex. Vortex Optics makes a vast selection of optics for the shooter, hunter, or plinker. Their range in scopes basically goes from beginner to professional. The Viper PST Gen II that they sent me for review is more toward the expert level of user, but still applicable for certain beginners.

 The 5-25x50 Viper PST Gen II First Focal Plane scope has a bunch of features. XD glass and XR coatings are first up. To put it easily into words, these help to make images clearer, sharper, have better color, increase light transmission, and give it some anti-reflectives properties. Since I have no way of checking this, besides my vision, you just get my input. The view through the glass is sharp, at least when it’s sunny, I’ll get to that later. It doesn’t seem to distort any colors. And it has better light transmission than other scopes I have used. The 50mm objective lens and 30mm main tube probably help aid in these qualities also.

Red fiber optic Radius Bar

 This particular scope uses a FFP (first focal plane) MRAD EBR-2C illuminated reticle. Yep, that’s a mouthful. With a FFP reticle, the size of the reticle stays constant, no matter what the magnification is set at. What this does for the shooter is make it possible to measure a target and then figure out the range to the target, if the target size is known, at any magnification. Also with a FFP, if you see that your shot is off, you can adjust accordingly without scaling issues. I really like the MRAD reticle that Vortex uses in this scope. It has nice size markings, but isn’t too busy. It also has a Christmas tree style, for windage and moving target hold offs. I will leave it to Vortex to explain their reticle, here’s a link: MRAD reticle instructions. The MRAD reticle is also illuminated red. The dial for the on/off illumination is on the outside of the adjustable objective knob. It has off positions between every brightness setting. The CR2032 battery is also housed in the turret unit. It is not a daylight visible reticle, more for low light and bad weather. If you are not into MRAD, they have a MOA version also.

 As a lot of the scopes in this class do, the Viper PST gen II has tactical style turrets. These turrets are nice. They have good quality “clicks” to them. The size is not overly large or small. I really liked the style of knurling they machined into them. The knurling made it easy to adjust them with gloved hands and wet hands, so dry hands were even better. The height of them seemed about right also. Since this is an MRAD scope, the adjustments are 0.1 mil/click. There are also 0.1 mil lines on the knobs. Every number on the knob (1,2,3, etc) is 1 full mil of adjustment. On the windage knob, right and left are also marked with a “R” and “L” so you won’t get confused. On the elevation turret, you also have 0.1 mil clicks with numbers for 1 full mil also. A nice feature of the elevation turret is the fiber optic rod at the zero location. Vortex calls this the “Radius Bar”. It gives a visual reference to where the turret is located. To go along with the radius bar, is an updated zero stop adjustment. Vortex went from a shim style to their Razor style zero stop. To adjust the zero stop. First rotate the turret all the way clockwise until a hard stop is felt. Loosen the 3 set screws that hold the zero stop on, pull the knob up and off. Now loosen more set screws on the turret lock. Now shoot and adjust elevation until you are happy with the zero. Now tighten the lock screws, slide the zero stop back on and align the zero/radius bar with the zero mark on the scope body, tighten those set screws, and now the zero stop is adjusted. It is a little confusing on how to adjust the zero stop. I tried to do it after adjusting for a shooting zero. Then I had to go back and do it the way I explained. Even though it isn’t self explanatory to adjust. The zero stop is a huge plus. You never have to worry about where it is adjusted, just turn the knob and it stops at your initial zero.

 The Viper PST can handle the elements. It has the standard waterproof, shockproof, and fogproof that any quality scope should have. I even used this scope in the snow and rain without any problems. As far as scope tracking goes, I only checked it by adjusting the windage and elevation knobs 1 full turn left/ right and up. Shot a round, and then turned them back to their respective zero’s. And shot another round, all the shots after returning to zero, hit where I was aiming. So it returned to zero for me. If you demand more precision than I do, Vortex uses a precision spring and erector systems to help maintain repeatability, so you should be good to go.

350 yards, sunny day, 5x

350 yards, sunny day, 25x

 I shot the viper PST in a variety of conditions. From sunny days to snowing days. I thought the clarity was really nice, until the snow came. When the snow rolled in, a rarity here in Oregon, I purposely took the PST out to see how it performed. At lower magnifications, say 5-10, the clarity was decent. But bump it up to 20-25x and it just didn’t impress me at all (see pictures). I talked with the Vortex guys about this. Them and I concluded that the main reason for the degradation was do to the magnification picking up the rain and snow. Thus magnifying it. I was told it is kind of like looking at a tree. When its on low magnification, the tree looks small. When on a high magnification, the tree is big. Relate this to snow flakes and rain drops, and they get larger also, thus making it harder to see through them and making the image appear not as clear. When in fact it is the clarity that causes one to see the rain and snow. The light transmission was pretty good in the bad weather, so that’s a plus. If you are using the PST for hunting in bad weather, I would say it is good for about 300-400 yds. Anything past that, and I don’t think you could positively ID your target. Another noteworthy drawback is the weight, especially for hunting. The Viper PST weighs in at almost 2 lbs. If using it on a varmint rifle, the weight might not matter to you. Now, if the sun is shining and it is a great day, I think you could see just about anything out to 1000 yds. But alas, this is a target scope, and not really a hunting one.

200 yards, Snowing, 5x

200 yards, Snowing, 25x

385 yards, Snowing, 5x, Illuminated

385 yards, Snowing, 25x, Illuminated

 The Viper PST Gen II is a nice optic. It does have Vortex’s no questions ask warranty, so it breaks, or you break it, they fix it free. I have heard it is the best entry level long range scope. Is it? Maybe, but I would look and see if the features are what you need compared to what you want. Vortex has such a wide variety of scopes, I am sure they make something for just about everyone.

 

Firearms Insider Reviews - 8 Key Points

Claim to Fame:

Quality long range scope

Target Market:

Tactical and PRS shooters, Long range Hunters and shooters

FNBs (Features & Benefits of this product):

  • 5-25x magnification

  • 50mm objective lens

  • First Focal Plane reticle

  • MRAD EBR-2C illuminated etched reticle

  • 30mm one piece tube

  • Tactical Turrets

  • RZR Zero stop

  • XD Glass

  • XR Coatings

  • Waterproof, Shockproof, & fogproof

  • Fiber Optic Radius bar

  • 16” length

  • 31.2 ounces

  • 3.4” eye relief

  • VIP Warranty

What other aesthetic options or finishes are available?

5-25x50 FFP MOA reticle

5-25x50 SFP

What others are saying?:

The optics are better although slightly behind the razor still 5/5 star on Amazon

I was one of the first ones to get this scope. It is definitely a step up from the first gen. The optics are better although slightly behind the razor still. I find it hard to justify spending nearly double for a slightly better image. Where the razor does stand out is anything passed ~20x magnification, but the viper still is more than clear enough for my needs. The gen 2 finally got rid of the shims for adjusting your zero stop and replaced it with one similar to the razor. It stops right on zero and no more mushiness like with the shims.Illumination is nice and bright and adjustable.

Now I will say that I did have a problem with my first one. I have it mounted on a 338 lapua magnum. After about 200 rounds my parallax adjustment crapped out. The yardage didn't match up anymore and every so often it would shift focus after firing.Sent it back into Vortex, they said there was an internal issue and sent me a brand new one to replace it. Great customer service and quick turnaround! Haven't had any issues since with the replacement!

 

Link to other reviews:

None found

Price point:

MSRP = $1399.99

Retail = $1099.00 on Amazon

I need it now! Availability:

Amazon or Brownell's

Our Rating:

Pros:

  • Zero stop

  • MRAD reticle

  • First Focal Plane

  • Illuminated reticle

  • Large knobs

  • Nice adjustment clicks

  • Radius Bar

Cons:

  • Zero stop adjustment

  • Heavy

Score: 7.50 Good

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Favorite Link:   Axelson Tactical

Blue Alpha gear SR EDC Belt

Written by Zane M.

  At first the belt seemed thin but being stitched double webbing it’s every bit as stiff as I have come to expect from a good quality belt. The plastic buckle is ugly, think life jacket, but if I were concerned with looks I’d wear a leather belt. Make no mistake, this belt is not a looker but it’s sure as hell functional. 

  All ready to go for the day with my new belt on and my typical set up I started my first day with the new belt. This belt had its work cut out for it. A typical load out for me consisting of a g17 with a trl-1 aiwb, a spare 20 round mag next to it, two cell flashlight in one pocket and a tourniquet in the other. All this in cargo shorts and a t-shirt. 

  Over the next few months this was my go to belt and still is as of writing. I found this belt less useful for holsters that require the belt be fed through the mounting points, it can be done but not without removing one side of the buckle (like a cobra buckle). I was, however, able to thread the buckle through almost all of my pants regardless of belt loops. The only exception was dress slacks and let’s be honest, this belt doesn’t  go with a suit anyway. 

  Sizing is super simple, unlike with most belt companies you simply order your pant size. There is plenty of adjustment. I was between sizes so I ordered up but either way looks like it would have worked fine. 

  Probably the best thing about this belt is the price. It retails for just under $35 on Blue alpha gear’s website. You would be hard pressed to find another belt this good for that price. 

 

Firearms Insider Reviews - 8 Key Points

CLAIM TO FAME:

Cheap durable edc belt 

TARGET MARKET:

Concealed carry 

FNBS (FEATURES & BENEFITS OF THIS PRODUCT):

  • Very reasonably priced. 
  • Alternative to the cobra buckle (for those like me that aren't a fan) 

WHAT OTHER AESTHETIC OPTIONS OR FINISHES ARE AVAILABLE?

Black 

Wolf gray

Coyote brown 

What others are saying:

From blue alpha gear’s website 

Outstanding value

Jeremy on Feb 11, 2018

What a great belt for not a whole lot of money. Fits in Levis and Carhartt with no issues. Solidly built and is the cost of a week's worth of coffee.

Works great for AIWB and regular carry. This is a perfectly capable everyday belt. Good stuff made in the US.

Price point:

MSRP - $34.97

At time of writing on sale for $29.97 from blue alpha gear 

I need it now availability:

2-5 day lead time at time of writing from Blue Alpha Gear

Our Rating:

Pros:

  • Super stiff
  • Very reasonably priced 

Cons:

  • Buckle is ugly 
  • No frills 
  • Doesn’t feed through all belt loops 

Score: 7.5 GOOD

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True Blue Gun Oil & Grease

  True Blue gun oil is a fairly new product in the firearms industry. The company making the gun lube is Dumonde Tech. Dumonde Tech has been making lubrication products since 1985, so they are not new to extreme lubricants. In fact most of their products are for extreme duty racing engines and such. Dumonde Tech sent me some of the True Blue gun oil and Gun grease to try out. At first I thought they were just sending samples, but when they arrived, it was full retail product sizes. The oil comes in a nice applicator bottle, and the grease comes in a nice little tub.

 Since oil is really hard to do a scientific review on, I will tell you my results. Lucky for me, I was assembling a Polymer 80 receiver and slide a little after getting the oil. So, the only lube used on that P80 has been the True Blue gun oil and gun grease. Well, it works. If you read my P80 pf940c review, you will find out that the slide to frame fit was extremely tight. I put some of the True Blue gun oil on the frame rails and slide. I noticed that it was easier to move the slide back and forth. I have since only used the True Blue gun grease and oil on this firearm. I put around 300 round through the pistol before I took it apart and looked at it. It was dirty, but still functioned fine. I probably put another 200 rounds through it before doing a rough cleaning. All I did was wipe the dirt off with a shop rag, and that was enough to clean the pistol. So this time I put some of the Gun grease on it. The grease is pretty thin, but stays on the parts quite well. The pistol works fine with the grease also, but I thought the oil was more appropriate.

 I ran the gun oil on other firearms too with no problems. This oil is pretty slick to the touch also. I squirted some on my SBR bolt and ran some rounds through it suppressed. Guess what, it’s gun oil, so it worked fine in that also. But the real test was the suppressed full auto .22lr. This thing gums up everything. Before using the True Blue gun oil, only one other oil would get you past 500 rounds without a thorough cleaning. But the True Blue came through like a champ and let me run the gun past the 500 mark! Cleaning was easy also, but I did have to scrub some from all the 22lr lead build up. I can say that the oil holds up to heat very well because of using it in the automatic.

 Now I’ll get in to some of the technical stuff. Both of these gun products benefit from Micro Resistant Complex Compounds (MRCC for short). These MRCC’s help reduce friction and increase the adhesion to metal parts. It also makes the oil “migrate” around surfaces. You can actually see this to some extent. Just put a drop of the oil on a metal surface and come back later, you will see how the oil migrates over the part. The oil and grease also have very low coefficients of friction, hence why they are slippery. The grease states “10 times slipperier than Teflon”.

 The next feature of the grease and oil is “Polymerization”. This is harder to explain, but I actually have seen it first hand. What the polymerization does, is turn the oil into a solid at extreme temperatures. So it polymerizes to form a micro thin, hard, slick coating. It basically doesn’t burn off like conventional gun oils. Let me explain what I noticed. When disassembling the machine gun, it didn’t feel like it had much oil on it. But yet the bolt was still very slick. I wiped the tiny bit of oil off, and it was still slick. It kind of looked like it had an opaque film layer on it, which I guess was the polymerization of the oil. To clean this off, I just used some Hoppes #9, but any gun cleaning solvent should work.

 I can’t really say much else about the Dumonde Tech, True Blue gun oil and gun grease. But, it does work, and work well. The only problem I see with it is, you can’t find it anywhere. Besides that, I will be buying some more when I run out. It doesn’t take much oil to lube up a firearm, so it may be awhile before I have to order more. So if you’re looking for some decent gun oil, give this stuff a try, I was pleasantly surprised.

 

Firearms Insider Reviews - 8 Key Points

Claim to Fame:

Advanced Gun Oil & Grease

Target Market:

Gun Owners, Ranges, Police, GunSmiths

FNBs (Features & Benefits of this product):

  • Odorless

  • Waterproof

  • Migrates around parts

  • Very Low coefficient of friction

  • Polymerization

What other aesthetic options or finishes are available?

True Blue Gun Grease

What others are saying?:

TRUE BLUE is one of the best lubricants for firearms on the market today.  I am a gunsmith and avid hunter who has used a lot of different products trying to find the best lubricant for myself and my customers. We have been using TRUE BLUE for about 9 months. I am so happy with this product that I have thrown out all others. This is the only Lubricant anyone would find on my bench at West Coast Armory and Bellande Custom. All of my weapons, the Gun Range Rental firearms now use TRUE BLUE. They all run smoother and cleaner than any other products we used. Customers that followed my recommendation to use TRUE BLUE have all come back with positive feedback and have switched. TRUE BLUE is now our best selling lubricant. We love their new cleaner also. I give this product a 10 out of 10. 1/8/17

Tyler J. Bellande, Bellande Custom / West Coast Armory – Bellevue, WA

 

“I have gone through approximately 15,000 rounds of ammunition in my Tactical Solutions X-Ring rifle and my Ruger Mkiii 22/45 in practice and competitions. I have been using Heater Grease in the X-Ring and it has run flawlessly. This is by far one of the cleanest lubricants I have ever used. I clean my weapons every 3 or 4 thousand rounds and the carbon and grime wipes right off.”

Jeffery Packer, MSG (Ret), Executive Director/Chief Curator Idaho Military Museum. Tactical Solutions Shooting Team

Link to other reviews:

The GunMag.com

Price point:

MSRP = $10.99 - $14.99

Retail = $14.99

I need it now! Availability:

Amazon or Rainier Arms

www.mylifeatspeed.com

Our Rating:

Pros:

  • Odorless

  • Applicator bottle

  • Adheres to metal

  • Easy clean up of oiled parts

  • “Wetting” of parts

  • Made in U.S.A.

Cons:

  • Availability

Score: 8.50 GREAT

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Chad's Favorite Link:  US Tactical Supply

 

 

Bushnell Pro 50 Lumen Flashlight

Written by: Zane M.

  If you listen to the podcast, you probably know by now that I’m a fan of having a really bright light. This isn’t one but that’s not it’s purpose. I originally picked up the bushnell pro 50 lumen pocket light for administrative purposes when burning the battery on my 800/1000 lumen light just wasn’t necessary. It uses a single AAA battery and battery life is decent. The light is small, almost too small but is still useable. The light sat in my pocket for a few years and had that been all it done this would have never been written.

  About 6 weeks ago I lost this $15.00 light and didn’t think anything of it. I figured I’d replace it and move on with my life. Then about a week ago I was mowing my gun range and found it, on the ground, packed with dirt. I knocked the dirt out and set it on the shooting bench and finished mowing. Since it was also raining the light got cleaned naturally if you will. For some reason I decided to click the tail switch before I threw it away and it came on. 5 weeks in the elements and this this was still ticking.

  If you’re looking for a cheap admin light for simple tasks this might be the light for you. 

 

FIREARMS INSIDER REVIEWS - 8 KEY POINTS

CLAIM TO FAME:

It’s a light. Nothing special 

TARGET MARKET:

Anyone who needs a admin task light 

FNBS (FEATURES & BENEFITS OF THIS PRODUCT):

  • CREE LED technology
  • Momentary On switch
  • Aircraft grade aluminum
  • Pocket Clip
  • Impact-resistant construction
  • Powered by 1 AAA battery (Duracell battery included)
  • Tested to ANSI FL1 Standards: 50 Lumens, 2 hr 15 min Run Time, 32 M Beam Distance, 2 M Impact Resistance
  • Durable and uses AAA batteries 

WHAT OTHER AESTHETIC OPTIONS OR FINISHES ARE AVAILABLE?

None 

What others are saying?:

From Walmart.com

Excellent Quality

Average rating:5out of5stars, based onreviews

12/29/2016

by Charles

This was a Christmas present to me from my Uncle and I've had for over a year. This flashlight is perfect to carry on you. With it being metal, it lasts longer and the clip in very nice and has a sturdy design, not easy to break. The flashlight is very nice especially because it only takes one AAA battery and you rarely need to change the battery (depending on how often you use it). This f This flashlight has a LED so, you never have to worry about replacing it. It is perfect for if you're looking for something in your car at night or just walking through your house at night. It is very small and can fit in any pocket. I highly recommend it because if you ever need a flashlight, you've got one in you pocket that is very bright and very small.

Price point:

MSRP = ???

Retail = $15.00 - $34.84

I need it now! Availability:

Amazon or Walmart

Our Rating:

Pros:

  • Durable
  • Cheap
  • Uses a single AAA battery

Cons:

  • Dim
  • Small 

Score: 7.0 GOOD

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You Suck, It's not the Gun

Written by: Kenny O.

  How many times has someone said “there’s something wrong with this gun” yet it performs perfectly in someone else’s hand? This is where You Suck, It’s Not The Gun was born. People are always ready to blame an equipment failure when there are certain aspects at play that cause them to fail. Recently, I had the opportunity to train with Erik “Trek” Utrecht, owner of Michigan Defensive Firearms Institute, MDFI, and learn how and why I suck. The gun just does what it’s told.

  Trek starts out by giving us some background, interspersed with movie quotes every now and again, and tells us what to expect for the day. Hearing that we will only be firing 115 rounds for a full day seems incredulous at first. How can so few rounds make one a better shooter? It all comes down to taming the wolves. After a 10 round qualification, at 10 yards, the day really gets going. Trek tells you to bury that qualification target somewhere that you won’t see it for the rest of the day. What comes next is the introduction of the two wolves that need to be tamed.

  Obviously, these are not real wolves. They are analogous to the controls that we need to master to be better shots. They are referred to as the Sight Wolf and the Trigger Wolf. The illustration that is set up is one of two children, one adolescent and one teenager. The younger of the two is kind, gentle, and obedient. This is the Sight Wolf; he wants to behave. The Trigger Wolf is not the same. He is the bad seed, rebellious, hellion of a child that will buck authority and society at every opportunity. The challenge is teaching this Wolf to obey and not corrupt the good wolf. The first way to tame him is to take your time with him. The motto of the class therefore is there is no time limit. It doesn’t matter how fast you can miss a target.

  Starting at the 1 yard line, the fundamentals get refined making many of the students 1 yard snipers. Get the T-shirt, it should be good for a laugh. Being a 1-yard sniper doesn’t sound impressive, but it helps to build on the fact that good shooting is a possibility. After a break, Trek continues to emphasize how the wolves can be tamed and becomes a chef. His shooting recipes for wolves will highlight your strengths and weaknesses on the firing line. After the first recipe or two, shooters really start to see where they need to improve or continue what’s working for them.

  Trek might just be the Bobby Flay of the shooting world because his recipes can be magical. This is evidenced at the 3 and 5 yard lines with more drills. All these drills use a 1” dot as the target. There is something to be said about using a small target to aid in improvement. It is also incredibly rewarding when you’re able to keep your shots inside of the dot. By the end of the day, after all the recipes, stories, and wolf warnings have been shared, it’s time to reshoot the 10 yard qualification. After only firing about 100 rounds, many of the students saw a significant improvement in their shooting. I myself was able to cut my group size in half from morning to afternoon.

  I strongly recommend anyone that wants to improve their shooting skills to take this class. It is not sexy, cool, or tactical. It is practical though and well priced at $175. Every bullet that a shooter fires, whether on the range or on the street, has a lawyer attached to it. Wouldn’t you want the confidence of knowing your rounds are going where you want them to go? I know I do and I consider this a small price to pay to help me do that. Trek is a great instructor who keeps what could be boring and mundane entertaining and enlightening. He is not overbearing, and he has a good sense of humor. Throughout all of that, safety is paramount. I was not in fear of injury like I have been in other classes. It was clear that I suck, it’s not the gun.

  I learned valuable lessons that day of how to suck less so I can be a better shooter.

Safe Life Defense Soft Body Armor

 Safe LIfe Defense contacted me to see if I would review some of their soft body armor. Of course the answer was an astounding YES. Safe LIfe did supply the armor for free. Safe Life Defense has a bunch of different styles of carriers and armor combinations. Their website has a wealth of information on protection levels, care, and other questions one might have on body armor.  The one reviewed here is the Concealable Enhanced Multi-threat level IIIa+ vest.

  What do you do when you first receive a vest, try it on of course. I immediately noticed the comfort. The mesh style liner that Safe Life uses is actually very comfortable. It even kind of slides around over a T-shirt. This helps to not pull up an undershirt or whatever the armor is worn over. The vest also has 6 “comfort straps” that use hook & loop, with elastic between each end, to adjust each side and the top for fit and comfort. One strap for each shoulder adjustment, and two on each side. I have a bit of a belly, and this vest adjusted and fit very well. I did notice that when I crouch down that the vest did tend to rise up a little, but I think this is pretty common.  If you are concealed carrying IWB, the vest does get in the way of the draw.  I think practice drawing your firearm, should remedy this. Some of this may be due to the fact that the sides of the vest wrap around your sides. 15% more protection than other vests, according to Safe Life. If someone were to ask me about comfort, I’d give it a thumbs up.

Inside of vest on top of ballistic panel

 I proceeded to disassemble the vest. The outer shell is made from a ripstop polyester and has proven to take a beating from being shot at. The seams won’t let you down either. We put a few rounds through the edge seams, then I tried to unravel them and pull them apart. Well, that didn’t work for me. So don’t worry about the seams coming unravelled and the inner panel falling out. The inner panel is where all the magic happens. This is the ballistic portion of the vest. It is constructed of a red color outer fabric with the Kevlar sheets inside. The ballistic panel is about ½”-¾” thick. The seams of the panel are welded together.  The outer layer of the ballistic panel is also constructed of a ripstop fabric. This helps aid in the fabric not coming apart when the vest is stabbed or shot. When shooting at the vest, we did have a .357 round blow out about an inch of the ballistic panel seam, but it stopped the round and didn’t cause the vest anymore damage. The shot was also very close to the edge of the panel.  After shooting the vest, I then tore into the inside. Inside the red fabric are super thin sheets of kevlar, stacked one on top of each other. How many, I don’t know, but it works. Also inside the panel is a piece of some sort of foam. This is the side that goes up against your body. This has to be for comfort and also to help ease the sting a little if one were to actually get shot while wearing the vest. The vest does use a different front and rear panel size, so you won’t be able to move the rear panel to the front, I tried! These panels fit inside the carrier by way of a low profile hook & loop seam/flap. Another nice feature is the ability to put rifle/hard armor plates into the front and rear outer plate pockets on the carrier. These also use a hook & loop closure to keep them closed up. I really like the construction of this vest. Through all the testing, it held up remarkably well.

Rifle Plate pocket

 Now I will get into the vests stopping ability, or at least what we threw at it. I made a wood backed target stand, installed a USPSA target on it, then placed the vest over the target. I am just going to list what we shot the vest with, and then what was stopped by it, all were shot at 10yards.

Ballistic panel welded seams

Shot through seam, this might hurt.

Blowout from .357 magnum round, seam still partially intact

  • .22lr rifle stopped

  • 9mm 5” pistol 115gr fmj stopped

  • 9mm 5” pistol 124gr +P HP stopped

  • 9mm 5” pistol 147gr FP stopped

  • 357 magnum 6” revolver 158gr JHP stopped

  • 357 magnum 6” revolver 125gr FMJ stopped

  • 40s&w 4” pistol 180gr FP stopped

  • 40s&w 4” pistol 165gr +9 HP stopped

  • 41 magnum 6” revolver 210gr JHP stopped

  • 45acp 5” pistol 185gr +P HP stopped

  • 45acp 5” pistol 230gr FMJ stopped

  • 12 gauge 3” buckshot stopped

  • 12 gauge 3” slug stopped

  • 17HMR rifle 20gr FMJ Didn’t stop

  • 30 Carbine 110gr FMJ Didn’t stop

  • 300blk 10.5” 220gr Didn’t stop

I didn’t expect the vest to stop the 17hmr, 30 carbine, or the 300 blk, but we tried anyhow. The vest was also shot multiple times with all the “stopped” cartridges without any of them going through the kevlar. Some of the more potent cartridges did leave a small dent in the wood target backing, mainly the 357 magnum and 12 gauge slug. Since the vest is also rated for some stab protection, I tried stabbing it with a spire point knife. I wasn’t able to stab through the kevlar.

Kevlar after being shot multiple times

Seams of vest after being shot a few times

Bullets pulled from inside of ballistic panel

 Everyone that helped me test the armor was pleased with the outcome. In my opinion, I would trust wearing it with my life, at least for what it is rated. Plus, if you actually get shot while wearing this armor, Safe Life will replace it free, as long as it is in it’s 5 year lifespan. Speaking of lifespan, there is a manufacture date on the ballistic panel, and Safe Life rates the armor to be good 5 years from that date. The 5 year date is pretty standard for soft body armor.

Side view when wearing armor

 If you need or want soft body armor, look into the team at Safe Life Defense. I was thrilled at the opportunity to see what this IIIa+ armor could do, and it didn’t let me down. If you can ever get the chance to see or shoot body armor yourself, do it. It really gives a person a better idea of what armor actually will stop.

Firearms Insider Reviews - 8 Key Points

Claim to Fame:

Level III+ rated soft body armor

Target Market:

Police, EMS, Security, Instructors, or anyone wanting soft body armor

FNBs (Features & Benefits of this product):

  • NIJ Level IIIa+

  • Bullet, strike, slash, stab & special threat resistant

  • Special threat resistant: Liberty Civil Defense 9mm & FN 5.7×28 40gr

  • Spike/Stab Rating: NIJ Level 1 up to 36 Joules of force

  • Constructed with custom Kevlar

  • Full side protection

  • Ultra-concealable

  • Engineered for comfort and maneuverability

  • Cooling mesh liner

  • 10 Point adjustable with 4 Comfort Straps

  • 2 low profile pockets for level IV rifle plates

  • Water resistant ripstop polyester carrier

What other aesthetic options or finishes are available?

Sand or white

Various other styles

What others are saying?:

https://safelifedefense.com/reviews/

Link to other reviews:

AmmoLand

Price point:

MSRP = $499.00

I need it now! Availability:

Safe Life Defense

Our Rating:

Pros:

  • Comfort Straps

  • Rifle plate pouch

  • Vent liner

  • Comfortable to wear

  • NIJ IIIa+ rated

Cons:

  • Heavy

  • Hot

Score: 8.00 Great

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Favorite Link:  US Tactical Supply




 

"The Grater GenII" Muzzle Brake

 Trojan Firearms sent me one of their “Gen II, The Grater” muzzle brakes when they sent the straight trigger that was reviewed earlier. Trojan is probably more noticeable for their pistol caliber carbines and California compliant rifles. This muzzle brake is the same one that they install on their “1776” rifle. This muzzle brake was supplied for review.

 The Grater is a nice looking muzzle brake. It has a Black Nitride finish, so it should hold up for a long time. Trojan manufactures the brake out of 4140 steel and it is threaded ½-28. It has 3 chambers to help mitigate the recoil impulse, in which it does a wonderful job. It also comes with an aluminum anodized jam nut, so you can index the brake wherever you like without having to use a crush washer. The jam nut concept is not new, but it does work, and since it is aluminum, you won’t have to worry about messing the threads up.

 More important, is the fact that it has 10 tuneable ports. 2 on top, 2 on each side at 90°, and 2 on each side at 45°. These ports are threaded 6-32 and have set screws that can be installed or taken out. The screws bottom out so that you can’t screw them into the bullets path. With these screws, one cane tune the brake for particular ammo or if they primarily shoot right or left handed. It does take some patience to get it dialed in, but the results are worth it. Say your recoil impulse moves the gun up and right. Just remove one of the 45° screws, on the side of the movement, and shoot it again. If it moves a bit left, start by removing one of the left side 90° screws. Hopefully you get the picture.

 As I mentioned earlier, The Grater does a wonderful job mitigating recoil. Even before “tuning” it to my ammo, I could tell a difference over the previous brake that I had on the rifle. I set up some targets at around 25yds to do some double taps on. At first the rifle moved a little bit up and right. After a little time spent messing with the screws, I think I pulled out a 45° and a 90° screw, it now shoots super flat. Double taps can be done as fast as I can pull the trigger and the sight picture barely moves. As with all true muzzle brakes, it does have the flaw of being extremely loud.

 I think Trojan Firearms did an overall good job when making the Grater GenII. It does what a muzzle brake should, and has the added benefit of being “tuneable.” Yes it is not some fancy titanium, or have some space age looks, but it also won’t break the bank at $79.99. Go take a look at Trojan Firearms, they make an effective brake, if not other stuff one might like.

Firearms Insider Reviews - 8 Key Points

Claim to Fame:

Tuneable muzzle brake

Target Market:

3 Gunners, shooters, or anyone wanting to reduce recoil

FNBs (Features & Benefits of this product):

  • 1/2-28 thread.

  • BLACKNITRIDE™ protective finish.

  • 4140 Carbon Steel.

  • Ten position 6-32 tapped gas ports for fine tuning.

  • Three Baffle chambered system engineered for optimal recoil reduction and muzzle control.

  • 3/4 wrench required for muzzle brake, 11/16 wrench for jam nut.

  • included jam nut 6061-T6 aluminum with black hard coat anodize

  • 0.860” outside diameter

  • 2.75” length.

  • Made in USA

What other aesthetic options or finishes are available?

None

What others are saying?:

Nothing found

Link to other reviews:

Nothing found

Price point:

MSRP = $79.99

I need it now! Availability:

Trojan Firearms

Our Rating:

Pros:

  • Tuneable

  • Effectively reduces recoil

  • Jam nut

  • USA made

Cons:

  • Loud

  • Takes some time to tune

Score: 8.00 Great

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Favorite Link:   Freedom Flag Products





 

Guntec 15" Compression Handguard

 Guntec Usa sent me their new compression M-Lok handguard for review. They were also kind enough to send an extra one that we gave away on the podcast. This particular handguard is a 15” free float and anodized black. Guntec has been making AR accessories in the US for decades.

 I noticed a few new things about this compression handguard. Guntec put some QD mounts at the rear of the handguard. In my opinion, this is a great asset. It also came with 1 QD swivel. This handguard also has M-Lok slots all the way down both sides as well as the bottom. That was one of my complaints with their Air-Lite that I reviewed some time ago. This one also has a full length top picatinny rail. As well as diamond cuts throughout to reduce weight. The black anodizing is also a little dull looking, more of a matte finish as compared to a gloss one. It doesn’t scratch off or anything, so there is no need to worry about it.

You can see the slight misalignment of the rail to the receiver

 Installation on the compression handguard is super easy. All you really need to do is install the barrel nut and tighten to manufacturers specifications (standard AR15 barrel nut torque). There is no need to index the barrel nut. Slide the tube on. Line up the top rail with the receiver rail. Then tighten down the 4 clamp screws. I put some medium threadlocker on these 4 screws, but it probably isn’t needed. That is really all there was to it. One slight problem with this particular handguard, is that the rail on the handguard sits a little bit lower than the receiver’s rail. Not enough that flip up iron sights won’t zero, but enough to notice.

 At first I was a little hesitant about the compression style of handguard. But after crashing it up against some 2x4 barricades, I’m not worried about it twisting or not lining up. The clamping force around the barrel nut seems more than enough to hold everything lined up. I really liked the feel of the handguard. It is small enough for me to get my hand around. This makes it very easy to drive the muzzle from target to target. It is just under 2” from the top of the rail to the bottom of the handguard and 1.5” outside diameter everywhere else. The inside diameter measures 1.34”, so don’t expect to put a suppressor under it. And you will definitely need a low profile gas block. The whole combination of screws, barrel nut, and handguard came in weighing 10 ounces on my scale. So pretty lightweight.

 As mentioned earlier, I like how this handguard feels. It does however get warm after 3 or 4 mag dumps. That’s pretty normal given the diameter and how close it is to the gas block. As with a lot of long handguards, there is some flex out at the end by the barrel. Not as much as I have seen on others, but a little. This leads into the location of the QD mount. Because they are located by the barrel nut, any force put on them doesn’t appear to flex the handguard any. Guntec also sent some rubber M-lok plugs with the handguard. These plugs just kind of push into any unused slots and give a rubbery grip to the handguard.

 If you’re interested in some quality, value priced AR parts, go check out Guntec USA. This particular handguard is pretty decent. It feels good in the hand, looks decent, and won’t break the bank. Plus, if it’s not your style, they probably have something that is.

Firearms Insider Reviews - 8 Key Points

Claim to Fame:

15" Compression handguard for modern sporting rifles

Target Market:

Users wanting to upgrade to a 15" handguard

FNBs (Features & Benefits of this product):

  • T6 Aluminum Body
  • Proprietary Lightweight Aluminum Barrel Nut Included
  • Total Weight Including Barrel Nut Is 10 oz.
  • Triangle / Diamond Cuts Throughout Handguard to Reduce Weight
  • Rail System Slides Over Barrel Nut , And Is clamped on with 4 clamp screws
  • Monolithic Top Rail
  • 15" Length
  • Internal Diameter: 1.34"
  • Outside Diameter: 1.50"
  • Made in USA

What other aesthetic options or finishes are available?

10" and 12"

What others are saying?:

Nothing found

Link to other reviews:

Rusty Reviews on Facebook

Price point:

MSRP = $150 approximately (Not on website at writing)

I need it now! Availability:

Guntec USA

Our Rating:

Pros:

  • Lightweight

  • M-Lok

  • QD points

  • QD swivel included

  • Easy Installation

  • Made in USA

  • Rubber M-Lok covers included

  • Small Diameter

Cons:

  • Rail doesn't line up with receiver

  • Dull anodizing

  • Lack of instructions

Score: 6.5 Okay

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Favorite Link:   AR15 Podcast

Night Fision Tritium Sights

 Night Fision is a new company joining into the tritium night sight community. Their first offerings are for Glock model pistols, with other models to follow. As anyone with a Glock knows, get rid of the stock plastic sights and put on some decent ones. Well Night Fision is here to help. They graciously sent me some for review.

Almost no light

Low Light

 When I first received these, I was waiting for a slide to put them on. So I tossed them in the safe. These things could be seen glowing through the packaging. Yes, they are the brightest set of tritium sights I have seen. I ended up installing them on a GreyGhost G19 slide for the review. Even when you would consider there to be enough light to see non tritium sights, these still glow bright. Of course they are also made out of steel, as sights should be. A black nitride coating should also make them last a long time, as well as look good

 But wait, just the bright tritium inserts isn’t all they have going for them. The front sight also has a colored ring around the tritium. They call this the "Perfect Dot." This ring is available in yellow, orange, or white. I opted for the yellow. My next choice would have been orange. With these colored outer rings, one can pick up the front sight easily during the day also. And because why not, they even added daytime florescence to the color ring. The front sight is available by itself also.

 The rear sight has a few options also. As expected, you can get it in white outlined dots. Or blacked out, so just the tritium inserts. I chose the blacked out rear sight because I only want color on my front sight. One can get the rear sight with 2 options: a square notch, or a “U” notch. I chose the square notch because that’s what I am use to. Another thing to note is that the rear sight is very square on the front and back. This gives a good sight picture and the added benefit of being able to use it to rack the slide on a table, belt, etc.

 Now onto shooting these sights. It is super easy to pick up the front sight during draw and shoot. When dumping a magazine fast, same thing. Where it gets a little dicey is on farther away targets. Even though the front sight is easy to pick up, it is wider than I like for 20+ yard shooting. It measures 0.142” for me. The rear sight measures in at 0.140”. I really prefer a wider rear sight, or narrower front sight. Target transitions were also easy with the Night Fision sights. When using the sights at dusk, the tritium really pops out. The three dot system works just fine. However, the sights/gun do shoot a little lower point of impact with the three tritiums lined up. These are really a great combo day/night sight.

 The Night Fision sights are a really nice change from traditional night sights. I love the yellow front dot for daytime use. And the super bright tritium really pops out in lower light conditions. Go over and check out Night Fision, I think they will be going places in the sight business.

 

Firearms Insider Reviews - 8 Key Points

Claim to Fame:

Tritium Night Sights with a twist

Target Market:

Those wanting tritium sights

FNBs (Features & Benefits of this product):

  • "Perfect Dot" with daytime florescence

  • Bright Tritium inserts

  • Made from 4140 steel

  • Black Nitride coating

  • Made in USA

  • Different color rings (White, Orange, or Yellow)

  • Square or "U" notch rear

What other aesthetic options or finishes are available?

White Front, Orange Front, U-notch rear, White dot rear

What others are saying?:

Keith D. @ Rainier Arms 5/5 stars

Just got em , (FAST) and they look pretty nice, definitely like the price for my spare red dot equipped G19 slide

Link to other reviews:

None found (These are pretty new)

Price point:

MSRP = $89.99

Retail = $80.10 at Rainier Arms

I need it now! Availability:

Night Fision or Rainier Arms

Our Rating:

Pros:

  • Bright tritium

  • Front daytime florescence dot

  • Nitride coated

  • Price

  • Made in USA

Cons:

  • Wide front post

  • Tritium dots have different point of aim

Score: 8.00 Great

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Favorite Link:   Axelson Tactical



 

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