Rough Cut Holsters RHAEGAL IWB

  Anyone that carries a pistol, should have a good holster. It doesn’t matter if you conceal carry, or just open carry. The point is, everyone needs a holster. This brings us to Rough Cut Holsters. They sent me one of their Rhaegal inside the waistband (IWB) holsters, with a few asked for modifications. This holster is nicer than I was expecting.

  The Rhaegal holster is one of Rough Cut’s IWB holsters. This particular one is for a Kahr CM9. They make this holster for a number of common pistols like Glocks, Sigs, Smith & Wessons, etc. The Rhaegal is a taco style holster. Meaning that it is one piece of kydex wrapped around the firearm. It’s a common type of IWB holster, especially for concealed carry.

  I asked for some options on this holster. One of them was a small “claw”. It adds like $5 to the price. But I really wanted to see if the claw would help conceal the small pistol better. Rough Cut told me it probably wouldn’t, and guess what? The holster maker was correct. The point is, they will let you do options, even if it doesn’t make much sense.

  Rough Cut also has various pattern and color options for their holsters. As we know, everyone likes to somewhat personalize their gear. I opted for a zombie green topo kydex with zombie green washers. It’s an IWB so nobody really sees it anyways. But if you want options, they can give you options. They also will do custom holsters. If they don’t have your firearm, they have some options for that also. 

  There are many great features to the Rhaegal holster:

 First up, it comes standard with the Discreet Carry Concepts (DCC) monoblock clip. This is the clip that attaches it to your belt, and the DCC is the best in my opinion. You can wear the holster straight up and down, or adjust the DCC clip to give you a 20 degree cant. Both holes are pre-drilled in the holster. I use the 20 degree cant as I feel it hides the butt of the pistol better. With this clip, the Rhaegal holster doesn’t move at all on my belt, it just stays where I put it! There is also an option for belt loops, if that’s what you like. I did ask for them to include holes to mount an UltiClip or another type of DCC clip, Rough cut supplied the extra holes. I did try it out using a single DCC clip and it works fine. This actually made the holster ride farther down the waist, and helped conceal the holster a tad bit better. It does make it slightly harder to get a good grip when drawing the pistol. So I went back to the way the Rhaegal came. But if you need ultimate discrete carry, that may be the way to go.

  Next up, is the quality. For the price you pay, I have never had a holster with as much attention to detail put into it. The Rhaegal is made from 0.080” thick kydex or boltaron. The thickness keeps the holster stable when drawing or reholstering. It also gives the pistol a positive “click” when holstering or when drawing the firearm out of the holster. The Rhaegal’s design gives it an undercut trigger guard feature. This undercut makes it easier to get a full grip, on the pistol, when drawing. But yet it still covers the trigger guard completely. The edges on the holster are the smoothest I have seen. Rough Cut explained how they do this. All I heard was, “lots of time is taken to do this”. The Rhaegal also came in a nice little cotton bag, just another little touch that Rough Cut adds in.

  Last up, is retention. I already mentioned the “click” when holstering and unholstering. But you also get adjustable retention. The 2 screws, in front of the trigger guard area, can be tightened or loosened to your liking. I have mine set somewhere in between tight and loose. I still get really good retention, in fact, if I hold the holster and shake it, the pistol stays in the holster. But yet it still has a really smooth draw to it.

  I literally have been wearing the Rhaegal everyday since it arrived. It took about a week for me to get used to it. It just rode in a different spot than my previous holster. After that initial week, I don’t even know I am wearing it. I wear it at 3 O’clock, but it can also be worn appendix also. Practice draws are way smoother than my previous holster. Reholstering is also super smooth. I have lots of practice draws with it, they are just as smooth today as when I first received the holster. The Rhaegal’s high sweat guard is rounded in a way that I do not notice it pushing on my side. This is a big plus, as I shy away from high sweat guards because I have not had good luck with them in the past. It is hard to put into words how well this holster carries and works. So you’ll actually have to trust me on this, it just does everything one would want a quality holster to do.

  One of the reasons to get an IWB holster is concealment. Well, since I am using a small pistol, the Rhaegal/pistol combo just disappears. I literally can wear this combo with shorts and a T-shirt. The comfort also helps. Since the combo is small and uses a DCC clip, I can wear it without a belt. I don’t recommend this, but I have done it without feeling like my holster was going to fall out/off. 

  Rough Cut Holsters did a great job with the Rhaegal. They make a bunch of other holster styles also. So if this little IWB rig isn’t what you want, well, they probably have you covered with something else. Their prices are very reasonable, especially when you see the quality you are getting. So far in my review career, this is the first holster company that I will be buying another holster from. So if that doesn't tell you how I feel about Rough Cut Holsters, I don’t know what will. Definitely go check out Rough Cut Holsters, and maybe tell them we sent you over.

Firearms Insider Reviews - 8 Key Points

Claim to Fame:

Quality Kydex Inside the Waistband holster

Target Market:

Concealed Carry

FNBs (Features & Benefits of this product):

  • 0-20 degree adjustable cant  

  • Positive “CLICK” when holstering

  • Undercut Trigger Guard

  • Over-cut Open-face to Accommodate Threaded Barrels 

  • Accommodates Suppressor Height Sights 

  • Full Length Sweat Guard  Standard, others lengths are optional

  • .08 Kydex or .08 Boltaron

  • Multiple clip styles available

  • Optional patterns or colors

  • Optional optic cut

  • 100% Made in USA

What other aesthetic options or finishes are available?

Plenty, check out here - https://roughcutholsters.com/

What others are saying?:

Jesus A.  5 stars on https://roughcutholsters.com/

Best holsters

Had a hard time finding holsters to fit my P80. These are perfect.

Link to other reviews:

None found

Price point:

MSRP = $45.00

Retail as tested = $63.00 

  • $13.00 for graphics

  • $5.00 for “claw”

I need it now! Availability:

Rough Cut Holsters

Our Rating:

Pros:

  • Price

  • 0.080” Kydex

  • Super smooth edges

  • Great retention

  • Straight or 20 degree cant

  • DCC clip comes standard

Cons:

  • Pistol selection is limited for now

Score: 8.50 Great

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Mantis Blackbeard

  Right now, ammunition is hard to find. So training isn’t as easy. Especially with an AR style rifle. Mantis has helped to solve this problem with the Blackbeard. The Blackbeard is a drop in, dry fire, training system for your AR15. Most notably, is its ability to reset your firearms trigger.

  We all need a good dry fire training system. The Mantis Blackbeard is just that, at least in my opinion. What stands the Blackbeard out above other systems? You get to use all of your firearms systems. No changing the trigger, sights, safety, etc. Yes, you get to use your trigger and sight system. The Blackbeard comes with a drop in bolt assembly. Just remove your bolt and drop the Blackbeard’s in. Then charge the Blackbeard’s battery, which is in the shape of a 20 round magazine. Insert the battery like a normal magazine, and now you are ready to start training.

Target is 4” x 7”, rifle was around 3’ away for picture

  The Blackbeard I received, has a green laser. Mantis also has options for no laser, red laser, and an IR laser. I opted for green because I use red dot sights. That way I can see where I am hitting without confusing it as the red dot. Green also can be seen in bright light better. All the laser ones essentially work the same way. When you pull the trigger, a laser is emitted out of the barrel for a split second, 60ms to be exact. It is long enough for you to see where you have essentially “hit”. There is also a switch to turn the laser on all the time. This is for sighting the laser to your rifle. Or if you want to use the system like a laser bore sighting system. I also found that having a laser system allows you to use other laser training apps, on your phone or virtual training systems. There is also the non laser system, which only resets the trigger. I would pay the $20 more and get the red laser over the non laser.

  Battery life on the Blackbeard is fantastic. Charging is done through a micro-usb and takes some time to fully charge. At first I was trying to see how many trigger pulls I could get out of a charge. A week later I gave up. There are 5 LED’s on the battery to let you know how charged it is. Just push a little button/flap on the side and they light up. The battery also has some weight to it, about half of what a loaded 30rd AR mag weighs. It still helps to mimic the weight of a loaded magazine. The battery weight helps the rifle swing more like it would at the range or in a real life scenario.

  Since the Blackbeard comes from Mantis, it can be used with their other systems. If you happen to have any of the Mantis “X” series, it will integrate into these systems to give you all of the same information as usual. I didn’t have good luck with using my Mantis X10 along with the Blackbeard. I just couldn’t seem to get decent readings from the X10. The X10 would read the trigger reset, not the hammer fall. My guess was because the hammer doesn’t actually fall the full distance when using the Blackbeard. The Mantis X10 works great by itself, as does the Blackbeard.

  Something worth pointing out, the trigger reset is fast. Mantis says you can get 10 shots per second out of the mantis. That’s 0.10 second split times. I couldn’t override the Blackbeard’s trigger reset, but I am sure there is someone out there that can. 

  I used the Blackbeard in a variety of AR15’s. It worked in all of them. Everyone of them has a different trigger. The Blackbeard didn’t seem to care whose trigger it was, from mil-spec to a 1.5lb aftermarket. Besides the benefits of the Blackbeard being a dryfire system, It really shines in the ability to use all of your own personal hardware. Mechanical offset is noticeable with the Blackbeard. This gives you the ability to train it also. Because the laser shines out of the barrel, it is seen below your sighting system at short ranges. Just like in real life. So now you can practice sight holdovers, at close range, in your house. 

  The other thing I did with the Blackbeard was set up some training apps on my phone. These are the type that you set your phone up and it reads the laser on the target. The Blackbeard integrated into these also. Now I could see group sizes. These are just another way to help use the Blackbeard in your dry fire training.

  I have nothing but good things to say about the Mantis Blackbeard system. It is really a great training aid. I have had zero problems with it. It pretty much has a permanent home in one of my AR’s. The ability to use all of your personal hardware, and have trigger reset, is what it is all about. Definitely go check out the Blackbeard and Mantis. They really do make great training tools.

Firearms Insider Reviews - 8 Key Points

Claim to Fame:

AR15 laser training aid

Target Market:

Those wanting a dryfire rifle training system

FNBs (Features & Benefits of this product):

  • Drop in system for AR15

  • With or without Laser

  • Uses everything on your AR - sight, trigger, etc

  • Rechargeable battery that goes into the magwell

  • Red in color - so you know the firearm isn’t loaded

What other aesthetic options or finishes are available?

Without Laser, Red Laser, or IR Laser

What others are saying?:

Rob D - 5 stars at https://mantisx.com/products/blackbeard-the-auto-resetting-trigger-for-ar-15

I had a minor issue with my Mantis Blackbeard, it worked great and then it locked up. I contacted customer service, Marcus was amazing and they replaced the unit in two days! The sign of a great company is not how they react when things go well. It's how they react when it doesn't.

This product is brand new and as such there will be teething pains. In my case it looked like a screw came loose.

The new unit runs fantastic and is very fast, I believe the company when they say it will cycle 10 shots per second. Great piece of gear for laser training apps / simulators. Perfect for today's ammo prices. I train in my house instead.

Link to other reviews:

Defenders And Disciples

Price point:

MSRP = $199.00 to $249.00

Retail = Same as MSRP

I need it now! Availability:

Mantis

Our Rating:

Pros:

  • Uses your AR15 system

  • Drop-in

  • Laser for use with other training systems

  • Battery life

  • Trigger reset time

Cons:

  • Doesn’t interface very well with Mantis X system

  • No recoil

Score: 9.00 Amazing

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Stoeger Condor Field Over/Under 12 Gauge Shotgun

By Rusty Odom

  This is my review on the Stoeger Condor Over/Under Field grade shotgun in 12 gauge. First of all I am not a connoisseur of shotguns, I have your typical Remington 870, 887 Nitro mag, old Ithaca model 37, Mossberg 500, a few Mossberg clones like the Maverick and one made by them for Western Auto. These are all pump guns and of course I have a handful of NEF and H&R single shots break actions in various gauges. Even with all of these shotguns I might run 5 boxes of shells a year during hunting season and to let the kids bust bottles or whatever. I have in the past, way long ago, taken a tactical shotgun class, but I am sure those skills have diminished since. I really haven't practiced them in over 20 years. Most of my time on the Ole scatter gun is during early squirrel season, Turkey season and maybe a deer or hog hunt. 

  I am not a clay shooter nor a 3 gunner, so when I decided to buy a new shotgun, I wanted something that was versatile, dependable, won't break the bank and had a somewhat good lineage behind it. I like to buy guns that are dependable and not break the bank, ease of use and still have a little classic style about them. So while I was surfing the internet I ran across this one at Bass Pro Shops. The price of the shotgun at $399 is what really caught my eye as well as the American walnut stock. So with everything that I buy, I dive deep into doing my research and find reviews and or a better price. What I found out was what really surprised me the most is that Stoger is a subsidiary of Benelli and they are owned by Beretta. Stoeger also serves as an FFL for importing Uberti firearms which are a part of the Benelli/Beretta group. So at the price and the lineage that its Italian grandfather shotguns have, I figured this Brazilian shotgun had to be alright. 

  Upon purchasing the Shotgun I was not disappointed at all. It came in the normal cardboard box and upon opening it there was a plastic case that had the shotgun in it, broken down into two pieces. It is not a case that is lockable but it does a good job of storing the shotgun. What is included in the box is the gun itself, instruction manual and trigger lock. The bright walnut shine on the stock and forearm were remarkable, the recoil pad is average, the receiver is a great high blue polish. Everything had nice machined surfaces and the 28” vent rib barrel gave it a nice look with a pretty brass bead on top. The chokes that came with an installed IC and M, choke wrench tool included. The trigger on the Condor is a single trigger that switches between the top to bottom barrel after firing. It has auto extractors that do a nice job of displacing the shells when you break the action open. One thing I did notice is that the shotgun is heavy, but compared to other shotguns in the over/under class, it is close to the same weight. It weighs right around the 7 ½ pound mark on my scales. With a good sling for carrying it in the field you wouldn't be able to tell the difference in your favorite deer rifle on your back I wish I could talk to you about comb height or stock drop, but I don't have that lingo or expertise with shotguns. So what I can say, it feels good.

  When I started shooting this shotgun it was about the time that the “C one niner” ammo shortage started. I was lucky to buy 9 or 10 cases of various shotgun shells for the reason of stocking up, and who knows when other ammunition is going to be available. I started out shooting with Federal 2 3/4 “ #7 shot. I was just busting clays that were being thrown by hand. The shotgun swung well, the triggers took a bit to get used to. I think it was because I am not used to shooting an over/under. For some reason I wanted to try and pump it. This is just getting used to the manual of arms. I ran through a 100 rounds or so before I felt like I had the manual of arms down. For giggles I swapped over to S&B buckshot, this was fun, I was shooting from the low ready position and firing at targets 7 to 15 yards away. With the length of the barrel I wouldn't say it is the best home defense shotgun, but it will do in a pinch. I even took a few boxes of Federal 2 ¾ “ slugs to the range. I was hitting gallon size jugs at 50 yards with them. The gun, with its heft, will manage all types of ammunition with the proper choke tubes. Patterning of the shotgun showed that the barrels were pretty much the same. While shooting slugs they were close to a minute of deer at 50 yards. I was free hand shooting it with slugs, so I really didn't put the calipers on the target. I figured if I could see a hole I was ok. I recently took this shotgun hunting on a bear and boar hunt. While I didn’t kill anything with it, the shotgun was easy to manage. I found it very convenient, while getting in and out of the truck all day chasing dogs, to unload and load. 

  I would recommend  this shotgun to anyone that is looking for a budget priced shotgun, it can do most anything out there. You can take it to the range and shoot clays or trap, go on a squirrel hunt, or hunt birds of all types. If you are like me, and believe that a firearm is just another tool in your toolbox, you can use this shotgun to hunt deer, bear or hog. It might not be ideal for all of them, but it will work. Being that in the name it says “field”, I will take it to the field any chance I can get. If you are looking for something different , they also have it in a tactical model with a synthetic stock, and the ability to attach a red dot sight. They offer numerous models starting at $449 and up. So if you're looking for that nice looking do all shotgun, that sets it apart from the typical,  this is your gun. 

Firearms Insider Reviews - 8 Key Points

Claim to Fame:

Low priced Over/Under Field shotgun

Target Market:

The average shotgun owner needing an all purpose shotgun

FNBs (Features & Benefits of this product):

  • 12 gauge

  • 2-3/4 “ and 3” shells

  • 28” barrels

  • Overall length - 44”

  • Weight - 7.4 lbs

  • Comes with IC and M chokes

  • Vent Rib

  • Great fit and finish

  • Price $399

  • Sturdy built

  • Reliable

  • Classic Satin Walnut Stock

  • Classic brass bead sight

  • Nice blue color

What other aesthetic options or finishes are available?

12 gauge w/26” barrels,

20, 28, and .410 gauge

Link to other reviews:

Southern Extreme T.V.

Shooting & Safety

Price point:

MSRP = $449.00

Retail = $399

I need it now! Availability:

Bass Pro or Sportsman’s if anyone has any

Our Rating:

Pros:

  • Reliability

  • Classic lines

  • Feels good while shooting

  • Swings well

Cons:

  • It is out of stock at this time 

  • It is a little heavy

Score: 8.00 Amazing

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Hiperfire PDI trigger

  Sometime around the beginning of 2020, Hiperfire contacted me about reviewing their new PDI drop in single stage trigger. Since I really like the other triggers I have from them, I suspected this one would be nice also. When it finally arrived in September, I was not disappointed.  

  The Hiperfire PDI is their latest “drop in trigger” system for AR15 style rifles. They even make one specifically for the Sig MCX platform also. Usually when I think of a “drop in trigger”, I think of the cartridge style, where all the parts are contained inside a cartridge, that just drops in where the trigger assembly goes. The PDI is slightly different. It is essentially a cartridge style, but with the hammer spring feet extending forward, like a standard GI trigger assembly. Installation is pretty straight forward for anyone used to dealing with AR triggers. It also comes supplied with an anti-walk pin set. 

  If you have ever seen a Hiperfire trigger, you know that they look a little different than a normal trigger. The PDI is no different. It uses a curved trigger with a “backbone”. The backbone consists of a toothed section on the back of the trigger shoe. One of the purposes of the backbone, is to install their “Hipershoe”. The Hipershoe is an adjustable finger pad that can be moved up or down, depending on user preference. Using the Hipershoe will also allow slight adjustments in trigger pull weight. If you move it down, it slightly lowers the trigger pull weight. Moving it up slightly increases the pull weight. The drawback to this is, may it be ever so slight, that more creep is added to the pull, when the pad is in the lower positions, and more trigger pull weight is added when in the upper positions. I only really noticed this when shooting slowly, as in precise aimed shots. The Hipershoe also helps individualize the trigger, by placing the shooter's finger in a better location for him or her. 

  One of my favorite aspects of the PDI trigger is it’s hammer energy. Lots of aftermarket triggers reduce the hammer strike energy to lower the trigger pull weight. Not the PDI trigger. It has Mil-strength hammer strike energy. What does that mean for you? Well, it means that you will probably never have a misfire because the hammer didn’t hit the primer hard enough. My sample PDI worked with every type of ammunition used, from steel cased .223 to 9mm and even .22LR. 

  My Second favorite aspect is the trigger pull weight. It comes in at a 2 lb fixed pull weight. Yes, 2 lbs. When I first installed the PDI, it measured 2-¼ lbs, but with some use, came down to the stated 2 lb weight. As mentioned earlier, the weight can be finely adjusted by moving the Hipershoe up or down the trigger face. When I say slightly, I get about ¼ lb difference in pull weight, from the top setting to the bottom setting. My least favorite aspect of the PDI, also includes trigger pull. There is quite a bit of initial creep in the trigger before it releases. When shooting fast, it is not really noticeable. But, when shooting slow, precise aimed shots, it is annoying. As the Hipershoe gets moved farther down, for the lightest pull available, this creep gets more noticeable. The trigger reset has to be mentioned. It is very positive, that trigger snaps back way better than I expected, basically like a standard mil-spec trigger. 

  The PDI trigger can also be used in Pistol Caliber Carbines (PCC’s). The design has a hammer collision bumper and disconnector crash protection. This allows the hammer to reset properly under the harsh direct blowback of most PCC’s. PCC’s tend to bounce hammers from their harsh recoil impulse, especially with lower trigger weights. Thankfully, Hiperfire has alleviated this with their PDI trigger. I ran the PDI in a 9mm PCC. I had zero times where the rifle went more than one round per trigger pull, something I can’t say about other PCC triggers I’ve used.

  I used the PDI in just about every type of situation I could think of. It ran flawlessly in all of them and was a joy to use. Since I don’t use this trigger for slow fire, the creep was not an issue. The trigger pull weight is just awesome. I am able to shoot super fast double and triple taps, thanks to the PDI. This applies to 9mm, .223, and .22LR. I even use it with the “Blackbeard” system from MantisX. I really do think this trigger improved my speed on follow up shots. I even dropped the rifle with the PDI in it, and it still works as if it were brand new.

  The Hiperfire PDI drop in trigger is everything they say it is. I just can’t get over the 2 lb pull weight in a drop in trigger system. Yes, it might be $180, but it’s not the highest priced drop in out there. If you are looking for a good AR15 trigger, for PCC or anything else, definitely go check out Hiperfire and the PDI.

Firearms Insider Reviews - 8 Key Points

Claim to Fame:

Smooth, light, drop in trigger for AR15”s

Target Market:

Those wanting a nice drop in trigger that will work in just about any AR configuration

FNBs (Features & Benefits of this product):

  • MIL-Grade Hammer Strike

  • H&M BLACKNITRIDE Finish

  • Hammer Collision Bumper

  • Disconnector Crash Protection

  • Disconnector Spring Crush Protection

  • Curved Trigger Bow with a Backbone

  • HIPERSHOE

  • Drop in assembly

  • 2 lb trigger pull weight

What other aesthetic options or finishes are available?

SIG MCX, Titanium-Nitride or Titanium-Carbon-Nitride coatings 

What others are saying?:

5/5 stars on Brownells

WELL DESIGNED

I installed the trigger in a Quarter Circle 10 PCC and would comment the second trigger pin was a little tight to get through the hole. Not saying this is a problem just an observation. The trigger breaks between 2.5 and 3 pounds and has a nice feel. The reset is short and is very audible. No failures or problems after 500 rounds (practice and 2 gun match). I feel the trigger is a good value, appears to be well made, and should hold up to the demands a blow-back bolt places on a trigger.

Link to other reviews:

Nothing found at the writing of this

Price point:

MSRP = $180.00

Retail = $171.00 at Brownells

I need it now! Availability:

HiperFire or Brownells

Our Rating:

Pros:

  • Hammer Energy

  • Pull weight

  • Hipershoe

  • PCC compatible

  • Great reset

  • Ease of installation - drop in

  • Comes with anti-walk pins

Cons:

  • Creep in trigger

  • A little on the higher price side

Score: 8.50 Great

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Pro Ears Stealth Elite

  In the world of hearing protection, everyone is looking for the newest and greatest earbud style protection. This brings us to the Pro Ears Stealth Elite in ear hearing protection. The stealth elites are essentially electronic hearing protection, in a small compact, earbud size package.

  When I first heard about the Stealth Elite’s, I was very curious. If I could get the benefits of electronic sound cancellation, in an ear bud, what more could I ask for? Part of what made these so attractive, was the price. At an msrp of $159.99, they are less expensive than other brands in this market. Plus they have the added option of using a rechargeable bluetooth lanyard.

  The specifications on the Stealth Elite’s is quite extensive. They have a very good noise reduction rating of 28 db’s. Are IPX6 rated, so you can drop them in water or use them in the rain. The pair weighs 28 grams. A neck lanyard, that clips to the ear buds, is included for when you don’t have the bluetooth one connected. Plus they are supplied with a variety of compressible foam or silicone ear tips. All of which can be stored in a nice little carrying case.

  Besides the specifications mentioned before, the Stealth Elite’s has electronic noise cancellation. There are 3 modes in which each earbud can be set. These are Isolation, Awareness, and Amplification. On each earbud is a tiny switch to change between these settings. A “0” setting for off, or “isolation”. A “I” setting for “Awareness”. And a “II” setting for “Amplification”. The off, or isolation setting, makes these earbuds work as a regular earplug. The awareness setting allows the wearer to hear their surroundings. Essentially letting you hear normally, at a normal volume. Then there is the amplification setting. This, as the name implies, amplifies what you hear at 5 times normal volume. Both the latter two modes will cut any loud sounds, down to hearing safe levels. In my experience, they work very well at cutting out unsafe noise levels.

  Because of the electronics needed to make the Stealth Elite’s work, they run on batteries. They designed the earbuds to use a #10 hearing aid battery. The batteries will last about 80 hrs each. There is one battery in each one of the earbuds. The batteries are relatively inexpensive and can be found at just about any local store. 60 of them cost between $15-20 on Amazon. So for $20 you can run the set of earbuds for 2400 hours, that’s 100 days straight. The batteries are easily changed, through a little built in door, in each earbud. 

  Also included is the aforementioned bluetooth lanyard. The bluetooth lanyard is rechargeable and gives around 9 hours of use. As with most bluetooth stuff, it has up/down and a larger button in the middle. The middle button is also the power button, answer call, etc. The lanyard uses a tiny little connector that just plugs into the bottom of the earbuds. It is a pass through connection. This means that it powers the earbuds for sound, so one can actually use this feature when the battery is dead or missing. I mainly use the bluetooth, when using the earbuds for other things, like mowing the yard. It works good enough for me. One interesting thing about using the bluetooth is: it has a built in sound limiter, so you can not turn the volume up past 110 db’s and damage your hearing.

  Since you are probably wondering how they perform, let's get into it. I have used the Stealth Elite’s on the range a lot. They do a great job of letting me hear my surroundings, while cutting out gunshots. Battery life is good, as explained earlier. When the batteries start to get low, I get a crackling sound. I have learned that when it gets to that point, I just change the battery. Even though they supposedly have a “wind shield”, they still pick up wind noise and amplify it. When using either of the “on” settings, sound is really good and I am able to hear conversations at a noisy shooting range. The Stealth Elite’s stick out of one's ears more than some earplugs and I was worried about this when shooting rifles and shotguns. Well, after using them with both, there is nothing to worry about. I never had any problems with them hitting the stocks of various rifles and shotguns. In fact, I prefer them over muffs because they don’t get pushed out of the way. Because they are “in ear” hearing protection, they also keep your head and ears from getting hot like “over ear” hearing protection does. With the compressible foam ear tips, they are very comfortable to wear all day. I have worn them continually for 8+ hours on the range without causing me discomfort. Of course, results may vary on your comfort.

  So if you are looking into getting some electronic hearing protection, do check out Pro Ears and their Stealth Elite’s. I’m pretty happy with their performance. The price seems good. Battery life is good. The noise reduction is top notch. Plus, they are a USA based business.

Firearms Insider Reviews - 8 Key Points

Claim to Fame:

In ear, electronic noise reduction hearing protection

Target Market:

Those who dislike ear muffs, or those wanting in ear hearing protection

FNBs (Features & Benefits of this product):

  • Noise Reduction Rating (NRR) of 28db

  • IPX6 rated -Water Resistant & Sweat-proof.

  • Amplification Mode: Let’s you hear faint sounds from a distance while protecting your ears from extremely loud sounds (5x amplification).

  • Awareness Mode: Allows ambient sounds to pass through even while you are listening to music or talking on the phone so you remain situationally aware.

  • Isolation Mode: Enjoy complete peace and quiet when you want to focus or recharge.

  • Wind Shield

  • In ear, earbud style

  • Rechargeable BlueTooth lanyard

  • 80 hour battery life for earbuds

  • Uses #10 batteries (60 pieces are around $20)

  • Foam and Silicone tips included

What other aesthetic options or finishes are available?

None

What others are saying?:

Richard M. on Amazon 5/5 stars

Nice hearing protections and excellent hearing enhancement

I bought these for hunting in the blind. The hearing enhancement feature is unbelievable. I can pick up the slightest of sound. It did take a little time to set it up to select the right ear buds and clips for my ears. I was surprised with all the options it came with to make sure the fit is comfortable and secure. I also like the fact it comes with a line that attaches to each ear piece so I can't lose one.

Link to other reviews:

Globosurfer

Pro Ears

Price point:

MSRP = $159.99

Retail = $145.99 on Amazon

I need it now! Availability:

Pro Ears or Amazon

Our Rating:

Pros:

  • Sound reduction 

  • Rechargeable Bluetooth lanyard

  • Assortment of different ear pieces

  • Comfort

  • 3 different sound/hearing protection choices

Cons:

  • Wind noise

  • Crackling static when battery is low

  • Not as quiet as regular over-ear muffs

Score: 7.00 Good

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Favorite Link:  Gun & Gear Cult   

Axeon MDSR-1

  I was looking for a red dot to put on top of a new build and was wandering around the Axeon Optics website. I didn’t need anything special, just something that I thought would hold up. Axeon really did have what I was looking for. It was the Axeon MDSR-1 red dot. The MDSR-1 appears to be built for modern sporting type rifles, so here we are.

  The MDSR-1 is not a red dot you would put on a fighting rifle. But, it wasn’t designed for that. It is however a great little red dot for trips to the range or varmint hunting. I say this, not because it isn’t well built, but because it has a 3 hour auto off function, not something I like in a fighting red dot. As mentioned, I mounted this little 1x20 red dot on an AR rifle and it works great! The MDSR-1 would also be right at home on a 22 rifle, something like a 10/22 for instance. Since it comes with both a standard low mount, and the co-witness hi mount, you can pretty much put it on whatever you wish.

  The specs on this little red dot are pretty nice too. The battery life is 30,000 hours on a single cr2032 battery, so I’ll be retired by the time it wears out. It has 11 brightness adjustments operated by up/down buttons on the top of the optic. The “up” button also turns the sight on. It weighs in at a measly 4 ounces. Axeon also provides see-through flip up lens caps, and they are pre-installed.

  Probably my favorite aspect of the MDSR-1 is the 2 moa dot size. The dot is crisp, even for me. But with the 2 moa dot, I can pick it up faster than a 1 moa dot. A 2 moa dot is still small enough for me to have some precision. The Axeon has ½ moa adjustments to get you on target. The little caps, covering the adjustment knobs, are made to be flipped over and used as the adjustment tool. This isn’t just an Axeon thing, but I do appreciate this little bonus. 

  I ended up using the MDSR-1 more than expected. At first glance, I thought the little 20mm optic might be a bit small. It is not. My eyes looked right through it every time I shouldered the rifle. There is a little bit of halo effect when the dot is turned up high. I see this halo where the edge of the glass meets the housing. It is noticeable, but actually kind of gives it a circle dot feel. On my first range session with the little red dot, I had the dot start blinking under recoil. I pulled the battery and bent the terminals some. This fixed the problem and it hasn’t come back, so I chalk it up to being made somewhere outside of the US. I don’t know how many rounds are through this red dot, but it’s probably over 500 when I write this. It has held zero. I even had to hit this particular rifle with a rubber mallet, because my .22lr kit didn’t want to be removed. The sight’s zero and battery terminals, held up to the “literal” beating, so I figure it’s good enough for its intended purpose.

  For a reasonably priced red dot, the MDSR-1 has been really good. At around $100, I got way more than I expected. Crisp dot, lightweight, long battery life, what more could you really ask for in a sporting red dot. Go check out the MDSR-1 if you're in the market for a decent red dot in this price range.

Firearms Insider Reviews - 8 Key Points

Claim to Fame:

Modern sporting rifle red dot

Target Market:

Those wanting a small red dot for range and hunting use

FNBs (Features & Benefits of this product):

  • 1x20mm

  • 2 MOA dot

  • 11 brightness settings

  • 3 hour auto off

  • Weight - 4 ounces

  • See through flip caps

  • 30,000 hours battery life

  • Includes standard and riser mounts

  • ½ MOA adjustments - adjustment caps double as adjustment tool

  • Uses 1 - CR2032 battery

  • IP6 waterproof

  • 800g shock rating

What other aesthetic options or finishes are available?

None

What others are saying?:

Nothing found

Link to other reviews:

Nothing found with Google search

Price point:

MSRP = $129.99

Retail = $106.17 on Amazon

I need it now! Availability:

Axeon or Amazon

Our Rating:

Pros:

  • Size & weight

  • Crisp dot

  • Includes riser mount

  • Battery life

  • Flip caps

Cons:

  • Auto shut-off

  • Had to tighten (bend) battery terminals

Score: 7.50 Good

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Favorite Link:  Gun & Gear Cult   


Discreet Carry Concepts belt clips

  Those familiar with me might describe me as a holster snob. This isn’t because I want to “flex on the poors” but with the plethora of holster manufacturers out there there’s really no reason to use a subpar holster. 

  One thing I’ve been super unhappy with are the mounting attachments available for concealed type holsters, more specifically, AIWB holsters. I’ve tried them all; from fomi clips, rcs struts, spring steel, ulticlip, soft loops, j-hooks, you name it. While some are far superior to others none offer the level of security, concealability, and comfort I desire. I’ve lately just defaulted to soft or “pull the dot” loops as they are the most secure but they lack in ease of use and concealment. 

  This is why when Discreet Carry Concepts (DCC) came out with their line of holster clips, I was curious but not very enthusiastic. Well, wrong I was. I have three DCC equipped holsters and don’t see myself ever going back to any other attachment method. As of the time of writing I am retrofitting the last two holsters I actually use with DCC clips and by the end of the month I won’t have a holster in rotation without them. 


Holsters currently equipped include: 

Armadillo concealment lux 

2 black rhino concealment custom pieces 

  One of the black rhino’s is exactly how it came from the company and the other two holsters were retrofitted with the clips by me. I currently have a Henry holster spark awaiting them and a philster spotlight that until recently wasn’t able to accept DCC clips but that is a whole review in itself. 

  The clips are super secure, in fact if I had to point out a con it would be they aren’t the easiest to get off. But not unmanageable and in my opinion no worse than soft loops. And if you think about it, the holster’s clips’ job is to securely attach the belt/pants. So ease of removal isn’t very high on my priority list. I have three different types as of writing but behind the belt variants and a monoblock that works over a belt or behind the belt. 

  The holster isn’t going anywhere. It is attached, it’s more secure than any metal or plastic clip I’ve tried and on par with soft loops if not a tad more secure because movement of the holster is practically nonexistent. It stays where you put it. And the best part is they are more low profile than even the thinnest of clips to include the terrible fomi clip. No more printing from the attachment point. 

  Installation is straight forward. If you own a screwdriver, you can install  these. I would use loctite or some kind of thread locker because I’ve had screws on holsters back out many times without it. I loctite everything. 

  The behind the belt style clips are a tad more challenging to put on the pants but it’s not rocket science and the monoblocks are pretty much as easy as those stupid fomi clips. The monoblock can be used with or without a belt. Seriously, it’s just as secure either way. While use without a belt isn’t fun with my g19 or g17 with the LCP it’s fantastic. 

  Long story short, every holster I use will have these or I just won’t use that holster. And they don’t break the bank. That’s always a nice plus. 

FIREARMS INSIDER REVIEWS - 8 KEY POINTS

CLAIM TO FAME:

Low profile secure holster attachment 

TARGET MARKET:

Concealment of iwb specifically aiwb holsters 

FNBS (FEATURES & BENEFITS OF THIS PRODUCT): 

  • Firmly holds the holster in place 

  • Low profile with little to no printing 

  • Durable spring steel 

  • Can be retrofitted to most holsters 

 WHAT OTHER AESTHETIC OPTIONS OR FINISHES ARE AVAILABLE? 

Black or black with no logo

There are several belt sizes, ride height, configuration and cant options available 

What others are saying: 

From bigtexoutdoors.com

Brendon B. - 5/5 stars

Great for keeping the holster extra concealed w/o printing

Link to other reviews:

Recoilweb.com

Price point:

MSRP = $4.99 - $11.99 for the clips

$3.50 for hardware 

I need it now availability: 

Discreet Carry Concepts

Select holster manufacturers 

Our Rating:

Pros:  

  • Low profile

  • Very concealable. 

  • Secure attachment

  • Cost

Cons:

  • Can be hard to remove

  • Catch on clothing during draw (I’ve not personally experienced this through thousands of draw and multiple classes, but I’ve see one or two people talk about this online. So it’s worth mentioning) 

  • Cost depends on your holster setup

 Score:  8.5 Great

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GunSkins

  Being curious, I had to try out some of the GunSkins vinyl wraps. I am always one that likes to tinker with firearms. So, the GunSkins were right up my alley. The skins are a vinyl wrap, similar to what one might “wrap” a vehicle in. These wraps come in almost any pattern or print one can imagine.

  When I inquired about an AR15 skin, I was also encouraged to get a pistol skin. Since GunSkins was sending me the products for free, I didn’t say no. They recommended I install the pistol skin first. Maybe to increase my learning curve, or maybe to just have me try both out. Either way, that’s exactly what I did. The pistol skin is “Proveil Victory”, which is an American flag pattern. I opted for the “Prym1 Black Out” skin for the AR.

  Installation is not particularly hard, but it does take patience. To install the skin, you will need a few items. These include: A heat gun or blow dryer, a razor knife with lots of extra blade, some kind of squeegee (I used an old credit card), a way to degrease the firearm (I used non-chlorinated brake cleaner), and a piece of foam to aid in pressing the vinyl into crevasses. If you decide to take on installing a GunSkins, definitely go watch their install videos.

Before trimming

After trimming

  Patience is needed as the install takes a bit of time. In the GunSkins kit, are the pre-cut vinyl pieces, and some generic pieces. For a pistol slide, for instance, peel the “slide” piece off, and then lay it down on one side of your slide. Press it down, then stretch it slightly to fit the non-flat surfaces. Add a tiny bit of heat (from the heat gun) to stretch it around. DON’T use too much heat, or the vinyl can split and melt. After a little practice, you will know how much heat to use to “pull” the skin around hard to reach places, like sights. I used a little too much heat going around the rail section of the pistol, so I know what can happen. In the pistol slide case, you just then work the material around the slide with heat when needed. Going around the sights was probably the hardest part. Just take your time and maybe have the install video handy to keep looking at. When everything is where it is supposed to be, then you can trim the extra off with a sharp hobby knife. Sharp is the key point, which is why having a bunch of sharp blades handy is key. Doing the frame is similar, it just takes even more time.

  The AR skin is more complicated, but only because it has more pre-cut parts. Since I have the tools, I removed the freefloat handguard to make it a little easier. One of the good things in the AR skin, is the pre-cut pic rail pieces. I used this on the 15” handguard. It worked well. There is not enough rail section vinyl to do the rail and the receiver, but that was okay for me. Especially since the vinyl adds some material to the rails. This makes accessories not fit properly all of the time. Since I was mounting a red dot on this rifle, not having enough to cover the receiver, worked out well. The skin went on much better than the pistol. Probably because I had done the pistol first. Or, more likely, because I knew that it was a time consuming project. 

  The GunSkins look good. Even if you have minor wrinkles or screw ups, they can only be seen close up. Trust me, neither the pistol or AR I did came out perfect. The camouflage style patterns don’t show the flaws as much as some other patterns, imagine that. I do have a few dislikes about the GunSkins. They make the grip extremely slick. It’s not as big of a problem on the AR grip, but is a nogo for me on the pistol. The skin is also pulling up around the beavertail section on the pistol. I tried to reheat it and press it down, but it keeps coming up. On the pistol skin, kydex holster wear is a problem. Especially around the trigger guard, at least for me. There is also a little wear around the rear of the ejection port, but not near as bad. The AR, on the other hand, doesn’t get put in a holster, so it has worn extremely well. The GunSkins are a good quality vinyl, not cheap thin stuff, so they also help protect the firearm. 

Grip strap and beavertail area not sticking

  For something like a hunting rifle, the GunSkins may be just the ticket. Since the skins come in so many different camouflage patterns, choosing the right one for your environment is easy. Having the ability to inexpensively throw some camo on your rifle for that once in a lifetime hunting trip, priceless. The skins will also help protect the rifle in the elements, either from scratches or rain and snow. When you return, you can leave the skin on, or just peel it off and have your firearm back to original.

  GunSkins might be a good option. Especially if you're like me, and like to experiment with different firearm accessories, this is a good way for you to put some flair on your firearm. Installation takes time, but isn’t difficult. There are so many different options to pick from, it might actually take longer to decide which pattern, than to complete the install. Go check out the GunSkins website, maybe they have the pattern you are looking for.

Firearms Insider Reviews - 8 Key Points

Claim to Fame:

Do it yourself vinyl wraps for firearms

Target Market:

Those wanting a protective pattern for their firearms

FNBs (Features & Benefits of this product):

  • Multiple Patterns

  • Pre-cut shapes

  • Stretches into and around odd shapes

  • Removable 

  • Waterproof non-reflective matte finish

  • Made in USA

  • Lifetime warranty 

What other aesthetic options or finishes are available?

GunSkins Patterns

What others are saying?:

PISTOL:

4 / 5 stars on Amazon

Makes grips very slick.

First , it is much more difficult to apply correctly the first time than the manufacturers video

Leads you to believe. Maybe by the 5th or 6th one you could do it fairly easily, not the first one, not difficult just more so that it first appears. It looks great on the gun , would be great for a display, but it makes it much more difficult to rack as it has a slick finish, same for grips, makes them slick. I put this on my Glock 43, my EDC, not sure I will keep it on, have to go to the range and see. Maybe will

put one on that’s not for EDC.

They don’t emphasize you need a VERY sharp blade to trim it easily, it’s pretty tough material.

They also don’t emphasize about not trimming too close to the mag release, be generous or it makes it sticky, mag doesn’t drop, trimming has to really be fine tuned. You also have to trim both sides of the release button( both grip sides) to prevent sticking.

RIFLE:

4 / 5 stars on Amazon

Take your time!!

This is an extremely well made vinyl wrap for your AR. Take your time and make sure you have plenty of extra blades. Watch the videos on YouTube for installation instructions. It doesn’t hold up well to bumps and usage but it does protect the original finish underneath. Take your time and use a piece of egg crate foam to press into small crevasses.

Link to other reviews:

Gear-Report

Price point:

MSRP =

Retail = Same price on Amazon

I need it now! Availability:

GunSkins or Amazon

Our Rating:

Pros:

  • Multiple patterns available

  • Protects firearm finish

  • Looks nice

  • Quality Vinyl, not the cheap thin stuff

  • Pre-cut for hard to do places (rails, safety, mag release, etc)

Cons:

  • Makes firearm slick

  • Lengthy installation time

  • Holster wear

  • Stretched parts don’t stick as well

Score:

Rifle - 7.00 Good

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Pistol - 5.50 Mediocre

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Favorite Link:  Gun & Gear Cult   

Canik TP 9 Elite SC

 By: Rusty Odom  

 This review is on the Canik TP-9 Elite Sub Compact 9mm in Tungsten grey. I purchased this pistol after hearing that it was optic ready, I had been looking for a small sub compact pistol that was optic ready and without having to have a slide cut or purchasing another slide, this pistol fit the bill. To start off with I was looking at several other sub compacts and had purchased a Glock 43x. With my aging eyes I have recently got into the optic red dot game on pistols. Before buying this one I looked for slides or having the slide cut on the 43X, it was going to cost me about the same price to purchase a new firearm and a red dot to boot. So I bought it, and who doesn't need a new firearm. 

  So I found this pistol on Palmetto State Armory’s website for $399.99. This pistol is around the same Size as the Glock 26 and the Springfield XD-S Mod 2, coming from the factory with a 12 round magazine and a 15 round extended magazine. It also comes with extra magazine floor plates, flat and pinky curved. The box that it comes in is a very nice injection molded box, with tools and screws for mounting the optic. The box also contained a holster that can be configured for OWB or IWB carry, the holster is not that bad, it is not on par with a lot of other high end holster makers but it will do for range use. The barrel has a Nitride finish and the slide is Cerakote over the Nitride. It makes for a very pleasing look, compared to some of the plain jane black brick looking pistols on the market. It really does set this pistol apart from the others. The box also has a second backstrap to change for your comfort. I am still running the one that came installed on it because it fit my hand naturally. The slide has front and rear serration, a loaded chamber indicator, ambidextrous slide release and a reversible mag release. 

  Specifications of this pistol: 9mm, 4.19” barrel, overall length 7.28”, height 5.27” and weight is 1.77 pounds. The pistol does feel a little heavier than a Glock 26, because it is. It is 7 ounces heavier, an overall longer length around ¾ of an inch. It is close to an inch taller and a ¼ inch wider. 

  Despite its size the gun is very concealable. I am carrying it in a Crossbreed hybrid AIWB holster with its optic cut. I have been carrying this almost everyday for over 2 months, it rides very well and with the proper gun belt you wont get any sag, or grip stick out, like you do with some larger pistols. The draw of the Canik is so natural, it almost reminds me of a 1911 style when you point. It just falls in place and the sights jump right out at you. All of the controls can be assessed with one hand manipulation. Also I am running the Swampfox Sentinel red dot that is a RMSc shield footprint. I have noticed that it is easier to get the dot on target with the sub compact size than it is with a Full size Glock with an optic. Like I said before it is a natural pointer. 

  Now if there is one part of this pistol that has to be praised and talked about, it has to be the trigger. It is a short reset single action that is crisp with little to no creep. I have numerous wonder 9mms and they all have the same problem, the triggers are terrible. The trigger ranks right up there with my Grey Ghost match flat faced trigger that I have in one of my Glocks, and the best part is I didn't have to buy it and add it in. The trigger breaks at about 4.5 pound, and the reset is great. You can hear and feel it when it does reset. It makes for very fast follow up shots. The one thing I always look for when buying a firearm is how the trigger feels and the sights. That brings us to the next part. The sights are factory Warren tactical with a red rear and green front fiber optic front. These sights are nice and crisp, they just stand out when you present the pistol into the shooting stance. When co witnessed with a red dot, it just makes this little sub compact that much more admirable.

  I ran this pistol with Tula 115 grain FMJ ammo, before everyone gets in a tizzy, it is from Turkey which I believe is an old combloc country so it should be at home eating this. I would have preferred to run brass ammunition through it, but with the ammo shortage I was just glad to be able to pull the trigger and it go bang and I did not have to make the pew pew noise myself and have a child hit the steel target with a hammer for impact. I put a full 500 rounds in the pipe, at a range of 7, 10 and 25 yards. Running the dot on the pistol made for fast target acquisitions when drawing from the holster. The recoil is no different than that of a Glock 19, I was able to get a decent grip with the 12 round mags with the flat pads. When running the 15 round magazines it was even more pleasant to shoot. The set up reminded me of the FN 509 tactical that has the red dot and extended magazine. I had no malfunction, it ate the steel cased ammo and I didn’t even notice any shavings or wear in the extractor area. 

  The Cank TP-9 Elite sub compact is a game changer. I am not what you call a Glock fanboy but I am more invested in that platform then any other, so I would have to say that out of the box this firearm has everything you could want or need even more so than the Glock. There is no need to replace the trigger, change out the sights, stipple the grips or have the slide machined. It really does have everything you could ask for in a modern day carry pistol. I love the pointability of it, the sights are excellent, the optic cut great, and the fact that it rides well in a holster rounds out this little package. It comes with a plethora of items in the box for mounting an optic, changing the back strap, a holster, cleaning kit etc. So this would make a great starter pistol for someone looking to get into concealed carry, a range or home defense firearm. I forgot to mention that it does have an accessory rail to mount your favorite light, laser or bayonet to. 

Firearms Insider Reviews - 8 Key Points

Claim to Fame:

Sub-compact 9mm pistol

Target Market:

  • New handgun owners

  • Anyone wanting an optic cut pistol

  • Concealed carry

FNBs (Features & Benefits of this product):

  • Optic cut

  • Great trigger

  • Small package

  • Snag Free

  • Interchangeable back strap in 2 sizes (small and large)

  • Blackout rear and phosphorous front white dot sight

  • Reversible magazine release

  • Accessory under-barrel rail

  • Tungsten Cerakote over nitride slide finish

  • Match grade nitride coated barrel

  • Small parts and internal components nitride or high-wear nickel-coated

  • Comes with two magazines: one 12rd + optional finger rest base plate and one 15rd with extended baseplate

What other aesthetic options or finishes are available?

With Shield sms2

What others are saying?:

Nothing found

Link to other reviews:

https://www.americanrifleman.org/articles/2020/2/13/review-canik-tp9-elite-sc/

https://aliengearholsters.com/blog/canik-tp9-elite-sc-review/

Price point:

MSRP = $429.99

I need it now! Availability:

Our Rating:

Pros:

  • Factory optic cut

  • Fiber optic sights

  • Great trigger

  • Complete starter carry package

Cons:

  • Heavier than comparable pistols 

  • Magazines are hard to find

  • Magazines are pricey

Score: 9.00 Amazing

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Angry Bear Arms RMR tall sight kit

  A lot of people are switching to a red dot optic on their handgun. Because of this, they most likely will need a set of back up iron sights that can be seen through the optic. This is where Angry Bear Arms comes in. They make inexpensive sights for Glock and M&P pistols in various sizes from short to extra-tall. The tall RMR set was the one sent to me for review. 

  Angry Bear Arms has quite a few options when it comes to sights. All are made from US sourced steel and made in the USA. The sights have a black nitride coating, so they should last a very long time. What makes the sights stand out, is the $40 starting price for a set. The option I chose for review was the - Glock RMR Cut, Tall profile, Fiber Optic Serrated Sight Kit. Price on it is $45.95 and is from their “Bear Bones” line. This line only comes with the front and rear sight, front sight screw, rear sight set screw, and the red and green fiber pipes. Other kits they make come with a sight tool and/or various front sights of different heights. Those are more geared for someone who wants to get a precise impact point with their chosen ammunition.

  The RMR tall kit is basically for use as a low witness back up for the red dot sight. The sight notch base just barely sits above a recessed mounted red dot. Hence the RMR in the name. I am using a Holosun 507C with them, and it works great. The Holosun is recessed into the slide, and must be for these sights to work. Angry Bear does make a MOS extra tall sight for red dots that are not recessed. 

  Installation is pretty routine. Take out the old sights, install Angry Bear Arms sights. Since these are Glock sights. The rear sight is dovetailed in, so a sight pusher, or some other way of sliding the sight into place, is needed. Angry Bear also has a set screw, that screw down from the top of the sight, to help hold it in place. The sight hasn’t moved on me, or do I think it ever will. The front sight is screwed in from below. I used blue (242) loctite on the screw to help keep it from backing out. As with all Glock style front sights, don’t over torque the screw. Since the front sight is fiber optic, now one must install the fiber rod into the sight. I chose green, they supply red also. Green was chosen because it is not the same color as the red dot optic. Take a lighter, or something hot, and heat the end of the fiber up. Then just press on it a little to swell it out. Slide the rod through the front sight, from back to front. The fiber should stop when it hits the swollen part. Then cut the other end off, leaving a little bit of room to heat it up. Then, when hot, press the end to swell it and hold the fiber in. Angry Bear Arms supplies enough fiber for you to mess up a few times. Now you can go shoot the handgun.

  These sights have pretty much everything I want in a sight. The rear notch is just wide enough to allow the right amount of light on each side of the front post. I really do like the sight picture. Yet the front sight is narrow enough to give good accuracy. I opted for the serrated set, which puts some nice horizontal lines on the face of the front and rear sight. This helps cut down on glare, either from the sun or a flashlight. Yes, it really does cut down the glare over smooth sights. The rear sight has been smoothed out on every corner of it. This is a nice touch for the price and it will keep it from wearing on your clothes. The front side of the rear sight is straight and flat. This would give you a good purchase to rack the slide off of something like a table, etc. This would only work if there wasn’t a red dot in front of it. The front sight is nice and square, giving a really good sight picture. One can’t really dehorn a front sight like you can the rear. I definitely would use these RMR tall sights without an optic. They are a nearly perfect sight picture for my taste.

  If you're in the market for a quality, inexpensive sight set, go check out the Angry Bear Arms sights. I could not be happier with the form and function of the set I received. Next time I get a new slide, I definitely know where I’m headed to get some sights.

Firearms Insider Reviews - 8 Key Points

Claim to Fame:

Tall sight for use with recessed red dot optic

Target Market:

Those needing a back up iron sight for use with a red dot

FNBs (Features & Benefits of this product):

  • Serrated front and rear sights

  • Fiber optic front

  • Red and Green fiber included

  • 0.305” tall front sight

  • 0.310” tall rear sight

  • All steel construction

  • Black Nitride coated

  • Made in USA

  • Available for Glock and M&P

What other aesthetic options or finishes are available?

Different heights, non-fiber optic, kits with 3 front sight options 

What others are saying?:

Nothing found

Link to other reviews:

Black Diamond Guns & Gear on YouTube

Price point:

MSRP = $45.95

Retail = $35.95

I need it now! Availability:

Angry Bear Arms

Our Rating:

Pros:

  • Good sight picture

  • Fiber Optic front with Red or Green fiber

  • Inexpensive

  • Serrated for glare reduction

  • Made in USA

Cons:

  • Not always in stock

Score: 9.00 Amazing

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Favorite Link:  Gun & Gear Cult

Timber Creek Enforcer Build KIt

  By now, everyone knows that you can do just about anything to an AR style rifle. Timber Creek Outdoors can definitely help you with that. They have their Enforcer Build Kit. The Enforcer Kit is a complete upgrade kit for your modern sporting rifle. Besides basic black, the kit comes in a variety of colors, some anodized and some Cerakoted.

  To be a little different, I asked for the Enforcer kit in purple. The purple is one of the anodized colors that Timber Creek offers. I like the look of anodizing, as it has that “high gloss” look. This purple does not disappoint. The anodizing is spot on and all the different parts match. Matching anodizing, from batch to batch, is not super easy. But Timber Creek pulled it off.

  Down in the FNB section, it shows what all comes with the Enforcer kit and it is a lot. I’ll go over most of the parts individually, at least the important ones. All of the parts come in one nice box. Small parts are in bags, in the buffer tube. On the back of the box is essentially a parts break down, and where those parts go. I also put together a list of what else is needed to complete a full rifle. Some of these parts can also be purchased from Timber Creek, like the barrel and castle nut, these additional parts are as follows:

  • Castle nut

  • Buffer and recoil spring

  • Trigger

  • Bolt catch

  • Mag catch

  • Upper/lower

  • Buffer retaining pin & spring

  • Barrel 

  • Stock

  • Gas tube

  First up I’ll start with the lower receiver small parts. The extended mag release has a nice little downward curve to it and isn’t too large. I really liked it’s function as it isn’t any higher than the standard mag release, it just sits back closer to the trigger finger. TC’s oversize trigger guard is wider also. It’s pretty oversize, so much so that I think a Sasquatch could get his finger in there. Then there are the take down pins. They add color, but are undersized in the kit I received. They wobble around and make the upper to lower fit, fit loosely. I had standard pins in this kit before, and they didn’t have these problems.  Maybe not a small part, but it attaches to the lower, is the mil-spec 6 position buffer tube. It does not, however, come with a castle nut. A QD endplate is also included.

  Also included for the lower is an ambi safety selector. This safety is reversible, meaning that it is either 45° or 90°. I was happy to see this, as I like 45° safeties, so that is how it was installed. Two selectors are provided, one is about standard length, the other one is shorter. This is pretty standard for ambi-selectors. They attach to the safety selector piece with some allen head screws, I did use a little Loctite 242 when installing them. I wasn’t sure how I was going to like the shape of the safety, it is a kind of tear drop shape with serrations . After using it, I do really like it, especially the serrations. These serrations let my thumb know that it is in contact with the safety.

  The Timber Creek pistol grip is one of their oldest products. As with all of the Enforcer kit parts, it is aluminum and CNC machined. They skelontonized the grip to save weight. It has a finger rest/stop at the heel to help prevent your hand from sliding off. There is also a beavertail for comfort. Plus some grooves on the front to aid with grip. In my opinion, the grip is a little on the slick side. It is very comfortable, but needs a little more texture to help me grip it. 

  Next we move on to the upper receiver. Only two small parts here, the dust cover and forward assist. The dust cover adds a nice contrast to the upper. The one supplied doesn’t like to stay closed. If you bump the rifle too hard, installing a magazine for instance, the door flips open. The forward assist works as expected. It has checkering on the face of it for extra grip, just in case you have to use it.

  Timber Creek’s Enforcer charging handle is a work of art. It has ball bearings inside it, thus giving the handle arms super smooth actuation. The oversize handles stick out a bunch on either side, making it truly ambidextrous. By making the handles so large, one hand operation is extremely easy. Even if one were to mount a large scope, they would have easy access to the charging handle. The handles are slightly curved forward with grooves on the front face. Pretty much eliminating your hand from slipping off during use. I personally would have liked Timber Creek’s small charging handle to be in the kit, as this one is just a tiny bit too big for my liking. It is, however, an excellent charging handle.

  Probably one of the most notable parts in the kit, is the 15” Ultralight Enforcer handguard. This handguard is super skeletonized and weighs nothing. If you pick it up by itself, without the barrel nut, it is like picking up air. The complete handguard assembly weighs something like 7.6 ounces with the barrel nut! Since it is the ultralight version, the handguard has a short rail at the front and back instead of running all the way across the top. I really like these style of handguards, as I never use the middle of the pic rail anyhow. There is a unique “Timber Creek” curve at the nose of the handguard. This curve is useful to keep brush and stuff from getting caught in it out in the field. Plus, it looks pretty good also. Now, if you need to attach anything else, the handguard has M-Lok slots running along the top, sides, and bottom. There are also QD holes for attaching slings and such. These are the good ones that have anti-rotation cuts every 45°. There are five total. One on each side, at the front and rear of the handguard. Then there is one on the bottom rear, just in front of the clamping system. Timber Creek uses a clamp system, with some extra set screws, to hold the handguard on. There are also wings, that extend over the upper receiver, to help keep it from rotating. I think the clamp system works just great, so the probably didn’t need the wings. But, extra insurance is always a good thing. For as light as this handguard is, there is less flex in it compared to other lightweight handguards. At least that’s my experience with the same length ones that I have used. The Enforcer lightweight handguard is well worth the price of admission.

  To round out the kit, Timber Creek throws in their muzzle brake and gas block. The gas block is low profile to fit under the handguard. It is the two set screws on the bottom type and about an inch long. It looks goog, and works great. The “Heart Breaker” muzzle brake is a two chamber style, with two holes on the top to reduce muzzle climb. The chambers are heart shaped, hence the name. I was hesitant about this brake at first. Yes, the brake proved me wrong. It works way better than I had ever imagined. It is really loud, but that was expected. My daughter even mentioned the lack of recoil while using it. Instead of a crush washer or shims, the Heart Breaker comes with a locking jam nut. Think of it as a nice little bonus in the Enforcer kit.

  Now that all the parts are pretty much covered, here’s my thoughts. If you value quality parts, these are top notch. Timber Creek did an awesome job with most of the stuff in the kit. I really enjoy shooting this rifle, it handles so nice with the lightweight parts. The rifle in the pictures weighs in at 6 lbs 14 ounces with the red dot. But, it uses everyday standard internals and a 16” heavy profile barrel (lightweight barrel would save roughly 8 ounces). The handguard and ambi-safety are probably my 2 favorites. They just work great.

  The Timber Creek Enforcer Build Kit is a great upgrade. If you are looking to build a new rifle, add color, or just upgrading your old one, the Enforcer kit is pretty much a worthwhile option. One might think it is a little pricey, but you are getting quality parts. These parts would definitely cost you more if you were to buy them individually. Definitely go check out Timber Creek Outdoors and all of their stuff.

Firearms Insider Reviews - 8 Key Points

Claim to Fame:

Complete accessory kit for AR style rifles

Target Market:

AR builders, those wanting to accessorize their rifles

FNBs (Features & Benefits of this product):

  • 15" Ultra-Light Handguard – MLOK

  • Enforcer Oversized Ambidextrous Charging Handle

  • Forward Assist

  • Billet Dust Cover

  • Enforcer AR Pistol Grip

  • Oversized Trigger Guard

  • Ambidextrous Safety

  • Extended Magazine Release

  • Takedown Pins

  • QD End Plate

  • Buffer Tube

  • Low Profile .750 Gas Block

  • .223 Heat Breaker muzzle brake

  • Pins, etc included for supplied parts

  • Made is USA

What other aesthetic options or finishes are available?

Black, Blue, Red, and Orange anodized

Burnt Bronze, Flat Dark Earth, OD Green, and Tungsten Cerakote

What others are saying?:

Nothing found on the “kit”, just individual parts

Link to other reviews:

Nothing found on the “kit”, just individual parts reviews

Price point:

MSRP = $749.99

Retail = $599.99 at Palmetto State Armory

I need it now! Availability:

Timber Creek, Black Bag Resources (call and mention Gun&Gear Review podcast), or Palmetto

Our Rating:

Pros:

  • Color, Color, and more Color

  • 45 or 90 degree safety

  • Handguard

  • Lightweight

  • Jam nut for compensator included

  • Made in USA

Cons:

  • Takedown pins slightly too small

  • Port door doesn’t stay closed

  • Castle nut not included

Score: 8.00 Great

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Favorite Link:   Gun & Gear Cult


MatchPoint Ultimate Holster pack

  When I was searching around for a holster, I ran across MatchPoint USA. MatchPoint has a hybrid, adjustable holster system that looked interesting. Instead of just sending me the holster system, the sent me the Chest Carry Holster pack and some extras. I’m only going to review the Ultimate Holster Pack, as I don’t use chest holsters. The Ultimate Holster pack really is only missing the straps and a mounting plate, when compared to the Chest kit.

  The MatchPoint holster system is a hybrid style holster. That means that it has a backer system and then a shell that attaches to the backer. The shell is basically ¾ of the holster and is compression molded from Boltaron (a brand of kydex) . It then mounts to the backer using Chicago screws. The MatchPoint Ultimate holster system comes with two backers. One is a smaller size, think just slightly larger than the holster. The second one is larger, like is typically seen with most hybrid style holsters. For inside the waistband (IWB) carry, the system comes with a FOMI belt clip and 2 overhook belt clips. If carrying appendix, only one of the overhook clips is needed. These overhooks are also intended to be used on the larger backer. Also included are their Infinite Carry Loops, these allow using the system for outside the waistband (OWB) carry.

  If you want adjustability in your holster, the Ultimate holster pack is for you. The backer is made from a proprietary material that has the life properties of injected molded plastics, but with the flexibility of leather, they call it Comfortuf 420. My favorite thing about the MatchPoint system is it’s almost infinite options. Because the backers, both the small and large, are made with holes everywhere, you can adjust the holster as you see fit. If you want it to ride higher, lower, have more or less cant, just move the shell and/or clips to a different position on the backer plate. One could literally spend hours adjusting the system, I did.

   I’ve had the MatchPoint holster for about three months. I have carried off and on with it using a TimberWolf small framed pistol (it uses Glock holsters). Both using the wider/larger backer as a standard style hybrid holster, and the smaller backer. I didn’t  try it appendix. Both ways of carrying worked fine. The large backer was a little longer than I liked, but one could always cut the backer to a smaller size and then hit it lightly with some heat to smooth it back out. I ended up using the small backer to carry it strong side IWB. I started with the FOMI clip, but then ordered some of MatchPoints “Push to Lock” soft loops. Soft loops don’t conceal as well, in my opinion, but they work better than the FOMI clip for me. As for concealment, the Matchpoint isn’t the most concealable. It is not bad, just a little “blocky” for my taste. When I had the holster in the “hybrid style” with the large backer, it did conceal a little bit better. I think the lack of concealability is due to the squareness of the outer plastic shell. The carry loops for OWB worked well. I think they would shine on a solid kydex OWB holster. 

  With the Ultimate Holster pack, came some other extras. The kit included an “accessory mounting plate” or “A.M.P.”. This plate has 1.5” belt loops at both ends. It’s a little over 6” long and a little over 2” wide, but it includes numerous holes, just like the backers. The accessory plate, and the other things discussed in this paragraph, are all made from Tufmax 720. The Tufmax is much stiffer than the Comfortuf, but still has a little flex to it. The A.M.P. can be used to mount mag pouches, a knife sheath, a tourniquet, or anything else you might want on your belt. Not included in the Ultimate pack, but included in the Chest kit, is the “tactical mounting plate” or “Tac-AMP”. This is also another multi hole adapter, but this one is made to hook onto MOLLE/PALS webbing. It measures 5”x3” and has 200 holes. The Tac-AMP attaches with a cool slot system, so no tools are needed to get it on or off. This slot mounting system is very secure, and can be a pain to get on and off. I mounted a kydex holster to the panel, and then installed it in a backpack that has MOLLE inside it. Even with a full size pistol in the holster, the Tac-AMP system doesn’t move. One can also put some shock cord on the Tac-AMP to attach items to it, like a pen, flashlight, etc. MatchPoint also sent me a TAC-Book. The TAC-book is 2 Tac-AMP plates with hook and loop wrapped around 3 of the attachment slots, thus making a book. I personally haven’t found the perfect use for it yet, but MatchPoint has some good ideas on their website.

  If you are into adjustability, or just want something with all the options, the MatchPoint Ultimate Holster Pack might be right up your alley. But, only if you are right handed and have a Glock. The Ultimate holster would work good for someone who likes to experiment, or those not sure how they want to carry. The options with this system are endless, as are the options with most of MatchPoint’s products.  Go visit their website, they have a lot of good information on these holster systems.

Firearms Insider Reviews - 8 Key Points

Claim to Fame:

Multi adjustable holster system

Target Market:

Those wanting a comfortable holster with any option they can think of

FNBs (Features & Benefits of this product):

  • Multi adjustable holster system

  • Flexible backing

  • Mounting holes everywhere

  • OWB loops

  • FOMI clip

  • Overhook belt clips

  • 2 different backers

  • Accessory Mounting Plate 

What other aesthetic options or finishes are available?

All parts available individually

What others are saying?:

Nothing found

Link to other reviews:

Nothing found worth noting

Price point:

MSRP = $49.95 as reviewed

Retail = $34.95 - $79.95

I need it now! Availability:

MatchPoint USA

Our Rating:

Pros:

  • Made in USA

  • Multi adjustable

  • Price

  • Impervious to oils or sweat

  • Flexible backing

  • Open holster design for different barrel lengths

Cons:

  • Shell / Holster is a little bulky

  • Only fits right hand Glock style pistols, for now

Score: 7.00 Good

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Favorite Link:   Gun & Gear Cult





iSCOPE System

  I first saw the iSCOPE adapters at the NRA Annual Meeting.  The concept is simple, attach iSCOPE to the scope, attach the phone to the holder and view the target using your phone.  The primary difference from other systems is the iSCOPE allows you to use almost any phone with their adapter.  This is handy for Android users as most adapters are designed for iPhones.  This means you do not need to buy a new adapter when you get a new phone. 

Steps to install:

  1. With the adapter off the scope, place the phone in the holder and roughly adjust it so the camera is centered in the viewing port.

  2. Tighten the screws so they will loosely hold the phone and remove the phone.

  3. Place the adapter on the scope and tighten the four outer screws equally so that the scope ocular lens is centered in the iSCOPE viewing port.

  4. Open the camera app on your phone

  5. insert the phone in the holder and center the camera so you can see through the scope to the target.

  6. Tighten the screws

  7. You can start taking photos.  

  When I started taking photos I noticed that they were a little blurry which was due to the camera being moved when pressing the capture button.  This was easily corrected by using the 3-second delay to allow the camera to stabilize before taking the picture.  An additional item to consider is that the photos taken are only as good as the scope, tripod and camera you are using.  

  I have been using the iSPOTTER during range sessions for about a year and have found it to work very well.   This allows me to look at the target without needing to squint through the eyepiece of a scope.  I can take a shot and then glance over to view the point of impact on the target.  The iSPOTTER allows me to record shot order by taking pictures between shots which can be reviewed when I get home. 

  I tried an older phone with the scope and found that the clamps which secure the phone activated the capture button causing it to take photos continuously.  To prevent this some phones will allow you to turn off the capture button.  If this is not an option consider Inserting a toothpick next to the capture button to relieve the pressure from the clamp.  

  I also purchased the iSCOPE adapter designed for rifle scopes but found this to be less effective than the iSPOTTER.  This fits over the eyepiece of the scope and allows the same ability to attach a variety of phones.  The iSCOPE allows you to slide the camera to or away from the lens to adjust for the magnification level used on the scope.  I tried sliding the phone close to and farther away from the scope lens while using scope sunshades but nothing seemed to work. Although I did get some interesting photos of the inside of the scope.

  The iSCOPE is designed to be used on a hunting rifle in the woods.  When I tried using it at the range it felt a little odd as I could not get my cheek on the stock and have a comfortable view of the target with the phone about an inch from my eye.  For me, this would not be a practical way to view the target while hunting with the rifle.  In addition, I can see the phone getting hung up on branches, brush etc. while walking through the woods, not to mention, if your phone’s batteries run out, the iSPCOPE will need to be removed.  

  The downfall to this system is the screw caps that hold the adapter head to the scope fall off and are easily lost.  If you go to their web site you can get a Hardware Replacement Kit for $14.99 which contains 8 screw caps and 6 rubber bands.  The screw caps are basically nylon washers with felt pads glued on one side.  A quick trip to Home Depot located the washers at 4 for $.99 and some felt from furniture moving kits looks like it could be adapted for use to prevent the iSCOPE from sliding or marking your scope.  Just glue the felt to the washers and bingo!  DIY replacement screw caps.  

What i have learned from using this:

  • Use the countdown/delay timer to take photos

  • If the holder activates the buttons on your phone use a toothpick (or something similar) to stop it.

  • Take sequential photos to see how your shot pattern progresses. 

  • Turn off timeout feature on the phone.

  Overall the iSPOTTER is a great addition to my range bag and gets lots of positive reviews at the range but the iSCOPE is less useful.   

Firearms Insider Reviews - 8 Key Points

Claim to Fame:

Universal phone adapter for spotting and rifle scopes. 

Target Market:

Anyone who wants to use their phone with their scope.

FNBs (Features & Benefits of this product):

  • Fits a wide range of scopes

  • Fits a wide range of phones (including Android phones)

  • Easy to set up

  • Can easily take photos through your scope 

What other aesthetic options or finishes are available?

Black

What others are saying?:

iSCOPE review from their website:

 4 of 5 stars

It is somewhat difficult to get set right on the scope but once. Place it is awesome! My only complaint is the adjustment screws have felt pads on the inside that have already fallen off after 3 uses and now it can scratch your scope. Great product for hunting with little kids!

Link to other reviews:

Nothing Found  

Price point:

iSCOPE - $139.99

iSPOTTER - $119.99

I need it now! Availability:

iSCOPE

iSPOTTER

Our Rating:

Pros:

  • Support a wide range of phones and scopes

  • Can take photos of targets while at the range

  • Do not need to squint through the eyepiece of the scope to view the target.  

Cons:

  • Screw Caps are easily lost and costly to replace.

  • iSCOPE is not as useful as advertised

Score:

iSCOPE - 6 OKAY

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iSPOTTER - 8.5 GREAT

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Tasmanian Tiger TAC Modular SW Pack 25

  Ever since Tasmanian Tiger products have been distributed in the USA, I have wanted to check some of their stuff out. Well, the time has come. I requested the TAC Modular SW pack 25 for review. This is from Tasmanian Tiger’s discreet line. So from the outside, it just looks like an everyday 25liter backpack.

  When the TAC pack first showed up, I was really impressed with the quality. It is made from 700D Cordura , and is tough. I tried to scuff it up with a screwdriver. I couldn’t even tell where I had tried to fray it. 700D has the wear resistance of 1000D but the weight of 500D. It has 3 compartments, 2 of which have lockable YKK zippers. The 2 main compartments run the full depth of the bag. The 3rd is a smaller one that is on the top front, mainly made to hold pens, notebooks, glasses, and various smaller items. Of course the TAC pack has padded shoulder straps, a padded back, and even a padded removable hip strap.

  Where the TAC pack really shines, is inside the 2 main compartments. The front one completely unzips and can be folded out for ease of access. On the front fold down piece, there is a zippered mesh pocket that takes up about a third of the flap. The other section of that flap has 2 loop strips to attach stuff. As you look inside this opened up pack, you will see a hook and loop padded divider. This divider has 4 strips of 2” wide loop fastening sewn to it. The inside, sides, are lined with a loop MOLLE panel. I really like the loop MOLLE panel because one can use it a multitude of ways, plus it is pretty stiff to support heavier items. Since I mentioned the padded divider, it is removable to allow the 2 main compartments to become 1.

  The second main compartment, which I call the back, because it is the side that is against your back while wearing the pack, also fold down completely. There is no side MOLLE loop panels, unless the divider has been removed. Instead, the whole fold down panel has the loop backed MOLLE panel! The pack comes with a so called universal holster to attach to this. As with most anything called universal, it kind of sucks. So I took a Matchpoint panel, attached a real holster, and made my own. Tasmanian Tiger does mention the holster supplied is really only for transportation, but I think they should have just omitted including it. This compartment also has the pocket for the back support. The back support is a semi-molded plastic with an aluminum spine running down the middle. You can form this to your back pretty easily. In with the backer is also some closed cell foam for padding. Toward the top of this compartment, are slots, one on each side, to allow a bladder hose or wires to go through.

  Time for the back area and straps. The part of the TAC pack that rests against your back is also padded. The padded panel is attached in a way that makes it so one can use it like a large pocket. Sliding something in from the top. It does have side openings at the bottom to  allow the hip strap to be attached, so it isn’t a true pocket. The hip strap attached inside this “pocket” via hook and loop. The hip strap is padded, has large zippered pockets on each side, and is about 4” wide. The hip strap can hold an AR magazine in each pocket with room to spare. It is very comfortable, but I took it off because I am not carrying huge amounts of weight. The shoulder straps are about 3” wide and very well padded also. They have some curve to them so they won’t rub on your neck. As one would expect, they also have quick adjust straps on both the top and bottom for extra adjustability. An adjustable chest strap, with some elastic for give, helps to hold the pack firmly. The straps also have quick release buckles, in case you need to get the pack off quickly. Over these quick release buckles, is an elastic cover, that can be slid over to keep them from unclasping at the wrong time. 

  The outside of the pack is pretty generic. This is exactly like a discrete backpack should be. On each side is a pocket, that has loop inside it. The loop allows you to actually keep something attached inside it, like maybe some magazine carriers. It will hold a double mag AR pouch. There is a small single zippered pocket at the bottom front, then the top one mentioned earlier. Now all the way at the bottom, is a zipper. Inside this zipper is an orange panel. The panel is half covered in loop. It can be pulled out and attached to the pack. When attached, it can be used as an identifier by attaching patches to the loop panel or just as a signal. There is a tiny Tasmanian Tiger logo carefully hidden by one of the straps, this is the only noticeable feature, and most people won’t even see it. On the top and bottom sides, there are also some tabs to attach shock cord or paracord. Just a little something in case you might need to strap something else onto the pack. There is also a carry handle at the top of the pack. A pretty useful feature if you don’t want to hoist the bag onto a shoulder for short movements.

  I have been using the TAC pack 25 for around 3 months now. It’s been loaded up with ammo and taken to the range as a range pack. I’ve thrown clothes in it for short trips. Basically I have done everything I could think of to this pack, short of dragging it behind a truck. It is the perfect size for travelling, It might even be small enough to count as a personal item on airlines. The comfort is amazing. Having an actual spine makes it useful for heavier items. It is a little narrow to fit my level 3A soft backpack insert into, but it can be crammed into it if needed. The MOLLE hook and loop panels are spectacular. It might be a little heavy for some, at 3.75lbs, but I didn’t think so. The way the compartment panels unzip and fold out, might make it a useful medical backpack. 

  I’m very pleased with the Tasmanian Tiger pack. It does everything I need. Plus, in today's climate, having a backpack that is discrete, is a huge plus. Nobody will look at it and think, “maybe he has a gun in there”, instead they will just go about their everyday business and pay you no mind. Go check out the TAC Modular SW pack 25 and see for yourself.

Firearms Insider Reviews - 8 Key Points

Claim to Fame:

Discrete duty grade backpack

Target Market:

Anyone needing an everyday use  backpack with all the options

FNBs (Features & Benefits of this product):

  • 25 liter volume

  • Padded Back Carrying System with aluminum spine

  • Large zip opening with easy access to the main compartment

  • Removable, padded hip belt

  • Hip belt with zipper pockets

  • Carry Handle

  • Lockable zippers

  • Deep top pocket

  • Insert pockets on both sides with hook and loop inside

  • Cable port

  • Large MOLLE hook-and-loop panel inside

  • Signal flag with hook-and-loop integrated in the bottom

  • Main compartment with detachable divider with hook-and-loop closure

  • Extra small TT Logo to remain covert

  • 3.75 lbs empty

  • 22” x 11” x 7”

  • 700 denier Cordura 

  • Lockable YKK zippers

What other aesthetic options or finishes are available?

Olive and Coyote

What others are saying?:

Nothing found

Link to other reviews:

Pine Survey

Price point:

MSRP = $239.00

Retail = $199.95 at Mad City Outdoor Gear

I need it now! Availability:

Mad City Outdoor

Our Rating:

Pros:

  • Discrete

  • Excellent size

  • Removable Hook & Loop MOLLE panel / divider

  • Carry handle

  • Lockable zippers

Cons:

  • Hard to find

  • Removal/Installation of hip strap

  • Supplied holster

Score: 8.50 Great

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Favorite Link:  Gun and Gear Cult

Swampfox Wolverine slide and Justice red dot combo

Written by: Rusty Odom

This review is on the new Swampfox optic Justice 27mm red dot pistol sight and the Steel City Wolverine combo. Let me start by saying I am an average Joe shooter with a huge interest in firearms. I am always looking for the latest greatest item or something to improve on an older firearm to make me a better shooter. For this review I chose a Glock Gen 3 model 22 in .40 S&W to convert to 9mm. The firearm was purchased some years ago for around $295 and it was a local police trade in. I tossed it in the gun safe, knowing one day I’d do something like this to it. 

The Swampfox Justice red dot and Steel City Wolverine slide combo. The slide is in a distressed green pattern and is available for the Glock 19 and 17 Gen 1-3 only. The slide comes with the channel liner already installed and with suppressor height fiber optic sights. They are in the combat configuration (rear sight in front of the optic), the slide is smooth with no machine marks on the outside, except in the area of the optic cutout. The threads on the mounting service were nicely tapped and debured. When mounting the optic it is a nice snug fit. It also comes with 3 sets of screws and Allen keys to mount the optic. The slide has great machining in the front for a good grasp to reload with wet or sweaty hands. It’s texture is just the right combination of aggressiveness, not to be uncomfortable when sharply grasping the gun. It has a lightning cut above the barrel, I assume to reduce weight. I have a concern of dirt or debris getting into it and causing issues in a real world situation. 

The optic is clear and crisp, it has an 27mm window and is made out of 7075 aluminum. There is a Liberty version that has a smaller window of 22mm. These are duty rated and have a new and improved hood over their last model. It has a top load battery that takes the CR1632 battery. Not Chad’s favorite. It weighs 1oz without the battery, its height is 1.04”, length 1.78” and width 1.24”. It has the normal parallax free, fog proof and ruby coated lens. 

It claims to have a greater battery life and new and improved shake a wake motion sensing illumination. The slide and optic are both for the RMR mounting option. Assembly of the slide is straightforward, just like your normal Glock slide would go together. A Brownells Glock completion kit was used for final assembly. 

The initial sight in was done by co-witnessing the dot and the front sight post. Once the impacts were on target I did a ⅓ co-witness, raising the dot above the front sight post to declutter the sight picture. The slide had a few failures to feed, but after some lubrication and some dry fire, it ran flawlessly. The optic is easy to pick up, with some practice, for someone that is new to the red dot game. So far I have fired 350 rounds of 115 grain 9mm with no problems after the initial FTE. I was able to keep all the rounds in the 10 ring at 10 yards. Even with astigmatism the dot was clear with some adjustment of the intensity level. 

In my honest opinion I do believe that this will make a great setup for someone that wants to put an optic on their Glock and doesn’t want to have their slide cut, or wants the benefits of having one frame with two different calibers. After my initial testing and what I know of some of the other optic I own from Swampfox, this appears to be a quality red dot. The slide is nice and clean, the battle worn or distressed coloring gives it some character. 

Firearms Insider Reviews - 8 Key Points

Claim to Fame:

A quality optic red dot with a standard RMR footprint, with a cost half the price of others. An improved hood to protect the glass, as well as shake awake technology. It claims to be rated for law enforcement and duty use. 

The slide is well textured, nice smooth and rounded corners. Assembly was simple, machining was good. 

Target Market:

People who want to get into the red dot game and not have to have their original slide machines. Also those who have a .40 or .357 Sig that want to convert it to 9mm for cost reasons. 

FNBs (Features & Benefits of this product):

  • Ease of assembly 

  • Clear optic

  • Battery life one year. 

  • Great light intensity of dot 

  • One year warranty 

  • 1500G’s rated

What other aesthetic options or finishes are available?

There is a smaller Liberty optic available. 

The slide as of now comes only in distressed green 

What others are saying?:

So far the only reviews are on the Seampfox instagram page. All the once noted were high reviews including my own.  

Link to other reviews:

None found

Price point:

MSRP -

Wolverine slide $349

Optic $249 to $259

Combo $599

I need it now! Availability:

Swampfox Optics

Our Rating:

Pros:

  • Optic has a good design

  • Improved hood

  • Ruby clear glass

  • Good light intensity 

  • Ease of adjustments of dot

  • Shake a wake feature

  • Slide has great texture 

  • Channel liner already installed 

  • Good machining with limited tool marks

  • Nice tall  fiber optic sights preinstalled 

  • Great customer service 

Cons:

  • Does not have the time on market as other manufacturers so durability is a concern 

  • Lightening cut in the top of slide

Score: 8.50 Great

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Sniper Ops Tactical Tripod

The first time I heard about the Sniper Ops Tripod was during a long range shooting class when my spotter brought his.  During the class I had the opportunity to use the tripod and found it worked very well.  Researching the tripod I initially passed due to the price and financial situation at that time.  Upon using other tripods of lesser quality and available funds, it was immediately purchased.  

The tripod has three legs that are each secured with a hex wrench which allows you to control how hard it will be to fold them to the extended position (they are not telescopic). The center of the base contains the rod which the head mount slides on to support the scope.  The head has a twist knob which secures it to the rod (left/right) and a throw lever which is used for up/down movement.  A micro-fine adjuster on the back of the head allows for incremental elevation adjustments.  The scope support can be pivoted 180 degrees to allow for inverted use. 

The scope is attached to the tripod using a twist knob, and once secured, it does not move. There is an optional Collet which the head rides on to make it easier to pan the scope.  Using the collet allows you to loosen the pan knob, move the scope to the new position and then tighten the knob with ease.  Without the collet you will have to hold the head to ensure it does not slip down the rod.  

Using the tripod on a bench or prone, only one rod is required.  If you want to use it standing or seated with the tripod on the floor you will need additional rod extensions.  The rods have a male connection at one end and a female connection at the other so they screw in easily.  At 13” in length four rods should be sufficient to use the tripod in your hunting stand or blind.  The use of more than two rods will make the tripod top heavy, which is why they make a weight that can be screwed into the bottom rod for greater stability..  

If you have a rangefinder an additional head can be used with the primary (scope) head.  This will allow you to set up your scope and rangefinder to move in conjunction to allow ranging your target more easily.  Adapters can also be purchased to attach your cell phone and a Kestrel in addition to leg extensions which will give the tripod a larger footprint.  

The following items are included with the ‘standard’ package:

  • 1 each round shaped, black, STANDARD head mount 

    • Accommodates all scopes and devices with the standard 1/4" X 20 threads 

  • 1 each 3-legged base assembly

    • Legs are non-telescoping

  • 2 each 13- inch rods, 1" diameter

    • 2 joined rods provide about 30" of height 

  • 1 each (NON-MOLLE) padded carrying case (capacity for 5 rods)

  • Inner soft silicone impregnated storage case 

  • 1 each operator’s manual

  • Tough, high quality anodized camouflage

Currently ordering is done by calling or emailing Dave directly.  This proved to be fortuitous as he was able to assist me with selecting the correct scope base as well as accessories, including drilling the head for future use with a rangefinder.  

When I ordered the tripod the following accessories were also purchased:

  • Two additional rods

  • Collet

  • Quick Attach Mount for scope

  • Upgraded (MOLLE) carrying case

  • Drill the head mount to connect a separate mount for a rangefinder

If you are going to purchase any accessory, buy the collet, as that will give you the best use.  The collet makes it very easy to pan the scope. Personally, I think the collet should be included in the package.  

For side by side comparison I used a friend's Manfrotto tripod.  While the Sniper Ops tripod is more expensive it feels more solid and allows the spotter to get the scope lower for use in the prone position.  

Weight of Base, rod and head mount - 3lbs 8.3 oz. Collapsed 12in H X 2.5 in deep (without head mount)Extended the base measures 15in X 17.5in.  

Firearms Insider Reviews - 8 Key Points

Claim to Fame:

Well constructed scope mount

Target Market:

Anyone looking  for a scope mount.  

FNBs (Features & Benefits of this product):

  • Solid aluminium construction 

  • Micro adjuster has a range of +5 to -14 degrees.  

  • Works very well when shooting prone or on a bench.

  • Has attachments for accessories. 

  • Small footprint when legs are extended

What other aesthetic options or finishes are available?

Camouflage 

Tactical Tripod Order Page

What others are saying?:

C. Coker

This is a really well made product and I highly recommend it.

Link to other reviews:

Tactical Gun Review

Tactical Gun Review (YouTube)

Price point: 

$379 for the ‘standard’ package

I need it now! Availability:

http://tacticaltripod.com/

Our Rating:

Pros:

  • Well constructed.

  • solid scope mounting. 

  • Quality construction

  • Folds to a compact size

  • Convenient carrying case

  • Made in USA

  • Veteran Owned

Cons:

  • At 3lb, 8.3oz it is Heavy 

  • More expensive than other tripods.

Score: 9.00 Amazing

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Tactical Kinetics G17 Threaded Barrel

  Tactical Kinetics, commonly called “The Barrel Guys”, makes rifle and pistol barrels. These barrels are 100 percent made in the USA. I was in need of a Glock 17 threaded barrel, so I asked if they would send one for review. Here we are, G17 barrel in hand, with many rounds down range.

  Since I had previous experience with a Tactical Kinetics’ rifle barrel, I expected the same quality. I was not disappointed. The threaded G17 barrel was beautifully made, inside and out. It came in a Black Nitride finish, giving it a smooth dark finish. Plain stainless steel and titanium nitride (TiN) are also available. This particular barrel was engraved with the “TK” logo on the hood, and the model/caliber (17 - 9x19) on the exterior side of the chamber. Amazing to me, was the ability to get a non-logoed version, with no markings at all for the same price. It made me think, “they are in it for the barrel”, not just to show off. 

  The specifications on this 9mm barrel are pretty standard for replacement barrels. It starts out with pre-hardened 416R stainless steel. Pre-hardening the barrel makes it less susceptible to becoming flawed during the hardening process, thus making a more accurate barrel. It does use a SAAMI spec chamber. The barrel is button rifled with 6 grooves in a 1 in 10 twist ratio. The button rifling lets the shooter shoot every type of bullet, from cast lead to copper jackets. A feature that a polygonal rifled barrel will not let you do. On a side note, the rifling is just beautiful. The 1 in 10 twist rate will let the barrel shoot heavier bullets, better. Bullet weight didn’t seem to matter much, in the way of accuracy, for me. Lastly, it is immaculately threaded the standard ½-28 for compensator or suppressor mounting.

  I installed the barrel in a Freedom Flag Products G17 slide. I proceeded to then install that slide on a Lone Wolf TWF-C frame. Everything fit together great. The barrel had a very good lock up with the slide. Better than a factory Glock barrel, for sure. So, I took it to the range, many times. As expected, it worked like a champ. All different types of ammunition cycled. I don’t remember ever having a failure to feed or extract from this barrel. The polished feed ramp probably helped this, as it is really smooth. 

  What would a barrel review be without some sort of accuracy testing? Probably not a review. So off to the range I went with a handful of different 9mm ammunition types and manufacturers. I measured out 15 yards from the shooting bench, and posted up some targets. I then proceeded to rest the pistol on my shooting bag. I know, not the best rest, but suitable for real world accuracy testing. Here are some of the 5 round groups I shot. They are all good representations of the specific loads tested. My best group was Sig Elite performance 115gr at 1.10”’s.

  • Freedom Munitions Hush 165gr - 2.26”

  • Corbon +P 115gr JHP - 2.18”

  • Federal Champion Brass 115gr - 3.22”

  • Blazer Brass 124gr - 2.21”

  • CCI Lawman 124gr - 1.68”

  • Sig Elite 115gr - 1.80”

  I would have no problem putting the Tactical Kinetics barrel up against other manufacturers barrels. You can’t beat the price at $105 plus $18 for a thread protector. It shoots well, has good lock up, and is completely manufactured in the USA. What more could anyone want in an aftermarket Glock barrel. If you’re in the market for a barrel, go check out the Barrel Guys at Tactical Kinetics.

Firearms Insider Reviews - 8 Key Points

Claim to Fame:

Glock replacement threaded barrel

Target Market:

Anyone wanting or needing a threaded barrel that fits “Glock” style slides

FNBs (Features & Benefits of this product):

  • Completely made in house by Tactical Kinetics

  • 6 groove Button Rifling

  • 1 in 10 twist ratio

  • SAAMI 9mm chamber

  • 416R Stainless Steel

  • Polished feed ramp (before coating)

  • Target crown

  • Black Nitride coated

  • With or without TK logo

  • Threaded ½-28

What other aesthetic options or finishes are available?

Stainless or TiN

What others are saying?:

Tom at RainierArms.com

Excellent drop in threaded barrel

Machining, fit, and finish are excellent. Drop fit nice and tight in a Swenson slide w/Burris Fastfire cut. Shot 100 rounds each of Rem and Win 115gn, and Armscorp and Browning 147gn, largest group at 25 yds was just larger than my palm. Groups better than my Glock factory barrel. Threading for an Omega 9K was excellent, cycled with no issues. Cleaned up with just a few patches after 400 rounds

Link to other reviews:

None found

Price point:

MSRP = $105.00 and $18 for the thread protector

I need it now! Availability:

Tactical Kinetics or Brownells

Our Rating:

Pros:

  • Less expensive than competitor’s barrels

  • Quality

  • Made completely in house

  • Made in USA

  • Polished feed ramp

  • Black Nitride finish

Cons:

  • Lack of options (fluted, colors, etc)

  • Thread protector is extra

Score: 8.00 Great

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Favorite Link:   Gun and Gear Cult

Blackhawk Omnivore

  After recently getting into the pistol red dot world I quickly realized one thing, duty style holsters are slim pickings.  You basically have safariland and that’s it. Or so I thought. Enter the Blackhawk Omnivore! Yes Blackhawk, the same company that makes the (in my opinion) terribly designed serpa. But the omnivore is different, it doesn’t require trigger finger manipulation to deactivate the retention, and the retention mechanism seems to not be subject to locking up with foreign debris. Since my safariland was on 90 days back order and this Blackhawk was shipping immediately. I figured I’d give it a fair shake and put my Blackhawk bias aside. 

  The other very notable feature of this holster is it’s pretty much pistol agnostic. It retains and indexes on the light (or rail attachment if you get the non light bearing model) and Blackhawk claims it fits more than 200 different pistols. This would normally be a huge red flag for me as holsters, in general, should be designed to fit a specific gun. But with holsters like the Phlster floodlight and Armadillo lux being two exceptions, it’s not a deal breaker. I opted for the TLR-1/TLR-2 model. 

  What the TLR-1/TLR-2 version is, it’s better than a serpa, but it’s no safariland. 

  While I’d prefer to judge this holster on its own merits, it’s pretty much impossible to not compare it to it’s only competitor.  

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  So my first impressions were not good, there were a bunch of plastic pieces and screws that you can/should add into different places and/or mounting platforms. I felt like I had ordered something from Alien gear. Turns out not only do none of these things work, but none are needed at least for my application. There were three different inserts for where the top of the slide meets the holster. I can only assume this is to reduce the play or wobble in the gun. None worked and only made reholstering more difficult. They were held in place by a tiny plastic peg, that I wouldn’t trust, anyhow they are labeled s,m,l. Then there was a piece of plastic labeled “for TLR-1”. Since the instructions/paperwork that came with the holster made no mention of what this was or why to use it, I can only assume you’re supposed to use it if you’re not using the TRL-2. To fill the space where the laser would be.  More on that later. It also came with two different height attachments for the thumb drive release button.   There are two different mounting platforms included, a paddle and a belt slide but with plastic things for adjusting ride height/belt size. The mounting platforms are the two that come with most “concealment” serpas that are plagued with problems, but the belt slide is the better of the two, so I attached it with the screws provided and attached the clips for my belt size. 

  Upon inserting the chosen gun, a g19 with trl-1 and Holosun 507c with irons mounted forward, it clicked into place with only a little play, good news! The thumb drive is way too low so I immediately installed the tallest option with the screws provided. I see no reason to not use the tallest option, as it’s the most intuitive, but not quite as intuitive as the safariland als. 

  I then installed the “tlr-1 adapter” since that was the light I was using. This was the best I could figure, since the instruction manual made no mention of this adapter or how to use it. It clicked into place and seemed semi solid, so I figured I was good to go. On draw strike number two the adapter went flying across the room, “must be operator error” I thought, so I spent a few minutes ensuring I installed it correctly, while looking for YouTube tutorials to help, there were none. As far as I could tell, that was the only way to install the adapter.  So I reinstalled it, spending several minutes making sure there was no other way to put it in and it seemed good, then 6 more draw strokes later, it went flying across the room again. No worries though, the gun is retained just as well(as far as I can tell) without it.  I later reinstalled it two more times and on installation number four it seemed to stay put. No idea what the problem was. 

  The draw is smooth enough, again it’s not a safariland, but it’s plenty fine. I certainly appreciated the natural thumb drive motion. Gun is retained well and the retention mechanism seems to be more than adequate for the “gun grab” situation.

 The mounting platform isn’t very comfortable but it’s not extremely uncomfortable either. All that said, the mounting platforms are extremely flimsy and not something I would trust for serious use. But deep in the “box of bad ideas” I had some Blackhawk duty gear, that included some more robust mounting platforms. As it turns out, that doesn’t matter. Blackhawk uses a different thread pitch for their duty stuff than their concealment stuff, so none of it would work without going to the hardware store and figuring out what thread pitch, length and head size screws I would need, a task I had no interest in doing. 

So I snooped around the interwebs and found a video on this holster from Chuck Presberg. He had run into the same issue and confirmed what I had found about screws and thread pitch. He had mentioned a safariland qls hack, so I looked for this. Turns out it’s fairly easy to modify a qls plate to work with the omnivore for mouthing to safariland attachments, which I prefer anyway. A little dremel and drill work and it was mounted and felt very secure. I should point out I wouldn’t recommend this for duty users since I’m sure the plate is somewhat structurally compromised, but it still feels much more solid than the mounting platforms it came with. 

  I carried the gun in this bastardized setup on both a ubl mid and a flex adapter, the draw and overall carry experience was pretty much on par with the same setups, as with a safariland holster. Again, the draw stroke is only slightly less efficient than safariland, but that could definitely be because of the thousands of repetitions I have from the competitor’s holster, so I can’t knock it. Maybe my initial impressions were wrong, maybe this is a quality holster.

  This is when things took a turn. Several hundred draw strokes in, out came the gun but not the light. The light was still in the holster, held in place by the retention mechanism. Since the holster indexes on the light, not the gun itself, there was nothing holding the gun in the holster. Had I fallen or had someone grabbed the gun, it would have come out freely. Extremely concerned, I tightened the screw on the light as tight as I could without tools (streamlight says not to use tools to tighten the light) and added a whiteness mark, with a paint pen, to keep and eye on this. Hoping this was operator error, I continued the evaluation process, checking the whiteness mark every couple dozen draws. About a week and several hundred draw strokes later, my whiteness mark wasn’t lined up. Sure enough, the screw was loose yet again. The holster seems to be unscrewing the light from the gun. Now the instructions say to line up the slot in a specific orientation, I did that, same issue. I tightened it down as tight as I could get it and no issues drawing but it still would loosen up eventually. This is an issue for me. Now, checking the light screw is part of my daily PMCS. I’ve not had this issue with any other light bearing holster. Is it the end of the world? No, but something to be aware of? Yes

  But wait there’s more! Not long after I started the review process, I got word from a friend that his agency (a large law enforcement agent in Florida) had circulated a memo disallowing the use of the omnivore for uniformed and non uniformed duty use, because of the opening at the trigger guard. According to them, it poses a risk for a negligent discharge because the opening for the light is large enough that it’s possible to depress the trigger of the gun while it’s holstered. A Blackhawk holster that can help facilitate a ND? You should see my shocked face. While this isn’t a new issue with light bearing holsters (there are cases of this happening with safariland) I had to explore this and see if the agency was being overly safe, or if this is a real concern, it’s a real concern. With my gun and my hand/finger size, it is absolutely possible for me to get my index finger inside the holster, inside the trigger guard, and press the trigger while establishing a grip on the holstered gun. Uh oh. It should be worth noting that I can indeed press the trigger while the gun is in some safariland light bearing holsters as well, but not while attempting to establish a grip. It has to be from a different angle and is much more difficult. This is a problem. 

  Overall, if you are an instructor that has a need to use a variety of guns depending on who you’re teaching, or need a range holster for reddot guns this might be an okay option to look at. If you carry a weird gun, that safariland doesn’t offer s rds holster for, this might be your only option. If you have to use a Blackhawk, it’s better than a serpa, but all that said, I’d pass on this holster. And I really wanted to like it. 

Firearms Insider Reviews - 8 Key Points

CLAIM TO FAME:  

Near universal retention holster that is red dot compatible

TARGET MARKET:

People needing a retention holster for use with a red dot and light or for a variety of guns. 

FNBS (FEATURES & BENEFITS OF THIS PRODUCT): 

  • Thumb drive retention

  • Red dot compatible

  • Indexes on the light

  • Fits numerous handguns

  • Thumb activated retention

WHAT OTHER AESTHETIC OPTIONS OR FINISHES ARE AVAILABLE?

TLR-1/ TLR-2, x300u, no light(rail still required) 

What others are saying: 

Denis B

5.0 out of 5 stars

Works perfectly with my Glock G22 and S/W M and P 40.

As a range/competition holster this product works great. It's not suitable for duty carry and it says so right in the instructions. I carried a Blackhawk Serpa Level III for years but none of the ranges I shoot at or companies offering instruction will allow it. This has saved me the trouble and cost of 2 rigs. One holster does it all. Very happy with this product.

Anthony M.

NOT SAFE!!! DO NOT BUY IF LAW ENFORCEMENT

I've had this holster for about 18 months now and it seemed okay, a little wobbly but overall a good fit, as the time passed it became more and more loose and I had to tighten the screws every other day. Well today, I got in a foot pursuit with a dangerous felon and the piece that secures the gun to the holster snapped off causing my gun to fall out. The part that attaches to the picatinny rail detached from the rail and remained locked into the holster. My gun fell out WHILE IN A FOOT PURSUIT!!!!! This could've very well cost me my life. Because of this, I no longer trust this holster or any holster that attaches using the picatinny rail. I will immediately get rid of this holster and purchase a safariland holster.

Price point:

MSRP - $59.99

 I need it now availability:

Blackhawk, Amazon

Our Rating:

Pros

  • Near universal

  • Thumb drive retention

  • Red dot compatible

  • Actually available for purchase without a 90 lead time (Safariland, looking at you) 

Cons:

  • Mounting platform

  • Trigger guard opening

  • Unscrewing the light

  • Slight play 

Score: 5.00 Mediocre

For duty/serious use: 3.00 Awful

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Matador Arms "The Regulator"

  Matador Arms has been making various aftermarket firearm parts since 2015. They have made products from an SKS chassis to a folding stock adapter. In the range of accessories they manufacture is “The Regulator.” The Regulator is a fully adjustable muzzle brake available in 4 different calibers. I installed the .223/5.56 one on a 16” AR-15.

  The first noticeable attribute of The Regulator is its length. It is notably longer than what you may be used to. It measures in at 3.6” long. This is partly due to its adjustability. One probably won’t be able to use this in 3 gun competition, due to a 3” muzzle device rule, but that wasn’t a concern to me. The outside diameter comes in just over an inch at 1.08”. This is also partially due to the adjustability of the Regulator.

  The Regulator is essentially a 3 port compensator. Meaning it has 3 large ports on each side, somewhat facing rearward, and 3 holes in the top. The 3 top holes force the muzzle down upon firing. While the 3 side ports help to pull the rifle forward to aid in felt recoil. Of course, the Regulator has the advantage of being adjustable. 

  Yes, I did mention adjustability, and this is where The Regulator shines. With the Regulator, you can adjust the compensation from all the way off (closed) to fully on (open). In between off and on, are roughly 60 different adjustment points. Best of all, no tools are needed to adjust it. Just turn the adjuster nut at the front of the Regulator. Every 1 of the 60 “clicks” is an adjustment toward closed or open. If you are at an indoor range, for instance, you might want to close the Regulator so you don’t blast the shooters next to you. However, if you want the full compensation effect, open the comp all the way up. If you want to tune your specific ammunition to the firearm, start with the Regulator fully open or closed, and start adjusting until you get the desired amount of compensation. I found that with my rifle there was too much compensation when the Regulator was opened up the whole way. I ended up adjusting it 9 clicks away from full open. This gave me zero muzzle rise and a decent reduction in felt recoil. When I used the Regulator fully closed off, it was exactly like shooting a rifle without a muzzle attachment of any sort.  

Full Open

Halfway Open/Closed

Full Closed

  Installation is pretty straight forward. In order to install the Regulator, one must first disassemble the muzzle brake. To do this, unscrew the adjuster knob until it comes off. There may be a little spring pressure on the knob, so be careful. Then slide the outer portion of the Regulator off, and the short spring, leaving behind the inner compensator. Install the inner compensator with the 3 holes facing up. Matador Arms includes a crush washer and shims for the install. The inner comp has wrench flats to aid in properly torquing down the compensator. Then reinstall the outer components and hit the range. The inner compensator would also work as a stand alone brake, but I don’t know why one would want to do this. 

  I tested the Regulator quit a bit. I even measured the muzzle rise, shot times, etcetera with my Mantis X10. I really do like shooting with the Regulator adjusted to my rifle. It definitely reduces muzzle rise to nothing, or even negative muzzle rise if adjusted all the way open. I was able to get faster, accurately placed, follow up shots. From 0.3’s to 0.15-0.20 second split times. I did notice that if adjusting the Regulator between strings of fire, it is hot, so wear a glove, or use some sort of thick cloth. Since the Regulator is adjustable, it will work well on shorter barrels. Shorter barrels usually produce more escaping gases, causing standard muzzle brakes to over compensate. With the Regulator, just adjust the gas output down and this problem is solved. When shooting the Regulator closed, I could definitely notice that it was much quieter to my ear. When fully open, it is loud to the shooter and those near the shooter, but that is just the drawbacks to any compensator. Oh, and sometimes with the Regulator closed, it produces a very large muzzle flash, quite exciting for someone if they aren’t expecting it.

  I can say that I am very impressed with the Regulator. Matador Arms did a great job in designing adjustability into a good 3 chamber compensator. It does everything they told me it would do. Go check out Matador Arms, if nothing else, Canadian gun companies could probably use some of our help right now.

Firearms Insider Reviews - 8 Key Points

Claim to Fame:

Easily adjustable muzzle brake

Target Market:

Those wanting to tune a muzzle brake or be able to completely close the brake off

FNBs (Features & Benefits of this product):

  • 60+ adjustable settings - full open to full closed

  • No tools needed to adjust

  • Triple chamber brake, when not closed

  • Black Nitride coating

  • 4140 steel

  • 3.6” long

  • 1.08” Outside Diameter

  • 6.8 ounces

  • Shims and Crush washer included

What other aesthetic options or finishes are available?

7.62/308, 9mm, 6.5mm

Link to other reviews:

Alloutdoor.com

Price point:

MSRP = $149.00

I need it now! Availability:

Matador Arms

Our Rating:

Pros:

  • Super Adjustable

  • Reduces recoil and muzzle rise

  • Nitride coated

  • No tools needed for adjustment

Cons:

  • Long

  • Heavy

  • Not legal for most action rifle competitions (3” long x 1”diameter)

Score: 8.50 Great

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Favorite Link:   Gun & Gear Cult


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