Occam Defense Hex 2.0 stock

  Occam Defense is mostly known for their AK products. However, some of their products can be adapted to other firearm platforms. The Hex 2.0 fixed stock is one of those offerings. In fact, I installed it on an Enoch 10/22 chassis. It might be a little overkill, but that is kind of what I expected from the Hex stock.

  When I was looking for a stock, for the little 10/22, I remembered Occam Defense. Since the Hex 2.0 uses a picatinny attachment, it would mate up nicely to the Enoch’s picatinny rear rail. Guess what? It did. The stock slid onto the pic rail tightly. I had to push pretty hard to get it on. Occam had mentioned that this could be a problem. Something about most picatinny rails not being cut to the original specifications. Either way, the Hex 2.0 worked without much trouble. The clamping portion of the Hex 2.0 is made for a 4 slot vertical rail. The chassis I used only had a 3 slot rail but the hex 2.0 still clamped solidly to it.

  This little Hex 2.0 stock is stout. Being made from billet 6061 aluminum helps make it that way. It weighs under a pound. Occam then hard coat anodizes it black. I would bet that you could beat this thing on concrete, and not bend it a bit. But really, it’s a solid stock. 

  Occam put a few nice touches into the Hex 2.0 stock. It has 3 built-in, anti-rotation QD mounts. 2 are at the rear of the stock, 1 at the top, and 1 at the bottom. The third QD mount is in the center of the stock, more toward the front. Machined in around the third QD is also a slogan: “By the Free, for the Free.” Pretty fitting for a stock made in the USA and, ironically, mainly being used on AK platform rifles. This variety of QD mounts will give you plenty of options for different sling mounting. I found them to come in useful, especially since I was using the stock on a 10/22 and didn’t have any way to mount a sling at the rear of the rifle.

  I really appreciated the details that went into making the Hex 2.0 stock. Occam machined a nice ribbed pattern on the butt of the stock. It’s not sharp, but more smooth, and gives a nice feel on the shoulder. Well, at least better than a lot of other metal stocks do. Something I immediately noticed on the Hex 2.0 stock, were the steel inserts for the picatinny rail clamping screws. Definitely a top notch idea. Occam could have skimped here and just tapped the aluminum for these screws, but they didn’t! Thanks to these metal inserts and the Torx head screws, you can really clamp this stock down tight on the picatinny mounting rail. As an added bonus, the stock comes packed in straw, like an AK might have years ago.

  The dimensions of the Hex 2.0 could seem small to some. They look this way because the stock is primarily designed for AK’s. So it has a shorter length than an AR15 stock. Coming in at 9” long, or 8 ¾” from the back of the picatinny rail. This length gave me the shortness I was looking for on the 10/22 build, as I wanted to keep it shorter, but still utilize a fixed style stock. The Hex 2.0 worked perfectly for it. 

  I am very pleased with the Occam Defense Hex 2.0 stock. Even though it is an AK stock, in my opinion, it works very well for my purpose. The Hex 2.0 is super sturdy, looks super nice, and has some other nice features to it. I wouldn’t hesitate to go check out the offerings from Occam Defense, especially the Hex stocks.

Firearms Insider Reviews - 8 Key Points

Claim to Fame:

Lightweight Fixed aluminum stock, mainly for AK’s

Target Market:

Those wanting a fixed stock on an AK or other platforms using a picatinny rail mounting interface

FNBs (Features & Benefits of this product):

  • Billet 6061 aluminum

  • Black type 3 anodizing

  • 3 anti-rotate QD mounting points

  • 1913 picatinny rail mounting

  • 9” length

  • 8 ¾” length from rear of 1913 rail

  • Steel thread inserts for clamping screws

What other aesthetic options or finishes are available?

Folding version and original Hex

Link to other reviews:

Nothing found

Price point:

MSRP = $159.99

Retail = Same

I need it now! Availability:

Occam Defense

Our Rating:

Pros:

  • Sturdy

  • 3 QD mounting points

  • Clamp system (steel inserts, torx screws)

  • 1913 mounting

Cons:

  • May be short for certain uses

Score: 8.50 Great

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Strike Industries LITESLIDE

  Strike Industries has been introducing new products at a phenomenal rate. Some of these products are for Glock style handguns. One of them is called the “Liteslide.” The Liteslide is a slide for Gen 3 Glock 17 and 19 size pistols. This includes Strike Industries “Strike 80” 80% pistol frames. The Liteslide can be had in black or FDE, Strike Industries was kind enough to send me one of the black coated ones.

  Pistol builders, and those looking to modify a current pistol, are the primary market for the Liteslide. After all, it is a Glock Gen 3 style slide. The slide is a drop in replacement for those wishing to do so. However, it comes in the “stripped” form. Meaning it has none of the parts to make it function.. Strike Industries does make a “completion kit”, and a barrel, so that you can make it a fully functioning slide. The tighter tolerances, used during manufacturing, can possibly lead to better accuracy and a tighter slide to frame fit.

  One reason someone might want a replacement slide is to allow the mounting of pistol sized optics. The Liteslide has you covered here. It has a machined out flat, on the rear of the slide, to mount optics on. What Strike Industries did was make this a multi-optic mounting surface, or the “SI Universal Optics Mount cut.” This was done by adding a bunch of different screw holes. The optics that fit are mentioned below in the “FNB’s”. But essentially, it’s most of the ones currently available EXCEPT the Leupold DeltaPoint Pro and the Sig ROMEO 1 PRO/03. Strike Industries supplies a bunch of screws and pins for the various mounting of the aforementioned optics. Also included is a cover plate, in case you aren’t mounting an optic to the slide. The cover plate is just a machined piece of plastic that matches the lines of the slide.

  The Strike Industries Liteslide abounds with features. The slide is fully enclosed. It is not one of the ones with lightening slots or holes, but it is still lightweight. It is lighter than a factory slide, giving it reduced momentum during cycling. This can aid in faster follow up shots for the shooter. Since there are no cut-outs in the slide, there is less of a chance that dirt and grime can get inside the slide to cause problems. Front and rear, angled, cocking serrations are cut into the slide too. They are sharp on the front side, and angled on the back side. They give a fantastic grip when manually cycling the slide. The Liteslide also has angled cuts between the top and the sides of the slide. These give the slide a nice slim profile and look. There are a few other machined out cuts to help aid in the looks department too. Also, on the left side is a “SI’ and on the right side is a “19”. These are not obtrusive. In fact, I usually forget they are there. As expected, it uses Glock front and rear sights. However, some rear sights may be too deep/long to work with an optic, as they may interfere with the optic sight. Strike Industries sights, however, do not have this problem. Strike Industries also gave the Liteslide a black nitride coating, which should help it last a lifetime.

  Since the Liteslide comes in a stripped form, it must be assembled first. I just used a G19 upper parts kit that I purchased from an on-line retailer. All the parts went in just fine and worked as expected. The internal machining of the slide is fantastic. I didn’t notice any machining marks, which probably led to the ease of assembly. I already had a barrel to complete the build, and it dropped right in.

  I used the Liteslide with both Iron sights and an optic. When I first received the slide, I installed a set of Night Fision sights. The front screwed on and fit great. The rear also pressed in like normal. Then after using it for a while with iron sights, I installed a Swampfox Liberty. The Liberty uses a RMR pattern, which is one of the options on the Liteslide. This style of optic sits toward the front of the “Universal Optics Mount cut.” I installed some of the supplied pins, along with screws, to hold it down. It mounted up nicely. Because the Liteslide has a universal mounting cut, the Liberty sits toward the front, leaving about an ⅛” gap at the rear. This gap doesn’t hurt anything, it just looks a little odd. This is really the only downside to Strike Industries universal mounting cut. Otherwise it works great.

  I’ve shot the Liteslide on various pistol frames. It has been used on 3 different Polymer 80 frames and a Lone Wolf frame. It’s permanent home is the Lone Wolf frame, as I feel it looks the best on it. However, function wise, it worked flawlessly on all 4 frames. It fit the tightest on the most recently built P80 frame, but still functioned fine. I’ve used the current setup in a pistol match and really liked the way it handled. As previously mentioned, the slide serrations work very well for manipulations. The Liberty has stayed where it’s supposed to also, probably a testament to the mounting pins that help secure the sight from moving. The Liteslide is really nice, especially if you're looking to add an optic to your pistol.

  Strike Industries Liteslide would be a great addition for anyone looking at a Glock 19 slide. This could be a builder or just someone wanting to add an optic to their pistol. It performed well for me, the machining is great, it’s heat treated for years of use, and it just looks great. If you’re in the market for anything like the Liteslide, go check out Strike Industries. They don’t just make Glock parts.

Firearms Insider Reviews - 8 Key Points

Claim to Fame:

Gen 3 Glock slide with optic mounting options

Target Market:

80% builders or those upgrading their Gen 3 Glocks

FNBs (Features & Benefits of this product):

  • Stripped slide for Gen 3 pistol frames

  • Black Nitride coated

  • Front and rear serrations

  • Multi-cut optics mount

  • Cover Plate included

  • Various screws and pins for optics mounting

  • Standard cuts for Glock sights

  • Made from heat treated 17-4 Stainless Steel 

  • Weighs 9.8 ounces

  • Made in USA

  • RED DOT COMPATIBILITY: Trijicon RMR, Burris FastFire, C-More RTS/STS, Doctor Red Dot Sight, EOTech MRDS, Holosun 407/507/508, Leupold DeltaPoint, SIG SAUER ROMEO 01, Swampfox Optics Kingslayer/Liberty/Justice, Sightmark Mini Shot M-Spec FMS, Vortex Viper/Venom

What other aesthetic options or finishes are available?

Flat Dark Earth (FDE)

What others are saying?:

5 stars on Optics Planet

awesome slide 

The Strike Industries Series Slide was created with optimal accuracy and performance in mind. Machined in the USA from billet 17-4 Stainless Steel using clockwork precision to ensure increased consistency in barrel lockup that results in levels beyond than match-grade accuracy. The Strike Slide weighs significantly less than the factory production model, reducing the recoil momentum, and allows faster and more efficient follow-up placement. Strike Industries proudly designed the Strike Slide with Durability and Function in mind, giving the slide a premium Black Nitride Coating that is protective against scratching and scrapes. We’ve also improved the silhouette with unmatched aggressive styling from the Angled Forward Serrations Points on the front and large

Link to other reviews:

Nothing found with any substance 

Price point:

MSRP = $249.95

Retail = $191.96 at Primary Arms

I need it now! Availability:

Strike Industries, Primary Arms, or various other places

Our Rating:

Pros:

  • Fairly slim profile

  • Front & Rear cocking serrations

  • Multi use optics cut

  • Pins and screws included for optic mounting

  • Slide cover plate

  • Fantastic frame fit

  • Enclosed style

  • Made in USA

Cons:

  • Some rear sights are too long to work with an optic

  • Hard to find “in stock”

  • Cover plate is plastic

Score: 8.50 Great

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Favorite Link:  Primary Arms

Enoch Deep Six Chassis

  Enoch Industries is enhancing the Ruger 10/22 market with their chassis systems. They manufacture 2 different ones, the Odin and the Deep Six. Thanks to Faxon, and their rimfire barrel, I was looking for something that would compliment it. Odin offered up a Deep Six in PEWter. Since the Deep Six is longer and better suited for what I was doing, I couldn’t say “no”.

  The Deep Six is made for 10/22 style rifles and pistols, but not the take down versions. I used a stock Ruger 10/22 rifle action, but pretty much all of the aftermarket ones will work too. Mounting the barrelled action into the Deep Six is just like mounting it into any other 10/22 stock. The only difference is that Enoch supplies a proprietary screw to hold the action in place. This screw is essentially just a short version of the stock 10/22 mounting screw. I put some threadlocker on it before I screwed it down tight. After tightening the screw, you can actually feel how much more rigid the chassis is over a stock. It’s just a real solid fit, and that screw comes up tight unlike the factory style. 

  Enoch Industries has made the Deep Six longer than their first chassis, the Odin. It is still short enough for pistol length builds, but I feel it really shines for the more standard rifle length builds. The total length is 15.5 inches. This doesn’t really say much, since that is without any support device attached to the rear rail. What does matter is the 2.5” added length to the forearm over their Odin chassis. This allows for a forearm length of just over 7 inches. Plenty enough to get a good grip on the rifle, as well as maybe install a bi-pod or grip panels. Along the forearm are 3 full length M-Lok slots to aid in adding those accessories. The slots are on both sides as well as the bottom. The Deep Six also allows for almost any barrel profile or barrel addition one might be after. They opened up the forearm to accept barrel diameters of up to 1.310 inches. This means that any bull barrel will fit. Or, if you have a really short barrel and want to run a suppressor, the suppressor will most likely fit in the handguard area!

  Besides being a lightweight aluminum chassis, Enoch added a few bonuses into the Deep Six. The first notable one, is the addition of 2 steel QD inserts. One on each side, on the rear of the chassis, behind where the receiver sits. These work really well for pistol configurations, as a sling can give you some extra support when shooting. For a rifle, they just give you another location for sling mounting. Second, is the addition of a built in filler, behind the trigger guard and extended to the pistol grip. It fills that gap so your hand doesn't get pinched. Not all 10/22 chassis’, that use pistol grips, have this. It really does help and it makes the chassis look complete.

  Yes, you will need to add your own pistol grip to the Deep Six. All non-beavertail grips will work. If you want to use a beavertail grip, it may have to be modified. I modified a beavertail grip for use on it, I just cut the beavertail back some and it works great. I even tried some 3D printed ones that worked too.

  As for mounting a stock or brace, the Deep Six has you covered. The Deep Six uses a 3 slot picatinny rail for mounting these. This type of mounting system is becoming more and more popular, especially on 22’s. With the picatinny rail, the user has many options, from fixed stocks to folding braces. Being that I was doing a “rifle”, I opted for a fixed stock from Occam Defense. This stock is a little shorter than some other options, which actually makes it ideal for me on this chassis. It makes the length of pull a little under 12 inches. The Occam stock uses a 4 slot mounting, so there was a little extra sitting above the 3 slot rail on the Deep Six. Besides looking odd to me, it fit and worked great. I did end up printing a spacer to fill the space and make it look seamless. 

  The Deep Six is a well thought out chassis. The PEWter color has a nice grayish hue to it, which enhances the other parts installed on the rifle. The edges are smoothed out, but still sharp. The fit of the action is much better than most other stocks out there. So as you can guess, the machining is top notch with no noticeable machining marks. There is also an Enoch Industries logo machined onto the left side of the chassis. No names, just the logo. Along with that, there are also machined recesses that give the chassis a distinct look. 

  Enoch Industries did a great job with the Deep Six. It’s short enough to be used on a pistol, yet long enough to look good on a full length rifle. The combination I am running turned out fantastic. When using the Deep Six, you can pretty much build any 10/22 your imagination can come up with. I really do like what Enoch has done with the Deep Six. Definitely check out Enoch Industries and the Deep Six chassis. I really can’t say enough good things about it.

Firearms Insider Reviews - 8 Key Points

Claim to Fame:

Lightweight chassis system for Ruger 10/22 style actions

Target Market:

10/22 Builders or modifiers

FNBs (Features & Benefits of this product):

  • Weighs 13 ounces

  • Length: 15.25”

  • Width: 1.5"

  • Height: 1.5"

  • 6061-T6 Aluminum construction

  • 3 full M-Lok slots at 3, 6, and 9 O'clock

  • Barrel Channel is 1.310”

  • 3 slot Picatinny rail at rear for stock or brace installation

What other aesthetic options or finishes are available?

Black

Link to other reviews:

Industry Outsider

Price point:

MSRP = $245.00

Retail = $210.00 - $245.00

I need it now! Availability:

Enoch Industries

Our Rating:

Pros:

  • Lightweight

  • M-Lok slots

  • Steel QD cups

  • Large barrel channel

Cons:

  • I would like the rear picatinny rail to have another slot

  • Availability 

Score: 8.50 Great

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EDC Knife comparison

  If there’s one thing I’m not, it’s a knife expert. Steel type, brands, grip material, I don’t know what I’m looking at or what is quality. So the only metric I have is in my personal use. 

  Recently I embarked on a journey to find a new EDC knife and it was time to upgrade from whatever caught my eye at the local Walmart. So I took a look at my life and decided on some basic features I “need” in an everyday knife. Remember, these are what I want in a knife, your preferences or needs can vary wildly. 

  One, the knife has to be a worker. I’m not that guy who carries several knives for different things, I want one knife, that will accomplish the tasks I find myself needing to do throughout my day. Anything with a point can be forced into a defensive role, that’s not the purpose of my edc knife. 

  Two, the knife has to have a partially serrated blade. I don’t know much about knife steel and what holds an edge, or what gets sharper better, but I do know, when the knife gets dull, serrations still cut. I do not, however, want a fully serrated blade as that makes it a saw. 

  Three, it needs to be a folder with a secure locking blade and decent guard. Fixed blades are cool but my edc knife needs to fold. It also doesn’t need to fold unless I want it to, and I don’t want my hand or fingers contacting the blade in any way, inadvertently. 

  Four, the knife needs to double as a rescue tool, with at bare minimum, a window breaker and stand alone strap cutter. Both need to be usable with the blade closed. 

  Wanting to keep the price in the $50-$100 range, I found four that interested me, all with slightly different designs and features. So I got them, and carried/used them, all for at least two weeks each. The four I settled on were: CRKT M16-14ZLEK, Gerber Hinderer CLS, Kershaw Funxion EMT, and the SOG Escape. So I’ll go over each one in no particular order and explain what I like and dislike about them all. 

  CRKT: The biggest of the four, coming in at 9.25” overall and a beefy 6.2 oz, is the M16-14ZLEK. The CRKT boasts it uses an “InterFrame construction, with tough, textured glass filled nylon scales over a 420J2 stainless steel liner, InterFrame and solid glass filled nylon back spacers.” This thing is a beast. With a 3.75” AUS8 high carbon stainless steel, titanium nitride finished, tanto blade, and is very capable of handling all the abuse I threw at it. The strap cutter is on the very generous blade guard, and the tungsten carbide glass breaker is sufficient. The pocket clip can be configured in left or right side tip up or tip down (CRKT says it’s not designed for pocket tip up carry, it’s for gear webbing only). While it’s not my favorite clip, it works well enough. I prefer tip up, left side, so that’s how I have it. The knife cuts, pries, stabs, etc., anything I need to do just fine. They do make this knife in smaller sizes but you lose the tanto blade or the four position clip.

Pros: 

Tanto point, hefty blade guard, four position clip, liner lock with a secondary lock

Cons: 

too large for some pockets, clip could be sturdier, no additional cool features like some of the others. 

MSRP - $99

Street price - $60-$70

CRKT Score: 8.00 Great

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Gerber: the Hinderer CLS is the sequel to the rescue model. Scrapping the blunt full serrated blade for a clip point, partially serrated blade, this knife comes in at 8.5” overall and 5.6 oz. The 3.5” 440a steel blade sports a black finish. The glass filled nylon handle has good texture and it is pretty comfortable, with and without gloves. The window breaker also has a lanyard hole (that I should have utilized but more on that later) and the strap cutter swings out from the butt end of the knife. Hope you like right side tip down carry, because that’s the only configuration for the pocket clip. It also sports an O2 wrench in the handle that can be used with the blade closed and it comes in quite handy if you have that need. The knife felt sturdy, and while it is a liner lock, the release mechanism is a pull stud on the handle that makes closing this knife with gloves much easier. The blade guard is ok, definitely could be a bit more pronounced but it works. I really appreciate this strap cutter on this knife and found it to be great at everything from clothing to zip ties. Probably my favorite design of the 4, however it was a bit stiff at first and the detent had to be worked in a bit. My biggest problem with this knife, is that I no longer have it, because a random tree branch or vine took it one afternoon in the woods, in other words, the pocket clip is lacking. 

Pros: 

Great size and weight, strap cutter, locking release, grip texture 

Cons:

Blade guard, pocket clip, thumb stud only 

MSRP - $76

Street price - $60-70

Gerber Score: 7.50 Good

  SOG: The only lockback style knife of the bunch, this one comes in at 8.2” OAL and 4.8oz. A lockback is not my favorite style,. I was willing to overlook that, as the knife was overall quality. While SOG says this is a clip point, it’s more of a spear point. The stand alone strap cutter has spare blades stored in the knife handle, which is super cool if you ask me. I do not like the glass breaker, as it very small and sharp, like needle sharp. This knife also sports several holes in the grip that, when the blade is closed, work as wire strippers. I can’t comment on how well it works because I don’t strip wire on a regular bases, but if that’s your thing, it’s a nice added bonus.  The satin blades finish on the 9cr18mov blade looks nice, and is a nice departure from the black on black that the other three have. Being the only one of this bunch with a 6061t6 aluminum handle, the grip isn’t bad, and the texture is ok. Again, hope you’re like right side tip down carry because the clip is fixed in that position. It’s a good solid clip, when it isn’t loosening up. The blade opens by thumb stud only and the hand guard leaves quite a bit to be desired. 

Pros:

Replaceable strap cutter. 

Cons:

Lockback, lack of blade guard

MSRP - $49

Street price - $40-$45

SOG Score: 6.50 Okay

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Kershaw: The only knife in this article sporting assisted opening, and a built in carabiner. The EMT comes in at 7.25” and 4.8 oz. It’s the thickest knife of the bunch at almost 3/4” wide, this one falls into the “meh” category for me. On paper it looks great, but I can’t say I was extremely impressed overall, but it’s still a decent blade if you want a budget knife, and assisted opening is important to you. The strap cutter feels flimsy, but I had no issues with it, and it cut anything I needed it to. It swings out from the back and has a 1/4” wrench and bottle opener on it. While the bottle opener works, my job frowns upon me using it at work and, at home, I have dedicated bottle openers. I found no use for the 1/4” wrench and feel this would be better served by an O2 wrench. The glass breaker is fine, but it’s on the blade end instead of the butt end, which I found strange. The carabiner, when deployed, locks the blade closed and will not allow you to open the knife until you have closed the carabiner. While I understand why I wish it would lock the blade open for my use case. It is a flipper style, so that’s nice, and the flipper doubles as a beefy hand guard. The grip is glass filled nylon and it is a tad slippery, and the Kershaw “K” grip pattern isn’t the best. The 3” 8cr13mov blade is listed by Kershaw as a drop point, but it looks and feels more like a clip point to me. This knife is thick. like too thick to be carried comfortably in my back pocket. The pocket clip allows for pretty deep carry, and is right side tip down only once again. Final thoughts on this knife: it feels cheap, it’s hard to explain. 

Pros:

Carabiner, hand guard, flipper assisted opening. 

Cons:

Thick, glass breaker isn’t intuitive, lock on the strap cutter feels weak 

MSRP - $58

Street price - $32-$50

Kershaw Score: 5.50 Mediocre 

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So what does all this mean? Well hopefully this can help you pick out an EDC knife, if rescue type knives are your thing. I would have no problem carrying any of these blades in different contexts, except maybe the Kershaw, but in all reality, it will probably find its way into my gear for something. 

My order from favorite to least favorite 

CRKT m16-14zlek

Gerber hinderer CLS

SOG escape 

Kershaw funxion EMT


I will be replacing the Gerber most likely, but I wish they’d update the clip. What I would really like (in case there is a knife maker reading) is the blade and the clip placement options from the CRKT, the glass breaker, size, weight, and O2 wrench from the Gerber, the assisted opening from the kershaw, the clip from the SOG. All these knives have attributes I like. 

FIREARMS INSIDER REVIEWS - 8 KEY POINTS

CLAIM TO FAME: 

Rescue style knives 

TARGET MARKET: 

First responders 

FNBS (FEATURES & BENEFITS OF THIS PRODUCT): 

See individual write ups above 

 

WHAT OTHER AESTHETIC OPTIONS OR FINISHES ARE AVAILABLE? 

See above 

What others are saying:

Not much 

Price point:

$ 35-100 listed above 

I need it now availability: 

Amazon, bladeHQ, or the manufacture websites 

Our Rating:

     Pros: see above 

     Cons: see above 

Score:

See above 



Faxon 10/22 barrel

  Faxon Firearms has been making quality barrels for some time now. They recently entered into the rimfire barrel market with their 10/22 barrels. Faxon has three different barrel contours to choose from as well as two types of fluting options. There are also three different coating options to choose from. I opted for the flame fluted standard profile in chameleon PVD.

  The Faxon 10/22 barrel has a bunch of features not provided on the factory Ruger model. Most notably is probably the addition of Flame fluting. Faxon does a unique style of fluting as one of the options. As one can guess, the fluting looks like “flames”. If you get the “Chameleon” PVD coated barrel, the flutes are actually a different color than the rest of the barrel, which actually makes the flames look a bit more realistic. Since the barrel is PVD coated, the look of the coating will vary from barrel to barrel. This particular one is more of a lavender to blue fade with the flutes being a yellowish orange color. Some are more a blue to green fade. Fluting, both standard and Flame, provides better cooling of the barrel by providing more surface area for the barrel to give off heat. More important to me, is that on a rimfire barrel, it reduces the overall weight. In this case, the Faxon barrel is 0.4 lbs lighter than a factory Ruger 10/22 barrel. Faxon’s pencil profile reduces the weight by another 0.4 lbs, so a 0.8 lb reduction total. The Chameleon barrel sent to me weighs 1.4 lbs total.

  When manufacturing the rimfire line, Faxon uses all the same quality materials they use in their other barrel lines. The Rimfire barrels are made from 416-R stainless steel bar stock, in Cincinnati, OH at the Faxon plant. The barrel is given 6 groove rifling with a twist rate of 1:16. The 1:16 is pretty standard for 22 rimfire barrels. They then cut a recessed target crown into the muzzle. The muzzle is also threaded ½-28” to a depth of 0.625”. A thread protector and spacer is also included. The spacer is to be used on muzzle devices that use the 0.400” depth instead of the 0.625” depth. Faxon rimfire barrels are also magnetic particle inspected for flaws and then heat treated and coated. Currently all of the Faxon Rimfire line barrels come in a 16” length.

  When looking into 10/22 barrels, one typically finds “bull” style barrels. Faxon has those now too. But the standard profile is really nice if you're not into those “heavy” barrels. The Faxon Rimfire barrel has a tapered profile. It goes from 0.912” after the chamber down to 0.600” before where the muzzle threads start. This is pretty close to the Ruger’s standard barrel profile. The Faxon does fit in my standard 10/22 stock. It may not fit all of them, but it fits mine fine. Faxon also gives the Rimfire line a “Sporting” chamber. This gives the Faxon 10/22 barrels the ability to feed almost all the .22lr ammunition out there. I personally would have liked to see a slightly different chamber used, something like a “Bentz” for a little better accuracy. But I understand why Faxon went with the normal “sporting” chamber. 

  I ended up mounting the Faxon barrel to a stock Ruger 10/22 action. The barrel fit about the same as the stock barrel I removed. Meaning it slid into the receiver easily with little side to side movement. I then proceeded to mount it in an Enoch Deep-Six chassis. I opted for a chassis because I felt that a regular stock would not do the Faxon Chameleon barrel justice. The barrel looks really good mounted in the chassis. The chassis is also lighter than some wooden stocks, making this barrel/chassis combination very light. 

  After essentially making a complete different 10/22 than I had started with, I headed out to the range. Since ammunition availability is scarce, I rummaged through my stores of .22lr ammo. I found around 8 different types of plinking ammo, but no match ammo. I figured plinking ammo would be fine for this test. Especially since I don’t consider the Faxon barrel to be a true match barrel. Yes, the barrel is very high quality, it just doesn’t have a match chamber. I shot the various “cheap” 22lr ammo, through the barrel, at 50 yards. All but one of the major brands seemed to group around 1 - 1.5”’s at the 50 yard mark. I started with 5 shot groups and then moved to 10 shot groups. I was really pleased with how well the Faxon barrel shot. My factory barrel shot around 2 - 3” groups with these kinds of .22lr ammo. So as far as accuracy is concerned, I think the Faxon is good to go. If someone were to take the time and figure out which ammunition their barrel prefers, I would expect better results than what I had.

  If you’re looking for something different in the 10/22 game, look into the Faxon Rimfire barrels. They aren’t necessarily cheap, but they are excellent quality and made in the USA. With all the different options, you can get extra lightweight, fluted, flame fluted, coated, etc. I’m very pleased with the quality of the barrel along with how it stands out from everyone else's boring barrels. Go give the Faxon Rimfire line a look if you’re building a 10/22 or just looking for something different.

Firearms Insider Reviews - 8 Key Points

Claim to Fame:

Lightweight 10/22 barrels

Target Market:

10/22 owners or builders wanting a lighter, more accurate barrel

FNBs (Features & Benefits of this product):

  • Chamber: .22 LR Sporting

  • Flame Fluted

  • 416-R Stainless

  • Weight: 1.4 lbs

  • Length: 16"

  • Twist rate: 1:16

  • Chameleon PVD coating

  • Rifling: 6 Groove

  • Target Crown: Recessed

  • 10/22, non-takedown

  • Taper - 0.912" after chamber, .600" before thread shoulder

  • Muzzle Thread: 1/2x28

  • Thread protector included

What other aesthetic options or finishes are available?

Straight fluted, Pencil, Heavy, all in black, gold, or chameleon

What others are saying?:

 5 stars at Faxon Firearms

Great barrel

Barrel came in fast and well packed. Looks better in person. Fits like a glove no issues setting it. Shoots great but I only have 150 rounds through it so far.

Link to other reviews:

Nothing found

Price point:

MSRP = $175.00 - $355.00

Retail = $355.00 as tested

I need it now! Availability:

Faxon Firearms or your local Faxon dealer

Our Rating:

Pros:

  • Lightweight

  • Looks great

  • Accurate

  • Threaded to 0.625 length 

  • Thread protector and spacer included

  • Fits standard 10/22 stocks

  • Lifetime guarantee

Cons:

  • Price

  • Sport chamber

Score: 7.50 Good

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ISOtunes Sport - Defy & Advance

  ISOtunes has come on the market with hearing protection designed for the shooter under the ISOtunes Sport brand. ISOtunes has made industrial hearing protection for some time, but just recently introduced the Sport brand. There are currently two models to choose from, the Defy, and the Advance. They are both very similar in use. The Defy is your standard Over Ear (muff) style, while the Advance is an In-Ear style. 

  Both the Defy and Advance are packed with features. One of those is that they both have the “Tactical sound” control. The Tactical sound control is a separate volume control for outside sound. ISOtunes Sport claims an increase in exterior sound up to 8x their normal volume. If you turn it up, it amplifies everything, including background noise. This can be a plus when listening to range commands, your friends, or while hunting. You can also turn it all the way down, which essentially cuts all exterior volume. Don’t worry, the Tactical sound control still reduces loud noises to a safe level, so as to not damage your hearing. When you power on the ISOtunes Sport’s the Tactical sound turns on to about half volume. One of my only complaints is that I wish they would remember the last volume setting when turned off. The high impact noise response time is listed at less than 2 milliseconds, so hearing damage is greatly, if not completely, reduced by the initial gun shot sound.

  Since we are talking about sound, both the Defy and Advance have bluetooth connectivity. As with most bluetooth, just pair it to your device and away you go. They do both have noise cancelling mic’s, so if you are on a phone call at the range, whoever you are talking with can hear you clearly. My daughter called me at the range one day while I had the Advance on. She said that she could hear me fine even with the occasional gun shots. So that part seems to work okay. With the bluetooth, you can also use the Advance or Defy to listen to your favorite podcast or music. However, the ISOtunes Sport line will cap the output volume to 85 db’s using their “SafeMax” technology. This is because 85 db’s is the safe volume limit for all day long exposure. If you are in an extremely loud environment, it can sometimes still be hard to hear whatever is playing through the bluetooth. The bluetooth controls are separate from the Tactical Sound controls, making it easier to know which volume you are adjusting. 

  Even though the Defy and Advance have similar features, there are some differences besides the obvious. The Advance in-ear is listed as a 26db NRR (noise reduction rating), but the Defy only comes in with a 25db NRR rating. Definitely not enough for me to tell the difference. Connection to a device, via bluetooth, varies by an hour with the lead going to the Defy at 11 hours and the Advance at 10 hours. When not connected to bluetooth, the times can jump up a couple of hours. The Defy has the option of using 3 AAA batteries instead of the supplied rechargeable. This increases the use time to 22 hours. It also gives the Defy an option if the rechargeable battery dies when using them in the field. The Advance, being an in-ear, does not have this luxury. Both have auto off functions also. The Advance’s is 2 hrs of non use, while the Defy is 4 hrs. Both are resistant to dust and water. Since the Defy and Advance are different styles, there is definitely going to be a weight difference. The Defy (over ear) comes in at 15.5 ounces, while the Advance (in-ear) comes in at 23.25 grams, or just under an ounce. The Defy and Advance come with a usb charging cord. While the Advance also comes with 4 sizes of eartips and one set of triple flange style to use when you’re not worried about sound suppression. The Advance also comes with a zippered carrying case. 

   After using the ISOtunes Sport’s for a while, I’ve concluded that both are really good at what they do. The Tactical Sound works great and lets me hear range commands and friends clearly. It also does a decent job of not amplifying wind. Not perfect, but better than some hearing protection I’ve used, at least as far as wind noise is concerned.  I simply love the Advance, as they give me lightweight in-ear protection. The Advance allows me to use rifles and shotguns without causing any problems with a cheek weld. Plus they are not hot like over the ear ones can be. I also use the bluetooth, on the Advance, daily while at work. They are fantastic for this. If you work in a loud industrial environment, they are even better. The Advance is my newest favorite hearing protection. The Defy, however, is not far behind the Advance. It has its own advantages. They are very comfortable for over the ear hearing protection. They have the option of running AAA batteries. The top strap has a slot for heat management, or more importantly, so the button on your hat doesn’t push against your head. The cushions are also very soft and comfortable. The Defy will also open up extremely wide, so if you have an extremely large brain capsule, these might work well for you. I like the Defy if I’m just shooting pistols, or when it’s cooler outside. 

  If you’re looking into some new hearing protection, I wouldn’t hesitate to check out the ISOtunes Sport line. Both have great useful features. My favorite would be the Advance, but the Defy are really good also. Anytime you can get decent hearing protection, with decent rechargeable battery life, I’m all for it. Go check out the Defy and Advance at ISOtune Sport, you’ll probably like what you see. 

Firearms Insider Reviews - 8 Key Points

Claim to Fame:

Hearing protection with bluetooth

Target Market:

Shooters, Hunters, or anyone needing hearing protection

FNBs (Features & Benefits of this product):

  • Tactical sound control

  • 25 to 26 db noise reduction

  • 23.25 grams for the Advance

  • 15.5 ounces for the Defy

  • Rechargeable for 10-11 hrs of Bluetooth connection

  • Noise Isolation Mic

  • Bluetooth audio output limited to 85db

  • 2 hour auto off (Advance) 

  • 4 hour auto off (Defy) 

  • Dust, water, and sweat resistant

  • Micro USB charging port

What other aesthetic options or finishes are available?

In Ear (Advance) and Over ear style (Defy)

What others are saying?:

5/5 stars on Amazon

Does the job

These rock! I am a firearms instructor for my local LE Agency. These guys seem a little awkward at first as fas as getting them to fit correctly. But once I found the earplugs that fit the best... they do exactly what they were intended to do.

I completely charged them as the directions stated and the next day I set out to the range and spent 5 hours wearing them. I had no issues with short battery life as some would expect. It connects with my iphone and plays music at a safe level while still being able to hear voices.

As soon as we started shooting, they did their job. I did have some issues with the ear foam not fitting well.

My only complaint is that I wish there was a size between the smallest ear foam and the medium ear foam. The medium was just a bit big, but it would be impossible the have a foam to fit EVERY SINGLE EAR.

That being said, I would still purchase 100% and have already recommended it to my LEO buddies.

Link to other reviews:

Wide Open Spaces

Price point:

MSRP = $129.99 for either option

Retail = $129.99 on Amazon

I need it now! Availability:

ISOtunes or Amazon

Our Rating:

Pros:

  • Lightweight

  • Bluetooth

  • Tactical Sound Control with separate controls

  • Rechargeable

  • Long battery life

  • Both are comfortable

  • AAA option with the Defy

  • 4 different earpieces for the Advance

Cons:

  • Doesn’t remember volume level of the “Tactical Sound”

  • 85db sound limit (sometimes I like to hear it loud)

Score: 8.50 Great

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Favorite Link:  Walker Defense Research

Civivi Brazen

  I had heard good things about Civivi knives, which brings us here. Civivi is We Knife’s “budget” friendly knife manufacturer. We Knife makes some beautiful knives, but we aren’t talking about those. We are talking about the Civivi Brazen. The Brazen is a flipper style EDC (everyday carry) knife.

  The Brazen has many of the features one might want in an everyday carry knife. The flipper stands out in this category. It makes the knife open with ease. Just slightly push down, or flip the little tab rearward, and the blade opens super smoothly. If a flipper isn’t your thing, the Brazen also has dual thumb studs for opening the blade. The thumb studs work just as well, but I prefer the flipper. Civivi uses a stainless steel liner lock in the Brazen. The liner lock holds the blade from closing. It’s a little thinner than I personally like, but it locks up well, so not a concern. Side to side blade movement is also virtually nothing. either with the blade open or closed.

  For an EDC knife, the Brazen’s specifications are pretty standard. The blade is a “drop point” style. Which is 3.46” long. Closed, the knife is 4.52” long. It’s pretty slim at 0.47” without measuring the pocket clip. It weighs in at 3.76 ounces which seems perfect, since it is not too light to forget you are carrying it. The Brazen uses finely textured G10 handles, which I found to give a good grip when dry and a little slick when soaking wet. There is also a lanyard slot at the rear of the handle, if a lanyard is your thing. The Brazen also has a deep pocket clip. The clip is reversible for left or right, but only for tip up carry. I liked the clip, it’s nothing fancy, but it clips well. I tend to catch cheap clips on stuff and bend them, the Brazen’s clip has not bent on me!

  Civivi has brought a lot of great extra features to the table with the Brazen as well. My favorite is the caged ceramic ball bearing on the blade pivot. These bearings make opening and closing the knife super smooth. They also aid in how well the flipper functions. The stonewashed blade is made from 14C28N steel. From the steel manufacturers website - “Sandvik 14C28N is the latest development in Sandvik's range of knife steels. Optimized chemistry provides a top grade knife steel with a unique combination of excellent edge performance, high hardness and good corrosion resistance.” I found the 14C28N to be a really good choice for this knife. The edge stayed sharp for a long time. Most of that was cutting up boxes. In fact I just sharpened it before this review. It wasn’t dull by any means, it just needed to be touched up a little. Civivi hardens the steel to 58-60 HRC, which seems to work out for me. I haven’t broken the tip off the blade, which says a lot. Speaking of the blade, Civivi also put some useful jimping in places. The first noticeable jimping is on the top and front of the flipper tab. Next is on the spine of the knife, just in front of the handle. All the jimping is very well thought out and actually gives the user a better grip and feel to the knife.

  Usually when you buy a “budget” knife, it comes in a box, and only a box. Civivi stepped it up once again, and supplied a soft case with the Brazen. I think most, if not all of the Civivi knives, come with this. In the case are the instruction, a sticker, and a fairly decent “Civivi” branded cleaning cloth. Not that the soft case and cleaning cloth are needed, but I did think it was a good bonus. 

  I’ve carried the Brazen since the day it arrived here. I am going to keep carrying the Brazen. Hopefully that tells you what kind of knife I think it is. For a $50 pocket knife, I feel you get more than what you pay for. From the super smooth opening to the sharp blade, I don’t think you can go wrong with the Brazen as an EDC knife. Definitely go check out the Brazen, or any of the other Civivi’s. I was not disappointed.

Firearms Insider Reviews - 8 Key Points

Claim to Fame:

Quality EDC folding knife

Target Market:

Anyone wanting a quality folding knife under $50

FNBs (Features & Benefits of this product):

  • Overall Length: 7.98" / 202.7mm

  • Blade Length: 3.46" / 88mm

  • Closed Length: 4.52" / 114.7mm

  • Blade Thickness: 0.12" / 3mm

  • Handle Thickness: 0.47" / 12mm

  • Weight: 3.76oz / 106.7g

  • Blade Material: 14C28N

  • Blade Hardness: 58-60HRC

  • G10 Handles

  • Stainless Steel Liner

  • Tip up, Left or Right, deep pocket clip

  • Pivot: Caged Ceramic Ball Bearing

  • Made in China

What other aesthetic options or finishes are available?

Different blade steels, shapes, and handle colors

What others are saying?:

5/5 stars on Amazon

 Smooooth!

No blade play. Stupid sharp. Very fast. Love the tip up. A bit bigger IRL found it to be a bit overkill size but legal in MN. It's just as fast as assisted opening knives without a safety. I didn't buy it in black to seem less tactical and scary to women but honestly I got an odd look for using it on the packaging I carry it for. Only downside is I'm not a fan of CCP China. All things considered it's no Chinese knockoff and is in the realm of Benchmade or higher end SOG's I've carried. Overall really happy, no lie it's build quality rivals Benchmade Barrage, Griptilian, and Sog Trident all day long.

Link to other reviews:

Neeves Knives on YoutTube

Price point:

MSRP = $58.60

Retail = $49.80 on Amazon

I need it now! Availability:

Civivi or Amazon

Our Rating:

Pros:

  • Super smooth operation

  • Flipper works great

  • Sharp

  • Thumb studs

  • Deep carry clip

Cons:

  • Liner lock is a little thin

  • No semi-serrated option

Score: 8.50 Great

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Favorite Link:  LA Police Gear

Primary Arms GLX 2x prism w/ACSS Gemini 9mm reticle

  When Primary Arms offered to send their new GLx 2x prism sight out for review, I jumped at the chance. I had been looking for something to put on my 16” pistol caliber carbine, and this sounded perfect, especially since it was specifically designed for a 9mm PCC. This prism scope uses Primary Arms’ popular ACSS reticle with daylight bright illumination. The GLx prism is something different, that works quite well.

 The GLx 2x prism has numerous features. All of which make it a great optic. The first is the ACSS Gemini reticle. This reticle was designed for the 9mm Luger cartridge in a pistol caliber carbine. The simple explanation of the ACSS reticle is that it’s an upside down horseshoe shaped circle with a center triangle aiming point. It also has ballistic drop compensation (BDC) built into the reticle. Below the reticle is a target ranging ladder. The horseshoe also acts as an 8.6 mph lead when shooting moving targets. I do wish the reticle had some sort of hash marks, on the horseshoe, to keep it lined up with the aiming point, when leading a target. The bullet drops and ranging are best described by Primary Arms’ diagrams. Sighting adjustments are done with capped turrets. Once unscrewed, the caps can be turned over to adjust the windage and elevation in 0.25” MOA increments.

  Primary Arms uses multi coated low dispersion glass in the GLx. This glass gives the optic great clarity. I found that the view through the GLx is super bright and clear. The etched reticle is also very clear and defined. This is probably due to an adjustable diopter for getting the reticle perfectly clear and adjusted to your eyes. Because the GLx is a prism sight, there is eye relief. Primary Arms states the optimal eye relief is 3.7” from the optic. I found that the GLx is very forgiving in the eye relief department. I get a good sight picture with my eye only an inch away and all the way out at around 6 inches of eye relief. The reticle is still very clear and usable at both extremes.

  The GLx’s illuminated reticle has 11 brightness settings. The first 3 can be used with night vision devices. The highest 2 are what is called “daylight bright”, and are bright enough to be used in bright sunlight. Yes, the reticle shines a bright red, even in direct sunlight. However only the horseshoe and aiming triangle are illuminated. The BDC and ranging portions are not. Because of the nature of prism sights, if you have an astigmatism, the illumination will not “starburst” out like a normal red dot will. My only complaint about the illumination is the adjustment dial, the detent clicks are mushy feeling and not crisp at all.

  Battery life can be a concern for some people. Primary Arms gave the GLx what they call “AUTOLIVE” motion sensing technology. This greatly improves battery life from the single CR2032 battery. How you might ask? Well, it automatically shuts off the illumination after 3 minutes of inactivity and turns it back on when motion is detected. They say this gives a battery life of approximately 20,000 hours on the medium settings. The Autolive works extremely well. Everytime I pick up the rifle, the reticle is on. I tested the off function also, and it does turn the reticle off after around 3 minutes of sitting idle on a bench. I have left the reticle turned on for most of its life here, without any problems. Plus, if the battery does go dead, the GLx still has an etched reticle for you to use.

  Some people might wonder why the GLx prism comes in a fixed 2 power. The fixed 2x gives a little better target identification. But it also still gives the shooter an option to shoot with both eyes open. It barely took me any time to get used to it. I found the GLx to be just as quick, transitioning from target to target, as my previously mounted red dot. Having twice the magnification, plus the ACSS reticle, made the longer shots easier also. I was consistently hitting a 12” steel plate at 200 yards using the BDC portion of the reticle. For close targets, I just put the triangle on the target and pressed the trigger. If you want more precision, on close targets, one can use the top point of the triangle. 

  The GLx sight comes with all the mounting hardware needed. For one, it comes with three spacers to get the correct optic height for your carbine. It also uses standard mini ACOG bases, so if you don’t like the supplied mounting options, you can choose someone else's mount. Primary Arms also supplies various screws for the mounting of the spacers and for other styles of mounts. A little tube of Vibra-Tite (thread locker), wrenches, and a cleaning cloth are also included.

  I wouldn’t consider the GLx 2x prism to be on the large size for this type of optic. It leans toward the smaller side, but still larger than most of the red dots of today. The GLx is not a red dot, but I am using them as a comparison for size. Total length comes in at 5.3 inches. The total width is 2.3” inches because of the battery and brightness adjustment. Otherwise the tube is about 1.5 inches in diameter. Total height without any spacers is roughly 2 inches. It does weigh 11 ounces, so about twice what their 1x micro prism weighs, but the same as some other 1x prism sights. I thought the size and weight were about right for all the features the GLx has to offer.

  The Primary Arms GLx 2x prism works very well for its intended purpose on a 9mm PCC. I really like the AUTOLIVE feature. The 2x is a good all around magnification for a 9mm rifle. The ACSS reticle is clear, easy to use, and packed with features. I would definitely check out Primary Arms’ optic line. They did a very good job on the GLx with the Gemini reticle.


Firearms Insider Reviews - 8 Key Points

Claim to Fame:

2x prism optic with horseshoe style ACSS Gemini reticle

Target Market:

PCC shooters that want something more than a red dot

FNBs (Features & Benefits of this product):

  • ACSS etched reticle

  • 2x fixed power

  • 11 brightness settings

  • Night Vision setting

  • Daylight bright red illumination 

  • AutoLive motion activation

  • 20,000 hr battery life

  • Uses 1 CR 2032 battery

  • 5.3” long

  • Weight - 11.0 ounces

  • 3.7” optimal eye relief

  • 0.25 MOA adjustments

  • FOV - 42ft @ 100yds

  • Low, Med., & High spacers included

  • Mini ACOG mounting interface

  • IP67 waterproof - 1 meter for 30 minutes

What other aesthetic options or finishes are available?

5.56/.308/5.45 BDC, 7.62x39/300 BO BDC, 

What others are saying?:

5/5 stars @ primaryarms.com

SHOCKINGLY AMAZING OPTIC

For a CZ Scorpion, this optic is perfect. As a member of the old eyes club, if its not a Prism sight, I can't see as clear as I need to, so red dots are off the table. I have tried many red dots, and they have a snowflake image when I look through them and they are 1X, so a 2X is much better for my needs. This optic is extremely clear. This is not quite a Trijicon, but at 1/3rd the price and with the ACSS Gemini 9mm Reticle, this is a fantastic optic, especially for PCC's. When they come out with a 3X GLX, I will buy it too.

Link to other reviews:

Nothing found on the 9mm version

Price point:

MSRP = $369.99

I need it now! Availability:

Primary Arms

Our Rating:

Pros:

  • AutoLive activation

  • Battery life

  • Clear optics

  • Etched reticle

  • ACSS reticle

Cons:

  • Brightness knob detents are mushy

  • Has Eye Relief, unlike a red dot

  • Weight

Score: 8.00 Great

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Primary Arms is a sponsor of the Gun and Gear review podcast. This has no bearing on the review. It was rated on its merits and not the sponsorship.

The Classic Ruger Security 6

By Rusty Odom

The Ruger Security 6

The Ruger Security Six has a long lasting place in my mind, it was the first magnum revolver I ever fired and probably what sent me on the path of firearms in general. My father carried a Security 6 for as long as I can remember. His was a 6” barrel version, he loved it. After his day of shooting I always got to clean it, this is where I learned how to take it down all the way to the frame. The coolest part was I didn't need any tools to do it and I got to tactically fondle the revolver. 

So now to present time, I was at a local gun store/pawn shop looking around to see what was laying around when I went to the end of the counter, and there it was, a four inch version of my Dad’s gun. It was glowing from under the scratched finger print covered glass counter. I stood there patiently waiting until it was my time to be served. When I got it out the first thing I noticed was that it was sporting a pair of Pachmayr grips, the lock up was tight, the cylinder came right out with just the right amount of pressure after releasing the latch. It rotated smoothly and was concentric. The old gun had just a bit of holster wear on the barrel and the frame. No rust was noticed anywhere on it. The cylinder still had a lot of bluing on the business end and appeared to not have been fired a whole lot. 

Now it is history time for this line of Ruger revolvers. These are all double action revolvers, introduced in 1972 and ran until 1988. They were designed to be issued to law enforcement, military and personal defense. The Security 6 came in a variety of calibers, barrel lengths and two different finishes, blue and stainless. Barrel lengths ran 2,75”, 3”, 4” and 6”  Ruger made these in 38 S&W, 38 Special, 357 Magnum and 9mm Luger. They all had a 6 round cylinder and adjustable sights. These revolvers were medium sized and were designed to be a competitor to the Smith Model 19 and the Colt Trooper. Ruger essentially built a heavy duty large frame revolver in a medium size that weighed 33.6 ounces in the 4” model. The top strap of the Security 6 was thicker than that of the Smith, a larger cylinder and a barrel shank. They were able to design the lockup to be beefier and leave more metal to support the weaker parts of other guns. The best part of these guns were they didn't have side plates, Which made it stronger and to take it apart for service, no tools were needed. The hammer spring is a coil spring instead of the old leaf spring design. All of the barrels on the “6” were all bull barrels with a vent rib with Baughman front sight pinned in. The rear sights were adjustable. The Security 6 was the first revolver to incorporate the hammer transfer bar safety system. There were several spin offs of this revolver including the Speed Six and Service Six. If you didn't know by now this is the grandpappy of the modern GP 100 series of guns. 

The Security 6 was issued to a number of government agencies including the US Postal service, INS, and the Border Patrol. It rode in the classic basket weave holsters of hundreds of police departments across the nation, one reason was it was cheaper than its competitors and it was a tank. It could handle a steady diet of the heaviest 357 magnums without having to have parts replaced. 

With my “6” I went online and ordered an original pair of wood grips, bought a Triple K holster, and two speed loader pouches. I primarily carry mine when I am out in the woods and during deer and bear hunting season. I reload for it and I push a lot of heavy match grade hard cast bullets out of it as well as Buffalo Bore 180 grain out to 1400 fps. I wouldn't do this with a Smith, at all. It is an accurate handgun, it fits well in the hands. The wood grips do hurt a bit with the heavier loads but it is still controllable with a good grip. With practice 50 yard shots free hand on 6 inch steel plates is easy, and with a proper rest and practice 100 yard shots can be done. The latter should only be done with a lot of practice and the right conditions. 

For personal defense this gem will not let you down. A good holster, a thick belt and you should be good to go. There are so many different load choices for the 357 magnum and of course you can shoot 38 special for those that are recoil sensitive. If you are lucky enough to find one in 9mm or a 3” barrel model you will have found a rare jewel. So I guess what I am getting at is to not look over the used gun section of the gun stores. You might find your gem in the rough just sitting there.  Do not ever hesitate to use a revolver as a primary weapon, if you train with it. They will sling lead all day and will in my opinion might make you a better shooter because of the amount of ammo you have loaded and mastering the double action trigger pull.   

Firearms Insider Reviews - 8 Key Points

Claim to Fame:

Robust medium size revolver

Cheaper than competitors

Good history with law enforcement

Target Market:

First time gun buyers after the Covid panic buying

Range gun

Home defense gun

Handgun hunters

Wheel gun lovers

FNBs (Features & Benefits of this product):

  • Can handle a steady diet of high pressure magnum loads

  • Tool less takedown

  • Adjustable sights

  • Beefier cylinder

  • Full underlug barrel

What other aesthetic options or finishes are available?

38 SW, 3.8 Special, 9mm luger, 357 magnum

Stainless steel and blue

Various barrel sizes

Link to other reviews:

https://www.americanrifleman.org/content/a-look-back-at-the-ruger-security-six-revolver/

Price point:

No longer manufactures, but can be had from $275 and up

I need it now! Availability:

Check local gun stores, pawn shops and online retailers

Our Rating:

Pros:

  • Pointability

  • Solid frame with no side plates

  • Stronger lock up

  • Tool less takedown

  • Adjustable sights

Cons:

  • A bit on the heavy side

  • Lack of holster options

  • Not made anymore

Score: 8.50 Great

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Freedom Wolf 80% frame

  The 80% frame market is super hot right now. When Lone Wolf came out with their 80% Freedom Wolf frame, I definitely wanted to try building one up. Especially since I am a fan of their Timberwolf frames. The Freedom Wolf frame is noticeably different from other 80% kits on the market. 

  As with most 80% kits, the Freedom Wolf comes with the tools needed to make a complete stripped frame. These include: the “Stencil” or Jig as most call it, Drill bits, front and rear rails, rail caps, 2 backstraps, a magazine well, and adhesive. Yes, that last one is glue, don’t worry, it works way better than I imagined it would. Having a flat and curved backstrap is a pretty nice option in an 80% frame kit, as is the removable magwell.

  There are instructions online on how to machine/assemble the Freedom Wolf. So I’ll give the quicker run down. First, remove the piece of plastic where the locking block goes, just pull it out with pliers. Next remove the 2 tabs, where the locking block goes, with pliers. Then, VERY CAREFULLY, dremel the tabs down flush with the inside of the frame. This was probably the most tedious part for me to do. Now install the “Stencil” and put the whole thing in a vice. Drill the holes as stated. Now dremel out the dust cover pieces and the tabs in the recoil spring area. 

  Now that that part is done, we move onto the gluing of the rails. This is what seemed odd to me, but it worked out fine. There are 2 front rails and 2 rear rails, both with rail caps. The rear rail caps are left and right specific. Now get a small paint brush or 2, steal them from your kids, or go buy some. They will be unusable when finished. Paint some of the supplied adhesive on the rail pockets. Slide the rails into these pockets with the rail facing out. Then apply more adhesive to the outside of the rails, along with some on the rail caps. Push together firmly until the glue sets. Now wait 48 hours minimum before doing anything else with the frame. After that you can assemble the frame. You’ll need a parts kit with a locking block and a gen 4 magazine catch. The gluing is different, but it works well.

  I ordered one of the Lone Wolf parts kits for the Freedom Wolf. It’s just easier since it comes with all the correct parts for this frame. I installed the parts kit and put a gen 3 slide on the frame. Almost every time I would release the slide, the pistol would fire the striker. Or, if I slowly released the trigger, when it hit the reset, it would fire. Not good. I installed a different slide, which made it worse. The Lite Slide from Strike Industries seemed to work the best on this frame. I then tried a different disconnector, that helped a little. Next a different trigger bar. You get the idea. Finally I had figured out which parts worked and which didn’t. After hours, the pistol now functions correctly about 90% of the time. It appears that the rear rails on the Freedom Wolf frame sit up higher than they should. This causes the striker to not be held with as much surface area of the trigger bar. Causing it to fall off when the slide is released. If the trigger housing pin hole had been drilled off, by me, then the housing would set up higher, actually making this less of a problem. I did try to bend the rear rails down slightly, with no luck. But it did reinforce the fact that the adhesive is top notch stuff.

  Even with all of the problems I had, the pistol does shoot well. At least now that I got it to somewhat work properly. The frame is super comfortable. It is much smaller than the Polymer 80 or factory Glock frames. So people with smaller hands might like this better. Of the 4 slides I tried on the Freedom Wolf, all fit snug with very little play. 

  If you really want to challenge yourself building an 80% frame, the Freedom Wolf might be just the thing. I didn’t have good luck with the one they sent out for review. At least we know they didn’t hand pick it. I understand it’s an 80% frame, I was just hoping for something that worked better. Lone Wolf makes some awesome stuff. I love my Timber Wolf complete frame. The Freedom Wolf, not so much. So go check out some of the other great stuff Lone Wolf makes.

Firearms Insider Reviews - 8 Key Points

Claim to Fame:

80% compact Lone Wolf frame - “Glock 19” size

Target Market:

Anyone wanting to build their own pistol

FNBs (Features & Benefits of this product):

  • Accepts Gen3 or Gen4 G19/23/32/38 slides (via dust cover adapter)

  • Fits in standard Glock® 19 holsters

  • Extended beavertail designed to disperse recoil impulse

  • Ambidextrous reversible Gen4 style magazine catch

  • Undercut trigger guard for higher grip placement

  • No finger grooves

  • 2 back strap sizes

  • Removable magwell

  • Fixture, drills, glue, and slide rails are all included

What other aesthetic options or finishes are available?

Nothing

What others are saying?:

3 Stars on MidwayUSA

needs a better jig

I bought this because of the slimmer grip and I wanted to see how the build process differed from that of the polymer80. the stencil as they call it, instead of jig, does in my opinion not hold the frame securely enough. as i drilled my holes I could see the frame rocking in the stencil. I can see now that the locking block pin hole is now more of an oval and when inserting a rod through the trigger pin hole I can see it is not at a 90 degree angle to the frame. the build quick. the whole process only took about 10 min. that is mostly due to that fact the you don't need to cut a channel for the guide rod and no cutting off the extra polymer from the rail area. all in all it turned out ok, but should have a better jig.

4 Stars on MidwayUSA

Nice frame, parts support is lacking

The good: I really like the ergonomics and feel of this frame. I really like how it goes together - it is more like an OEM Glock and less like a Polymer 80. I have 2 Polymer 80 pistols and I like this one better. I like the jig. I followed the instructions including use of a drill press and drill press clamp. It went great! I think it will be awesome once I finish it. The bad: I've finished my frame, but I have yet to complete it because I cannot get lower parts. First, the locking block is a special part from Lone Wolf, part number LWD-4361. They are backordered from Lone Wolf and I can't find them anywhere else. A Glock 19 OEM locking block won't fit without modifying the frame in addition to what the instructions say. I emailed Lone Wolf and recommended that I wait for their parts to be available, which might be a couple months. The mag release and trigger housing are Gen 4 parts, while the remaining parts are Gen 3. So, you can't buy a gen 3 parts kit and expect it to work. I am waiting for the backordered Lone Wolf parts kit that I ordered. Once parts are available, I think these will be the best 80 percent Glock lowers on the market.

Link to other reviews:

Nothing Found

Price point:

MSRP = $174.95

Retail = $149.95 at Brownells

I need it now! Availability:

Lone Wolf or Brownells

Our Rating: 

Pros:

  • Same size as their TimberWolf frame

  • Fits most Glock 19 holsters

  • Drill bits and Jig included

  • Comes with 2 size backstraps

  • Comes with oversized magwell

  • Gen 3 or 4 slide compatibility

Cons:

  • Not 100% Safe

  • Jig doesn’t fit well

  • Needs a drill press instead of a hand drill

  • Glue dries quickly during assembly

  • Waiting 48 hours for glue to fully cure

Score: 5.00 Mediocre

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Midwest Firearm Solutions X-wing Themed Cerakote

  Usually when I think of Cerakote, I think camouflage, or something like that. Well, cerakote can be anything you can think of. Midwest Firearm Solutions is just one of those places that can make your cerakote dreams come true. I gave them the task of figuring out how to make an AR pistol look like an X-Wing from the Star Wars franchise. They managed to do it!

  If you are new to firearms coatings, I’ll try to give you a quick rundown. Cerakote is a thin film coating. Because of this, it lends itself well to firearms. It does this because it doesn’t build up like typical paints. This helps to keep all of the firearms parts working as they should. Another advantage of Cerakote is its chemical resistance. So gun cleaning solvents and such won’t cause it to melt off. It is abrasion and wear resistant. A good thing for moving firearm parts. Lastly, it adds a level of corrosion resistance that is better than most factory firearm finishes. Plus it looks cool.

  Midwest Firearm Solutions coated the entire AR pistol to look like a X-Wing fighter from Star Wars movies. They started with a Snow White base coat. Added on some Graphite Black to give the pistol a “blasted” look, typical of the X-Wings you might see. The top rail portion is Cerakoted NRA Blue and it matches the striping of the fighter well. There are some yellow accent colors on the “nose” of the forearm, as well as the buffer tube and magazine. These are in Corvette Yellow. The small parts of the AR, including the barrel, are coated in Gunmetal Gray. They also did some small “rebel” markings in Firehouse Red. When seen, side by side next to a X-Wing picture or model, you can definitely tell that Midwest Firearm Solutions did some stellar work!

 Being that the AR is cerakoted, I am sure the finish will hold up well. Even though I try to be gentle with this firearm, it has been used. So far, not even a minor scratch in the coating. If I do scratch it up, this design lends itself to not show imperfections because of the “blasted up” look.

  When doing patterns with spray on coatings, there can be some problems that arise. The most notable, to me, is seam lines. These happen where the pattern changes. Midwest Firearm Solutions does not have this problem. Their attention to detail provides beautiful, seamless, transitions between colors and patterns. The quality of the coated small parts is excellent also. The Gunmetal Gray, of the small parts and barrel, really stands out. This color gives it almost a sparkled industrial look. You really have to see it to understand.

   The X-Wing gun, as I call it, is really only for fun. Having firearms coated can be that way. Or you can go for something that is actually useful, like certain types of camouflage. Another option is just to restore an old firearm to like new standards. The days of only having one color are gone, unless that is what you are looking for. Midwest Firearm solutions can supply you with a fantastic coating. Either simple, or out of this world.

  Midwest Firearm Solutions is a top notch Cerakote applicator. This X-Wing gun turned out awesome. So good that I might need a themed pistol to go with it! MFS also does laser engraving along with tons of other stuff. Check out their website at https://www.midwestfirearmsolutions.com/ to see all the great stuff they have to offer.

Firearms Insider Reviews - 8 Key Points

Claim to Fame:

Custom Cerakote coatings

Target Market:

Anyone wanting to change the look of their firearm

FNBs (Features & Benefits of this product):

  • Customer designs ideas are unlimited

  • Durable

  • Chemical resistant

  • Protects firearm from the elements

  • Various color options

  • Thin film - doesn’t build up and stop firearm from working

  • Cerakote trained and certified

What other aesthetic options or finishes are available?

Pretty much anything you can imagine

What others are saying?:

From FaceBook

Tristan did a fantastic job with the cerakote for my slide. Wouldn’t go anywhere else for the quality, price, and friendliness!

Link to other reviews:

Nothing found, but lots of mini reviews at Cerakote.com

Price point:

MSRP = $600.00

Retail = Base rifle color - $225, Each additional color - $65 each, small parts are extra

I need it now! Availability:

Midwest Firearm Solutions

Our Rating:

Pros:

  • Certified Cerakote applicator

  • Can do almost any idea you have

  • Looks amazing

  • Cerakote seams are almost not noticeable

Cons:

  • Cerakote jobs like this aren’t cheap

Score: 9.00 Amazing

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Favorite Link:  Axeon Optics

Timney Alpha Competition Glock Trigger

  Timney is well known for their rifle triggers, so when they first came out with the Alpha Competition Glock trigger, I was definitely intrigued. All the hype said it was similar to a single action, but with a Glock twist. Once I had it in hand, that description was pretty spot on. 

  Installation of the Alpha trigger is pretty straight forward. Everything needed comes in the box, as one would expect. If you are not comfortable with the trigger install, take it to a reputable gunsmith. A nice set of paper instructions is included. I like paper instructions. I can set them on the workbench to look at them, unlike on-line instructions. There are two differences in the trigger install over a standard style trigger. The first is the trigger receiver. This goes inside the pistol's trigger housing and locks in place with a screw. A different trigger return spring is also used. This is an “L” shaped spring that installs on the left side of the trigger. This style of spring also allows the trigger to fully reset forward, even if the striker has not been reset.

  Enough about the install, let’s get into the trigger itself. Say goodbye to the factory plastic trigger, the Timney Alpha is made from anodized aluminum. The trigger shoe is a flat face design and anodized black. It is also chamfered on each side of the face. This leads to a very comfortable feel of the trigger shoe. The slightly wider trigger safety, anodized in red, also has a unique feature. Besides sticking out a little more than some trigger safeties, it is slightly curved outward. Why? I am not sure, but it seems to not pinch my finger like a factory trigger does. Once depressed, it still sits flush with the trigger shoe. To also smooth everything out, it comes with a nickel teflon coated trigger bar and sear.

   The Timney Apha Competition trigger is the best feeling, Glock style, trigger I currently have. The trigger pull breaks at 3 lbs, consistently. And that’s with a “drop in” trigger. The initial take up is around 0.200”. This is adjustable through a set screw at the top of the trigger. I have it adjusted as far in as possible while still allowing the trigger safety to function properly. Then you come up against that wonderful wall. Which then takes around 0.100” to pull through. Then about 0.075” over travel, which is not adjustable. The reset is very tactile. No mushy resets with the Alpha Competition trigger. So the feel is - take up, wall, crisp clean trigger break, slight overtravel, reset. Since the striker is fully cocked back with the Timney trigger, that is why it has such a short trigger break. Essentially taking the “Safe Action” to a safe “single action”. 

  I have the Timney in a full size Polymer 80 with a compensator and red dot. Which is perfect for this competition trigger, I would not recommend this trigger for a duty or carry gun. But Timney specifically calls it a “Competition” trigger, and that is probably why. 

  This Alpha Competition trigger shoots and feels fantastic. When shooting the pistol, I don’t even notice the initial take up, it is that smooth. The 3lb pull and crisp break allow for fast accurate shot placement. The great reset allows me to get faster follow up shots and split times. The trigger is almost everything I want in a competition trigger. My only complaint would be that the initial take up is too long. Other than that, this thing is a great trigger upgrade for your “Glock” style pistol.

  Timney did a bang up job with the Alpha Competition Glock Trigger. They essentially made a drop in single action style trigger for competition use. The price is great at $150 for a drop in trigger system. It has great features and will probably make your pistol shoot great. I’m definitely going to recommend the Timney trigger to anyone who asks about a Glock competition trigger upgrade.

Firearms Insider Reviews - 8 Key Points

Claim to Fame:

Complete 3 lb trigger system for Glock pistols

Target Market:

Competition shooters

FNBs (Features & Benefits of this product):

  • Teflon nickel (NP3) - trigger bar and sear (this process virtually eliminates friction, allowing for an extremely smooth feel) 

  • Crisp trigger break

  • Straight aluminum trigger with safety blade (anodized)

  • Uses all stock Glock parts and springs

  • COMPATIBLE WITH STOCK GLOCK PISTOLS.

  • FITS GEN 3: G17, G17L, G19, G22, G24, G23, G34, G35

  • GEN 4: G17, G19, G22, G23, G34, G35

What other aesthetic options or finishes are available?

For Gen 5 Glocks

What others are saying?:

5 Stars at Brownells

GREAT TRIGGER!

I just got this trigger in and put it in my G19, and it was good enough that I felt like I needed to get on here and write my first review. It breaks exactly at 3 pounds, and it feels way better than any of my other upgraded triggers. Very smooth and clean break. Install is a little different than the others, but it took me less than 5 minutes (they included tools). This trigger is definitely the way I'll be going for all my builds from now on. 100% recommend

Link to other reviews:

Tactical Considerations on Youtube

Price point:

MSRP = $149.99

Retail = $149.95 at Brownell’s or Primary Arms

I need it now! Availability:

Timney, Brownells, or Primary Arms

Our Rating:

Pros:

  • Drop-in

  • Trigger pull weight of 3 lbs

  • Crisp trigger break

  • Great trigger reset

  • Price

  • Flat face trigger shoe

Cons:

  • Too much take up

  • No option for carry/duty gun

Score: 9.00 Amazing

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Favorite Link:  Matador Arms

Defense Mechanisms 2 point Sling

  Defense Mechanisms (DM for short) is a newer company that makes quality gear and tactical products. DM is a company that likes to improve on existing technology. One of their products is a 2-point rifle sling. Yes, they improved upon the Vickers style sling and improved it’s functionality.

  If you use a long gun for any amount of time, you realize that you need a sling. A sling can be a simple way to wear your rifle from point A to point B. Or it can be an added support, to help stabilize a rifle, especially in non standard shooting positions. Either way, DM’s sling has you covered for just about any situation where a sling is needed. 

  Defense Mechanisms sling looks quite simple, and it is. But it has so many other functions that really set it ahead of the rest. Being a Vickers style sling, it has a quick adjustment “handle” at the front of the sling. This makes for effortless and quick adjustments in length. You can pull it shorter to make the rifle fit tight up against your chest, then quickly pull the handle to loosen it up and get into a shooting position. This pull tab handle sits out from the rifle, making it easier to locate than the flatter style seen on a lot of 2 point slings. If your hand is on the handguard, it just kind of naturally runs into the adjuster, at least that’s how it felt to me.

  The DM Sling is made from quality materials. It uses a 1” wide webbing that is extremely strong and doesn’t stretch like some of the less expensive ones. When I first looked at the webbing, I was concerned that it may be uncomfortable on the skin. To my surprise, it is more comfortable than I expected. It’s still a tad bit rough on my skin, but all slings are that way to some extent. The comfort is still a bonus when wearing a rifle sling all day long. Since the webbing doesn’t stretch, it makes for an extremely strong, and tight sling when in use. A tight sling equals a tight support. The sling can also be had in a variety of colors and patterns. I opted for MultiCam Tropic, mainly because it looks better in photos for the review, plus I like it.

  An option when purchasing the DM sling is QD swivels. I opted for the QD swivels. I wanted to see what the sling was like when completely outfitted from DM. The swivels are good quality. They are the half curved style, which work well when quickly adjusting the sling. Plus, since they are QD, the sling is easy to take off or move to different mounting positions.

  Storage of a sling, when on a firearm, is always problematic. DM has essentially cured this problem with the addition of built in storage straps. I will say, this is my favorite aspect of the sling. By sewing on, and putting elastic webbing (keepers) around the sling, DM has managed to make the sling tightly storable on the firearm. This allows the sling to be tight up against the side of the firearm and out of the way. Depending on where the sling is mounted, it also gives complete access to the safety and trigger of an AR style rifle, without the sling getting in the way! Having use of the rifle before engaging the sling, can be very useful, especially if leaving a vehicle in a hurry. To aid in the stowage of the sling, DM attached a pull “dongle”. This dongle aids in pulling the sling through the elastic keepers and works quite well. If you run the dongle back through the keeper, it also functions as a pull handle to yank the sling out of the keepers and back normal (meaning no longer in the storage configuration). Please go check out DM’s instructions, https://defensemechanisms.com/rifle-sling/ , on how to stow the sling, they have pictures and explanations that are way better than I can explain.

  Since we are in an ammunition slump, most of the sling use was in dry fire practice. Don’t get me wrong, dry practice with a sling is extremely important. I got so much better at using a sling when practicing with the DM sling! I was fortunate enough to have some real range time with the sling. I ran it with transition drills, from the stowed option, and from being tight up against my chest. In all of the cases, the DM sling performed great. It was easy to quickly adjust the length when it was tight up against my chest. Quick to pull it back tight too. When working from the sling stowed position, I was able to use the rifle as intended. Because of where the sling is mounted on my rifle, it slightly covers the safety selector. I wasn’t keen on this, but during use, it didn’t seem to affect manipulation of the controls. The sling dongle also made it easily return to the normal sling use position. All in all, the Defense Mechanisms sling works well

  The Defense Mechanisms 2 point sling is a nice option. I was pleased with how well it functions. The built in storage capability is a huge addition and keeps you from having to purchase other pieces to do the same thing. It has plenty of pattern options to match your gear preference. At $40, it is priced superbly for what you get. So if you are looking at a useful 2 point sling, go check out Defense Mechanisms.


Firearms Insider Reviews - 8 Key Points

Claim to Fame:

Fast adjustable 2 point sling with containment features

Target Market:

Anyone needing a 2 point rifle sling

FNBs (Features & Benefits of this product):

  • 1” wide Webbing

  • Captured adjustment tab for quick indexing and adjustment

  • Minimalist design

  • Elastic keepers for easy stowage

  • Pull dongle for easy release from self storage

  • Optional QD swivels

What other aesthetic options or finishes are available?

Black, Ranger Green, Coyote, Multicam, Multicam Arid, Multicam Black, Woodland, Wolf Grey

What others are saying?:

5/5 Stars - JC at DefenseMechanisms

I have a lot of slings and as far as functionality this is hands down the best one I have. The self storage issue is one that has plagued me for years. Defense Mechanisms got this right!!! Affordable price as well. I will be telling everyone I know about this sling.

Link to other reviews:

GunMagWarehouse

Price point:

MSRP = $40.00

As Tested = $55.00 (extra $15 is for QD sling swivels)

I need it now! Availability:

Defense Mechanisms

Our Rating:

Pros:

  • Built in storage

  • Easy to use adjustment slider

  • QD swivels

  • Rapid release from storage

  • Strong webbing

Cons:

  • 1” wide (I like slightly wider)

  • When stored, can cover some controls

Score: 8.50 Great

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Favorite Link:  Atibal Optics

XS Minimalist Night Sights

  XS sights released their new Minimalist night sights a few months back. If you haven’t noticed, I am a big fan of their standard style night sights, these are no different. The new Minimalist sights are just that, minimal. The name, however, does not give the sights justice, as they are really much more than minimalist.

  XS calls these sights Minimalist because only the front sight has tritium. Tritium is the isotope that causes the dot, in the center of the sight, to glow. The rear sight does not have any tritium, it is a basic style, squared notch, rear sight. I’ll discuss the front and rear sights separately to keep things simple.

  The front sight on the XS Minimalist series is really where all the super cool stuff happens. As noted, it holds the tritium so that a dot on the front sight can glow in low, or no light. But XS also put an orange ring of photoluminescence around the tritium dot. This does two things. One, it makes for a great front sight during regular daytime. But two, because it has XS’s “Ember Glow Dot” - photoluminescent, it glows if you hit it with a flashlight. The Ember Glow Dot can also help in situations where a regular tritium only dot will wash out.

Normal - Daytime

After shining flashlight on sight - Daytime

Low Light

  The rear sight, on the XS Minimalist, is not as fancy as the front, but it still has a lot of features. The most notable, is the serrations. These are tiny lines cut horizontally on the face of the rear sight. The serrations cut down on ambient light glare, as well as flashlight glare. This makes it easier to pick up, and see, the front sight. It is also slightly angled downward to help with glare. The other end of the rear sight is squared off to aid in one handed slide manipulations. As initially noted, the rear sight is your standard square notch style.

Total darkness - front sight after “Ember Glow” charged up slightly

  The XS Minimalist sights work very well. They worked perfectly on the G43 I mounted them on. The standard post front and square rear is just how I like them. When sighting down them, there is a little bit of light between the edges of the rear and the front sight, just like I prefer. Basically, I get a really good sight picture during the day and during low light. During the day, that orange dot draws your eye straight to it, making target transitions easier, at least they were for me. During low light, you can see the tritium dot glowing green, and it’s pretty bright. Of course, in darkness, all you see is the green dot, which is why you need some sort of light to identify your target. If using a handheld light, it is really easy to light up the Ember Glow Dot, just with the spill from the light. Then you have that glow around the tritium glow, so kind of the best of both low light sighting systems. Since some sort of light is always needed, the blacked out rear doesn’t cause any sort of problem for me. If you are unsure about it, XS makes plenty of other style night sights. But let’s face it, most of our shooting is done in some sort of light. The Minimalist’s are not available in a taller version for use with red dot sights, but after all, they kind of hint to it in the name,

  Installation of the Minimalist sights is straightforward. Just push or tap out the old rear and unscrew the old front. Put some of the supplied threadlocker on both front and rear sights. Since they are made from steel, just push in the rear with a punch or sight pusher. Set the front sight in, and then tighten the screw to specification. Then wipe off the excess thread locker and let sit. Then take it to the range and go shoot.

  So if you're in the market for a simple night sight option, the XS Minimalist’s might be it. I even like them as just standard sights. The price is good, they are made in the USA, and they come with a “no questions asked” warranty. The warranty is so good, that I lost a front sight once, and they sent me a new one. So definitely go check out the XS Sights product lines. 

Firearms Insider Reviews - 8 Key Points

Claim to Fame:

Minimalist Night Sights

Target Market:

Those wanting only a tritium dot on the front sight

FNBs (Features & Benefits of this product):

  • Tritium Powered Front Sight

  • Bright orange High-Contrast Front Sight

  • Ember Glow Dot - Photoluminescent dot absorb ambient light and glows in low light

  • Serrated anti-glare rear sight

  • Blacked-out Rear sight

  • Rear Sight Overhang and slight angle- Reduces rear sight glare in bright light for greater sight definition

  • Rear Sight Ledge for ease of use

  • Thread locker included

  • CNC Steel

  • Fits standard holster options

  • Made in USA

What other aesthetic options or finishes are available?

None, but plenty of other Night Sight options

What others are saying?:

5 stars on Amazon

 Quality at a reasonable price

Quality Sights at a fraction of the price. These sights are the best sights I’ve seen under 100 dollars.

Link to other reviews:

Mr GunsnGear youtube

Price point:

MSRP = $59.99

Retail = $59.99 on Amazon

I need it now! Availability:

Amazon or XS sights

Our Rating:

Pros:

  • Photoluminecent dot

  • Serrated rear sight

  • Squared off front, of rear sight, for easier manipulation

  • Price

  • Made in USA

Cons:

  • Front sight width can be too wide for some people

  • No taller option for use with red dot sights (at least in the Minimalist version)

Score: 8.50 Great

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Favorite Link:  Walker NERO

Onnais Safe

  I ran across the Onnais safe when I saw a friend had one. Being the curious type, I proceeded to have them send me one. I liked that the Onnais had both fingerprint and numerical code access. It can hold 1 large framed pistol comfortably, or 2 if they are Glock 17 size or smaller.

  The Onnais is pretty functional. As long as you don’t expect it to keep career criminals out. It’s all steel exterior is nicely finished. Although I would like a little stronger steel on the lid, more on that later. It is foam padded on the inside, not the thickest foam, but not bare metal either. The biometric sensor is easily accessible, as is the numerical keypad and key slot. The safe also comes with a wire cable to secure it to something strong. Or it also has 2 screws that can be used to mount it to a flat surface. The holes are pre drilled in the bottom of the safe for the screws, and a slot is at the rear corner for the cable.

  Setup on the Onnais is really easy. Install the 4 AA batteries, which are not included. Use the instructions to program a code in. The number code must be at least 5 digits and up to 10. Two keys are also included. The keys are actual keys, not the barrel type typically found on cheaper stuff. Then you can program fingerprints in. It allows up to 30 fingerprints. Because it is a biometric sensor, I recommend storing about 5 or so with each finger you plan to use. Do the sides, tip, etc of one finger, then the next, and so on. That way there is a better chance that the reader will read your finger under stress.

  One of the things I like about the Onnais safe is the triple opening options. Even though the biometric reader has a less than 1 second read time, sometimes the biometric sensor wont read your fingerprint. You then have 2 other options to open the safe. Let’s be honest here, biometric readers are cool, but they can still be unpredictable. Mine wont read my fingerprint if I have a cut on my finger, or if some skin has recently been roughened up on it. Get some dried super glue on your fingertip, and it just won't read it. But don’t worry, that code you entered will still work. Just type that code in, press “OK”, and the Onnais pops right open. The key is basically a backup for if the batteries die, at least for me. The fingerprint reader actually performed very good for me, minus when I had other problems noted above. I just switched fingers when it gave me the flashing red light, then it usually opened right up.

  To put the Onnais into perspective, I call it a rapid storage box. Partially because a “safe” implies a bit of work to get into. This Onnais is great if you want something to keep children or others from gaining access to your pistol and still have almost immediate access yourself. I wouldn’t hesitate to put this on a nightstand or something similar. But there is the question about breaking into it. You can pry the lid up by sliding a butterknife between the lid and the frame. Enough so that you can get something stronger into it and pry on it. Until either the lid bends, but more likely is that the plastic locking latch will break. I didn’t pry on it enough to break the latch, but I see how it is highly possible. It does flex the lid quite a bit when prying on it with the knife. 

  Another option to use the Onnais in, would be a car. I say this loosely, because it needs to be placed somewhere it can’t be seen, maybe a trunk. But, because of the supplied cable, it can be wrapped around a semi-permanent fixture, like a seat mounting base. If it gives you a safer storage option than “your car is not a holster”, when you run into some place like a post office, or federal building, then it may have just done its job. The Onnais is not water or air tight, so don’t plan on using it in a boat, if you get the idea.

  The Onnais safe is a good concept. If you need quick access to a firearm, it might be just the ticket. If you need to keep it super secure, it might not. I do like the “safe”. Having backups to backups, makes it function like a quick access safe should. If it is to keep honest people honest, then it would be a good little bedside safe. You can check it out on https://onnaisafe.com/ or Amazon if you're interested.

Firearms Insider Reviews - 8 Key Points

Claim to Fame:

Small storage case with fingerprint opening

Target Market:

Those wanting quick access to a handgun, but still a safe storage method

FNBs (Features & Benefits of this product):

  • 3 modes of access - Key, fingerprint, or code

  • Exterior is all steel

  • Holds 2 regular size pistols 

  • Exterior size - 11.49 x 9.17 x 3.07 inches

  • Interior size - 10.63x 6.69 x 2.91 inches

  • Weight - 5.8 lbs

  • Cable and mounting screws included

  • Uses 4 AA batteries - not included

  • 8-10 month battery life

What other aesthetic options or finishes are available?

Newer Version

What others are saying?:

1 star on Amazon

Butter knife can beat this safe

The locking mechanism is, believe it or not, plastic. A sturdy butter knife can break into this safe. Took me about 1 minute.

4 stars on Amazon

Well done for its intended purpose

The gun safe is well built with no sharp edges, and is easy to operate. It has enough room for two Glock 19-size handguns. The instructions are clear on how to add new codes and fingerprints. The only real down-sides I see are that the fingerprint reader can be finicky and the internal foam isn't very thick. It is clear that the intended purpose is to deter others and secure your guns, but it would not prevent a determined criminal from opening it. It would absolutely work for securing guns away from children.

Pros:

- Well built

- No sharp edges

- Button beeps can be disabled (still makes some noise when opening but is far quieter)

- No internal spring that "over-springs" the lid when opening

- Easy to use and setup

Cons:

- Internal foam seems a little thin

- Fingerprint reader can be picky if your finger is not placed on the sensor exactly as it was when you programmed it

Link to other reviews:

Nothing of any value found

Price point:

MSRP = $129.99

Retail = $119.99 on Amazon

I need it now! Availability:

Amazon or Onnais

Our Rating: 

Pros:

  • Multiple opening options (Key, Fingerprint, Code)

  • Decent size

  • Cable and mounting screws included

  • Stores up to 30 fingerprints

  • Quick access with fingerprint or keypad

  • Easily programmed

Cons:

  • Thin metal - Lid can be pried up with a pocket knife

  • Fingerprint reader can be finicky

  • Plastic latch, as noted in Amazon review - Can be broken fairly easy

Score: 6.50 Okay

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Patmos Arms Judah 43 slide

  JSD Supply has been selling 80% kits and supplies for some time now. They offer the Patmos Arms’ series of slides, as well as other parts. They kindly sent this complete Patmos Arms Judah 43 slide out to me. The Judah 43 is for a Glock 43 or 43x size pistol. I actually installed it on a SS80 kit from the Glockstore. It proceeded to work great on that little SS80 frame.

  As noted, the Judah 43 is for a Glock 43 sized pistol. This includes the actual G43 and G43x, along with the SS80 and other 80% slimline frames. The Judah 43 comes in 2 configurations, stripped and complete. This review is for the later, as it came with internal slide parts and a match grade barrel. It does not come with sights, though they did install a set of factory plastic sights for me. It uses any standard G43 sights.

  The Judah 43 is a very nice simple slide. It has front and rear cocking serrations. Both of which run perpendicular to the slide. All the exterior edges have large chamfers, so nothing is extremely sharp. The interior and exterior machining are super smooth. Very few, if any machine marks can be seen on the inside, and Zero machine marks can be seen on the outside. Lastly, the Black Nitride coating is top notch and should last a very long time. Even if it were to wear through the Nitride coating, the slide is manufactured from 416 Stainless Steel, so corrosion should never be a problem.

  When the complete Judah slide was received, I realized that the upper parts were not installed in the slide. Not a problem for me, more of a heads up for someone purchasing a Judah slide. The parts not being installed actually worked out better for the review, since I was able to assemble the slide with the parts provided. All the parts fit great and were easily installed. No loose or ill-fitting parts were noticed when the slide was assembled. 

  Being a complete slide, a match grade barrel was also included. The barrel fit tight in the slide, but not so tight that the slide didn’t function properly. The slide also fits nice and snug on the SS80 frame. I'm sure it would have the same fit on other frames as well. I don’t know if it’s the barrel, or the whole pistol/slide combo, but this little pistol build shoots fantastic. I didn’t put it on paper, but on my tiny A-zone steel, it was keeping shots on target out to 15 yards with no problem. 

  I did install a set of XS Minimalist sights onto the Judah 43. As expected, the front sight fit snug without any side to side play. The rear sight had the typical interference fit, so I had to use a sight pusher and a small punch to install it. It’s just another point of reference to the quality of the machining.

  After using this Judah 43 slide for some time, I can say it is great. It does exactly what I want it to do. It’s very accurate. The finish is nice and smooth. There are no sharp edges, except on the slide serrations. But those are not sharp, per say,  just squared off. My only complaint is that it does not come optics ready at this time. The Judah would be a great fit for an 80% build or to turn your Glock 48 into a 43x size pistol.

  So if you are looking for a great slide, check out the Judah series at JSD Supply. It’s a quality slide at a great price. It comes stripped or complete with a match grade barrel and parts. If you're building a G43 type pistol, you can’t go wrong with the Patmos Arms Judah 43 slide, or probably any of the other Judah slides as well.

  

Firearms Insider Reviews - 8 Key Points

Claim to Fame:

Complete slide for Glock 43 or 43x

Target Market:

Anyone wanting a slide for their Glock 43 or 43x build

FNBs (Features & Benefits of this product):

  • Stripped or complete options available (Complete slide was given for review)

  • 416 Stainless Steel

  • Nitride coated

  • Front and Rear cocking serrations

  • Match Grade Nitride barrel

  • Complete upper parts kit included

  • Fits Glock 43 and 43X

What other aesthetic options or finishes are available?

None, but also available for other Glock models

What others are saying?:

Nothing found

Link to other reviews:

Nothing substantial 

Price point:

MSRP = $149.99 stripped - $299.99 complete (as tested)

Retail = Same

I need it now! Availability:

JSD Supply

Our Rating:

Pros:

  • Price

  • Top notch machine work

  • Accurate

  • Front slide serrations

  • Nitride Coated Stainless Steel

Cons:

  • No option for red dot sight

  • Comes unassembled 

  • Plain looking

Score: 8.50 Great

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Favorite Link:  Atibal Optics

Strike Industries "Strike Mag"

  Strike Industries has been hitting a home run in the aftermarket parts game. They continually bring out new products. Of those new products is the Strike Mag. The Strike Mag is a 32 round magazine for the AR-15 rifle.

  As with a lot of Strike Industries products, the Strike Mag has a semi-futuristic look. The way the magazine’s lines flow, just gives it that kind of look. Of course looks aren’t everything. So they gave the magazine an anti-tilt follower. Some anti-slip grip texture on the front and rear to aid in inserting and removal of the magazine. There are also some raised “dot matrix” textures on the front sides to aid in the aforementioned. And of course, it holds 32 rounds of 223/5.56 for only a little bit added in overall length.

  Some other features of the Strike Mag are really useful too. The first of which, the magazine has been designed to help prevent over-insertion. It has 2, what I like to call “bumps”, on the front and rear of the magazine, just below where a fully inserted magazine rests inside the magwell. These “bumps” help to stop the magazine from over-insertion when slamming in the magazine on a locked back bolt. I have seen this happen with other magazines and it essentially takes the rifle out of use until one can literally pry the over inserted magazine out. Another feature is the magazine base’s shock cord channel. This channel lets the shock cord, on many magazine carriers, fit snugly over the magazine. It keeps the shock cord from sliding side to side. It works extremely well on my plate carrier pouches.

  What does the extra 2 rounds get you? Unfortunately, it does make the magazine slightly longer. About ¾” longer than a standard GI magazine and ½” longer than a Gen. 3 Pmag. This has pluses and minuses. One plus is: If you stack magazine pouches, the Strike mags can be used to offset the magazines. Maybe put them closest to a plate carrier or chest rig so the back magazines are easier to grab. A minus is: They are longer. I didn’t really notice the extra length when shooting or reloading the AR.

  Luckily I received the Strike mag before the crazy ammunition prices, just barely. So I was able to run quite a few rounds through the mag. Just as I expected, the magazine ran great! I have had zero malfunctions when using it. I ran lots of cheap steel cased ammunition through it too. The magazine was tried in 5 different AR’s, from a 7.5” to 16”’er’s. It even drops free from my AR that has a slightly tight magazine well. So, I would say it is a good magazine, one you should probably check out. And yes, it does insert fully, when loaded with 32 rounds, on a closed bolt.

  Strike Industries has been coming out with top notch products. The Strike Mag is one of them. It holds 32 rounds instead of the normal 30 and functions great. Plus it is 100% made in the U.S.A. Go check out the Strike mag, or any of Strike Industries other stuff. I think you’ll be surprised at all the firearm accessories they have. 

  Firearms Insider Reviews - 8 Key Points

Claim to Fame:

32 round AR 15 magazine

Target Market:

Anyone wanting an extra 2 rounds in their standard capacity AR magazine

FNBs (Features & Benefits of this product):

  • 32 round capacity

  • -223 Remington/5.56 NATO AR-15/M4/M16 compatible magazine

  • "AccuRamp" first round feed tray design

  • Anti-tilt follower

  • Enhanced geometry with anti-slip finger grooves

  • Magazine base shock cord channel to help provide additional retention

  • Lightweight high-strength polymer

  • Tool-less disassembly of magazine

  • Made in the U.S.A.

What other aesthetic options or finishes are available?

10 round version for restrictive states

What others are saying?:

Nothing as of this review

Link to other reviews:

None found

Price point:

MSRP = $16.95

Retail = $15.95 at Primary Arms

I need it now! Availability:

Primary Arms or Strike Industries

Our Rating:

Pros:

  • Capacity

  • Shock cord channel

  • Functions as expected - very well

  • Designed with over insertion protection

Cons:

  • A little longer than a standard 30rd magazine

Score: 8.50 Great

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Favorite Link:  Matador Arms

Nightstick LGL-170 Weapon Light

  If you are into any type of self defense long gun, then you could probably use a weapon mounted light. Nightstick, a division of Bayco products, has brought out some nice lights in this category. One of those lights is the LGL-170. This is their top tier weapon mounted light, coming in at 1500 lumens.

  Now I know that you just can’t judge a light on Lumens alone. You need the Candela rating also. Well the LGL-170 produces 23,148 candela. In easy to understand terms, the lower the candela rating, the more “flood” like the beam output will be. The higher the candela, the more “spot” like the beam will be. At 23,000 candela, I found the Nightstick to be a good combination of the two. It produces a wider beam then some other weapon lights on the market, but yet still gives plenty of throw to see down range. Nightstick rates it at a 304 meter beam distance. All I know is that I can make out targets at 200 yards with the naked eye, in essentially complete darkness. This also translates into being able to see “threats” out to 200 yards.

Closest target stand is 50 yds, next is 100, and farthest is 200 yds

Steel gong and swinger rack (slightly left of center) is at 200 yds. Click image to make larger

  Nightstick includes everything needed to get started with the light. In the box are 2, yes 2, 3400mah 18650 rechargeable batteries, with a charger of course. Standard and off-set picatinny mounts. An optional 6” cabled pressure remote pad, with an on/off button. The pad can be used with a supplied hook & loop, or a slide in, picatinny rail adapter. Also for the pressure switch, is a wire management picatinny clamp. Nightstick also makes a low profile angled mount adapter for KeyMod or M-lok. I used the M-lok one to mount the light closer in toward the handguard. This makes it easy to use, with just my thumb, for activation. I thought the cable management clamp was a nice added benefit to the package, even though I ended up not using it.

   In the standard configuration, the LGL-170 is your basic weapon light. The tail switch is pressed slightly to use the momentary on function. Or pressed completely to turn it on or off. There is a nice positive click when turning it on or off. One feature I really like in a weapon light, is full lumens all the time. No strobe, or low power to get me distracted under stress. The LGL-170 does this. It’s either on or off, nothing else, always at full power. 

  Since most of the features are listed below, I won’t go over most of them here. But, there are a couple I am going to mention. Having a way to use another power source is always a good idea. So Nightstick made the LGL able to use 2 CR123 batteries as an option. The output is cut down to 1200 lumens, but it’s way better than zero! Plus, you probably have some rolling around in your range bag, at least I do. The next feature is the light’s weight. It comes in at 7.5 ounces with the battery. It’s a little heavier, by 0.5 ounces, than some other lights, but that’s not a deal breaker. When you have a light mounted on the end of a rifle, it makes the rifle swing differently from target to target. Something I noticed when moving the rifle. Also, you just added a ½ lb to that lightweight rifle. But in this case, I’d rather have the ½ lb and be able to see my targets.

  As with most products, there always has to be something questionable. The only part I really don’t like about the light kit is the picatinny switch mount. This picatinny mount, for the pressure switch, is a clip on a piece of plastic. You then slide the pressure switch into this mount. The part that mounts to the rail actually holds on okay, but could be torn off under extreme use. But even worse, is that the pressure switch just slides into the rail adapter, and doesn’t stay. Yes, I know that I could use glue or hook & loop to fix this, but it was kind of annoying. On the other hand, the pressure switch, itself, is awesome.

After a couple months of use, I ran into a problem. The light was not staying bright. After 45 seconds of being on, the output had dwindled down to almost nothing. Cycle the switch, and it would get real bright and then dim down in a minute again. I contacted Nightstick and they immediately sent a new light kit. Yes they sent the whole kit and told me to only return the light and the pressure switch. So I gained two 18650 batteries and a charger in the deal. When I asked them what had happened to the light, they said it had a programming error and were very thankful for me in helping them find the problem. Every company has something go wrong from time to time, I suspect mine was a one off problem, knowing that they have these lights in many law enforcement departments and that they have been tested by those departments. How they react to the problems is what really counts. So far, the new light is working as expected. If anything goes wrong again, I’ll update this review.

  The “unrated” light output is what really shines. In my house, bouncing the light off of the hardwood floor, will literally let you see everything in the living room and kitchen, with ease. Anything you directly point the light at, is bright as day. Real world use, I did get the 1.5 hours of constant on run time. I didn’t expect the full run time at highest output, but I was pleased with how long the light was bright for. In fact, even when it nears the auto shut off from low power, the brightness was still real bright. I’d guess somewhere in the 1000 lumen range.

  I can say that the Nightstick LGL-170 is a useful weapon light. It’s bright. The battery lasts a decent time and it comes with everything that you might need to attach it to your weapon of choice. I have some other Nightstick products. This LGL-170 is right up there in quality and function. If you are in the market for a weapon light or something else, that lights up your world, go check out the Nightstick line of lights.

Firearms Insider Reviews - 8 Key Points

Claim to Fame:

1500 lumen LED weapon light

Target Market:

Anyone wanting a bright, decent weapon light for their rifle or shotgun

FNBs (Features & Benefits of this product):

  • 1500 Lumen output for 1.5 hours

  • 23.148 Candela

  • Length: 5.5 in (140 mm)

  • Width: 0.9 in (23 mm)

  • Weight: 7.5 oz (213 g)

  • Diameter: 0.9 in (23 mm)

  • Head Diameter: 1.5 in (38 mm)

  • Tail cap and 6" Remote Pressure Switch included

  • Momentary or constant-on function

  • Standard and offset Picatinny rail mounts

  • Sharp focused beam for distance illumination

  • 6061-T6 aluminum housing w/Black type III hard-anodized finish

  • Beam distance rated at 304 meters

  • IP-X7 Waterproof

  • Impact & chemical resistant

  • Serialized for personal identification

  • (2) 18650 batteries, single charger and 2' USB cable (included)

  • Will work with 2-CR123 batteries - output reduced to 1200 lumens and 21,278 candela

  • Lifetime Warranty

What other aesthetic options or finishes are available?

None

What others are saying?:

5/5 stars on Optics Planet

Very well made light

The light is well made and super bright with no strobe function though ...also the mounts are very solid and screws come with thread locker applied which is a nice touch and shows some forward thinking by the manufacturer.

Link to other reviews:

Nothing found at the time of this writing

Price point:

MSRP = $249.00

Angle mount = $24.00

Retail = $199.45 at Optics Planet

I need it now! Availability:

Optics Planet or other online retailers

Our Rating:

Pros:

  • Everything is included

  • Bright

  • Real nice pressure switch

  • Run Time

  • Customer Service

Cons:

  • Candela output

  • Mount for pressure switch

  • Weight

Score: 7.00 Good

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Favorite Link:   Atibal optics





Buck 110 & Slim Pro

By: Rusty Odom

THE BUCK 110 original and SLIM PRO

This review is about the Buck 110 Slim Pro folding lock back pocket knife. As a young kid growing up in Tennessee, carrying a pocket knife was second nature. I can remember at an early age, maybe 6 or 7, having a classic Buck 110 with the ebony handles, classic brass bolster, solid lockup and unlock of the thumb button. I don’t know what I ever did with that particular knife but I wish I had it now. I can remember the heft it had in the pocket of my husky corduroy jeans. Many children nowadays will not remember those jeans, the ones that built up static electricity when you walked and your thighs rubbed together. You know the ones, they had double layered knees that would never wear out, even if you were dragged behind your dad’s pickup truck. Now back to the knife, the Buck, the heavy weight, built like a tank, you could dig with it, hammer with it, pry with it, but it was made to cut. I wouldn't suggest doing any of the other things listed besides cutting, but man what a knife. I don't know where mine came from or even what it cost at the time, but it was worth a fortune in my eyes as a kid.

The 110 was designed in 1963 by Al Buck, for sportsmans looking for a sturdy folding knife, for those that did not want to carry a fixed blade. This model knife has been the number one selling knife in the world since it was first marketed, something has to be said about a design that has lasted almost 60 years.

The lockback mechanism is that works off of a rocking bar that locks against the blade when opened all the way. I have cut myself more than once with a folding knife that didn’t have a locking blade because i was not using it the right way.

The original 110:

Closed length 4 ⅞” long

Blade length 3 ¾” long

Blade thickness 0.120 (almost ⅛”)

Weight 7.2 oz

Blade material is 420 HC (high carbon stainless steel)

Ebony handles

Brass bolster

Black leather belt sheath

Price $55 to $79

Now to the new era of the Buck 110, the Slim Pro Series:

The 110 Slim Pro is an improvement on the original 110, in my opinion it is a EDC gentleman's knife. It has all the traditional features of the original but as the name states, it is slimmer, comes with a decent deep pocket clip and a thumb stud. The pocket clip is also reversible for the lefties out there. The blade is S30V stainless, which has better edge retention, hardness and corrosion resistance then the original 420. Now both are great blades, the 420 material has been and is still being used on all major brands of knives. (https://knifeinformer.com/discovering-the-best-knife-steel/) I inserted a link if anyone is interested in reading over the specs of the different knife blade materials. To the common person it might as well be Greek unless you have some kind of metal working or metallurgy background. I myself used to be a machinist in my younger days so I understand it somewhat.

The 110 Slim Pro:

Overall length 8.625” (8 ⅝”)

Closed length 4.875 (4 ⅞”)

Blade thickness .0120”

Weight 3.4oz (almost 4 ounces lighter than the original 110)

Handles are Micarta or G10 material

Pocket Clip

One hand opening with thumb stud

Price $94.00

So to compare these two knives almost seems like comparing apples and oranges as the old saying goes. But I can tell you I have been carrying both knives on my person for several months. I have been cutting various items like cardboard, rope, myself, and then and I mean then I had the perfect time to test them out. A coworker of mine was running emergency traffic while driving an ambulance, when a nice buck stepped out in front of her. I received a phone call around 8:30 PM telling me she had just had an accident in the ambulance and hit a deer. So the first thing that came to my mind was, is the deer salvageable. I can see where everyone is going with that statement I just made. But deer meat to me is like caviar to a Russian. I knew she had to be okay because she was calling me. I wasn’t that uncaring, I knew where the conversion was going to go anyway so I just brought it up first. So after getting the general location of the accident, loading up my Plott hound to track it, my 7 year old son and my 13 year old daughter, we were off. As soon as we located the deer about 100 yards off the roadway, I realized the only knife I had on me was the 110 Slim. So after doing a pretty good trauma assessment and realizing it looked pretty good, it was time to go to work. The knife cut through the hide like butter, all the good stuff came out intact which made me feel good about the meat. After getting it hung up on the kids swing set I let it hang over night and gathered the tools of the trade for the next morning's work. I almost started out with my Cutco hunting knife that I have been using for over a decade but decided to use the Bucks. (How Ironic) I skinned the entire deer with the Slim Pro and it was still pretty dang sharp after that chore. I then swapped to the original 110 and went to town disassembling the various quarters of meat. I did notice that the handles on the original got pretty slick with bloody hands and I lost my grip on the handle a few times. I took the Slim pro and hit the blade on an Arkansas stone to straighten the edge up and went back to cutting meat. With the Slim being a good bit lighter and of course slimmer I had less hand fatigue. The micarta handles gave a more secure purchase with wet hands. After all of the processing was done I went to the cutting board and started cutting up jerky strips, round steak, tenderloins, backstrap etc with both blades. I really liked the weight of the original while making cuts through bigger pieces and the Slim Pro for the more delicate cuts. They both performed great and honestly I couldn't tell a difference in the material that the blades were made out of, I think it all comes down to personal preference to which knife you want to use.

Now as an EDC knife I have to take the Slim Pro, the pocket clip, the knife being lighter and thinner gives it a huge plus in my book. The original comes with a black leather belt sheath to tote it in or you can put it in your front pocket. I have carried it both ways and I am not a fan of having it jumping around in my pocket, it seems to bind up and just uncomfortable to me. I don't mind the belt sheath, but sometimes I have a lot of stuff already attached to my belt and the weight difference between the two and not having a pocket clip, it loses an advantage to me. So this all goes back to what you are going to do with the knives, how you are going to carry them and what your primary use is.

I have to say that I have really enjoyed carrying the 110 Slim Pro for months now, it was razor sharp out of the box, I love how it sets deep into my pocket and the clip is secure. It is a little stiff to open unlike some of the tactical folders I have and on the market, but it is not a tactical knife. This jewel is an EDC that you can open with one hand, it will cut as good or better than other knives on the market in its price range. It still holds that classic original clip point blade with a solid lockup that Al intended with the first model back in 1963. I consider this a blade of all occasions, a do most blade, a gentleman's knife that doesn't mind getting dirty and putting in a hard day's work. If you want to know the best part about both of these knives are? They both are 100% American made with a lifetime warranty. So you choose which one you want, you won’t go wrong either way.

Insider Reviews - 8 Key Points

Claim to Fame

  • Best selling knife since 1963

  • American made

  • Classic Style

  • Sharp

Target Market:

  • Dedicated knife people

  • Hunters

  • EDC

  • Those who like quality

FNBs (Features & Benefits of this product): 

See above in review section

What other aesthetic options or finishes are available?

  • Different material for handles

  • Aftermarket sheaths for belt carry (cross draw)

  • Stainless Bolster for original 

What others are saying?:

One knife for a lifetime.

Beautiful classic, very sharp.

Great knife, all American made

Price point:

MSRP:

110 Hunter - $55.00 - $79.00

Slim Pro - $94.00

Retail:

110 Hunter - $44.99

Slim Pro - $89.99

I need it now! Availability:

Buck Knives

Our Rating:

Pros:

  • American made

  • Sharp

  • Great construction

  • Good quality for the money.

Cons:

  • Might be a little bulky

  • One blade style for both knives

  • Original handles are slippery to hold when wet

Score: 8.00 Great 

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Hawke Optics Endurance red dot

 If you didn’t know, I am a big fan of red dots on carbines. So every chance I get, I like to try out new ones. This leads us to the new Endurance line of red dots from Hawke Optics. Particularly the 1x25 version. 

  Hawke Optics recently introduced the Endurance line of red dots. They are aimed more at the AR/MSR/Sporting Carbine market. I say this because they have many options one would want for these applications, at least in my opinion. I’ll be talking about the 1x25, which is the smaller version of the Endurance, as they also offer a 1x30. Both versions have a 3 MOA dot size.

  The Endurance red dot has a nice compact size. You can read the dimensions below in the FNB’s. However, it is very light at 6.5 ounces, so it adds very little to the weight of the rifle. Because it is small, it is very unobtrusive. This makes it very nice for moving around obstacles, may they be walls, trees, or anything else you might bump up against. 

  This little red dot has 8 brightness settings. Utilized by using the “+” or “-” buttons on the top of the optic. The brightest setting is plenty bright outside in the sun, or when using the red dot with an artificial light source (flashlight). You can also hold down either of the buttons to turn it off. Or hit either one to turn it back on. However, I don’t use the on/off function. This is because the Endurance has an auto off, auto on function that works fantastic. After sitting still for 5 minutes, the optic turns the dot off. Yes, I sat there for 5 minutes and watched it turn off. Then when you move the optic, it turns back on. It even turned back on after sitting in my safe for 2 weeks with no use! The auto on/off function is my favorite feature of the Endurance red dot. 

  Some might say that having a 25mm objective lens is too small. I actually appreciate the smaller window on this optic. I am still able to pick the dot up extremely fast without “searching” for it. The 3 MOA dot might help with the fast acquisition. I would like to see a smaller dot size for more accurate work, but the Endurance doesn’t fall into the “Duty” category for me. It is, however, great for range and hunting use. 

Adjustment of the red dot is pretty straight forward. It has covered windage and elevation knobs. Unscrew them, and underneath is a nice little click adjustment dial. No having to use a coin or a screwdriver here. They are 1 MOA adjustments per click. The clicks are pretty good. You can hear them and feel them. Just like you would want. I liked the fact that they were finger adjustable.

  Another reason I put the Endurance red dot in the range/hunting use, is the battery life. Even though it turns itself off after use, it only has a 22 hour run time when on the max brightness setting. Of course, this increases to 190 hours on the medium setting. Which is a good actual use setting for this red dot. The low setting gives 2200 hours, but unless it’s pretty dark, there is not much use for this setting. Standby time, when using the auto on feature, is 10,000+ hours, so no need to worry about that. 

  The Endurance comes with 2 mounts. A low mount, and a quick release high mount. The high mount is for AR style carbines, and puts the red dot at the proper height for these rifles. As mentioned, it is a quick release high mount. When I first received the red dot, the quick release would not clamp on to the mounting rail, ugh. I had to take it apart and cut the screw shorter, then it clamped on just fine. The mount did loosen up after essentially throwing the rifle on the ground, but that could happen with other mounts also.

  I drop tested the Endurance red dot. Watch the quick video. It survived nicely. No loss of zero and only a few minor dings from the rocks. The quick mount did loosen up after the second drop. This didn’t surprise me, I just turned the adjustment screw, on the quick mount, in a ½ turn and I was off to the races again. 

  The actual dot is very clear for me. I do have an astigmatism, so most dots appear “starry”. The Endurance’s dot is actually clearer than some of my other red dots. I don’t know if it is because of the coatings that Hawke uses, or if it’s just me. Looking through the Endurance is also very clear. The glass doesn’t seem to distort the color spectrum like some red dots do. I didn’t even notice any weird reflections or halo’s. 

  The Hawke Endurance red dot works well. I really like how durable it is. It’s super clear. My only wishes would be a smaller dot and more battery life. Everything else, on this little red dot, is top notch. It would be perfect for a .22lr or Pistol caliber carbine. If you're in the market for a reasonably priced, almost indestructible, red dot, go give the Hawke Optics Endurance line a look. 

Firearms Insider Reviews - 8 Key Points

Claim to Fame:

Small Red dot optic with auto on/off

Target Market:

Those wanting a red dot sighting option

FNBs (Features & Benefits of this product):

  • 3 MOA Red Dot Reticle

  • 8 Digital Brightness Settings

  • Uses  1 - CR2032 battery

  • 5 minute auto off if no movement

  • Auto on when movement is detected

  • 25mm Objective lens

  • Rubber lens cover included

  • 25-Layer Anti-Reflection Multi Coated lenses

  • 1 MOA windage and elevation adjustments

  • Anodized Aluminum Housing

  • Nitrogen-Filled, Water and Fogproof

  • Quick Release Weaver / Picatinny “high” Rail Mount

  • Low and High Mounts included

  • Weighs 6.5-ounces

  • 2.8” long

  • 2.2” tall with low mount

  • 2.8” tall with high mount

  • 1.7” wide

What other aesthetic options or finishes are available?

Larger 1x30

What others are saying?:

Nothing found

Link to other reviews:

Nothing found

Price point:

MSRP = $189.00

Retail = $169.99 at Optics Planet or B&H Photo

I need it now! Availability:

Hawke Optics or Optics Planet

Our Rating:

Pros:

  • Auto on

  • Durable

  • Physical Size

  • Weight

Cons:

  • Battery Life

  • Mounting base

Score: 7.00 Good - for the Red Dot

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            5.50 Mediocre - for the included quick detach mount

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