Category Archives: Gear

Gear

Holsters

8 Comments

The First Rule of a Gunfight is to Have A Gun.   You can own a great gun… best gun of it’s type.  You can have the best ammunition for it.  It can be customized to fit you and suit you and how you shoot.  You can be skilled with it’s use and be deadly accurate with it.   But all of that does you no good if you don’t have it on you when you need it.  If you just made a Rule 1 Violation.

In order to have that gun on you when you need it, you need to have it on you at all times.  Unless you are Precognitive regarding what you are going to encounter at any given time in the future, you need to keep that gun on your person.  This is why we get the habit of putting on a seatbelt.  Because we don’t know when a collision might happen.   In order to have that gun on you at all times – and carry that gun in a manner that allows you to access that gun in a time of need, we need a good holster.

Most Gun Guys and Gals all agree, you are going to end up with a lot of different holsters.  A drawer or box full of them.  Most of them are cheap nylon made holsters, or holsters that came about as a fad must have holster.   One of the reasons for this is that we either don’t think about what we really need, and just go about buying holsters based on what a “Buddy” says, or by what some Clerk at a store says who doesn’t know you and what you really need.   So to avoid buying holsters unnecessarily, we have to take some time to inventory our Needs.

Needs are based on a few factors.  Where you are going.  What you are doing.  And how long are you going to be doing it.  These factors can change your holster requirement dramatically.
The Where Factor:  You need to take in account the Environment.  Both Physically, and Politically.  Going along with the Where Factor is Wear… how you are dressing for where you are going.  If you are in a permissive environment, maybe that drop leg rig will work, or maybe you have to keep that low profile and need to stay incognito.
The What Factor:  Is this a Business Day or a Range Day?  Business vs Repeated draws and reholstering may both be done with the same rig, but is it a good rig for what you want to do, considering the Where Factor.
And then the Time Factor.  I can pack a Beretta 92FS concealed, but if I want to carry that gun all day long, from 8AM to 10PM, maybe that IWB rig might not be the most comfortable, and something of a Belt Slide might be better for me.
There are lots of considerations and variables to consider that may have you changing your holster as often as changing your wardrobe.

To give yourself a head start on picking out a good holster is to make sure you are picking out a good holster.  Quality and materials can make all the difference.  Let’s just throw this out there; if you are looking at a holster that costs less than a box of ammo, you are probably not looking at a very high quality rig, and off the cuff I’d say to pass it up.

Nylon is just not a material I would ever want to put a gun in.  Nylon rigs tend to cheap and poorly designed and they are made to fit a wide range of pistols and not your gun specifically.  The fit of the holster is important.  It means the gun is not going to move around in the rig, making it more likely to cause wear on the gun’s finish or could damage and reduce the life of the holster… and make the holster less able to retain the gun in place.   Also Nylon can hold on to dirt, dust, and grit this increasing the abrasion the gun gets when you pull the gun out and put it back in.  It can retain moisture, thus acceleration corrosion.   Let me put it this way… I am not going to spend good money on a fine gun and then put it in a 20 dollar nylon holster.  I’m just not going to do it.  Nylon sucks for holsters.  It just does.  Don’t use it.

Your holster should be made for your gun.  Specifically.  Either fine hand boned leather, or carefully engineered Kydex allow for very specific fitment.  This protects the gun, and holds the gun better.   If you can carry a Revolver, a Ruger P95 and a 1911 in the same holster – this isn’t a holster you want.  I’ve had one like that… and while it carried everything, it carried none of them very well and the holster could allow the gun to fall out or be very awkward to draw.  The gun needs to be in the same place all the time.  Held where you remember where to put your hand when you draw. It needs to let you get a good grip on the gun before you pull the gun out of the holster.  And while you are packing it, it needs to protect that gun.  And then when you go to reholster, it needs to accept that gun readily and without anything that could impede reholstering.  Nylon straps for a thumb-break are a horrible idea.  Holsters that collapse and close so you can’t put that gun back safely, one handed, is useless.  These holsters could even be dangerous.  The moment of reholstering is the moment of your greatest danger in handling your gun.  Poisonous Snakes don’t want to go back in the cage and must be handled with the utmost care.  Pistols are the same way.  If that nylon strap flops into the trigger guard as you reholster, it could pull that trigger unintentionally.    Or a draw string on your jacket.   (Cut those off, they are useless anyway)
I saw a guy trying to auger the muzzle of his SIG into his holster that had collapsed. Trying to force the holster open so he could reholster the weapon.  I yelled at him to stop.  He froze and then looked at what he was doing.  His weapon was aimed directly into his pelvis.  His finger was also on the trigger.  He quickly corrected both of these conditions.  He realized that he had violated two out of the four gun safety rules.
First rule he broke was never point the gun at anything he didn’t want to destroy.  And the Second was to keep your finger off the trigger until you are on target and ready to fire.  I asked him “What would that bullet do to you if the weapon discharged?”  He took a moment to imagine the terminal ballistics of a .40 Cal 155 grain JHP bullet at point blank into his pelvic girdle.  He went pale for a few minutes. Survival would have been difficult and his comfort of life for about 6 months would have been such that maybe he wouldn’t have wanted to survive.

A lot of Instructors spend a great deal of time on the draw stroke.  For that gun to come out of the holster cleanly, the holster needs to be in position and holding your gun in position.  A floppy Nylon rig isn’t going to do this.  A holster that comes out of the pants or off the belt when you draw isn’t going to do this.  Straight up, in a critical situation that could get you killed.  It would be like a Bugs Bunny Cartoon when the Animated Character jumps of the plane with his parachute only to open it and find it was a backpack.  Funny in animation… Not funny when you are trying to defend the life of your loved one.

I like my holsters to be made of two things.  Either nice exotic leather, or exactly fitted Kydex.   When it comes to leather, I want that animal to have been something as deadly or as strong or as fast as I want to be should I need to draw my weapon in a threat situation.  I really like Shark Hide.  Shark is just about as tough as any natural material can be.  Adams Holsters makes a wicked Shark holster.  When it comes to Kydex, I want it to be thicker and stronger and more importantly engineered to fit my gun exactly.  I want there to be some adjustment when it comes to tension… so I can set up that holster based on how I want that draw to feel like.  A Kydex rig should not collapse on you, and it should not allow the gun to rattle around.  Kydex is great for holsters because they can easily be rinsed out, thus removing any grit that could have accumulated.  Perfect for when you are fighting or operating in a dirty environment.
I think G-Code makes the best Kydex holsters in the world.

Let’s talk about Looks for a moment.  How that holster looks on you, combined with what you are wearing… that says a lot about how professional you are even more than what gun you are packing.   You can be an Elite Warfighter and pack a Glock, but if you are on the range with a sad-sack nylon rig with a floppy strap thumb break, you look like an amateur.  You just do.  Pack that same Glock in a nice rig that’s made for it, much better.   Wearing a casual or semi casual attire with my Glock in my Shark Hide rig… I’ve had women throw themselves at me and some guys too.  I looked sharp.  ZZ Top starting singing about me.  Billy Crystal called to tell me that I looked marvelous.  Shark Hide never goes out of style.  However I’d not want to wear that rig in a tactical situation in a hostile environment.   G-Code is using some awesome coatings over their Kydex and found it does some good things for them.  Their Tactical Fuzz coating over their INCOG IWB rig is a fantastic option.  It’s a synthetic suede material that feels soft, cushions what could be uncomfortable, and it doesn’t absorb moisture.    Their new Kryptek camouflage is an awesome option as well, as it quiets the holster and it subdues the kydex in both the visual and IR spectrums.  Naked Kydex can be loud and just about glows in IR.  That and Kryptek just looks boss.

Don’t buy cheap holsters.  Buy good gear and it wont let you down.  Don’t violate the First Rule.

Gear

G-Code’s Blood Stripe Series

3 Comments

G-Code has rolled out a very limited run of what is called the “Blood Stripe” series.  This series supports the MARSOC Foundation. A portion of every holster sold will be donated to the foundation in support of their efforts to support those who have sacrificed so much for the rest of us.

bs060_8x8

These holsters look fantastic in the pictures, and in person they even better.  We are only going to offer these for a short time.  A very short time.  So if you are thinking about getting one, just jump.  Because when it’s shut down, it’s done.  All orders are processed online.  As are the guns they are available for and pricing.  Check G-Code’s site.  If you have any questions, contact support@tacticalholsters.com.

Gear

Benchmade #53 Balisong

7 Comments

I’m bringing home my new EDC knife, a Benchmade #53 Balisong.

I got this from Tannerman’s in West Virginia. And if you want any Benchmade knife – Go to Tannerman’s.  Before they shipped it out, one of the cats there gave it a custom grind so this thing is hair popping sharp and glides through cardboard like a lightsaber.
I really like the 53 because it makes for a great EDC knife. It’s light weight and has a very usable blade shape. I’ve looked at several online reviews of the knife, but Nutnfancy’s review mirror’s my own opinion for the most part. It’s small. It’s light. And the blade is tough as hell. But D2 needs to be taken care of… and that’s fine for me.
At SHOT Show, I looked at all the Bench Balisongs.  For a knife to carry and actually use as a knife and not a Cheerleader, the 53 was the one to pick, every time.  This also the only one they put bearings in… which helps it flip open because the handles are so light.  Many reviews dog the 53 for not being a Flipper.  But to me, Flipper is a fucking Dolphin, and I hate those damn squeaking fish.  I’m not into flipping Balisongs, or playing Hacky-Sack.  But for some reason I can’t fathom… I’ve always wanted a Balisong.  And since I’m not into Flipping Tricks, I wanted one that I can actually use.  And this #53 fits the bill perfectly.
I even like the color.

Gear

Zippo

20 Comments

The subject of Bug Out Kits, Survival, and general Preparedness keeps coming back and I’ve noticed that all the damn time people are including “Fire Starting Kits”.
These kits are generally a Magnesium chunk, and Flint and Steel affair.  So you can make little sparks to catch some magnesium shaving and tender to start a flame. Yeah, that’s all fine and well.  But let me put it this way.  If I’m in a Survival Situation, and I need a Flame, I want a damn Flame not some Sparks.

ZIPPO.

I used to always – Always – have a Zippo lighter with me.  I wasn’t a smoker or anything, but the Zippo was a part of my EDC kit.  It was nothing fancy, just a classic “Windproof” in plain stainless with “INFANTRY” scratched into it.   Had it for years and years.  It was one of the two things that I got at Ft. Benning… the other was a Timex watch that I still have.    I would still have that Zippo if it wasn’t for TSA.  Zippo, knife, a flashlight, wallet and watch.  Those were always on me.

So if you already have those items on you all the time… all you need to add to your kit is a little can of fluid to refill the Zippo.  Maybe some replacement flint if your are all that worried… But that’s your kit.  Forget scratching for sparks… Make some FIRE.

The Zippo Handwarmer is very nice too.

 

Gear

Flashlight Fetish?

27 Comments

I’ll be honest… I love Flashlights.  Guns, Knives, Flashlights… Love them.  Our good friend Steve is making some flashlights and the stats look awesome.

Cree XR-L T6 LED up to 460 lumens
5 Output Levels
Two CR123 batteries or two 16340 Li-ion batteries or one 18650Li-ion battery
Input Voltage: 3.0V-9V
Burn Time Using 18650 Battery – High light: 3.5hours ; Low light: 80hours
Throw Beam: 280 meters
Tactical end click switch with momentary-on function
Waterproof and Impact Resistant
12.8cm(length) 2.6cm(diameter)
Weapon Mountable, with an optional pressure switch.

Less than 80 bucks.   Who would be interested in one?   ME!!!   Who else?

I’ll post more info about this when I get it.  But rumor has it, Steve is going to do a WeTheArmed.com Special Offer for less than 60 bucks.  SOLID!

Gear, Training

Getting Caught Up.

6 Comments

When it comes to AR’s, don’t get caught up in the little things.  It’s not about what you have on or in your AR.  It’s about what you can do with it.
Imagine a simple tool belt, much like what any Handi-Man might have.  A Hammer, Screw Drivers, a Saw, a Measuring Tape and a Pencil.  It doesn’t matter what company these tools came from.  You give them to a skilled man, he can build you whatever you need.  A Shed, a Dog House… a set of cabinets. Fix a shelf.  He will get the job done.
Give that same tool belt to one with no skills, and you will be lucky to get a Bird House out of him.  He is not competent enough to take on the big projects.  The quality of the tools, the perfection of the craftsmanship is lost on him.  Even if he payed high dollars for the very best tools available.

What’s important about the Tools themselves… and we all get caught up in the tools… is that they work. You can argue Craftsman, Snap-On, or Stanley… The Contractor’s Client doesn’t care a bit about that.  His concern is only the results.

When you seek to dress out your AR, make sure you are not just dressing it up.  Putting on Bling for looks or to impress your friends is meaningless.  Instead only worry about what you really need to get the job done.  To know what you really need, you need to use some thought.  Not just looking through a catalog or browsing the shelves at your LGS.  Buy what’s going to help you use the tool.  The AR-15 is just that, the simple tool.  You can enhance it with some upgrades.  Grips that allow your hand to fit better for better control… Stocks that fit you better… Optics that allow you to line up your target faster and more precisely.

Guys, don’t ask me what you need.  Ask yourself.  Go to the range, shoot and move, take a Tactical Carbine Course and see for yourself what it is that you need for you and your gun.

Gear, Weapons

Must Have Upgrades to your AR

27 Comments

Everyone is now getting into the AR Platform.  Either in the .308 size, which we can call the Heavy, and the AR-15’s classic .223/5.56mm size, which we will just call it an “AR”.    We’ve seen people from all walks of life coming in and buying their first AR type rifle.  They’ll come in and look at all the variety and it can be bewildering.  Really when you ask the guy at a well stocked gun counter to look at an AR, that’s like saying you want to look at a “Truck”.  It really doesn’t help the guy – or you – out at all.  Tell him what kind of an AR you want.  “Varminting”.  “Tactical”.  “Basic”.  Give the guy something to work with.   He wants to help you get what you want.  It can be frustrating and a huge waste of time if he hands you a dozen different AR’s and you say no to everything because your wasting his time letting him show you Tactical configurations when you are wanting a Varminting type rifle.  I’ve heard at another gun store the clerk getting fed up and saying “Why don’t you come back when you know what you want?”  That’s a failure from both parties if that happens.  You are the customer, you have the money, you have the control here… so try to guide that clerk and help him.  Most Gun Counters are staffed with guys that either don’t know any more than you do about guns and are just Helpful Sales Staff, or they are dedicated Gunnies that don’t have those Sales Skills.   Very few Gun Stores are staffed with Guys that know how to help a customer and know their way around Firearms.

So you get that cool AR that you want.  What do you need with it?  We can start at the front or back, where do you want to go first?  Front?  Okay…  At the Muzzle, most AR’s are coming with a standard Flash Hider.  This is a device that defuses the muzzle flash and reduces the light that is emitted when you shoot at night.  This is a good thing on a military gun.  Not all that helpful on most AR’s though.  But it looks “MilSpec”.  Many milspec looking flash hiders will help reduce muzzle climb a bit, but mostly they just make the gun louder and “Look Cool”.  There are a lot of different options out there, but I like to go with a Compensator or Muzzle Brake type device.  This is going to redirect the muzzle blast in such a way as to pull the rifle forward for the net result that you feel less recoil.  This is going help you keep your sights on target.   On a tactical gun, where you are buzzing off multiple shots, it helps you keep all those rounds in the kill zone.  On a Varminter, it lets you keep your target in your scope so you can see your hit, even at long range or if your scope is at high magnification.   Either style gun you go with, this is a good thing.

For this, I suggest a BATTLECOMP unit.  They are compact, light, simple, and is designed by a NASA Engineer.  You know those guys… they used Rocket Powered Sky Cranes to lower a Robot down to the surface of Mars.  What more pedigree do you need when it comes to expertise in Vectored Thrust?

Moving back into the action, the heart of the rifle is BCG.  The Bolt Carrier Group.  Really it isn’t so much who’s BCG you use, but how you treat it.  The very best thing you can use for your BCG, is SLIPSTREAM.  Here is a very long thread about Slipstream with lots of people’s impressions after using it.  You can order it from Amazon.com, and if you throw in a couple UPRISING books, then you’ll even get that Free Shipping.  There you go.  What makes Slipstream an Essential addition to the gun is that it makes that BCG so slick, that it increases reliability in all conditions.  Especially in extreme conditions such as with heat and dirt.   You can use it just like a regular oil, and use it generously.  The more you use it, eventually the less you’ll need as the nano particles will embed and become permanent.

Under the BCG is the trigger mechanism, again, Slipstream, but under that is the pistol grip.  Most AR’s are coming with the standard A2 Pistol Grip.  This grip is one of the very worst ever conceived by man. Or in this case, conceived by a very effeminate she-man with tiny girly hands that drinks while holding a pinky up.  This grip should not be on any AR of any type, no matter what.  Ever.  The grip is a more personal thing here.  I can’t tell you specifically which one to get.  But get one.   Magpul has two out, the MOE and the MIAD.  And now there is a rubber coated MOE version as well, so I guess three.  Get the MIAD if you are going to bother.  You can set it up to fit you best.  There is also the ERGO grip, which I like.  And the Hogue grip, which is also a very good grip.  Other companies out there are making grips, and there are some good ones.  Tapco, Mako, US Palm, Tango Down, etc… pic one and get rid of that crappy A2 grip.

Up on top of the gun, you need sights.  Depending on your configuration, you may need a set of Iron Sights for the front and rear.  If that’s the case, the set to get is from Diamondhead.  If you are going to run just irons on a gun that doesn’t come with them, these really are the only option.  But a set of Diamondheads even as a back up is absolutely the way to go.  Don’t think that if you are going to use Irons as a backup to your Optic, that you can cheap out on them.  If you are in a situation where you really need your Back Up Sights – you probably are going to want some accuracy with them as this is probably a very critical situation.  Don’t cheap out here and get the cheap Magpul flip ups… Popular and Good are too different things.  Don’t make me mention Lady Gaga.  Yes, I just said that the Magpul flip up sights are the Lady Gaga of rifle sights.  We don’t like plastic sights on our Glocks, why would we actually want them on our Rifles?  MapPuls are good because they are cheap and light, and that’s it.  They are place holders until you get your Diamondheads.   The Diamonheads are excellent because they actually let you be more precise with your Sight Alignment.  This means better accuracy.  Tighter groups.  And I think they even help you get that sight picture a little faster than standard Peep Sights.

Red Dot or Magnified Optic?  For a simple low cost Red Dot, there is only one option worth spending your money on.  Lucid HD7.  You can pick them up for 200 bucks, and it’s money very well spent.  If you can’t afford the Lucid, don’t buy something cheaper to hold you over… just save your money and run Iron Sights for awhile.  That will get you your Lucid quicker.  If you want something higher end, there are the optics from EOTech and Aimpoint.  Which ever one you like the best is fine.  The Military uses both for a reason.  Tough and Reliable.  Going up from that, there is Trijicon.  They have the SRS which I am quite fond of.  Up from this, we can look at the magnified optics, and again, Trijicon is the Cat’s Meow.  Higher end than that, and you have Elcan, which we at Crusader Weaponry put on our Broadsword rifle for Demo purposes.
Then there are the 1-4 variables.  Burris makes a few good ones.  They make some half decent fixed 3 or 5 power units, but I really like their 1-4’s… but the one to get is Trijicon if you can splurge for it. Really, which optic to pick really comes down to what kind of shooting your are doing, your eyes, and your style.  This is a more personal option here.

The stock.  There is nothing wrong with the standard A2 or M4 style stocks.  But the Magpul MOE and CTR stocks are becoming very common now days.  And adjustable stock can be a good thing, but too many guys are stroking their buffer tubes like a 14 year old boy with a playboy.  Don’t do that.  Set it to a length that fits you and leave it the hell alone until you have a reason to adjust it.  It’s not a toy.  It’s a freaking Rifle Stock.  If you are spending time playing with your stock, you are wasting time that could be better spent, I don’t know… reloading magazines or sharpening your Becker BK9 Combat Bowie knife.
Some stocks have storage compartments.  These should only be for 1 thing.  Batteries for your Optic.  Don’t keep anything else in there.  Everything else can be kept in your pack or vest or LBE, glove box, wherever.  But not on your gun.  I’m not even sure I like storage at all on my AR’s anymore.
My choice for a stock?  Just a basic Magpul MOE stock is good.  It looks sharp, it’s light, and it’s simple.

What do you guys think are Essentials for an AR.