Tyrant Designs: New Colors for the MiniVert and a Teaser

Tyrant Designs just released 3 new color options for their new MiniVert and teased the upcoming release of a new handstop.

Tyrant Designs CNC, coming off an impressive product launch that sold out everywhere within 72 hours, Tyrant has now released the MiniVert in Red, Grey and Blue. The early reviews have come back very positive, with the guys at Tyrant already shifting their focus onto their upcoming Hand Stop.

“We are extremely happy with the launch of the MiniVert. For us it is an indicator that our design efforts and R&D are on the right path. We will continue in this direction and will be adding new products to the HALO Series very soon!  ”

SHOP THE  HALO SERIES MINIVERT  NOW AT WWW.TYRANTCNC.COM

Tyrant Designs CNC is an AR accessories manufacturer based just outside of Chicago. They have had several successful designs for AR pistol grips and are now working on a unique styled hand stop.

The ATF’s Reversal on the SB Tactical Pistol Stabilizing Brace Leaves Questions

SB Tactical is to be commended for continuing to press the issue with the ATF. Their Pistol Stabilizing Brace products are not only important for disabled shooters, they have also served as a rallying point for the discussion of the shortcomings, inconsistencies, and obsoleteness the NFA. They are doing important work on behalf of gun owners everywhere.

If you own a brace product, you are right to be smiling today. This is a victory. However, you should realize that this decision (read the decision letter at The Firearm Blog) is likely specific to the SB Tactical line of products due to language describing how some braces can be attached in such a way that adds length. The ATF appears to see this type of functionality (the ability to add length) as serving “no other purpose than to facilitate use as a stock”.

I’ll say it again… This is a victory. It is encouraging to see the ATF roll back a nonsensical, indefensible, and unenforceable decision regarding the shouldering braces. In that sense, it has provided some clarity on one specific product. However, the pistol brace marketplace has more than one player. This decision may have thrust us further into the murky waters of confusion by drawing what seems to be a potential new distinction between braces that slip on and those that attach somewhat permanently with the ability to add length.

Did the ATF just draw a distinction between various kinds of braces based on how they can be attached? Can we expect to see an opinion paper clarifying their position on braces that can be used to add length? I am not a lawyer but this would appear to lead back to the same sort of argument that just exonerated the SB Tactical Braces. Do owners of braces like the Shockwave Blade who attach the brace in such a way that adds length, “redesign” the pistol into an NFA item?

The relationship between gun owners, pistol braces, and the ATF continues to be a dynamic one. I expect that this decision and the distinctions that it appears to draw will create more questions (and likely more confusion) in the near future.

Update:

Both Shockwave Technologies and Gear Head Works have now made statements that the ATF has clarified that their products may be shouldered too.

You can read the Gear Head Works statement on their Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/GearHeadWorks/posts/1013098225489804

Shockwave Technologies posted their statement on their website and it includes clarification on the “permanent attachment” and “length of pull” issues: http://shockwavetechnologies.com/site/?p=3524

Hopefully, a letter covering the contents Shockwave Technologies’ findings will be issued soon.

SB Tactical Announces Reversal of ATF Open Letter on the Use of SB Tactical Pistol Stabilizing Braces

SB Tactical has announced a big win for their line of Pistol Stabilizing Braces. The ATF has reversed its earlier position that pistol with a brace is attached is “redesigned” into an NFA firearm if fired from the shoulder.

Saint Petersburg, Fla. (April, 25, 2017) – SB Tactical™, inventors and manufacturers of the Pistol Stabilizing Brace®, is excited to announce that the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (BATFE) has issued SB Tactical a reversal letter containing a sensible clarification of the Bureau’s position on the lawful use of SB Tactical braces.

The new clarification of opinion letter states, “an NFA firearm has not necessarily been made when the device is not reconfigured for use as a shoulder stock – even if the attached firearm happens to be fired from the shoulder. To the extent that the January 2015 Open Letter implied or has been construed to hold that incidental, sporadic, or situational “use” of an arm-brace (in its original approved configuration) equipped firearm from a firing position at or near the shoulder was sufficient to constitute “redesign,” such interpretations are incorrect and not consistent with ATF’s interpretation of the statute or the manner in which it has historically been enforced.”

SB Tactical, along with the law offices of Mark Barnes & Associates, have worked tirelessly for more than two years to correct what they believed to be an inaccurate interpretation of “redesign,” related to the Pistol Stabilizing Brace. “It has always been our belief that the addition of our Pistol Stabilizing Brace benefits shooters, both disabled and able-bodied, and that neither strapping it to your arm nor shouldering a brace equipped pistol would constitute ‘redesign’ of a pistol to a NFA firearm”, said Alex Bosco, inventor, founder and CEO of SB Tactical. “We are strongly encouraged by the ATF’s reversal of opinion and commend their willingness to continually review policy, including their own opinions, to ensure public safety and the fulfillment of their mission.”

Both SB Tactical and Mark Barnes & Associates are proud to be at the forefront of protecting and preserving the Second Amendment rights of law-abiding Americans. Mark Barnes echoed Bosco’s praise of the ATF’s new guidance and stated that “it’s clear that the Bureau has no intention or desire to prosecute law abiding citizens using SB Tactical Pistol Stabilizing Braces. Their decision to act should be commended.”

Review: GunfightersINC Kenai Chest Holster Gen 2

I’ve professed my appreciation of the Kenai Chest Holster from GunfightersINC on these pages before. It is a handy holster to have if you spend time in places with large, sharp toothed critters wearing gear like a backpack or hip waders that hinder traditional carry methods. It is, in my opinion, the most modern and best iteration of a classic guide holster… Then GunfightersINC went and changed it!

Lucky for us, they made it better.

Better Holsters Through Better Manufacturing

To understand the improvements in this holster, you have to understand a little bit about how kydex holsters are made. The kydex is heated until it becomes pliable, then it is pressed over a form of some kind and allowed to cool. The kydex (or similar material) then hardens as it cools, retaining the imprint of the form. That is the basic overview but the exact ways all those steps are accomplished has changed over the years.

On the original Kenai, the two holster halves where molded over the form with blocking in place for things like slide stop levers, extended barrels, or anything else that either needed to be accommodated or that would foul the draw stroke. The holster was molded in two halves, roughly equal in depth, and joined together to make an entire holster. At some point, the part of the holster that received the shoulder strap would be reheated (this sometimes shows as a shiny spot on the kydex) to be slightly reshaped to receive the strap. The holster body was finished by polishing edges, adjusting fit, etc. GunfightersINC turned out great holsters using these methods.

GunfightersINC is now improving their processes from top to bottom. They are now machining their own custom molds and using vacuum forming to create their holster bodies. All of the improvements to their holsters have been made possible by these changes and the design flexibility, control, and definition that they make possible.

Original on left, Gen 2 on right

Kenai Chest Holster Gen 2 Improvements

The first thing you will notice when you look at both holster bodies is that the Gen 2 version has much better definition – the lines are more crisp. That translates to a cleaner looking holster and, more importantly, it also translates to improved retention, a smoother draw stroke, and a more distinct click-in/click-out. This kind of definition is really only possible with modern vacuum forming.

When you dive a little deeper, you see improved blocking and molding. My Gen 2 holster body is molded for a Glock 17 so you see things like a channel that allows the slide stop to run all the way out of the holster without touching anything, the slide lock area is no longer molded creating a potential unwanted drag on the draw stroke, the magazine release is partially shielded to prevent accidental release, and the  retention pad in the trigger guard is large and made to a consistent depth.

If you dive deeper still, you’ll notice GunfightersINC taking full advantage of their new manufacturing processes to really get the most out of the Kenai Chest Holster. The accommodation of the shoulder strap is actually molded into the back plate of the holster. This saves a manufacturing step and creates a stronger, cleaner holster overall. Finally, the two halves of the Kenai area actually molded to different depths with the majority of the pistol being molded into the front panel of the holster. This allows the Kenai to lay flatter, closer, and more comfortably against the wearer.

Original on left, Gen 2 on right

Wrap Up

GunfightersINC didn’t just redesign a holster, they redesigned how they make the holster. The result is more control over the end product, easier accommodation of various options, and, most importantly, better holsters for the customer. You can expect to see these manufacturing improvements touching all the holster in the GunfightersINC line up.

See our review of the original Kenai Chest Holster for more information on its background and use. Check out GunfightersINC to learn more about the Kenai Chest Holster or purchase your own.

Crowdfund This: Exotac nanoSPARK

Exotac already has a huge feather in their crowdfunding cap. Their Kickstarter campaign to launch the fireSLEEVE was a huge success. Now they are looking to catch lightning in a bottle a second time with a new crowdfunding campaign for the nanoSPARK.

The nanoSPARK is functionally similar to spark wheels included in many survival kits going back to the Vietnam war era and before. It is very much like a lighter without a reservoir for lighter fluid. The user turns the gnurled wheel which grinds against a flint, creating sparks. It’s a proven method for creating sparks in a wide variety of environmental conditions.

Exotac’s penchant for bomb-proof design, understanding of usability, and knack for building in slick features is what sets the nanoSPARK apart from other sparking devices. The nanoSPARK is machined from aluminum and has a look that fits right into the rest of the Exotac line. It is large enough to hold, small enough to carry, and weighs only .6 oz. It has on board, water-proof storage for tinder (supplied with tinder) and makes use of common lighter flints.

Check out the nanoSPARK on Kickstarter

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