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Archive | June, 2012

Review: J Dewey AR-15 Cleaning Gear

By on June 7, 2012 in Guns

I hate cleaning my AR-15s and I try to do it as little as possible. So, anything that makes it more convenient to clean them is okay with me. J Dewey recently contacted me to ask if I was interested in testing any of their AR-15 specific cleaning equipment and I agreed. I figured it would be good motivation to clean my ARs.

They sent along a AR-15 Cleaning Link, AR-15 Breech Rod Guide, and one of their famous Nylon Coated Cleaning Rods. I then spent the next couple months putting them to use and taking notes.

J Dewey is probably best know for their cleaning rods.

Cleaning Rod

The J Dewey cleaning rods are incredibly nice and that is probably an understatement. The handle is very well crafted and rides on smooth bearings that allow the rod to spin free of the handle. The rod itself is coated to protect the bore and the coating has held up well to my use so far. The fittings are brass and are far nicer than much of the cheap, poorly made cleaning gear that is out there.

The rod that I was sent had male threads for attaching items like bore brushes and cleaning jags. However, it also came with a female thread adapter so it should work with just about any cleaning attachment that you may already have.

It also came with the nicest patch jag that I have ever used. It is well sized for 5.56/.223 bores and features a sharp spear on the end that really locks the patch onto the end of the jag.

The Breech Rod Guide helps center your cleaning rod in the bore, protecting both the bore and rod.

Rod Guide

The J Dewey Rod Guide that I was provided is simple and effective. Its purpose is to serve as a guide for the cleaning rod to minimize contact between the rod and your bore. You guys out there who have precision ARs will want to take special note of this. It also makes cleaning from the breech end of the barrel easier so you don’t risk damage to your barrel crown and push debris into the action or chamber.

The guide is basically a tube made from aluminum and delrin that is designed to be inserted through the breech end of the upper receiver and into the chamber after you have removed the bolt carrier group and charging handle. The end that goes into the chamber is supported by o-rings so that there is no metal on metal contact (it comes with several extra o-rings). The end that is left sticking out of the receiver is made from delrin. It serves to funnel the cleaning rod into the bore and it also has deep grooves cut into it so you can grasp it for removal even when it is slick with oil.

They should call this little gadget The Third Hand because it makes holding your AR open for cleaning a lot easier.

Cleaning Link

This handy little gadget allows you to lock your AR into a partially open position that makes cleaning fairly easy, especially when you are on the range. It has a pin at one end that slips into the take down pin hole in the upper receiver and a hole at the other that allows it to be pinned into the lower receiver by the rear take down pin. This effectively locks the AR in a partially open state that allows for easy removal of the bolt carrier group and easy access for the rod guide and cleaning rod.

It seems to work especially well for those who like to clean at the range – like those who subscribe to complex barrel break in procedures. The link can be put in place while the rifle is resting on a sandbag, locked in a vice, or with the fore end supported by a bipod. I also used it in less formal applications like when I just wanted to send a bore snake through the bore. It is just a handy tool that makes it easy to clean your upper receiver without separating it completely from the lower receiver.

The cleaning rod, rod guide, and AR cleaning link all in use.

In Use

I have used all three pieces to clean 5 different ARs multiple times for a total of 11 total cleanings (far more than I typically would clean but this stuff doesn’t test itself). In that time, I found that the gear works as advertised. The quality is excellent. You really can’t appreciate the quality until you have it in your hands and use the gear.

The vinyl coating on the cleaning rod has held up extremely well. I am not sure if this is because the coating is extremely robust or if it is because the cleaning rod guide does a good job of preventing the rod from contacting the bore. I suspect it is a little of both.

The bearings on the cleaning rod really make it a joy to use. They allow the rod to spin very freely and this makes it easy to push through the bore since it lets the patch spin with the rifling rather than get forced through it. The difference has to be felt to be understood. I have never found running a cleaning patch through a bore to be so easy as it is with this cleaning rod.

As I said before, the patch jag that comes with the rod is the best that I have used. I have seen a patch come off of a different jag before and get lodged in the bore. Getting it out can be a real chore. It is hard to imagine that happening with this jag.

Man the harpoons... I mean jag!

This patch will almost certainly not slip off the end on the jag. It is pinned in place.

The cleaning link will have a permanent place in my range gear. It is pretty handy no matter what cleaning gear you are using. It allows you to clean without fully separating the upper and lower.

I have to admit that, while this gear works exactly as it should, it really doesn’t fit with the way that I clean my rifles most of the time. I typically run a bore snake down the bore, clean out the chamber a bit, and wipe any loose carbon off the bolt carrier group. These items are extremely handy for the periodic detail cleans that I do when checking for undue wear or breakage but for my typical cleaning (or lack there of) they are probably too formal. If you are the type of guy who cleans while still at the range or has a precision AR with a break in procedure, these products will be worth their weight in gold to you.

Conclusion

This cleaning gear from J Dewey is extremely well made and functional. It is must have gear for the bench shooter. Even those of you like me that don’t clean often and never shoot from a bench will find this gear useful on your workbench when it comes time for that annual (or maybe biannual) detail cleaning.

Check out the J Dewey website to see all of their gun cleaning gear.

Disclosure: These items were provided to me by J Dewey for review, free of charge.

Concealed Carry Tragedy

By on June 7, 2012 in EDC, Other

When you practice the God given right to arm yourself and step out into a  public place, it is important that you maintain a strong and observant mindset. In most urban and suburban cultures, carrying concealed is likely the wisest and most practical mode of carry when legal to do so. Check yourself and get somebody else to check your attire so that you can avoid “printing” your piece. The reason this is so important is because even though most states now allow some form of concealed carry many people, including some members of law enforcement, have an unreasonable fear of lawfully armed citizenry.

An interaction between a legally armed citizen and someone who overreacts to the presence of a weapon carried in public can have tragic results. The situation that prompted this post happened in Las Vegas in 2010, but the lessons and ramifications are still very applicable to those who carry today. Two years after this tragedy, questions still swirl about the facts of this case. Regardless, a lawfully armed citizen who had not done anything violent was shot and killed by police. That is a tragedy for everyone involved, and especially this man’s family. It’s likely that third party exaggerations created an atmosphere where police went into the situation over-hyped and an innocent man paid the ultimate price.

Of course, you will never have all the details and the whole story from a newspaper article. When you carry in public keep your game face on and radar dialed appropriately. Familiarize yourself with Jeff Cooper’s “color codes” and practice them. Conduct yourself wisely and with great awareness so that nobody knows you are armed unless called upon to stop a threat.

Woodland Camo is Back at Beez Combat Systems

By on June 7, 2012 in Tactical Gear

Woodland camo is back. Then again, maybe it never left.

There is a growing shift among those who have a choice back toward Woodland camo. More and more people are remembering that woodland can be a very effective camouflage, especially when it is weathered and worn. However, it can be difficult for those who still use Woodland camo to find modern gear in the pattern but thankfully, Beez Combat Systems has stepped up to fill the void. They are now offering all of their gear in Woodland – everything from AK chest rigs to plates carriers!

Get your Woodland gear now at Beez Combat Systems.

Tactical Handyman: DIY Cummerbund Stops

By on June 6, 2012 in Tactical Gear, Tactical Handyman

Plate carriers (PC) with removable external cummerbunds can sometimes be a little annoying to don when the cummerbund is slipping to one side or the other. This is especially true when the cummerbund slips far enough that the ends catch on the sleeve that retains it, making it nearly impossible to correct without removing the PC and starting over.

Some manufacturers, like Diamondback Tactical, have provided solutions to this problem on their PCs in the form of cummerbund stops. These stops physically block the cummerbund from sliding too far in the sleeve that retains the cummerbund on the back of the PC. In this installment of the Tactical Handyman, we will look at some easy ways to make your own cummerbund stops with materials that you probably already have around your Tactical Handyman workshop.

This image shows both types of cummerbund stops that we will discuss.

Lashing

One of the most common methods to prevent cummerbund movement is to lash it in place. Para-cord or zip-ties are commonly used for this. However, I prefer to use shock-cord. Shock-cord is similar to para-cord except it has elastic inner strands that allow it to stretch like a rubber band.

You simply weave the cord through the MOLLE webbing on the cummerbund and the MOLLE webbing on the retainer sleeve, lashing them together. You can close the ends of the cord with a cord-end as I do or use a simple knot. If you are using a static lashing like a zip-tie or paracord, you will want to leave some slack to allow for how the cummerbund stretches when you don the PC. If you are using an elastic lashing like shock-cord, you can weave it fairly tight and rely on the elasticity of the shock-cord to provide the stretch needed when donning the PC.

The advantages of the this method are that it will typically allow you to still utilize the MOLLE webbing that you tie together so you don’t lose any MOLLE real estate. However, the biggest disadvantage is that it is not as easily adjustable as our next method…

I like to use ITW cord ends to close off the end of shock-cord.

MALICE Clips

I typically just use MALICE Clips as cummerbund stops. You simply place the MALICE Clips on the cummerbund on both sides of the retainer sleeve so that the tabs of the clips prevent the cummerbund from sliding through the sleeve.

The disadvantage of this method is that you lose the use of a couple of columns of MOLLE webbing but they are in a location that you can’t really reach anyway and if you need to put a pouch there, the pouch itself will serve as a cummerbund stop. The advantage is that it is easily removable and can be easily adjusted.

MALICE Clips make perfecct cummerbund stops.

Give it a Try!

Installing cummerbund stops can help ensure that you are able to quickly and easily don your PC. They are extremely easy to make with materials that you probably already have. Give it a try.

Strike Indsutries 1911 Grips

By on June 6, 2012 in Guns, Tactical Gear

One of the first things that most people do when they buy a new 1911 is put new grips on it. Wood grips look great but there is nothing more practical than a set of textured grips made from synthetic material. If you are looking for some practical grips for your old warhorse, then check out the 1911 grips that are offered by Strike Industries.

Strike Industries makes their 1911 grips from polymer which keeps the price extremely low.  They offer a number of different grip patterns from smooth to very aggressive. They even offer grips in varying thicknesses which is great for those who prefer slim grips on their 1911.

If you like the grip that heat stippled plastic provides as much as I do, then their smooth grip offerings should be right up your alley. You can keep them smooth or go to work adding your own texture. You can make them as mild or as aggressive as you need.

Check out the full line of 1911 grips on StrikeIndustries.com.

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