Shellback Tactical has brought back their soft armor inserts for the Banshee Plate Carrier. These level IIIA plate backers and cummerbund inserts are dimensioned specifically for the Shellback Tactical Banshee. They are available as a set of 2 plate backers, a set of 2 cummerbund inserts, or as a full set of both the plate backers and cummerbund inserts. The inserts are available now but they are made to order by Battalion Defense so expect a 2-3 week lead time.
I have written about GWACS Armory CAV-15 Lower Receivers before. They are the only polymer AR-15 lowers that I have personally vetted over several years and a few thousand rounds. I own two of them and trust them in large part because they are designed around the strengths and weaknesses of polymer rather than just a normal lower rendered in plastic instead of aluminum. Are they for everyone and every purpose? Maybe not. Do they work as intended and take a massive amount of abuse? You bet. I believe they are very under-appreciated.
InRange TV (who you really should be watching regularly for their unique blend of firearm reviews, history, culture, and consistently solid content) posted a test a while ago that I shared on the JTT Facebook Page that showed them running over, shooting, and generally abusing a GWACS Armory CAV-15 Lower.
KE Arms recently sent me some press that shows what happened to that poor, abused CAV-15 Lower. You might think it was retired to trade show booth wall-hanger status or the dust bin. Not quite. Karl, one of the hosts of InRange TV is still using it. In fact, he is using quite effectively. The lower was recently used in conjunction with a KE Arms upper to win Trooper Division at the Independence Day Action Rifle Match and place 6/76 over all.
The upper/lower combo has affectionately been named Icarus which is very fitting. It certainly looks like it has been flying a bit too close to the sun. Both KE Arms and GWACS Armory are understandably proud of Karl’s accomplishment and their gear.
Knife people seem to have a love/hate relationship with the Wilderness Survival Knife (WSK) design. Some love it for its ability to perform a wide variety of tasks and potentially replace multiple tools. Some hate it for its large size and brute force approach. All I know is that I have seen some very capable people doing a multitude of survival related tasks with them and doing them very effectively. I also know that the new SXB from TOPS Knives is one of the most radical WSKs I have seen yet.
Take TOPS Knives’ well known Tom Brown Tracker, stretch it out by nearly 5″, add TOPS Knives’ Rocky Mountain Tread handle treatment, add an extended pommel and guard, and you have something close to the SXB EJ “Skullcrusher” Snyder. Interestingly, because the SXB is not quite as tall as the Tracker, it manages to weigh 2 ounces less in spite of all the extra blade length.
| Overall Length | 16.75″ |
|---|---|
| Blade Length | 10.38″ |
| Cutting Edge | 9.75″ |
| Blade Thickness | 0.250″ |
| Blade Steel | 1095 RC 56-58 |
| Blade Finish | Black Traction Coating |
| Handle Material | Black Linen Micarta |
| Handle Style | Rocky Mountain Tread |
| Knife Weight | 26 oz |
| Sheath Included | Yes |
| Sheath Material | Black Ballistic Nylon |
| Sheath Clip | Molle Backing |
| Designer | EJ “Skullcrusher” Snyder |
Archer Mfg has introduced a new shotgun package that has a back story and cause that are even better than its spec sheet. The Kanon 12ga is their tribute to a fallen teammate who was killed in Afghanistan while working as a security contractor. The name Kanon actually comes from the name of their fallen comrade’s explosive detection dog. A portion of the proceeds from all sales of this shotgun will go to a trust established for his daughter’s college education.
Like I said, the back story and cause are better than the specs, but that is really saying something because the specs are pretty darn good too. The Kanon starts life as a Remington 870P with an 18″ barrel with 2 round magazine extension. They are inspected and function checked before the Kanon package is applied which includes:
The Kanon starts at $1495 and will be available with several buttstock and foreend options. It is in the process of being added to the Archer Mfg website.
Dimitri Karras has supplied JTT with a PDF document that he states was sent to Ares Armor CEO Bryce Sterlin this morning. It is Karras’ assertion that the press release sent out by Sterlin this evening regarding Karras’ release from Ares Armor contains false statements and is in retaliation for this PDF document.
In the document, Karras claims that that Sterlin and Ares Armor are falsely attributing quotes, falsely portraying veteran status, breech promises made during the sale of Ares Armor, and more. Read the PDF document HERE.
