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New from Revision: The Alphawing

By on July 1, 2011 in EDC

The new Alphawing sunglasses from Revision represent a little bit of a departure from their typical products in that they are not really designed for ballistic protection. However, they are still packed with the style and innovation that you have come to expect from Revision.

I am not really into fashion but I do know a classic style when I see one. Aviator style glasses like the Alphawing are certainly classic. They have always been stylish and they always will be. Thankfully, Revision made the choice to do away with the gaudy gold color of many aviator frames in favor of an understated stainless steel color.

I mentioned “innovation” in the first paragraph and you may have thought, “What in the world could be innovative about aviator sunglasses?” The Alphawing is not your typical set of aviator sunglasses. Most aviator frames are made from thin metal that is brazed together. Those brazed joints add weight and weak spots to the frame. The Alphawings are actually acid etched from a single sheet of stainless steel. That makes them stronger and lighter.

Revision has also changed the way the lens are held in the frames. Most sunglasses place the lenses into a channel in the frame. Revision uses a thin frame that rides in a channel that is cut into the lenses. This makes for a lower profile design.

The Alphawing also features adjustable nose pads which is a feature that I have really come to appreciate about my Revision Hellflys. The arms are overmolded with grippy rubber to prevent the Alphawings from sliding around on your head. unlike most aviator frames that have harder rubber covers that get slick with sweat.

Check out the Alphawing on the Revision website.

McCann Industries M14 Carbon Fiber Stock

By on June 30, 2011 in Guns

What if you could add a “pistol” grip, collapsible stock, and fore-end rails to your M1A or M14 and still reduce your rifle’s overall weight? With the McCann Industries M14 Carbon Fiber Stock does just that. It adds features and functionality while reducing weight.

The stock makes extensive use of carbon fiber to create a chassis that is both extremely rigid and extremely lightweight. Every part of the stock that is not made from carbon fiber is made from 7075 Aluminum. The sum of all of these materials is a stock that weighs a feathery 24 ounces.

I am really just scratching the surface of the features that this stock brings to the M14. You can read more about the interesting properties of carbon fiber in rifle stocks and other features on the McCann Industries website.

IZULA Custom Handles from The-Knife-Connection

By on June 29, 2011 in EDC, Knives

The-Knife-Connection continues to add to their line of custom knife handles for ESEE Knives. Their latest addition is the new IZULA Custom Handles and they look excellent.

These handles can be bolted directly to your ESEE IZULA with no modification. They improve the usability of the knife by improving your grip. The handles feature a rounded, palm swell shape to fill the hand. The handles are tapered at the end closest to the cutting edge. This allows for a pinch grip that I find very useful on a small knife like the IZULA. The large lanyard hole of the IZULA is covered slightly by the handles which creates a more usable grip while still providing plenty of room for a lanyard.

The IZULA Custom Handles from T-K-C come in a ton of different colors including the ever popular and highly visible blaze orange and a really attractive ranger green. They come with all the hardware necessary to mount them. I would consider using a dab of thread locker, like Loc-Tite, when installing the handles.

While these may cost considerably more than the OEM IZULA handles, they are also a much more refined solution. You can check out the new IZULA Custom Handles on The-Knife-Connection.com.

 

Review: QD Micro MOUNT-N-SLOT Installed by IWC

By on June 28, 2011 in Guns, Reviews

I recently mentioned that Impact Weapons Components (IWC) is offering Magpul MOE Hand Guards with their QD Micro MOUNT-N-SLOT pre-installed by IWC. Now I have a sample of the hand guards in hand so that I can check out the QD Micro MOUNT-N-SLOT and the quality of the installation for myself.

IWC uses a jig to allow them to precisely and repeatably locate the hole that must be drilled in order to install the QD Micro MOUNT-N-SLOT in the MOE Hand Guards. The result is a very clean looking installation. At first glance, the modification is barely noticeable. It looks like it was meant to be there.

IWC installs the QD Micro MOUNT-N-SLOT very close to the receiver end of the hand guards. This serves a couple of purposes. First, placing your sling mount closer to the receiver increases the mobility of the rifle. You can move the rifle through more shooting and manipulation positions without the sling pulling so taught as to hinder movement. This location also happens to have enough “meat” to allow mounting the QD Micro MOUNT-N-SLOT on any of the three lengths of MOE Hand Guards.

The QD Micro MOUNT-N-SLOT itself is very slick. This is about as low profile and light weight as a sling mount can get. It nests inside the hand guard with only a small metal ring protruding through to give a clue that there is a sling mount present. There is a split ring on the outside that prevents the QD Micro from falling back into the hand guards and 2 small set screws inside that prevent it from spinning. I am also happy to note that there are several rotation stops that prevent the sling swivel from spinning. This is an incredibly economical, simplistic, and clever approach to mounting a sling.

You can view the MOE Hand Guard and QD Micro MOUNT-N-SLOT combos on the IWC website.

Disclosure: This product was provided to me by IWC, free of charge, for review.

Remember to use the coupon code “triggerjerk” at checkout to receive 5% off at IWC.

Blue Force Gear Ten Speed SCAR-H Chest Rig

By on June 27, 2011 in Tactical Gear

The Ten Speed line of products from Blue Force Gear have become very popular for their low weight, simple, and versatile magazine carrying solutions. Pouches from the Ten Speed line are unlike typical magazine pouches in that they use heavy duty elastic material to provide a stretchable pocket that grips the magazine. The newest addition to the Ten Speed line is the SCAR-H Chest Rig.


The innovative elastic construction of the pouches allows the Ten Speed SCAR-H Chest Rig to accommodate magazines from just about any .308 battle rifle and even other items like a blowout kit or pistol mags. When the pouches are empty, they lay completely flat against the wearer.

There are pouches for 5 magazines and the chest rig has a low profile “H” harness for comfort. It is available in just about all of the typical colors that are popular these days. The whole rig weighs just over 10 ounces unloaded!

This is a very versatile, very light weight, very low profile chest rig. Check it out on Blue Force Gear’s website.

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