Author Archive | Matt

Bargain – Outdoor Products 3-Pack Ultimate Dry Sack

I have been using these Outdoor Products dry sacks for about a year now. They have been on several multi-night and day hikes and they have never let me down.

I was pretty skeptical of them at first due to their low cost, so I tested them before I trusted them to keep my stuff dry. I stuffed the bags full of t-shirts and let them sit under running water. The contents remained dry. Then I actually submerged the bags for 2 minutes and the contents still remained dry except for some very small areas where water came in at the closure. I was thoroughly impressed. For use inside of a backpack in the rain and even in quick accidental dunks, these are completely sufficient.

These have turned out to be an excellent way to keep gear dry and keep it organized. The bags are made of light weight rip stop nylon. They are light enough to use as organizers even when you don’t expect rain. The seams are fully taped and the closures do a good job of keeping water out if you follow the directions.

I used to just use a trash bag to keep my things dry in the rain but these smaller bags offer more organization potential. They will only set you back $10 for the 3 pack at Wal-Mart. For the price, you can’t beat them.

My Favorite Glock Trigger Set Up

Poor Trigger or Just Misunderstood?

Glock’s (and similar handguns) are often beat up for having “poor” triggers. The 1911 with it’s short single action trigger is held up by some as the ultimate trigger. While I do believe that the 1911 is an excellent handgun, I do not believe that the Glock trigger is poor. It is different, which doesn’t necessarily make it worse. In fact, it has some pretty significant strengths that are worth noting. These strengths do not become apparent by clicking the trigger at a gun counter or during once yearly slow fire practices at the local range.

Maybe we should start by defining what makes a trigger good or bad. For many, a good trigger has a very short travel and a very crisp and light break. Those may be desirable qualities for some. Short, light triggers tend to cover a lot of short comings in technique which is probably a good thing. I would submit that there are two other qualities that should be considered as much as, or more so, than pull weight and travel. In my experience, a fast, positive reset and consistent action have proven to be paramount to fast, accurate shooting.

A fast, positive reset will allow you to feel when the trigger resets which is key in working the trigger quickly when multiple shots are required. I can not stress the importance of reset enough, especially with Glocks. You can use the reset to your advantage by learning to shoot from the reset position. This essentially means that you only allow the trigger to travel far enough forward to reset for the next shot so that you do not have to deal with the entire trigger travel for your follow up shot. This is one of the keys to learning to be fast and accurate with a Glock.

Consistent trigger action simply means that you don’t have to transition between different trigger actions. A trigger pull that is the same for every shot allows the shooter to master only one trigger pull, rather than transitioning between multiple trigger actions as is the case with double action/single action (DA/SA) triggers. This is also a key to fast, accurate shooting.

If you acknowledge that a problem that requires the use of a gun may not be solvable with just one shot, then reset and consistency should be a factor when you determine what is “good” about a trigger.

How Do We Make It Better?

While the Glock’s trigger may not always be light or crisp, it is consistent (consistently mushy in it’s stock format). The trigger pull is the same every time. There is no DA/SA transition.  Glocks also have a very fast reset. The slide needs to only travel a very short distance rearward before the trigger resets. It also has a reasonably positive reset and by that I mean that the reset can be easily felt by the shooter. I do not find the Glock trigger to be overly heavy but it can be quite long (it is likely long as a safety feature). Glock triggers will never be completely like 1911 triggers but there are some things that we can do to mitigate the shortcomings and enhance the strengths of the trigger.

The stock trigger parts that Glock installs are the 5.5 pound (#) connector, and standard trigger spring. This renders a pull weight of about 5 to 5.5 pounds (though it lightens after several hundred cycles). The standard spring makes the trigger feel a very mushy or springy to me. The reset is fairly positive but could be improved on.

Some people like to do what is referred to as the $0.25 Trigger Job. I can tell you that it works. I can also tell you that lots of dry fire and plenty of time at the range will net you the exact same effect. The $0.25 Trigger Job is essentially just accelerating the normal wear that the trigger parts go through. I usually skip it. If you choose to do it, AlphaRubicon.com has the original and still one of the best tutorials.

In my opinion these two inexpensive parts will go the furthest in improving the Glock trigger: a NY1 Trigger Spring and a 3.5# connector. If you do nothing else, install these two parts. Together, they will improve trigger feel, consistency, and reset.

The NY1 Trigger Spring was originally designed to make the Glock trigger feel heavier and more like a double action revolver. It is a completely different design than the stock trigger spring. It is a beefier coil spring held in a plastic wedge. When you pull the trigger you are compressing the spring rather than stretching it as you are with the stock spring. When it is installed, it applies more consistent spring tension on the trigger which leads to more consistent and less mushy trigger feel. It also makes the reset much more positive which may be the best thing about it.

The 3.5# connector is basically just there to keep the trigger pull weight down. If you just installed the NY1 it would make the trigger pull heavier (about 7-8 pounds). If the 3.5# connector is installed it basically cancels out the pull weight that we added with the NY1. The combination of the NY1 and 3.5# connector renders trigger pull weight of about 4-5 pounds which is very manageable, especially considering the other improvements that we have made by installing these parts.

If you are after the best combination of consistency, pull weight and reset for your Glock (and you should be), then consider installing a 3.5# connector and NY1 Trigger Spring. There is more to a good trigger than just being light and short.

ESEE Junglas Laserna Pack

Jeff and Mike at ESEE showed the prototype for a new pack several months ago on their forum. I was impressed then and I am even more impressed now that it is on the market and the details are out. The pack has some serious organization potential, comes in all the right colors, and has a waistbelt that actually looks useful (rare in smaller packs).

The Junglas Laserna Pack can be purchased directly from ESEE. You can also read more about the pack and the Junglas for which the pack is named at the link.

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Ray Laconico Now Making Locking Folders

Ray Laconico has been making some of the hardest working fixed blade knives around for years. He has also dabbled in slip joint folding knives. Recently, as he stated in his interview here on Jerking the Trigger, he has been concentrating on locking folders.

This is great news for those who love the performance and character of carbon steel and like locking folders because Ray has been making liner locks with O1 tool steel blades. Carbon steel locking folders are all but non-existent on today’s knife market so Ray is really filling a niche.

If you are interested in owning one of Ray’s knives you can contact him through BladeForums.

The Regular Guy Sessions: Jon at Danger Close Consulting

In this installment of The Regular Guy Sessions, we will be talking with Jon at Danger Close Consulting (DCC). Jon is the man responsible for the recently reviewed Low Pro Scout Mount as well as other excellent light mounts (and some pretty hilarious t-shirts). I first found Danger Close Consulting on Lightfighter where he shares his knowledge as a Moderator. I ordered one of his mounts recently and, like I said in the review, it solved a problem for me. That is what I like my gear to do – solve problems.

I have said it before and I will say it again – if you can trust the person who makes the gear, you can trust the gear. That is the point of these interviews. I want people to get to know those who are making their gear. I want to connect buyers with sellers and give people options when it comes time to spend hard earned cash on gear. I think after you learn a bit about Jon, you will certainly trust his gear.

I want to first start out by thanking Jon for his service to this country and for taking time to answer my questions. Thank you, Jon.

Can you tell us about your background?

Jon: I am an active-duty Army soldier.  I have served in Infantry and Special Forces assignments.  I am fortunate enough to have had a wide exposure to the weapons systems used by US Forces and the military forces of other nations.  I have 4 combat rotations overseas and have participated in numerous programs for the development of SOF weapons systems.  I am also an avid participant in the sport shooting arena when time permits.  I have always had an interest in firearms and tactical products, so when I got to a place where I was able to dedicate the time to developing and producing weapons peripherals it was a no-brainer.

How does your line of work influence your product design? How do end users influence your product design?

Jon: I have been afforded the opportunity to receive some of the best tactical and shooting training in the world in my job, as well as a good amount of combat experience.  I also have a network of  peers which is extremely valuable for gaining a huge amount of feedback and guidance.  These are key factors in being able to know by looking at a product or concept and know it’s strengths and weaknesses over a broad spectrum of possible uses.  I can translate this combined information into product gaps, and then I find ways to fill so end-users have what they need to most efficiently do their jobs.

What made you decide to strike out on your own when there are already a TON of light mounts on the market?

Jon: Nobody made an affordable, durable, ultra low-profile mounting system.  I could pick any two of those three traits but not all of them. By pure luck I found an experienced local machinist who could make it happen, and already had experience with making products like I needed.  Our low-profile G2 and 1″ mounts are simply a further refinement of a piece he has been making since 2003.

What makes your mounts different and better?

Jon: Our mounts provide a level of function and value few have been able to match.  I do not want to set a price that would make a Law Enforcement Officer, Service Member, or civilian shooting enthusiast have to save for two months to buy one.  My partner and I both have day jobs to pay the bills, and we produce these mounts because we love making these products.  We are also able to bring a level of expertise in both tactical experience and manufacturing capability that is not often found elsewhere.

As far as I know the Low Pro Scout Mount is the first mount of it’s kind. Where did the inspiration for the Low Profile Scout Mount come from?

Jon: Pat Rogers of EAG Tactical, 100%.  He called me and said, “Why don’t you make an offset Scout Light mount?”  And I did… (We here at Jerking the Trigger think that is probably the only proper response when Pat Rogers wants something!)

Can we look forward to more gear from DCC soon? Can you share any teasers with us?

Jon: We have a solid lineup of new gear coming out, and in addition to weapons parts we are going to introduce some specialized soft goods.  In the near future we look forward to offering a new handstop that offers improved grip, footprint, and value over others on the market as well as some new solutions for attaching slings to popular weapons systems.  I want to expand at a rate that is manageable with my primary job, and also I want to make sure we are not re-inventing the wheel with our products.  I don’t wish to compete with other manufacturers, really.  I want our products to be specialized and truly offer something different from others on the market.  If I can go buy it from LaRue, I will just go do that instead (shameless plug for LaRue, BTW.)

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