The upcoming AK-01 mount, from Midwest Industries, is an easy way to mount a light or other accessories on an AK with no modifications. The AK-01 clamps to the barrel to provide pic rail on both sides of the AK and does not block access to the cleaning rod. If you want to maintain a somewhat traditional AK look or if you just want to add a light to a basic AK, this looks like a simple way to do it.
Stay tuned to the Midwest Industries website for more details on pricing and release date.
Arson Machine Co. just dropped one heck of a tease on Instagram. This new mount appears to not only consolidate your light and laser into a very small footprint, it also appears to place the laser directly over the bore. Details are sparse at this time. Stay tuned.
Arson Machine’s new M-LOK 360 Degree WireGuides allow the user to route their cables over their M-LOK compatible rails at any angle. They can be rotated to suit almost any entry or exit angle thanks to their round form. You could probably even spell words out in cursive using your cables are long enough.
These are machined from 6061-T6 aluminum and finished with either black or tan Type 3 hard anodization. They are made in the USA.
Valhalla Tactical has let the cat out of the bag on a very interesting new weapon mounted light switch that they are developing. The switch functions like a typical tailcap in that it can be depressed but it can also be activated from almost any direction like a joystick.
The following quote was taken from their Instagram feed where there is a lot of additional information and video of the new switch:
Reinventing remote tape switches!!?
Technically this is more of a clicky on steroid, but it was designed to function as a tape switches / pressure pads without their typical issues. Fundamentally, it works like a joy stick: no matter what direction you push, it will activate the light. So it has the same sensitivity and ease of use of a tape switch, but without the cable management headache.
It is also far more future proof then current tape switches. Most tape switches today can only handle around ~2 Amps of current; in fact many tail caps are only rated for 3 Amps. That translates to ~1,600 to maximum 2,000 lumen of light output – and they become the bottleneck when developing more powerful lights. Instead, this switch is rated for *10 Amps* and can easily handle 5,000+ lumen light heads in the future.
This switch is also ambi-friendly as you can activate it with both hands, regardless of which side you mount the light. Your thumb or arch naturally rest by the switch, and a very simple nudge from any direction will activate it.
Oh it is also FAR cheaper than the cost of replacement tail caps + remote tape switch.
It does, however, have the same drawback of a tape switch (and possibly more so due to the much higher sensitivity) – if you have not trained well, accidental activation can happen. So if you are airsoft ninja’ing, this switch might not be for you. Also just like pressure pads, you need to quarter-turn the tail cap to deactivate the switch for transportation. It could turn itself on inside a soft case, just like some pressure pads will.
So who is this for? We think if you want a simple, self-contained MLOK light that has all the benefit and ease of use of a pressure pad, this is for you. Also as a bedside gun or any high-stress situation where you NEED the light to turn on without thinking about it. I can’t tell you how many times we’ve seen people fumble and can’t find their clicky during simple trainings. Now substitute that with a home invasion. The time you spent finding your recessed clicky could mean life and death.
It’s no secret that I like the Streamlight Microstream USB… a lot. I’ve written about it here and posted about it on our social media numerous times. Based on my experience with the Microstream, I had to try the Macrostream as soon as it came out so I purchased one immediately. I have now been using it for more than a year and I’ve learned some things.
The Macrostream is functionally similar to the Microstream USB. It has a similar bidirectional clip (which is truly useful), it has the same easy-to-live-with charging setup, and it has the same simple user interface. It differs in that it is larger due to its larger battery, has twice the output at 500 lumens, and boasts longer runtimes. It also has a more flush tail switch that feels considerably less tactile than the Microstream.
The Macrostream is a great light on its own but I can’t help but still feel that the Microstream is a slightly better light for my purposes. The Macrostream’s less positive, flush tail switch makes operating the light just a bit more fidgety (not for actually activating it but for switching modes) and its larger size makes the light just a bit less convenient. However, none of these issues are insurmountable, especially if you just need the extra output.
