The original ESEE Izula is a great knife and it has been a runaway success. It makes sense that such a great knife should also get a great patch!
This one is available exclusively from EM Gear.
Archive | Tactical Gear
Handgun Sight Review: AmeriGlo Hackathorn Sights
The Hackathorn Sights are, like the recently reviewed I-Dot sights, a relatively new offering from AmeriGlo. Their name comes from their designer, Ken Hackathorn. Mr. Hackathorn is one of the premier trainers in the tactical world and needs no introduction.
The bright red front sight demands your attention. This picture approximates the shooter's point of view (on a Glock 21SF for reference). Click to enlarge.
Stats
Front sight width: .140″
Rear sight notch: .180″
Price: $80
Front Sight
The front sight is what makes the Hackathorn sights unique. Dimensionally, it is similar to most other standard front night sights on the market. It features one tritium vial insert. The magic of the Hackathorn sights come from the wide circle of bright red/orange paint that rings the front sight. This makes the front sight incredibly fast to acquire in daylight. In low light, it behaves just as well as any other tritium front sight.
The bright red ring on the front sight is what makes these excellent sights unique. Click to enlarge.
Rear Sight
There are two ways that manufacturers typically deal with glare on the rear sight. One is to under cut the rear face of the sight and the other is serrate the rear face of the sight. AmeriGlo and Ken Hackathorn chose to serrate the rear sight in this set. It is effective, but I have found that, over time, I prefer under cut rear sights. Serrated sights have more high points and hard corners to wear and become shiny with use. They can actually become more distracting than a plain rear sight. However, this is hardly an issue since it can easily be fixed with periodic application of “sight black” (which high volume shooters are probably doing already).
The serrated rear sight does not have any tritium, outlining, or dots to distract from your front sight focus. Click to enlarge.
This rear sight also features a wide notch and sloped, snag-free profile. The wide notch allows for quick acquisition of the front sight. The sloped profile makes some one-hand manipulation techniques difficult but provides a sleek package for carry or competition.
The Hackathorn sights feature a smooth, snag-free profile. Click to enlarge.
The mix of eye catching front sight with low glare rear sight makes for an excellent combination. These sights are very, very fast. The wide rear notch and relatively wide front sight aren’t the most “bulls eye” friendly combination but they are capable of great accuracy if the shooter does their part. It is hard to argue with the experience and opinions of Ken Hackathorn. These sights are definitely worth your consideration.
BallisticReload.com
Click to visit BallisticReload.com
BallisticReload.com is a “Deal a Day” type site like Woot.com except they offer shooting/tactical gear. I only found the site last week and some of the deals that I have seen have been excellent.
Here is how it works: Every day at 2PM (Mountain Time) there is a new deal listed for an item at 30-60% off. It remains available for 24 hours or until it sells out. You can sign up for email alerts so that you always know what has been listed for the day.
I love a bargain!
Crimson Trace Targets the Military Market
Crimson Trace is at the forefront of firearm laser design, development, and use. They have nearly single-handedly dragged the visible laser aiming device from goofy toy to viable low light force multiplier. Now they have announced the formation of a new division called CTC Defense. The new division will cater solely to the military market but the civilian gun owner will benefit from the new technology that CTC Defense develops.
Here is the official press release from Crimson Trace:
September 1, 2010
CRIMSON TRACE ESTABLISHES NEW MILITARY DIVISION, CTC DEFENSE™
Wilsonville, OR — Crimson Trace Corporation, manufacturer of Lasergrips® and Laserguard® laser-sighting systems, has launched a new division targeting military supply channels with military grade product: CTC Defense.
Different from the commercial Crimson Trace brand, all new products have been built from the ground up using new technologies and resources that are innovative solutions for today’s hostile environments requiring white light, IR (infrared) and quick change day-to-night sighting systems.
“Adapt, Enhance and Overcome — those are the key needs for today’s modern day Warfighter”, said Dale Suzuki, Director of CTC Defense. “With the introduction of the heavily featured/modulated MVF-600, the Dual Can sighting system and platform specific solutions (HK, Sig Sauer, etc), we’ve fulfilled our vision for meeting the requirements now faced on the battlefield due to changing environments, close quarter encounters and new technologies”.
“CTC Defense is a natural progression to our growing business model and we are very proud and excited to launch this new brand and division” said Lane Tobiassen, President of Crimson Trace. “With our significant resources, superior innovation and patented technologies, we are able to provide the Military with unique products that expand and enhance their ability to be the supreme force on the battlefield.”
For more information, please contact us at 1-800-442-2406
Handgun Sight Review: AmeriGlo I-Dot
The I-Dot sights are one of the newest offerings from AmeriGlo. Their name comes from their 2 dot design. Instead of lining up 3 dots horizontally like you would with most night sights, you align 2 dots vertically with the I-Dot sights. It’s like dotting an “i”. This design feels fast and intuitive in low light.
Front sight focus is easy with the I-Dot sights. This picture approximates the shooter's point of view (on a Glock 17 RTF2 for reference). Click to enlarge.
Stats
- Front sight width: .125″
- Rear sight notch: .180″
- Price: $74
Front Sight
The I-Dot front sight is a pretty standard front sight. It has a tritium vile insert and a white outline.
The front sight is typical of most night sights. Click to enlarge.
Rear Sight
The I-Dot features an excellent rear sight. The notch is relatively wide (like most AmeriGlo rear sights) at .180″. This makes the front sight faster to pick up but may cost you some precision at longer distances. I find the speed gained is greater than the precision lost. It’s a worth while trade.
The bottom corners of the notch are rounded similar to a u-notch (unlike a true u-notch, the bottom is flat). These rounded corners serve to remove all of the hard edges from the sight picture except the important ones.
The rear sight features a single tritium vile insert that does not have a white outline which makes it appear smaller than the insert in the front sight. Everything about this rear sight is designed to help you focus on the front sight.
The I-Dot rear sight feature a single tritium vile that is not outlined and a wide notch with rounded corners. Click to enlarge.
The rear sight has many of it’s edges melted so it is snag free. However, the leading edge of the rear sight is left squared so that the sight can be used to cycle the slide in an emergency by catching it on a belt, holster, table top, or any other suitable surface. This may be an important feature if you train one handed manipulations.
The I-Dot rear sight has mostly "melted" corners except the leading edge which is intentionally left squared. Click to enlarge.
There is no shortage of options when it comes to excellent handgun sights. The AmeriGlo I-Dots have a slew of features and a price that makes them one of the top choices in a crowded field.