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Coming Soon: BCM 11.5″ Lightweight Upper

By on September 14, 2010 in Guns

As if 11.5″ uppers weren’t already lightweight enough, BCM has taken things to a whole new level. They recently announced that their 11.5″ lightweight uppers are going into production and should be available for purchase in “early Fall”. These uppers will feature a lightweight profile 11.5″ barrel with carbine gas system. They will be extremely lightweight, especially with some of the lighter weight handguard options like Troy/VTAC Extreme or Magpul MOE handguards.

If you are SBR shopping, these upper should find its way near the top of your list.

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New Ruger 10/22 Tactical

By on September 13, 2010 in Guns

Ruger 10/22s have always been excellent suppressor hosts. Until recently, if you wanted to use a 10/22 as a suppressor host you had to purchase an aftermarket threaded barrel. This adds cost to an already expensive project.

Now, with the introduction of the new 10/22 Tactical, shooters have access to an off the shelf suppressor ready rifle. The 10/22 has all the great features that you have come to expect from the standard 10/22 with the addition of a threaded muzzle. The rifle will come equipped with a Mini-14 style flash suppressor to protect the threads (there is almost no real use for a flash suppressor on a .22LR chambered rifle).

I commend Ruger for supporting suppressor users like this.

 

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ST Action Pro Dummy Rounds

By on September 10, 2010 in Guns, Reviews, Tactics and Training

If you want to add realism to your home dry fire sessions then you need dummy rounds and the best dummy rounds that I have used are made by ST Action Pro. Dummy rounds are a must if you want to safely and realistically practice realistic reloads and malfunction clearance at home.

ST Action Pro Dummy Rounds consist of 2 parts: a real brass case (and in some cases a nickle plated brass case) and a brightly colored plastic insert. The real case makes them extremely durable. I have chambered some of my dummy rounds hundreds of times with little damage. The brightly colored case makes it nearly impossible to mistake these for real ammo.

It should be noted that these are dummy rounds, not snap caps. There is an empty cavity where the rubber bumper would normally be on a snap cap. However, these can be made into a snap caps relatively easily (sounds like a future Tactical Handyman post).

Take your dry fire training up a notch with ST Action Pro Dummy Rounds.

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Handgun Sight Review: AmeriGlo Hackathorn Sights

By on September 6, 2010 in Guns, Reviews, Tactical Gear

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.

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Crimson Trace Targets the Military Market

By on September 2, 2010 in Guns, Tactical Gear

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

Tactical-Life broke the story and they have the scoop on some fascinating new products that CTC Defense is developing.

 

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