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KAC Micro Flip Front Sight for AR-15s

By on March 14, 2010 in Guns, Tactical Gear

Click for a larger view.

This is a simple idea that makes a lot of sense. Knight’s Armament Company has a new rail mounted front site out called the Micro Flip Front Sight. It is becoming more popular to use an extended handguard over a low profile gas block on AR-15s. Along with this trend has come a need for rail mounted front sights. Rail mounted front sights are not unique. Many companies like Troy and MI already make similar items.

What makes this one unique is that the elevation adjustment without tools! You no longer need special tools or  to struggle with a bullet tip to dial your elevation at the front sight. You can simple turn the low profile dial to adjust the front sight up or down. The dial also appears to be shielded to minimize the chances of losing your zero to an impact or snag on the dial.

The price is $125 (MSRP) which is comparable to other folding rail mounted front sights.

US Palm AK Attack Rack (AKAR) – A New AK-47 Chest Rig

By on March 14, 2010 in Guns, Survival, Tactical Gear

Click for a larger view.

Chest rig choices have been somewhat limited for AK-47 users. Eagle Industries has a couple of dedicated AK rigs and several manufacturers make chest rigs that are somewhat universal. Often these universal rigs don’t work well with the curved shape of the AK mags or hang up on the locking tab located on the back of the mag. US Palm has a new rig that will, at the very least, give AK users another choice.

This chest rig is somewhat spartan (as any good chest rig should be). It is basically just a means to carry 4 primary mags and 4 items like pistol mags, flashlights, or multi-tools. Each of the primary magazine pouches is lined with a high wear material to protect the pouch from the locking tab on the backs of the magazines. They also have a unique shape that is tailor-made for AK mags. The materials used in the construction are all top-notch (500D Cordura, ITW hardware). The shoulder straps look broad and somewhat flat (as they should be). Primary mags are retained via “bungee” loops that offer great retention and speedier access than flaps. It will be available in all the colors that you have come to expect including Multicam.

I only have two potential misgivings. First, I have always preferred AK chest rigs with a 3 mag set up since the size and shape of AK mags make them more difficult to manipulate when you have to reach across your body to the weapon side pouch or to the pouch nearest your support side. With the 4 mag set ups, the middle two pouches always seem to be more usable than the outer two. Second, the rig it appears to favor right handed shooters due to the shape of the pouches. I guess the AK47 isn’t particularly lefty friendly either.

You can find more info here:

US Palm (once their website is updated)

Scottsdale Gun Club

One Source Tactical

Lakota Hydrographics – Multicam Coatings

By on March 14, 2010 in Guns, Knives, Tactical Gear

Lakota Corp is now offering Multicam hydrographics. What are hydrographics?

From the Lakota Corp website:

Hydrographic printing is known by several names. It is also called water transfer printing, cubic printing and fluid imaging. This technology is a water-soluble film, upon which patterns of ink are applied. Similar to some of the new medicines and breath mint sheets on the market that dissolve in your mouth, the film in this technology dissolves in water, leaving the ink floating. When the item is submersed into the water, the ink then adheres to the item “dipped” three-dimensionally.

The picture shows a helmet that has been through the hydroprinting process. You can click the picture to go to a small gallery of other items that have been dipped. They can do objects of all sorts of sizes and shapes – even entire rifles. The results are appear to be very nice but I wonder about the durability of the coating.

If you have experience with these coatings leave a comment about their durability. Thanks.

AAC Brakeout – AAC's New Flash Suppressor/Compensator

By on March 14, 2010 in Guns, Tactical Gear

AAC is bringing a new flash suppressing compensator to market called the Brakeout. It is based on the successful and very effective Blackout flash suppressor line. The Blackout is probably the most effective flash suppressor on the market today. It will be interesting to see how much of that effectiveness the Brakeout retains. If it can suppress flash nearly as well as the Blackout and add some muzzle rise compensation it will be truly impressive.

Flash suppressing compensators are starting to fill the market. I own and use two PWS FSC556 flash suppressing compensators and they really do work. They reduce muzzle flip noticeably – which is saying something on the already mild muzzle flip of the 5.56. It also suppresses flash just as well as an A2 flash suppressor. The FSC556 and devices like it can give an already good shooter a needed advantage by decreasing the time needed to realign the sights between shots.

This type of performance does not come without costs. They increase (or at least redirect) the noise that comes from the muzzle while shooting. This extra noise may not be apparent to the shooter who is behind the rifle (as is the case with the FSC556) but it may be painfully obvious to those to the sides of the shooter. The extra (or redirected) noise will also become apparent when shooting indoors. Shooters who will be using these devices in team settings or on home defense guns should take note. The muzzle blast from these devices can also cause debris to be stirred up and rained down on the shooter when using non-standard shooting positions like roll over/urban prone. Any shooter who is considering one of these devices should educate themselves on the down sides before purchasing.

It should also be noted that these will not make marginal shooters into good shooters. If you do not apply the fundamentals of stance to control recoil, you will see little to no gains from these devices. While they do compensate for muzzle rise, they do not compensate for training, practice, or skill.

The sounds suppressor mount version of the AAC Brakeout is available for purchase now from AAC. I believe that eventually there will be a version without the suppressor mount.

More Thoughts on the US Palm AK Magazines

By on March 14, 2010 in Guns, Tactical Gear

I have had few questions on whether the new US Palm AK magazines that I covered recently are worth the $29.95 asking price, especially when surplus steel mags tend to costs $10-20. They really don’t cost anymore than the European manufactured plastic mags on the market. Only the person buying the magazines can say whether or not they worth the price. I can say that I believe certain aspects of this mag are better than steel mags. And when something is better, it usually costs more.

  1. The design is better – The ridges and waffle pattern give good grip when manipulating a magazine. The body of the mag is essentially fused into one piece (no more loose base plates that spit your rounds all over the floor at the range – yes, I have seen it happen).
  2. The materials are better – Polymer is better than steel for this application. Steel bends on impact and the mag stops working. Polymer bounces back or maybe cracks but the mag will likely continue to work even when cracked. It is also lighter in weight. The days of worrying about polymer magazines are long gone. You WANT plastic mags in many cases. Stop resisting the inevitable!
  3. The follower is better – The follower is a low friction design. This sort of thing revolutionized AR mags.
  4. The weight is better – Like I said above, they are lighter. This is a big deal. This just in… AK mags are heavy!
  5. The spring is better – These mags use a chromium-silicon spring which is rated for 100,000 cycles. Steel mags use whatever springs the communist government that made the mags could get that day (maybe).
  6. The manufacturer is better – These are made in the US by a top tier maker. They will take care of you if you have an issue.

With all that said, I can definitely understand those who want to wait and see. There is definitely something to be said for not being an early adopter. The prices may come down and, more importantly, any bugs will be worked out if you wait to purchase these. We still do not have any real world accounts of usage on these things (no, “I went to the range and slow fired 30 rounds. These mags are awesome!” does not count).

This whole thing reminds me of when the PMAG first came out. You had people who wouldn’t trust any plastic mag and those who wouldn’t pay $15-17 when aluminum mags could be purchased for $10.

I am not in a hurry to buy any of these right now, but my AK is really just a toy. If the AK was my primary weapon, I would be taking a good hard look at these new mags.

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