I have been using the Suarez International (SI) Combat Magazine Guide for almost 1 year now on one of my Generation 3 Glock 19s and I like it quite a bit. It may seem strange to use a magwell on a carry gun to some but I may have some unique perspective for those who think that way.
Overview
The Combat Magazine Guide is a drop-in magazine well enhancement that is available for a number of different Glock models. It is machined from “aircraft grade” aluminum and hard anodized. Installation is easy and similar to every other magwell that I have ever used.
Observations
I will say up front that the marketing for the Combat Magazine Guide is a bit over the top. I have come to expect that from SI but I have also come to expect that the quality and function of the product will be very good at a reasonable price. That has been true for this and all the other Glock parts I have used from them.
SI states in their marketing materials that the Combat Magazine Guide gives a 3% edge is reload speed. I have never really found that to be the case with ANY magazine well intended for use with double stack magazines. I have generally found that reloads are more forgiving of not-so-perfect technique but, averaged out over several reloads, not necessarily faster.
At this point, you may be wondering why I still like magwells on Glocks if I haven’t really found them to be faster. Most people have a pretty narrow view of what a magwell does. I don’t discount their ability to clean up a slight miss during a reload and their potential to speed some reloads but I see them as a grip enhancer as much as a reload enhancer.
The grip enhancing aspects of a well designed magwell are especially apparent on short gripped handguns like the Glock 19. My hands are wide enough that they can cause two issues (I usually wear a medium or, occasionally, a large glove so we aren’t talking about especially meaty hands here). The first is that magazine may fail to drop free due to contact with the meat of my palm. The second (and more painful issue) is that the meat of my palm can be pinched between the Glock frame and magazine base plate. This can cause a painful blood blister which is less than pleasant when you are part way through a long training session. The Combat Magazine Guide prevents this from happening by effectively holding back the meat of my palm.
Additionally, the wedge shape of the Combat Magazine Guide serves to drive the hand higher on the gun and lock it in against the beaver tail area at the back of the grip. The shape at the front of the Combat Magazine Guide creates a sort of shelf that drives your finger high into the trigger guard. It really helps lock your grip into place.
The design of the Combat Magazine Guide doesn’t really alter the concealability of the Glock 19. It fits so close to the Glock frame that base plate of your magazine is still the longest part of the gun. This is key for three reasons. One, it is the butt of the gun that has the biggest effect on concealment. Two, you can still get finger tips on the baseplate for malfunction clearances. Three, it works with a wider variety of aftermarket baseplates than magazine wells that encompass more of the baseplate.
Wrap Up
Is the marketing for this item over the top? Yes. However, I think SI is actually selling themselves short with the “3% edge in speed” claim. Speed is quantifiable but it is harder to quantify how well the Combat Magazine Guide works to enhance the grip. It is well shaped and thoughtfully designed in a broader context beyond just speeding reloads.
I have been using an Armageddon Gear Precision Rifle Sling for over a year now and I have really come to appreciate it’s simple approach to helping the shooter build a steadier shooting position. I have used it mostly on two precision AR-15 builds but it has also done some time on a .30-06 Ruger American Rifle that I am setting up for hunting.
The Precision Rifle Sling has three features that make it stand out for me. The first is the always-open arm cuff. The cuff can be adjusted to fit your arm and then it stays that size more or less. To use it, you simple slip your body out of the sling and drive your support arm into the loop. Then you can pull the loop higher onto your arm as necessary. Once your arm is in the sling loop you can do a forearm wrap or quick adjust the sling tension to tighten it into a rock steady position which brings me to the next thing I like about the sling…
The tension adjustments can be made while you are in the sling. There is a short tail at the front of the sling that can be pulled to tighten the shooting position while you are already slung up. This allows you to fine tune the position quickly which is a big plus considering how much your support arm positioning may change based on the shooting position.
Finally, the bungee section of the sling has really surprised me. I have never had a shooting sling with a bungee feature but the Precision Rifle Sling features a stretch segment built into the “back” half of the sling. This, coupled with the wide webbing, makes it more comfortable to carry heavier rifles like my SPR. It also serves to suck the shooter into the rifle when shooting off of a barricade or even just on the rifle bar of a tree stand.
The Precision Rifle Sling is well made and the materials are top notch. It is available in a number of colors (mine is ATACS-AU) and with three different attachment options (plain ends, QD swivels, and AI Hooks).
I have been using a Black Rhino Concealment (BRC) TCSL Holster since August of last year. It has been my most commonly worn holster around our property and a frequent range companion.
Overview
The TCSL is a pancake style holster made from Kydex. The TCS is their standard holster and the TCSL, which is the subject of this review, is the light bearing version.
The TCSL features BRC’s 90/10 mold. Most kydex holsters mold approximately half the gun into one side of the holster and half the gun into the other side. BRC molds the gun so that it is mostly contained by the outer layer of kydex. This allows the inner layer, the layer closest to the wearer, to be only lightly molded which presents a flatter, more comfortable surface to the wearer’s side.
Observations from Use
I want to camp on the 90/10 mold that BRC uses since that is what makes this holster unique in the market. I have noticed that it is very comfortable both inside the waist band and outside the waist band. It was anticipating that it would mostly make a difference when being worn inside the waistband but I was surprised to find that it reduced hotspots outside the waistband as well. I would say this is an extremely comfortable holster – especially for an all-Kydex construction holster.
BRC does not provide adjustable retention on their TCS holsters and I like that. I generally prefer holsters without adjustable retention adjustment screws seem to do nothing but loosen over time. The retention is more than sufficient. You could probably call it moderate. It would be nice if BRC could let the user choose the degree of retention when they order their holster to accommodate those who might lighter or more aggressive retention.
A good kydex holster is molded so that it feels like it only retains on the trigger guard or, in the case of a light bearing holster, it should retain on the light. This is what allows the distinctive click-in and click-out that good kydex holsters exhibit. Poorly molded holsters can causes hitches in the draw or make it more difficult to insert the handgun. The TCSL is a well molded holster. It clicks in positively and release the handgun quickly. BRC has done a good job of blocking around the light while also providing sufficient trigger coverage. The sight channel is generous.
BRC’s sweat guard runs all the way up the full length of the slide so it provides good coverage. However, it is also cut away fairly aggressively to allow a good grip on the handgun right out of the holster.
The back of the TCSL is lightly molded for comfort. There is even less impression into the back panel on the non-light bearing TCS holster.
BRC uses injection molded wing-like belt loops. These wings do good job of holding the holster in close to the wearer and spreading the weight of the gun. They are very stable and have held up well to several months of wear.
The fit and finish is very good on my TCSL with one exception that does not effect function. The edges are lightly rounded and well polished. The eyelets are consistent and well formed. The mold has acceptable definition. The issue is where the kydex is folded to cover the lens of the light. It covers completely but because of the 90/10 mold, this bit of kydex must be folded over quite a bit which leads to bit of a sloppy look. It doesn’t look very clean but it has ZERO negative effect on function. Many makers do not cover the lens completely to avoid this but BRC chooses to provide full coverage.
I also want to share a story to give you an idea of the types of guys you are dealing with at BRC. I needed a holster for an East German Makarov that was given to me by my grandfather. I have been looking for one on and off for years. There just aren’t a lot of choices unless you want junk. I have asked several holster makers over the years if they happened to have a Makarov to mold a holster with and was always greeted with a “No. Sorry.” Geno at BRC said they didn’t have one but that he could make something happen. He then proceeded to call people he knows to track down a Makarov. The result is that I have one of their TCS holsters for my cherished East German Makarov. BRC takes care of customers.
Wrap Up
The Black Rhino Concealment is a very comfortable holster thanks to the 90/10 mold. While my example does have a fit and finish issue, the holster functions exactly as it should. My holster has served me well and it has become my go-to outside the waistband holster.
If you are one of those shooters who finds kydex holsters a bit uncomfortable, you should definitely check out Black Rhino Concealment. They might change your mind.
Disclosure: This holster was provided to me free of charge by Black Rhino Concealment for review.
This image shows the 90/10 mold. The majority of the gun’s width is molded into the holster’s front panel. It also shows the fit and finish issue mentioned earlier in the review.
I have owned several 1911s over the years. At one point, I was shooting and carrying them exclusively (until I got tired of the maintenance as my yearly round count increased). Eventually I sold them all and moved into Glocks – a soulless gun that I have never loved like a 1911 but that I appreciate for its workman like performance. Last year, I decided that I needed at least one 1911 in the collection for old time’s sake and to stay proficient. It also seemed like a good reason to try Magpul’s affordable 1911 grips.
I like my handguns to have fairly aggressive texture. Texture can help make up for injury diminished grip strength, aids recoil control, and helps deal with sweat/mud/blood/gun oil. I chose the MOE 1911 Grip Panels with Magpul’s TSP texture. The TSP texture is excellent. It’s pointed trapezoidal (TSP stands for Trapezoidal Surface Projections) texture elements are as aggressive a texture as you will find on a factory produced item. The TSP texture, along with the somewhat angular cross section (more of a triangular cross section than a typical half circle) of these grips does a great job of locking the 1911 in your hand.
Polymer, while a little low-rent in perception, is actually a great material for grip panels versus something like wood or G-10/micarta. Durable polymer allows for aggressive texture at a low cost, light weight, and without being as grabby to your covering garment as something like G-10. Magpul’s polymer always seems to hold up well and, while the grips aren’t quite as sharp as they were a year ago, they are still very aggressive. 1911s are heavy to begin with so saving a little weight in the grip is a welcome feature, as is the low price.
The overall design of these grips is excellent, especially the deeply dished out magazine release relief that is molded into the grip. There is no texture in this area so your thumb isn’t abraded as you move it to the mag release. It is deeply dished out from the back of the grip all the way to the front which should allow a wide variety of hand sizes to more easily access the magazine release without shifting their grip much.
I don’t typically like to talk about looks but on a classically handsome gun like the 1911, it is bound to come up. These grips look great on the right gun… to me, at least. They are going to look a little strange on a classic, blued Gold Cup but they look right at home on a modern, “tactical” 1911. I mostly don’t care how they look since they offer the function that I want at very affordable price.
I already own a pair of excellent micarta grips but, if I didn’t, I would have a hard time justifying the price of them over these Magpul grips. These are truly functional grips and a very affordable price. Put your fancy wood grips in the safe for special occasions and pick up a set of these.
I was given the opportunity to review Vehicle CQB with William Petty – an on demand training video featuring instructor William Petty and produced by Firelance Media. The video seeks to give shooters tools that they can use in a conflict that takes place in or directly around a vehicle and, along the way, it slays more than a few sacred cows.
Video Training Done Right
Much of the video training content that is out there walks the fine line between entertainment and training. There is always some value in viewing training content but it will never be a replacement for in-person training with a skilled instructor. Video remains a powerful medium for conveying ideas but is more limited for conveying skills.
Vehicle CQB works so well as a video because it isn’t necessarily a shooting skill course. It is more of a problem-solving course. The handling of basic shooting positions is a great example of this. The video doesn’t teach you the basic shooting positions. It shows you how they might be used when fighting around a vehicle. That is an important distinction and one of the biggest reasons this video works so well.
This is very specific material that most people would never have access to outside of video. Most ranges don’t allow you to shoot vehicles and courses like this are hard to find for the civilian shooter. The material is presented with a depth that could never be accomplished in a shooting course. This type of depth can only be presented in a vehicle specific course or video.
Vehicle CQB is heavy on ideas rather than specific skills and it presents subject matter that would otherwise be inaccessible for most people. This video is what video training can and should be.
Quality Instructional Design
Vehicle CQB is very well executed from an instructional design standpoint. The format of the video and logical progression will feel familiar to you if you have ever attended a shooting course from a quality instructor. Objectives and context are given, the basics are built upon, new information is introduced, and then the students are expected to apply that new information in drills.
The video follows a group of students through a Vehicle CQB course as taught by William Petty. As with any good course, it starts in the classroom where objectives are set and context is given. This initial lecture phase sets the table for the instruction that follows on the range.
The range portion of the video takes place over three days with each serving as a subsequent block of instruction with a debrief at the end of each. The first block teaches the student how to use and tweak the shooting positions that they should already know to be more effective around a vehicle. These are not new shooting positions but rather refinements that are applicable for use around any cover, not just vehicles.
The second range block introduces the ballistic concepts that set this video apart. I don’t want to give away to much in this review but it was paradigm shifting for me. I have attended shooting courses before where the extent of the vehicle related instruction given was something to the effect of “Only the wheels and engine block are cover” or “Vehicles are bullet magnets and you should get away from them ASAP.” Petty systematically shows, caliber by caliber, that there are many more points of cover than that to be found on a vehicle. This is powerful content when you consider that we spend a significant time in vehicles on open road where cover is sparse. There may not be other cover to run to so it makes sense to know how to maximize the only cover you have rather than exposing yourself needlessly by leaving it.
The final range block finds us on the range with Petty and his students while they apply their new found knowledge. The drills are many and varied. They include students working along and in pairs to exit a vehicle while engaging cardboard targets, drills that are heavy on information processing, and some very illuminating force-on-force drills. There are plenty of ideas here that you can incorporate into your own training even if it just dry fire. The force-on-force content in particular is excellent in that you get a chance to see many of the concepts introduced earlier by Petty playing out exactly as he said they would in a dynamic way.
The debriefs that follow each range block do a good job of personalizing the training and driving home the main points. There are also interviews with Petty interspersed that gives us a window into his mind and these do a good job of delving deeper into the context of the course.
Context is Key
Petty does an excellent job of giving context in this video and that is something that is often sorely lacking from training videos. He sets the overall context early in the video in the classroom portion and then doesn’t deviate from the theme of armed conflict happening in and around the immediate area of a vehicle. Even the familiar aspects of this training like shooting positions are handled within the context of Vehicle CQB. This specific context and very limited scope is key to understanding what is being conveyed in this instruction.
He also gives rich depth of context to two specific techniques that, without context, are often regarded as cool guy stuff for internet operators – urban prone and temple index. I have never seen urban prone taught in such a complete way or, frankly, a way that makes so much sense. Petty shows graphically its utility for shooting under objects like vehicles and why more traditional prone positions fall short in this context.
Temple index has been particularly controversial as of late but that is largely due to it use out of context as some sort of default ready position. Petty shows the correct (as in safe) way to do it, why it is preferred to other positions in this context, and when it is applicable. As he says, “That shit is not hot sauce, you can’t put it on everything.”
William Petty as an Instructor
I’ll qualify this by saying that have not met William Petty in person. However, he comes across as very personable in the video (and all the various outtakes released by Firelance Media). He seems warm and humorous with a laid back style and a willingness to demo the concepts that he talks about. You’ll come away from this wanting to train in person with him.
His command of the subject matter really shines through. The second day is spent shooting vehicles with calibers ranging from 9mm to .308. During that entire day of filming, everything happens as he says it will which indicates that he has spent a lot of time shooting cars for research. On the third day, all of the concepts that he introduces are born out in the force-on-force scenarios in the exact way he presented them. All of this points to a man who has done his homework.
Slick Presentation
The overall quality of the presentation is excellent. It looks great. The camera is seemingly always in the right place to see exactly what Petty is demoing or the students are working through. The editing keeps the pace lively without glossing over important details. It feels very polished and complete. I highlights what needs to be highlighted and uses clever editing to emphasis important points. It feels like you are in the course, following the progression but also outside of it, picking the brain of the instructor.
The video is delivered via Vimeo. Accessing it was seamless and streaming it in HD was easy, even on my North Idaho DSL connection.
Wrap Up
I realize that I have barely touched on the specifics of the content in this video and that is by design. It is always a challenge to write reviews like this without giving up too much of the content. Rest assured, the ballistic content alone is worth Vehicle CQB’s cost. It is even better when you consider how it is expertly woven into the overall presentation.
The content will change how you think about any vehicle and the context given will change how you think about various techniques. Seeing the concepts play out on video exactly as they are introduced by Petty will give you confidence that you can take his word. Vehicle CQB progresses logically and is easy to follow. It is an entirely appropriate and effective use of video as an instruction medium.
