Navigation

Archive | Reviews

Review: Echo93 V1, V2, and V3 Sling Plates

By on April 2, 2012 in Guns, Reviews, Tactical Gear

Mounting a modern 2 point or single point sling to an AK pattern rifle can be a bit of a pain. This is especially true for the rear sling attachment point if you don’t want to settle for the one that is located on the rear of the buttstock. Thankfully, there are innovative companies out there like Echo93 who offer solutions like their Sling Plates. The Echo93 Sling Plates take the pain out of mounting a sling to your AK.

I recently received the Echo93 V1, V2, and V3 Sling Plates for testing. I used each of the three in a mix of multiple range trips and dry fire practice. In that time, I learned a lot about each individual version. In this review, I will talk generally about all of the Echo93 Sling Plates and then focus down onto the 3 specific plates that I had to try.

Overview

The Echo93 Sling Plates are extremely simple and I mean that as high praise. They are simply powder coated steel plates that mount under your pistol grip and provide a loop to which you can attach a sling. The steel that Echo93 uses is nearly 1/8″ thick. There are no moving parts – just a single piece of steel. You aren’t going to be able to break or wear out these sling mounts.

Installation is extremely easy. You simply remove your grip. Then you place the Echo93 Sling Plate on your receiver so that the grip screw can pass through the square hole in the sling plate and so that the sling loop is on the desired side of the AK (all 3 of the tested Sling Plates are ambidextrous). Then reinstall the grip. The sling plate has two tabs that slip onto either side of the trigger guard to prevent it from spinning. If you know how to use a screwdriver, you can install an Echo93 Sling Plate.

Echo93 V1, V2, and V3 Sling Plates

Observations from Use

The Echo93 Sling Plates are sold as a single point sling mount but they work extremely well as the rear attachment point for 2 point slings as well. I like to mount the rear sling point of my 2 point slings as close to the rear of the receiver as possible. This gives a greater range of motion than is possible when mounting the sling near the rear of the buttstock. This is especially important if you, like me, drop the butt of the gun under your arm and bring the magazine well into your “work space” on reloads. Mounting the sling in this position also allows your to transition from shoulder to shoulder without dropping an arm out of the sling when quick adjust slings like the Blue Force Gear VCAS or VTAC.

You will definitely want to give careful thought to your AK variant, your grip type, your stock configuration, and your hand shape when choosing which sling plate to order. Obviously, if your AK precludes the use of a certain version of the Echo93 Sling Plate, you will want to avoid that particular version. Grips that drive the hand very high and into the receiver will effect the feel of some of the plates (more on that later). Some of the Echo93 Sling Plates will not work with folding stocks so pay attention if you own a folding stocked AK. Users with thick hands will want to pay careful attention as your hand may come into contact with the sling plate and this may or may not be an issue for you (more on this later).

The powder coating holds up fairly well but the inside corners of the sling loops will loose their coating quickly from wear. This is a purely cosmetic issue and it does not alter the function of the sling plate in any way. It is simply unavoidable when you have metal hardware rubbing on the loop.

I tested these sling plates with HK style snap hooks and ITW Mash Hooks. Both worked very well. Any type of metal hook type hardware should work well with Echo93 Sling Plates.

The Echo93 Sling Plates are very, very thick (nearly 1/8″ thick). This makes them very rugged but I can’t help but wonder if they couldn’t be made thinner. I suspect they could be quite a bit thinner and still be more rugged than they need to be while saving some weight and cost. As they are now, you will never be able to break or bend one in the normal course of use.

In all my testing, I was unable to get any of the plates to spin. The simple tabs that are cut into the plate to lock it on the trigger guard work perfectly. There is also enough wiggle room to allow for quite a bit of variation between AKs.

It seems like there is some effort to break the corners a bit so that they aren’t very sharp. This is a nice thing considering that the top of your hand may be contacting this sling plate frequently while firing.

V1

The V1 is one of my favorites but there are going to be some people who just don’t care for it. The V1 allows the sling to slip from one side to the other as you transition from shoulder to shoulder with your AK. It accomplishes this by placing the loop on the center line of the AK, just above your hand.

If you are using a standard AK grip, your hand might not contact the V1 but if you are using a grip that forces your hand high like the US PALM AKBG then you will definitely contact the sling plate and sling hook. It isn’t really the sling plate that you will notice, it is the sling hook that is attaching your sling to the plate that will rub your hand. This has been a non-issue for me through 2 live fire sessions and several dry fire sessions but if you have meaty hands, you will want to take note.

V1 with Sling Attached

You can see how the V1 and the sling hardware can contact the shooter's hand. This was a non-issue for me.

V2

The V2 was my least favorite. It lacks the side to side versatility of the V1 though it still allows easy transitions and it was the most noticeable during live fire. It can also preclude the use of side folding stocks (and all under-folding stocks) depending on which side the stock folds to and whether the shooter is left or right handed.

The sling loop on the V2 is pushed out to the side of the receiver, directly over your thumb knuckle (right handed shooter). This can cause the sling hook to rub and bump your thumb during manipulations. This effect is magnified by using a grip that drives your hand higher than the standard AK grip. I don’t have huge hands but I do have thick thumbs.

V2 with sling

The V2 caused the sling hardware to rub my thumb. It didn't really work for me.

V3

The V3 is a sort of variation on the V2. It also pushes the loop out onto the side of the receiver but it also turns it up away from your hand which made it great for me. It also allows quick transitions in spite of the higher sling positioning. However, it also precludes the use of some side folding stocks (and all under-folding stocks) depending on which side the stock folds to and whether the shooter is left or right handed.

This is easily the least noticeable and therefore the most comfortable of the 3 sling plates that I tried. If you have thick hands and a fixed stock AK (or side folder that folds to the opposite side as the sling loop) you will love this sling mount.

The V3 moves the loop up and away from the shooter's hand making it very comfortable.

V3 with sling

Conclusion

I love these mounts. They place my sling exactly where I need it for how I work with an AK. There are really no other mounts out there that do this (except for the knock-offs, so buyer beware). Some of the variants are not going to work for some people or some rifles, but there are now 7 different version of the Echo93 Sling Plates so every shooter should be able to find something that works for them.

You can get your own Echo93 Sling Plate at Brownells or direct from Echo93.com.

Disclosure: These Sling Plates were provided to me free of charge by Echo93.

Review: Fight and Flight Tactical Y.U.C.K.

By on March 30, 2012 in EDC, Reviews, Tactical Gear

If you have kids, you know that they tend to come with a lot of gear. If you have kids, you probably end up carrying a lot of their gear. Fight and Flight Tactical thinks it is high time that kids started carrying their own gear, so Dave, the owner, created the Youth Utility Carrier Kit or YUCK. The YUCK is a kid sized backpack that is made durable enough for adults. It offers some kid specific features that really make it useful to a parent.

The YUCK can carry everything your little operator needs to fast rope into story time at the library.

Quality

The YUCK is constructed from the same materials as a typical adult sized 3 day pack. It features 1000D Cordura nylon construction that is fully lined with 420D pack cloth. This adds durability and water resistance. It uses quality plastic hardware and features burly inverted zippers. All of the cloth edges are bound and for the most part, there are box stitches and bar tacks everywhere that you would expect them.

There are some nits that I could pick in a few places. There are spots where the stitching isn’t quite straight and I did have to go over the packs with a lighter when I first received them to burn off some extra thread. So far, none of these things have effected function and, on the whole, these bags are far better made than anything that I have been able to buy off the shelf. Your children are not going to wear this pack out.

Kid smart features like D ring leash points and an oversized grab handle show that an actual parent designed this bag.

Features

There are a lot of kid specific features on this pack that make it really stand out. There are 2 d-ring attachment points for use with a leash. The mesh side pockets are actually large enough to accept every sippy cup that we own (this is not the case with any other kids pack that I have tried). The oversized grab handle is a convenient place to steer your child through a crowd or prevent them from stepping into traffic. Another oft overlooked feature on kids packs is a sternum strap. Sternum straps are important for keeping the shoulder straps from slipping off of tiny children’s shoulders. Obviously, Dave is a dad.

There is a second leash point on the center of the pack, under the MOLLE panel.

The pack features some organization. There is a good sized pouch (9″x6″x2″) that can be used to store small items. The interior front of the main compartment has a full height mesh pocket that can help separate contents in the main compartment. The main compartment itself is surprisingly spacious at about 12″x11″x3″. The main compartment is accessible via a zipper that extends about 2/3rds of the bag’s height. It is a panel loading type set up that allows the bag to accessed when it is standing up or laying on its back.

The interior mesh pocket offers a way to organize the main compartment of the YUCK.

The YUCK also features a 1″x6″ section of color (or camo) matched hook and loop for names tapes and an additional 4″x3″ section of hook and loop for patches. I had Multicam and hot pink nametapes made for my daughters and they love their Mojo Tactical TACTICUTE tabs.

There is also a 4 column by 2 row MOLLE webbing panel on the front of the pack. You can attach small pouches here or use it to stow slender items like chemlights or, more appropriately, string cheese.

Chemlights? Flex cuffs? Nah... my little operator tactically deploys cheese sticks.

In Use

My oldest daughter loves her “pack pack”. She mostly wears it around the house for adventures and then we use it as her day bag. We use another bag as a diaper bag for my youngest daughter. Both bags have seen daily use and still look like new after several months.

I underestimated just how much my 2 year old would like the fact that these bags were camouflage, just like many of my backpacks. I think the best thing about these bags has been watching my daughter enjoy having something just like daddy.

A sternum strap and comfortable harness are a must on a kids pack.

The kid specific features that I mentioned above make this pack great. So many packs have poorly sized pouches and lack a sternum strap. I have to believe that most packs were designed by people who never had a child. The YUCK pack is obviously built by a parent. It just works for parents and children.

Dave sized these packs very well. They are large enough to serve as a diaper bag and small enough to easily slip under the stroller when you are at the zoo.

My oldest operator... planning her next mission.

Conclusion

I was tired of bag makers that made children’s bags of poorer quality than their adult lines. If anything, your kids will be harder on their gear so the bags must be durable. You can buy a $20 backpack that will last your kid a year or you can buy a $50 bag that they will be able to hand down to their siblings (and probably their own kids). The YUCK is a children’s backpack that is designed for kids and built to stand up to them. That is just what I was looking for.

If you want your kid to start carrying their own gear, check out the YUCK on FightandFlight.com.

Review: EagleTac G25C2

By on March 19, 2012 in EDC, Flashlights, Reviews, Survival

Terry at EdgeTactical.net recently gave me the opportunity to put hands on an EagleTac G25C2 flashlight. I jumped at the chance because I really wanted to see what 770 lumens from a single LED looks like. I can now confirm that 770 lumens is a whole lot of light.

EagleTac G25C2

EagleTac is a company that I have wanted to check out for sometime. Their lights generally get good reviews and seem to offer a good value for what they cost. All that aside, what really interested me in EagleTac is their documentation. While many light makers tell you how much light their flashlights can put out at the LED, EagleTac gives you that number and an actual output that is taken from a calibrated integrating sphere (a device for measuring the output of a light). The actual measured output takes into account the light loss from the reflector and lens. Many people don’t realize that only about 70-90% of the advertised lumen rating of many lights actually make it out the front of the light. This level of transparency and honesty in advertising is refreshing.

The sheath that comes with the G25C2 is pretty big and probably not suitable for EDC.

Overview

The G25C2 is a single LED flashlight that is marketed as a tactical light. At 6″ long and 1.5″ wide at the bezel, it is not a small light. It can be powered with 2 CR123A batteries, 2 RCR123A batteries, or 18650 li-ion battery in the configuration that I tested (there are battery extenders available that allow different battery options). It features 5 output levels that are spread over 2 modes, 2 strobe frequencies, and 5 hidden auxiliary modes (more on all these modes and levels later). It features a large, orange peel textured reflector, finely machined knurling, aluminum construction, black hard anodizing, a removable pocket clip, a blackened stainless steel bezel, and many other features. EagleTac lights are designed in Washington by EagleTac and assembled in China.

In the Box

Apart from the light itself, there are several items that come packaged with the G25C2 including: a glow in the dark switch boot, spare o-rings, a low profile grip ring, a tail-stand rubber boot, a lanyard, a lanyard ring, the user manual, and a sheath. Many of these items are very useful while others seem like an afterthought.

EagleTac includes many extra items in the box.

The sheath seems to be of decent quality (not great) but it is far too large to consider using on anything other than a duty belt. It is made of a semi-rigid nylon material that has small indentations that retain the light even if the flap is open. I think if I was going to carry a light like this on the belt, I would get some custom kydex made for it.

The metal gate clip on the lanyard is a bit cheap feeling but the rest of the lanyard and lanyard attachment point is quite usable. The lanyard attachment point is detachable from the light and must be removed in order to attach the tail-stand boot.

The tail-stand boot is easily one of the most clever accessories that I have ever seen included with a flashlight. It can be stretched onto the tailcap of the light and allows the light to stand on end. This allows you to sit the light on a flat surface and bounce the beam off the ceiling to light a room. It also functions well as a guard to protect the switch from accidental activation.

The user manual that comes with the G25C2 is surprisingly excellent. It contains succinct and useful instructions and information about the flashlight. There are numerous graphs and graphics that do a good job of conveying necessary information. I am so used to horrible, useless user manuals that it is extremely refreshing to find a good one.

The fine knurling and crisp laser etchings show good attention to detail.

Fit and Finish

The fit and finish are very good. The threads are large and rotate smoothly. The o-rings are properly sized to seal the light from water and dust. The knurling is very finely machined. The hard anodized finish is smooth and evenly applied. The polished aluminum reflector is massive and beautifully finished. The gun metal colored stainless steel bezel ring is a very attractive touch. The light even comes with lubricated threads and o-rings which one of those extra little things that shows that EagleTac really cares about their product. Over all this light is constructed very, very well. It certainly feels very durable and, in my testing, it showed no signs of having any durability issues.

There are a few things that might nag some users. The pocket clip is sturdy but it can loosen easily. It doesn’t loosen to the point that you will loose the light but it does wiggle even if the retaining ring is tight. I also noticed a lot of dust inside the bezel of the light on the lens. EagleTac went to great length to create an efficient reflector and uses very high quality glass with AR coatings, so it seems strange that they would allow dust in the bezel.

The user manual that comes with the G25C2 is excellent.

Output and Run Time

The G25C2 has 4 output levels in mode 1. The version of the G25C2 that I have uses a CREE XM-L U Bin LED to pump out 770/320/59/2 lumens depending on output level. The actual measured output is 640/267/49/2 lumens. These numbers underscore just how much advertised claims and actual measured output can vary. I applaud EagleTac for publishing these numbers.

The run time on this light is pretty impressive. It will run for 1.1/3.5/20/200 hours depending on output level. It wasn’t that long ago that LEDs finally became capable of “tactical” level output and you could get 60 lumens for 1 hour. Now, with the G25C2, you can have 770 lumens for 1 hour and about 60 lumens for 20 hours. Amazing.

User Interface

The user interface of the G25C2 sounds somewhat complicated on paper and in some ways it is complicated. However, if you stick with the basics, it can be very easy to use. Most of the switching between modes and output levels is accomplished by twisting the bezel but there are some clicks of the switch involved in switching between some functions. Thankfully, the levels are basically set-and-forget. Levels can be selected with the bezel and the switch is only used for on and off when the level is selected.

Twist the bezel to select the desired output level.

There are 2 modes each with 4 settings. My sample G25C2 came set in Mode2 which has 2 output levels (770/90 lumens) and 2 strobe settings. Mode 1 consists of 4 output levels (770/320/59/2 lumens). These modes are basically just two different sets of output levels. They dictate how the flashlight behaves when you twist the bezel. Moving between the levels included in each mode is accomplished by twisting the bezel so you can set the desired level and then you can be assured that hitting the switch will result in the light mode of your choice (or in Mode 1, disorienting strobe).

The 5 auxiliary modes are somewhat difficult to access. Switching through them involves quickly rotating the bezel quickly from level 1 to level 3 (or 4) and then back to level 1. The modes are accessed in this order: Disorienting strobe/Flash(Hi)/S.O.S./Beacon/Flash(Lo). This is a bit cumbersome but I suppose these are basically hidden modes that are not necessary to most users.

In Use

I think it is hard to get a real idea of what a light is all about by shining it at white walls and the ceiling so I basically set about using this light for real world tasks as often as I could for several months. I am not police or military so I can’t comment as to whether this would be a suitable duty light for those types of users but I was struck by just how well this light works for general utility, camping, hiking, and preparedness. The long run times of the lower output levels make this exceedingly useful for those times that the power goes out or when the sun sets on the trail and you are still miles from your car.

The lanyard ring is well executed and the tailcap switch is perfect in terms of feel.

EagleTac did a great job of splitting up the output levels. They are spaced well enough that each level is very distinct from the other and provides drastically different run times.

The lower output settings on the G25C2 are great. The 2 lumen setting is actually more than enough light to get around in a dark house or even a dark trail and at 200 hours run time, it conserves battery capacity for times when the higher output modes are needed. The 59 lumen setting is great for when you need to look further down the trail or need to light up a bathroom during a power outage but is still relatively thrifty with the battery at 20 hours run time.

This tail-stand boot is one of the simplest, most useful, and most clever flashlight accessories that I have seen.

The higher output settings are really awe inspiring. The 770 lumen high mode is absolutely amazing. 770 lumens is a lot of light. It is enough light to light a large room when bounced off the ceiling and enough light to spot items over 200 yards away. The 320 lumen setting is no slouch either and it can be handy for those times that you may need high output but still need to conserve run time.

The beam is very balanced thanks to the reflector design. I mentioned above that it can throw enough light to see items over 200 yards away which would make you think that the beam is very focused, and it is, but it also has a very bright and wide spill beam. Much of the light is focused into a tight hotspot but there is a lot of useful spill that lights a very broad swath of your vision.

This grip ring allows the G25C2 to be more easily used in conjunction with a handgun.

This light is not very well suited to pocket carry because of the size of it’s bezel and reflector. It could be carried on a belt or in a bag but I prefer my lights to be more accessible. This isn’t really intended to be an every day carry light.

The switch on this light is deserving of praise. It is a forward clicky switch which means that you can press lightly for momentary on or press and click for constant on. This switch offers good resistance and a strong click. It doesn’t feel mushy or sound weak like some low quality switches.

This impressive, large, and well executed reflector is responsible for the well balanced beam of the G25C2.

Conclusion

This would be an impressive light just by virtue of its output but the other features like well thought out output levels, long run times, useful accessories, quality construction, and a well balanced beam shape really make it a great light. It is probably more complicated than I would want for a pure tactical light but all the extra modes turn this into an excellent light for the camper, hiker, or prepared citizen. I’m impressed.

Check out the EagleTac G25C2 for a great price at EdgeTactical.net.

Disclosure: This light was provided to me, free of charge, for review by EdgeTactical.

Review: UW Gear AK Minuteman MKII Chest Rig

By on March 12, 2012 in Guns, Reviews, Tactical Gear

I am blessed to have a lot of interesting gear pass through my hands. I have been able to handle gear that I like a lot and some gear that I don’t like much at all. Sometimes, though, I am lucky enough to get my hands on gear that I immediately connect with and wonder if I may be looking at one of the next big things. That has certainly been the case with UW Gear and their Minuteman MKII Chest Rig.

AK Minuteman MKII in Pencott Badlands with 3 pouches and 2 columns of MOLLE

About UW Gear

UW Gear is a small nylon tactical gear maker that was formed to specifically to address the needs of the “Armed Citizen.” John and Diz are both shooters who have an absolute ton of gear making experience between the two of them. Many of you gear hounds out there will immediately recognize Diz and know his past work.

I have really enjoyed getting to know John, Diz, and UW Gear for one big reason: They are very transparent with the reasoning for why they make their gear the way that they do. They have always been willing to share with me why they design their gear like they do, why they choose certain materials, what they tried that didn’t work, and how they are thinking of improving. I have never really seen a more open gear maker.

Minuteman MKII Overview

The Minuteman MKII Chest Rig was UW Gear’s first official product. Their product line has grown to include other items but the Minuteman MKII is still the flagship and serves as a showcase for their innovative flap design.

It is available in several formats that can customized at the time of purchase. The main format is a 3 pouch design that holds 3 magazines but a 4 pouch design is available by request. The user can customize the width of the chest rig by specifying how many columns of MOLLE webbing they would like on either side of the magazine pouches (none, 2, and 3 columns are the standard configurations).

The construction of this chest rig is top notch. 1000 denier nylon is used throughout. There is double and triple stitching through out. Every single spot where webbing is joined to the rig utilizes a box stitch. The materials are top notch. From a pure craftsmanship standpoint, these rigs are as good as I have seen.

UW Gear designed the Minuteman MKII to be bomb proof in durability, compact, to ride comfortably without padding, to ride close to the body, be field repairable, and to offer excellent magazine retention. Those goals dictate many of the design details of the rig.

Magazine Pouches

The pouches are by far the most eye catching part of these chest rigs. If you don’t like covered magazine pouches, these might convert you. If you love covered mag pouches, these will spoil you.

Most of the magic of these pouches stems from the flap. You will not find any metal hardware or hook and loop on this rig. UW Gear purposely avoided them when they designed this rig because snaps can pull out, rust and rattle. Hook and loop is noisy and clogs with mud. Instead of the well traveled path, they designed an innovative, unique, and extremely functional flap closure that I really, really like.

Each flap has a stiffened tab on it that mates with a slot that is sewn into the pouch. The tab is simply pressed up into the slot to lock the flap closed. This can easily be done with one hand and it is extremely secure. When you need to open the pouch, you simply grab the tab and pull up and slightly away from you just like you would with a hook and loop flap. It opens quickly and easily and with no noise. This flap closure system is durable, repairable with needle and thread, completely quiet, operable with one hand, more secure than most any pouch that I have ever seen, and just down right cool.

Each flap has a stiffened tab...

Each pouch has a sewn on slot that accepts the tab.

You simply press the tab into the slot.

It's easy to close the flaps, even with one hand.

The pouches themselves are very tall. They offer nearly full coverage for the magazine (retention was chosen over speed). The webbing this sewn into the slot for the flap tab is continued all the way to the interior bottom of the pouch which gives it some structure and makes it easier to insert magazines with one hand.

UW Gear was also able to avoid the use of hardware like grommets which has many of the same problems as the snaps mentioned above by sewing drainage holes into the pouches. There is a small, reinforced gap at the base of each pouch that allows the pouches to drain quickly and shed debris. This is just another one of the innovative touches that seem to abound on this rig.

Magazine Retention Pouch

Using the “admin” pouch that can be found on the back of many chest rigs to retain a partially depleted magazine isn’t necessarily a new concept but UW Gear has taken it to a whole new level by designing their admin pouch to actually support this technique. This is another one the features that you won’t find anywhere else.

The webbing tab opens the pouch for you as you index it with the magazine.

The pouch on the back of the Minuteman MKII can be used to store what ever you want: maps, shooting gloves, a pad and pen for note taking during your carbine course – but it is designed to do a lot more than that. The pouch features a wide webbing tab that sticks up slightly above the top of the chest rig and runs all the way to the bottom of the pouch. This webbing allows you to press open the pouch with a magazine as you insert the mag. It basically acts as a target or index point to quickly lever open the pouch during a reload where you retain the partial magazine.

There is room for 2 magazines, side by side, in the magazine retention pouch.

This simple webbing addition to the pouch makes it suitable for partial magazine retention for up to 2 mags. It can be used much like a dump pouch but more efficiently since the magazines are hold in a bullets down position, ready to be grabbed and reused if needed. Gone are the days of frantically digging through a dump pouch for a magazine and hoping it comes out oriented in a way that makes it easy to insert into the magazine well. The Minuteman MKII lets you store your partial magazines in a way that makes them usable immediately.

Harness

The Minuteman MKII’s “H” harness is one of the best that I have used. It is comfortable without being padded. UW Gear purposely set out to build a comfortable harness that wouldn’t need padding so that the rig would work better with a backpack. Great care was taken to make sure that the harness and its hardware would not get in the way of shouldering your rifle.

The well designed "H" harness offers comfort without bulk.

It consists of a wide double layer of the same nylon material that the rest of the chest rig is made from, a layer of 1.5″ webbing, and then a final layer of 1″ webbing that is sewn like MOLLE webbing. The result is a harness that is wide enough and has enough structure to distribute weight very comfortably with adding a lot of bulk to your shoulders. Since the top layer of 1″ webbing is sewn on like a row of MOLLE webbing, it can be used to attach various items – possibly even a small pack that UW Gear may be introducing in the future.

I am starting to sound like a broken record but, again, I have never seen anything quite like the construction of this “H” harness and it works unbelievably well.

Observations from Use

This rig wears very well. It rides close to the body and is not overly wide. Even the 4 magazine pouch version that I have feels compact in comparison to many rigs. The harness fits like it was made for me.

Having used both, I can see why UW Gear is standardizing on the 3 pouch design versus the 4 pouch, especially with the AK rigs. AK mags are long and have a somewhat severe curve which can make them difficult to manipulate in and out of the pouches. You generally have more dexterity around your body’s center line because of how you have to bend your arms to reach the magazines. The 3 pouch design, places all 3 magazines close to your center line for easier manipulation and it keeps the weight down. Additional magazines can be carried in the magazine retention pouch if your situation dictates the need for more magazines.

Look mom, no grommets! The pouches have reinforced drainage gaps.

I like to wear my chest rigs high on my chest. This keeps my handgun and draw stroke unimpeded. It also allows the chest rig to slide up into the natural gap that is formed between your high chest and the ground when you are shooting from prone. The Minuteman MKII is designed to ride high or low depending on the wearer’s preference. To support a nice high ride, the top corners of the rig are angled to allow the body of the rig to ride higher without digging into your underarms. This is just another example of UW Gear’s cleverness.

All that adjustability usually leads to a ton of unsecured straps flapping in the breeze, but that isn’t the case with the Minuteman MKII. All of the excess straps are secured with elastic keepers or pinned between your body and the rig. There are zero unsecured straps to flap around.

The flap system is very, very cool and very, very functional. It works. It retains the magazines tenaciously and clears out of the way quickly. You really can’t ask any more from a mag pouch flap. The potential down side here is that these flaps might not handle anything that adds length to the magazine like Magpul Ranger Plates. They also aren’t going to lend themselves to a double magazine pouch which is fine for me since these were designed from the start as single mag pouches and I prefer single mag pouches.

This rig is definitely different from a lot of what is out on the market right now. The magazine pouches are the complete opposite of the low cut open top pouches that are the norm these days. There is no denying that they are not as fast as an open top pouch but they are far more secure. There is always a trade off, and when you need security, nothing but a covered mag pouch will do. These are the best covered mag pouches that I have used.

The admin/magazine retention pouch works well. It is definitely an improvement over a dump pouch in terms of how it keeps the magazine ready to be used again but it does feel slower than a dump pouch. This may not be an issue since a reload with retention is typically only done when you have time. I think the pouch might benefit from a little bit of bellowing at the bottom to allow just a bit more space so the mages aren’t pushed up by the tightness of the pouch.

I have found that this rig works perfectly with the way I use my gear. My primary way of carrying magazines is my belt. The belt is a comfortable place to carry a small load of magazines and it is a very fast place to reload from. My emergency reloads come from my belt. Admin loads and top offs (“tactical” reloads) come from the chest rig. This basically means that I reload my rifle from my belt and reload my belt from my chest rig (see my post on magazine management). It is nice to have a chest rig that offers the security I want since I don’t necessarily need extreme speed from it but that is efficient enough to emergency reload from if I need to.

AK Minuteman MKII in Pencott Greenzone with 4 pouches and 3 columns of MOLLE

Conclusion

The AK Minuteman MKII is a bomb proof chest rig that is dripping with unique features and unique functionality. It is comfortable, low profile, and well suited to any shooter but especially for the armed citizen. It works perfectly for me and the way I use my gear. I think it will probably work for you, too.

The Minuteman MKII is available for the AK-47, AK-74, and AR-15 on the UW Gear website. You will also want to check out the UW Gear Facebook page and their forum where you can interact directly with John and Diz and read more about the philosophy behind their products.

Disclosure: One of the two chest rigs shown was given to me free of charge for review. The other was purchased by me.

Review: Armory Racks 2 Gun Rack

By on March 3, 2012 in Guns, Reviews, Tactical Gear

When I reviewed the Armory Racks 8 Gun Rack, I had a lot of very good things to say about it. I was very excited to check out the new 2 Gun Rack based on that experience with the 8 Gun Rack.

Armory Racks 2 Gun Rack

Problem Solver

The new 2 Gun Rack may seem a little too small to be useful at first, but the small dimensions are part of the point. It has a footprint of just 4 1/8″ x 8 3/4″. This rack is a problem solver. You can fit it into places that you could never dream of fitting a larger rack. It can turn small spaces into useful spaces. Gunmart Blog posted a great picture of how the 2 Gun Rack makes those spaces at the top of a long gun rack into useable space.

I have a safe that has multiple shelves in it. I have my Amory Racks 8 Gun Rack on one of the shelves. The 8 Gun Rack is wide enough that it takes up most of the shelf, leaving only small sliver of space on one side. It turns out that this was the perfect size for the 2 Gun Rack. Now I have room to store 14 handguns in a space that could only store about 6 before the Armory Racks.

The 2 Gun Rack is perfect for those tight spaces in your safe.

Same Great Functionality

The little Armory Racks 2 Gun Rack has all of the great features that made me love the larger version. The Armory Racks hold the handguns in a unique way that allows them to be easily accessed with a full firing grip. The guns on either side of the one that you are reaching for can actually swing out of your way since they are sitting on posts that extend into their barrel. This allows Armory Racks to place the guns closer together than any other rack while keeping them more accessible than any other rack. It holds handguns with weapon lights attached or even handguns that are still in their holsters as Haus of Guns has shown.

This new Armory Racks 2 Gun Rack is just what my gun safe needed. I suspect that just about everyone can find a spot for one of these in their safes. Visit ArmoryRacks.com for more details and to purchase your own Armory Rack.

Disclosure: The 2 Gun Rack was provided to me, free of charge, by Armory Racks.

The 2 Gun Rack is barely wider than the handguns that it holds.

 

Powered by WordPress. Designed by Woo Themes