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SHM Ray IWB Light Bearing Holster

By on September 2, 2013 in EDC, Tactical Gear

The newest product from Snake Hound Machine (SHM), the Ray IWB Light Bearing Holster, is a bit of a departure from what the custom AK pattern rifles that they normally create and that is part of what makes this holster interesting. SHM is not a holster company and they have no desire to be one. That means the Ray will be available in 1 color, with 1 belt hardware option, and 1 light option. On its face, that doesn’t sound like an appealing business model but if you think about, that lack of options should result in something that the Kydex bending industry is sorely lacking – shorter lead times.

SHM Ray IWB 1

The Ray IWB Light Bearing Holster is designed to be worn in the appendix position. It is currently available for most of the Glock family (Glock 19, Glock 17, and Glock 21 and like models) of handguns with the Inforce APL pistol light. The APL is the only light option available. The Ray is constructed from .80″ Dark Grey Kydex and utilizes a G-Code Clip to attach the holster to the wearer’s belt. The bottom of the holster is open to accommodate threaded barrels and the sight channel is spacious enough to accommodate suppressor height sights.

Your choice of Glock models (and soon M&P models) is really the only option available for the Ray. By eliminating options, SHM will be able to reduce lead times and keep costs down. If you want a different color, different light, or different belt attachment hardware, they will tell you to buy a holster from someone else.

From SHM:

Snake Hound is known for its toys, but not for doing holsters. Traditionally SHM has teamed up with other Kydex manufacturers to offer custom products to SHM specifications, this is the first IWB holster designed by SHM that they liked enough to bring to market. The SHM Ray is a light bearing inside-the-waistband holster made to be slim and compact and take advantage of a single G-Code clip. The holster is a semi-production product and manufacturing has already started, lead times are expected to be approximately two weeks from time of order. The Ray comes in one color, an ultra dark “wolf gray” with black fittings, has a full sweat guard, and only comes fitted for an Inforce APL light. Price is $75.00 shipped, Glock models are available now with M&P models expected to launch in about two weeks.

Check out the Ray IWB Light Bearing Holster from Snake Hound Machine.

Review: CORE Panel from Austere Provisions Company

By on September 2, 2013 in EDC, Preparedness, Reviews, Survival, Tactical Gear

The Austere Provisions Company CORE Panel is one of those pieces of gear that doesn’t really need a specific use because you can just look at it and imagine about a million ways to use it. It is a blank canvas that is just waiting to fill a void in your gear.

Austere Provision Company CORE Panel

Overview

The CORE Panel is made by Blue Force Gear for Austere Provisions Company. It utilizes Blue Force Gear’s MOLLEminus technology to keep weight and complexity to an absolute minimum while also amping up the durability.

It features a 3 row x 6 column MOLLE compatible matrix of slots and voids on each side of the panel. The 3 row dimension was purposefully chosen so that it matched the dimension of most chest rigs which maximizes the number of pouches that will fit. The interior of the CORE Panel features a hook and loop closed pocket.

The CORE panel also features a loop at each corner that is useful for affixing buckles and straps (more on this later). It has two compact webbing handles that can easily be packed into the interior pocket if you don’t need them.

Austere Provision Company CORE Panel with 10 Speed Austere Provision Company CORE Panel with Utility Pouches

Observations from Use

The uses for this panel are limited only by your imagination. It is designed to serve as a multipurpose organizer. Basically, it is just a platform on which you mount pouches. You choose the pouches based on what you need the CORE Panel to do. If it will serve as an ammo organizer, mount magazine pouches. If it will serve as a medical insert, mount med pouches. If it will serve as an EDC organizer, mount utility and admin pouches. You get the idea.

Most people will probably use the panel as a drop in organizer for another pack or as a stand-alone grab-and-go type bag. It works very well in both roles. It will easily fit in most messenger bags, 3 day size packs, and even some of the larger assault packs. It is also really easy to just toss between your car seats or on the car seat next to you all by itself.

Once I had the CORE Panel in hand, I started to see all kinds of potential so I started experimenting with various buckles and strap. The loops on the side of the CORE Panel are sized to accept 1” repair buckles which makes it easy to turn the CORE Panel into a bandoleer with waist strap. You can just attach a few female repair buckles and then use straps from one of your chest rigs. Viola! You have an instant bandoleer that is capable of carrying extra ammo and first items.

Austere Provision Company CORE Panel with 10 Speed Loaded Austere Provision Company CORE Panel Bandoleer Straps

I also experimented with docking the CORE Panel to the exterior of a pack and I was very, very pleased with the results. If you have the right buckles and something like a Velocity Systems Swiftclip set, you can turn the CORE Panel into a compression panel on a back pack or you can just use repair buckles to dock it like you would a Dock and Lock Pouch from Kifaru. The simplest method that I found was to just attach a couple Grimloc Carabiners to the loops. This allowed me to quickly dock the panel to another pack, even in places that might not have PALS webbing.

The CORE Panel is so versatile and works so well in the ways described above that I would like to see Austere Provision Company offer optional accessory kits that expand the capability of the panel. At the least, there is plenty of potential for a bandoleer kit that included a shoulder and waist strap. I am not a police officer but I spoke with one who liked that idea for use as an active shooter response setup.

As of right now, I have mine set up as a bandoleer of sorts. I have 2 spare rifle mags and a flashlight placed in a Blue Force Gear 10-Speed Pouch where I can access them immediately. On the opposite side, I have 2 utility pouches that can hold medical supplies, a cell phone, or whatever else I might need to respond to some sort of emergency around my home.

Austere Provision Company CORE Panel Buckle Attachment Points Austere Provision Company CORE Panel Docked on Pack

Wrap Up

It seems that often, when a piece of gear is designed to be versatile, it does several things acceptably well but isn’t truly great at anything. That is not the case with the CORE Panel. It is an exceptional bandoleer and an exceptional gear organizer. It docks onto a pack like it was made to do so and even works well as a stand-alone grab-and-go bag. If you can’t find a use for the CORE Panel, check your pulse. This is one of the most versatile pieces of gear that I have ever laid my hands on. 10 years from now, I will still be finding new ways to use it.

Check out the CORE Panel at Austere Provisions Company.

Austere Provision Company CORE Panel Center Pouch

Gunstruction

By on August 31, 2013 in Guns

Have you tried Gunstruction yet? If not, prepare to lose a few hours of your Saturday.

Gunstruction is a browser based, 3 dimensional, virtual AR-15 building tool. It lets you choose from an ever growing selection of real AR-15 parts to get an idea of what your build will look like and how much it will cost.

It is a pretty robust tool. You choose your parts all the way down to things like trigger pins and barrel nuts. It is smart enough that your choice in barrel nut will effect your hand guard options, your choice in barrel will effect your gas block options, and various other similar relationships are built in.

Gunstruction

The list of parts is pretty extensive. There are parts from Larue Tactical, Magpul, Daniel Defense, Elzetta, Trijicon, and more. You can even apply various DuraCoat finishes.

I would love to see them add the weights of all the parts so you can get a rough idea of the potential weight of your dream gun.

This is a useful tool and it is an absolute blast to play with. Check the AR15.com Gunstruction Beta site.

Boresight Solutions Launches New Site

By on August 31, 2013 in Guns

Boresight Solutions is the preeminent name in heat stippling. They are able to achieve a level of polish and refinement that most hobby stipplers can’t even begin to replicate. The result of that quality of work and notoriety is that it can be difficult to get your gun into their hands for work because of a lengthily waiting list. The good news is that they have rolled out a new website that should eventually help with order handling and the better news is that they should be a in a position to take orders again in the next several weeks. Check out Boresight Solutions.

Boresight Solutions New Site

Business End Customs to the Rescue

By on August 30, 2013 in Guns

I have seen a handful of Glock frames over the years (in person and online) that have had chipping issues around the magazine well. If your Glock was displaying similar behavior, you could send it to Glock for repair or you could take it as a sign from the heavens that it was time to get some custom work done! That is just what happened with a Glock 19 recently. Lou at Business End Customs worked his magic and the G19 is better than new.

G19 Chipping G19 BEC Repair G19 BEC Repair Internal

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