Exclusive Deals on Armory Racks

In my recent review of the 8 gun version of the Armory Rack from RJK Ventures LLC, I mentioned that there would be some exclusive savings for Jerking the Trigger readers (Trigger Jerks). Well, I have some good news. The exclusive savings are here and they are generous.

Before you hit the special website that Armory Racks set up just for Trigger Jerks, they have asked that those who take advantage of this deal “Like” their Facebook page and follow them on Twitter.

Once you have taken care of that, you can click here to visit the exclusive Armory Racks website for Trigger Jerks. You can use the site to purchase the 4 and 8 gun versions of the Armory Rack and their associated trays at a discounted price along with free shipping. You will save over $17 on an 8 gun Armory Rack with tray!

High Value Armor Set Up

There are many good reasons to own body armor. Some training courses may even require it, especially if there is a “shoot house” component to the course. Heck, I’ve seen enough unsafe boneheads at the range to make me want to wear armor just to go plinking.

Many people never purchase armor because they think it is expensive and, for the most part, they are right. It is expensive. However, sometimes it is not as expensive as people think. If you know where to look, you can get into a plate carrier and plates for around $400. I am not talking about a bottom of the barrel, less than ideal set up either. A quality armor set up is attainable for around $400 (maybe even less than $400).

The Shellback Tactical Banshee PC and TAP Gamma Plus Plates are a high value combination.

Plates

Many people who are on a budget purchase steel rifle plates. These work but they do have some downsides. The two biggest downsides are that they are heavy (often 8 pounds or more each) and they tend to have issues with spall. You don’t have to settle for steel plates. In fact, you can do much better for the about the same amount of money.

There are plates on the market right now from a company called Tactical Armor Products (TAP) called Gamma Plus plates. These are brand new NIJ level III stand-alone plates. “Stand alone” means that they don’t need soft armor to provide level III protection. Level III protection means that they will stop all common rifle rounds except purpose built armor piercing projectiles. They have even been tested by noted ballistician, Dr. Gary Roberts. They weigh less than 5 pounds a piece and can be purchased for $150 each (or less in bulk).

I purchased mine and several for friends from Ray at BodyArmorOutlet.com. Ray was great to deal with and really helped me out on a bulk purchase of these plates. You might find even better deals on these plates in his Ebay store under the name: auction_one_b.

Carrier

There are several plate carriers (PC) on the market that are fairly cost effective. Many of the $150 or less carriers are either slick carriers with no provisions to add pouches or off-brand knock-offs that are worth a dime. One sub-$150 carrier stands out from the crowd.

The Banshee PC from Shellback Tactical is easily the value leader. It can be purchased for $95-$130 including shipping and you get a lot of features, functionality, quality, and performance for that money. I won’t do a full review now but I will touch on some high points.

Most PCs in this price range have shoulder straps made from webbing only and you have to purchase pads if you want them. The Banshee comes with nice padded shoulder straps. It is very well made and constructed from 1000D nylon. It can be worn with the removable cummerbund or with simple side straps if you need a low profile option. It is extremely compact but offers more than enough MOLLE webbing to configure into a very useful PC. It is also made here in the US and backed with a lifetime warranty. I really can’t say enough about this PC.

I purchased mine from Ares Armor and I highly recommend them. However, right now you can get a significant discount as a Facebook fan of Shellback Tactical. If you miss the Facebook deal (runs through 9/9/2011), buy it from Ares Armor. They offer a great price and great customer service.

Conclusion

The above combination of plates and plate carrier will give you an armor set up that weighs somewhere in the neighborhood of 13 pounds (before you add pouches) and costs you around $400. That is certainly beats getting shot by some bubba in your carbine class who can’t keep his finger off the trigger and his muzzle down range.

Patch Collecting: BAD INC Patch

BAD is good. It’s like the 80’s all over again.

The new patch from from Battle Arms Development (BAD) features their smiling bomb logo. Its a great logo, that makes a great patch. The patch features a Multicam color scheme and is quite large at 3.5″ x 2″.

If you want to show your love of the best AR-15 selectors on the planet, head over the Battle Arms Development website and pick up your own BAD INC patch.

Review: Armory Rack (8 Gun)

You may have noticed that guns safes are not cheap. You may have also noticed that no matter how large a safe you buy, it seems you outgrow it nearly as soon as you install it. It is easy to end up with too many guns and not enough space. You could buy a new, bigger safe or you could find a smarter way to store your guns. You could find Armory Racks.

Armory Racks are metal handgun storage racks that let you maximize the space that you already have. They are made from extremely sturdy heavy gauge metal wire that is powder coated. Instead of inefficient “U” shaped brackets that hold your guns in place like most rack designs, the Armory Racks use a post that slips inside the handgun’s bore. The bore of the handgun is protected from scratching and wear by the powder coating and a very tightly fit red plastic tip. The handguns are positioned vertically, with the grip presented to the user. This design also holds the handguns up off the surface that the rack is sitting on which allows you to store additional items underneath the handguns.

More Guns, Less Space

In practical terms, the 8 gun version of the Armory Racks allows you to store at least 8 handguns in the same amount of space that 4 handguns would typically take up. It holds at least 8 handguns in about the same amount of space that most other handgun rack designs hold only 6 handguns.

Notice that I said “at least” 8 guns in the paragraph above. The design of the Armory Racks allow them to accept an optional tray in the space underneath the handguns. This tray can be used to store ammo, magazines, accessories, or whatever else you can fit. It also allows you to store… more guns! In my Armory Rack right now, I have 12 guns stored neatly. That is 12 guns in the same amount of space that I was storing 4 before. That is just too cool.

The accessory tray will hold 4 compact handguns easily.

The para-cord outline in this picture represents the footprint of the Armory Rack. With the Armory Rack, you can store at least 8 guns in the same amount of space.

Its All in the Presentation

In addition to the space saving design, there are several other features to love about the Armory Rack. Most importantly to me is how it presents the handguns. They are held in a position that presents a full firing grip to the user. Because the handguns can swing side to side on the posts, they easily hinge out of your way when you reach in to grab a specific handgun. Armory Racks let you store a handgun in a way that is secure and immediately accessible.

When you reach in to access a handgun, the others on either side swing out of your way.

Handgun mounted lights are no problem for the Armory Rack. It easily accepts handguns with the light attached. This allows me to store my “nightstand” gun loaded and ready with a light attached. That is a very important feature to me.

Armory Racks will even let you store handguns that are still in their holsters. If you have an open bottom holster, you can slip the handgun onto the post while it still in its holster. This keeps the trigger protected and stores your carry gear in one place so it ready for the next time you leave the house.

The Armory Rack handles allow you to pick up the whole rack, handguns and all, and move it easily. You can also run a cable lock around the handle on one side, through the trigger guards, and around the handle on the other side in order to effectively lock all of the handguns on the rack. I have had a shooting instructor comment to me that this set of features would be handy in his handgun classes where he likes to have an assortment of handguns for new shooters to try.

New Coating

I have found that the powder coating and plastic tip on the metal posts has been more than sufficient to protect the bore of the handgun from metal-to-metal contact. In fact, the bore barely contacts the post while you are placing your handgun on the rack. Most of the contact is with the red plastic tip. However, some people have concerns about undue wear on the bores of their handguns. Armory Racks will now offer an additional neoprene coating for the posts that should ease your mind (if you had any concerns in the first place).

These red plastic tips are fit extremely tightly to the post in order to prevent loss and protect your handgun's bore.

Conclusion

Armory Racks are the most practical and efficient handgun storage option that I have encountered. They maximize your space while actually enhancing accessibility. I really don’t know what else you can ask of a handgun rack.

You can read more about these racks and check out the 4 gun version on the Armory Racks website and Facebook page.

Special Pricing for Trigger Jerks

Stay tuned for details on special pricing and free shipping on Armory Racks exclusively for Jerking the Trigger readers.

Disclosure: This product was provided to me by Armory Racks, free of charge, for review.

Labor Day

I hope you have a restful Labor Day. While you are grilling and enjoying family, take a moment to think about those who are deployed away from their families, unable to take a day off.

Happy Labor Day from Jerking the Trigger.

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