Blade-Tech WRS RMR Equipped Tactical Holster

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One Source Tactical has partnered with Blade-Tech to design and create the WRS RMR Equipped Tactical Holster. This is the first production level 2 retention holster that I am aware of that is designed to accommodate a handgun (Glocks in this case) with a red dot sight (RDS) mounted on the slide.

The slide mounted RDS concept seems to be gathering more and more momentum now that there are some optics, like the Trijicon RMR, that really lend themselves well to this application. One Source offers their own package of slides that come complete with an RMR and gunsmiths, like Bowie Tactical Concepts, report that they are milling slides to accept RDS at an increased frequency. The introduction of this holster would seem to lend further credence to the growth and acceptance of this concept.

You can read more about the holster at One Source Tactical.

Image property of One Source Tactical

 

Centurion Arms C4 Rails

Centurion Arms may be known for excellent barrels and top quality uppers, but they may soon be known for their new entry into the AR-15 rail market – the C4 Rail. These rails have some features that really set them apart from anything else on the market right now.

Centurion Arms Mid-Length C4 Cut Out Rail

The C4 Rail has a two piece design that allows the user to install the rail on a standard AR barrel nut by simply removing the handguard retainer and delta ring assembly. The handguard retainer and delta ring assembly can be removed without removing the barrel from the upper which allows users with permanently attached muzzle devices to install the C4 Rail. That is a huge plus considering how popular 14.5″ barrels with permanently attached muzzle devices have become.

The C4 Rail is also relatively light weight, especially for a rail that uses the standard barrel nut. It comes in a wide variety of lengths for various gas systems and even “cut out” models that extend beyond the front sight base on the sides but still allow access to the bayonet lug. It snugs right up to the upper receiver in order to provide an uninterrupted or “monolithic” top rail. The C4 Rail also features several sling attachment points built in to the side rails and anti-rotation tabs that prevent the rail from spinning on the barrel nut.

All of these features add up to a very well thought out rail option for the AR-15. Check out the C4 Rails on Centurion Arm’s website.

Patch Collecting: 5.1.11 Prevail Morale Patch from ITS Tactical

The tactical blogging juggernaut and all around nice folks, ITS Tactical, have a new patch available for pre-order. The 5.1.11 Prevail Morale Patch commemorates the day that Osama Bin Laden was purged from the living by Navy SEALs. Not only does it commemorate a high point in our nation’s current conflict but it will help support an excellent cause, America’s Mighty Warriors, which was founded by Debbie Lee, mother of Marc Lee, the first SEAL killed in Iraq.

The patches feature 100% custom embroidery and are 3.3 inches by 3.5 inches. The full color artwork shows a “PREVAIL” banner, an eagle, Osama Bin Laden with an extra hole in his head, and keen eyed observers will notice the ITS Tactical shield logo in the backgound.

This is a great patch, commemorating a great moment, for a great cause. Pre-order yours today at ITS Tactical.

Hogue AK-47 Handguards

Hogue is now shipping their new AK handguards. These handguards are rubber “OverMolded” like many Hogue products but they also have some other interesting features that are worth noting.

The most interesting feature is the ability to attach rails at 12, 3, 6, and 9 o’clock on the handguards. This could be useful for mounting a weapon light, vertical grip, or sling. The handguard comes with two upper handguards: railed and normal. I don’t think plastic handguards are suitable for mounting optics but I guess the option is there if you want it.

The handguards have a very nice “swell” that really fills the hand. This ergonomic shape coupled with the OverMolded grip really let you drive the rifle aggressively. I usually stipple the plastic handguards on my AKs but that wouldn’t be necessary with the Hogue handguards.

The handguards will be available in several colors but the upper handguard is not color matched at this time. Hogue is working to correct this.

There is no official word yet on whether or not these work with the Ultimak gas tube.

You can check out the Hogue AK handguards on their website.

Dry Fire Practice: Don’t Screw It Up!

Shooters know that frequent training and practice are the best ways to maintain and improve your shooting skills. However, there are many good reasons why we don’t make it to the range every week. A savvy shooter can use “dry fire” to maintain and improve their skill set at home without ever firing a round.

Dry fire practice is the act of using an unloaded firearm to repetitively practice various weapon manipulations in order to form “muscle memory.” You can dry fire practice anything from shooting positions, to trigger control, reloads, malfunction clearance, target transitions, and everything in between. While this practice may not be as effective as actual live fire practice, it is certainly better than nothing.

Caution

Dry fire is probably sounding pretty good to you at this point but there is a dirty underbelly to this type of training that is rarely mentioned. If an untrained shooter embarks on a dry fire regimin without direction, they will likely reinforce bad habits rather than create positive muscle memory. There is immediate feedback from a trainer, timer, or target when completing live fire training. Dry fire practice provides very little feedback which can lead to a shooter continuing to repeat poor habits unknowingly. Muscle memory cuts both ways – good and bad.

You can not do enough bad repetitions to create good habits. Dry fire is not a substitute for training and the untrained will likely make their situation worse if they persist in bad habits and poor technique.

Tips for Success

Triple check that your firearms and magazines are unloaded. Nothing will put a damper on a dry fire session faster than shooting a hole in your wall or worse. I like to completely remove all of the ammo from the room when I practice.

Have a plan. Just like anything else in life, you will get more out of your time when you focus. If you have a plan, you can be sure that you are not just repeating the same drills over and over. Think of it like weight lifting, you may not want to work the same muscle groups several days in a row. Plot out your time so that you can work different skills.

Get the gear. Things like snap caps, dummy rounds, and inert training barrels can be a tremendous aid to your efficiency and safety when dry firing. They can also help prolong the life of certain types of firearms that don’t tolerate dry fire.

Do the things that aren’t fun. We, as humans, tend to prefer to practice the things that we do well rather than the things that we do poorly. It is easy to do that reload drill that you can absolutely smoke but not as easy to make yourself work those double feed clearances that you are painfully slow at completing. Don’t train to stroke your ego. Train to find your weaknesses and press through them.

Get a shot timer. I mentioned before that dry fire doesn’t really provide feedback about your performance since there is no target to check and no trainer watching your progress. However, there are some shot timers that are sensitive enough to pickup the sound of dry fire. You may even be able to download one for your smart phone. The timer can provide you real data for how you are progressing. I especially like using the shot timer to track my reloads.

Walk before you run. It can be extremely helpful to do several repetitions at half speed. Use this time to concentrate on doing every motion correctly and checking for unnecessary movements. Make sure you can do everything right at half speed before starting to move faster.

Try new things. So you want to change the way your grip your handgun or the way you complete a reload? Consider working through it at home first. I like to dry fire practice a new skill, like using the slide release instead of grabbing the slide during a reload, for several days at home before I head to the range. That way I can hit the ground running during live fire. Make sure you give yourself plenty of time to make the new skill second nature before you need it on the range.

Record your practice sessions or have someone watch you. If you can watch video of yourself completing a drill, you might notice something that you otherwise would not have seen since you were absorbed in the drill. A second set of eyes are always helpful in correcting problems with technique, especially if those eyes are more experienced than you.

Un-screw your gear at home. Dry fire can be a great time to find out that your new cool guy chest rig blocks your draw stroke or that your magazine pouches tend to leave a trail of gear behind you as you run. Fix this stuff at home. Don’t be “that guy” at the range.

Put everything to the test. The only real test of your dry fire will come on the live fire range. If you are not maintaining or improving your skills, you may not be doing something right.

Conclusion

Dry fire practice can reward you with improved performance or cripple you with bad habits. Be safe and do it right and you will have success.

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