CHIPS

Challenge coins have spread well beyond the bounds of the military. You now see them at company meetings, trade shows, and political events. They have become a sort of high end business card.

CHIPS (Changing How Industries Promote Synergy) has taken the challenge coin and evolved it. They make custom ceramic polymer coins, or CHIPS, that have several advantages over traditional metal struck challenge coins. CHIPS can have graphics on both the front and back, as well as the edge. The graphics can be more complex than those of a traditional challenge coin and are actually embedded directly into the “ceramic polymer” material. CHIPS are lighter in weight and cost less to make than traditional challenge coins.

If you are looking for a way to promote your business, website, unit, or for a really unique party favor, check out TheChipSite.com.

New Cartridge from Wilson Combat: 7.62×40 WT

Wilson Combat has developed a new cartridge that shoehorns a .30 caliber projectile into the AR-15. The 7.62×40 WT is a low recoil cartridge that exceeds the energy of the 7.62×39. Wilson Combat sees this as a versatile do-all of a cartridge that is suited for hunting and tactical applications.

It will be able to utilize a wide variety of the .30 caliber projectiles that are already on the market so reloaders should have no problem working up a pet load. The dimensions of the 7.62×40 WT will allow it to work with standard AR-15 magazines but some modifications may be required for better reliability.

You can read more about the 7.62x40WT project on the Wilson Combat website.

 

Ares Armor Huskey Amentum Slider Sling

Image courtesy of Ares Armor

The Huskey Amentum Slider Sling from Ares Armor has some very interesting features and functionality. At first glance, it looks fairly similar to other padded 2 point slings on the market, but a closer look reveals a really well designed slider and the ability to act as a shooting aid (like a shooting sling).

The slider is designed for quick and easy function. The user can simply pull it in both directions to tighten or loosen the sling on the fly. The webbing loop makes it hard to miss when you are in a hurry.

Typically, I like my 2 point slings to be mounted at the front and rear as close to the receiver as possible which gives excellent mobility. The Huskey Amentum Slider Sling is designed to promote a stable shooting position so it should be mounted as far out toward the muzzle and buttstock as possible. Ares Armor’s instruction video for the Huskey Amentum Slider Sling does a great job of explaining more about its use as a shooting aid.

The Huskey Amentum Slider Sling is available on Ares Armor’s website.

Heat Stippling – Not Just for Handguns

Heat stippling is nothing new. Everyone with a wood burner and Glock has improved their grip by adding some extra texture. Stippling works great on handguns, but can long guns benefit from stippling? They certainly can!

My first adventure in heat stippling a long gun came as an attempt to solve a problem with my AK47s. I typically run my AR-15s with a vertical grip or hand stop. This allows me to use my support hand to pull the AR back into my shoulder and control the muzzle. The vertical grip or handstop is basically just something to pull against. I wanted to be able to run my AK-47s the same way, but I was unwilling to spend the money for a quality rail system and vertical grip for a weapon that is not my “go-to”.

I needed a way to generate a lot of grip so that the AK could be pulled back into my shoulder in the manner that I prefer, so I broke out the wood burner. After a few minutes of work, I had a small area of the polymer lower hand guard  stippled. I took the rifle to the range and I was thrilled with how it performed – so thrilled that I stippled even more of the hand guard when I returned home. I also stippled my second AK.

The extra grip generated by the stippling really aids in driving the AK. I was able to pull the rifle aggressively into my shoulder with less effort which helped keep the muzzle level during fast strings of fire. It isn’t a perfect replacement for a vertical grip but, for me, it has basically the same effect.

AR-15s can benefit from stippling as well. I applied some texture to an AR-15 that I have set up with Magpul MOE hand guards and an IWC Weapon Control MOUNT-N-SLOT. The result is excellent. The grip is positive and aggressive without being overly harsh. I find that I am able to lock my hand into place and really drive the gun. It also works great with gloves which is very nice in the winter.

I am certainly not the first person to heat stipple a long gun but it is far less common than heat stippled handguns. I hope this post encourages you to try your hand at stippling. You might just find that it solves a problem for you, too.

Insight Technology M3 LED

The Insight Technology M3 was one of the first affordable and readily available weapon mounted lights. Its tough, light weight polymer construction and 60 lumen output were state of the art at the time. However, as LED technology progressed, the M3’s performance was eclipsed. Now, Insight Technology has given the venerable M3 a new lease on life.

The Insight Technology M3 LED features the same polymer construction as the original M3. The only real difference is the head. Where the original M3 had an incandescent bulb, the new M3 LED features a 125 lumen LED. The original M3 ran for only an hour but the new M3 LED runs for 3 hours. The new LED head offers twice the output and twice the run time.

The M3 LED is available in black or tan. I have seen some retailers listing just the LED heads for sale to those who want to upgrade their current M3. There is also an updated M3X LED available.

Powered by WordPress. Designed by Woo Themes