Preview: Tactical Solutions TSG-22

I have been watching and waiting for this one for a while now. The Tactical Solutions TSG-22 is new .22LR conversion for Glocks and it brings with it some unique features that might just make it the premier conversion unit for people who really train with their Glocks.

The 3 most attractive features to me are also reasons that people who want a serious training weapon will want: it is machined from STEEL for realistic weight, it takes any Glock sights so you can replicate your serious gun, and it has last round hold open so you can train reloads realistically. On top of all that, Tactical Solutions makes some seriously accurate barrels so this one should be quite accurate.

If this is at least as reliable as comparable conversion units that are already on the market, it will be a huge success.

Bargain – Outdoor Products 3-Pack Ultimate Dry Sack

I have been using these Outdoor Products dry sacks for about a year now. They have been on several multi-night and day hikes and they have never let me down.

I was pretty skeptical of them at first due to their low cost, so I tested them before I trusted them to keep my stuff dry. I stuffed the bags full of t-shirts and let them sit under running water. The contents remained dry. Then I actually submerged the bags for 2 minutes and the contents still remained dry except for some very small areas where water came in at the closure. I was thoroughly impressed. For use inside of a backpack in the rain and even in quick accidental dunks, these are completely sufficient.

These have turned out to be an excellent way to keep gear dry and keep it organized. The bags are made of light weight rip stop nylon. They are light enough to use as organizers even when you don’t expect rain. The seams are fully taped and the closures do a good job of keeping water out if you follow the directions.

I used to just use a trash bag to keep my things dry in the rain but these smaller bags offer more organization potential. They will only set you back $10 for the 3 pack at Wal-Mart. For the price, you can’t beat them.

My Favorite Glock Trigger Set Up

Poor Trigger or Just Misunderstood?

Glock’s (and similar handguns) are often beat up for having “poor” triggers. The 1911 with it’s short single action trigger is held up by some as the ultimate trigger. While I do believe that the 1911 is an excellent handgun, I do not believe that the Glock trigger is poor. It is different, which doesn’t necessarily make it worse. In fact, it has some pretty significant strengths that are worth noting. These strengths do not become apparent by clicking the trigger at a gun counter or during once yearly slow fire practices at the local range.

Maybe we should start by defining what makes a trigger good or bad. For many, a good trigger has a very short travel and a very crisp and light break. Those may be desirable qualities for some. Short, light triggers tend to cover a lot of short comings in technique which is probably a good thing. I would submit that there are two other qualities that should be considered as much as, or more so, than pull weight and travel. In my experience, a fast, positive reset and consistent action have proven to be paramount to fast, accurate shooting.

A fast, positive reset will allow you to feel when the trigger resets which is key in working the trigger quickly when multiple shots are required. I can not stress the importance of reset enough, especially with Glocks. You can use the reset to your advantage by learning to shoot from the reset position. This essentially means that you only allow the trigger to travel far enough forward to reset for the next shot so that you do not have to deal with the entire trigger travel for your follow up shot. This is one of the keys to learning to be fast and accurate with a Glock.

Consistent trigger action simply means that you don’t have to transition between different trigger actions. A trigger pull that is the same for every shot allows the shooter to master only one trigger pull, rather than transitioning between multiple trigger actions as is the case with double action/single action (DA/SA) triggers. This is also a key to fast, accurate shooting.

If you acknowledge that a problem that requires the use of a gun may not be solvable with just one shot, then reset and consistency should be a factor when you determine what is “good” about a trigger.

How Do We Make It Better?

While the Glock’s trigger may not always be light or crisp, it is consistent (consistently mushy in it’s stock format). The trigger pull is the same every time. There is no DA/SA transition.  Glocks also have a very fast reset. The slide needs to only travel a very short distance rearward before the trigger resets. It also has a reasonably positive reset and by that I mean that the reset can be easily felt by the shooter. I do not find the Glock trigger to be overly heavy but it can be quite long (it is likely long as a safety feature). Glock triggers will never be completely like 1911 triggers but there are some things that we can do to mitigate the shortcomings and enhance the strengths of the trigger.

The stock trigger parts that Glock installs are the 5.5 pound (#) connector, and standard trigger spring. This renders a pull weight of about 5 to 5.5 pounds (though it lightens after several hundred cycles). The standard spring makes the trigger feel a very mushy or springy to me. The reset is fairly positive but could be improved on.

Some people like to do what is referred to as the $0.25 Trigger Job. I can tell you that it works. I can also tell you that lots of dry fire and plenty of time at the range will net you the exact same effect. The $0.25 Trigger Job is essentially just accelerating the normal wear that the trigger parts go through. I usually skip it. If you choose to do it, AlphaRubicon.com has the original and still one of the best tutorials.

In my opinion these two inexpensive parts will go the furthest in improving the Glock trigger: a NY1 Trigger Spring and a 3.5# connector. If you do nothing else, install these two parts. Together, they will improve trigger feel, consistency, and reset.

The NY1 Trigger Spring was originally designed to make the Glock trigger feel heavier and more like a double action revolver. It is a completely different design than the stock trigger spring. It is a beefier coil spring held in a plastic wedge. When you pull the trigger you are compressing the spring rather than stretching it as you are with the stock spring. When it is installed, it applies more consistent spring tension on the trigger which leads to more consistent and less mushy trigger feel. It also makes the reset much more positive which may be the best thing about it.

The 3.5# connector is basically just there to keep the trigger pull weight down. If you just installed the NY1 it would make the trigger pull heavier (about 7-8 pounds). If the 3.5# connector is installed it basically cancels out the pull weight that we added with the NY1. The combination of the NY1 and 3.5# connector renders trigger pull weight of about 4-5 pounds which is very manageable, especially considering the other improvements that we have made by installing these parts.

If you are after the best combination of consistency, pull weight and reset for your Glock (and you should be), then consider installing a 3.5# connector and NY1 Trigger Spring. There is more to a good trigger than just being light and short.

ESEE Junglas Laserna Pack

Jeff and Mike at ESEE showed the prototype for a new pack several months ago on their forum. I was impressed then and I am even more impressed now that it is on the market and the details are out. The pack has some serious organization potential, comes in all the right colors, and has a waistbelt that actually looks useful (rare in smaller packs).

The Junglas Laserna Pack can be purchased directly from ESEE. You can also read more about the pack and the Junglas for which the pack is named at the link.

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Ray Laconico Now Making Locking Folders

Ray Laconico has been making some of the hardest working fixed blade knives around for years. He has also dabbled in slip joint folding knives. Recently, as he stated in his interview here on Jerking the Trigger, he has been concentrating on locking folders.

This is great news for those who love the performance and character of carbon steel and like locking folders because Ray has been making liner locks with O1 tool steel blades. Carbon steel locking folders are all but non-existent on today’s knife market so Ray is really filling a niche.

If you are interested in owning one of Ray’s knives you can contact him through BladeForums.

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