Tactical Handyman: How to Fix a Stretched SB15 Brace

By Matt on October 15, 2014 in Guns

The SB15 Brace has changed what we expect from AR pistols. It fits most standard pistol buffer tubes and several are now being made specifically for the SB15. The problem is that there is no standard outside diameter for AR pistol receiver extensions (buffer tubes). Some, like those from KAK Industries are very slim. There are some that are quite thick like those from Spike’s Tactical. Others are somewhere in the middle like the new tube from EXOS Defense.

The tight fit that results from using a thicker tube is great until you try to change to a new tube that is slimmer than your current tube. You will quickly find that your SB15 Brace is stretched to the point that it spins freely on the buffer tube and, in extreme cases, it can even slide right off. This renders the SB15 effectively useless.

This is the position that the Tactical Handyman recently found himself in. He had an SB15 on a Spike’s Tactical Pistol Buffer and found that it was stretched to the point that it would nearly fall off under its own weight on the new EXOS Defense pistol buffer tube which has a perfect outside diameter for use with the SB15. Here is how he fixed it…

You will need the following:

Stretched out SB15 Brace
Soup/Stock Pot – Note: This pot needs to be big enough to hold the SB15 and enough water to cover it. Preferably, it should be large enough that it has room to hold all of that and little more so it doesn’t boil over.
Water
Stove
Timer
Kitchen tongs

Instructions

This is super easy if you can boil water which might not be all that easy for some of you. If you haven’t figured it out by now, we are going to boil your SB15. Heating the rubber will cause it to shrink back to its original shape. In fact, in my case it almost seemed a bit tighter than it was originally.

Remove the SB15 from your AR pistol. Note: If you boil your AR pistol, you deserve anything bad that happens to you.
Drop your SB15 into a still cool stock pot. Note: Seriously, don’t heat the pot first. I shouldn’t even have to write this but I know there is some guy out there who already has the water boiling and is getting ready to burn his face off.
Pour enough water into the still cool stock pot to completely cover the SB15 (it will sink) and not so much that the pot is in danger of boiling over.
Remove the SB15 from the stock pot (leave the water).
Bring the stock pot with water to a rolling boil. Note: You will probably want to set the burner as high as it will go to speed the process. Turn it up to 11.
Lower the burner to about medium heat or just enough to keep the water boiling.
Place your SB15 into the boiling water. Note: Do this carefully. Your skin is probably allergic to boiling water.
Set your timer for 10 minutes.
Turn off the burner when 10 minutes elapses.
Remove the SB15 from the pot with your tongs and set it somewhere to dry and cool. Note: You can do this immediately after turning off the burner. Be careful because you have delicate little girl hands and the water is literally boiling. Drying will not take long since most of the water on the brace will evaporate immediately.
Test fit the brace on your buffer tube only after it cools to room temperature. Note: I was able to speed the process by putting the brace in the refrigerator for the last few minutes of cooling. This is kind of like a refreshing cool towel after the steam towel at a barber shop.
Repeat the process if necessary.

Wrap Up

In my case, I was able to take an SB15 that was basically falling off and return it to like new condition or maybe even a bit better in terms of fit. It will even stay in place on the KAK tubes which are some of the slimmest I know. Don’t scrap that stretched out SB15! Try boiling it first.

Scalarworks LDM for Aimpoint Micro

By Matt on October 15, 2014 in Guns

When it comes to optics mounts, you can usually have QD functionality or light weight but not both. The new Scalarworks LDM, or Low Drag Mount, for the Aimpoint Micro series of red dot sights appears to offer both.

Scalarworks claims that the LDM is the lightest Aimpoint Micro QD mount on the market and at just 1.33 ounces for the absolute co-witness version and 1.38 ounces for the lower 1/3 co-witness model, that is easy to believe. The LDM features a clever, notched thumb wheel that is retained by a ball detent. It looks like you could easily witness mark the correct notch to ensure that you always set the same tension when reinstalling the sight. The thumb wheel set up is also very low-profile and actually nested into the mount itself to reduce snagging.

There are a lot of good ideas in this mount. It will be interesting to see if Scalarworks can expand these design elements into other optic mounts. Check out the Scalarworks LDM.

Kinetic Concepts Tactical ECPT

By Matt on October 15, 2014 in Tactical Gear

The ECPT (Enhanced Combat Pull Tabs) from Kinetic Concepts Tactical (KCT) are now available. These are pull tabs for use with bungee retainers on magazine pouches that are made from Kydex. They are a simple fold over design with a single rivet. The bottom of the ECPT forms a loop for the shock cord to pass through and the top is flared. This creates an easily gripped surface that can be created in any color or camo pattern that is offered in Kydex.

AR Pistols and the Law Tactical Folding Stock Adapter Gen. 3

By Matt on October 14, 2014 in Guns, Reviews

At this point, several reviews of Law Tactical’s AR Folding Stock Adapter Gen 3 (AFSA) have been written. I’ll give you the short version before launching into the crux of this article. It is beefier than ever. It is easy to install (read the instructions). It operates smoothly and had no effect on the reliability of the two host guns that I tried. It just works.

Now, on to what this article is really about… The AFSA makes sense for any carbine that you want to reduce the overall length for storage/transport/concealment purposes. It is great for making longer precision builds more discreetly storable. It is great for making short barreled rifles and PDR builds even more concealable. But, it really shines when used on an AR pistol.

The AR pistol is enjoying a massive increase in popularity. That popularity is the result of several factors like the extended wait times on NFA approvals that many experienced earlier this year, availability of quality AR pistol parts, strange concealed carry laws in some states, the prohibition of short barreled rifles in some states, and the introduction of the SB15 AR Pistol Brace. Many shooters have begun to see the utility of the AR pistol in a PDW-ish role. It is that PDW role and the unique considerations that come with shouldering an AR pistol that make the AFSA shine.

The AR Folding Stock Adapter makes your AR pistol long where you need it and short where you want it.

Long Where You Need It

If you intend to shoulder your AR pistol you will have to contend with a typically very short length of pull. Many AR pistol receiver extension and brace set ups are as short as or barely longer than a standard carbine receiver extension alone. This is too short for many shooters so they are left using spacers, finding a longer receiver extension, or using other methods to increase the length of pull. This is less than ideal when you are trying to build your AR pistol to be as compact as possible and you can’t install an adjustable stock.

Enter the AFSA. It adds about 1.5″ to the length of pull which is similar to adjusting the stock about 2 positions on a 6 position carbine receiver extension. If you like a shorter length of pull, you can use the AFSA coupled with a quality pistol receiver extension like the one from Spike’s Tactical. If you prefer a longer length of pull, you can use a KAK Industries or MI receiver extension. Either way, the AFSA provides just a bit of the increase length of pull that AR pistol shooter are after.

In addition to the benefits of additional length of pull, that extra 1.5″ of OAL length can help ensure you reach 26″ overall so that you can use a vertical grip. You can read more about the rules surrounding vertical grips on pistols in JTT’s previous post on AR Pistol Misconceptions.

Short Where You Want It

Adding length is great from a shootability standpoint but if your intent was to put together a PDW type build, it is counterproductive since PDWs need to be as compact as possible while still being fast into action. You could split the AR pistol into its upper and lower receivers to make it more compact for storage and transport but that doesn’t meet the fast into action requirement.

Enter the AFSA. With the AFSA in the folded position, the AR pistol is less than 1″ longer than the upper alone. That means that you can keep your AR pistol assembled and have a package that is barely longer than if you broke it into its upper and lower components. The best part is, that the receiver extension can easily be swung into position while the pistol is coming to bear making it extremely fast into action.

Wrap Up

I can’t say that the AFSA is necessary but it has strong benefits that mitigate a common AR pistol issue and enhance a potential use for the AR pistol. The Law Tactical AR Folding Stock Adapter just makes sense for AR pistol shooters.

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