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Review: Echo93 V1, V2, and V3 Sling Plates

By on April 2, 2012 in Guns, Reviews, Tactical Gear

Mounting a modern 2 point or single point sling to an AK pattern rifle can be a bit of a pain. This is especially true for the rear sling attachment point if you don’t want to settle for the one that is located on the rear of the buttstock. Thankfully, there are innovative companies out there like Echo93 who offer solutions like their Sling Plates. The Echo93 Sling Plates take the pain out of mounting a sling to your AK.

I recently received the Echo93 V1, V2, and V3 Sling Plates for testing. I used each of the three in a mix of multiple range trips and dry fire practice. In that time, I learned a lot about each individual version. In this review, I will talk generally about all of the Echo93 Sling Plates and then focus down onto the 3 specific plates that I had to try.

Overview

The Echo93 Sling Plates are extremely simple and I mean that as high praise. They are simply powder coated steel plates that mount under your pistol grip and provide a loop to which you can attach a sling. The steel that Echo93 uses is nearly 1/8″ thick. There are no moving parts – just a single piece of steel. You aren’t going to be able to break or wear out these sling mounts.

Installation is extremely easy. You simply remove your grip. Then you place the Echo93 Sling Plate on your receiver so that the grip screw can pass through the square hole in the sling plate and so that the sling loop is on the desired side of the AK (all 3 of the tested Sling Plates are ambidextrous). Then reinstall the grip. The sling plate has two tabs that slip onto either side of the trigger guard to prevent it from spinning. If you know how to use a screwdriver, you can install an Echo93 Sling Plate.

Echo93 V1, V2, and V3 Sling Plates

Observations from Use

The Echo93 Sling Plates are sold as a single point sling mount but they work extremely well as the rear attachment point for 2 point slings as well. I like to mount the rear sling point of my 2 point slings as close to the rear of the receiver as possible. This gives a greater range of motion than is possible when mounting the sling near the rear of the buttstock. This is especially important if you, like me, drop the butt of the gun under your arm and bring the magazine well into your “work space” on reloads. Mounting the sling in this position also allows your to transition from shoulder to shoulder without dropping an arm out of the sling when quick adjust slings like the Blue Force Gear VCAS or VTAC.

You will definitely want to give careful thought to your AK variant, your grip type, your stock configuration, and your hand shape when choosing which sling plate to order. Obviously, if your AK precludes the use of a certain version of the Echo93 Sling Plate, you will want to avoid that particular version. Grips that drive the hand very high and into the receiver will effect the feel of some of the plates (more on that later). Some of the Echo93 Sling Plates will not work with folding stocks so pay attention if you own a folding stocked AK. Users with thick hands will want to pay careful attention as your hand may come into contact with the sling plate and this may or may not be an issue for you (more on this later).

The powder coating holds up fairly well but the inside corners of the sling loops will loose their coating quickly from wear. This is a purely cosmetic issue and it does not alter the function of the sling plate in any way. It is simply unavoidable when you have metal hardware rubbing on the loop.

I tested these sling plates with HK style snap hooks and ITW Mash Hooks. Both worked very well. Any type of metal hook type hardware should work well with Echo93 Sling Plates.

The Echo93 Sling Plates are very, very thick (nearly 1/8″ thick). This makes them very rugged but I can’t help but wonder if they couldn’t be made thinner. I suspect they could be quite a bit thinner and still be more rugged than they need to be while saving some weight and cost. As they are now, you will never be able to break or bend one in the normal course of use.

In all my testing, I was unable to get any of the plates to spin. The simple tabs that are cut into the plate to lock it on the trigger guard work perfectly. There is also enough wiggle room to allow for quite a bit of variation between AKs.

It seems like there is some effort to break the corners a bit so that they aren’t very sharp. This is a nice thing considering that the top of your hand may be contacting this sling plate frequently while firing.

V1

The V1 is one of my favorites but there are going to be some people who just don’t care for it. The V1 allows the sling to slip from one side to the other as you transition from shoulder to shoulder with your AK. It accomplishes this by placing the loop on the center line of the AK, just above your hand.

If you are using a standard AK grip, your hand might not contact the V1 but if you are using a grip that forces your hand high like the US PALM AKBG then you will definitely contact the sling plate and sling hook. It isn’t really the sling plate that you will notice, it is the sling hook that is attaching your sling to the plate that will rub your hand. This has been a non-issue for me through 2 live fire sessions and several dry fire sessions but if you have meaty hands, you will want to take note.

V1 with Sling Attached

You can see how the V1 and the sling hardware can contact the shooter's hand. This was a non-issue for me.

V2

The V2 was my least favorite. It lacks the side to side versatility of the V1 though it still allows easy transitions and it was the most noticeable during live fire. It can also preclude the use of side folding stocks (and all under-folding stocks) depending on which side the stock folds to and whether the shooter is left or right handed.

The sling loop on the V2 is pushed out to the side of the receiver, directly over your thumb knuckle (right handed shooter). This can cause the sling hook to rub and bump your thumb during manipulations. This effect is magnified by using a grip that drives your hand higher than the standard AK grip. I don’t have huge hands but I do have thick thumbs.

V2 with sling

The V2 caused the sling hardware to rub my thumb. It didn't really work for me.

V3

The V3 is a sort of variation on the V2. It also pushes the loop out onto the side of the receiver but it also turns it up away from your hand which made it great for me. It also allows quick transitions in spite of the higher sling positioning. However, it also precludes the use of some side folding stocks (and all under-folding stocks) depending on which side the stock folds to and whether the shooter is left or right handed.

This is easily the least noticeable and therefore the most comfortable of the 3 sling plates that I tried. If you have thick hands and a fixed stock AK (or side folder that folds to the opposite side as the sling loop) you will love this sling mount.

The V3 moves the loop up and away from the shooter's hand making it very comfortable.

V3 with sling

Conclusion

I love these mounts. They place my sling exactly where I need it for how I work with an AK. There are really no other mounts out there that do this (except for the knock-offs, so buyer beware). Some of the variants are not going to work for some people or some rifles, but there are now 7 different version of the Echo93 Sling Plates so every shooter should be able to find something that works for them.

You can get your own Echo93 Sling Plate at Brownells or direct from Echo93.com.

Disclosure: These Sling Plates were provided to me free of charge by Echo93.

UW Gear Mag Pouches

By on March 31, 2012 in Guns, Tactical Gear

Now you can add the same great retention, speedy access, and reliable simplicity of the Minuteman MKII Chest Rig pouches to any MOLLE platform. UW Gear has adapted their great Minuteman MKII Chest Rig pouch design to stand alone magazine pouches. The new pouches have all of the same innovative features of the chest rig pouches including the flap closure design and sewn in drainage hole.

Left to right: AR-15, AK-74, AK-47

The new UW Gear Mag Pouches are available in a single magazine and double magazine configuration and they are available for the AK-47, AK-74, and AR-15. They can be mounted to any MOLLE platform via Tactical Tailor MALICE clips or similar mounting devices. These should be especially well suited to plate carriers and armor.

Left to right: AR-15, AK-74, AK-47

You can check out my previous review of the Minuteman MKII Chest Rig for more details on how these pouches work and what makes them unique. Head over to UWGearInc.com to order your own UW Gear Mag Pouches.

RS Products AKML

By on March 29, 2012 in Tactical Gear

Today’s AK shooters are spoiled. It wasn’t long ago that it was extremely difficult to find and purchase good quality optic mounts for the AK. Now, with companies like RS Products, that is all changing. It is easier than ever to mount quality optics like the Aimpoint Micros to your AK using the new AKML.

The AKML shares all of the same features with the previously mentioned AKM. It is machined from 6061-T6 Aluminum and features a robust, return to zero locking lever which really sets it apart from the flimsy imported mounts. RS Products has also designed a unique adjustment system that allows you to center the optic over the action and then permanently set the position to ensure that the mount won’t leave you hanging at the worst possible time.

Unlike some mounts that require the use of a comb riser, the AKML sits low enough to co-witness with the iron sights. Your AK can still be completely field stripped without uninstalling the mount in spite of how low the AKML sits.

The AKML is designed to be extremely durable but it is also built to keep weight to a minimum. It weighs only 5 ounces which is appropriate since it is designed to work with one of the lightest Aimpoint sights available. It also places this very minimal amount of weight over the center of the rifle so it doesn’t effect the handling characteristics much.

RS Products currently offers the AKML in black, but they will soon offer them in OD Green and Flat Dark Earth. You can check out the RS Products AKML at Brownells.

Review: UW Gear AK Minuteman MKII Chest Rig

By on March 12, 2012 in Guns, Reviews, Tactical Gear

I am blessed to have a lot of interesting gear pass through my hands. I have been able to handle gear that I like a lot and some gear that I don’t like much at all. Sometimes, though, I am lucky enough to get my hands on gear that I immediately connect with and wonder if I may be looking at one of the next big things. That has certainly been the case with UW Gear and their Minuteman MKII Chest Rig.

AK Minuteman MKII in Pencott Badlands with 3 pouches and 2 columns of MOLLE

About UW Gear

UW Gear is a small nylon tactical gear maker that was formed to specifically to address the needs of the “Armed Citizen.” John and Diz are both shooters who have an absolute ton of gear making experience between the two of them. Many of you gear hounds out there will immediately recognize Diz and know his past work.

I have really enjoyed getting to know John, Diz, and UW Gear for one big reason: They are very transparent with the reasoning for why they make their gear the way that they do. They have always been willing to share with me why they design their gear like they do, why they choose certain materials, what they tried that didn’t work, and how they are thinking of improving. I have never really seen a more open gear maker.

Minuteman MKII Overview

The Minuteman MKII Chest Rig was UW Gear’s first official product. Their product line has grown to include other items but the Minuteman MKII is still the flagship and serves as a showcase for their innovative flap design.

It is available in several formats that can customized at the time of purchase. The main format is a 3 pouch design that holds 3 magazines but a 4 pouch design is available by request. The user can customize the width of the chest rig by specifying how many columns of MOLLE webbing they would like on either side of the magazine pouches (none, 2, and 3 columns are the standard configurations).

The construction of this chest rig is top notch. 1000 denier nylon is used throughout. There is double and triple stitching through out. Every single spot where webbing is joined to the rig utilizes a box stitch. The materials are top notch. From a pure craftsmanship standpoint, these rigs are as good as I have seen.

UW Gear designed the Minuteman MKII to be bomb proof in durability, compact, to ride comfortably without padding, to ride close to the body, be field repairable, and to offer excellent magazine retention. Those goals dictate many of the design details of the rig.

Magazine Pouches

The pouches are by far the most eye catching part of these chest rigs. If you don’t like covered magazine pouches, these might convert you. If you love covered mag pouches, these will spoil you.

Most of the magic of these pouches stems from the flap. You will not find any metal hardware or hook and loop on this rig. UW Gear purposely avoided them when they designed this rig because snaps can pull out, rust and rattle. Hook and loop is noisy and clogs with mud. Instead of the well traveled path, they designed an innovative, unique, and extremely functional flap closure that I really, really like.

Each flap has a stiffened tab on it that mates with a slot that is sewn into the pouch. The tab is simply pressed up into the slot to lock the flap closed. This can easily be done with one hand and it is extremely secure. When you need to open the pouch, you simply grab the tab and pull up and slightly away from you just like you would with a hook and loop flap. It opens quickly and easily and with no noise. This flap closure system is durable, repairable with needle and thread, completely quiet, operable with one hand, more secure than most any pouch that I have ever seen, and just down right cool.

Each flap has a stiffened tab...

Each pouch has a sewn on slot that accepts the tab.

You simply press the tab into the slot.

It's easy to close the flaps, even with one hand.

The pouches themselves are very tall. They offer nearly full coverage for the magazine (retention was chosen over speed). The webbing this sewn into the slot for the flap tab is continued all the way to the interior bottom of the pouch which gives it some structure and makes it easier to insert magazines with one hand.

UW Gear was also able to avoid the use of hardware like grommets which has many of the same problems as the snaps mentioned above by sewing drainage holes into the pouches. There is a small, reinforced gap at the base of each pouch that allows the pouches to drain quickly and shed debris. This is just another one of the innovative touches that seem to abound on this rig.

Magazine Retention Pouch

Using the “admin” pouch that can be found on the back of many chest rigs to retain a partially depleted magazine isn’t necessarily a new concept but UW Gear has taken it to a whole new level by designing their admin pouch to actually support this technique. This is another one the features that you won’t find anywhere else.

The webbing tab opens the pouch for you as you index it with the magazine.

The pouch on the back of the Minuteman MKII can be used to store what ever you want: maps, shooting gloves, a pad and pen for note taking during your carbine course – but it is designed to do a lot more than that. The pouch features a wide webbing tab that sticks up slightly above the top of the chest rig and runs all the way to the bottom of the pouch. This webbing allows you to press open the pouch with a magazine as you insert the mag. It basically acts as a target or index point to quickly lever open the pouch during a reload where you retain the partial magazine.

There is room for 2 magazines, side by side, in the magazine retention pouch.

This simple webbing addition to the pouch makes it suitable for partial magazine retention for up to 2 mags. It can be used much like a dump pouch but more efficiently since the magazines are hold in a bullets down position, ready to be grabbed and reused if needed. Gone are the days of frantically digging through a dump pouch for a magazine and hoping it comes out oriented in a way that makes it easy to insert into the magazine well. The Minuteman MKII lets you store your partial magazines in a way that makes them usable immediately.

Harness

The Minuteman MKII’s “H” harness is one of the best that I have used. It is comfortable without being padded. UW Gear purposely set out to build a comfortable harness that wouldn’t need padding so that the rig would work better with a backpack. Great care was taken to make sure that the harness and its hardware would not get in the way of shouldering your rifle.

The well designed "H" harness offers comfort without bulk.

It consists of a wide double layer of the same nylon material that the rest of the chest rig is made from, a layer of 1.5″ webbing, and then a final layer of 1″ webbing that is sewn like MOLLE webbing. The result is a harness that is wide enough and has enough structure to distribute weight very comfortably with adding a lot of bulk to your shoulders. Since the top layer of 1″ webbing is sewn on like a row of MOLLE webbing, it can be used to attach various items – possibly even a small pack that UW Gear may be introducing in the future.

I am starting to sound like a broken record but, again, I have never seen anything quite like the construction of this “H” harness and it works unbelievably well.

Observations from Use

This rig wears very well. It rides close to the body and is not overly wide. Even the 4 magazine pouch version that I have feels compact in comparison to many rigs. The harness fits like it was made for me.

Having used both, I can see why UW Gear is standardizing on the 3 pouch design versus the 4 pouch, especially with the AK rigs. AK mags are long and have a somewhat severe curve which can make them difficult to manipulate in and out of the pouches. You generally have more dexterity around your body’s center line because of how you have to bend your arms to reach the magazines. The 3 pouch design, places all 3 magazines close to your center line for easier manipulation and it keeps the weight down. Additional magazines can be carried in the magazine retention pouch if your situation dictates the need for more magazines.

Look mom, no grommets! The pouches have reinforced drainage gaps.

I like to wear my chest rigs high on my chest. This keeps my handgun and draw stroke unimpeded. It also allows the chest rig to slide up into the natural gap that is formed between your high chest and the ground when you are shooting from prone. The Minuteman MKII is designed to ride high or low depending on the wearer’s preference. To support a nice high ride, the top corners of the rig are angled to allow the body of the rig to ride higher without digging into your underarms. This is just another example of UW Gear’s cleverness.

All that adjustability usually leads to a ton of unsecured straps flapping in the breeze, but that isn’t the case with the Minuteman MKII. All of the excess straps are secured with elastic keepers or pinned between your body and the rig. There are zero unsecured straps to flap around.

The flap system is very, very cool and very, very functional. It works. It retains the magazines tenaciously and clears out of the way quickly. You really can’t ask any more from a mag pouch flap. The potential down side here is that these flaps might not handle anything that adds length to the magazine like Magpul Ranger Plates. They also aren’t going to lend themselves to a double magazine pouch which is fine for me since these were designed from the start as single mag pouches and I prefer single mag pouches.

This rig is definitely different from a lot of what is out on the market right now. The magazine pouches are the complete opposite of the low cut open top pouches that are the norm these days. There is no denying that they are not as fast as an open top pouch but they are far more secure. There is always a trade off, and when you need security, nothing but a covered mag pouch will do. These are the best covered mag pouches that I have used.

The admin/magazine retention pouch works well. It is definitely an improvement over a dump pouch in terms of how it keeps the magazine ready to be used again but it does feel slower than a dump pouch. This may not be an issue since a reload with retention is typically only done when you have time. I think the pouch might benefit from a little bit of bellowing at the bottom to allow just a bit more space so the mages aren’t pushed up by the tightness of the pouch.

I have found that this rig works perfectly with the way I use my gear. My primary way of carrying magazines is my belt. The belt is a comfortable place to carry a small load of magazines and it is a very fast place to reload from. My emergency reloads come from my belt. Admin loads and top offs (“tactical” reloads) come from the chest rig. This basically means that I reload my rifle from my belt and reload my belt from my chest rig (see my post on magazine management). It is nice to have a chest rig that offers the security I want since I don’t necessarily need extreme speed from it but that is efficient enough to emergency reload from if I need to.

AK Minuteman MKII in Pencott Greenzone with 4 pouches and 3 columns of MOLLE

Conclusion

The AK Minuteman MKII is a bomb proof chest rig that is dripping with unique features and unique functionality. It is comfortable, low profile, and well suited to any shooter but especially for the armed citizen. It works perfectly for me and the way I use my gear. I think it will probably work for you, too.

The Minuteman MKII is available for the AK-47, AK-74, and AR-15 on the UW Gear website. You will also want to check out the UW Gear Facebook page and their forum where you can interact directly with John and Diz and read more about the philosophy behind their products.

Disclosure: One of the two chest rigs shown was given to me free of charge for review. The other was purchased by me.

New Minuteman MKII Custom Configurations from UW Gear

By on February 28, 2012 in Guns, Tactical Gear

UW Gear is making some changes to their Minuteman MKII Chest Rigs based on customer feedback, their own experiences, and drive to improve.

The base configuration of the Minuteman MKII has been changed from a 4 magazine set up, to a 3 magazine set up. This change obviously decreases the magazine capacity of the rig by one, but it makes the rig far more trim and compact. This is an especially welcome change for the AK version of the Minuteman MKII. The closer AK-47 mags are to your center line, the easier it is to manipulate the length and distinct curve of the magazines. More than anything else, this change is meant to increase comfort and better fit with the philosophy of simplicity that UW Gear preaches. The 4 mag version will still be available by request.

UW GEAR AK Minuteman MKII in PenCott Badlands

UW Gear is also allowing you to choose the final configuration of your chest rig based on your unique requirements. The amount of MOLLE webbing that is found on each side of the Minuteman MKII can be customized to fit your needs. You can choose 3, 2, or 0 columns of MOLLE webbing. If you need the slickest, trimmest, most compact chest rig that you can get, you can choose to have no MOLLE webbing at all. If you need the ability to mount a typical IFAK pouch, then the 3 column set up will work perfectly. If you just need the ability to mount a couple of compact pouches, then the 2 column rig is just what you need. These are the types of options that you can typically only find at a custom maker and are a big reason why I prefer to shop with smaller makers when I can.

Check out the AK Minuteman MKII and the AR Minuteman MKII on UWGear.com.

Stay tuned for a full review of the Minuteman MKII Chest Rig.

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