Tag Archives | AR Pistolero

AR Pistolero Patch – Now Available at Kit Badger

By Matt on December 24, 2018 in EDC, Patch Collecting

If you’ve been around JTT for a while, you might remember the AR Pistolero patch. We designed these patches with DSTEIN DESIGNS and they were produced by Combat Swag. They are top notch patches. Recently, we closed our online store which cut off supply of the patch for a time but I am happy to report that they are available again… from Kit Badger.

If you dig AR pistols or just cool patches, you need one. Check them out at KitBadger.com.

Gear Head Works Tailhook MOD 1 and 2 Pistol Braces

By Matt on January 3, 2017 in Uncategorized

Gear Head Works will be releasing a new pistol brace design that is sure to grab the attention of AR Pistoleros everywhere. Their Tailhook MOD 1 and Tailhook MOD 2 feature a unique hinged design that allows the brace to “open” into a hook that slips under the shooter’s forearm to support the AR pistol for one handed shooting.

The Tailhook MOD 1 is the more compact version of the two. It is machined from aluminum and clamps directly to the buffer tube. The molded polymer Tailhook MOD 2 attaches to the buffer tube much like a stock would and allows for length adjustment to accommodate shooters of all sizes. You can see the Tailhook in action in the video below.

The two versions of the Tailhook shown here have already received ATF approval. There may be additional version forthcoming pending additional approvals.

Check out the Tailhook Pistol Braces at Gear Head Works and stay tuned for new pricing and availability information.

Times Have Changed: Why You Might Actually Want to Try a 7.5″ 5.56 AR-15 Build

By Matt on June 12, 2015 in Guns

I have been shooting AR-15s for years now and apart from the mild cool factor, I have never really considered owning an AR-15 chambered in 5.56x45mm with a 7.5″ barrel. In fact, you could say that I thought they were a bit silly. Times changes and so do opinions.

It is true that just about any other common AR-15 chambering is a better performer than 5.56/.223 in such short barrels. That includes 6.8SPC, 300BLK, and even the 9mm Luger (in some ways like noise and flash but not necessarily in terminal ballistics). If you want to build a super-short AR-15 and your budget allows, go ahead and take on a new caliber. If your budget doesn’t allow or you just don’t want to take on a new caliber, there are a five reasons that super short 5.56 chambered guns may finally be viable.

Here is how I talked myself into building one…

Ammo – The proliferation of advanced projectiles like the Barnes TSX and some bonded bullets means that there is finally off-the-shelf ammunition that will expand at the more modest velocities produced by 7.5″ AR-15 barrels. There are new choices coming out all the time and projectile design continues to advance at an amazing rate.
Muzzle devices – Previously, having a super short 5.56 chambered AR-15 meant throwing massive fireballs every time you pulled the trigger. That is no longer the case. Advanced flash suppressors like the AAC Blackout, White Sound Defense FOSSA 556, B.E. Meyers 249F, and others can all but eliminate the flash on these shorter barrels. This is especially true if the shooter chooses their ammo carefully. If you don’t care about flash, there are a now number of linear comps on the market that will direct some of the blast away from the shooter and some even suppress flash a bit like the Black River Tactical Covert Comp. You can even couple a blast shield with an effective flash suppressor like the Griffon Armament taper mount series or a YHM Phantom with a Simplistic Shooting Solutions Blast Shield to suppress flash AND direct concussion away from the shooter.
Reliable barrels – There was a time when there weren’t very many 7.5″ barrel options that worked well without being grotesquely over-gassed. Noveske was pretty much the only quality option. Now, you can get high quality 7.5″ barrels from Ballistic Advantage and Aero Precision just to name two. Both use gas port specs that are on the small side and their barrels run well. You can also go with a piston set up from PWS or Adams Arms, both of which have solid reputations for reliable function. If you don’t want to build your own, Andro Corp Industries offers prebuilt 7.5″ uppers that use Ballistic Advantage barrels. I purchased mine from them and I have been very pleased so far.
Law Tactical AR-15 Folding Stock Adapter – The moment that I finally laid hands on a Law Tactical AR-15 Folding Stock Adapter was the moment that I hoped I could make a 7.5″ AR-15 work. An AR-15 pistol equipped with a 7.5″ barrel and folding stock adapter will measure at right around 18″ long when folded. That means it can be carried in a normal backpack, tool box, messenger bag and all sorts of other places that even a 10.5″ barrel won’t fit without breaking it into its separate components. The Law Tactical Folding Stock Adapter helps turn these builds from interesting range toys to something like a concealable PDW with potentially interesting application for the private citizen.
Advent of the AR Pistol – Finally, the advent of the AR-15 pistol has made it easier, less costly, and less risky than ever to try a 5.56 chambered AR-15 with a short barrel. You can test and tweak various ammo/muzzle device combinations before you plunk down your cash for a tax stamp… or just keep it as a pistol.

To recap, 5.56×45 is still less than ideal from a short barrel but thanks to several advancements, it may be more viable than ever.

AR Pistols Aren’t An SBR Replacement…

By Matt on June 5, 2015 in Guns

AR pistols are not an SBR replacement… And that is a very good thing.

The hubbub surrounding the ATF’s opinions on shouldering the Sig SB15 Pistol Stabilizing Brace seems to have thrown a bucket of cold water on last year’s fever pitch AR pistol excitement. Now more than ever, it is clear that AR pistols are not the SBR analog that people want them to be and they never will be as long as the ATF says you shouldn’t shoulder them. I have owned my AR pistol(s) for quite a while now. I continue to enjoy training with it and shooting it. I won’t be giving it up anytime soon.

Certainly, the way owners shoot AR pistols may change based on the opinion letters, but I think many of the downers are being short sighted in writing them off completely. They can still do things some useful things that an SBR can’t…

Pistols can usually be carried loaded in a vehicle under the owner’s CCW permit. This is not the case with rifles in all jurisdictions.
Pistols can be carried across state lines without having to notify the ATF (via form 5320-20). This is especially nice if you, like me, live near state borders.
The obvious one is that you don’t have a tax stamp and $200 tax tied up in it like you would an in SBR.
Finally, there are still states and jurisdictions that do not allow residents to own SBRs.

To be clear, I am not saying AR pistols are better than SBRs because they aren’t – they’re different. It is probably better to think of AR pistols as an entirely different animal than an SBR, rather than a replacement. They offer different capabilities and have different strengths. When I stop looking at what I’ve been told I can’t do with an AR pistol and start looking at what I can, I wonder why everyone who has more than a couple AR-15s don’t have an AR pistol at their disposal.

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