KE Arms has introduced a new AR-15 trigger. Their Enhanced Mil-Spec Fire Control (NP3) comes with the durability you expect from a mil-spec trigger and the smoothness you expect from NP3 coating. It can be purchased without a selector, with a standard selector, or with a KE Arms Ambi Selector.
When training and manufacturing meet, problems are solved.
You may remember a post earlier this year about a lightweight AR-15 carbine that weighed 5.5 pounds and had a target price of around $1000. That carbine was the result of 3 companies coming together to provide a unique training solution for a shooter that lost an arm in accident. KE Arms, GWACS Armory, and Suarez International all had a hand in this very cool project. Each used their products and experience to not just create a new piece of hardware but also provide the training necessary to use it. I strongly encourage you to check out Russell Phagan’s short write-up on the experience, the gear, and the VERY cool sling charging setup that they created to allow for easier one hand charging.
The best news is that we may all be able to benefit from the lessons learned in this project as the carbine in question will enter production as the Suarez Light Fighter Rifle. The Light Fighter Rifle will have a price tag of above the $1000 mentioned in the early design phase of the carbine due to the inclusion of their single stage cassette style trigger, muzzle device, and a low mass bolt carrier. GWACS Armory will eventually be offering a version that will come in around $1000.
I can see the sling setup being a big help in getting injured people back on the range.
I used a standard AR-15 detachable carrying handle to align free float rails during installation for years. It is a method that works fairly well. Lately, however, I have been using the KE Arms Picatinny Vice Block to align my rails. It has a few key advantages over the carry handle method that I used before. First, it costs a lot less ($9.95) if you don’t already have a carry handle (they don’t come on as many firearms and uppers as they used to). Second, it acts as a third hand to hold the upper while you tighten the rail which is very nice when you are dealing with small screws. Third, there is basically no chance of marring thanks to the block’s polymer construction.
This handy little bugger lets you lock anything with a picatinny rail into your vice so you can work on it. It is also great for holding your upper in place while you clean or install an optic or other accessories as long as you aren’t installing something that will prevent you from sliding it off the rail.
I am still finding uses for mine. Check out the KE Arms Picatinny Vice Block.
UPDATE: Several of you have been interested in purchasing just a Picatinny Vice Block but expressed concern about shipping fees. KE Arms has added a new option where you can purchase one of the blocks with a lower shipping cost built in if you are just buying a block.
I have written about GWACS Armory CAV-15 Lower Receivers before. They are the only polymer AR-15 lowers that I have personally vetted over several years and a few thousand rounds. I own two of them and trust them in large part because they are designed around the strengths and weaknesses of polymer rather than just a normal lower rendered in plastic instead of aluminum. Are they for everyone and every purpose? Maybe not. Do they work as intended and take a massive amount of abuse? You bet. I believe they are very under-appreciated.
InRange TV (who you really should be watching regularly for their unique blend of firearm reviews, history, culture, and consistently solid content) posted a test a while ago that I shared on the JTT Facebook Page that showed them running over, shooting, and generally abusing a GWACS Armory CAV-15 Lower.
KE Arms recently sent me some press that shows what happened to that poor, abused CAV-15 Lower. You might think it was retired to trade show booth wall-hanger status or the dust bin. Not quite. Karl, one of the hosts of InRange TV is still using it. In fact, he is using quite effectively. The lower was recently used in conjunction with a KE Arms upper to win Trooper Division at the Independence Day Action Rifle Match and place 6/76 over all.
The upper/lower combo has affectionately been named Icarus which is very fitting. It certainly looks like it has been flying a bit too close to the sun. Both KE Arms and GWACS Armory are understandably proud of Karl’s accomplishment and their gear.
The MGM Ironman is billed by its organizers as “The Toughest 3 Gun Competition on Earth” and no one will argue that. If you follow the MGM Ironman, you know that if you drill down even deeper into the depths of this competition, there exists a whole new level of tough found in the Trooper Division.
Trooper is a division of competiters at the MGM Ironman who compete with their own, even more grueling, set of rules. They carry every single bit of their equipment on their person for the entire match – from sign in to completion. If they run out of ammo because they have exhausted what they are carrying, they are done. Want a back up gun? You have to carry it. Moving to the next stage? Do it in one trip or you’ll have to carry all your gear back and start over. It is a real test of the shooter and their equipment, and I am just scratching the surface of the rules. As you can imagine, many shooters don’t finish the event due to physical and equipment breakdowns.
It’s easy to look at the rules and think that Trooper Division is not for young ladies but this year (the 11th year of Trooper’s existence) there was a historic first. Jessica Brown, a Junior Female, completed Trooper. She started the day with 150 pounds of gear (which is 25 pounds more than her body weight) and ended the day finishing 24th out of 33 finishers.
Russell Phagan, founder of Trooper Class, is marketing manager at KE Arms, one of Jessica’s sponsors. The following is the press release that they sent over following her historic accomplishment:
Jessica Brown became the first Junior female shooter to complete the MGM Ironman in trooper division in its 11 year history.
Her loadout started at 150 pounds, 25 pounds more than her bodyweight. Jessica persevered while many adult male shooters drop out of this division every year for lack of ammunition, lack of physical preparedness, injuries, or firearms breakage.
Jessica placed 24/33 Troopers.
Thanks to our Industry partners that helped her succeed in this endeavor:
Brethren Armament
Whiskey Two-Four
Nightforce Optics
Honor Point, LLC
Gun Show Ammo
The Suarez Group
MOA Precision LLC
If you have a daughter looking for a role model, show her this post. I know I’ll be showing my three daughters!
Congratulations Jessica.
