B5 Systems

Archive for 2011

Red Stitch Tactical: New Rifle Targets

Sunday, December 11th, 2011

Red Stitch Tactical is a Veteran Owned Small Business that designs and manufactures a number of different steel target platforms, including a very simple but well designed dueling tree that can mount up to six targets. The newest Red Stitch AR 500 dueling tree is rated for rifle rounds – it will withstand .223, M855 5.56mm, even 12-gauge slugs. You can see their target systems on their website or on Facebook. For you gyrenes and former gyrenes, the man running Red Stitch Tactical is a former Gunny. Oh, and if you want to buy one before Christmas, enter SSD or let them know you read about them on Soldier Systems and they’ll give you 10% off.

Red Stitch Plate, 6 Target Dueling Tree

6 Target Dueling Tree; Plate after several hundred rounds.

-DR

Red Stitch Tactical 2-Plate Dueling Tree

The Red Stitch Tactical 2-Plate Dueling Tree.

An Interesting Insight Into The European Profession of Arms

Sunday, December 11th, 2011

This speech by General Petrus J.M. “Peter” van Uhm, Chief of the Netherlands Defence Staff at TEDxAmsterdam gives us a pretty interesting look into the mindset driving the profession of arms in Western European democracies. He exhibits an interesting attitude toward firearms that is foreign in ore ways than one to us here in the US, but his reasons for service are an excellent example for those who must regularly interact with those who do not hold military service in high regard.

TacHacker – Conductive Threads

Sunday, December 11th, 2011

There are a lot of TacHackers out there reading SSD who are just looking for a new material to experiment with as well as that next project. Sparkfun Electronics is offering Conductive Thread Bobbins consisting of 60 feet of stainless steel thread. This is a great opportunity for those interested in getting into e-textiles and a good entry project is to modify of existing gloves for use with touch screen smartphones.

www.sparkfun.com

Thanks to Palehorse1!

MARSOC Purchases Additional Woodland FROG

Saturday, December 10th, 2011

Earlier this year, Marine Corps Special Operations Command purchased Fire Resistant Operational Gear uniforms in the old Woodland camouflage pattern under a sole source contract from Crye Precision. Interestingly, the old Woodland pattern was specified so that MARSOC personnel would blend in with their Afghan (ANA Commandos) counterparts.

Unfortunately, MARSOC asked for the uniforms in an older variant of the FR Defender-M fabric. A little over a year ago, the Marine Corps had adopted an improved version of TenCate’s Defender-M fabric for their FROG ensembles that is more abrasion resistant and the US Army followed suit soon after. We’re still unsure why MARSOC didn’t specify the newer Defender-M from jump street but by late summer KitUp! had broken the story that the special versions of FROG were falling apart. Around the same time, a similar fate befell Australian MultiCam uniforms called Operational Combat Uniforms which also relied on the older fabric.

Since then, both MARSOC and the Australians have purchased new uniforms in the latest, more robust 6.5 oz version of Defender-M which boasts twice the tear strength of the previous variant.

The 12 Days of Tactical Christmas – What Is It?

Saturday, December 10th, 2011

What It Is
Everybody knows the popular Christmas Carol, “The 12 Days of Christmas” but what many people don’t know is that it actually starts on the day after Christmas and ends on the 6th of January. Well this year, SSD, in conjunction with BOLO Report and Tactical Fanboy are going to bring you the 12 Days of Tactical Christmas.

How It Works
We have lined up a great list of sponsors and, just like in the song, each day we will give away the requisite number of items. For example on the fist day we will give away a single item to a single winner. On the second day we will give away two of the same item, one each to two different winners. On the third day, three winners will each receive an item and so on, and so on until 78 total prizes have been awarded.

How To Enter
Each day, we will post the days giveaway on one of the three websites. The rules for that day will be included in the post. To enter, you will have to follow the instructions which will consist of responding to a question in the comments section of THAT post. There will be a limited period of time to respond and then the comments will be closed. Once the comments are closed the day’s winners will be randomly selected and contacted via the email provided in the comments. This is why it is imperative that you provide a valid email address. If you don’t, we can’t contact you to tell you you’ve won.

Look for a special surprise at the end of the 12 days. It’s going to blow you away!

No purchase necessary.

Void where prohibited.

Unclaimed prizes will be forfeit.

Adidas Buys Five Ten

Saturday, December 10th, 2011

We are a little late reporting this one but last month Adidas purchased specialist outdoor footwear brand Five Ten for a cool $25 million. This is significant for two reasons. First, Adidas used to make THE assault boot, the GSG9. It was a very comfortable boot although it suffered from three issues. It was expensive, difficult to procure due to limited production, and didn’t last very long. (Un)fortunately, Adidas developed the so-called GSG9.2 in 2006 to improve the durability of the style and update it’s features but the resulting shoe leaves a lot to be desired.

20110807-071447.jpg

The second significant issue with this buyout is that Five Ten has developed several tactical styles such as the Valor and seems to be on the path to do more and more. So, here’s to hoping that Adidas let’s 5.10 do what it does best.

OP Tactical Levels The Playing Field

Friday, December 9th, 2011

OP Tactical wanted to level the playing field for their mail order customers in North Carolina so they have made a pretty cool move. They are offering a 7% discount on any orders that is charged North Carolina sales tax. The coupon code is NCRES. Orders that are not taxed will have the discount deleted.

www.optactical.com

TacJobs – Local Motors

Friday, December 9th, 2011

Agreed, this doesn’t sound like your typical TacJobs posting, but then again, Local Motors isn’t your typical company. They are a TacHackers dream come true. They specialize in custom kit builds of Fighter class rally cars. Additionally, Local Motors is the company that was chosen to crowd source a future combat vehicle concept for the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency called Flypmode (XC2V).

They currently have 10 openings for qualified applicants. These aren’t your typical sales jobs. Local Motors is seeking forward looking types who are great at what they do, whether technologist, engineer, logistician, or automotive professional. Check out what Local Motors has to say about their ideal candidates:

Are you positive, supportive and inspiring to others?
Do you get things done? Are you independent, and yet take direction well?
Are you passionate enough to work at a start-up?
Do you want to be a part of changing our world in a meaningful way?

You may be a recent graduate with relevant school projects or endless hours of relevant tinkering behind you. You may have a couple of years experience under your belt developing slick user interfaces. Either way, you are both talented and organized.

Their current openings are at www.local-motors.com/about/careers/technology/.