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Archive for April 25th, 2012

Fight in Low Light…What’s Your Go-To Light?

Wednesday, April 25th, 2012

What is your favorite “fighting light” vs. “utility light”, or do you make a distinction?

Excerpted from BOLO Report:
If you ask most Police Officers when their Department last had firearms training at night, they would answer 2, 3, 5 …. years, or something to that effect. When was the last time you practiced drawing a light and a pistol from a duty belt or concealment holsters, as if carrying off duty at night? If you ask most civilians when the last time they practiced shooting in low light or darkness with a flashlight, most would say never. With a little creativity, you can practice what you will need to be a better low-light/night shooter in a dark room at home and at the range during the day…

…When shooting in low light/darkness, the biggest time factor is getting your light source on the threat and getting the sights aligned to make an effective shot. Fortunately, that is something that everyone can practice in the privacy of their own homes. Of all the light-aided grips, most people will develop a favorite, but do you carry your flashlight in the manner appropriate to that grip at all times, or do you hold the flashlight differently for different tasks? If you answered the latter, as do most, then you need to be proficient at multiple techniques, Sure-Fire, Harries, Chapman, Come-As-You-Are(The super close-quarter, moving, shooting, no time for technique, technique).

 

Read the original article in its entirety.

MultiCam Goodness Covers the #54 National Guard Jordan Suzuki

Wednesday, April 25th, 2012

Premiering earlier this racing season, Roger Lee Hayden’s #54 National Guard Jordan Suzuki GSX-R1000 is covered in MultiCam goodness courtesy of Hydro Graphics, Inc.

For all of the latest MultiCam news visit www.multicampattern.com/news.

Boyt Harness teams up with SHE Outdoor Apparel

Wednesday, April 25th, 2012

Louise Shockey in SHE Outdoor apparel, somewhere in South Africa

The Boyt Harness Company (which has been around since 1901) has just advised they’re joining up with SHE Outdoor Apparel. Boyt makes gun cases, outdoor apparel and related kit under the brands Boyt, Bob Allen, Mud River, Secure Vault and Rattlers. SHE Outdoor Apparel is a Texas-based company that produce women’s outdoor “camouflage, shooting and adventure” clothing.

Tony Caligiuri, president of Boyt Harness, said in a press release that they “…have been successful with our multi-branding efforts by focusing each brand into a particular product niche and being careful to let each brand stand on their own and not cross products from one brand to another. SHE fits this branding philosophy very well and allows us to provide a more complete, well rounded hunting and shooting clothing line for women hunters and shooters.”

CEO Brian Zaitz of SHE Outdoor Apparel says, “One of our key strengths has always been our ability and focus to design functional and attractive apparel specifically fitting women who enjoy the outdoors…

Boyt will be the manufacturer of SHE Outdoor Apparel’s Safari, Shooting and Upland collections, and will also be the exclusive distributor. SHE will remain responsible for innovation, design, research and marketing.

More information at www.shesafari.com and www.boytharness.com.

 

The Boyt Harness Company (which has been around since 1901) has just advised they’re joining up with SHE Outdoor Apparel. Boyt makes gun cases, outdoor apparel and related kit under the brands Boyt, Bob Allen, Mud River, Secure Vault and Rattlers. SHE Outdoor Apparel is a Texas-based company that produce women’s outdoor “camouflage, shooting and adventure” clothing.

Tony Caligiuri, president of Boyt Harness, said in a press release that they “…have been successful with our multi-branding efforts by focusing each brand into a particular product niche and being careful to let each brand stand on their own and not cross products from one brand to another. SHE fits this branding philosophy very well and allows us to provide a more complete, well rounded hunting and shooting clothing line for women hunters and shooters.”

CEO Brian Zaitz of SHE Outdoor Apparel say, “One of our key strengths has always been our ability and focus to design functional and attractive apparel specifically fitting women who enjoy the outdoors…”

Boyt will be the manufacturer of SHE Outdoor Apparel’s Safari, Shooting and Upland collections, and will also be the exclusive distributor. SHE will remain responsible for innovation, design, research and marketing.

More information at www.shesafari.com

-DR

Pacific Safety Products Inc Signs Letter of Intent for Proposed Reverse Take-Over Transaction With ArmorWorks Enterprises Canada, ULC

Wednesday, April 25th, 2012

If you’ve followed Pacific Safety Products over the past few years, you know that they have had a couple of on-again, off-again arrangements with Revision, Sun Capital, and other unnamed companies to purchase all or part of their company.

Last week, PSP announced that it has entered into a Letter of Intent (“LOI”) dated April 17, 2012 with ArmorWorks Enterprises LLC (“AWE”) to acquire all of the issued and outstanding shares of ArmorWorks Enterprises Canada, ULC (“AW Canada”) in a reverse take-over transaction.

PSP has been working with ArmorWorks (AWE) since 2004. According to a PSP press release, “AW Canada was founded in 2009 as an indirectly owned subsidiary of AWE and is an unlimited liability company existing under the laws of British Columbia. AWE is a limited liability company existing under the laws of Arizona and is indirectly controlled by William J. Perciballi of Phoenix, Arizona. AWE is a leading provider of advanced survivability products to military and law enforcement agencies worldwide since 1996.”

The Canadian press estimates that the deal may well be worth $15 Million.

Ok, so PSP, who has had a rough time of it trying to get someone to buy them, is going to scrape together $15 Million (Canadian press estimate) to buyout AW Canada which posted a $2.1 Million loss last year. Ok, got that.

Now is the interesting part. In their own quarterly statement from earlier this year, PSP reported, “On January 23, 2012, the Company announced that it has entered into a letter of intent (“LOI”) to sell substantially all of its assets on a cash-free, debt-free basis (the “Sale Transaction”). During an exclusivity period, the potential purchaser is completing a due diligence review, and the parties are endeavoring to negotiate a mutually satisfactory definitive purchase agreement.

The completion of the proposed Sale Transaction is subject to a number of conditions, including completion of satisfactory due diligence, execution of the definitive purchase agreement, and TSX Venture Exchange and shareholder approval. There can be no assurance that the Sale Transaction will be completed as proposed or at all or, if completed, that the net proceeds of the Sale Transaction would represent a premium to the current trading price of the Company’s securities.

That was a completely different deal with Sun Capital Partners and it didn’t happen. Here are a couple of other tidbits.

In the proposed Revision deal of 2010, the stock was to be purchased at $.18 per share. Over the last year, the stock has seen a high of $.11 and a low of $.02 with it currently hovering around $.03 a share. Under this proposed deal, PSP is valuing their stock at a generous $.10 and plans to consolidate shares on a 10-to-1 basis, turning them into $1 shares.

Under the agreement, Perciballi who controls AWE and by extension AW Canada, is being bought out. Yet, he is getting a spot on the PSP board as well. Not shabby.

So you haven’t heard about all of this? It’s probably because the press release that outlines the deal was not supposed to be released to the United States. I guess they forgot that the Internet is global in nature.

All in all, it’s an interesting deal. Naturally, it’s all contingent on approval from the shareholders.

MATBOCK Takes the Moral High Ground

Wednesday, April 25th, 2012


MATBOCK’s Backhand GPS carrier

Yesterday, something rare happened on SSD. A small manufacturer named MATBOCK LLC released the Backhand GPS carrier. A couple of readers recognized the item as a copy of the LBT GPS Palm Pouch.

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LBT GPS Palm Pouch

Within hours, MATBOCK removed the item from their website, refunded those who had ordered the product and posted this statement in the discussion area of our website:

Gentlemen,

Thank you for coming forward and pointing this out. We at MATBOCK sincerely apologize for this situation. Our goal is to develop innovative gear and get it to the operators who need it. We had heard a piece of equipment like this existed but could turn up no evidence of it during a search before pushing forward to build it ourselves. As of today, we will no longer be producing or selling this product and will direct any attention for it over to LBT. Our sincerest apologies.

MATBOCK LLC

With that statement they took the moral high ground and set the bar pretty high. I’ve spent some time with the MATBOCK guys and I can tell you that they are very aware that the most important thing they have is their reputation. They could have gone ahead and built that product since in reality, it is a modification of an altimeter wrist carrier for skydiving. But they didn’t. They want to concentrate on products that nobody else builds.

I spoke with them after they made their decision and discussed the idea that it might be difficult to build products in the future based on this position. They understand and stand by their decision. I hope for their sake, that others play by their rules.

I have to say, that while I’m no fan of copying, having several companies build similar products is healthy for the market and great for the consumer. A little competition drives innovation, ensures quality and helps control prices. It’s important that my readers know that LBT didn’t let out a peep about this. They didn’t say word one about the MATBOCK product.

In the end, I wonder if the readers who said it was a copy knew that there were altimeter carriers that pre-dated both pouches. And I wonder if they knew that these have built in rigger sheds for years. I’m guessing they didn’t. If they did, they probably wouldn’t have said anything.

It’s a tough time to be starting out in the tactical business but I think these guys are going to make it. They’ve got a great attitude and while their product line is small, they deserve your business if their wares meet your needs.

MATBOCK.com

Softshell Tech – Sphinx Giveaway

Wednesday, April 25th, 2012

This is the second of four articles sponsored by Arc’teryx LEAF to educate readers on softshell fabrics used in their garments. In the last article we covered Tweave, a product of Gehring Textiles. What better way to learn about how Arc’teryx combines world class design and materials like Tweave Durastretch and Durastretch LT than to actually wear them? So, this time we are going to give away a set of Sphinx Halfshell and Pant.

The Sphinx Halfshell combines both weights of Tweave Durastretch. It is an armor compatible design that features articulated arms with roll up sleeves that stow for a short-sleeve option. A mandarin collar and bicep pockets top this technical version of a combat shirt off. The Sphinx pant also features softshell construction and an articulated fit for comfort and mobility. These pants are designed to be worn over the top of hiking and mountaineering boots so they incorporate an internal gaiter. The Sphinx pant also includes a knife/tool loop as well as an ingenious reinforced knee construction with an internal pocket for hardshell kneepads which allows you to still use the kneepads’ straps for added stability.

For your chance to win, in the comments section of this posting on SSD, tell us what product you’d like to see Arc’teryx develop. Use your real email address to enter because that is how you will be contacted in case you win. You posting may have to be approved so be patient of it doesn’t show right up. Only one entry per email address. The contest closes at 1200 GMT, 27 April, 2012. At that point, SSD will randomly draw a winner from the entries. We will then pass the name and email address of the winner to the Arc’teryx LEAF team and they will contact the winner and arrange shipment.

Void where prohibited.

leaf.arcteryx.com

Happy 25th Anniversary USSOCOM

Wednesday, April 25th, 2012

April 16, 2012 marked the 25th Anniversary of USSOCOM. Having spent many years of my career in Army, Air Force, and Joint SOF units, I have a special affinity for the command and its personnel.

However, today marks a different anniversary. In the early morning hours of 25 April, 1980 President Carter announced to a stunned world that the United States had undertaken an ambitious raid into Iran to liberate 52 American hostages held at our Embassy. Unfortunately, that raid, named Operation Eagle Claw was unsuccessful and we lost 8 American servicemen. Remember their sacrifice.

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But, this failure was the watershed event that created, over the next several decades the world’s preeminent Special Operations capability; USSOCOM and it’s components.

For additional details on USSOCOM’s amazing history, visit www.socom.mil/News/Pages/USSOCOMmarks25thanniversary.aspx

ANZAC Day 2012

Wednesday, April 25th, 2012

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By now, our friends in Australia and New Zealand are well into their ANZAC Day activities, remembering those that served going back to the original ANZACs and World War One’s Battle of Gallipoli.

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Join us now, as our thoughts turn to our Coalition partners from Australia and New Zealand, past and present.