Endeavor Robotics is a Massachusetts-based robotics company which is a designer and supplier of robots for Defense, Law Enforcement, and industrial industries worldwide. They will be at SOFIC 2017, Booth 2021, displaying the Kobra system with integrated Remote Operated Weapons Mount System from Precision Remote, along with their uPoint Multi-Robot Control System.
Atlanta, Ga. April 30, 2017 –SilencerBroker.com is an online marketplace for new and used silencers. It offers the silencer community – dealers, manufacturers, and consumers – an outlet to buy and sell silencers and silencer related products. It will allow overstocked dealers to move their inventories, manufacturers to offload older product, and individual consumers to buy from, and sell to, one another.
Everyone in the silencer industry understands that it has a culture of its own. Whether it is a deeper understanding of firearms, especially NFA, or more passion for the products and what they represent.
SilencerBroker.com provides an online platform that embodies that culture. Everything from silencers to muzzle attachments to threaded barrels will be available, along with soft goods like patches and stickers.
Silencerbroker.com is dedicated to preserving theintegrity of the silencer while helping to bring the long, misunderstood product, into the mainstream.
To post your new or used silencers, please visit www.silencerbroker.com.
While the Ruger Precision Rifle market continues to thrive, there is still backlash from those that do not see the “BIG” picture. Let’s first address the short-sighted “hater” trend. This same exact pattern of “bashing” occurred back in 2004. That was when the 10 year AWB (Assault Weapons Ban) eclipses and was not re-signed by President Bush Jr. There was some backlash and “haters” bashing those starting to buy AR-15s and talking about it. At the same time, the GWOT (Global War on Terrorism) was in its second (OIF II) phase. And at the same time (September 26, 2006) Zuckerberg launched Facebook publically. All of these factors contribute to the current social media gun frenzy we now see. It just took time to metastasize. Secondly, there is the bashing of the 6.5Creedmoor cartridge. The 6.5Creedmoor cartridge was developed circa 2007 by Hornady and put into production in 2008. 2008-2009 is about the same time the “tactical bubble” popped and the rise of social media based gun companies and advertising started. Acceptance of the 6.5Creedmoor on the competition Precision rifle scene was widespread almost immediately. Science and Ballistics do not lie. And at that time, Precision Rifle matches, competition forums (with the exception of Snipers Hide) were not widely known. Now, there are hundreds of competition forums, groups, and avenues of information sharing. When the abundance of rifles chambered in said cartridge are on or hit the market, and different companies are pushing the cartridge, we see the backlash. And for the record, I personally do not own a RPR. The company I work for does have them for testing and marketing. I do run 6.5Creedmoor in both bolt gun and AR configurations for matches/training and for work related testing. History lesson complete.
I digress.
Most of the RPR “bashing” comes from those that:
1. See so many new shooters entering the ranks of the precision rifle community and immediately begin to share their “years” of experience. (After they just bought the rifle 2 weeks ago.) I get this point. Bluntly put, there are people that have been doing matches, training, and wrenching/building on guns for DECADES. We know who these people are. But people that immediately jump into this discipline and do not want to listen to the actual experts, but yet take advice from a flashy IG gun-famous non-shooters, or the most well know “tactical” instructor. I tend to listen to people winning matches, those that have trained the top competitors and SF/JSOC personnel, and those that have been building precision rifles for decades. Many of these walking encyclopedias of knowledge are untapped by the average beginner in precision rifle. Remember, we are all students.
2. Another factor that “haters” do not understand is the business aspect. Meet Joe Snuffy. Joe wants to shoot 1000y, and learn about Precision rifle. He buys a RPR in either 6.5Creed, 6mmCreed, or even .308 so he can learn, hunt, and maybe compete. Joe then needs an optic. Joe then needs extra magazines. Joe also wants a good sling. Joe also needs a bipod. Joe wants a suppressor and a suppressor cover. Joe needs a Chronograph (cough.cough. Magnetospeed, I know, shameless plug) Joe wants to run good factory ammo, and also wants to learn ammo reloading. Finally, Joe wants to get into training classes.
Let’s count how many companies, minus the initial purchase of the RPR, that now have been affected by one single RPR purchase: 10-12 separate companies. And this is before any customization (hand rails, barrels, and trigger.) Wow, so now a single RPR purchase has now generated sales for a dozen or more companies. How many RPRs have been sold to this date? Here is where I add GGTS. (Go Google that shit.)
Joe then goes out with a group of friends and shows off his new rifle. Guess what happens; Friend A, B, C, all want in on this. Rinse and repeat the cycle. If Joe has enough money and wants to dedicate himself to matches, Joe goes to some matches. Joe now sees the custom bolt guns being used. Joe then starts asking questions to those doing moderately good to winning matches. “Hey, what action are you using?” or “Excuse me, what Chassis is that?” and “What Scope is that?” or “what is your load data and velocity?” Joe then starts to plan out a custom bolt gun, or maybe a competition level AR. More companies now being involved.
So while it’s cool to bash and hate new shooters getting into precision rifle shooting with the RPR, the “creed” or whatever scope they are using, remember this; it is making the market thrive. It’s forcing innovation that is not as evident in other markets. It’s forcing other companies to develop new product lines to supplement rifles on the market. It is also forcing competition to keep up. Ask yourself, or actually ask your grandfather, what was the backlash like when the .308 Winchester was developed and brought into circulation? His answer might be, “well, we wouldn’t have worried about what some jagoff on that idiot box you kids call the internet said about it, we just wanted to face shoot commies and hit the target.”
F.I.S.O.
-RWH
Visitors to this year’s SOFIC Show in Tampa, Florida (15-18th May 2017) will be able to see innovations like floating body armour, ballistic protective underwear and terrorist vessel-disabling launchers when they drop by BCB International’s booth (1501).
For over 160 years, BCB International Ltd have been developing products designed to help our Armed Forces operate and survive in extreme situations.
As their Managing Director, Andrew Howell, explained they will have on display a number of proven innovations which will be of interest to SOFIC visitors: “Our mission here at BCB International has always been to design, manufacture and supply life-saving equipment for our brave servicemen and women who are out there every day putting their lives at risk for our defence and security.
“We will be exhibiting three core products which were designed to maximize the operational performance and survivability of Marines. The first one is a self-inflating body armour which automatically inflates within seconds of being immersed in water and positions the wearer on his/her back to keep their airways clear. It also boasts a removable lifejacket which can be taken off if an operation needs to be pursued on land.
“One of the things a soldier fears the most during combat operations, is being maimed by roadside bombs, better known as IEDs (improvised explosive devices). BCB are the pioneers of protective under-garments, dubbed ‘Blast Boxers’. We will be displaying our range of ‘Blast Boxers’ on our stand. Made from comfortable and ballistic materials including Kevlar, they are worn instead of underwear and help to protect a soldier’s groin area, through which key arteries run, against small fragments projected in an IED explosion.
“Our ports, docks and rivers are vulnerable to piracy, acts of terrorism and narcotics trafficking. Provided in boat-mounted and handheld formats, our non-lethal fast boat stopping systems ingeniously use compressed air and a range of specialized projectiles to intercept vessels weighing up to 3 tonnes and rigid inflatable boats travelling at a speed of 45 knots in seconds. More and more law enforcement authorities are using our boat stopping systems to protect our coastal waters and waterways.
“We look forward to discussing the enormous benefits of our equipment to visitors at the Show.”
Inspired by Sage Dynamics’ Vital Anatomy Targets, Ivan of Kit Badger created his Profile Anatomy Targets AKA Ambush Targets. Available in head and torso, both side and front profile, the targets are designed to be printed off on standard printer paper. The targets were created with liberal use of blue, pink, and light grey to reduce ink impact, and feature a bold silhouette so they can be read well at a distance.
They can be downloaded at the link below:
kitbadger.com/profile-anatomy-targets
Over the past year TYR Tactical® gathered extensive user feedback from the successful development and fielding of their Huron™ 40L Jungle Pack. They then utilized this end user input to revise their current Huron™ 32L Assaulters Sustainment Pack. The result paired the lightweight, functionality of the Jungle Pack with an internal frame, feature rich system.
The Huron™ 32L Assaulters Sustainment Pack (HRN-ASP032-M) is set to relaunch Tuesday, May 16th on Soldier Systems Daily.
NRA Show Review:
The 2017 NRA Show in Atlanta was a joy to behold. Unlike SHOT, the folks walking the Show floor are the end users, the real deal ‘gun culture’. Unlike the SHOT Show which is oriented towards the dealer/distributors of firearms and related hunting gear, the NRA Show is all about show and tell for the members of the National Rifle Association. This year was of interest for a number of reasons. First the election of Donald Trump has calmed the nerves of the gun owning public. As clueless as the left is about why they lost, make no mistake the five million member strong NRA was a positive factor in the fact that Trump won. For the left to attack firearms ownership and still expect it to ring true for most of the heartland is just plain stupid. The anti-Second Amendment attitude does not sell in the states between the Socialist North East and the Left Coast.
A look at the folks walking the floor was quite educational. First, the bulk of people present were males over the age of fifty. However, more than any other NRA show that I have attended in my lifetime females were in noticeable attendance. Not just the wife tagging along with their hubby, but single and even groups of women, active in the shooting/gun culture. Trust me when I tell you that the CCW movement in the USA has had a profound impact on women. Realizing that with equality comes the responsibility to protect themselves; days of expecting a man to protect them is over. Life is about change, and we have little choice sometimes in the direction our lives must flow.
The second demographic that was very noticeable was the presence of people of color. The NRA has always been a strong supporter of equal rights; even back in the day when civil rights was not always popular especially with the Democratic Party. It was impressive to see both women and blacks asking intelligent questions about firearms and their use. I will wager that during the three days of the NRA Show more people were armed in that building than anywhere else in the USA. And, these folks packing heat all were carrying loaded firearms. In the course of the three days, not one loud noise was heard. Despite the complaints of the ‘anti gun crowd’, it was proof that people can be not only safe but responsible with concealed sidearms.
As a product ambassador for Colt Firearms, I was constantly having people coming up to me in the booth and asking questions about their guns, and they tended to all be loaded. Another thing that struck me was that if you took all the AR-15 (MSR’s for the gun culture political correct) and related accessories out of the show, the show would be less than half the size that it was. The reality is that nearly half of the gun culture has embraced the AR platform firearm. I do know some folks that do not own AR-15 style firearms, but damn few. When I moved to the mountain West, I knew that hunting rifles and handguns would be common, what surprised me was that nearly everyone owns an AR. Often more than one. The other thing that came to light was not a surprise at all: Mr. Obama was the best firearms salesman in history. Sales of the ‘black rifles’ has slowed to a trickle after the election. Nearly everyone in the retail end of the gun business will tell you sales have nearly come to a halt. Ammo demand has also slowed dramatically, prices are finally becoming more reasonable. Handgun sales continue to be solid, again directly related to the CCW market. New introductions of firearms at the NRA is becoming more common as much of the industry has tired of the strangle hold the NSSF has on the industry via the SHOT SHOW. Cost of the SHOT Show soars every year, and most vendors are tiring of the process.
This years NRA show introduction of pistols like the Beretta APX, FNH 509, H&K VP9SK, or Springfield Armory XD-E, and you can see the demand for quality handguns remains strong. The XD-E is directly oriented towards an small, flat, single stack 9X19mm pistol that is ideal for the AIWB crowd. If you plan on shoving your CCW sidearm into an inside the waist ban holster that is pointed at your balls, the XD-E a great choice. The gun that was my pick at the NRA Show was Wilson Combat’s new X9 pistol. What most folks want in a CCW sidearm is a 15 shot 9X19mm pistol the size and weight of a Clock 19, but with the controls, trigger, sights and accuracy of a 1911. The Wilson Combat EDC-X9 is just that, beautifully made of the best materials, a pride to own, but with a price tag more in tune with the Rolex crowd, not the Timex variety.
Overall, the flavor of the NRA show and the ‘gun culture’ was somewhat laid back, in tune with the change of politics in the USA. It seems that when a Republican takes the oval office, gun sales slow; put a Democrat in office and gun sales soar. There are some good deals in guns, ammo, and accessories to be hand in the coming months, hide and watch.
– Ken Hackathorn
Ken Hackathorn has served as a US Army Special Forces Small Arms Instructor, Gunsite Instructor, and NRA Police Firearms Instructor. He is currently an FBI Certified Firearms Instructor, Certified Deputy Sheriff with Washington County SO, Ohio, and a SRT member and Special Response Team trainer. Ken has trained US Military Special Operations forces, Marine FAST and SOTG units and is a contract small arms trainer to FBI SWAT and HRT.
Ken has provided training to Federal, State, and local law enforcement agencies and been active in small arms training for the past 25 years. He has written firearms related material for Guns & Ammo, Combat Handguns, Soldier Of Fortune, and currently American Handgunner and contributed to at least six other gun/shooting journals. Ken was also a founding member of IPSC and IDPA.
Gunfighter Moment is a weekly feature brought to you by Bravo Company USA. Bravo Company is home of the Gunfighters, and each week they bring us a different trainer to offer some words of wisdom.
Waconia, Minnesota – Nordic Components announces the NCT4, an entirely new handguard system for short-barreled, suppressed AR-15s. This patent-pending design allows users to extend the length of their handguard when using a suppressor.
The NCT4 comes in two lengths, with either a 6.7″ or 9.5″ handguard to give maximum coverage on 7.5″ or 10.5/11.5″ barrels. The removable shield provides over 6″ of suppressor coverage and additional rail space. Both sections are fully M-LOK compatible and feature a seamless continuous top rail. Suppressor shield mounting is toolless, requiring only the push of a button to unlock the shield.
Fully compatible with standard AR15-pattern upper receivers and able to accommodate most suppressors, the NCT4 is the ultimate in protection, modularity, and mission-specificity for the suppressed short-barreled AR rifle.
“The current trend is for long handguards on AR-15 rifles, generally out to the end of the barrel. This allows more rail space and better mounting locations for accessories. Short-barreled rifles (SBRs) and AR pistols give up this option. However, Nordic Components set out to add a handguard extension when running SBR/Pistol AR-15s suppressed. The result is the NCT4 Suppressor Shield,” said Casey Knutson, Vice President at Nordic Components.
Nordic Components is currently taking pre-orders for summer delivery at NordicComp.com.
