I recently returned from a trip to Switzerland and after shooting with some friends I was once again reminded of two things; the AR-15/M4 and Glock handguns absolutely dominate in terms of sheer numbers being used each and everyday on ranges around the world. They are by far the most popular of their type and we live in the best time ever for both weapons. As you can guess I use and recommend BCM carbines as my first choice and for Glocks check out my Vickers Tactical editions available exclusively thru Lipseys. It’s in everyone’s best interest to know these two firearms as they are the industry benchmarks and will be for some time to come.
Be safe and shoot straight.
LAV out.
Larry Vickers
Vickers Tactical Inc.
Host of TacTV
Larry Vickers of Vickers Tactical is a retired US Army 1st SFOD-Delta combat veteran with years of experience in the firearms industry as a combat marksmanship instructor and industry consultant. In recent years he has hosted tactical firearms related TV shows on the Sportsman Channel with the latest being TacTV of which Bravo Company is a presenting sponsor. Larry Vickers special operations background is one of the most unique in the industry today; he has been directly or indirectly involved in the some of the most significant special operations missions of the last quarter century. During Operation Just Cause he participated in Operation Acid Gambit – the rescue of Kurt Muse from Modelo Prison in Panama City, Panama. As a tactics and marksmanship instructor on active duty he helped train special operations personnel that later captured Saddam Hussein and eliminated his sons Uday and Qusay Hussein. In addition he was directly involved in the design and development of the HK416 for Tier One SOF use which was used by Naval Special Warfare personnel to kill Osama Bin Laden. Larry Vickers has developed various small arms accessories with the most notable being his signature sling manufactured by Blue Force Gear and Glock accessories made by Tangodown. In addition he has maintained strong relationships with premium companies within the tactical firearms industry such as BCM, Aimpoint, Black Hills Ammunition, Wilson Combat and Schmidt & Bender.
With over 300,000 subscribers, his Youtube channel features a new firearms video every Friday.
Larry Vickers travels the country conducting combat marksmanship classes for law abiding civilians, law enforcement and military and works with Aztec Training Services to coordinate classes to best meet the needs of the students attending the class.
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.
Tags: Bravo Company USA, Gunfighter Moment, Larry Vickers, Vickers Tactical
very insightful sales pitch
Not the usual “here’s atip and here’s why” gunfighter moment is it?
“I was in Europe and was reminded that Glocks and ARs are super common. It is important to know these super common weapon systems”
He said he was in Switzerland, he didn’t mention “all of Europe”.
Find where it says “all of Europe.”
Mr. Geoff,
My thoughts exactly.
Thanks Larry. Not a criticism and maybe it’s just because I suck at the intardnet, but I can’t find anything at Lipseys. You search “Vickers” and it comes up deuces.
We have another release pending….. Stay tuned
Will do. Glad to see the hate kryptonite is in stock though 🙂
Lets be honest here. No one in the industry likes or respects Larry. He is living off his minimal time in Delta, who at the time did more training and waiting than anything else. He bashes people who don’t agree with him, bashes shooting sports because he can’t shoot and never could. He is an internet joke.
JoT, you may want to remember who have served to allow you to have the very freedom to use your still working fingers that also allow you to express your 1st Amendment rights.
Vic I hope you’re doing well and business is good !!
Vic,
Please tell me what foreign nation has physically attacked this nation since 1941 ?
Spare folks from that sanctimonious crap about “serving” and allowing folks to express themselves via the dead US Constitution, courtesy of any person wearing a uniform of the military.
Mr. Vickers and millions of others have not “served” anything except the ruling elites who are working to bring us one world government. A New World Order as Bush the 1st proclaimed.
How many US military are defending the southern border of CONUS ? How many US military are defending the borders of South Korea ?
DAN,
Please define “physically attacked”? Do you mean physically landing on a beach or perhaps troops being dropped in from above?
Would you include a “cyber attack”?
Oh, then define “foreign nation”?
Do we use the standard of: “a large aggregate of people united by common descent, history, culture, or language, inhabiting a particular country or territory” ?
If so then would not the “Islamic state” consider itself a “nation”? And if that be so then do we exclude this “JV team” as they have attacked us?
Dellis,
You damn well know what my reference to nations physically attacking the territory of the U.S. means. Your effort to denigrate my remarks are childish at best.
Tell me where the capitol city of your “Islamic state” is ? What is this “JV team” you write of ? Referencing the attacks on 9/11, fifteen of the attackers were Saudi Arabian citizens. Did we attack Saudi Arabia ?
A cyber attack ? Hahahahaha….what an effing stretch THAT is.
You never answered my question smart guy. Rather you answered a question with a question as you attempt to ridicule my comments with your ridiculous challenge.
Not surprisingly you globalists defend unending war where no enemy is declared. Truly, you are a fool Dellis. You and those with your mentality are every bit the enemies of Freedom and Liberty. Witness the Bush attack on our rights with the Patriot Act. Courtesy of George Bush II, Congress and the Saudi Arabians !
The fact remains there has NOT been an armed attack whether nuclear, chemical, biological or conventional on the territory of this once great nation since December of 1941 and the declaration of war on 8 DEC 41. There are no justifications for the continuing, armed interventions executed by the standing military of this country against citizens of sovereign nations. Nations that have NOT attacked us.
Oh, and Dellis….you conveniently ignored my questions regarding how many US troops are protecting our southern border ? How many US troops are protecting the border of the foreign nation of South Korea ? Yet, you dare to challenge me with idiotic questions to justify your inane effort at argument ? Spare me the hogwash !
Wouldn’t it be ironic if some foreign nation put a missile in YOUR bedroom or that of your children, courtesy of a drone attack and it’s unjustified, imperialistic actions ? That would be fine with me. The irony would be symbolic. You and your family would just be another casualty in the war executed by The Powers That Be, courtesy of the NWO and folks like Larry Vickers and his ilk.
Larry Vickers defending Freedom my ass ! Defending HIS freedom to make a buck off his activity in undeclared war ? Hell yes ! Defending MY Freedom ? No !
BTW Dellis….I didn’t realize you were the spokesman for Vic Di Cosola ?
How is the internet speed in your bunker, er…basement??
He’ll have you know it’s his mom’s basement, thank you very much.
Ed,
Thanks for your worthless remark.
Guess the Aleutian Island campaign after 41 or the Nazi sabotage teams that landed on the Outer Banks and elsewhere after 41 don’t count.
Just saying, if you’re going to go for historical data, get it right.
Nice try Mac. But the attacks you write of are part of the war declared by the US Congress on 8 DEC 41.
If YOU’RE going to ridicule one’s remarks get YOUR historical references correct.
Thanx brother !! I take it as a compliment you took time out of your day to bash on me !! Now back to regularly scheduled programming ….
Hey JoT, WTF have done in your life to make these comments about a man you don’t even know?? You some bad-ass Damneck guy?? Are you a “Delta” guy that doesn’t wait around??? Who the F@#$ are you???
Love the keyboard warriors! easier to type then train I bet??
Hey Ed,
Why don’t YOU splatter YOUR credential up here for all to see ? But, insure you include your complete birth name, birth date and your social security number so any of us wanting to can run it through E-Verify. Oh, and while you’re at it….can you try to post a copy of your DD 214 up here ? Oh, and at a minimum, what’s your RE-Code off that 214 ?
Talk about “keyboard warriors”. Look in the mirror tough guy.
JoT
This is perfect for you.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LQCU36pkH7c
“I said speak your mind but Jesus!” Adm. James Greer.
Thanks for taking the heat off me. I thought I was going to have the most controversial comment.
Geoff,
“I thought I was going to have the most controversial comment.”
Damn man ! Why care what these pogues think about your remarks ? They certainly don’t care about THEIR remarks !
Grab your mangina and tell it the way YOU see it. Don’t be a pussy.
Tell us more, Arfcom Grooming and Haberdashery Mod, about all the dark and evil shit YOU were doing in the 80s, 90s, and now.
“Minimal time” in Delta? That’s like chumping out someone for their “minimal time in Outer Space”.
If you can do better, do it. Otherwise your words have no weight.
Amen Brother!
Minimal time? 15 years as a green suiter and a few more as a civilian isn’t enough?
Can’t shoot? I’ve seen his trophy room.
You’d be fun to fuckin punch.
Jot now says…”Larry Vickers? Oh, my bad…I thought I read Harry Nickers! Oh man, I’m embarrassed. Ya Larry is cool but that Harry guy….sheesh!”
Any man who hides behind an anonymous name to savagely insult another is no man at all, but a pathetic low-life.
JoT has obviously never:
1) Taken a training class with LAV.
2) Watched LAV shoot.
Wow….so much hate. Can’t we just all get along? I mean it’s guns and stuff folks, not neurosciences! I mean it’s not like he is shooting and training with Birkenstock’s and a man-bun and driving a tactical Prius with a “Feel the burn!” bumper sticker for crying out loud….man, so many guys with soggy cornflakes this mornin eh?
Hey, if Mr. Vickers is doing what he digs, making a living at it then more power to him. No one is being forced to buy his stuff.
Dellis – ‘they hate us cause they ain’t us’ – I’m over it and don’t let it bother me one bit. Success tends to do that for you….
Tactical haters are going to tactically hate.
I am not a Larry Hater and think a lot of people play along solely to be in the cool kids group. He has a lot of experience and knowledge in the weapons development arena and I like to listen when he talks about that. Others would be wise to do so as well. He has branded himself pretty heavily and I think some people resent that but screw them. A mans gotta eat.
That being said, if your article isn’t as long as your bio, maybe you need to step back and assess that. I know Larry can put out good material but this smacks of “oh crap, I forgot I had a Gunfighter Moment due this morning.” Just calling it like I see it.
I look at them as Gunfighter moments – not Gunfighter episodes; but that’s just me. Rarely will one of mine be as long as my bio by the way…
LoL. Own it. I like your style.
“That being said, if your article isn’t as long as your bio, maybe you need to step back and assess that.”
I’ve noticed that from a number of GM writers. Maybe it’s just the repetition of the equivalent of an endplate on a book, but my cardiologist has published a bunch and has a shorter tagline.
Reminders of the basics never hurt anyone. Thanks lav
Even the Swiss? The 550 line and P226 are such timeless classics.
I would encourage all regular SSD readers to click the “gunfighter moment” tag and look back over the regular contributors. Comparing them all in short order, one can rapidly build a personal list of who makes meaningful contributions and raises interesting questions and who is best passed over. I’m sure everyone will have a different list.
I’d add that you need to click the link in the “This entry was posted on …” section. The tag doesn’t seem to have them all for some reason.
I think some of you are missing the forest for the trees… Another version of the above is, “Learn how to manipulate the AK even if you hate them. There are lots of them…” Valid. Points.
Ya Ivan, I agree there with you. I buy the less popular type handguns, like the CZ’s, Stoegar, Tristar and others. Great guns in their individual ways but trying to find holsters, mags and such for them is a royal PIA!
Bought my first Glock about a year ago after understanding that in the unlikely event of total world melt down there’s gonna be a hell of a lot of Glock parts around. Now add to that just the day to day personal carry the retail options for Glock is insane because everyone makes something for Glock. Now I own 2 and looking to get a Glock 43 very soon.
Yeah, sort of, but it isn’t like the GLOCK has any particularly challenging issues when it comes to shooting and handling it. I also suspect that we’ve long past the point where the AR design is older than the average user.
It’s sort of like someone in 1965 saying that everyone needs to know how to handle a S&W Model 10 M&P.
I’m not Mr. Vickers but I am taking away from this : “Even in a land of SG 550s, Sig Sauers, and Porsche not being an uncommon sight on the roadways; Glocks and ARs are still the Gold Standard for doing bad things to bad people”
Every single allied nations special operations force I worked with over three years downrange carried m4s of some type and Glocks.
May be heavy on the sales pitch, but the fact of the matter is that those weapons are chosen by every real combat professional.
Mr Vickers is a salesman, and this is an industry blog for a sales (and innovation) industry. He is also a decorated combat veteran of literally the single most proficient special operations force on planet earth. One does not undermine or change the sacrifices of the other.
On the other hand (though it didn’t come from Mr Vickers) the “thank me for your freedom” shtick is for cake eating pogues. Outside of all out global warfare with a potential loss of our nations land, The U.S. Military uses controlled violence to support geopolitical goals of our elected officials. This does significantly more to support the high standard of living enjoyed in America than it does “freedom”, which Americans seem all too interested in legislating away.
Amen, well put.
“the “thank me for your freedom” shtick is for cake eating pogues.”
And you tend not to hear it from guys and girls in alphabet agencies going slowly blind and deaf trying to squint out IMINT and ELINT, or from the analysts trying to Spirograph the dots together, or the mechanics who keep the toys running, or from the kids getting sunbaked standing watch over infrastructure. Everybody loves the trigger pullers, but forgets the people collating the intel briefs or inspecting ammo lots.
This is true. I had a lovely lady in my shop last summer who was military, Air Force. She was in a unit that supplied all the things needed for the pilots (she used a more colorful word to describe them) to do what they do BUT it’s the pilots getting all the glory but without her supply chain in the background doin what they do, the pilots no fly!
CWG,
Your closing paragraph of your remarks says it all. This thanking one for defending “Freedom” is garbage.
What “freedom” ? Freedom to have the nation invaded by unvetted foreigners, the bulk who are Muslims, courtesy of the scoundrel in the West Wing ? Or how about the freedom to not pay the property tax on the property you only rent from the government ? You can pay off the mortgage but you can never pay off the property tax and his henchman, the Sheriff.
Hey ! Maybe Larry Vickers can fight for my property tax freedom and off the tax collector and the Sheriff ?
Pitting my old Gen 2, Glock 22 against my (new, very expensive, german, heavy) work pistol, the old war horse shines. It is faster, just as accurate, more reliable and much more of a joy to carry.
I’ve made some minor modifications over the years but if I had to take them all off of the gun, it would still define my requirements for a hard work pistol.
My Gen. 4 is just as good btw.
I’m amazed by the development engine at Glock. They continue to produce world class, hard use, no frills tools. There is the occasional misstep (finger grooves) but nothing like Sig’s “tribal” models….
Well this escalated quickly…