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AG & AG Partners with Tony Pignato for 2018

Wednesday, December 27th, 2017

AUSTIN, TX — A Girl & A Gun is excited to announce that it has partnered with Tony Pignato for 2018. Tony will drive our strategic marketing plan to give each of our sponsors and affiliate partners the best possible return on marketing investment for the 2018 AG & AG National Conference and the AG & AG Brownells Ladies’ Multigun Fall Festival. The strategy includes optimizing the social media reach of AG & AG, establishing strategic media partnerships with influencers, creating engaging and exciting content for our event and our partners, and increasing awareness of our organization, events, and sponsors through proven marketing techniques.

link“Over 400 members and guests travel to be a part of the AG & AG Annual Training Conference and over 150 women and staff who participate in the Brownells Fall Festival,” says Julianna Crowder, Founder of AG & AG. “The female voice in the firearms industry is powerful, confident and growing and AG & AG is proud to be a part of that voice.” AG & AG has an organic reach of over 700k per month through our media partners and social media outlets. AG & AG has launched dedicated event social media pages to share specific content and information about each event, as well as sponsor media and event coverage. This foundation of content will be shared across numerous media outlets in the industry providing each sponsor and strategic partner incredible reach and exposure.

Tony Pignato has a reputation of proven success of expanding market reach for hundreds of manufacturers, retailers, and companies — from the local mom-and-pop shops to some of the biggest names in the industry. As a host on Shooting USA and well-known event promotion consultant in the industry, he has established a reputation of growing event participation and exposure for sponsors, events, and companies by creating engaging content and professional on-camera representation and promotion.

“AG & AG’s 5,500 active members are walking, talking brand ambassadors throughout the United States, says Tony Pignato. “When you add in collaboration with major media players in my network and a strategically designed marketing campaign, A Girl & A Gun events are set to be some of the most influential and effective market platforms for any sponsor or business.”

ShieldAbout A Girl & A Gun

A Girl & A Gun (AG & AG) is a membership organization whose events have been successful stepping stones for thousands of women into the shooting community and fostered their love of shooting with caring and qualified instructors to coach them. AG & AG breaks barriers for women and girls in the area of self-defense and in pistol, rifle, and shotgun shooting sports by welcoming beginners to learn the basics of safe and accurate shooting and providing experienced shooters with advanced-level opportunities. The club has more than 5,000 members in 48 states, with chapters that host recurring Girl’s Night Outs at more than 150 ranges.

A Sit Down with Carolina Arms Group Owner Mark McCoy and Pat McNamara on the New Blaze Ops Edition 1911

Tuesday, December 26th, 2017

Blaze Ops 1a

I had recently heard that there was a new 1911 in the works by the folks at Carolina Arms Group. They are known for building high quality custom 1911s and they teamed up with Pat McNamara on the project. Most SSD readers are already familiar with Pat McNamara from TMACS Inc and Combat Strength Training. I had the opportunity to speak with both Pat McNamara and Mark McCoy from Carolina Arms Group about their collaboration on what they call the “Blaze Ops” Edition pistol:

SSD: Mark, tell me a little about yourself.

Mark: I’m the CEO and Founder of Carolina Arms Group. Prior to starting CAG I served in the Navy from 1989 to 2009.

SSD: What did you do in the Navy?

Mark: I was in the Aviation sector in repair and quality.

SSD: When did you start Carolina Arms Group?

Mark: I had been in the firearms industry from the time I left the Navy in 2009. I wanted to come out with my own high quality custom 1911 so in 2012 I launched Carolina Arms Group. The first two models I introduced were the Trenton and TC45.

SSD: Your Company is located in NC. Why NC?

Mark: We searched the Carolinas for where we would settle down and call home. We selected Mooresville, North Carolina due to its diverse background in high speed machining and close proximity to Montgomery Community College in Troy, North Carolina. My goal was to blend both senior gunsmiths and the next generation of gunsmiths for the long term growth of custom 1911 building in the industry.

Blaze Ops 2aSSD: One of the first things I noticed on your 1911s was the company logo on the slide. What exactly is it?

Mark: Our logo has a deep meaning to us at Carolina Arms Group.  We named our logo the Carolina Arms Group Eagle “C”. The top of the logo is the American Bald Eagle which to us represents the strength, protection and freedoms that our Great Nation offers. The lower portion of the Eagle ”C” has the wing folded forward which represents the men and women that have died, that have served and continue to serve Our Great Nation that may still continue to offer us strength, protection and freedom. The name Carolina Arms Group pays homage to the Carolinas, our support of the second amendment, and that we are a highly skilled group of gunsmiths and machinists.

SSD: I gotta ask… why the 1911?

Mark: The 1911 model handgun is the American handgun of choice for many of our citizens and the most respected instructors. In my opinion, there is no better handgun that represents America. The 1911 has stood the test of time and has been designated by many authorities as the finest service pistol of all time. I was infatuated at a young age with the mechanics and design of the 1911. I carried a 1911 while I served in the U.S. Navy and currently carry one as my sidearm of choice today.

SSD: What sets your 1911s apart from the others on the market?

Mark: Every Carolina Arms Group 1911 is uniquely blended and handcrafted with the end-user in mind. We believe in quality over quantity. We take our time on each and every 1911 as if we are giving life to it. Our 1911’s are built one at a time with every part laser engraved to the serial number and crafted one at a time. It’s all about craftsmanship and reliability.

SSD: So why did you team up with Pat Mac for this new project of yours?

Mark: Because Pat is one of the best of the best in his field and he deserves the best firearms.

SSD: Mac, I’ve seen you running 1911s in the past. What attracted you to the Carolina Arms Group version?

Mac: I’ve got a friend (Jon) who works for CAG. He tagged me on social media to let me know what CAG was working on. I chatted with Mark shortly thereafter and expressed my interest in purchasing a 1911 in 9mm.

SSD: Which model did you get from CAG?

Mac: Their Trenton 9.

SSD: What was the thought process that went into the specific features of the Blaze Ops 1911?

Mac: It is essentially a replica of the 1911 I used while serving in USASOC.

SSD: Mark, what were your thoughts on the features Mac wanted for the Blaze Ops edition?

Mark: I think Pat nailed it with what he felt a 1911 should be equipped with. From the uniquely blended one piece arched main spring housing, extended mag release, cocking serrations, flat top slide, fiber optic front and rear sights and proprietary coating. The Blaze Ops edition is a well-balanced tactical handgun.

SSD: Mac, after you took delivery of the Blaze Ops pistol, what were your initial thoughts on it?

Mac: I became instantly enamored.

SSD: I saw that you ran the pistol in a recent class you taught at the Panteao facility in SC, then used the same pistol for your upcoming Sentinel video from Panteao. Now that you’ve been putting the pistol through the paces, what do you think of it now?

Mac: I shoot for a living and do not shoot much for pleasure. This gun has reignited my love for shooting.

SSD: That says a lot. I have to ask… people always comment on social media about the high prices for premium 1911s like the Blaze Ops version. What do you say to those folks?

Mac: Quality is never cheap but it is often bargained. Good isn’t cheap and cheap isn’t good. These guns are custom built with American steel and every part is made and numbered for that specific gun.

SSD: When will the Blaze Ops Edition be available for purchase?

Mark: We are taking orders now for it. There are only 25 being built and Mac has the first one, so there are 24 left. Of those, a handful are already pre-sold. We expect to start shipping them in February.

SSD: Gentlemen, thank you for taking the time out to talk about your project.

carolinaarmsgroup.com
tmacsinc.com
panteao.com

Gunner’s Fact or Fiction: Semi vs. Automatic

Tuesday, December 26th, 2017

U.S. Marines, CWO5 Christian Wade, 2nd Marine Division Gunner, and Cpl Gerald Tredo, 3/6 infantryman, compare shot groups while firing on semi-automatic and full automatic at various distances on October 18, 2017 at Camp Lejeune. The intent is to provide guidelines on when it is most appropriate to use semi automatic and full automatic when suppressing an enemy. (U.S. Marine Corps video by Cpl. Bethanie Ryan)

MATBOCK Monday – Reaper Hunting Vest

Monday, December 25th, 2017

Hunting Harness_2_600x600

MATBOCK and Reaper Outdoors are proud to announce the release of the Reaper Hunting Vest. Designed for the hunting enthusiast, it includes a Rhodesian style chest rig, main hunt pouch with integrated hand warmer, a large multi-purpose pouch, ideal for a small puffy layer, a small multi-purpose pouch for smaller items, a shear pouch, a thermacell pouch, and a dip can pouch. All of the pouches and chest rig are made with MATBOCK’s ghost and ghost lite materials and attach via their patent pending TAB system to make the system ultra lightweight, waterproof, and durable. The Hunt Vest Kit is available now in MultiCam and can be purchased as an entire kit or each part individually.

Kit Includes the following:
Rhodesian style chest rig
Main hunt pouch with integrated hand warmer
Large multi-purpose pouch
Small multi-purpose pouch
Shear pouch
Thermacell pouch
Dip can pouch

www.matbock.com/collections/hunting

American Defense Mfg. – Holiday Sale

Monday, December 25th, 2017

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24DEC2017 – New Berlin, WI – American Defense Mfg® is offering all our customers 10% Off Site-Wide *no product restrictions with Code HOLIPEWS.

americandefensemfg.com

SPARTANAT – GEAR Made in USA: Spiritus Systems

Sunday, December 24th, 2017

Spiritus Systems 1

In nomine patris et filii et spiritus sancti… Christmas will come. We can not bring you a Holy Spirit, but Spiritus Systems we have in stock. We just introduced their Micro Chest Rig with a SPARTANAT Review (http://spartanat.com/2017/12/review-spiritus-systems-micro-fight-chest-rig/) a few days ago. Now we want to know from those US minimalists what drives them.

Spiritus Systems 2

SPARTANAT: There are many shops with many products. Spiritus Systems seems to be the one with one product: the Micro Fight Chassis and its parts. How does it come?

Our Company has always looked for areas in the market that were lacking innovation and substance that we could contribute to. We aren’t in the business of “me too” products, and the last thing the gear world needs is another MOLLE 5.56 mag pouch. The Micro Fight Chest Rig was the first product to bring a high degree of modularity into such a small platform, and we wanted to focus our energy into fully supporting that product and delivering as much user configurability as possible. What people don’t seen is the massive amount of research and new products development we do. Everything we release has been put through its paces, and we won’t ship it unless it’s a piece of equipment we would trust out lives to. We stay busy working closely with several agencies and units, finding innovative ways to solve problems they face. We work with companies who are writing the future of battlefield technology and communications, allowing us to incorporate design elements and features for the battlefield of the future. Throughout 2018, you will see several new products release to the public. The most exciting of these are our Plate Carriers, which you should see more of at SHOT Show 2018.

Spiritus Systems 3

SPARTANAT: Micro seams to be a trend now, from VOCR by Extreme Gear Labs going to D3CR from HSP and Trianing Mini Rig by Helikon-Tex now. What makes your Chest rig system so special?

I’m glad to see so many companies coming around to offer a solution to a problem that has existed for years. When we designed the first Micro Fight Chest Rig back in 2015, we did so out of a frustration that everything on the market was bulky and defined. The part of our System that people respond to the most is the high level of modularity. We don’t tell you how to set up your equipment. We don’t make you buy several chest rigs for different platforms. We don’t restrict your workflow to make sure the kit is ambidextrous. There is no one in the world that know more about your needs than you do, so all we do is provide you the tools to properly achieve the best solution for your situation. What’s great about it is that as your situation changes, you just adjust your rig, and move out. It all comes back to a core Infantry motto: Brilliance in the Basics.

Spiritus Systems 4

SPARTANAT: Where do you come from (military)? Where origins the idea for your Micro Fight System? Was the success of your Micro Fight a surprise for you?

My partner and I were both Infantrymen in the US Army. I guess it’s the classic story of living through too many failures in equipment and wanting to do something about it. The Micro Fight was really a response to a need my partner had while working with the State Department after his time on Active Duty. He needed a rig that was small enough to fit under the seat of a truck, yet carried enough mags and equipment to get through if things became kinetic. Once we saw the first Chassis take shape, we knew that we had something that almost everyone that carries a long gun could use. Whether it’s a cop on an active shooter response team, worn as a placard on a solder’s plate carrier, or for the responsible armed citizen needing something for the range, our kit is flexible and dynamic enough to give them exactly what they’re needing.

Spiritus Systems 5

SPARTANAT: What’s next? I have seen the Bank Robber Chest Rig, maybe a PC? Will you go on on with minimalistic style?

The Bank Robber has been a hit and you should see it populating in many of our resellers’ offerings after the first of the year. As I mentioned earlier, our Plate Carrier line will be launching very soon. We have developed 3 Carriers (NV-119, LV-119, and MT-119) that meet a variety of needs, but you’re going to have to stay tuned to learn more about it. All I can tell you is that the MT-119 will do for Plate Carriers what the Micro Fight has done for chest rigs.

The best way to stay up on what’s going on at Spiritus Headquarters is to follow us on Instagram and Facebook, and be on the lookout for the new hotness dropping early 2018.

Spiritus Systems 6

SPIRITUS SYSTEMS consists of Zane Vogel and Adam Holroyd. Both of them together have launched the company. The jaunty guy who likes to show himself in the pictures is Adam.

Spiritus Systems 7

SPIRITUS SYSTEMS im Internet: spiritussystems.com
SPIRITUS SYSTEMS auf Facebook: www.facebook.com/spiritussystems
SPIRITUS SYSTEMS auf Instagram: www.instagram.com/spiritussystems
SPARTANAT: www.spartanat.com

Victorinox – Knife Combat Utility

Tuesday, December 19th, 2017
Knife Combat Utility

The Knife Combat Utility is an update to the classic Demo Knife. It is designed to be low profile, with black anodized tools, including:

  • Partially Serrated Blade
  • Awl / Reamer
  • Phillips Screw Driver / Punch
  • Small Screw Driver w/ Can Opener
  • Large Screw Driver w/ Cap Opener / Wire Stripper / Wire Bender
  • Wood Saw / Dual Cut
  • The Windrose Group is offering a special deal for the SSD readership. Through the month of December, get the Knife Combat Utility for $50.00 delivered, anywhere CONUS.

    You can email jrinder24@gmail.com for more information.

    Bionic Power Lands Third Military Field Trial for Wearable Battery-charging Product

    Sunday, December 17th, 2017

    VANCOUVER, BC. December 11, 2017 – Bionic Power has received a contract valued at CDN$1.16 million, under the Government of Canada’s Build in Canada Innovation Program (BCIP), to supply low-volume production units of its PowerWalk® Kinetic Energy Harvester to the Director of Land Requirements (DLR) and Defence Research and Development Canada (DRDC) for field testing with the Canadian Armed Forces. The Honourable Carla Qualtrough, Minister of Public Services and Procurement, announced the BCIP contracts on December 8 at the BC Tech Association Hub, in Vancouver.

    Bionic Power will supply the units in early December, immediately following delivery of previously announced units entering field trials with the US Marine Corps and US Army. The Canadian Armed Forces will share trial results with Bionic Power as soon as field testing is finished, and this information will be available to other militaries looking to purchase harvesters.

    “Having PowerWalk units in field tests with multiple military customers supports ongoing product refinement and prepares us for volume production. It also sends a clear signal that our target military customers have confidence in our product and its potential to reduce risks and costs and improve mission effectiveness,” says Yad Garcha, Bionic Power’s Chief Executive Officer. “Every customer has different requirements, from technical specs for batteries to the look of the camouflage. While we know we can deliver the product our customers ask for, they need to see and prove for themselves that our technology delivers.”

    The PowerWalk is a light-weight, leg-mounted exoskeleton designed to accommodate a soldier’s full range of motion and harvest energy from the natural action of walking, in much the same way regenerative braking works in hybrid cars.

    Military organizations around the world are looking for ways to improve soldier safety while lowering mission costs and risks. Wearing a PowerWalk harvester mitigates the need for extra batteries, reducing the weight a soldier carries while providing continuous life-saving power in the field. The PowerWalk also reduces or eliminates logistical tail challenges, results in a smaller environmental footprint, and can increase mission duration and effectiveness. All these features provide a compelling value proposition for military decision makers.

    Canadian Armed Forces testing of Bionic Power’s PowerWalk device will take place in early 2018.
    www.bionic-power.com