The entire line of Daniel Defense products are now available in the EU through Edgar Brothers. Daniel Defense produces the Picatinny rail for the SA80.
Additionally, they have introduced an M4A1 clone that is available to US civilians. In the US they are currently offered through AcuSport. Although mechanically it’s a clone, it does ship with a Magpul stock and a pinned DD flash hider on a 14.5″ barrel.
Hogue Inc. has released brand-new beavertail AR grips. The grips are ergonomically designed and include an orthopedic hand shape with compound palm swells and proportioned finger grooves that position the hand naturally. A super strong yet lightweight reinforcing insert directly engages with the rifle action for a rock-solid grip fit. They are designed to provide an extended trigger pull and the integrated rear upper extension supports the web of the shooter’s hand. The cobblestone texture features a non-slip, non-irritation stippling pattern. The grips feature Hogue Inc.’s OverMolded technology with modern durable rubber which is virtually impervious to all oils and solvents found around firearms.
The beavertail grips were issued NSNs:
Black – 1005-01-621-2345
Desert Tan – 1005-01-621-2340
During SHOT Show Drake Clark reached me about helping out with an upcoming project. John Noveske had just passed away and Magpul was going to commit to a run of special “Johnny” PMAGs to raise money for his family. He asked if I would help. While I had only met John once through the introduction of Stickman, we had quite a few friends in common. And, I appreciated his hard work and innovation. “Sure,” I told Drake, “count me in!” Now, I know some of you guys are asking yourselves why the family of a guy who owned a business would need money. Well, my answer is simple. It’s for his kids. Very, very few small business owners are rich, or even well off. They work insane hours and put everything extra back into the business. And now, in the case of Noveske, John, the creative force behind the brand, is gone. It will never be the same and the lives of his kids will never be the same. As a father and small business owner, I can tell you, none of this was lost on me. It’s the reason I agreed to be a part of this and a reason I purchased some of these magazines when they were first available.
Now mind you, all of this planning for the Johnny mag was going on during the panic of 2013. Despite this, Magpul came through with the initial push which they offered in conjunction with Noveske. And then, another tragedy struck, and a similar magazine-based fundraising campaign came along. And during that period, in late Spring, 300 Johnny PMAGs showed up at my door. When I was planning to start this fundraising effort, I foolishly thought I could offer them through PayPal, but I soon found out that wasn’t possible. Then, eBay was a bust. SSD has a long reach but what we don’t have is a web store. Once the other fundraising effort ended I reached out to my friends at Grey Ghost Gear and they thankfully agreed to handle the sales aspect of this effort.
If you missed out on the initial run of Johnny mags, Grey Ghost has just under 300 (they are selling already). The Johnny PMAG is a Magpul GEN M2 30 round PMAG designed for 5.56×45 NATO and .223 Remington AR15/ M4 platform weapons. This memorial magazine includes the Noveske “Flaming Pig” on one side, and the Noveske logo on the flip side.
Please join us in supporting the Noveske and remembering an innovator by purchasing one or more of these memorial magazines.
www.greyghostgear.com/accessories/johnny-memorial-pmag
-Eric Graves
A lifelong shooter and outdoorsman, Eric served in the US Army before retiring from the US Air Force after 21 years of service. After his retirement Eric also worked in industry and has served as the Editor of Soldier Systems Daily since launching the site in May of 2008.
I’m jealous. A buddy of mine who is a member of the SOF community and an avid hunter and shooter in his spare time recently returned from about 9 months in Afghanistan. He purchased the first commercial Hodge Defense AU-Mod1 from DSG Arms. He picked it up yesterday and went right to the range. Afterwards, he brought it to my house to gloat. I’ve got a carbine that Hodgie built for me but these production guns are sweet. He provided me with these notes.
The first thing to understand about the Hodge Defense Systems AU-Mod 1 rifle is, it is a work gun. It is an AR-15 style rifle which is built based on years of experience, trial, error, and what works best in a variety of environments for individuals who carry a gun for a living. It achieves an almost unattainable balance between modern technology, classic aesthetics, simplicity, and rock solid durability by using proven components and a level of attention to detail that is few and far between in most production guns.
The first impression of the AU-Mod 1 is when picking it up; the balance is uncanny and leaves you with the instant disbelief the rifle utilizes a Government Profile, Cold Hammer Forged 16” Barrel and a 13” rail. Holding the rail in the vicinity of the barrel nut, the AU-Mod 1 is virtually neutral in your hand. However, once you understand the rifle was designed to swing like a custom hunting shotgun, it instantly makes sense. The rifle effortlessly points where you direct it, without unintentional over travel often found in unbalanced rifles. Additionally, the attention to detail and carefully selected components such as the full-serration bolt catch, teardrop forward-assist, ALG QMS trigger, mid-length gas system, Geiselle rail, and machined selector are all paired to provide the best blend of accuracy, dependability, and performance. The AU-Mod 1 is built to the specification of a Gunfighter, for Gunfighters…Now you get it.
A quick zero and break-in, the first commercially sold AU-Mod 1 averaged 1 – 1.5 inches at 100 yards utilizing Milspec M855 62-Grain (Green Tip) across multiple groups.
Although, at first glance, some might say there are rifles on the market capable of achieving better results, it is important to note that many of those rifles are tested with match grade ammunition and such a statement would be comparing apples to oranges. Furthermore, the standard for M855 62-Grain Green Tip, is approximately 4 inches at 100 yards. Therefore, the Hodge Defense Systems AU-Mod 1 is capable of accuracy roughly 75% more effective than the standard for the ammunition it was used with during the first range session.
The AU-Mod 1 borrows from proven and the most valued ideals in the shooting sports and applies those considerations into a Milspec platform that is truly impressive. As with many users, often times an individual acquires a production rifle and immediately modifies several components on it; the AU-Mod 1 is built from the ground up with all of those desires accounted for by including the best components available for a gun of this nature. All that has to be added from the time it is taken out of the shipping case is back-up iron sights and/or an optic if desired. As those items are significantly about individual preference, Hodge Defense felt it best to leave those choices to the individual. Hands-down, the rifle is truly extraordinary in a classic package with rock solid durability that is likely to rival the finest cutom AR-15 style rifles available today.
A couple of updates from our friends at Hodge Defense. First off, the AU-MOD1 guns are shipping to dealers. Already, DSG Arms has them available for order.
•Upper & Lower Receivers Mil-spec, forged 7075 type III hard coat anodize
•Barrel 16″, CHF, CL, Gov, MID, Micro Pinned GB, A2
•BCG M16, HPT, MPI, staked, 158 carpenter steel
•Fire Control Group ALG QMS
•Selector Reversible billet steel
•Handguard Geissele MK IV 13″
•Charging Handle BCM / Vltor
•Buffer H2 or H1 (request only-H2)
•Receiver Extension 6 pos, Mil-spec, sling plate, Ambi HK or MASH
•Stock Magpul CTR, with enhanced butt pad
•Trigger Guard Magpul MOE
•Mag Catch Mil-Spec
•Bold Catch Full Serration
•Forward Assit Tear Drop
And…Daniel Defense and Hodge Defense have entered into a strategic alliance whereby Daniel Defense may subcontract production of firearms and/or components for military orders or foreign military sales. Pretty cool huh?
