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Vortakt Expands Production Capacity With Revolutionary New Turning Center

May 18th, 2022

OEM barrel manufacturer introduces industry-leading automation technology

MENOMONEE FALLS, Wis (May 17, 2022) – Vortakt Barrel Works once again demonstrates its commitment to becoming the future of OEM barrel manufacturing by introducing “The Profiler”, a new fully automated turning cell that consolidates contouring, chambering, gas porting, threading, and crowning operations in a single machine.

This 2021 Okuma LT2000 EX CNC lathe features 700mm length capacity, with twin turrets and spindles, live steady rest, live tooling, and Y-axis motion. Automatically loaded via a Fanuc CRX Collaborative Robot and custom infeed/outfeed systems, this turning center offers a capacity of around 3,300 MSR-style barrels each month

“The automation technology we incorporate into barrel manufacturing allows us to maximize capacity while minimizing production costs involved in the production of barrels for popular platforms like the AR-15 and Kalashnikov (AK)”, said Chad Weister, Managing Director of Vortakt Barrel Works.

Most barrel manufacturers will run their barrel blanks through one to two operations in a CNC lathe to achieve the final contour, pass the barrel along to an additional lathe for chambering, direct the contoured blank through a mill for gas porting, and then forward the barrel to another lathe for cut, crown, and threading operations. Vortakt has effectively managed to integrate all of these processes into a single machine tool supported by state-of-the-art robotics.

By effectively harnessing automation technology and adhering to engineering best practices, Vortakt’s team provides innovative partnership solutions based on their client’s unique needs. More information can be found at vortakt.com.

Posted in Firearms, Industry, Press Release | Comments Off on Vortakt Expands Production Capacity With Revolutionary New Turning Center

First Air Force Supports US Space Command as ‘Air Forces Space’

May 18th, 2022

TYNDALL AFB, Fla. (AFNS) —

The Department of Defense designated First Air Force as ‘Air Forces Space’ (AFSPACE), and the fifth service component to U.S. Space Command May 3.

The change postures First Air Force to provide airpower expertise and advocacy in support of USSPACECOM’s mission to conduct operations in, from and to space while integrating space power into the support of First Air Force’s homeland defense mission.

“As USSPACECOM continues to achieve key milestones towards reaching Full Operational Capability, the designation of AFSPACE and the realignment of Human Space Flight Support activities under AFSPACE demonstrates the rapid pace at which the command and components are moving to provide a safe and secure space environment,” said U.S. Army Gen. James H. Dickinson, U.S. Space Command commander. “AFSPACE has achieved an Initial Operating Capability, and like USSPACECOM, is at a point where it can credibly claim to be organized and effective for employing our enduring, no-fail supporting functions to the joint force and civil partners.”

Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. CQ Brown, Jr. named First Air Force as the USSPACECOM air component in February 2021. Following that, Gen. Mark Kelly, commander of Air Combat Command, established an Operational Planning Team to determine the resources required to meet the short and long-term demands for this new mission.

ACC is the force provider for AFSPACE, and existing Continental U.S. NORAD Region and Air Forces Northern roles, responsibilities and authorities.

On July 15, 2021, First Air Force, now AFSPACE, assumed the operational command and control of the Human Space Flight Support, or HSFS, mission, which was previously executed by the Combined Force Space Component Command at Vandenberg Space Force Base, California. This First Air Force mission is executed through its assigned Detachment 3 based at Patrick Space Force Base, Florida.

Det. 3, formerly commanded by Space Launch Delta 45, realigned under First Air Force during a redesignation and change of command ceremony held at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Florida, also that day. Air Force Lt. Gen. Kirk Pierce, commander, First Air Force, Continental U.S. NORAD Region, AFNORTH, and now AFSPACE, affirmed his team’s commitment to USSPACECOM.

“Space-based capabilities enable virtually every element of our national power, including diplomatic, information, military and economic,” said Pierce. “It’s an honor to support that larger picture with our actions at a personal level. This includes our new responsibility to plan, train and execute worldwide rescue and recovery of NASA astronauts during contingency operations.”

Human Space Flight Support operations are conducted by the Department of Defense when requested by NASA, and validated by the DoD. These operations include the contingency search and rescue of NASA and NASA-sponsored astronauts.

For all crewed space flights, Det. 3 oversees the training and posturing of rescue forces on alert at Patrick Space Force Base, Joint Base Charleston, South Carolina, and Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii. Additionally, Det. 3 is responsible for coordinating astronaut rescue and recovery, contingency landing site support, payload security, medical support, coordination of airlift/sealift for contingency operations, as well as other support services required in the event of a spacecraft emergency.

Det. 3 has a long and distinguished history working closely with NASA to plan and coordinate DoD rescue, recovery, and retrieval support for their crewed space missions.

“It’s immensely satisfying to take another step forward in the larger leap in our role as the Air Force component to U.S. Space Command,” Pierce said. “The First Air Force team appreciates being a valued joint partner in the defense of the Homeland in the air and space domains.”

CONR-1 AF (AFNORTH and AFSPACE) Public Affairs

Posted in Air Force, Guest Post, Space | Comments Off on First Air Force Supports US Space Command as ‘Air Forces Space’

Maxim Defense DRF-22 Rimfire Suppressor

May 17th, 2022

It’s said in the industry that it’s easy to make a 22 suppressor, but to make a good one is another story. Maxim Defense has taken the 22 suppressor to a whole ‘nuther level with its new DRF-22.

They’ve been seen and discussed before, but we will provide you with a little more detail.

DRF-22 (Direct Thread Rimfire) 22 Suppressor

Why the DRF-22? Because the DRF-22 suppressor is specifically designed to minimize the increase in cyclic rate and gas blowback of a suppressed rimfire firearm.

Primary design features include the significant reduction of sound signature, decreasing flash signature, reduction of recoil, and increasing the accuracy of the suppressed firearm.

And let’s be honest. Who wouldn’t want a suppressed .22? With the right ammo, the most you will typically hear is the action of the bolt. What’s not to like about that?

Things to Know

There are four unique characteristics of the Maxim Defense DRF-22 rimfire suppressor that a potential user/shooter should know.

1 It is user-serviceable. This means that you can disassemble and clean the suppressor without having any specialized tools or having to send it into Maxim Defense. If the core itself becomes compromised from a bullet strike, all you need to do is remove the core from the tube and send in that part; there is no need to send in the serialized part and deal with the red tape of replacing that.

2 The suppressor has been designed to mitigate First Round Pop significantly; see below for more information.

3 The suppressor tube has an integrated carbon scraper. As you unscrew and pull the tube from the core, it scrapes any excess carbon from the internal core of the suppressor.

With some other suppressors on the market, after running a lot of rounds through them, the threads tend to lock up, and you cannot remove the suppressor from the gun. Maxim Defense has put the time into their thread design to ensure the suppressor stays secured to the weapon, but it will unthread with minimal effort when it comes time to remove it.

What is First Round Pop?

First-round pop is defined by the volume of the first round fired minus the average of the volume of the remaining rounds fired.

In a typical case, the first round fired is much louder than the other rounds that you would fire. There are several contributing factors to first-round pop.

First and foremost: before the first round is fired, the suppressor is full of an oxygen-rich atmosphere. This oxygen encourages a secondary detonation inside the suppressor as unburnt and burning gun powder enters the device.

After the first round is fired, the suppressor is immediately full of carbon dioxide instead of oxygen; additional detonations do not occur. There are other causes of first-round pop, but this is the most common.

Two others are:

• Ammunition. Pressure. Pressure is generated in different measures by different loads. Therefore, separate versions even of the same cartridge (and/or manufacturers) may react differently.

• Barrel length. Barrel length also contributes to first-round pop. As a result, short-barreled weapon systems tend to have first-round pop than their longer barrel counterparts.

Maxim Mitigation

Maxim Defense 22 suppressors, for the most part, are designed to negate or, at a minimum, significantly reduce first-round pop. The internal geometry of the suppressor baffles are what tend to increase or decrease first-round pop.

When Maxim Defense designed its monocore, they went to great lengths to find the right combination of entrance chamber volume and baffle geometry (fluid resistance). Its DSX and PRS line of suppressors have an integrated M baffle in the entrance chamber that significantly reduces or negates all first-round pop entirely. Its line of 22 suppressors does not have an integrated M baffle, as it turns out that they do not need it. The baffle geometry that they had designed worked perfectly on its own. For the .22, it all came down to a mathematically and geometrically optimized monocore.

DRF-22 Rimfire Suppressor Technical Specs

• Diameter: 1.0″ outer diameter

• Material Composition: 7075-T6 Aluminum and 6AI-4V Titanium

• Weight: 3.5 ounces

• Overall Length: 5.9″

• Finish: Type III MIL-SPEC hard coat anodizing and DLC

DRF-22 Rimfire Suppressor Features

• State of the art MonoKore Design

• Simple three-piece design

• Constructed of military-grade materials

• No detectable first round pop

• Designed explicitly for .22LR pistols and rifles chambered in .22LR, .22MAG, and.17HMR

• Disassembles with standard tools for end-user serviceability

Find DRF-22 Rimfire Suppressor or the entire Maxim Defense suppressor lineup here online.

Posted in Press Release, Suppressors | 1 Comment »

The Sterling Promise Foundation Fundraising Raffle

May 17th, 2022

The site for the Sterling Promise Foundation Fundraising Raffle is now live.

It goes live for bids tomorrow. Check out what’s available at qtego.net/qlink/sterlingpromise.

Posted in Charity, Fundraising | Comments Off on The Sterling Promise Foundation Fundraising Raffle

SOFIC 22 – Drifire

May 17th, 2022

The Drifire Level 1 FR T-shirt feels like a performance shirt. It features phase change material to proactively regulates skin temperature and reduces perspiration up to 34%. You can feel yourself cool off as soon as you put it on.

Offered in Tan 499, Coyote and Black.

www.drifire.com/drifire-fr-l1-performance-fit-short-sleeve

Posted in Clothing, SOF Select | Comments Off on SOFIC 22 – Drifire

SOFIC 22 – Princeton-Tec

May 17th, 2022

Subsequent to the Gentex RAILINK announcement, Princeton-Tec has released their RAILINK Switch MPLS light which is designed to interface specifically with the RAILINK node, using parasitic power supplied by the RAILINK battery pack.

Because there are no batteries, it weighs just 13 grams and offers Red/IR LEDs with a simple switching system.

princetontec.com/product/switch-railink

Posted in Advertiser, Helmets, Lights, SOF Select | Comments Off on SOFIC 22 – Princeton-Tec

SOFIC 22 – CORE Survival

May 17th, 2022

Designed specifically for use with the Gentex RAILINK the HEL-STAR Rail Strobe comes in pairs which are intended to be mounted at Node 2 on the RAILINK. This placement moves the strobe off of the top of the helmet, yet allows for full visibility of the strobe.

The HEL-STAR Rail Strobe offers dim and bright power visible light along with an IR function.

I spoke with Jamey Caldwell of 1MinuteOut and he pointed out several features. This overt/covert rail mounted marker offers weight reduction through the elimination of redundant batteries and increases mobility due to its low profile footprint. Jamey has been using this system for over a year and explained that the slick design makes it easier to maneuver in confined spaces.

www.coresurvival.com

Posted in Advertiser, Helmets, Lights, SOFIC | Comments Off on SOFIC 22 – CORE Survival

SOFIC 22 – Velocity Systems

May 17th, 2022

Something old, something new. Velocity Systems has a great display in the SOF SELECT pavilion featuring their Mission Configurable Chest Rig worn with a great reproduction Tigerstripe Advisor uniform.

Posted in Advertiser, Load Carrying, SOF Select | 9 Comments »