Each week we bring you products that should be considered on an AT kit list. This week it’s the Scarpa UK Manta Pro.
The Manta Pro is a tough mountain climbing boot for Scottish conditions and alpine summers.
Designed with UK mountain conditions in mind, the Manta is a perfect blend of durable boot building heritage and modern lightweight technology. The upper is a tough 2.8mm reversed suede giving great protection from the elements and long term durability, backed up with a Gore-Tex performance waterproof membrane. The microtech cuff is lightweight with great mobility giving a secure, neat fit around the ankle.
The Manta is built on the classic FT last, which has a little more volume, ideal for comfort on long Scottish walk-ins. The Vibram Pentax Precision sole unit is ideal for mountaineering, with a durable mont rubber compound and lugs spaced for mechanical grip, with a climbing zone for scrambling and via ferrata. The broad rubber rand runs from heel to toe and gives great durability against rocks, as well as reducing pressure from crampon bindings. The Manta is fully C2 crampon
Rugged, Made in USA, Feature Rich, Work and Utility Pant
Prometheus Design Werx introduces their Raider Werx Pant design in a new, rugged, 12oz, 100% cotton canvas. This iteration of their best selling Raider Pant series is dialed towards craftsmen, DIYers, makers, ranch to range and even UEX. Featuring ample pockets for today’s EDC items, work-wear type hand pockets clear tool and pack belts, double reinforced seat and knees, a diamond gusset for freedom of movement, no-loss slotted buttons, no-twist, custom made delta ring clip points, all in a clean, streamlined, straight leg silhouette and regular fit. The rugged, 12oz 100% cotton canvas has just enough substance, but not so heavy or stiff where it restricts and weighs the wearer down. Built in the USA.
The Design and R&D Team at PDW states:
“Our Raider Pant series has proven to be our best selling pant design. We’ve made them in a number of performance-technical, and now, these classic, materials to suit a wide variety of use cases and customer preferences. This latest iteration features a classic, rugged 12oz 100% cotton canvas as used in work wear. We found the 12oz to be a sweet spot for durability, toughness without being so heavy or stiff that it restricts or weights the user down. As a small independent brand, we produce our apparel in small production batches with a skilled, local work force that can tackle the complexity of the designs and also hit our objectives for quality of make. We know there are a ton of options these days for men’s apparel in our market space, but it is the attention to details, purpose driven design, carefully considered functional features, industrial grade fabrication techniques married to an uncharacteristically high level of tailoring that puts our apparel heads above any big box high volume brand. Our goods are not for everyone, nor are they intended to be. However for those looking for useful, feature rich, well-tailored pant designs that don’t run with the big box pack, PDW offers a compelling selection. The Raider Pant series are built on what we call a “tailored regular fit” that we’ve honed and tweaked over a great many samples of over the years to arrive at a cut that is able to not only look great while wearing but also bucks and outlasts baggy or skinny fit trends. Our Raider Pant series can be worn and used season after season, year after year without falling victim to superfluous usability and transitory styling.”
The Raider Werx Pant 100C is available in Motor Pool Gray, Syth Black, and classic Ranch Brown.
The Raider Werx Pant 100C will be available for purchase on Wednesday, March 11th, 2020 at 12:00pm PT via their website, prometheusdesignwerx.com.
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Saab is bidding for Canada’s Future Fighter Capability Project (FFCP) and today announced that leading Canadian aerospace companies IMP Aerospace & Defence, CAE, Peraton Canada and GE Aviation are the ‘Gripen for Canada Team’.
Saab is offering Gripen E, with the support of the Swedish government, for Canada’s future fighter requirement of 88 new aircraft to replace the Royal Canadian Air Force’s existing CF-18 Hornet fighter fleet. The Canadian Request for Proposal requires companies to deliver high-quality industrial and technological benefits, such as Saab has demonstrated with Gripen for Brazil and is offering for Finland and India’s fighter requirements.
Saab’s bid to the Government of Canada will include a comprehensive proposal to deliver those benefits, with high quality jobs and technology, adding greater economic value and knowledge across Canadian industry coast to coast. Today’s announcement is the first step toward achieving this offer with IMP Aerospace & Defence, CAE, Peraton Canada and GE Aviation as the ‘Gripen for Canada Team’.
“Over the past two years, Saab and the Swedish Government have been encouraged by Canada’s open and transparent competition to replace its fighter fleet. Today, we are delighted to announce the ‘Gripen for Canada Team’. We have assembled a dynamic roster of innovative leaders within Canada’s aerospace industry, across multiple regions to offer the best solution for Canada’s future fighter,” said Jonas Hjelm, Senior Vice President and head of Business Area Aeronautics. He further stated that, “Saab is committed to securing long-term relationships in Canada that will create a significant number of highly-skilled, sustainable jobs for Canadians within domestic and international supply chains.”
IMP Aerospace & Defence will contribute with in-country production and in-service support for the life of the Canadian Gripen fleet. CAE will provide training and mission systems solutions, while Peraton Canada will provide avionic and test equipment component maintenance, repair and overhaul, and material management. GE Aviation will provide and sustain the fighter’s engines in Canada.
The ‘Gripen for Canada Team’ presents a genuine ‘Made in Canada’ solution and looks forward to demonstrating how Gripen is the best value for Canada’s aerospace industry and taxpayers in terms of life-cycle costs and sustainment throughout the FFCP competition. Saab’s Gripen fighter meets all of Canada’s specific defence requirements, offering exceptional performance, advanced technical capabilities, future-proof upgradeability and NATO interoperability.
PORTLAND, OREGON (March 09, 2020) – GERBER, an industry-leading manufacturer of knives and multi-tools, today launched a new customization program featuring several of the brand’s best-selling knives. Made in Portland, Ore., the Fastball, StrongArm, Sharkbelly and US-1 will be among the first knives customers can design using a robust library of lasermarks, handle materials, patterns and blade shapes.
“At Gerber, we know better than anyone that pocket knives are personal. We carry them everyday, and both craftsmanship and utility are paramount. Gerber Custom empowers users to take part in the creation process, pairing the precise engineering and reliable quality of our bestselling knives with a unique aesthetic,” said Todd Bischoff, creative director at Gerber.
Knife makers curate their experience by choosing between customization and personalization. Customization offers an infinite combination of handle materials, colors, patterns and blade shapes with hundreds of illustrations, like landscapes, military insignias, flora and fauna, and more. Personalization offers visitors lasermarked illustration and personal text in a variety of fonts.
While the options for customization are endless, the price reflects Gerber’s commitment to providing premium, highly functional tools at an honest value. All of Gerber’s customized and personalized knives are made, assembled, and lasermarked at their headquarters in Portland.
“A person’s daily carry knife is nearly part of their identity – it says something about them,” said Karrson Koivisto, product manager for knives and cutting tools at Gerber. “A knife’s design and functionality are foundational, but layering on the capacity to select how every single component looks takes great products to the next level. That’s what Gerber Custom is about—helping consumers step up their daily carry in a way that authentically suits them.”
Gerber Custom, newly opened in March, can be found at www.gerbergear.com/custom. To date, the Fastball is available for customization and the StrongArm, Sharkbelly, and US-1 are available to personalize, with more products scheduled for later this year.
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Unlike current factory loaded 6.5 Carcano ammunition, Steinel’s load respects the original concept, thus providing outstanding accuracy as in its original format in 1891.
Twinsburg, Ohio (February 2020) – Steinel Ammunition, a manufacturer of premium vintage military, hunting, and self-defense ammunition, tackles another milsurp round, bringing back its original accuracy performance: the 6.5 x 52mm Carcano.
The 6.5x52mm Carcano cartridge has been around since 1891, and was only phased out of military service in the 1970s. Carcano rifles were strong actions, and most used gain-twist rifling to extend barrel life and improve accuracy. Heavy for the caliber projectiles, it retained useful energy levels despite the round nose form. The original lead core bullets had poor terminal performance, so later designs filled the bullet nose with less dense aluminum to promote tumbling on impact. Nearly 3 million Carcano rifles were built, and many of them sold in the US as surplus.
Unfortunately, until recently the ammunition supply did not keep up with demand. Corrosive World War II vintage or older surplus ammunition is unavailable, and what can be found should not be shot due to the uncertainties surrounding the storage conditions. A relatively affordable PPU load is available but offers very poor accuracy due to the severely undersized bullets used in all observed samples, resulting in unstabilized projectiles right from the muzzle.
Fortunately, an excellent target load is now available from Steinel Ammunition. The new cartridges use soft point expanding bullets that provide excellent terminal effect and accuracy while promoting reliable feeding. Loaded to 1,770 fps (from 17.5in barrels), this load offers a significantly lighter recoil than the original, while retaining good terminal performance at distances reasonable with iron sights. At short range, the bullet expands to about 0.516-inch with 39-inch penetration of synthetic gel, sufficient for a double-shoulder shot on a deer. This ammunition is non-corrosive and made to much higher quality and more consistent specifications than either military surplus or other commercial loadings.
Steinel Ammunition’s new vintage military round, the 6.5×52 Carcano is available online for $31.99 a 20-rd. box.
For more information on Steinel Ammunition Co., visit www.steinelammo.com or follow along on Facebook or Instagram.
Steinel Ammunition 6.5 Carcano image courtesy of Oleg Volk
We are looking for an experienced financial controller to undertake all aspects of financial management, including corporate accounting, regulatory and financial reporting, budget and forecasts preparation, as well as development of internal control policies and procedures.
KEY DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITES
• Manage all accounting operations including Billing, A/R, A/P, GL, Cost Accounting, Inventory Management and Revenue Recognition
• Coordinate and direct the preparation of the budget and financial forecasts and report variances
• Prepare and publish timely monthly financial statements
• Run/Verify monthly commission reports
• Research technical accounting issues for compliance
• Support month-end and year-end close process
• Ensure quality control over financial transactions and financial reporting to include monthly GL account and intercompany reconciliations
• Manage and comply with local, state, and federal government reporting requirements and tax filings
• Develop and document business processes and accounting policies to maintain and strengthen internal controls
•Additional controller duties as necessary
SKILLS AND QUALIFICATIONS
• Proven work experience as a Financial controller
• 5+ years of accounting experience
• Advanced degree in Accounting
• CPA or CMA preferred
• Thorough knowledge of accounting principles and procedures
• Experience with generation of financial statements
• Experience with general ledger functions and the month-end/year end close process
• Experience with NetSuite software preferred
To avoid any confusion over DLA’s Special Operations Equipment Tailored Logistics System program, DoD recently announced the following one-year extension for incumbents:
Tactical & Survival Specialties Inc.,* Harrisonburg, Virginia (SPE8EJ-20-D-0010); W.S. Darley & Co.,* Itasca, Illinois (SPE8EJ-20-D-0011); Atlantic Diving Supply Inc., doing business as ADS,* Virginia Beach, Virginia (SPE8EJ-20-D-0012); Federal Resources Supply Co.,* Stevensville, Maryland (SPE8EJ-20-D-0013); Unifire Inc.,* Spokane, Washington (SPE8EJ-20-D-0014); and Quantico Tactical Inc.,* Aberdeen, North Carolina (SPE8EJ-19-D-0015 SPE8EJ-20-D-0015), are sharing a maximum $4,000,000,000 firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract under solicitation SPM8EJ-13-R-0001 for special operational equipment. This was a sole-source acquisition using justification 10 U.S. Code 2304 (c)(1), as stated in Federal Acquisition Regulation 6.302-1. These are 365-day bridge contracts. Locations of performance are Virginia, Illinois, Maryland, Washington, and North Carolina, with a March 6, 2021, performance completion date. Using military services are Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps and Coast Guard. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2020 through 2021 defense working capital funds. The contracting activity is Defense Logistics Agency Troop Support, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (SPE8EJ-20-D-0010).
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The US Army is currently well into an ambitious program to replace the 5.56mm NATO M4 Carbine and M249 Squad Automatic Weapon with new weapons in a 6.8mm cartridge which will offer performance similar to 270 WSM.
We are fortunate to share some great background from Desert Tech on their participation in this developmental weapon system program.
Nick Young, Desert Tech CEO, seen above with Tony Padgett of PCP Ammo, provides us with this narrative:
In the Spring of 2018 PCP was selected as a NGSAR finalist and approached Desert Tech to develop modifications to their MDR to meet the requirements of Next Generation Squad Automatic Rifle (NGSAR) program. NGSAR was a development program that called for advancements in ammunition, rifle capability, and technology integration. The program’s goals were to increase soldier engagement capabilities, maximize lethality, and maximize mobility.
Desert Tech’s MDR rifle was an attractive candidate for the program due to its lightweight bullpup design that allowed for significantly more barrel length than a similar length AR style weapon, as well as several features that set the MDR apart from other bullpups.
Desert Tech partnered with PCP for the NGSAR program, and the US Army awarded a development contract to the team to create the DT NGSAR rifle and the 6.8 PCP lightweight ammunition.
The 6.8 PCP cartridge incorporates a 136 Grain projectile which boasts up to 3187 FPS from a 22″ barrel prototype.
The 6.8 PCP cartridge is similar in size and proportion to the .270 WSM, but with more case capacity. The new cartridge utilizes PCP’s proprietary polymer case technology, making the ammunition 28% lighter overall than its brass equivalent, which made the soldiers’ 210 round ammo loadout weight just 9.96 LBS. DT’s NGSAR rifles muzzle easily achieved velocities of 2930 fps and 3187 fps without exceeding standard chamber pressures when firing 136 grain projectiles through the long 20” and 22” barrels respectively.
Although the DT NGSAR rifles’ lower receiver and cheekpiece look similar to the MDR rifle, the NGSAR is an entirely new beast. To accommodate the large 6.8 PCP cartridge, intelligent rail requirements, and fully automatic needs, a new design was needed, including: creating a longer receiver, bolt carrier, barrel, barrel extension, charging handle, forward ejection mechanisms, barrel mounting system, and a proprietary 6.8 20 round magazine. DT’s NGSAR rifle had numerous advanced and standard features including;
-DT’s proprietary forward ejection mechanism
-Multi-caliber capability between 6.8 PCP, 7.62 NATO, and 5.56 NATO
-On-board round-counter and other electronic sensors
-T-Worx Battery Powered integrated data rails at 12, 3, 6, and 9 O’clock positions
-DT custom flow-through technology reflex suppressor
-CNOD day/night optic with LRF fire control
-Magpul 45 deg offset flip up sights
-Magpul Bipod
-Sling
The base rifle weight with 20” barrel weighs 9.94 lbs with a length of 31.75” (for comparison, the M4 rifle is 33” with stock extended). DT’s titanium reflex silencer suppressed to 148 decibels at the shooters ear. The rifle is definitely state of the art and designed for future combat in mind.
As part of the NGSW program, the team submitted two weapons, a Carbine and Automatic Rifle.
During the development of the NGSAR rifle, PCP and Desert Tech went on to compete together for the NGSW development effort, but unfortunately were not selected due to the proposal timing that did not allow for adequate prototype testing prior submission. Had the original Army schedule been followed which allowed for the completion of NGSAR prior to the NGSW proposal submission, the system would likely have been selected. The revolutionary weapon and ammunition system was a leading performer and provided a glimpse at the future of modern warfare.
DT NGSAR Rifle System Specifications:
Caliber: 6.8 PCP
Action: Short stroke piston
Fire Modes: 0, 1, Full Auto
Rate of Fire: 650 rpm
Capacity: 20 rounds
Barrel Length: 20”
Muzzle Velocity: 2933 fps
Rifle Length: 31.75”
Rifle Length with silencer: 35.125”
Rifle weight: 9.94 lbs
Suppressed sound: 148 DB
Sight Magnification: 2x, 4x, 6x
Total System Weight: 12.65 lbs
Ammo Loadout Weight (210 rds): 9.96
Here is a demonstration of the DT Next Gen weapon.
This video is a record of the chonograph readings taken of the 6.8 PCP round beibg fired from the DT weapon.
