I was very surprised to find this As Seen On SSD Patch affixed to this FR Combat Shirt in the Hexonia booth at IWA.
You Never Know Where They’ll Show Up
March 11th, 2018Härkila Launches New Camo Pattern Developed By Hyperstealth At IWA
March 10th, 2018
Hyperstealth announced a new pattern developed exclusively for Härkila, one of the top brands in hunting for the European market was released at the IWA in Nuremberg Germany and available to order July 2018.
Announcing The Creation Of The Firearms Trainers Association
March 10th, 2018
The state of firearms training in the United States is a mess and does not further the interests of law abiding firearms enthusiasts. Perception of firearms enthusiasts is so crucial to our civil rights provided in the 2nd Amendment. However, the unregulated internet world of posting videos and attempting to obtain celebrity through inappropriate tactics, ill founded curriculum, lack of safety and unprofessionalism highlights the need for creation of an organization that protects and professionalizes the profession of Firearms Trainers, in an apolitical way.
Therefore, we are proud to announce the formation of the Firearms Trainers Association, www.FTAProtect.com. The FTA is an organization founded by 5 of the most well respected and distinguished professional firearms trainers in the world. Ken Hackathorn-Chairman, Larry Vickers-Vice Chairman, and Board members Jeff Gonzales, Dave Spaulding and Scott Reidy have worked with 2A Association Management and Executive Director Kyle Sweet, to create for the first time, an organization delivering national standards for firearms trainers, protecting the profession of firearms training through standards, insurance (professional liability and property and casualty), business development services, curriculum certification, safety and risk management. The Board members have decades of training experience in military and law enforcement and have dedicated their professional lives to training all levels of civilians. Their recognition of the need to create a mechanism to serve the interests of firearms trainers as well as increase the professionalism of the profession through their experiences, resources and core values lead them to create FTA.
Firearms Trainers Association will provide content that has been vetted, is reliable and trustworthy in addition to being tactically sound. FTA, operating with the the hashtag #ProtectingtheProfession will provide three levels of membership to firearms trainers based on the extent of their teaching and career in the industry. FTA will serve as the industry leader in providing professional development to trainers through resources, networking, marketing assistance (including joint marketing initiatives), web content consulting, video safety briefings from Board Members, and legal forms for Waivers of Liability, and other business related forms as well as use of the FTA logo in marketing and training materials. A comprehensive suite of insurance services are provided with each membership. Certificates of Insurance are available to all members when needing them for conducting classes. Insurance is provided to the FTA through 2A Insurance, a Captive Insurance company reinsured through Port Royal Captive Re-Insurance. FTA has established for it’s members the only stable insurance in the firearms industry available to trainers. This insurance is not subject to political changes, protest or tragic event. It exists for the purpose of protecting the interests of it’s firearms associations.
Level 1: Instructor: this level is for members who teach an occasional class such as Self Defense Act courses to license individuals for a concealed carry permit. NRA basic instructors who teach occasionally.
Level 2: Teacher: This level is for those teaching classes regularly, has had more advanced training themselves and possesses more advanced certifications. Someone who teaches classes beyond mere concealed carry classes, such as tactics, but does not do this for a living.
Level 3: Professional: someone with significant advanced training from military, law enforcement or significant civilian firearms training who is a firearms trainer for a living. The Professional level of membership will require peer reviewed acceptance by the 5 Founders.
All memberships are priced at $400. Payment online is available at www.FTAProtect.com For those who are not trainers and do not need the insurance for a trainer but want access to the content, and support the mission to create standards for trainers and training, an auxiliary membership is available for $100 per year. Support Members will have access to all content and information of all levels of membership.
For more information or access to Board members for media inquiries and interviews please contact Kyle Sweet at 405-684-0900 or e-mail info@FTAProtect.com
IWA 18 – Multi Utility Denim by LMSGear
March 10th, 2018
Designed in Switzerland and manufactured in Portugal (home of the explorers), the new Multi Utility Denim Pants From LMSGear are available in Selvedge or 1% elastene models.
At either side of the rear are inset pockets for rifle magazines. At the front, there are pockets which accommodate 2 Pistol magazines each.
The belt loops are also double sewn for carabiners and the front pocket gems are reinforced for pocket clip carry. Finally, there is a hidden pocket inside the rear waist, large enough to accept a credit card.
Available in sizes even waist 30-40 with 34″ length. Contact info@lmsgear.net
IWA 18 – Maxtac Tactical
March 10th, 2018Bamberg-based Maxtac offers Made in Germany Kydex products. One of their main customers is B&T. They are displaying in the S4 Supplies Booth.
IWA 18 – Spuhr AB
March 10th, 2018
Spuhr is introducing a new line of optic mounts for the hunting market. They are a bit sleeker and have fewer features, like only one accessory mounting point. Consequently, they are less expensive as well. Look for AR15 models in the future.
They also have a new adapter to mount their V2 stock to an MP5.
Direct Action 2018 Catalog
March 10th, 2018
KAZAKHSTAN Testing 8X8 Combat Vehicle
March 9th, 2018Astana | 7 March 2018 – Paramount Group, the African-based global defence and aerospace company, and its joint venture in Kazakhstan, Kazakhstan Paramount Engineering (KPE), announced that the Ministry of Defence of Kazakhstan is in the final stages of the evaluation of the Barys 8×8 combat vehicle ahead of acceptance into service by the country’s armed forces.
The Barys (Snow Leopard in the Kazakh language) which is based on Paramount Group’s Mbombe 8 represents the pinnacle of land system technologies and was developed to meet the increasing demand for multi-role, high mobility and mine hardened platforms.
The winter trials included day and night firing and the Barys 8×8 vehicle was equipped with a Shipunov 2A42 30 mm automatic cannon and a 7.62mm machine gun jointly manufactured by Kazakhstan’s ‘KAE’, which manufactures electro-optic defence equipment and Turkish defence company, Aselsan.
Winter trails of Barys 8 started during early December 2017 with a series of intensive factory acceptance tests to finally evaluate and optimise the complete weapon system, platform and turret. The trails were conducted at a Military tank test polygon in central Kazakhstan.
Johan Delport, Director of the KPE factory in Astana said: “The most severe winter conditions prevailed during testing, similar to conditions found in Siberia. During this period the temperature dropped to -45 Celsius with a chill factor of minus 60 Celsius, resulting in serious challenges to man and machine while conquering up to 750mm of soft snow.
“During such conditions every smallest detail and subsystem could be evaluated extensively. Items such as glass heating for de-ice and de-misting, engine heating before starting, batteries, cabin heating, electrical functions, steering, and suspension have been successfully tested. The vehicle performed exceptionally throughout the trials.”
The design of this vehicle allows for the fitment of a very large array of weapon systems. This enables the vehicle to be customised for armed forces all around the world.
The weapon system has been evaluated during both day and night firing sessions, static as well as firing on the move using the stabilisation mode. The 30mm canon which has ranges beyond 2000 meters has been demonstrated successfully under the severe ambient conditions.
The 8×8 combat vehicle and other Paramount armoured vehicles will be produced at the 15,000m2 KPE armoured vehicle factory in Astana – the largest armoured vehicle factory in Central Asia and the first defence manufacturing plant with this scale of capability in Kazakhstan. It has a capacity of more than 200 vehicles per year for the production of the full range of Paramount’s armoured vehicles with bespoke modifications for local conditions.
Ivor Ichikowitz, Founder and Executive Chairman of Paramount Group said: “Building our combat vehicles through local partnerships in Kazakhstan shows that we can produce highly advanced technologies anywhere in the world. One of the most significant trends in today’s defence industry is the increasing requirement of sovereign nations to develop their own defence equipment.
“Building defence industrial eco systems, inside our customer countries, through strategic alliances have been the cornerstone of our industrial philosophy. Our partnerships have driven innovation, technology transfer, local manufacturing, skills development and jobs around the world.”
The Barys 8 is the winterised version of Paramount’s Mbombe 8 that employs an innovative new form of construction to give unprecedented levels of protection, while keeping profile to a minimum. The 8×8 also draws on the company’s experience of designing the highly advanced Mbombe family of armoured vehicles.
The Mbombe family of 4×4, 6×6 and 8×8 vehicles share over 80% of common components to reduce through life costs. This commonality offers significant cost benefits to armed forces due to greater efficiencies and significant savings in maintenance and logistical support.
In addition to the Barys, KPE has been ramping up production and deliveries of the Arlan (the localised version of Paramount Group’s Marauder APC) to the armed forces in Kazakhstan. In November 2017 Paramount Group delivered more Arlan armoured vehicles to Kazakhstan’s Special Forces. The latest delivery of the Arlan will see the vehicles in operation with the Ministry of Defence, Special Forces and other law enforcement agencies.
