GORE-TEX Defense Fabrics’ All Weather Integrated Clothing System

SIG SAUER Issues Voluntary Upgrade of P320 Pistol

August 9th, 2017

P320 pistol meets requirements for industry and government safety standards; performance enhancements optimize function, safety, and reliability.

Newington, NH (August 8, 2017) – The P320 meets U.S. standards for safety, including the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) / Sporting Arms Ammunition Manufacturers’ Institute, Inc. (SAAMI®), National Institute of Justice (NIJ), as well as rigorous testing protocols for global military and law enforcement agencies.

The design of the SIG SAUER P320 overcomes the most significant safety concern in striker- fired pistols today: the practice of pressing the trigger for disassembly. This can be performed with a round in the chamber which has resulted in numerous incidents of property damage, physical injury, and death. The disassembly process of the P320, however, uses a take-down lever rather than pressing the trigger, eliminating the possibility of discharge during the disassembly process.

Recent events indicate that dropping the P320 beyond U.S. standards for safety may cause an unintentional discharge.

As a result of input from law enforcement, government and military customers, SIG has developed a number of enhancements in function, reliability, and overall safety including drop performance. SIG SAUER is offering these enhancements to its customers. Details of this program will be available at sigsauer.com on Monday, August 14, 2017.

The M17 variant of the P320, selected by the U.S. Government as the U.S. Army’s Modular Handgun System (MHS), is not affected by the Voluntary Upgrade.

“SIG SAUER is committed to our approach on innovation, optimization, and performance, ensuring we produce the finest possible products,” said Ron Cohen, President and CEO of SIG SAUER. “Durability, reliability and safety, as well as end-user confidence in the SIG SAUER brand are the priorities for our team.”

For more information on SIG SAUER, please visit us at sigsauer.com.

SIG SAUER Acknowledges P320 Trigger Issues With -30deg Drop, M17 MHS Unaffected, Announces Voluntary P320 Upgrade

August 8th, 2017

In response to recent internet reporting on the safety of the SIG SAUER P320, the company invited us, and other members of the gun media, to their facility in New Hampshire to address the issues. Because the US Army’s new M17/18 Modular Handgun System is based on the commercial SIG P320, I wanted to find out if the M17 is safe for use by service members.

Bottom Line Up Front – SIG acknowledges that the commercial P320, used by armed citizens and members of Law Enforcement, may unintentionally discharge if dropped at a -30deg angle. Consequently, they will be offering a voluntary upgrade. SIG is hiring additional customer service reps to work on this. As I will discuss below, this issue does NOT affect the M17/18 Modular Handgun System.

Initially, the group met with CEO, Ron Cohen. He was very direct and got right at the heart of the matter. Cohen began by stating, “SIG spends a lot of money on developing and producing products.” He went on, “We spend more on product development and testing than anyone else in industry. Most companies spend between 1.1-1.3%, but we spend 4% of our budget on product development.”

“Our customers make us who we are. They constantly drive us to make ourselves better.”

Ron Cohen

“The conversation of safety is complex,” said Cohen, “It has many layers.” For years, Ron Cohen didn’t want to develop a striker fired pistol. He worried about safety in disassembly as well as accidental discharges and didn’t want to disassemble the handgun by pulling the trigger. Consequently, it took 10 years to design and build a striker fired pistol. Instead, they relied on their tried and true SA/DA architecture.

“Drop safe,” Cohen explained, “Those two words don’t exist together. No gun is drop safe. It’s a function of angle, height and surface. If you build it completely drop safe, you legitimize mishandling. Inherently guns are not meant to be dropped, and are unsafe when dropped.”

All SIG pistols, including the P320 are tested to the following industry and government standards: ANSI/SAAMI, NIJ, FBI/DOJ, TOP, Massachusetts, and California DOJ as well as various others. They are very specific tests, most of which are conducted by outside labs. The P320 has passed all of those tests. Unfortunately, they don’t test the pistol’s performance when dropped at a -30deg unto concrete. They could drop test a pistol in every conceivable combination of angles on three axes, but that’s 46,000,000 different ways. Consequently, manufacturers build to a standard.

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When asked if the existing testing protocols were good enough, Tom Taylor, Executive Vice President of Commercial Sales replied, “not for us.”

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To that end, SIG engineers spent the weekend conducting 2,200 drops using 11 pistols across three different test protocols. They included dropping the pistol at a -30deg angle.  Interestingly, they learned that a beavertail doesn’t completely mitigate the danger of an unintentional discharge but it does help by absorbing some of the impact. 

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We were able to examine the test apparatus and demonstrated three drops each with three compact P320s equipped with the Enhanced Trigger.  There were zero unintentional discharges.  

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While the MHS passed DoD’s TOP 3-2-045 test with the trigger currently in the commercial P320, SIG proposed an enhanced trigger via Engineering Change Request E0005. As it didn’t result in additional cost to the government and only improved the firearm’s performance, M17s currently being delivered to the US Army have this trigger. Additionally, this trigger also eliminates the “double click” felt during P320 trigger pull.

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Although SIG was already working toward introducing the MHS-inspired Enhanced Trigger to the P320, this -30deg drop issue has hastened their effort. They have lightened the Trigger, Striker and Sear by about 30% overall and added a Disconnect (commercial only, not MHS). The trigger pull weight is unaffected, but rather the trigger part actually weighs less. The reason they lightened those parts is to mitigate the momentum gained by the heavier parts during a drop.

Taylor laid it out, “There is a vulnerability with the P320 at the -30deg drop.” They plan to incorporate the trigger enhancements for the M17 into the P320. They’d been working on them, but implementation wasn’t imminent. Based on what they’ve found, that has been accelerated. Details on their voluntary upgrade program will follow soon.

I want to put this perspective. Since it’s introduction in 2014, they’ve sold around 500,000 P320s. There are three recorded cases of unintended discharges in LE channels . There is one additional commercial incident which I am familiar with but was not formally reported to SIG. That’s four known incidents from 500,000 weapons, many of which are used on a daily basis. Additionally, those incidents have all been within the last year.

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Tom Taylor finished up with this statement, “We believe it’s the safest striker fired pistol on the market. We built it to address the most dangerous scenario.”

My take is that despite building their pistols to industry standards, SIG has acknowledged the issue and is taking steps to fix it. They didn’t waste any time. They’ve stopped commercial production of the P320 and are concentrating on the upgrade. It’s going to be more than just swapping parts. The slide and frame will need some work as well so the pistol will need to go back to SIG. Details will soon follow on how to participate in the voluntary upgrade program.

US Army Soldiers Take Top Honors At 2017 NRA National Smallbore Rifle Championships

August 8th, 2017

FAIRFAX, Va. – The National Rifle Association continued the proud tradition of the NRA National Matches, hosting the 2017 NRA National Smallbore Rifle Championships in March at the Desert Sharpshooters Rifle Club in Phoenix, Arizona, and in July at Chief Wa-Ke’-De Rifle Range in Bristol, Indiana.

For more than 100 years, the NRA National Matches have represented the pinnacle of competitive shooting, drawing the best military and civilian marksmen, professionals and amateurs alike, from across the globe to showcase their shooting skills and earn their place in history. The NRA congratulates the following individuals for their championship performances in our premier smallbore shooting competition:

2017 NRA National Conventional Prone Champion
U.S. Army Sgt. 1st Class Hank Gray

2017 NRA National Metric Prone Champion
U.S. Army Sgt. 1st Class Eric Uptagrafft

2017 NRA National Conventional 3-Position Champion
U.S. Army Spc. Patrick Sunderman

2017 NRA National Metric 3-Position Champion
U.S. Army Sgt. 1st Class Mike McPhail

Additionally, the NRA congratulates the recipients of the 2017 Iron Man awards. The Iron Man awards are presented to the highest scorers of the combined conventional prone, conventional position, and metric position championships.

The 2017 Iron Man award recipients are:

1st Place: U.S. Army Sgt. 1st Class Mike McPhail

2nd Place: U.S. Army Staff Sgt. George Norton

3rd Place: U.S. Army Spc. Patrick Sunderman

The NRA thanks the following sponsors for their partnership in supporting this year’s championship: Berger Bullets, Columbia River Knife & Tool (CRKT), ELEY Ammunition, Krieger Barrels, Lapua, LensPen, OTIS, SIG SAUER, SK, and Vihtavuori. In addition, the NRA thanks the St. Joseph Valley Gun Club in Bristol and the Desert Sharpshooters Rifle Club in Phoenix for their support in hosting the 2017 NRA Smallbore Rifle Championships.

For more information about the NRA Smallbore Rifle Championships, NRA National Matches, and other NRA Competitive Shooting programs and events, visit competitions.nra.org.

New Propper Series 300 Berry Compliant Boot

August 8th, 2017

St. Charles, MO — Propper International introduced their newest boot, the Berry Amendment and AR 670-1 compliant Series 300, a rugged mil-spec pair that stands up to the rigors of active duty in the toughest conditions.

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“Our extensive experience as a defense contractor helped us anticipate the needs of soldiers in the field as we designed the new Series 300,” said Joe Ruggeri, Senior Vice President of Merchandising and Product Development.

For 50 years, Propper International has made uniforms for the military. From the original Dixie cup caps for the Navy in 1967 to a full line of ACUs and BDUs (over 120 million strong), Propper has been synonymous with military wear for half a century.

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This is Propper’s third new AR 670-1 boot in 2017, coming on the heels of the Series 100 Waterproof in January and a new US Army contract in April.

Built in Propper’s Puerto Rico factory, the Series 300 features a Vibram® dual density rubber outsole with oil- and slip-resistant self-cleaning lugs made from V40 rubber compound permanently fused to a dedicated fast-rope slot.

The inside of the Series 300 is lined with a comfortable memory foam insert wrapped in an antimicrobial fabric cover to help reduce order buildup.

The upper is constructed from USA-sourced flesh-out cattle hide, mesh, and Dri-Lex® moisture management lining bound by quadruple stitching in stress areas, all tied together with a US MIL-SPEC speed lace system.

Learn more about the new Series 300 www.propper.com/footwear/propper-series-300-boot.

TYR Tactical Tuesday – NTOA

August 8th, 2017

The TYR Tactical® Innovate or Die® Tour is proud to announce its participation in NTOA. Get hands-on with the latest TYR Tactical®, Huron™ and Revere K9™ designs. Following our mantra, Innovate or Die®, these products continue our mission of pushing the standards of today’s tactical equipment, defining modularity and scalability and are custom made for you, The Next Generation Warrior®. Want to set up a meeting? Email us at info@tyrtactical.com.


What is the TYR Tactical® Innovate or Die® Tour & Mobile Showroom?
We understand that to create Mission-Adaptable Gear, one has to spend a tremendous amount of time and resources on R&D – making sure that the feel, comfort and ergonomics of our products are right for our customers. To better serve this mission we have created the TYR Tactical® Mobile Showroom. This completely custom 44’ trailer was designed to travel across the country so we can better show our complete breadth of products. For the first time customers will have a hands-on experiences with TYR Tactical® Pouches, Body Armor, Belts, Revere K9™ Products and Huron™ Clothing & Packs. They will also get a chance to view products before their release and provide feedback on existing products.

Outdoor Research Bolsters Commitment to American Manufacturing

August 8th, 2017

I’ve been using Outdoor Research products for over two decades. They offer they gold standard in handwear. What’s more, it’s Berry compliant. The company has always made clothing, but when told me they wanted to expand into tactical clothing I was super excited. Their initial stab at it included new colorways for their most popular commerical items and proved promising, but I was blown away but what I saw earlier this year, at SHOT Show, 2017.

The Integrated Apparel System offers some fantastic components. In particular, I’m impressed by their adoption of GORE-TEX Fabric with Stretch Technology for the Infiltrator Jacket and Pant. It shows a lot when a company invests in a new technology to introduce new capabilities, and without a requirement from the field.


Times are tough for the tactical clothing industry. Demand is down. The supply chain is feeling the pressure. This is when companies fold. I’m happy to see OR’s continued commitment to making the most of their industry partnerships to offer innovative tactical clothing systems and accessories.

Seattle-based Manufacturing for Military and Tactical Markets

SEATTLE, Wash. (August 7, 2017) – Outdoor Research, Inc. (OR), a leader in the outdoor and tactical apparel industry, announced today the company’s expanded commitment to U.S. manufacturing and additional investment in R&D efforts focused on the tactical market. As part of this growth, Outdoor Research will be adding new personnel with a primary focus on military and tactical business development.

This commitment comes simultaneously as the brand releases its most sophisticated apparel program to date in the tactical market, the Outdoor Research Integrated Apparel System™ (IAS). The IAS is a 13-piece tactical apparel collection designed so that it each piece layers well on top of the other, allowing complete freedom of movement. It can be used as a complete layering program or mixed and matched as needed to accommodate a huge range of temperatures and environments.

Highly respected in the outdoor industry for developing functional solutions for extreme environments, Outdoor Research has a history of successfully leveraging the best commercial market technologies to serve the needs of the armed services and first responders. Over the past year the company has conducted a comprehensive review of the U.S. supply chain and is in active development with textile mills and materials providers to expand and elevate the capabilities of products that are 100-percent American-made.

The Outdoor Research company mission is rooted in mountain environments and OR products are purpose-built for the rigorous physical demands these landscapes require. Since 1981, Outdoor Research has engineered products to help outdoor adventurers respond to the challenges presented by the wild outdoors. OR’s decades of first-hand experience developing and manufacturing products that provide capability in uncompromising situations has provided the backdrop from which the tactical team was born. OR tactical products, including the new IAS line, have been improved through cross-pollination from user groups, including the elite communities of military, law enforcement, and government agencies.

The Outdoor Research Tactical Team is dedicated to developing product through the lens of the Elite end user, focusing on solving problems and engineering mission-specific capability across all categories: handwear systems, apparel, and accessories.

Over the last two years, OR has made significant capital investments designed to improve and modernize its Seattle factory. These investments allow Outdoor Research to take advantage of the company’s global knowledge of design, materials, and innovative manufacturing techniques while producing the next generation of tactical and outdoor products at its facility in Seattle. OR has continued to accelerate its product-development cycle, allowing the latest innovations to be rapidly fielded to the end user, and helping increase the mobility and protection of soldiers, sailors, airmen, marines and law-enforcement officers in the process.

The latest examples of this rapid innovation process are the Integrated Apparel System™ and the launch of the Modular Glove System™ (MGS) with 3D Fit Technology™. The IAS system is a complete apparel system – waterproof shells, insulation, softshells, windshells, and base layers. It includes the paradigm-shattering Infiltrator Jacket™, which is designed for maximum athleticism, comfort, and user protection. The Infiltrator employs an innovative new GORE-TEX® waterproof/breathable stretch fabric. With the Infiltrator, Outdoor Research is one of the first to use this material.

“Developing cutting-edge Military and Tactical products was a key part of the business back when I arrived at Outdoor Research in 2003, and it’s been an integral part of what has allowed us to maintain and build upon the domestic manufacturing capabilities that OR has always had,” said CEO Dan Nordstrom. “We’re proud of the level of innovation we’re bringing to Military and Tactical, and we are proud that we’ve been able to bring American manufacturing to the table to support those markets.”

Outdoor Research’s competitive advantage lies within the human resources in Seattle that design, develop, engineer, and manufacture the company’s offering. Outdoor Research is committed to expanding its Tactical Team to bring more focus on the end user and will continue to create jobs while investing in American manufacturing to answer the diverse needs of the warfighter and peacekeeper.

“This investment underscores our ongoing focus at Outdoor Research on how we can continue to build better products for the Military and Tactical markets,” said Michelle Wardian, President of Outdoor Research. “We look forward to continuing to seize opportunities tied to our longtime commitment to American manufacturing.”

Learn more at www.outdoorresearch.com/gov/us/en.

INVISIO Awarded Two-Year Contract from the US Department of Defense and Receives First Order of USD 7.4 million

August 8th, 2017

INVISIO (IVSO) has been awarded a two-year IDIQ (Indefinite Delivery, Indefinite Quantity) contract from the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) for communication and hearing protection systems. The award is for up to USD 13 million and the first order has been received for USD 7.4 million. Initial deliveries are expected to take place in 2017. This is the first direct award for the INVISIO US subsidiary since it’s formulation in late 2016.

The DoD has awarded INVISIO a two-year contract for the supply of advanced communications and hearing protection systems to American forces. The INVISIO systems provide enhanced communication capabilities in noisy environments while protecting the users hearing, which gives operational benefits and increased security for the users.

www.invisio.com

Team Room Designs

August 8th, 2017

Founded by Special Forces Veterans, Team Room Designs was born in an SF team room to provide legacy gifts to fellow teammates and brothers/sisters in arms. They specialize in woodwork and have done quite a bit with rustic flag designs.

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www.teamroomdesignsllc.com