FirstSpear TV

Blackwater To Change Hands Again? Apollo Global Negotiates to Buy Constellis

August 11th, 2016

Unless you follow the private security contractor business you probably don’t recognize the name Constellis, but chances are good you know Blackwater.

Blackwater started as a private training facility in the late 90s by former Navy SEAL, Erik Prince, the company was sold in 2010 under the name Xe, after becoming a contracting powerhouse, to investment firms Forte Capital Advisors LLC and Manhattan Strategic Ventures LLC. At that point they rebranded as ACADEMI. Then, in 2014, Forte Capital and Manhattan Strategic purchased Triple Canopy and created Constellis Holdings. Interestingly, the Training Center in Moyock, North Carolina, initially founded by Prince, is but a shadow of its former self and it seems as if the Triple Canopy management has taken over. Last year, Constellis bought Olive Group, making it even larger.

Now, Apollo Global Management LLC, a private equity company, is in negotiations to purchase Constellis in a deal said to be worth up to $1 Billion.

Camouflage – A WWII Training Film

August 11th, 2016

New Products From Arisaka Defense

August 11th, 2016

Arisaka Defense recently announced a line of four new USA-made products, including new low-pro Picatinny segments for M-LOK and KeyMod and a mount for Harris Bipods. Full details below.

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Low Profile Harris Bipod Picatinny Mount

Arisaka’s Low Profile Harris Bipod Picatinny Mount is a low-profile bipod mount for Harris S-Series bipods. It replaces the stock sling swivel interface with a minimalist Picatinny mount. Included with the mount is rotation limiters for 15 degrees of cant, and the mount is also compatible with pod lock levers. The mount weighs in at 1 oz. and is only 1.4″ in length, making it much less bulky than the stock mount.

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Made from 6061 aluminum and MIL-A-8625 Type III hard coat anodized.

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Low Profile Picatinny Rails for KeyMod and M-LOK

Designed for KeyMod and M-LOK handguards, these low-profile Picatinny rails feature a reduced height to pull accessories closer to the handguard. They feature three fasteners to spread the stress of larger accessories, such as bipods or vertical grips, over more slots on the rail.

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Made from 6061 aluminum and MIL-A-8625 Type III hard coat anodized.

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KeyMod QD Mount

The KeyMod QD Mount utilizes BCM’s reverse threaded KeyMod screws, and are just .167″ thick.

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Made from 7075 aluminum and MIL-A-8625 Type III hard coat anodized.

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Offset M620 Adapter

The Offset M620 Adapter allows SureFire’s M620 Scout Light to interface with the Arisaka Offset Scout Mount. The adapter preserves the height over rail and capability to adjust lateral positioning of the original mount. This provides increased clearance around front sights and other top rail mounted accessories.

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Made from 6061 aluminum and MIL-A-8625 Type III hard coat anodized.

arisakadefense.com

Mission Ready Names Paul Litchfield Chief Operating Officer

August 11th, 2016

VANCOUVER, B.C. – August 10, 2016 – Mission Ready Services Inc. (“Mission Ready” or the “Company”) (TSX-V: MRS) today announced that Paul Litchfield has been named Chief Operating Officer (“COO”) of the Company. Mr. Litchfield – a director of Mission Ready since November 2014 – has an extensive background associated with the Mission Ready portfolio and will be a critical leader in Mission Ready rapidly moving forward.

Rod Reum, President & CEO of Mission Ready states, “Paul’s operational expertise and leadership is invaluable to the Company and his expanded role is well timed as we focus on the manufacture of our innovative products such as the Ballistic Combat Shirt, Tactical Shield Cover and Electro Muscular Disruption technology, coupled now with our in house manufacturing capabilities, Paul’s time-proven abilities and track record of success will help refine our processes and catalyze the commercialization of our market-ready products.”

Paul began working in the athletic footwear industry at Reebok more than 30 years ago and is regarded as one of the most influential product creation experts in the industry. Mr. Litchfield has been responsible for numerous Reebok product innovations, one of the most noteworthy being the Pump. In 1998, Paul became President of Puma Footwear where he was responsible for product marketing, design and development for Puma’s global product line before returning to Reebok in 2000 as the Vice President of Reebok Advanced Concepts.

Paul received his B.S. degree in biochemistry from the University of New Hampshire and his M.S. degree in Exercise Science from the University of Massachusetts. He conducted post graduate research in human performance at the Institute of Offshore and Environmental Medicine in Aberdeen, Scotland.

Paul states, “I am honored to have this opportunity to work together with Rod Reum and the leadership team at Mission Ready. I am looking forward to applying my 30 years of experience in product development, brand building and manufacturing to this role at Mission Ready. As a director for the Company, I have had the privilege to get to know the exceptionally talented and dedicated people working in the different divisions of the Company. This is a very exciting time for us as we launch the Protect The Force brand of products. Everyone is poised for this next phase of growth and I am fortunate to be part of this excellent team.”

This Photo Is A Year Old

August 11th, 2016


How did I miss it?

SilencerCo – Harvested: Borderlands

August 11th, 2016

SilencerCo recently hunted aoudads with UFC Featherweight Fighter Chad Mendes, utilizing suppressed rifles and the assistance of expert guides. The full release can be read below:

HARVESTED

/?härv?st/

verb

past tense: harvested; past participle: harvested

to catch or hunt (animals) for consumption and use

Hunting. It’s a tradition. It’s a challenge. It’s a way to provide. We don’t just understand this–we live it. Hunting is a part of our lives just as much as it is a part of yours.

During World War II, American soldiers stationed off the Barbary Coast of Northern Africa discovered a native sheep species, known as the aoudad. Recognizing their potential as a game animal, they shipped them to Texas; Aoudads quickly proved to be an extremely challenging hunt for multiple reasons. Their keen sense of smell, hearing, and alertness to danger, combined with their capability to retain water from sparse vegetation and survive long periods of time without it, gives them the ability to live in rugged, dry habitats that are often too harsh for other animals.

We had the rare opportunity to scout the high desert terrain with UFC® Featherweight Fighter Chad Mendes in search of this elusive creature. Equipped with silenced rifles and accompanied by expert guides, we set off to reconnect with the wilderness and harvest some challenging game.

About Chad Mendes

Chad began wrestling at the age of five and continued the sport throughout high school and college until his competitive success led him to move to Sacramento and train with Team Alpha Male. Before turning pro, however, Mendes took home an impressive list of ranks and titles, including two-time PAC-10 Champ, two-time D-I NCAA All-American, and a second-degree black belt in wrestling. Now, after less than three years of professional fighting, Mendes has also earned seven wins by way of knockout, two wins by submission, a record of 4-0 in WEC with wins over Javier Vazquez, Cub Swanson, Anthony Morrison, and Erik Koch, and he has won six of his last nine fights. Mendes most recently founded Finz and Featherz, a hunting and guide service.

silencerco.com/harvested

The Evolution of the Caltrop

August 11th, 2016

SIG SAUER 9mm V-Crown Ammunition Named ‘Ammunition of the Year’ at the 1st Annual Firearms Industry Choice Awards

August 11th, 2016

Newington, NH (July 27, 2016) – SIG SAUER® 124gr 9mm V-Crown® Elite Performance Ammunition was named ‘Ammunition of the Year’ at the 1st Annual Firearms Industry Choice Awards held July 21-23, 2016 at the Rockcastle Shooting Center in Park City, Kentucky. Category winners were selected after a comprehensive live-fire test and evaluation process involving more than 65 firearms and firearms-related products. On May 23–25, 2016, a panel of 20 independent evaluators was assembled at the Rockcastle Shooting Center to test and assess the “Products of the Year” in seven different firearms-related categories. The evaluation team was selected based on their unbiased, extensive experience in a variety of shooting-related fields including law enforcement, military, gunsmithing, reloading, competition shooting, shooting instruction, retail, distribution, hunting and media.

In the ammunition category, the SIG SAUER 124gr 9mm V-Crown Elite Performance Ammunition ranked number one out of the 21 different brands and calibers that were tested head-to-head over three days. The evaluation team shot 2,000 rounds of the Elite Performance Ammunition through multiple guns and found it to the best of the best in the test. They judged each product on how well it fits into the product category position in the marketplace, loading, chambering and cycling, manufacturing consistency, performance, durability, and market appeal. Testers cited the SIG V-Crown’s smooth cycling, reliability, and consistency in addition to its attractive packaging and pricing.

The Firearms Industry Choice Awards is the brainchild of the management team at Rockcastle Shooting Center and David Power, who serves as vice president of sales at Oneida Molded Plastics.

“We felt the need to develop a more in-depth product testing process for firearms and firearm-related products and wanted to conduct the most comprehensive, unbiased product evaluation the industry has ever seen,” said Nathan Noble, co-owner/ co-founder of the Rockcastle Shooting Center. “The experts who willingly gave of their time to be on the test panel and numerous manufacturers who submitted product indicate they concur, and the results will help guide consumers as they assess future product purchases, and just as importantly, help guide the manufacturers in what is driving the purchase of their products.”

The evaluation team for the 2016 Firearms Industry Choice Awards collectively has:
– 151 years of military and law enforcement experience
– 138 years as instructor / rangemaster / coach
– 67 years of gunsmith and related experience
– 64 years of retail, retail services and distribution
– 24 years as media
– 346 years of recreational hunting and shooting
– 288 years of participation in competitive shooting sports

Each phase of the Industry Choice Awards including the evaluation, the Inaugural Firearms Industry Team Challenge, and the Industry Choice Awards Banquet and Celebration was covered extensively by Recoil magazine and Down Range TV with Michael Bane. Future issues and episodes of each will feature details of the Industry Choice Awards and the products chosen as Products of the Year.

“We are truly honored to have the SIG 9mm V-Crown ammunition recognized as the best ammunition of the year by this team of industry professionals,” said Dan Powers, president of the SIG SAUER Ammunition Division. “Every caliber we make – whether for personal defense, hunting, competition or target shooting – goes through our rigorous testing process to ensure the highest quality and reliability. The SIG V-Crown personal defense ammunition was designed for ultimate stopping power thanks to its consistent, controlled expansion with exceptional on-target energy, maximum weight retention and superior penetration. We deeply appreciate the time the evaluation team took to test the SIG V-Crown ammunition and are glad they had a chance to experience its reliability and performance firsthand.”

All Elite Performance Ammunition is manufactured in the United States by SIG SAUER to the same exacting standards as the company’s premium pistols and rifles. For more information, visit www.sigammo.com.

Follow SIG SAUER on social media, including Facebook at www.facebook.com/sigsauerinc, Instagram at www.instagram.com/sigsauerinc, and YouTube at www.youtube.com/user/sigsauerinc.