This video, shown at a Concussion Summit sponsored by Case Western University and Team Wendy, was made to honor Dan Moore and Team Wendy. It details the origin of the Team Wendy name, as well as Team Wendy’s ongoing efforts in the development of helmet systems. It’s some great background, and if you’ve ever been curious about the Team Wendy name, here’s your answer.
Hardcore Hardware Australia has released the CTT-O1 Compact Tactical Tomahawk. It is a compact Tomahawk designed as a multipurpose tool suited for MOE, CQB, Rescue, and Survival. The CTT-01 is constructed from D2 tool steel with a low-viz Teflon coating, and G10 grip scales. It features a large cutting head and a tanto spike for prying and penetration. The handle pomel features a lanyard hole for attachment to a carabiner or rope fastening point. The CTT-01 also comes with an ambidextrous Kydex sheath with pre-fitted Molle-Loks for mounting to most popular assault platforms.
Specs
Available in Black, Desert, and Graphite.
hardcorehardware.com.au/hardware/ctt01
Columbia, SC, December 22, 2015 – Panteao Productions is happy to announce the filming of four new videos for the Make Ready to Survive Series. The Panteao film crew traveled to Jackson, OH and spent time with Dave Canterbury at his facility filming a series dedicated to blacksmithing. Each video builds upon the previous one, from what you need to start blacksmithing to creating simple tools and finally making your own fixed blade knife and axe. We enjoyed filming these videos and think you will like them too. Dave walks you through all the blacksmithing steps in a clear and methodical approach that will help you to start hammering steel.
These titles are currently in post-production status and being edited. They can be pre-ordered from the Panteao website with a 10% savings while they are in pre-order status.
We will also be announcing very soon an auction where the winner will receive the Viking Axe and Knife created by Dave in the videos. The folks at Battle Horse Knives also supported our project by creating custom sheaths for both the knife and axe. Proceeds from the auction will be donated to the Autism Society.
Greek company Barrel Advanced Armament recently posted the above photo of the Glock 17 MOS on their Facebook page, stating that the featured pistols were procured for a “special user”. The Glocks are equipped with a Docter RDS, unidentified suppressor, and in the case of the bottom pistol, a Streamlight TLR-1 HL weapon light. A source who wished to remain anonymous stated that the pistols are intended for a special unit that cooperates with US Federal Agencies, but gave no further details.
Platatac has introduced their new KRAIT pants. Constructed from a hard wearing cotton drill fabric, many of you will like these because they don’t incorporate cargo pockets. Instead, there’s a low-profile bessom pocket for phones as well as reinforcement for knife and light clips on the hand pockets.
Offered in Grey, Khaki and Olive.
www.platatac.com/platatac-krait-pants
Geissele Automatics has given us a peak at what they’ll be releasing at SHOT Show.
They’ve been making optic mounts for a DOD customer since the Spring of this year and these mounts will be available in 2016.
There’s also a new ambidextrous charging handle and Aimpoint T1/T2 mount.
Finally, there’s an optic mount for the 50 BMG.
Earlier this week, Smith & Wesson’s lawyers sent out a slew of Cease & Desist letters to companies that made modification to their M&P line of pistols as part of the Brownell’s M&P Dream Gun project. Specifically, S&W was concerned over use of their trademark.
It has recently come to Smith & Wesson’s attention that you have developed and are promoting for sale an “M&P Dream Gun,” (the “Infringing Product”). To create this product, you have modified an authentic Smith & Wesson M&P 9mm pistol by, inter alia, changing the grip texture and shape, machining the slide, and adding numerous accessories and replacement parts, while retaining the S&W Logo on the product. The December 18, 2015 Apex press release announcing this product and explaining Apex’s intent to exhibit the Infringing Product at the January 2016 SHOT Show exhibition is attached to this correspondence as Exhibit B. The numerous alterations made to the original design of Smith & Wesson’s firearms constitute not only unauthorized modifications to Smith & Wesson’s proprietary designs and misuse of Smith & Wesson’s trademarks, but present significant safety and quality concerns. Indeed, these modifications void the Smith & Wesson factory warranty on these products. Your advertisement and display of the Infringing Product to promote your gunsmithing services, and other products and services, constitutes misuse of Smith & Wesson’s trademarks and must cease.
But that wasn’t all. They went on to make some rather serious demands.
These intellectual property and safety and quality concerns are extremely serious and demand your immediate attention. Accordingly, we demand that you:
1. Confirm in writing that neither you nor any third party will display the Infringing Product, or any similar product, at the 2016 SHOT Show or make any other commercial display or promotion of such Infringing Product;
2. Cease the sale of any firearm modified by you or any other third party that bears any Smith & Wesson trademark, including, but not limited to the S&W® Marks or the M&P® Marks;
and3. Turn over to Smith & Wesson your inventory of the Infringing Product, or any Smith & Wesson product modified by you in the first instance that bears any mark owned by Smith & Wesson.
If we do not hear from you by January 5, 2015, Smith & Wesson will pursue its rights and remedies to the fullest extent permitted by law without further notice to you.
Naturally, these letters hit the internet and the backlash was swift. Fortunately for S&W they jumped on the grenade and have released a joint statement with Brownell’s.
Smith & Wesson, Brownells Clarify Brownells/Apex Dream Gun Issue James Debney, President and CEO of Smith & Wesson, said, “I would like to clarify that we fully support the Brownells Dream Guns Project and we appreciate that it showcases the many ways in which our customers – loyal fans of our M&P brand – can choose to customize their M&P firearms. Our decision to contact the companies that worked on the project was intended to protect the trademarks that support the M&P brand. When a product bears the Smith & Wesson and M&P trademarks and is purchased new with our lifetime service policy, we want to be sure that the consumer knows it has passed our demanding quality standards. In our efforts to protect that promise and to preserve the brand that we and our customers cherish, we did not fully understand the intent of the Dream Guns® Project and we overlooked the opportunity to convey our enthusiasm for the creativity and innovation that Brownells and all of the companies involved have demonstrated. We look forward to seeing the firearm on display at the upcoming SHOT Show in January and at the NRA in May.”
“Yesterday I spoke with James Debney, President of Smith & Wesson, who called me regarding the M&P Brownells/Apex Dream Gun®,” said Matt Buckingham, Brownells President. “It was a simple misunderstanding about the intention of the project. He made it clear that Smith & Wesson is excited to have their product featured in this fun and unique way. For our part, we are honored to include it in our Dream Gun lineup. Smith & Wesson is a legendary brand in this industry and we continue to be proud partners with them.”
Brownells Dream Guns are inspirational firearm builds to provide customization options and ideas for customers who may wish to personalize their own firearms. The guns are not sold as is, and are used on Brownells’ website and at tradeshows to display Brownells’ wide selection of items available to customize firearms.
To view Brownells’ full listing of Brownells Dream Guns, visit the Dream Gun Page at Brownells.com.
What’s so ridiculous about this entire “misunderstanding” is that it could have been prevented with a simple phone call. S&W needs to seriously reconsider its relationship with its current legal counsel. These boneheaded C&D letters have cost them immeasurably in customer goodwill and made them look like buffoons. Other brands take note. Don’t pull a Smith & Wesson; especially right before SHOT Show.
Yesterday, Stag Arms President pleaded guilty to a single felony count of possession of an unregistered machine gun. In the plea deal, Malkowski agreed to step down as well as sell the New Britian, Connecticut-based company in addition to paying a fine of $100,000. Stag Arms not only surrendered its FFL to manufacture, Malkowski will also no longer be able to own a firearms company.
Today, Malkowski is scheduled to plead guilty in US District Court in New Haven to a misdemeanor count of failure to maintain firearms records.
Stag Arms’ issues were first noted during a routine ATF inspection in July 2014 where they found numerous record keeping errors as well as missing machine guns which turned out to be either unregistered or misregistered. Most of the issues revolve around a failure to serialize receivers which must be accomplished within seven days of manufacture.
Stag Arms issued this statement:
NEW BRITAIN – Tuesday, December 22, 2015 – “Stag Arms, LLC today announced that the company and its founder, Mark Malkowski, have reached a resolution with government officials stemming from an investigation that began last year relating primarily to the timing of recordkeeping during the manufacturing process and compliance with federal firearms manufacturing and registration requirements. Both Stag Arms and Mr. Malkowski cooperated fully with the government throughout the investigation. While both Stag Arms and Mr. Malkowski believe that public safety was never compromised, they have agreed to enter guilty pleas and to pay significant fines, because doing so is in the best interests of the company and its employees. Mr. Malkowski has also agreed to transition the business to new ownership and is in advanced talks with a potential buyer. Mr. Malkowski will continue as a marketing consultant to the business and the industry for a period of time following the sale. Stag Arms takes its obligations to comply with all laws and regulations very seriously and has made comprehensive changes to ensure that similar problems cannot happen again and that best compliance practices are maintained in all of its operations.”
– Stag Arms, LLC
