XC3 Weaponlight

The Firearm Blog Reports French to Adopt HK416

August 14th, 2012

20120814-113449.jpg
This is a Norwegian issue HK416

The Firearm Blog has posted a story that the French Army is preparing to drop the home grown FAMAS (Fusil d’Assaut de la Manufacture d’Armes de Saint-Étienne) F1 bullpup design in use since the 70s for the piston driven HK416. Due to their unofficial source they have advised all to treat it as rumor for now.

20120814-113554.jpg
FAMAS F1

One interesting factoid about the FAMAS is that the French have to use steel cases ammo with it due to its delayed blowback design that is is too rough on brass cases.

AEX Commercial

August 14th, 2012

When I was out in LA I stopped by to see some of my industry friends. One of the visits was with Airsoft Extreme or AEX. They are some great folks and are up to a lot more than just airsoft. They showed me this commercial as well as a long cut they’ll be releasing soon. One of the cool things about being in LA is that they have access to video production capabilities that aren’t everywhere. Whether you are an airsoft fan or not, it’s cool to see how much work went into putting together the props for this shoot, just like in a Hollywood production. What’s more, you might be surprised who was involved in this production.

If anything, enjoy it for art’s sake. I do.

www.airsoftextreme.com

TYR August Promo

August 14th, 2012

20120813-200739.jpg

TYR Tactical has announced their August promo. Deals include the PICO plate carrier and BROKOS belt. You can get 15% off a PICO 1, 2 or 3 with T34 armor package as well as a free 5.56 internal mag pouch as well as a free small sustainment pouch. The other deal is for 15% off a BROKOS belt or X-frame BROKOS belt along with 15% off an internal belt and receive a free combat adjustable mag pouch.

www.tyrtactical.com

The US Navy SEAL Survival Handbook

August 14th, 2012

20120813-173426.jpg

The latest title to ride the SEAL tsunami is “The US Navy SEAL Survival Handbook.” I haven’t even read the thing yet, but I can reliably say that a Navy SEAL isn’t going to drop any special SERE sauce on you. At least not simply by virtue of being a SEAL. It just isn’t what they do for a living. However, author Don Mann was not only a SEAL but also served as a SERE instructor while in the Navy and that makes what he has to say worth checking out. It’s just too bad that it’s being sold as a SEAL book rather than as a survival guide written by a SERE instructor. Topics include: Making weapons and tools, Finding water, Wildlife for food, Making shelters, Signaling, and Sea survival. I’m a big fan of survival topics so I look forward to checking it out.

www.amazon.com

“Navy SEAL Tips: Fundamentals of Marksmanship” by Brandon Webb

August 13th, 2012

Navy SEAL Brandon Webb has just released a new ebook (kindle) entitled “Navy SEAL Tips: Fundamentals of Marksmanship.” It is one of three titles in his new “Navy SEAL Tips” series. As many of you know, Brandon is the Editor of SOFREP.com and the author of the bestselling autobiography, “The Red Circle.” The information was inspired by the recent, tragic events in Aurora, CO and are an expansion of the article Brandon published on SOFREP on the issue. It’s important to note that these aren’t full length books but rather short guides, laden with tips. From what I understand, Brandon plans a full library of these handbooks covering a wide range of topics.

The full line of handbooks includes –

Navy SEAL Tips:

How To Survive an Active Shooter

Marksmanship Fundamentals

Becoming A SEAL Sniper

Now That’s One Tough Dude

August 13th, 2012

The other day the SOCOM PAO ran a story about Army MSG Mike Morton, an ultramarathoner who won the Badwater Run. This guy is amazing. He is 5’4″ and weighs a buck-thirty. According to SOCOM the “Badwater Ultramarathon – a 135-mile race from Death Valley to Mt. Whitney in California. This was his first Badwater, and he completed the course in 22 hours, 52 minutes, 55 seconds, a time that was just shy of the 22:51:29 course record. The Badwater Ultramarathon starts off at 280 feet below sea level, and ends at an approximate altitude of 8,300 feet.”

I don’t want to steal their thunder, but rather alert you to this amazing story, so go read it here.

Some Amplification on Info Regarding the Baseplate for the Upcoming M3 PMAG from Magpul

August 13th, 2012

Last week I published an article with lots of great info on Magpul’s upcoming M3 PMAG. Originally, Magpul had planned on offering a standard baseplate (or floorplate) as well as an accessory ‘slimline’ baseplate. However, they’ve abandoned this approach and gone with an all new, single design.

Here you can see the original design.

And the new style. Notice the improved interface between baseplate and magazine body.

20120805-191206.jpg

I’ve had a couple of offline discussions about the new baseplate design and I keep hearing people use the term “compromise” when they ask me about it. Well, I’m going to throw that word right out of the window because to me, “compromise” means they gave something up. From my perspective, that isn’t the case at all. Rather, they looked at both variants they had developed prior to SHOT Show and in testing over the past few months, developed a new baseplate for the magazine. For one thing, this baseplate slides on from the rear. It’s also a low profile design but you can still get a grip on it and the design offers a slight rand all around the base of the magazine but it’s not so pronounced that it causes issues with mag pouches.

www.Magpul.com

SOTech Exhibiting at Military Health Systems Research Symposium

August 13th, 2012

SOTech will be at Military Health Systems Research Symposium (MHSRS) this week displaying new innovations to their medical panels and packs making the pouches interchangeable and quick disconnect for grab-and-go medicine. SOTech’s Rapid Access Modular Medical Panel (RAMMP) and Sliver Panel (ISMB) are standard issue and found on the walls of hospitals and medical vehicles throughout the DOD. Following the SOTech Mission Pack modularity concept, SOTech presented the SOTech Medical System Total Battle Space Solution where packs and panels from the medic to the ground vehicle to the water craft to the aircraft and into the hospital have interchangeable modular medical pouches using interchangeable high visibility labels. This promotes continuity of care, identification, and supply. The quick disconnect features follow SOTech’s go bag concept promoting leaving bulky items on the vehicles and sending runners back to grab and go specialty and resupply items from organizer panels and drop them into go bags for return into the fight. These panels interact with the other SOTech medical packs, IFAKs, and kits that are issue items of the Special Operations Forces Medical Equipment Sets (SOF-MES) which are standard issue to deploying 18 Deltas, and other SOF medical operators and now are seen issued through DLA to medical units throughout the military.

SOLAR modules, cable release pouches, tools organizers, pill dispensers, small organizer pouches and vinyl windowed pouches are also being added to SOTech’s offerings. Ironically, SOTech’s original RAMMP panels integrated vinyl windows, but the Army nixed the idea for fear of drying and cracking. But now because of demand from other branches of service, SOTech is reintroducing the windows as an option.

Also in production are series of MOLLE/PALS panels custom cut to fit the special vehicle walls. You can see SOTech tags on these panels mounted in some MRAP vehicles, Navy SBT water craft, Coast Guard helicopters, and other platforms. These pouches disconnect adapters and label systems interconnect and promote continuity across all of these platforms.

Check out SOTech in booth #84 at Military Health System Research Symposium (MHSRS) this week in Fort Lauderdale. For information on designing panels to mount to your vehicles systems, contact clark@specopstech.com.

www.SpecOpsTech.com