Tactical Distributor is covering your hands during this week’s tax sale. Get 17% off brands such as Wiley X, CamelBak, and Mechanix Wear February 20 – 22.
Get yours at www.tacticaldistributors.com
Tactical Distributors Tax Refund Sale Week 3 – Gloves
February 20th, 2012Oh Yeah, I Almost Forgot – Army Fields M26 Shotgun
February 20th, 2012Last week, the US Army officially fielded the M26 Modular Accessory Shotgun System to elements of the 101st Abn Div. This is 2012. I fired it in 2004 when I was still on active duty and it wasn’t exactly brand new when I shot it at APG during a PEO Soldier range day. To put your mind in the right frame of reference, I also fired an XM8 on that day as well as a few other goodies.
(US Army photo by Sgt. Joe Padula, 2nd BCT PAO, 101st ABN Div)
The M26 is a derivative of the C-More Systems Lightweight Shotgun System manufactured by Vertu Corporation.
There are already some out there but I’m not sure why is took so long to pull the trigger this thing. As more and more troops receive it, I fully expect to hear the howls of those who have to carry this thing. It’s a good idea, just poorly executed. Don’t get me wrong, there are a couple of cool things going on here. For example, that big muzzle brake is actually there to aid the shooter in setting his stand off for breaching rounds. Unfortunately, it’s also got a lot of fleas. For one thing, it is magazine fed which will get in the way, so most guys will only load it when it is needed for breaching. Also, it’s a specialty magazine. Supply will become an issue.
(US Army photo by Sgt. Joe Padula, 2nd BCT PAO, 101st ABN Div)
But, the big issue is how it works. There is a collapsible charging handle on the side of the weapon (it can be configured for left or right hand operation) and every time you want to fire it, you have to manually charge it. Sure, it has a standalone stock, but then you get back to the action and magazine issues.
JuggerBrake
February 20th, 2012
The JuggerBrake is a product of Juggernaut Tactical, makers of the Rogue Bullpup Stock for the M14/M1A. It is a dual purpose muzzle brake, designed for long range accuracy and Close Quarter Battle (CQB).
As you can see from this unfinished sample, the three spike Air-Blade design forces gases away from the ground reducing the muzzle blast signature as well as reducing recoil and muzzle climb. It also happens to be pretty nasty and can be used for glass breaching and raking in a pinch (beware blockages) or for CQB purposes.
The JuggerBrake is coming soon and will be available through US Tactical Supply.
VTAC Quick Detach Ultralight Vertical Grip
February 20th, 2012There are two versions of the grip. One features horizontal cutouts on the grip and the other 45 deg cutouts (seen below) but both are 3.8 ounces despite being manufactured from Type II Anodized Machined 6061T Aircraft Aluminum. This is interesting because there are many who feel that you need the additional strength of metal to withstand the shock of barrel taps. The unique design relies on a simple O ring to retain 2ea AA or 2ea CR123 batteries. Additionally, it attaches to the rail via the patented DLOC system. If anything, you’ve gotta love the color name; Scorched Earth.
Yes, you can get the grip numerous places but we recommend www.skdtac.com.
CTOMS Exclusive Canadian Distributor of North American Rescue and North Coast Outfitters
February 20th, 2012CTOMS informed us that they have recently established exclusive Canadian distribution agreements with both North American Rescue and North Coast Outfitters. These product lines together complement one other. North Coast Outfitters in particular, allows CTOMS to extend its offering up to comprehensive modular field medical treatment facilities. These just so happen to utilize NAR’s Talon II Litter platform. CTOMS is also working closely with North American Rescue to make some of their products available that have not previously been Health Canada Licensed and thus not legally available in Canada. These product lines strengthen and enhance CTOMS’s current product line, which already includes other lines like TacMed Solutions, Z-Medica and, of course, the CTOMS house brand products.
US Army CERV Video
February 19th, 2012Here is some video shot by the US Army of their Clandestine Extended Range Vehicle (CERV) at the Chicago Auto Show.
The CERV is a diesel-electric hybrid prototype designed for reconnaissance, targeting and rescue missions.
Caveat Emptor – The Gun Show
February 19th, 2012I went to my first gun show in a couple of years today. The reason its been a couple of years is that the last one I went to left a lot to be desired as well. The gun show is definitely a bastion of the American gun culture. Unfortunately, it seems as if it has begun to reflect The larger American culture a bit too much. Lots of cheap guns, cheap gear, worn out surplus, cheap jewelry, the obligatory jerkey stand, a couple of crowd drawing Class III guns and lots of knock off products. I think the unifying theme is “cheap.” Aside from the low quality offerings there were plenty of counterfeits available as well. I saw loads of look-alike optics and lasers that were marked as the real thing, at less-than-possible prices. Naturally, there were also products obviously manufactured for, and marked as airsoft, being sold alongside the real thing just hoping to draw a huckster in looking to save a buck. I know a lot of airsoft enthusiasts get their necks all out of joint when I talk about it but it is the elephant in the room. So long as someone builds a realistic facsimile of a desirable item, someone else is going to try and pass it off as the real thing. Diamonds, Gold, Airplane Parts or Gun Accessories, no one wants to buy a fake.
I’d love to be able to show pics of what I am talking about, but thanks the main stream media shooting undercover videos of attempts to circumvent laws not a gun show in America will let you take photos. Understood.
For the average user, many of these low cost/quality products will be just fine. A trip to the range once a year to show off that pimped out black rifle won’t test the limits of many knockoffs. But, if you are an armed professional, don’t compromise. Make sure you are purchasing quality no matter where you are shopping. It doesn’t have to be expensive, but it does have to work.
Unfortunately, it seems the gun show has become nothing more than a variant of a weekend flea market.
We’d love to hear your gun show stories. And, let’s not forget the comments you hear at a gun show. Some of them are priceless. Why don’t you share them in the comments section?
SOCOM Purchases L-3 BNVD
February 19th, 2012Last week, the Navy announced that they had awarded a contract to L-3 for their binocular night vision device. These are actually built by the Insight business unit now part of L-3 Warrior Systems. Below is the announcement.
L-3 Communications Corp., Londonderry, N.H., is being awarded a $49,958,000 firm-fixed-priced, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for Special Operations visual augmentation systems binocular night vision device (BNVD). The BNVD’s will provide special operations forces with enhanced surveillance, identification, recognition, and detection in all light and weather conditions especially where vision is limited or restricted due to obscured and low/no light conditions. Work will be performed in Londonderry, N.H., and is expected to be completed in February 2017. This contract was competitively procured via the Federal Business Opportunities website, with three offers received. The Naval Surface Warfare Center, Crane, Ind., is the contracting activity (N00164-12-D-JQ01).
Remember how these contracts are written. The amount is a maximum amount (ceiling) and not necessarily the amount that the contractor will receive.
