Pistol Accessories

Is the Pistol Brace Next To Be Banned?

“White House orders pistol braces to be banned” Imagine clicking on your favorite news site or gun blog and reading those very words. Don’t think it can happen? remember that recently owners of slide fire or “bump stocks” found themselves in the very same situation. An accessory that was legal for years was suddenly called out by White House and through series of instructions from then U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions to the Justice Department was made illegal in less than six months. POOF just like that something that was legal was now illegal without any due process.

The History of the Brace

In was back in 2013 when inventor Alex Bosco came up with the pistol brace and after letter back from BATFE about the legality of the newly created device Bosco found himself in partnership with Sig Sauer and the SB-15 pistol brace was unleashed on the world. The world hasn’t been the same since as the SB Tactical pistol brace has been adopted and created for several weapons platforms and the gun gods smiled down from heaven and the masses rejoiced.

The letter from BATFE, the support of a giant of the industry like Sig Sauer and their legal team added instant credibility to the SB Tactical brace and made the industry explode. All was good for a year or so until the waters got muddy when BATFE released some rather vague guidance on the brace seeming to reverse their early interpretation of the braces as being “ok” to use. The summary of the series of events was this essentially this: Don’t put the pistol brace to your shoulder or it might make the weapon subject to NFA rules and regulations. Shouldering the weapon constitutes a redesign of the weapon from a pistol to a short barreled rifle.

Upgrading the Glock 19: Shadow Systems Match Barrel

The Glock 19 may be one of the most popular carry pistols in the world. It’s capacity, reliability, dimensions and cost are all contributing factors that make the Glock 19 so popular. It remains my choice to carry 75% of the time as well. Splitting duties with my Glock 43 when I need deeper concealment. While there are many aftermarket parts that claim to improve the functionality or accuracy of this already excellent piece. The barrel, sights and trigger are the first I typically address. Shadow Systems, an American company heavily laden with military leadership and employees, produces high quality match barrels, Glock accessories in addition to complete modified Glock pistols.

Shadow Systems was kind enough to send me one of their Match Barrels for the Glock 19. Additionally, this beautiful barrel is fluted, threaded and coated in that sexy gold Titanium Nitride (TiN). These barrels are an easy upgrade as they just drop in like the factory barrel. Because this is a threaded barrel, it comes with the advantage of measuring an additional 11mm over the stock barrel. My first assumption with the additional length would be additional weight. But a quick measurement with my postal scale shows 104g. Oddly, the shorter original Glock barrel also weighs exactly 104g too. Obviously, the strategic sculpting of material and fluting of the barrel is what offset the additional length of the match barrel.

Glock barrel: 102mm, 104g | Shadow Systems barrel: 113mm, 104g

Staying true to their roots, Shadow Systems match barrels and are designed and manufactured here in America. Precision machined and engineered from U.S. sourced 416R Stainless Steel, the match barrel fits tighter in the critical lock-up areas than the original barrel further enhancing accuracy. I recently had a chance to get out to my range to shoot this barrel. First, I took a magazine worth of slow aimed shots with the factory barrel to see what the pattern looked like at 10 meters. Followed by a magazine with the match barrel from the same distance, same Team Never Quit 100 Gr Frangible 9mm training ammunition.

Match Barrel specs courtesy of shadowsystemscorp.com

Glock 19 Compatible (all generations)
416R Stainless Steel, 1/10″ Broach Cut Rifling
TiN (Titanium Nitride) Finish
1/2X28 Threaded
Thread Protector Included
Made in the USA
MSRP ~~$249~~ Sale $219.45

Although the results are fairly clear to see, this was in no way a scientific measure of accuracy. But since no one realistically fires their carry pistol from a pistol vice, it does show what results you can expect as a practical shooter. One thing I would love to add to my carry G19 is one of Shadow Systems custom slides. Take a look at the Shadow Systems website for all of your Glock related parts.

Hyve Industries Mag Release

*Republished with permission from Hooks & Ammo

For the crowd that would rather watch a video than read here is the video review.

My only issue so far with the Glock 22 is the mag release. The stock may release sits too tight to the grip for my preference. On the 22 it’s so close to the grip that unless you wrap your thumb around towards the front of the gun it almost feels like it’s not even there. I feel that I have to take the time to find the release rather than being able to just push my thumb forward to hit it. The 17 was a little bit better but because I decided to build my 17 up for competition I wanted a better mag release so I wouldn’t fumble a reload somewhere. I chose the Hyve Industries release for both weapons.

When I was searching the Internet trying to find what release I wanted to use and what company was getting the best reviews I found one of the biggest repeat names was Hyve Industries. Every time I searched for Glock mag release Hyve ended up somewhere on the first page of the search and I couldn’t find anything overtly negative in any of the reviews. The biggest complaint was always their proprietary colors. I originally bought one to go into my Glock 17 and was extremely happy with the finish the fit and where it sat in relation to the stock mag release.

Immediately after bringing my Glock 22 home I realized that I was not a fan of the release and I needed to be changed out. I had no hesitation and went straight to the Hyve Industries website and ordered one and a couple mag base plates. Below you can see the before and after measurements from stock to the aftermarket release.

The Hyve Industries magazine release has a nice textured surface that has a lot of positive grip to it this allows for a positive mag change even if you have bulky gloves on or your hands are wet. In addition, when you’re reaching forward under pressure such as in a competition it gives you immediate tactile feedback that your thumb has found the release without taking your eyes off the next target. You can bring your gun up into your work space and change mags visually but being able to drop a mag before even glancing off target to make sure you seat the replacement mag is a time saver.

Changing out the mag release from stock is not that hard. As long as you have some kind of pick like an O-ring pic or shall flat head screwdriver like you would get an eyeglass repair kit, you can do this at home in just a few minutes. For the money, I believe this is one of the best upgrades for just a few bucks. You can watch the video above for a quick how-to but here a few pictures.

Unhook the release retention spring – this is how it should look once it’s out.

Pull the old release out and slide the new one in.

Eventually, it will get stuck – just use your pick to pull the ring forward, slide the release in fully and place the spring into the slot on the release and you are good to go. 2 Minute job.

One of my concerns, when I started looking for mag releases, was finding one that would fit inside a holster without being activated. I’m currently using the T Rex Ragnarok and I have yet to have an accidental release of a mag during re-holster draw or just a normal movement. I feel that if the holster was softer such as a leather holster there might be an issue with the release being depressed. With any of the high-end Kydex holsters, there should be no accidental compression of the release. The Hyve release sticks out far enough to make it easier to activate but not far enough to become a nuisance or issue.

It’s also interesting to me that the Glock 20 mag release is great – it’s far out from the grip and it doesn’t feel like you have to slide your thumb around to drop the mag. The grip is larger since its the 10MM round in the 20 vs the 9MM in the 17 or the 40 cal in the Glock 22. It makes me wonder if that’s why they decided to go with the more pronounced mag release – bigger grips mean you have to reach your thumb around more to hit the release if you don’t have big hands. Below is a photo of the Glock 20 mag release versus stock Glock 22 mag release.

Glock 20

Glock 22

I know it looks like a small amount but when you are talking about your fingers – the difference between the amount of material you can feel is astounding.

If you’re looking for a release to replace your Glock stock release I would be hard pressed to find a better deal then the Have Industries. One of the main complaints is that their colors are proprietary and do not match any other colors in the industry. I don’t have a problem with that because anyone can get a Cerakote or Duracoat matched if they have a good shop.

In addition, I like the fact that I can get my mag baseplates and the back plate on the slide to match my mag release. This allows me to look straight into my range bag I know exactly what magazine I need to grab. Red for 40, purple for 9 mm, green for 10 mm or 9 x 25 Dillon depending on what I’m shooting out of the Glock 20. This is also nice when training new shooters. For safety, I try not to have more than one caliber on the table at a time but this is one more way to prevent someone from loading let’s say a 9 mm into a 40 caliber pistol. It’s just one more safety feature for me when dealing with new shooters. I can tell them that the colors all match up and what caliber goes to what color as one more measure of safety.

Until someone comes out with the release I like more, or I play with one on someone else’s gun that I like more I’ll continue to buy the Hyve Industries release. I have not tried to replace the current release on my Glock 42 yet but I wouldn’t hesitate to do so if I felt that I needed it, but right now I am happy with the stock one.

I would buy it again and will continue to buy the Hyve releases, I give it a full 5 stars – unless your worried about color than 4.5 stars since you can not match it to any other colors in the industry.

*Review courtesy of Hooks & Ammo

9mm compensators: Necessary or just hype

In the pistol forums, I browse through, I’ve been reading a lot of hype about 9mm compensators. It seems to be the hot topic these days. And if you don’t have one on your Glock, you’re somehow missing out. I for one, never really put much thought into it. Seriously, it’s a 9mm we’re talking about here, right? One of the main reasons I decided to switch from .40 S&W to 9mm was recoil management. And I don’t regret that decision at all.

In the following video, the author demonstrates with a shot timer, the difference between his un-compensated pistol versus compensated. Although not a super scientific comparison, it does show his ability to string accurate shots together quicker. The 9mm compensator may be a real thing after all. But you have to compromise by lengthening your pistol significantly. And most 9mm compensators require a threaded barrel. Not that big of a deal for a competitive shooter where the rules allow it. But I doubt you’ll find me adding the bulk of a compensator to my conceal carry Glock 19

9mm compensators might be a passing fad but some of the evidence is indisputable. The question is, are 9mm compensators worth the trade-off. For someone who needs help with recoil management or a competitive shooter, the answer may be yes.

Grey Ghost Precision Glock Slide: Beyond Perfection

Grey Ghost Precision is a Lakewood, Washington based manufacturer that is most well known for making a nice selection of AR-15 rifles to fit the needs of Law Enforcement, Military Personnel and responsible armed citizens. The company makes rifles and uppers in the most common rifle cartridges used on the AR-15 platform, ranging from 6.5 Creedmoor all the way up to the full powered .308 Nato. While you may already be familiar with the company and their stellar reputation for quality, what you may not know about them is that they also produce aftermarket slides for several varieties Glock pistols.

Not long ago the team over at Grey Ghost Precision was nice enough to send us one of their G17 Glock slides that feature an insert to support the Trijicon RMR pistol optic. Since we have just started a new cheap Glock build dubbed Operation Glockenstein I was very excited when the slide was offered up to me. The timing of these events has resulted in the launch of a series of articles that will review all of the components used in this build. The first of these components is the slide we are featuring today. The market for pistol optics is red hot and it’s nice to see more manufacturers like GGP getting into the market, more manufacturers equal more competition, which of course means better deals for consumers. Let’s take a look at the Grey Ghost Precision G17 V1 RMR slide for our Generation III Glock 17, and see why our readers should take notice.

SPECIFICATIONS

Manufacturer: Grey Ghost Precision
Place of Manufacture: Lakewood, Washington
Material: 17-4 Billet Stainless Steel
Finish: Matte Black Nitride coated inside and out
Textures Available:
Waffle pattern (Version II)
Angled serrations (Version I as tested)
Available with or without RMR cut
Comes stripped without sights
RMR version includes custom G10 cover plate and screws
Available for Generation IV Glocks also
Lifetime warranty
Price: $399.00-$429.00

Initial Impressions

My initial impressions of the Grey Ghost Precision slide have been overwhelmingly positive. There are a ton of small details that the company has gotten right that add to the overall feel and effectiveness of the test slide we were fortunate enough to get. When I first opened the package the weight of the slide was the first thing I noticed, the slide felt heavier than other stock Glock slides I have handled. This might be because of the 17-4 Stainless Steel that it’s manufactured from. Stainless steel is heavier than carbon steel and has a lower strength to weight ratio. There’s a lot of science and math behind it all.

Now that we briefly touched on the metallurgy and perceived weight of the slide lets take a look at the feel and details of it. There are angled serrations that go completely through the slide at both the 3 and 9 o’clock positions. These are to assist the user in weapons manipulation drills and lighten the slide a tiny bit. The cuts themselves are functional and add to the ascetics of the slide without going overboard or compromising it’s structural integrity. There are an additional six serrations on the top of the slide just behind the front sight post. These differ from the other ones in that they do not go all the way through the slide and are cut horizontally instead of at an angle like all of the other serrations on the slide.

Assembly and Sight Selection

After looking over the fit and finish of the slide and the previously described details I set out to finding the necessary components to complete the slide. Grey Ghost Precision sends the slides stripped so that the user can add their favorite components to finish it off. Since I like simple and affordable I contacted my local gun shop Eagle River Gun Cache and Chugach Custom Gunworks LLC to hook me up with the parts I lacked. A little conversation and a 1/2 hour later a Lone Wolf Distributors completion kit and a set of Trijicon night sights were installed on the slide. The slide was complete and ready for testing.

This is where the only snag in the entire operation happened, I was unable to mount the Trijicon RMR red dot optic to the GGP slide because the screws I have were too long. Once I realized this was an issue I quickly sent an email to the customer service department of Grey Ghost Precision to request a set of screws that were the appropriate length. The issues with the screws only mean that I can’t test this slide with the RMR attached, it doesn’t stop the evaluation of the slide while using the Trijicon hard sights in any way.

Moving past the RMR issue, once the slide was assembled and fixed on the pistol I began to run some drills with it and see how the gun felt with the new heavier slide in place. The angled serrations at the rear of the slide are cut deep into the slide and really dig into your fingers even while wearing gloves. This isn’t a negative feature or comment at all, in fact, it should be taken as a positive note. The groves are deep and aggressive but not obnoxiously so, they allow the user to grasp the slide firmly even while wearing gloves or while your hands are wet or slippery for whatever reason.

Overall the Grey Ghost Precision is a well-built slide that combines solid engineering, good aesthetics, and functionality all in one package. While the price of the slide may set some people off, for shooters looking for a slide that allows you to run a Trijicon RMR red dot optic and retain your stock sights, this might be the perfect slide. When you stop to compare the Grey Ghost Precision Version 1 RMR with other manufacturers on the market you see that their pricing is pretty much in line with their competition.

The market for red dot optics of all types for pistols is expanding more each week, that being said the market will continue to fluctuate in both price and available options. This will mean it will continue to be a buyers market for the foreseeable future, so there is plenty of time to research companies and options. I would like to take a moment to thanks the team at Grey Ghost Precision for sending us this slide to demo, I’ve looked at a few other RMR slides on pistols in local shops and I will say that the GGP slide has a much higher quality build and design than ones I have seen. If you are in the market for a new slide for your Glock 17 or Glock 19 and want one that is cut to support the Trijicon RMR red dot, then Grey Ghost Precision is the first place I would stop.

If you are a competition shooter or running an optic on your pistol, we want to hear from you. What brand of optic are you running and what slide combo works best for you? What combo hasn’t worked? I personally am just starting on this journey of shooting pistols with optics so I am personally and professionally curious as to what setups others are using. Check back in the near future while I document the planned 1400 round test of the Grey Ghost Precision upper and Trijicon combo and learn the ins and outs of shooting pistols with optics. Drop your comments in the box below.

The NeoMag RASC (Revolver Ammunition Strip Concealment): A revolver revolution

It’s not often we see revolutions in the field of revolvers. Revolvers are revolvers, right? They work and work well. The revolver is still a very popular choice for concealed carry and revolver carriers have likely thought the market and technology for revolvers, has become stagnant. Well NeoMag, a company known for creating a concealed carry magazine system is now working on revolvers. They’ve given us the RASC, or Revolver Ammunition Strip Concealment, which is a pocketful of revolver revolution.

Breaking Down the RASC

The RASC is a very simple device that is made up of two components, a revolver speed strip, and an anodized aluminum handle and pocket clip. It will accommodate Speed Strips from Bianchi or Tuff Products Quik Strips. The RASC as a device has two screws that you loosen which allows you to remove the top of the RASC. You then insert the Speed Strip tab or handle and put the top back on lock it all down. The RASC also has a titanium pocket clip that can be removed and reversed for different shooters.

Currently, the RASC is only available for use with 38 Special/357 Magnum speed strips. These are the two most popular rounds for concealed carry with a revolver so it makes sense. Will more RASCs be added in the future? It’s likely, so keep an eye out.

The MSRP is 29.99 and its available here.

How It Works

It’s simple, once the strip is installed into the handle, load it, and put it in your pocket. The design of the pocket clip makes it look like nothing more than a pocket knife. The profile is no larger than a pocket knife and once it’s in your pocket it’s invisible. Better than just being concealed the RASC makes it easier to draw and reload the revolver from.

Speed Strips are great but without a pouch, pocket carry is a bit of a pain in the ass. Pouches are okay, but a bit big and ugly. The strips bounce around a bit, the rounds can fall out of the strip, and can be difficult to retrieve.

The RASC acts as both a means to conceal the Speed Strip and as an extended handle. Speed Strips are often small, thin, and somewhat difficult to grasp. Even harder when it comes to drawing them out of the pocket.

Carry and Concealment

Carrying the Neomag RASC is very easy and as I mentioned its quite easy to conceal. It does render your pocket a bit useless. Tossing in a cell phone, keys, or more can tangle up the RASC so make sure you have the room to do so. The RASC is comfortable, no poking, no prodding, and it’s easy to forget its there.

Even when seated the RASC doesn’t stand out or print through my pocket. It’s virtually invisible. The RASC is easy to carry in jeans, khakis, and shorts. The only time I ever saw any evidence of printing was in the pocket of the traditionally tighter female jeans and that was only when seated. That being said its hard to tell exactly what it is even when printing. Most folks won’t recognize revolver rounds in a line in the pocket.

The pocket clip is just long enough to conceal the rounds and is made of titanium so it’s not likely to bend and become useless without some effort on your part.

Reloading with the RASC

You reload the same way you would with a traditional Speed Strip, only now you are retrieving it from its vertical pocket position. The RASC itself acts as an outstanding handle that gives you a better grip and more control over the Speed Strip and makes it way easier to hold onto. Speed Strips and those little tabs are always a pain, and the addition of a handle makes them much easier to use.

There are a lot of ways to skin a cat and a lot of ways to reload a revolver. I hold the gun with the cylinder open in the palm of my non-firing hand and retrieve the RASC. I load two rounds twice and finish by topping off the last round of my 5 shot J frame. The RASC makes it easy to bend and strip the rounds from the Speed Strip without much hassle.

With the RASC I’m way faster on the reload, and the chances of me making a flub grabbing or gripping the Speed Strip is eliminated. My hands aren’t slipping, and I don’t fail to properly strip the rounds when reloading. If you are packing a revolver for any serious task I would strongly advise checking out the RASC.

Once the revolver is loaded I drop the strip and resume firing. A big benefit is the ability to quickly top a gun off. If I fire two shots I can eject the two empties and reload just two rounds with the RASC. The pocket clip design makes it easy to take off and put on without effort.

The Revolver Conundrum

The problem with revolvers is limited capacity so it’s more likely you’ll need a reload than if you were rocking a Glock. Another issue is the fact you can’t just slam a magazine into a revolver and keep shooting. You have to find a way to load a revolver quickly, and how to carry ammo to load that revolver. With a doubt, a technique is needed, but technology plays a part as well.

Speed loaders are great but hard to conceal, and worse than that you can’t top off a revolver with a speed loader. It’s all or nothing. Also, speedloaders and J frames can be a bit of a pain with the little clearance between the cylinder and grip they can get hung up.

When it comes to revolvers I like to think to think it’s less Speed Strips versus Speed Loaders and more like Speed Strips and Speed Loaders. Why not have both? If you don’t want to carry two devices I’d recommend a Speed Strip, and these days I’d recommend a Speed Strip with the RASC.