AR accessories

CruxOrd Muzzle Brake: Performance On The Tavor

In order to maximize the performance of our 5.56 AR-style rifles, we typically need to be picky about the parts we use and we need to be sure they do exactly as advertised. Muzzle breaks are said to lower felt recoil and muzzle rise. In my test of the CruxOrd muzzle break, I am using my IWI Tavor, which has the same threading on the barrel as your typical AR-style rifle, except I have a space/adapter thavorat I will use to tighten the muzzle break with. The bullpup is slightly more telling of the recoil effects of the 5.56 round since you are closer to the muzzle, as you are on a short barreled AR-style platform, which also has slightly more recoil and muzzle rise. This is going to allow me to get a decent idea of what kind of help this muzzle break gives to you controlling the recoil.

COMPANY

CruxOrd is a CNC machining company that is based out of the Chicago area in Tinley Park, IL. They manufacture a good variety of items that are designed to assist you in customizing the performance and appearance of your firearm. Their designs are mainly based off of the Glock and AR-style platforms. Each one of their products are made to stand out from the rest in quality and performance. You definitely do get what you pay for with this companies products.

DESIGN

CruxOrd advertises their muzzle break to be the first one of its kind. It uses 3 double Helix baffles that redirect the gasses axially in order to lower recoil and help prevent the muzzle from jumping around while shooting. I know the 5.56 is not all that high in recoil when compared to a .308, but it definitely can jump enough with NATO Spec ammo to prevent fast and accurate followup shots. The 3 baffles each have 6 holes that feed directly from the muzzle and bleed off into each baffle for a total of 18 vent holes, minus the six holes at the very front and the hole that the bullet passes through.

Each baffle is directed forward like an arrow, using the gasses to push forward against the forces of recoil. The baffles are also slightly angled forward, forcing the excess gasses to push out to the sides and away from the shooter, and it does this quite aggressively.

By the time the remaining gasses get to the end of the muzzle break, most of the pressure and force has been redirected to the sides, and what remains is free to vent out the front, giving you a straight push into your shoulder without an abrupt disruption of your sight picture. You can also see that the muzzle of the muzzle break is also crowned at the end. The finish is very nice and mildly reflective and smooth.

The CruxOrd muzzle break slightly dampens the flash as well as everything else it is designed to do. This is the only muzzle brake that I know of that actually dampens flash as well as lowering recoil. Though this break is loud and proud while shooting the gasses out to the sides, it is not unlike the AK-74 muzzle device that actually does a good job of dampening the already low recoil, but without any flash hiding function whatsoever. The only downside to the system is the fact that the report will be louder than a traditional birdcage flash hider, but it seems to hide the flash just as well.

All in all, I feel that $140 is a fair price for this kind of quality muzzle break that will no doubt serve you very well through time.

by David Donchess

David served in the USMC for a few years, deployed twice and got wounded. Retired and moved to Alaska. Has a passion for reviewing and testing guns and gear of all kinds. Enjoys working to dispel myths and show that you can train and practice in a realistic, safe, and practical way.

Photo by author

Yankee Hill Machine Q.D. Phantom Suppressor

Nothing raises the blood pressure of anti-gunners like firearms and accessories that fall under the purview of the National Firearms Act (NFA). The NFA, passed in 1934, governs the sale and production of all the truly fun toys of the firearms world, namely suppressors, machine guns, short-barreled rifles, and short-barreled shotguns. Many people mistakenly believe that these items are illegal. (Without the proper forms approved by the Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco Firearms & Explosives, they are.) But with the approved forms, they are 100-percent legal to own.

There are many manufacturers of silencers/suppressors (the BATFE uses the terms interchangeably). Surefire, Gemtech, SilencerCo, and Advanced Armament Company are several that you may have heard about. Today, we are going to take a look at a product made by the Yankee Hill Machine Company.

The Yankee Hill Machine Company is located in Florence, Massachusetts, approximately 104 miles west of Lexington and Concord, the birthplace of the American Revolution. The Yankee Hill Machine Company makes nine different versions of the 3100-series sound suppressors. Today we’ll look at and evaluate the Q.D. Phantom suppressor.

Model: YHM 3100QD

MSRP: $629 (additional BATFE tax of $200 not included)

Weapon platform: M4/AR15

Caliber: .223 / 5.56×45

Weight: 20 ounces

Dimensions:

Length: 6.875″
Diameter: 1.5″

Decibel reduction: -35 db

Material: Chrome moly steel and heat-treated Inconel 718

Finish: Matte black only

Attachment system: Quick-detach flash hider

Caliber rating: .17 HMR up to .223 /5.56mm

Flash hider thread mount options:

1/2-28
M15 x 1 RH
9/16-24 LH
M13 x 1 LH
M13 x 1 RH

Pros:

Affordable
Easy to mount
Lifetime warranty

Cons:

Weight
Proprietary mounting system

Bottom line:

The Q.D. Phantom suppressor isn’t for everyone, I will say that upfront. However, if you are looking for an affordable sound suppressor for your AR-15 rifle that comes with a lifetime warranty, it’s hard to pass this one up. The Phantom is heavier than almost all of the other suppressors in its class, but it has performed wonderfully for me the last two-plus years.

There are things someone in the market for a suppressor should know: First, it’s not like the movies. A .223/ 5.56mm fired through a suppressor still makes a lot of noise; it is still supersonic, after all. The second thing a potential owner needs to know about is heat. Any suppressor is basically a muffler, a series of baffles that dissipate sound. The bi-product of that is heat. I learned this the hard way the first time I took my suppressor with shooting. After two magazines of fast firing my rifle, I tried to remove the suppressor. To my surprise, I burned through the palms of my brand new Mechanix Wear gloves. I let the rifle cool down. The next time out, I brought a digital thermometer and recorded the temperature after two magazines of firing at a rate of one round per second. Below is the result: 530° F, and that is not a faulty meter.

One thing that is a little frustrating, but at the same time is inarguably a functional feature, is the Phantom’s quick-detach system. The Phantom uses a proprietary system that threads onto the existing thread pattern of your rifle. The quick-detach system forces you to use an awkward-looking flash hider that no other company uses. It really makes the rifle stand out like a sore thumb. That said, with the flash hider on, mounting the suppressor becomes shockingly easy. Line up the threads, twist the suppressor on in a clockwise motion until the clicking stops, and it’s ready to rock.

Shooting the rifle with the suppressor on is very easy, and it doesn’t interfere with the sight picture or alignment at all. I will admit that the fun factor for shooting goes way up when you have a suppressor; you instantly make a lot of friends on the range. In recent years, there has been a large push by hunters to use suppressors while hunting rabbits, coyotes, wolves, and other small rodents and predators. More than 30 states have allowed it as of the writing of this article.

Range Bag Tools: MagLuLa Loader

Maglula magazine loaders can help extend any range session by easing the frustration that can come from repeatedly loading magazines. We’ve all been there before – we take friends, wives or maybe the kids out for a nice day of plinking at some steel or paper targets and a short time later we hear the drone of “my fingers hurt”. Usually, it comes from kids first as they try to load .22LR magazines as fast as possible, so they can blaze away time after time. Sometimes its our wives, ultimately it doesn’t matter who says it, the results are the same. What if you could stop that from happening?

There are many shooters out there that will just say “suck it up” and drone on about how you should toughen up your fingers etc. To me, that’s a load of bull. I have worked with my hands in some tough/gritty fields of employment for more than 20 years and anything I can do to enhance my shooting experience and save my fingers is a positive. The phrase “work smarter not harder” comes to mind.

Maglula Ltd is an Israeli based company that specializes in producing loading tools for virtually any popular battle rifle or pistol currently on the market. Producing magazine loaders for single stack .22LR pistols like the Ruger MkII all the way to the most modern hi capacity Glock is no problem for them. Even if you own less popular military sporting rifles such as the Galil, the Knights SR25, or even the Fabrique Nationale SCAR, Maglula has you covered.

Lets take a look at the options and a small demonstration of the Maglula tools in action:

Maglula Ltd

Pistols Covered by Class:

.22LR Specific : Four models
9mm-.45 ACP: One model covers all brands single and double stack variety
.556..223 : Eight models covering: AR15, Galil, G36, Steyr AUG, Mini 14, AK47
7.62/.308: Seven models covering: AK47, AR10B, FAL, G3, M1A, SCAR H, SR25
Sub Machine Gun: Three models covering: Mp5, Uzi, Colt pattern AR15 9mm

The benefit from the Maglula tools is immediately apparent to me and many other shooters. The Israeli Defense Force has documented cases of a single Maglula loading tool being used to unload 100,000 rounds from magazines without breaking or malfunctioning. If that doesn’t prove the ability of these loaders, how about pistol manufacturer SCCY having a pistol tool like the one pictured above that has loaded over 1,000,000 rounds? There is even one company that’s used a Maglula bench loader for eight years to load 3.2 million rounds it’s still is in service today.

The shooting sports are suppose to be a time of recreation and relaxation for all, and sore fingers can defiantly put a damper on good times. The Maglula loading tools will greatly reduce the chances of that happening. Their loading tools are simple, affordable, and made for almost any application you might need. It’s so easy to use you can actually have your kids load your magazines for you instead of you loading magazines for them all day. One final note, fathers day is coming, and any of the Maglula family of loaders would make a great gift for Dad this Father’s day. They are available at Amazon, and come in a wide range of colors.

Thanks for stopping by the site, be sure to follow us on Instagram , Twitter, and Facebook. If there are any questions concerning guns, gear, or tips use the FRAGO link and be sure to let us know.

— Rick

AR Accessories: 16 Optics, Triggers, Handguards & Barrels For Your Rifle

(Originally published on Tactical Life)

The AR is one of the easiest rifles to customize, and there are literally tons of aftermarket parts to choose from. Even though an AR is inherently an accurate weapon, there a few tweaks you can make to transform the rifle from a really good weapon to a really fantastic weapon. So, I took a look at four different categories for AR Accessories that can boost accuracy: optics, triggers, handguards and barrels.

These four areas are fairly easy to upgrade because, like many of us, I’m a big fan of instant gratification. I’ve also ordered these categories from the easiest to the most difficult—not that swapping an AR barrel takes a degree in mechanical engineering, but it’ll still take some time. Of course, new stocks, grips and compensators can make your rifle easier to shoot, and you’ll also see a difference in your shooting accuracy with those upgrades, but I like to tackle accuracy head on. Scroll through the gallery above to learn more about some quick upgrades for your favorite AR-platform rifles.

Optics

Installing an optic requires minimal effort and can be accomplished with tools you probably already have on hand. There is no black magic to installing a scope or red dot. Just make sure that the mount is tightly attached to your AR and the rings around the scope are secure. There’s no need to gorilla the screws—just use blue Loctite #242, which will help your scope maintain its zero in spite of recoil.

Continue reading on Tactical Life

Images courtesy of Tactical Life

First Look: Armaspec XPDW Stock

The Armaspec XPDW stock was released at SHOT Show 2016 in Las Vegas this past January and once I saw it I was hoping I would get to try one on my Noveske short barrel rifle. Well wishes sometimes come true as I opened my mailbox on an ordinary Thursday afternoon and found an unexpected package. The Armaspec XPDW rifle stock.

There are many different options for AR15 owners when it comes to rifle stocks. Magpul, Vitor, B5 Systems, and Mission First Tactical to name a few. Now you can add Armaspec to the growing list of manufacturers. Each manufacturer has its own merits, some hold batteries, some are easy to adjust, some produced standard military grade adjustable stocks. Armaspec went a different route with there XPDW stock, they used a different twist on the approach.

First Look: Armaspec XPDW Stock — Stock fully collapsed only 6.875″ long

This stock is brand new, I literally received it yesterday as I write this to get word out to you, our readers. It’s a bit heavy but seems to be built like a tank. I was really excited to get it especially since I wasn’t aware it was even coming. Several things aside from the weight of the stock stood out to me, but first lets look at the specs and the break down of the XPDW Stock.

Specifications:

Weight: 16.06 Ounces

Lengths:

Closed Length: 6.875″
Fully Open Length: 10.0″

Number of length positions: five total

Warranty: Lifetime

Materials:

Body and butt pad: Aluminum
Guide and support rods: Hardened Steel

Special Features:

Quick detach point on butt pad
Uses standard Mil-Spec buffer tube
No special tools, buffer or springs needed
Made in U.S.A. (who doesn’t love that)

Initial Impressions:

My initial impression is that this stock is heavier than other stocks I’ve tried but it’s built like a brick. The butt pad assembly uses an ambidextrous button to release and it slides effortlessly. The stock does however stop at each of the five strops along the rail for easy adjustment on the fly. Installation on any Mil-Spec AR15 buffer tube takes less than two minutes. I demonstrated this in the below video.

Looking over the stock at first I thought it was missing a sling point and was going to note that in the review until I saw a hole in the bottom of the stock and decided to try to insert a quick detach sling point in the, and PRESTO, it worked. I then read the literature provided and checked the Armaspec company web site and yes they didn’t forget the quick detach sling point.

Testing and Videos

This stock will be tested in the very near future on my Noveske 10.5″ short barrel rifle. I have to take the SBR out to try out new optics and a new Geissele Mk IV rail anyway so why not try a bunch of stuff at once. I fully intend to drop this, scratch it, and test its impact resistance in lots of imaginative ways I assure you. Here is a quick install and overview video until I get out to the range.

If there are any tests you would like to see on this stock drop us a line in the comments section below or use the FRAGO and we will be happy to try them out, unless it will destroy my SBR in the process.

Eotech Recall and Replacement Options

The Eotech models of red dot optics made by L3 Communications have been an iconic piece of military hardware since the Global War on Terror started in 2001. These sights have been issued to hundreds of thousands of members of the police, military and law enforcement communities throughout the world. It is almost as popular in the civilian shooting community as well. That might all be changing in the very near future with the announced lawsuit and subsequent settlement between L3 Communications and the United States Government (US gov vs L3 communications case # 15cv-09262 United States District Court).

Those of you who might have not heard the news when it came out in November can read all about the 25+ Million dollar settlement that was agreed to by both parties in the case by following the links at the bottom of the page. In a nut shell Eotech maker L3 Communications lied and hid data that related to accuracy and thermal drift information during its extreme cold and hot testing of their optics.

Some people will say that they trust their Eotechs with their lives and that the problems that L3 and the United States Government have agreed to are exaggerated. That is not a debate that this article will wade into, instead we shall look into options for those Eotech owners who choose to follow the recall options that were laid out in the settlement. Eotech has agreed to buy back any and all Eotech red dot optics that users wish to return for the original purchase price plus $15 for shipping. If you are an Eotech owner what options now are available to you in the same price range? That’s where we here at the site can maybe shed some light on other brands and styles of optics. We narrowed it down to four choices.

Choice #1 : Vortex SPARC AR

Video courtesy: Vortex Optics Youtube Page

Price: $250 Estimated

SPARC AR Highlights:

Cheaper than EOTECH
Lifetime Warranty without a lawsuit
Waterproof
2 MOA dot
22mm objective lens
10 brightness settings
Weight 5.9 oz

Choice #2 : Aimpoint Patrol Optic (PRO)

Video Courtesy: Guntalk.tv Youtube Page

Price: $390 Estimated

Aimpoint Patrol Optic Highlights:

38 mm objective
2 MOA dot
Tested effectiveness -49*F to +160*F
Long battery life
Comes with mount
Waterproof to 150 feet
Weight 7.8 oz

Choice #3 : Trijicon MRO

Video Courtesy: Haley Strategic Youtube Page

Price: $493

Trijicon MRO Highlights:

Waterproof 100 feet
25mm Objective lens
2 MOA dot
Up to 5 year battery life
4.1 oz weight
Off position between each setting allowing the user faster turn on times to favorite setting
Three different height mounts available

Choice #4 : Primary Arms MD-ADS

Video Courtesy: Primary Arms LLC Youtube Page

Price: $169

Primary Arms MD-ADS Highlights:

Up to 30,000 hours battery life
Great price
Weight 3.9 oz
2 MOA dot
Easy to use top mounted illumination control
3 year warranty
14 different mounting options

Thoughts and Conclusions

This isn’t a one size fits all list by any means, we chose to keep any possible replacements for the Eotechs in the same price range as the Eotech 512 model which was one of their least expensive and most sold models. The exception to that was the Primary Arms MD-ADS which although cheaper than the competition held up to the hardest tests that most users can throw at it. Evidence of this is seen in the now infamous video by RobSki of the AK Operators Union Local 47-74 in which he drags the Primary Arms optic behind a truck and it still hold zero, check at about 1:00-1:35 of the video.

Since this is a developing story with more people being effected, including myself we would love your input into the Eotech debate. If you are a Eotech owner and are choosing to swap out your sight which optic are you looking at ? If you love your Eotech we also want to know why you won’t be taking advantage of L3 Communications offer. Stop by and let us know where you are in the debate and show us some pictures of what you are currently running on your rifles.

As always if you have a comment or suggestion you can comment in the remarks section of any article or use the FRAGO to get in touch with any of the writers on the site. Do you like the new change to more video content on the site? Let us know.

Rick D

Eotech Lawsuit Link