gear

Tacticool: Don’t Let Your Desire For Awesome Gear Outweigh Your Skill

In case you haven’t figured it out yet, we have a tendency around here to kinda not hold back. Such is the nature of our profession. Tonight’s discussion is regarding a personal pet peeve of mine. All of those guys out there who let their wallets outrun their brains…and their skill sets…and chase that ever-present demon. TACTICOOL!

In the firearm community, it never fails that when you host a class there are some people who show up predestined to fail. There is always at least ONE person who shows up (besides the loads of completely normal students) with at least one of the following of the two self-inflicted deficiencies:

1. “The Commando”. The guy who spent $10k on a full-on arsenal and has NO idea WTF to do with it all. But BOY, is he quick to tell you everything there is to know about it! And correct you as the instruction cadre about anything you may have to say about it.

and…

2. “The New Guy”. This guy is actually PREFERABLE over guy Number 1, frankly. He’s the guy that just bought his first Glock and only had enough left over for a Hi Point carbine that takes the same ammo. Guy Number 1 is taking great relish is ripping on him relentlessly, but that’s ok. We’ll get to that shortly. This guy is not necessarily an issue, but has confidence issues that need to be addressed immediately, as that Hi Point is overloaded with a ton of crap that is going to hurt more than help.

Bottom line is this: Not everyone is made from money. Not everyone is made from common sense, either. If people were to invest equal amounts of capital in their training as their gear, we’d all be a hell of a lot better off. It’s unfortunate that shooters will spend money on vast amounts of equipment but fail to invest in the mental tool box. Having the toys but not the talent is a tragic disservice.

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Photo courtesy of Spotter Up

SureFire Releases Closed Tine 5.56 WARCOMP, SFCT Flash Hiders

Courtesy of Tactical Life

SureFire might be best known for its flashlights and weaponlights, but the Fountain Valley, Calif.-based company is certainly no slouch when it comes to flash hiders, as the release of its new closed tine WARCOMP and SFCT flash hiders demonstrates.

RELATED STORY: 37 Muzzle Devices for Your AR-Pattern Rifle

Built for 5.56 caliber weapons, the SureFire WARCOMP 556 CTN is a closed tine flash hider neutrally ported to aid recoil management. The SFCT-556-1/2-28 is a closed tine flash hider that features a similar design to a traditional birdcage flash hider. According to the press release, both of these closed tine adapters have wrench flats to ease the installation process, and service as solid and reliable mounting platforms for SureFire SOCOM fast-attach suppressors.

Similar to other SOCOM muzzle devices, these new adapters are precision-machined from heat-treated stainless steel that is highly resistant to gas and particle erosion. These adapters also utilize multiple bearing surfaces to help ensure proper suppressor alignment.

The 556 CTN is available for $149, while the SFCT-556-1/2-28 is priced at $135.

RELATED STORY: Master Your AK with SureFire Institute’s Modern Day Training

For more information about SureFire, check out surefire.com.

RE Factor Tactical Delta Trauma Kit | First Look

Low profile individual first aid kits are really becoming popular these days. Blue Force Gear’s Micro TKN has been a huge hit with concealed carriers and the casual adventurer. The Delta Trauma Kit follows in the same vein of being low profile but also being a bit bigger. This kit isn’t designed for the belt, but for the pack, or plate carrier. This is our First Look at the Delta Trauma Kit.

RE Factor Tactical’s Delta Trauma Kit

RE Factor Tactical is a veteran owned and operated tactical gear company that makes a little of everything. The Delta Trauma Kit is designed to give users an IFAK that doesn’t hang 6 to 8 inches off a plate carrier or a war belt. I can certainly see the need for Police and even some soldiers and Marines to have a slim IFAK. When climbing in and out of buildings, vehicles and other tight areas you want to minimize your footprint to increase your ability to move.

The Delta Trauma Kit does that perfectly. Outside of the Soldier and Cop realm, this is a great little attachment to an EDC or camping bag. It’s small and doesn’t scream tacticool. While small it’s big enough to fit the essentials of a first aid or trauma kit.

The in’s and out’s

You can squeeze in quite a bit of gear and organize it via elastic bands. The rear is just MOLLE, but polymer Malice clips which are amazing in their own right. It is sealed via a zipper and a buckle to hold that one piece of gear you can’t fit in the kit. Off the top of my head it’s the perfect place for a tourniquet.

I really like the Delta Trauma kit design. It’s large enough to be useful and small enough to be convenient. I’m actually going to outfit this kit as a trauma kit first and see how it stacks up when used as intended. After that I plan to give it to my wife. She’s chronically ill, and due to her condition takes several medications through a port. This involves syringes, glass bottles of medicine, needles and more. I think this kit would be perfect for her to organize her medical needs while being no larger than a pocket-book.

You can check it out here.

Tyler On Training: The Draw- Putting It All Together

Tyler On Training: The Most Important Gear

Today, Tyler talks about the most important gear that every concealed carrier and gun owner has. While there are great holsters, and mag pouches, and lights, and ammo out there, the most important gear is actually you. Your mind and body, working together, that is the ultimate tool. Putting time, effort and money into your personal training is alot better investment than putting it into any particular gear.

If you are interested in seeking advanced training, we would highly recommend visiting Aztec Training Services, below. Some of the classes are closed for law enforcement and military only, and many of the classes are advanced, but if you are serious about training, these are well worth your time and money.

Aztec Training Services

AZTEC Training Services is the premier tactical and marksmanship training company in the world. We offer a variety of courses of all skill levels for military, law enforcement, and law abiding citizens. Courses are offered from the top firearms trainers in the country, including Larry Vickers, Ken Hackathorn, Tyler Grey, and others, who offer real world experience based tactical training.

Courtesy of CCWSafe

Seahorse SE-540FP4 Pistol Case

The Seahorse SE-540FP4 pistol case has been instrumental in enhancing my shooting experience while at the same time delivery top notch protection to my pistols while I’m at the range. How can a polymer case enhance a shooting experience ? well I’ll get to that here shortly. First more about this relative newcomer to the world of polymer cases.

Seahorse Case is a San Diego based company that offers many different lines of cases for all of your protective needs. The have a long list options that are available on most of their cases just like other major manufactures of hard sided protective cases. The thing that’s that caught my attention was their lifetime warranty, the fact they are produced in the United States and Department of Defense testing to be certified.

One major attribute that stands out about this particular case and why it should be important to anyone who shoots pistols is that it comes precut from the factory to hold four pistols and twelve magazines. No more tracing outlines of pistols and cutting foam liners with razors and knives. It may not seem like a major issue to some, but less time messing with equipment means more time shooting.

At the indoor range I routinely shoot at in the winter they have a rule that every pistol that goes to the line must be in a hard case. I think its a stupid rule, and the frustration of having to take two or three separate hard sided cases or a giant rifle case to the range with me was wearing on my patience. When I found this case and read up on the company I knew I had found the answer to my dilemma.

The case is not cumbersome or awkward in anyway and even with four pistols in it stores easily in a trunk or in the backseat of any vehicle. It is available in five colors that are listed below in the specifications section. Industry standard pressure release valves and padlock holes are also present on most models of Seahorse cases.

Specifications:

Dimensions

Outside : 14.9″x 12.13″x 9.58″
Inside: 13.52″x 9.92″ x 8.38″

Weight: 6.47 Lbs

MSRP: $76.56 (available on company web site link in description)

Colors Available: Black, Cammo Green, Safety Yellow, Gunmetal Gray, International Orange

Misc:

Keyed locks available as an upgrade
Logo branding available
Made in U.S.A
Lifetime warranty

I’ve put every pistol I own into this case to see what models fit and if any didn’t fit. I found a very slight problem with the Sig P225 and its larger than average trigger guard. It seemed to make the pistol sit slightly higher in the case, making it harder to close. If it was a real issue a I would simply trim a little material out of the recesses on the inside of the case. Revolvers, and semi automatic pistols of all shapes, sizes and materials were put into the case all they all fit just fine.

Fathers day is coming up soon and if you have a Father who likes to shoot this maybe a great way to make going to the range easier on him or the whole family. I found this case by mistake and it just goes to show sometimes mistakes make for great opportunities. If you are in the market for a pistol case don’t overlook the Seahorse line of cases. If you own a business and want your logo on your cases, Seahorse can do that for you as well. Contact their custom department and they can provide you with a high quality and professional case emblazoned with your logo or design.

Any questions or comment just post them in the section below or use the FRAGO link and drop us a line. We’ve provided you a quick video recap of this article as well. Get out and enjoy the spring weather send us some pictures of you out using the gear we suggested, maybe you will end up on our Facebook or Instagram feeds

Rick

WWW.Seahorsecases.com

GSI Halulite Ultralight Kettle | Review

The GSI Halulite Kettle is ultra-lightweight, which according to GSI is ideally suited for the ultralight backpacker. The kettle is made of the proprietary alloy Halulite, which GSI claims is as light as titanium. This alloy conducts heat better and more evenly, allowing you to conserve fuel. Halulite also resists scratches, abrasions, and even burn circles.

The kettle comes with a lid with a single lift tab on the top, coated with a siliconized rubber to prevent burns. The kettle also comes with a handle covered in the same orange siliconized rubber to prevent burns. I removed this rubber coating, finding it more of a hindrance than a benefit for my purposes. There is also a notch in the top of the handle that makes it easier to hang the kettle over a fire.

I use this kettle on a regular basis when family camping. I’ve boiled water it in by setting it on top of my pocket rocket stove, and also by setting it in direct flames on a fire. The kettle stood up to the direct heat from the fire without any issues. Any black marks left from the fire wipe right off thanks to the Halulite material.

The pour spout on it pours nicely; no water runs down the side of the kettle when pouring. I also use this on winter day hikes with my wife; it’s the perfect size for two cups of coffee or tea while out on the trail.

Specifications:

Capacity – 1 quart / 32 ounces
Weight – 5.8 ounces
Dimensions – 6.3″ x 6″ x 3.2″
Material – Proprietary, hard-anodized alloy
Uses – Ultralight backpacking

Pros:

The wide base provides a larger area to heat, which cuts down on heating times and saves fuel.
Affordable cost
Lightweight, yet extremely durable
Large enough to store my fuel canister, pocket rocket stove, Bic lighter, and spork inside. Being able to utilize the space inside for my stove kit frees up valuable space in my pack.

Cons:

The lid doesn’t fit snugly enough to lock into place. I remedied this by using a 1″-wide nylon strap fed through the top of the lid and cinched down for traveling.

MSRP:

$22.95 direct from GSI.

GSI is well known for making ultralight gear for the outdoorsman at an affordable cost. If you’re looking for additional ultralight gear from GSI, take a look at the GSI Microdualist. These two items compliment each other well and make an extremely useful and durable backcountry cooking system.